News
Campaigners Protest Lack of Electric Vehicle Charging Points at New Chesterfield Supermarket
Tue, 24 September 2019
Local campaigners have protested at the opening of a new supermarket, after the company submitted an amended planning application which removed the provision of electric vehicle charging points in the store’s car park.
In the original planning application for a new Lidl supermarket on Chatsworth Road in Chesterfield, the plan showed two Electric Vehicle charging points, but these were later taken out of the plans. The campaigners attended the opening of the store, with a banner reading ‘Where is the charging point?’
Members of Transition Chesterfield have also responded to plans for a McDonald’s drivethru at West Bars roundabout, asking for the EV charging points currently included to be made a planning condition if the development is approved.
This news comes at the same time that it has been revealed that the UK now has more EV charging points than it does petrol stations.
Electric Bikes for Hire in Nottingham
Tue, 24 September 2019
Electric Bikes are now available for hire in Nottingham thanks to a partnership between Nottingham City Council and Raleigh, the famous city-based cycle manufacturer. The bike work just like a normal bike, but you can turn on the electric motor if you want a bit more power on a hill or a long journey. The perfect way to ‘try before you buy’, one week’s hire is just £20+£2 insurance. https://bit.ly/2kCjY8n
Abundance is Back in Chesterfield!
Tue, 24 September 2019
A project which harvests unwanted fruit and distributes it is looking for help this autumn. Abundance is a Transition Chesterfield initiative which sees volunteers pick apples and other fruits from the gardens of householders who don’t want it or can’t harvest it, as well as from other spaces. It is then donated to organisations including Chesterfield Food Bank and Grassmoor’s Big Local Community Centre.
If you can spare some time in September or October please get in touch with Alison or Polly via: abundance@transitionchesterfield.org.uk
Does Your Community Want to Go Net Zero?
Mon, 9 September 2019
Marches Energy Agency (MEA), the charity which provides this website, is considering making an application to the Climate Action Fund.
The fund launched this summer. If you watch the short video at the link above you’ll see that MEA was invited to attend and Caroline Harmon, one of our staff, was interviewed in the video. Our Fantastic Home, a mobile energy efficiency, domestic renewable and climate change exhibition which has toured the area covered by this newsletter for 10 years, was chosen out of thousands of environmentally-themed projects The National Lottery Community Fund has previously funded to showcase at the launch.
We’d like to apply for funding to help communities in the Midlands to develop Community Net Zero Carbon Action plans. These plans would help your community understand your options for eliminating your community's contribution to the climate change. The plans would be community-led with help from MEA. There is the potential that we could then apply for a larger grant from the same fund to help implement these plans and make Net Zero Carbon communities a reality in the area.
If you are interested, please send us a short email with:
- Your name
- The name of any community groups you are involved in
- A brief description of any work you’ve already done on reducing your community’s carbon footprint (it doesn’t matter if you haven’t)
- Why you’re interested in in getting involved in this project
Dropping us an email doesn’t commit you to anything but it will help us to ascertain if there is likely to be enough interest in the area covered by this newsletter (Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire) to go ahead with an application to the fund. We won’t apply if it isn’t something communities want to do, so it’s important that you tell us if you are interested.
Please reply by Friday 20th September.
Emails should be sent to: caroline.harmon@mea.org.uk
Carbon Literacy Course - ONLY A FEW PLACES LEFT
Mon, 9 September 2019
Saturday 5th October, 10am-4:30pm
Sherwood Community Centre, Nottingham
£15* (includes accreditation)
Bring-and-share lunch
JUST A FEW SPACES LEFT - Book a place
We're excited to announce that the Community Climate Action Network is running its first Carbon Literacy course. This one-day course will equip you and your community to bring about the rapid reduction in carbon emissions required in the next few years by the climate emergency.
It is suitable for:
- Interested individuals
- Community groups members
- Elected members and staff of Parish and Town Councils
This particular course has been created specifically for people living, studying and/or working in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham & Nottinghamshire.
Carbon Literacy is defined as "An awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.”
The Carbon Literacy Project offers a day’s worth of accredited learning, covering:
- Climate change science
- Carbon footprints
- Social equity in relation to climate change
- What you can do to act - both as an individual and at a community and organisational level
- Strategies and skills for communicating action on climate change
- A chance to reflect on the impact climate change is and will have.
In order to achieve accreditation you will need to:
- Attend the course (6.5hours)
- Do some work at home ahead of the course (1.5 hours. Involves watching a documentary and completing an online carbon footprint tool)
- Complete a short written assessment during the course. This will be submitted to the Carbon Literacy Project (CLP). CLP accredits the course and will check your assessment before issuing certificates.
We are also planning a course in Derbyshire in November and hope to be able to send out details very soon.
*This course is being funded by the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Local Authority Energy Partnership, a partnership of 18 Local Authorities in the area, and provided by Marches Energy Agency, a Midlands-based charity. The fee charged is simply to cover the cost of accreditation, which will allow you to receive a certificate.