Thursday 7th May, 8 – 9.30pm, Monthly meeting online.
Normal meetings are still not possible, so you are invited to another online version using Zoom. To join the meeting, contact: info@sustainablefrome.org.uk for more information.
How will The COVID 19 crisis effect the CLIMATE CRISIS?
With particular reference to Frome.
How can we use the effects of, and lessons from the current situation to inform and encourage local resilience and sustainability?
Anna Francis will talk about what the Town Council is doing and planning around this idea.
The worry is that people will look for comfort by rushing back to what they know, and that governments will be so desperate to get us out of the inevitable recession that they will fall back on the outdated obsession with growth and GDP.
Or maybe the shock has burst our complacent bubble, maybe we’ll be more ready for change, more up for fighting a common enemy, more aware of how dependent we are on the rest of nature.
George Monbiot’s thoughts on this can be heard on Radio 4’s Inside Science 16th April. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000h7sc
POP UP CYCLEWAYS
Temporary cycle ways have been popping up all over the world. Because of the difficulties of keeping 2 metres apart on narrow pavements and taking advantage of reduced levels of traffic, local authorities and cycle groups have been making walking and / or cycling routes over the edges of roads, using temporary markings or sometimes bollards. A few have unofficially appeared in Frome, but the Toiwn Council wants to set up more. If anyone has any suggestions for ideal sites for these please contact Anna Francis.
FOOD RESILIENCE
Local group Frome Field 2 Fork are looking at local food security and resilience. One of the group, Elise Wach, has just finished a study (commissioned by Seeding our Future) on how climate change will affect food producers in the SW of England.
She will be giving a talk and leading a discussion at our next meeting on 4th June.
FRECO NEWS
Frome Renewable Energy Coop, has secured £40,000 from the Rural Community Energy Fund and are working to make sure the Saxonvale development will be zero or even minus carbon, with around 1MW of solar and a microgrid and heat network.
The Solar Streets project had resulted in 70 new solar rooves by December 2019 and £50 from each installation has gone towards putting free solar panels on the YMCA’s Youth Centre on Vallis Rd. Iddea also installed an electric car charging point which is available for public use.
Freco are working closely with Frome Town Council to support the climate emergency programme. The new strategy, action plan and resources are available here . They also submitted a joint application to the Lottery’s Climate Action Fund in partnership with Frome Town Council, Edventure, Frome Medical Practice and Sustainable Frome to fund energy efficiency measures in house with fuel poverty.
FIX IT!
Some of us are still really busy, but many of us suddenly have time on our hands. The DIY stores are starting to open again so now is a good time to try a bit of repairing, reusing recycling, upcycling.
Repairing something can be very satisfying, but it needs TIME.
Unfortunately it also needs knowhow, which not many of us have these days, but that’s where Youtube comes in. Youtube has instructional videos for just about anything you can imagine.
This is a time for trying something different, experimenting, adapting. Even if you only repair one thing, or fail because you cant get the parts, at least you’ve thought about it, you’ve accepted the idea of repairing into your life!
Another thing we could spend some more time doing is nothing.
Human beings have a tendency to become fixated on activity.
‘Don’t just sit there, do something’.
Why?
Philosophers have long extolled the virtues of stopping, being in the moment, standing and staring, simply experiencing the miracle of being alive in this wondrous Universe.
Don’t just do something, sit there.
