Havant FOE Newsletter - May 2024

Havant Borough Big Green Week

Our Big Green Week is not far ahead! Could you build an event (maybe about swapping) into your programme?

You can find ideas, resources and details of events around the area (and upload your own) on the  Big Green Week website

Give-And-Take: “Let’s Swap Together for Good”

We’re going to be launching the Big Green Week on Saturday 8th June with an event starting in the Meridian Centre, Havant, from 9.30am to 3pm.

You’re invited to bring either books, toys, plants and bric-a-brac which you can swap for things others have brought along.

More information here

Biodiversity in Havant

Havant’s Senior Ecologist, Tristan Norton, will show us something of the treasures around us and how we can protect our local biodiversity.

The talk starts at 7 pm on Wednesday 12th June at Havant Rugby Club and it’s free.

More information here

Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies: our Art competition

A quick reminder about our art competition for young people.

We’d like to see your art work on the theme of Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies

The artwork needs to be delivered to the Plaza by Sunday 26th May, and we’ll arrange the judging, sort out prizes and display the work around the area.

Visit the Beetles, Butterflies and Bugs – Art competition page

There will be a big rally in London on Saturday 22nd June calling for UK politicians to show strong domestic and global nature and climate leadership by:

  1. Giving a pay-rise for nature
  2. Making polluters pay
  3. Delivering more space for nature
  4. Putting a right to a healthy environment in law
  5. Ensuring fair and effective climate action

Dozens of wildlife and environment organisations (including the RSPB, FOE, The Wildlife Trusts, The Climate Coalition, WWF-UK, National Trust, WWT, Woodland Trust, Wildlife and Countryside Link, Rewilding Britain, Extinction Rebellion and Chris Packham) who are united in our demand to #RestoreNatureNow

Click here for more information

Green Films festival and Workshops

Starting from Wednesday 22nd – Sunday 26th May there’s a programme of films and workshops at

Southsea Cinema & Arts Centre
Palmerston Road
Southsea
PO5 3QQ

See the programme here

 

New Green Busses

First Bus South, operator of First Bus Solent will be rolling out 62 new electric busses, which will be entering in to service in the next few weeks around Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport.

Read more here

 

FOE Summer gathering

Friends of the Earth are holding their groups regional summer gathering in person in Brighton on Saturday 29th June.

There’ll be a focus on the General Election and what you can do to make a difference. The event will also look at how to get and keep active group members.

Book here

Climate and Nature Bill

Zero Hour has launched a campaign to encourage general election candidates to back the Climate and Nature Bill

The renamed bill was reintroduced to Parliament on the Thursday 21st March by Alex Sobel MP, with cross party backing.

Once a constituency’s letter has enough support, Zero Hour will pick it up and send an open letter to candidates, so to encourage local groups in your local community/constituency to sign it too.

You can download their campaign pack here, and also sign your constituency letter here, just enter the postcode and you will be directed to the right one.

Make sure your group has signed up and encourage others to join!

No Mow May

Join Plantlife‘s No Mow Movement and let your lawn grow.

Provide a feast for pollinators, tackle pollution and reduce urban heat extremes.

Click here to sign up

Britain Talks Climate

The South East Climate Alliance recently held a meeting on Britain Talks Climate, an evidence-based, shared resource for climate campaigning and communications, which offers a strategic understanding of the British audience and – against a backdrop of growing concern about polarisation – identifies ways to engage across the whole of society.

Britain Talks Climate groups the population into seven different segments and looks at how best to engage with each group.

You can watch a video recording of the session here and download the PDF slides are here

Heat Pumps

Innovation agency Nesta has launched a service allowing people interested in getting a heat pump to connect with local owners and book a visit to see a heat pump in real life.

There are only 250,000 heat pumps in the UK and most people won’t have seen a heat pump in action.

This new initiative aims to spread the word by helping people to see heat pumps and question their owners, in the hope that they will become more confident in the technology and more likely to take the next steps towards getting one.

You can book online here

National Walking Month

Discover the magic of walking with Living Streets and celebrate the many health benefits of walking and wheeling!

Check out their website here to find 20 tips to help you fit 20 minutes of walking into your day.

SSP Water Quality Talk with Surfers Against Sewage and Southern Water 

Date: Wednesday 22nd May
Time: 7pm – 8:30 pm

This online talk, hosted by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight wildlife trust is part of its Solent Seascape Project, will look at the problem and the solution.

Find outh more here

Share (Portsmouth)

Earlier this year, Share (Portsmouth) ran the city’s first e-waste amnesty week. They had a lot of interest from people across the country, wanting to find out more about running a similar event in their community.

As a result we they created a ‘e-waste amnesty week toolkit’ which is free to view here

Share (Portsmouth) is also hosting a free webinar on Tuesday 21stst May 2024 at 8 – 9pm. They will talk through the e-waste amnsety tookit as well as hearing from guests who are involved in rehoming unwanted electrical projects in the UK.

Dr Anna Scott from Keep Britain Tidy will also be giving some top tips on how to communicate effectively on the subject of waste prevention, based on their recent research.

To book your free place at the webinar, click here

Protect climate action: stop the anti-boycott bill

Friends of the Earth was mentioned by Baroness Jenny Jones in a the debate in the House of Lords.

We worked together on an amendment to highlight the impact the bill could have on restricting public bodies from divesting from fossil fuel extraction, soy, palm oil and other and environmentally destructive practices.

The bill will eventually return to MPs for a final vote – tell them to vote against!