Some of the rubbish scenes in our cities and beaches over this past week have been so upsetting and distressing to see whilst we are in a Pandemic. Big fines and urging people to take their rubbish with them would be a good way to earn money and on the spot fines to shame people who are fly tipping or littering is so important. Only one year since Blue planet and David Attenborough talking at Glastonbury we have to stop the waste, clean the environment and dispose of our rubbish properly for the sake of our seas, creatures and future.

As reported by Chris Packham and The Countryfile magazine - ' The Wildlife Trusts consisting of 46 nature charities across the UK — have been left reeling from the damage caused by an increased number of visitors to reserves as a result of lockdown restrictions being eased, combined with warmer weather. The organisation reported a huge increase in damage to its reserves and the wildlife that lives there' ...dogs have killed ground-nesting birds, rare plants disturbed or destroyed through dog faeces.

The people of Johnstown have for a long time opposed the landfill, pointing out many times that it is dangerously close to a residential area. We have now been proven correct with the dangerous levels of pollution released. Many people pay for a home with outdoor space and were unable to use the entirety of their property while being denied clean safe air to breathe.

due to how close proximity of the farms to the river , the birds deposit their phosphate-rich excrement across the ground, and the rain potentially flushes this into streams and eventually the Wye. The phosphates then trigger algae blooms when the sun comes out. Oxygen is removed from the water and plants and fish will die off. We cannot allow the ecological destruction of the wye and it’s decline in wildlife happen !

Wandsworth Common is a huge, beautiful space enjoyed by so many, and has been especially important to us all during lockdown. But it is now being regularly trashed with industrial amounts of litter left by huge crowds of people who leave their plastic bottles, beer cans, pizza boxes and coffee cups for someone else to clean up at our cost. On my morning walks it is truly heart-breaking to see so much rubbish dumped on this beautiful space. And just as saddening that the council or the police do nothing to enforce responsible behaviour. A council worker told me he collects one-and-a-half truckloads of rubbish every morning (see picture) just from the part of the common opposite Bellevue Road! If authorities were on site to enforce the £100 fixed penalty notices for littering, the council's coffers would be full in no time! Further, if people had to pay a deposit of 50p or a £1 for their pizza box or plastic beer cup when buying them from the businesses on Bellevue Road, that would strongly encourage them to return them rather than dump them on the common.

Ahead of hosting the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow in 2021, the UK must lead the world by ensuring our recovery gets us on track to net-zero emissions and limits the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees C. Our best chance of building a resilient economy goes hand in hand with tackling climate change. We are ready to play our part, and we call on you to join us.

A third of British wild bees and hoverflies are in decline, according to a study in 2019. If current trends continue, some species will be lost from Britain altogether, the scientists say. Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47698294 The new analyses provide further evidence of the serious, long-term and ongoing decline of UK butterflies, with 70% of species declining in occurrence (based on the BNM distribution data) and 57% declining in abundance (based on the UKBMS) since 1976. Source: Butterfly Conservation. If we want to protect the local ecosystem, we must re-introduce habitats. The Runnymede roundabout, and the surrounding verges, provide an excellent starting point, while also saving the Council money through a reduced mowing schedule.

On 2nd October Cumbria County Council voted once again to approve the first deep coal mine in the UK in 30 years. We assume that this vote will require ratification given that the Secretary of State had delivered a holding direction asking you not to approve the decision until his say so. We urge you not to ratify the decision. Nowhere in the UK has there been deep mining in over 30 years. The good news is that there is now a renewed opportunity for the County Council to overturn their previous terrible decision. Granting permission for a new coking coal mine under the Irish Sea would fly in the face of the Council's own climate, environment and health commitments. What are people saying? Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk This coal mine would be situated at the beginning of the world famous Coast to Coast walk at St Bees Head "I have the pleasure of enjoying the first small section of Wainwright’s coast to coast on my doorstep. A tourist asset that you should protect. I am appalled that Cumbria County Council (CCC) has allowed this green space in Pow Beck to come under threat with a large coal yard." Martin Kendall- Local Resident High Costs of Production "I was astonished to see a proposal to open a deep coal mine in a coalfield which had high costs of production and at a time when the climate emergency demands the phasing out of coal". Robert Wharton. Operational Research Scientist with National Coal Board 1967 to 73. Former consultant with KPMG often advising clients on the viability of investment projects. Sellafield is just 5 miles away. "Jem Bendell, the author of the widely read paper Deep Adaptation points to the very real danger of human extinction from nuclear catastrophes, due to societal collapse as a result of climate chaos. However, to date, nuclear catastrophes have all taken place in highly organised societies which have made bad decisions. This proposed new coal mine so near Sellafield must rate as the worst decision yet". Marianne Birkby - Radiation Free Lakeland Impacts of Climate Change "Extinction Rebellion West Cumbria is appalled at the recent decision by Cumbria County Council to ratify their decision to open a new deep coal mine. The impacts of climate change are being felt by communities across the planet. Decisions such as this can no longer be seen in isolation and must be challenged." XR West Cumbria Ecological and Economic Damage, Human Suffering and Loss of Life “If it proceeds, the mine is likely to result over its lifetime in greenhouse gas emissions amounting to something of the order of one year of UK national emissions. The impacts of these emissions could include considerable ecological and economic damage, as well as human suffering and loss of life.” Laurence Michaelis Expert Reviewer for the IPCC Adverse Effect on Nesting Seabirds "Disturbance of nesting seabirds during construction and operation... The development has the potential to have an adverse effect upon the St Bees Head SSSI through disturbance to both breeding and wintering birds during construction and operation." RSPB “Offshore Subsidence – resuspension and dispersal of radioactive contaminants. The documentation has confirmed to NWIFCA that a risk of subsidence exists and therefore there remains an overwhelming concern over the potential for disturbance and resuspension of radioactive contaminants and sediments.” North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority

Research has shown that uncut grass supports higher numbers of insects and invertebrates, which are a food source for birds and small mammals, therefore increasing biodiversity. Furthermore, wild areas full of flowers also support emotional well-being and can reduce stress levels.

This is an area of great conservational importance. The moorland is an essential part of our eco-system and a vital sanctuary for wildlife and people alike. Unfortunately, over recent years, it has attracted large numbers of visitors, including some who unfortunately have little regard for the environment. As a result, many local people do not go at all any more. We want people to use, not abuse our precious landscape.

More than 22 tonnes of formaldehyde, which causes cancer and is used as an embalming fluid, were poured into cages to disinfect salmon in Loch Ness, Loch Sheil, Loch Lochy and seven other lochs over nine months in 2019. Residents of Lochaber and elsewhere in the Highlands are rightly worried as many of these lochs feed public water supplies. Formaldehyde is a colourless, strong-smelling gas used in a liquid solution called formalin to treat farmed salmon in freshwater lochs. SEPA, which authorises its use, says that uncontrolled releases “have the potential to cause significant harm to the environment”. The chemical was classified as a human carcinogen by the UK government in 2016. New data released by Sepa disclosed that a total 22.4 tonnes of formaldehyde were used by 12 fish farms on 29 occasions between April and December 2019. Seven companies were given permission to apply the chemical, with the vast majority – 19.6 tonnes – being used by Norwegian-owned Mowi, formerly known as Marine Harvest. At one loch – Loch Lochy, near Spean Bridge – Mowi used 11 tonnes of formaldehyde – far more than elsewhere. The company poured 3.2 tonnes into fish cages at nearby Loch Arkaig, 2.8 tonnes at Loch Sheil in Glenfinnan and 2.2 tones at Camas na Mult on Loch Ness. https://bit.ly/fish_farm_pesticide

Wandsworth Borough Council failed to adequately inform and consult the public of this development. It sent out just 34 letters to local residents, despite a thousand registering their concern to a similar plan in 2008. It omitted to mention the land will become the base for a football club, who play at a semi-professional level and have a total of 28 teams. The chairman of the planning committee which considered the application is also a director of Enable, the organisation responsible for the management of leisure and sports services in Wandsworth. The chairman closed down debate at the meeting; allowing a supportive letter from the football club to be read out, but rejecting a short submission on behalf of almost 7,000 local residents against the development and failing to refer to an unprecedented 1,000 formal objections from the public. The committee failed to call for a traffic and parking impact report, despite the issue being of significant concern in the area, where there is no dedicated parking. Residents were not informed that a community boxing club which was expected to be upgraded as part of the development would instead lose space and may now face closure. REJECT this application: it is not supported by the public. Planning applications must not only be fair, they must be seen to be fair, especially when they relate to common land.