Public authorities have a legal duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity. This could be put at risk by putting big wind farms on upland peatland.  West Yorkshire Combined Authority needs to bear this in mind in preparing the Spatial Development Strategy. It is currently setting policies for the development and use of land across West Yorkshire over the next 25 years.  The Peatland Alliance support wind farms – but not at the expense of nature. Peat scientists and nature groups like Yorkshire Wildlife Trust agree that big wind farms should be located on mineral soils, not peat moors. Spatial development strategies are free to set policy in relation to the protection of peatlands, if it is of strategic importance to their area. It clearly is here. West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s  Industrial Strategy - also in preparation - has confirmed that  West Yorkshire’s peat moors are of strategic importance as a natural infrastructure asset.  They are critical to achieving England’s Net Zero target and mitigating climate change, due to their natural capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by peat-forming vegetation, and their huge carbon store that has built up over thousands of years. They also reduce flood risk in the valleys,  provide drinking water, support a wide range of specialist biodiversity – much of it endangered, and form the north south corridor between the Peak District and North Pennines, which is essential for nature survival and recovery.  These vital ecosystem functions would be put at risk by building windfarms on upland peat moors. Siting wind farms there would undermine the green transition.  There is no need to site wind farms on windy uplands – manufacturers have designed turbines to work well in the lower wind speeds prevalent in much of mainland Europe. Please call for a Spatial Development Strategy that keeps West Yorkshire upland peatland free of wind farms (and puts wind farms on mineral soils).

Reinstate the 2015-Approved In-Field Route for the Tarka Trail Would you choose to walk, wheel, cycle, or ride a horse: • Along the Tarka Trail in a peaceful field, separated from the busy A361 main road by a traditional Devon hedge and old stone wall? • Or on a noisy, traffic-heavy roadside pavement, exposed to 50mph traffic, fumes, and the loss of a cherished natural landscape? The Tarka Trail is Devon’s premier off-road active travel path, stretching from Ilfracombe in the North to Plymouth in the South. Much of it is part of EuroVelo 1 (the Atlantic Coast Route), a major European cycling trail running from Northern Norway to Portugal—and it’s the only EuroVelo route in South West England, one of just four in the entire UK. This makes it a vital tourist attraction and a cornerstone of sustainable travel in North Devon. Local residents, businesses, tourists, and active travellers all support the original 2015 Devon County Council plan to keep the Tarka Trail inside the field, preserving the historic stone wall and hedgerow. However, recent changes have prioritised a roadside pavement—stripping away this natural barrier and exposing users to pollution and noise. We urge Devon County Council to reinstate the 2015-approved in-field route for the Tarka Trail. By doing so, you’ll protect: ✅ A peaceful, scenic experience for walkers, cyclists, and equestrians. ✅ A vital piece of North Devon’s heritage—the stone wall and hedgerow. ✅ A sustainable, healthy future for tourism and active travel. Please sign this petition to demand action.

Wildlife is in freefall. England is one of the worst countries in the world for how much wildlife we have already lost, and the places that we love - from ancient woodlands to precious moorlands - are at risk. Yet half of England is owned by just 1% of the population, and these massive landowners don’t seem to be doing much about the crisis we are in.  The Government has brought together some of England’s biggest landowners to tackle this crisis at a massive scale in the National Estate for Nature (NEN). But instead of ambitious action, it's become a voluntary talking shop.  There are just 14 members in the National Estate for Nature Group, but together they own 10% of England!  Whilst some landowners push ahead, others continue to delay and risk jeopardising any hope we have of reaching the Government’s commitment to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 (30by30). With great power comes great responsibility. We are asking that all major landowners are held to account over how they are managing their land. We are calling on the Government to overhaul the NEN framework to increase transparency and action for nature by: • Providing a standardised and publicly accessible reporting framework that landowners must follow, including maps of total landholdings and existing contributions to 30by30; • Requiring each landowner to set an area-based target towards 30by30 on their own estate; • Including a ratchet mechanism to increase ambition towards 30by30, in which each target set is more ambitious than the last. 74% of the public think major landowners have a duty to protect nature on their land. That is why we are also calling for a new mandate for nature for all landowners with holdings of 1000 hectares or greater, not just for those in the NEN. With your help, Wild Card has already secured action from the England's biggest landowners, including Forestry England and the Royal Family. Now, we're demanding action from all of them. Will you join us?  

Swifts are in trouble. Their UK breeding population fell by 70% between 1995 and 2024, and they are now on the UK Red List of birds of conservation concern. When a swift's nest entrance is blocked, every hour can matter. Swifts spend almost their entire lives in flight, returning to the same nesting places year after year. If adults cannot reach their eggs or chicks, the consequences can be devastating. The law already protects active nests, but protection is of little use if nobody intervenes until the work is finished and the evidence has disappeared. I am a volunteer swift conservationist who has witnessed what can happen when building work threatens nesting swifts and nobody takes responsibility for intervening in time. Every year, throughout the swift nesting season, reports emerge from across the country of building work threatening occupied nests, obstructing access and putting these remarkable birds at risk.  At Regent House in Dorking, a long-established swift colony was threatened during demolition. At another site in Banstead, scaffolding and building work obstructed access to an active swift nest. I reported our concerns, but encountered uncertainty about who should act, what evidence was needed and who was responsible for protecting the birds.  We need a clear, coordinated emergency response that protects occupied swift nests before it is too late. Please sign to help make existing wildlife protection work when it matters most.

A plan to dredge 650,000m3 (over 250 Olympic swimming pools) of sediment at Falmouth Docks threatens irreversible harm to our environment, community and the local economy. Dredging risks unearthing toxic pollutants left by years of industrial pollution that have been safely trapped in the seafloor for decades. Samples from the site contain concentrations of TBT, a banned and highly destructive chemical, at levels much greater than the legal limit for disposal at sea. Other toxic contaminants in the sediment include PCBs, mercury, zinc, lead, and copper. These bring severe human health risks (these toxic contaminants have been linked to cancer and fertility issues) and the destruction of marine life. Responsible redevelopment of Falmouth Docks is needed - it brings new jobs and supports the local economy. If the dredge goes ahead, it could permanently damage protected, globally rare habitats, including maerl beds and seagrass meadows, and wipe out Britain's last wild oyster fishery that is central to the coastal town's heritage. The public consultation ran from 24 July to 4 September 2025. Many fishers, residents and businesses didn't know it was happening, unaware of the scale and potential implications. Since it closed, the MMO has received further environmental evidence that the public has had no chance to respond to. Cornwall Wildlife Trust and local fishers have also raised serious concerns about the sediment testing and the modelling of where pollution would spread. The plan also gambles Cornwall’s £2bn tourism and £174m seafood sectors to cater to low-spending mega-cruise liners that offer questionable financial benefits to local residents and will increase air pollution in the town. We cannot allow our local environment and community health to be sacrificed.  Sign this petition to call for the MMO to stop the toxic dredge and redevelop the docks responsibly!  Support the Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/wWq5x1vW?utm_campaign=sharemodal&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=shortlink

‘Swimmable Cities’ is a global initiative shaping urban liveability, climate resilience and social equity in communities around the world. It is inspired by the UN Decade on Ecosystem Regeneration.    Cities around the world are under growing pressure from climate change, public health, and urban growth challenges. Restoring access to clean water is emerging as a powerful way to cool cities, improve wellbeing and reconnect people with nature.  Since launching their Charter before the Paris Olympics, the growing international alliance of municipalities, organisations and advocates includes 255 diverse organisations across 121 cities and towns in 38 countries.  The global Swimmable Cities initiative is on a mission to mainstream ‘swimmability’ in urban planning, integrated water management and tourism destination development. The goal is to restore rivers, lakes, coastlines and waterfronts as public spaces that support health, climate resilience and urban life. Join our Campaign Whats App Group:  https://chat.whatsapp.com/Euo1EHHamO29Ag68HcoqZT 

In 2025, Canal & River Trust changed the two bollards beside Candy Wharf from a yellow lock landing with a 24-hour maximum stay to white 14-day moorings. Boats can now remain directly outside residents’ homes for up to two weeks. The moorings are only a few metres from homes at Candy Wharf and Falcon Works. Some residents’ only windows and ventilation points face the canal. Because of this close proximity, smoke and engine exhaust fumes enter homes before they can disperse. During one three-month period in winter, residents experienced smoke entering their homes on a daily basis, with 58 separate incidents reported. The problem is ongoing and is not limited to winter. Incidents have occurred at different times, including as early as 6am and as late as midnight or 1am. The smoke in my home became so severe that I had to leave. In April, canal-side smoke was officially witnessed as a statutory nuisance. Residents have also experienced recurring noise and sleep disruption. Restoring the 24-hour lock landing would reduce prolonged smoke, fumes and noise while preserving short-term access for boats. This petition will also be submitted as supplemental evidence to the existing Tower Hamlets ASB Case Review. Please sign this petition to help residents of Candy Wharf and Falcon Works Court reclaim clean air and quiet in our homes, so we can live, work and sleep without recurring smoke, exhaust fumes and noise.

We became involved because Regent House in Dorking was a known nesting site for Common Swifts - birds that return to the same nesting places year after year. When demolition moved into the 2026 breeding season, we were deeply concerned that the safeguards intended to protect nesting birds had not been properly followed. The approved Construction Environmental Management Plan required a nesting-bird check of the buildings and vegetation less than 48 hours before removal. But the records we have seen have never convincingly shown that an appropriate building-focused ecological check took place immediately before demolition. That matters because this was the moment when the birds needed protecting. Once a nesting structure has been demolished, no amount of paperwork, meetings, retrospective reports or future mitigation can recreate the opportunity to protect the birds that were using it. We have spent months trying to understand what happened and asking the organisations involved to account for their decisions. Homes England became involved because of its funding and oversight role, and we submitted a formal complaint asking it to explain how the environmental incident was handled and what action followed. Around ten weeks later, we are still waiting for a substantive response. For us, this is about more than one building. Common Swifts are now on the UK Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. Their nesting places are disappearing, and once established colonies are lost they can be extremely difficult to replace. Environmental safeguards only mean something if they are followed at the point when they can actually prevent harm. We are asking Homes England to answer the complaint, explain what it found, and tell the public what will change as a result. The birds cannot ask those questions themselves. So we are asking them.

Why Sunny Bank matters to our community Sunny Bank is more than simply a piece of undeveloped land. For generations, people from Prestolee, Stoneclough and Ringley have walked through and enjoyed this area, using the route from Bridge Street towards the River Irwell. Bolton Council's own planning documentation has previously referred to an informal path running through the site from Bridge Street to the riverbank. Many local residents can provide first-hand evidence of using this land for decades. I am 42 and have used the route throughout my life. Other residents of a similar age remember using it as children to reach the rear of their family homes on Bridge Street and continue to use it today. Residents also remember the rebuilding of the nearby bridge in 1994, when a temporary bridge was provided and local people continued to use the route through this area. Its use did not simply begin recently – it forms part of people's memories of growing up and living in this community. The site also has environmental importance. It sits close to the River Irwell and contains trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order. Its location at the entrance to Prestolee means that what happens to this land has an impact on the character of the surrounding area. We have tried to find a voluntary solution Before asking Bolton Council to become involved, I approached the current landowner directly to see whether the community might be able to purchase the land. My approach was respectful and made clear that I understood the owner was under no obligation to sell. During a subsequent telephone conversation, the owner confirmed that the land is not currently for sale. When discussing what it might take for him to consider selling, a figure of approximately £250,000 was indicated. I explained that this was far beyond what the community could realistically consider and that, based on the interest shown, I believed approximately £60,000 might potentially be capable of being raised collectively. This was not a formal offer. Any community purchase would need to be subject to an independent valuation, confirmed funding, legal checks and appropriate due diligence. For context, Land Registry records confirm that the land was purchased for £23,000 in 2023. That does not mean the land is still worth £23,000, nor do we suggest that the owner should be forced to sell it for that amount. However, the difference between what the community might realistically be able to raise and the figure discussed demonstrates why achieving a voluntary community purchase is currently extremely difficult. The discussions ended respectfully. We have tried the voluntary route and would still welcome an agreed solution if one became possible. Why we are asking Bolton Council to help Recent activity on the land has caused increasing concern amongst local residents about what its future might be. We don't want to wait until this valued green space and the long-established access through it have disappeared before asking what could have been done to protect them. We are not asking Bolton Council to prejudge any planning application, nor are we demanding that the Council immediately compulsorily purchase private land. We are asking the Council to sit down with the community, properly consider the environmental, recreational and social value of Sunny Bank and investigate the options available to secure its future. That could mean helping the community achieve a negotiated purchase, assisting with funding or community ownership, protecting established access, or another appropriate arrangement. If agreement with the landowner genuinely cannot be achieved, we believe it is reasonable for Bolton Council to investigate whether compulsory purchase or another statutory mechanism could be justified in the public interest. Once it's gone, we can't easily get it back This land has been part of Prestolee for generations. It has a long-used route towards the River Irwell, protected trees, environmental value and, most importantly, a history of use by the people who live here. We're trying to find a positive solution while there is still an opportunity to do so. Please sign this petition and help us ask Bolton Council to work with the community to protect Sunny Bank, Prestolee, and preserve it for future generations.

In the heart of Midlothian, like many residents, I've faced a troubling issue with our waste collection schedule. Our household grey waste bins, often overflowing by the third week, are not only an inconvenience but a growing health concern. We've experienced the unsettling problem of rats making their way into our garden, drawn by the accumulation of waste that builds up due to infrequent bin pickups. This isn't just an isolated incident, but a common frustration shared by many in our community. Currently, our council has scheduled the collection of grey waste bins every third week, while recycling bins such as those for paper, cardboard, and other recyclable materials are collected on the same schedule. However, the capacity usage of these recycling bins is significantly lower compared to the household waste bins, often reaching only three-quarters full by collection time. This disparity suggests an imbalance in waste management practices that urgently needs to be addressed. Overflowing bins lead not only to unpleasant sights and smells but also pose direct health risks. Rodents and pests are drawn to the unmanaged waste, creating unsanitary conditions that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities. As neighbours and residents invested in the health of our environment and community living standards, we believe it is vital that our local government listens to our voices and acts promptly. Our proposal is straightforward: adjust the waste collection schedule to have grey bins emptied every fortnight instead of every third week. This change will alleviate the overflow issue, reduce the attraction for vermin, and ensure that our streets and gardens remain clean, safe, and sanitary. By making this adjustment, Midlothian can improve its waste management system, demonstrating a commitment to the health and safety of its residents. It will also reflect positively on the community's quality of life, fostering a healthier environment for families and future generations. We understand that changes in council services need careful consideration, but the current system's inadequacies demand urgent attention. We urge Midlothian Council to prioritize our community's needs and protect us from the escalating waste problem. Support this initiative if you believe in a cleaner and safer Midlothian. Please sign this petition to urge Midlothian Council to adopt a more effective waste management schedule.

Vinted has quietly integrated Australian listings directly into UK search feeds without clear default warnings or a quick way to opt out. We are demanding that Vinted introduce a simple, permanent "Domestic Only" toggle in account settings so UK users can choose to buy locally. My Story: I became a dedicated Vinted user because it offered a brilliant, accessible way to buy and sell second-hand clothes. Choosing pre-loved items over brand-new retail wasn't just about saving money; it was a conscious decision to shop more sustainably and reduce my personal environmental impact. Recently, that experience completely changed. While scrolling through my feed, I bought an item only to discover after purchase that it was shipping all the way from Australia. The initial listing showed misleading low postage rates ("from £2.04"), hiding the true financial and environmental footprint until checkout. When I looked closer at my feed, I realised it was flooded with Australian items. What used to be a tailored space supporting local circular fashion has been overridden by an aggressive cross-border algorithm pushing individual garments on 10,000-mile flights across the globe. It is frustrating to have the ability to make eco-friendly choices taken away by corporate decisions that prioritise cross-continental volume over transparency. Air-freighting fast fashion around the planet directly undermines Vinted’s claim to be a green alternative. I have paused my shopping on Vinted until they restore user control. We are calling on Vinted to stop hiding international listings and give every user the option to filter by their own country by default.

Also resurrect the idea of a Water grid to not only alleviate areas of prolific flooding but allow the areas of high rainfall to provide water in areas of low  rainfall and drought like conditions. This could be done using rivers, large streams and canals. We're an island surrounded by millions of litres of water.  Scientists advise that climate change is causing the ice caps to melt, thus sea levels are increasing. Building reservoirs requires using farmland or land that can be built upon.  Desalination plants could help alleviate the lack of water for building but also help with the continued demand once the houses are built. Farmers and Nurseries would be more efficient and produce more in the way of crops etc., thus reducing the need (and air miles!) to import produce from abroad. It's not rocket science, the UAE, Israel even Malta & Gozo already have desalination plants, even Navy ships and Cruise liners have them! So it's not like having to re-invent the wheel, the technology is already here.