SEPTEMBER 2019
News
A Wonderful Day at Earthworks
Earthworks had their annual summer fair on Saturday 31st August, and Friends of the Earth were proud to participate. Our stall highlighted simple steps people could take to conserve resources and reduce energy consumption, such as making sure they had at least 27cm of loft insulation (only one person actually knew how much insulation they had!), cycling instead of driving, and not over filling the kettle when boiling water. We also had a "count the number of pegs in a jar" competition, and a "Happy Planet" colouring station (see below for a photo of the beautiful people the children drew).
​
As always, it was a wonderful afternoon with lots of entertainment and honey from the St. Albans Bee Keepers Association.
​
See you at Earthworks next year!
Join the Climate Strike!
As 20 September approaches, young people around the world are preparing to strike.
Youth strikers have been pressuring governments and companies around the world to take the climate crisis seriously. It's time for us to join them.
Join the General Strike for Climate at the Clock Tower in St.Albans from 9-11pm on Friday 20th September.
​
The aim of the strike is to demand that the Government and our local council take climate change seriously. There is no time to loose if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change.
​
You can download an image for a placard here - or make your own!
​
If you can't get to a strike, then here are some ideas of ways you can act in solidarity with the strikers
​
The River Ver needs our help - now!
An internationally rare chalk stream, the River Ver is now so depleted of water that it is dry over half its length and is barely running through St. Albans. As a consequence the lake in Verulamium Park is reduced to an expanse of mud and fish are left stranded.
​
The Ver Valley Society have put together a list of ways we can help.
​
With south east England being home to 85% of the world's chalk streams, and the majority in the same sad state as the Ver, we need to act now to save the river and the wildlife that depends on it. Act now.
​
Be part of the solution:
​
-
Use water sparingly - shorter showers, fewer flushes and popping the house pipe back in the shed will make a real difference
-
Look out for water leaks and report them to Affinity Water on 0800 376 5325
-
Check out the Ver Valley Society to help raise the profile of the Ver Crisis
Do you love trees?
Trees will play a valuable role not just in our fight against climate change, but in making our lives more comfortable in a changed climate. Trees capture and store carbon, cool the air, provide essential shade and calm high winds. Plus they are home to wildlife and great for our mental health.
​
But we need more of them! To reach net zero emissions we must double the number of trees in the UK by 2045.
​
We're liaising with other groups to persuade St. Albans District Council to plant more trees, but we also need to persuade local people to love trees too.
​
Can you help us do this at Ayletts Apple Day on Sunday 20th October?
​
And at this event with Gordon Buchanan at the Alban Arena on 10th November?
​
Please email stalbansfoe@hotmail.com if you can spare and hour to help man a stall with information about the wonders of trees. Thank you!
​