Chris Packham the TV presenter is part of an organisation called Wild Justice and last year they raised the issue of glyphosates being used by local authorities in public spaces. Glyphosate (also known as Roundup) is one of the most-used individual pesticides in the world. It is used as a herbicide in agriculture, in public spaces (such as parks but also in the streets) and in private spaces such as gardens. Wild Justice encouraged people to contact their council to find out about the local situation. They provided a template to allow people to submit a Freedom Of Information request. Sustainable Bramhall contacted Stockport Council and the reply is below; Stockport Council is clearly still using glyphosates: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/herbicide_use_requests_for_infor#incoming-1903081 The use of glyphosates is an issue about which many organisations have raised concerns, over time, such as Pesticides Action Network. [1] In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’. [2] There is a live debate about glyphosate’s environmental impacts and use in gardens. [3] Glyphosate kills plants that insects and birds depend on for food. The Soil Association reports that research indicates potential impacts in increasing crop diseases, changing the composition and functioning of soil micro-organism species and ecosystems, and recently published studies are showing a negative impact on earthworms. [4] There is also evidence that glyphosates can enter water courses and affect plant life there affecting habitats for other organisms. Recent research also suggests that glyphosate can kill honey bees by affecting their immunity to pathogens. [5] Bees are essential pollinators of plants including crops for food. Please sign our petition to ask Stockport Council to give up on glyphosates. If you still use them at home, perhaps you should give up too, but be careful of how you dispose of them. References: [1] https://www.pan-uk.org/pesticide-free/ [2] https://www.iarc.who.int/featured-news/media-centre-iarc-news-glyphosate/ [3] https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/glyphosate-debate [4] https://www.soilassociation.org/media/7202/glyphosate-and-soil-health-full-report.pdf [5] https://e360.yale.edu/features/bee-alert-is-a-controversial-herbicide-harming-honeybees For more information about the Wild Justice Campaign see here: https://wildjustice.org.uk/glyphosate/glyphosate-use-by-local-authorities/

This week it was revealed that the Director of the British Museum, Hartwig Fischer, is in advanced talks with BP about renewing their sponsorship deal. It’s vital that we don’t let another five years of BP sponsorship of the British Museum - or even a new ‘BP wing’ as part of its $1bn redevelopment plan - go ahead. It’s time that the British Museum picks a side on climate change, and stops sending the message to its visitors, especially young people, that fossil fuels can be a part of a liveable future. The plans to renew the sponsorship come as BP announces obscene profits, while people in the UK are being forced to choose between heating and eating, and the company admits it will continue to drill for new oil and gas for decades to come, despite the climate emergency. The trustees have a legal duty to protect the reputation of the museum. They must step in now, following in the footsteps of other major cultural institutions, and drop BP as a sponsor.

On 30th July 2020, hedgehogs were added to the Red List for British mammals and classified as vulnerable to extinction. The Dartford Hedgehog Project and wonderful hedgehog groups across the country are doing their upmost to help this species recover, by raising awareness of their needs, encouraging communities to allow access through hedgehog highways, provide shelter and suitable food - such as dry kitten food with a high meat percentage. This has had a positive impact in urban areas, however there is still a long way to go! Also, sadly, well meaning people are buying products labelled as specialist hedgehog food, but as food for wildlife is currently completely unregulated, this can lead to deadly consequences for hedgehogs. A lot of the food supposedly designed for them contains ingredients such as wheat, calci worms, meal worms, fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts or oats. Eating too much of this causes teeth issues and metabolic bone disease in hedgehogs. This is a debilitating condition that eventually leads to an agonising death. It is simply unacceptable that products that can cause such harm are currently allowed to be sold freely! We are therefore calling on the government to bring in regulations to the sale of food specifically labelled as suitable for Hedgehogs! Written by Green Party Cllr Laura Edie, On behalf of Dartford Hedgehog Project.

CALL ON BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL TO STOP INVESTING IN FOSSIL FUELS The British public generally are rightly worried about climate change and biodiversity loss. But do you know that UK pension funds enable more CO2 than the entire UK carbon footprint? Halting the extraction and expansion of fossil fuels is a matter of survival for us all. Our local leaders must act now. They may say they do better to stay invested with fossil fuel companies and challenge them from the inside, to transition into more sustainable activities. But, “shareholder engagement with fossil fuel companies has not, and will not, lead to change on the scale and in the timeframe necessary” . (Quigley et al, 2021)* We call on Buckinghamshire to stop financing fossil fuels. Start financing a sustainable future. *https://www.cam.ac.uk/sites/www.cam.ac.uk/files/sm6_divestment_report.pdf

While we accept that the council erected this fence with good intentions it became clear quite soon after that it was not required. Other areas of the park have been open for a long time and it seems this fence is just a leftover. It has though, a detrimental effect on park goers and should be removed forthwith and not be linked to any subsequent decisions over opening the paddling pool.

There are very few places left in Newark where wildlife can be experienced in such abundance, making the lake an intimate and life-changing place for adults and children who visit. Our birdlife is in serious decline too. - Populations of UK native birds are 11% lower than they were in 1970. - Balderton Lake is an important site for Kingfishers. These small unmistakable bright blue and orange birds fish from riverside perches. They are listed as a Schedule 1 species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, meaning no activity which could disturb them between March-August is allowed. - Due to populations severely declining in Britain or because they are considered under threat of global extinction, the red list of Britain’s most endangered birds has recently increased to 70 species. - Iconic birds to Balderton Lake including swift, housemartins, starling, mistle thrush, house and tree sparrows are on the 'Birds of Conservation Concern' red list. - Birds on the amber list including greylag goose, mallard, woodpigeon, sparrowhawk, wren and song thrush have all been recorded feeding, nesting, residing on and visiting Balderton Lake. Further concerns we have on YMCA using the lake for leisure activities - Habitat will be destroyed and removed to provide the infrastructure and access to the water at peg 16, including storage facilities. - To access peg 16, people will have to carry boats across a busy Sustrans cycle route – posing a significant hazard to users and cyclists. - Water sports will have a detrimental effect on the habitat and wildlife using the site. - Water sports will create noise pollution and water disturbance to residents and visitors of the current tranquil site. - The quality of the water is not safe enough for canoeists due to high levels of excretion from the waterfowl, fish and small mammals that live in and on the banks of the lake. Please sign our petition calling on Balderton Parish Council to save our important wildlife legacy, for both the wonderful species that depend on this habitat and residents and visitors who value this tranquil site at the heart of Newark. This petition is supported by residents of Balderton (Save our Wildlife and Nature – SWAN). As well as signing this petition we also encourage you to write your concerns to Balderton Parish Council.

Aquind must be stopped. This project erodes our democratic rights. It is no longer simply a planning issue and goes beyond the significant impact it will have on local communities. Aquind's planning application must be refused on the grounds of an unfeasible route through a densely populated island city with unique wildlife areas and green spaces ending in a National Park. The negative impact on traffic, residents and wildlife is too great. The people of Portsmouth, communities along the route, Portsmouth City Council and Portsmouth’s Tory and Labour MPs unanimously oppose this project yet Aquind consistently dismisses these concerns. It is also unnecessary and surplus to the Government's own projected interconnection needs; by the time it is operational (in up to 7 years' time), it risks being redundant. The massive data cable it wants to lay alongside the high voltage cables falls outside the planning remit. There has been no proper scrutiny as to whether Aquind is an appropriate company for such a significant national infrastructure project. The Tory party has taken over £1.5 million in donations from Aquind-related sources. Nearly 1 in 10 Tory MPs took donations. The BBC Panorama and Guardian investigation into the Pandora Papers financial leak raised questions about the murky financial dealings of Aquind's owner, Viktor Fedotov – questions that the Tory party has not answered. The Business Secretary has even written letters of support to Aquind during the planning process. Any decision made can't possibly be impartial. Communities should not be cut off from decision-making by the cosy relationships business and ministers create with their political donations from opaque offshore companies, revolving doors and contracts for mates.

Signing this petition will help guide us Reservoir users towards shaping the future of Edgbaston Reservoir that WE want and take a stand against BCC's tokenistic consultation processes. The resa is a Local Nature Reserve loved by its users, and should be valued in terms of its huge contribution to our wellbeing, not something which can be repeatedly cited by the council for financial exploitation by developers. Together, we can look after and shape our reservoir. You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

In the lea of the Lincolnshire Wolds, down a single-track lane, lies a tranquil haven. Deer, owls, bats, lapwings, skylarks and countless other wildlife depend on this rural habitat. Wide grassy verges are mini eco-systems brimming with native flowers and insects; it is an area rich in bio-diversity, enjoyed by countless tourists, cyclists, walkers and riders. Drilling for oil in this location is proposed by Egdon Resources. This industrialisation of our countryside will bring pollution in the form of noise, air, light and traffic to nearby residents and villages. It will adversely affect the well-being and safety of local people. Our country roads are not safe thoroughfare for numerous HGVs and other site traffic. If Egdon discover oil, the damaging exploitation may continue for up to 20 years, flying in the face of our international commitments to limit global warming. Despite initially being granted permission in 2014, and notwithstanding numerous time extensions, Egdon have not yet commenced work on the site. A dark cloud of uncertainty has already hung over local residents for seven years. This is unfair and unreasonable. It should not be allowed to continue. A group of local people keen to protect our community and our environment have come together. Through our collective conscience, and fully recognising our responsibilities to future generations, we oppose this development. The COP 26 summit drew global attention to the climate & ecological emergency. Lincolnshire County Council seeks to ‘lead the way’ through the implementation of its Green Masterplan which aims to, “find innovative solutions to global climate issues”. In this context, a proposal to embark on new fossil fuel exploration in our countryside is unfathomable. “Sustainable development” is defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Exploration for new fossil fuels does not fulfil that criteria; it brings immediate local harm and represents future global devastation. By signing this petition, you inform Lincolnshire County Council that you object to the development outlined in planning applications PL/0167/21 and PL/0168/21, and urge them to refuse permission. Anyone can sign our petition but please also tick the check-box if you live, work or study in Lincolnshire. Thank you.

UPDATE, MARCH 2023 Thanks to everyone who signed the petition to save the M&S building on Oxford Street. It has become an extremely high-profile case attracting national media attention and supporters including the actor Kristin Scott Thomas, the TV presenter Griff Rhys Jones and the writer Bill Bryson. Since we launched the petition a lot has happened, as you will know from our email updates. We made a video, we smashed our crowdfunder, we held a lecture at the Royal Academy, we issued a report documenting the campaign. And, of course, we fought a two-week public inquiry against M&S on heritage and sustainability grounds which could have far-reaching consequences for our demolition-first approach to development. The planning inspector’s recommendation is now with the Secretary of State who has the final say. His decision is expected “on or before 3rd May”. Find out more in our report, The Battle for M&S Oxford Street: Why This Landmark Case Matters, which you can download from our website. And thanks again for your support – we couldn’t do it without you! If you’d like to know more about our work and how to help SAVE Britain’s Heritage please visit our website. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The demolition and rebuild of this 6-storey building would pump 39,500 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. This handsome landmark building has characterised Oxford Street for almost 100 years, helping shape one of London's most famous and historic streets. In September this year M&S announced it was ramping up its ambitious green agenda, seeking to cut a third of its carbon emissions by 2025 and be fully net zero by 2045. Now the company board risks betraying its own carbon targets in the midst of a global climate crisis. According to M&S’s own planning documents, the projects carbon cost of 39,534 tonnes of CO2 would require the planting of 2.4 million trees to offset its impact. If the former Oxford Street department stores of House of Fraser, Topshop Debenham’s can all be refurbished for office and retail use, why can’t M&S follow suit? We therefore call on the Chairman and CEO of M&S do the right thing by history, and by future generations. Save and re-use this building and show your customers and investors that M&S is serious about sustainability and its own net zero commitments. M&S must seize this opportunity to boost their green credentials and keep this part of London’s heritage in the process. Built to a high specification, this prestigious building is ready for adaptation and repurposing to suit a variety of uses, and capable of lasting another 100 years. Under the proposals, designed by architects Pilbrow + Partners, the unlisted 1929 art deco landmark is set to be bulldozed along with two extension buildings to be replaced with a 10-storey retail and office building. Despite substantial local and national opposition, and a listing bid from the Twentieth Century Society, the plans were approved by Westminster City Council on 23rd November 2021, with a £1.2 million ‘carbon offset’ payment to be made by M&S to the council. It’s not too late for M&S to think afresh and respond to the concerns of Londoners and customers, through saving and reusing M&S Marble Arch. www.savebritainsheritage.org www.c20society.org.uk

Stop Incineration in the North East (SINE) is shocked that such an old-fashioned way of dealing with waste is even being considered. At a time of unprecedented threat to local air quality and the global climate, our Councils are pushing a scheme that will: · Pollute the local area, releasing deadly dioxins into the air, water and soil, plus furans, cadmium, and other particulates. · Concentrate all waste management vehicles in the region into one location creating traffic chaos and increasing air pollution · Emit vast quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that will contribute to climate breakdown. We don't yet have the technology to capture this carbon dioxide. Waste incineration in 2019 “gave rise to 13% of greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity generation, even though it produced only 2.4% of the UK’s electricity”. (Koppelaar, Guardian, 16.11.20) · Emit tiny particles of carbon into the atmosphere that lodge deep in lung tissue · Emit NOx and SOx into the atmosphere that also cause lung damage and asthma · Create a market for waste, incentivising waste production. This will drive down the value of recycled materials and act to reduce overall levels of recycling (as resources in waste can be burned instead) · Cost councils £millions more than they currently spend on waste management. The money will have to be found from somewhere. · Incineration Tax may be applied by the government, and is likely in such a long contract, but isn’t taken into account. The local health impacts created by incinerators are much worse for people on lower incomes as the facilities are normally sited in areas with high levels of deprivation - as is the case with the Redcar facility. Though modern incinerators are equipped with technology that reduces dioxin levels, they are not completely removed. Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer. What stage are the plans at? This climate-killing project quietly slipped through the early stages of planning unnoticed. It was granted Outline Planning Approval in 2010 through a delegated decision made by officers without public consultation and little scrutiny of any kind. Construction was due to start in December 2021, but delays have meant that companies have yet to put in bids to build the incinerator. What should be done instead? Once the incinerator is built your council will be locked into a 45 year contract, forcing us to keep paying, year after year, for the incinerator to pollute. In the future, any council that does the right thing and helps people and businesses cut their waste will face financial penalties. That’s just plain wrong! Stop Incineration North East supports positive ways forward to manage our waste in a safe and sustainable way. Food waste - There is a government requirement that food waste be collected separately from 2023/4, and anaerobic digestors with methane harnessed for energy already exist within the region; more can be built on a local, modular basis. A fraction of the cost could set up repair and re-use arcades in central locations. Recycling is going down in the NE, partly driven by the market for waste created by incinerators, but we can instead improve household recycling. Reduce packaging - Everyone has a job to do in cutting out unnecessary packaging, manufacturers, retailers and us, the consumers. The problem is that burning waste lets manufacturers and retailers off the hook, leaving us to pick up the bill. Repair and reuse - Products are often too hard to reuse or repair. We need products that are designed to be opened and fixed. What’s more, repair shops and spare parts should be zero VAT rated. Recycle - Only when something can’t be reused or repurposed should waste then move on to be recycled. This monster incinerator will burn through our plans for a more sustainable and safe future for the North East. We call on the Council Leaders from these authorities to cancel the planned build of the Tees Valley, Durham County and Newcastle incinerator at Redcar. We call on the Council Leaders to put our health and planet first and produce a Regional Waste Strategy designed around the need to transition to a circular economy. SINE is a group of organisations working together to stop the incinerator.

Each year animals experience prolonged panic, injury and too often death here on our animal rescue site purely at the hands of those setting off banging fireworks without regard for the harm they cause. This issue is prevalent across the country, an annual practice which can run from October into the New Year. Banging fireworks are still legally sold in the uk unlike some other forward moving countries which aim to protect those badly affected and in doing so make a significant contribution to the progress of environmental refinement. The misery which banging fireworks cause to animals, their owners, the elderly and vulnerable people is both unfair and unnecessary. Fireworks should be made enjoyable for everyone. No one should suffer because of fireworks. We Must Ban The Bang.