In this weeks digest: Actions 1. Fares vs Wages (Campaign for Better Transport) 2. Manchester: go 100% clean (Avaaz Community Petition) 3. Help us choose a school to Run on Sun (FoE) Events Mon 5 Jan: Support public ownership of Britains railways, Oxford Road Tue 13 Jan: MFOE full group meeting, Green Fish Thu 15 Jan: MFOE food campaign meeting, Green Fish Wed 21 Jan: Anti-fracking petition hand-in and 7-day countdown, Preston Wed 21 Jan: MFOE transport campaign meeting, Green Fish Thu 22 Jan: Home film screening, Manchester Museum Tue 27 Jan. MFOE Annual General Meeting & social, Green Fish Wed 28 Jan: MFOE climate campaign meeting, Green Fish Thu 29 Jan: Demo against fracking in Lancashire, Preston Fri 30 Jan: Bike Friday (various locations) Fri 30 Jan: Saddle Up Refugee Action Fundraiser, Levenshulme News 1. Campaigners say plans for new cycle routes are diabolical and dangerous (MEN) 2. Fracking in the UK: what to expect in 2015 (Ecologist) 3. Fare rises show why British railways should be renationalised (Guardian) 4. Love and long-distance travel in the time of climate change (Grist) 5. Cruise ships dump a billion gallons of sewage in ocean (Wisconsin Gazette) 6. How can I go green in 2015? (Guardian) Other 1. Friends of the Earth North West Campaigner (maternity leave) 2. Heritage Trees & Red Rose Forest Job Vacancy 3. Volunteer Fruit and Veg Interceptor needed. Three hour session, once or twice a week. (Fareshare) If youre a social media fan, dont forget that you can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. This digest is compiled by volunteers and is kindly sponsored by Gaeia. If you come across anything of interest for future digests, please email us or add it to our wiki - all contributions welcome! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACTIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Fares vs Wages (Campaign for Better Transport) Please use our Fares Vs Wages Calculator to see how much your fare has increased since 2001 and then email the Chancellor telling him that enough really is enough; we need #FairFaresNow bettertransport.org.uk/faresvwages/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Manchester: go 100% clean (Avaaz Community Petition) To be delivered to Sir Howard Bernstein: Scientists warn us that climate change could accelerate beyond our control, threatening our survival and everything we love. We call on you to keep global temperature rise under the unacceptably dangerous level of 2 degrees C, by phasing out carbon pollution to zero. To achieve this, you must urgently forge realistic global, national and local agreements, to rapidly shift our societies and economies to 100% clean energy by 2050. Do this fairly, with support to the most vulnerable among us. Our world is worth saving and now is our moment to act. But to change everything, we need everyone. Join us. https://secure.avaaz.org/en/campaign/Manchester_go_100_clean -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Help us choose a school to Run on Sun (FoE) Good news: we’ve raised the £15,000 needed for one lucky primary school to win free solar panels! Thanks so much to everyone who donated. Now all we need to do is pick a winner – can you help us decide which schools should make the shortlist? There might be a school near you or a school that you nominated to take part that you’d like to support. But even if there isn’t, the wonderful creative entries are bound to put a smile on your face. The winning school will not only make solar savings. It will also show just what we can do when we work together to build the clean energy future that we urgently need. Vote for your favourite entry today and help get them on the shortlist for free solar panels. Voting on the shortlist closes on the 9 January. After that we’ll be in touch to send you the finalists so that you can vote for a winner. foe.co.uk/page/run-sun-competition-gallery -------------------------------------------------------------------------- EVENTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mon 5 Jan: Support public ownership of Britains railways, Oxford Road On Friday 2nd January train fares are due to increase again, again above the rate of inflation. We already have some of the most expensive fares in Europe. We also have the most fragmented service, and it is the case that the government is now subsiding railways (and the franchises) MORE than when British Rail was de-nationalised. Between 1997 -2012 Virgin Trains’ West Coast Mainline paid £500 million in dividends after pocketing£2,5 billion in subsidies. By contrast, the publicly owned East Coast Mainline has returned nearly £1bn to the government since 2009. The arguments for public ownership are overwhelming. The environmental case for switching to rail and other public transport is also overwhelming. Hence, with the support of Action for Rail, the Campaign against Climate Change are teaming up the Peoples Assembly, Bring Back British Rail, Compass, the Green Party and a variety of other groups to organise leafleting of commuters at railways stations on Monday January 5th. Later that week the Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas, will be presenting her private members bill calling for public ownership of railways. We are looking for people who are prepared to volunteer to distribute leaflets at their local railway station. Are you prepared to help? If so please contact Peter Robinson at peterfrobinson@ntlworld and say which station you can attend and state a preferred time. Stations agreed so far can be seen at: thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/public_ownership_for_railways_protest Manchester leafleting: Meet at the Cornerhouse Café at 4pm on Monday 5th January ready to leaflet Oxford Road at 4.30pm. If there are a good few of us then some people could also do Deansgate or Piccadilly. When: 4pm, Monday 5th January, leafleting from 4.30pm - 6pm. Where: Cornerhouse Cafe / Oxford Road station, Manchester ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tue 13 Jan: MFOE full group meeting, Green Fish Join us to plan our activities for the year, and share any ideas for campaigns we could run, topics or speakers for future meetings, or training sessions youd us to run. All welcome - hope to see you there. When: 6.45 for 7pm - 9pm, Tuesday 13th January Where: Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE More info: Email [email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thu 15 Jan: MFOE food campaign meeting, Green Fish Our regular food campaigns meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month. Join us to find out what were campaigning on next. When: 6:30pm - 8pm, Thursday 15th January Where: Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LE More info: Email [email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed 21 Jan: Anti-fracking petition hand-in and 7-day countdown, Preston With just 7 days until Lancashire County Council decides whether to allow Cuadrilla to frack in Lancashire, join us in Preston as we hand in our anti-fracking petition to Council Leader Jennifer Mein. Bring along your placards and banners ready to show the level of opposition to fracking in Lancashire. After the demo join us upstairs in the Station Hotel for tea and coffee and a chat about next steps. When: 9am - 11am, Wednesday 21st January Where: Outside County Hall in Preston, PR1 8RL More info: https://facebook/events/1561108674104194/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed 21 Jan: MFOE transport campaign meeting, Green Fish Come along and join our busy transport campaign. All welcome. Agenda will include: - Getting Moving - our cycling manifesto - Bike Friday - events, campaigns and activities for 2015. When: 6.30pm - 9.00pm, Wednesday 21st January Where: Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LE More info: Please email [email protected] if youre planning to attend, or to find out more. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thu 22 Jan: Home film screening, Manchester Museum Manchester Film Co-op invite you to a screening of Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s film ‘HOME’. This documentary film, narrated by Glenn Close, is almost entirely composed of aerial shots of various places on Earth. It shows the diversity of life on Earth and how humanity is threatening the ecological balance of the planet. This visually stunning footage has now been seen by over 6 million people worldwide. The film will be screened in Manchester Museum’s Living World Gallery, which also inspires us to think about humanity’s actions and the fine balance needed for all living things to share this world. Book your free seat(s) by emailing [email protected] or ringing 0161 275 2648 – donations for Manchester Film Co-Op will be gratefully accepted at the door. When: 6pm, Thursday 22nd January Where: Living World Gallery, Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL More info: events.manchester.ac.uk/event/event:kmi-i31eu9y8-3hlm0e --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tue 27 Jan: MFOE Annual General Meeting & social, Green Fish Join us for our Annual General Meeting at which well present our review of the year and give members the opportunity to elect group officers for 2015. The AGM will be followed by a social - details to follow. When: AGM 6.30pm - 7.15pm, social from 7.30pm, Tuesday 27th January Where: Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE More info: Email [email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed 28 Jan: MFOE climate campaign meeting, Green Fish Join us to find out the latest on fracking, our local campaign on greening rented homes, and FOEs new national campaign on community energy. All welcome. When: 7pm - 8.30pm, Wednesday 28th January Where: Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LE More info: Please email [email protected] if youre planning to attend, or to find out more. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thu 29 Jan: Demo against fracking in Lancashire, Preston Join local residents as we show our opposition to Cuadrillas plans to frack near Little Plumpton. At 10am Lancashire County Councils planning committee will be meeting to decide whether to approve Cuadrillas plans to frack near Little Plumpton. So lets meet at 9am outside - bring along your placards and banners and help make some noise to show the Council just how much opposition there is to these plans. Please share this event and invite along your friends and neighbours. Latest details on Facebook event page: https://facebook/events/674810009298656/ When: 9am - 10am, Thursday 29th January Where: Outside County Hall in Preston, PR1 8RL --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fri 30 Jan: Bike Friday (various locations) Normally, held on the last Friday of the month, Bike Friday is a set of led commuter rides into Manchester from various starting places around Greater Manchester. Most rides leave at 8am but check the website as they vary depending on the distance from Manchester. Rides finish at the Eastern Bloc coffee shop (5A Stevenson Square, M1 1DN), in Manchester City Centre. Whether youre new to cycling, returning to your bike after a break, or cycle every day, join us on Bike Friday. We ride at a moderate pace and have experienced ride leaders. It is entirely law-abiding - we do not try to slow down the traffic. All welcome (bring a bike). Contact: [email protected] or [email protected] More info: bikefriday.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fri 30 Jan: Saddle Up Refugee Action Fundraiser, Levenshulme A night of dancing to raise funds for Refugee Actions Wellbeing Project. We aim to raise funds to provide refurbished bikes for refugees within Greater Manchester, to help them get about happily, healthily and safely. Come dance and have fun, with our fantastic line-up: Vicky Richardson, Graham Scott and Rash Yaman. Expect a mixture of music old and new! Admission £5 Latest details on Facebook event page. https://facebook/events/1508216102772012/ When: 8pm - 1am, Friday 30th January Where: Klondyke Club, Burnage Range, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 2HQ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Campaigners say plans for new cycle routes are diabolical and dangerous (MEN) Pete Abel from the Love Your Bike group says town hall bosses need to go back to the drawing board with scheme... manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/campaigners-slam-diabolical-council-plans-8362035 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Fracking in the UK: what to expect in 2015 (Ecologist) The government appears as determined as ever to push ahead with fracking as a central plank of its energy policy, writes Richard Heasman - ignoring growing evidence of health and environmental harm. But with the economics of fracking undermined by heavy energy price falls, the UK industry may never get off the ground theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2697196/fracking_in_the_uk_what_to_expect_in_2015.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Fare rises show why British railways should be renationalised (Guardian) Passengers in this country pay through their teeth to travel on services that are too often unreliable, understaffed and overcrowded.It’s the first week of January, so it’s time for that painful annual ritual – the introduction of yet more rail fare rises. No wonder rail passengers have had enough. Fares are increasing much faster than wages, with regulated ticket prices having risen by more than 20% since 2010. Figures released today by the Campaign for Better Transport show what this could mean for a constituency like mine in Brighton. Average ticket prices have soared by more than 20% for Brighton-London commuters, for example, whose journey to and from work could cost the equivalent of 8.6 weeks of net earnings – more than £4,400. That’s 17% of the average regional salary, and a price increase of £745 under the coalition. And while today’s rise sees regulated fare hikes capped at 2.5%, the cost increase on unregulated fares, such as off-peak leisure tickets, will be left to train companies’ own discretion. theguardian/commentisfree/2015/jan/02/fare-rises-british-railways-should-be-renationalised-caroline-lucas ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Love and long-distance travel in the time of climate change (Grist) grist.org/living/love-and-long-distance-travel-in-the-time-of-climate-change/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Cruise ships dump a billion gallons of sewage in ocean (Wisconsin Gazette) Cruise ships dumped more than a billion gallons of sewage in the ocean this year, much of it raw or poorly treated, according to federal data analyzed by Friends of the Earth. The activist group, releasing its annual report card on cruise ships, called for stronger rules to protect oceans, coasts, sea life and people. wisconsingazette/green-gaze/cruise-ships-dump-a-billion-gallons-of-sewage-in-ocean.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. How can I go green in 2015? (Guardian) I’m determined to lead a more eco-friendly life in 2015. What can I do at home? theguardian/environment/2014/dec/28/how-can-i-go-green-in-2015-lucy-siegle ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other 1. Friends of the Earth North West Campaigner (maternity leave) Starting salary: £23,205 to £31,935. (For part-time hours, the salary is a percentage of that) Maximum salary: £31,935 Location: North West with working from offices in either Manchester or Liverpool. Home working would be considered. Hours per week: 35 Closing date: 19 Jan 2015 (9:00am) Please note this role is a maternity cover position and therefore the contract is up to one year. We are looking to interview Thursday 29 and/or Friday 30 January in Manchester or London. Purpose of the role: The role of Regional Campaigner is central to the ethos and delivery of Friends of the Earths campaigns. As an organisation that works at both grassroots level and international level through our sister organisations we truly do local to global campaigning. As a regional campaigner you will be the eyes and ears of the organisation in the North West, acting as spokesperson, ambassador and networker. You will be part of an England-wide team that operates in the various regional hubs, working collectively with the Team to make our campaigns the most impactful they can be on the ground, and helping to deliver organisational goals. More details: https://foe.co.uk/job/campaigner-maternity-leave ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Heritage Trees & Red Rose Forest Job Vacancy We are recruiting! We need a lively and experienced individual to help deliver the Heritage Trees project. Please see redroseforest.co.uk/web/content/view/31/138/ for details relating to the position of Heritage Trees Engagement Officer and also how to apply. The deadline for applications is Friday 16th January 2015. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Volunteer Fruit and Veg Interceptor needed. Three hour session, once or twice a week. (Fareshare) Project Background FareShare Greater Manchester (GM) re-distributes surplus in-date food from the food industry to its Community Food Members (CFMs) in Greater Manchester. Since July 2013, 2 tonnes of edible, short life fruit and vegetables have been captured and re-distributed every week from traders on New Smithfield Market. As a result, FareShare GM now offers its members fresh food every week. FareShare GM has over 100 CFM’s and many of them have become members in 2013 because of the new fresh food offer. Working in partnership with Fairfield, we want to increase the amount of edible surplus fruit and vegetables diverted to FareShare Greater Manchester on New Smithfield Market. We’re looking for a volunteer who: · wants to get stuck in with capturing fresh produce · who is passionate about food waste · can make quick judgements about the condition of fruit and veg · can operate between the FareShare and Fairfield teams. This role suits someone who is fit and willing to take on manual handling and loves outdoors activity. Find out more Contact: Liz. Volunteer & Employability Programmes Manager. Tel: 223 8200 E: [email protected]
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 17:35:19 +0000
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