Microbeads are polluting the oceans, and poisoning wildlife. Waitrose recently announced that they are going to stop stocking ANY products with microbeads in them. ASDA should follow their great example and, not only stop using them in their own products, but stop stocking them all together.

In 2014, Public Health England published their final version of a health report on fracking. The report was narrow in its contents and missed out some significant health evidence that indicated hydraulic fracturing impacted upon public health. Since that report, hundreds of other health reports have been published with critical evidence that now needs to be taken into account before any shale activity should proceed within the UK. Medact have released two reports into public health and fracking, both of which have been ignored by the Conservative government. Medact said they have “called for a moratorium on fracking because of the serious risks it poses to public health. Fracking has already been suspended in Wales and Scotland because of health and climate risks and New York State has banned fracking because of the ‘significant health risks’. “The [Medact] report highlights the limitations of Public Health England’s report on fracking, including the fact that it was narrow in scope and failed to critically assess the adequacy and reliability of the regulatory system. “Working with various experts in energy policy and climate change, Medact’s report also describes how shale gas produces a level of GHG emissions that is incompatible with the UK’s commitments to address climate change.” A letter published in the British Medical Journal stated: “The arguments against fracking on public health and ecological grounds are overwhelming. There are clear grounds for adopting the precautionary principle and prohibiting fracking.” This letter was signed by 18 academic and medical professionals. In Lancashire it was left to the county council’s own director of public health to assess health impact. He advised that there was no regulatory system in place, in that health outcomes are not part of the regulatory bodies’ agenda. He could provide no assurance of baseline or any ongoing monitoring of health. More recently, an important study has been released by Johns Hopkins University linking fracking to an exacerbation of asthma. Public Health England’s mission is: "to protect and improve the nation’s health and to address inequalities" If Public Health England is to fulfil their public duty and mission statement, then to not acknowledge and act upon the wealth of contraindications towards hydraulic fracturing, they could be in breach of their position and may face a legal challenge. A full and concise article by Alan Tootill, with references on this subject, can be found here: http://www.frackingdigest.co.uk/health.htm

Currently it is only open Friday-Sunday, adding Monday would be very helpful.

There are strong rumours that Forest of Dean bus routes could be seriously reduced or some routes axed in the autumn 2016. A public consultation took place in the summer but the results have not been made public. For many people, these buses are a lifeline: whether it's helping them get to work , or helping more vulnerable members of the community get out to community groups. The resulting cuts will affect the poorest and most vulnerable members of the community, isolating them even further with dire economic, educational, employment, and health implications. Please add your voice to ours.

Why is this important? It's important as the railing have protected the bandstand up to now- they were also in place when David Bowie co-organised and performed at a festival there. It is through the bandstand's link to David Bowie that money is being raised to restore it. The railings have been the protective arms around The Bowie/Lazarus Bandstand even to this day and long may this continue. I've organised two festivals there (13th of August 2016 as well as august 12th 2017) to raise funds to restore the bandstand as well as place a plaque there for David Bowie and everyone involved in the 1969 festival. They played an important role and with your help the bandstand's long history will continue. Help us keep the railings in place. Please sign and share this petition. If anyone can help do this it's the David Bowie fans! These railing were surrounding the bandstand when Bowie co-organised the 1969 festival and should remain there helping to protect it as it has been for many, many years, bandstands are disappearing around the country as are the railings around them, so let's keep this one as unique as the person it's now named after, there was only one David Bowie and there's only one Bowie Bandstand! Please note this is not an attack on the council on any other parties involved. It's about keeping history in a time when so much of it is becoming lost or damaged.

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to sign or start the campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to sign or start the campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

Steward Community Woodland is a hugely important project in terms of the global environmental challenges everyone is currently facing. We have created a far more sustainable way of living on this planet and are sharing the knowledge we have gained with the many hundreds of visitors we receive every year. From our beginnings in 2000, we've been living and working on the land we own for the past 16 years. We recently applied for permanent planning permission which was denied and followed by an appeal. This appeal has been turned down and now we are faced with the prospect of eviction. We NEED YOUR HELP to petition the Dartmoor National Park so we can continue living on the land with our children, all of whom have spent most there lives here. Please share this petition as much as you can.

Intensive poultry and egg farming units are cropping up all over Brecon & Radnorshire. These units should have no place in our beautiful countryside, and we would urge farmers to diversify in more ethical and environmentally friendly ways. Plans have been submitted to Powys County Council for sheds crammed with 16,000 chickens to lay free range eggs. These will join 12,000 birds already housed elsewhere on the farm. We don’t want to see this happen. There are several reasons why: - - Lorry traffic on the narrow roads will increase significantly. The access road is dangerously narrow in parts. This is extremely unsafe and will add to noise and pollution in the area. - Ammonia from these units will cause unpleasant odours and impact on the neighbouring farms and residencies, some of which rely on tourism for income and could be badly affected. - The environment could suffer with nitrogen from the shed's ventilation shafts damaging surrounding flora and fauna. - Waste from these units threatens to contaminate the water system and harm wildlife in our local area. - The new farm buildings will severely affect the visual landscape of the area. We want to support a thriving local farming industry. We will support anyone who wants to diversify their farming mix to ensure a more sustainable future – but not if the price is irreparable damage to our beautiful part of the world. Please add your signature to this petition to try and stop yet another intensive poultry shed in Powys.

It is important to protect our wild birds and birds of prey. Buzzards were hunted to near extinction in the 19th century but have recovered to become of the most common birds in Northumberland. The reasons such as buzzards: will sometimes take young pheasantsand, or; the protection of gamekeepers livelihoods, are not good enough reasons for killing these beautiful native birds. Additionally, pheasants are a non-native bird which is reared for commercial shooting.

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to start a campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

Chris Packham is a much loved and respected naturalist and presenter, who campaigns for wildlife and conservation. The Countryside Alliance and other organisations are calling for the BBC to sack him, in other words silence him, for speaking out in his campaigns. We think his campaigns for wildlife are justified, as they are based on scientific evidence, and he keeps his campaigning and role at the BBC separate.