While economies grow, social justice is unnecessary, as lives can be improved without redistribution. While economies grow, people need not confront their elites. While economies grow, we can keep buying our way out of trouble. But, like the bankers, we stave off trouble today only by multiplying it tomorrow. Through economic growth we are borrowing time at punitive rates of interest. It ensures that any cuts agreed at Copenhagen will eventually be outstripped. Even if we manage to prevent climate breakdown, growth means that it's only a matter of time before we hit a new constraint, which demands a new global response: oil, water, phosphate, soil. We will lurch from crisis to existential crisis unless we address the underlying cause: perpetual growth cannot be accommodated on a finite planet.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Moonbat does it again
George Monbiot says it again
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Is anyone reading this?
Dear reader
My plans are to spend some more time and energy writing about issues I feel are important, and publishing here.
It sometimes feels like speaking on a stage where I'm unable to see if there's anyone in the theatre. For that reason, I'd like to know if anyone is reading this. I'd be pleased if you could either leave a short comment below, letting me know what you think, and if there are any local issues that could benefit from a bit more attention. Alternatively, you can send me an email at rchisnall AT gmail DOT com.
Thanks.
My plans are to spend some more time and energy writing about issues I feel are important, and publishing here.
It sometimes feels like speaking on a stage where I'm unable to see if there's anyone in the theatre. For that reason, I'd like to know if anyone is reading this. I'd be pleased if you could either leave a short comment below, letting me know what you think, and if there are any local issues that could benefit from a bit more attention. Alternatively, you can send me an email at rchisnall AT gmail DOT com.
Thanks.
Oneplace - info about your local authority
There's this new site called Oneplace which has info and data from every local authority in the country.
Here is Somerset's (geek joke: it's area 404!). The overview says
It will be interesting how they approach the second point. It mentions renewable energy generation in schools, which they're apparently cutting.
Here is Somerset's (geek joke: it's area 404!). The overview says
Somerset has identified the following priorities for the area:
- Making a positive contribution
- Living sustainably
- Ensuring Economic Well Being
- Enjoying and Achieving
- Staying safe
- Being Healthy
- Motherhood and Apple Pie (that's my little joke)
It will be interesting how they approach the second point. It mentions renewable energy generation in schools, which they're apparently cutting.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Open letter to Somerset County Council
I sent this letter today to the Central Somerset Gazette.
Dear Somerset County Council
Right now, world leaders are meeting to try to organise a more
sustainable future for everyone. Only time will tell whether their
plans will succeed, but there is a general acceptance that "business
as usual" cannot continue. The interconnected ''Three E's" of
environment, energy and economy are becoming increasingly unstable
with potentially grave consequences for all of us - especially in
relation to where our food comes from.
Apparently Somerset County Council have decided to go against this
general trend and are threatening to axe many sustainability projects.
These include the Somerset Landscape Scheme, which provides grants to
farmers and landowners to help conserve and restore our landscape, and
renewable energy generation in schools and elsewhere, which also serve
to raise awareness of sustainable energy use.
Far more serious than this is the apparent plan to sell off all our
County Farms, which provide opportunities for people to learn about
farming and growing food. Since there are 60 farms of about 7200 acres
in all, it's a tempting economic asset - but selling them off will
deprive our communities of the the very opportunities we need to meet
the challenges of an uncertain future. As energy prices rise alongside
world food demand, we will probably need to grow more of our own food,
closer to where it's eaten and the County Farms are too valuable an
asset to sell in order to plug a short-term fiscal problem.
All these projects are aimed towards sustainability, which really
means securing a decent future for ourselves and our children. It's
obvious: cutting them back and selling them off is, in the long term,
unsustainable.
What irony that these plans have been hatched by an administration
which calls itself Conservative. With a name like that, one could be
forgiven for believing that issues of conservation and sustainability
would be close to their hearts.
I bet the letters editor is getting tired of me. I've written quite a few recently.
Dear Somerset County Council
Right now, world leaders are meeting to try to organise a more
sustainable future for everyone. Only time will tell whether their
plans will succeed, but there is a general acceptance that "business
as usual" cannot continue. The interconnected ''Three E's" of
environment, energy and economy are becoming increasingly unstable
with potentially grave consequences for all of us - especially in
relation to where our food comes from.
Apparently Somerset County Council have decided to go against this
general trend and are threatening to axe many sustainability projects.
These include the Somerset Landscape Scheme, which provides grants to
farmers and landowners to help conserve and restore our landscape, and
renewable energy generation in schools and elsewhere, which also serve
to raise awareness of sustainable energy use.
Far more serious than this is the apparent plan to sell off all our
County Farms, which provide opportunities for people to learn about
farming and growing food. Since there are 60 farms of about 7200 acres
in all, it's a tempting economic asset - but selling them off will
deprive our communities of the the very opportunities we need to meet
the challenges of an uncertain future. As energy prices rise alongside
world food demand, we will probably need to grow more of our own food,
closer to where it's eaten and the County Farms are too valuable an
asset to sell in order to plug a short-term fiscal problem.
All these projects are aimed towards sustainability, which really
means securing a decent future for ourselves and our children. It's
obvious: cutting them back and selling them off is, in the long term,
unsustainable.
What irony that these plans have been hatched by an administration
which calls itself Conservative. With a name like that, one could be
forgiven for believing that issues of conservation and sustainability
would be close to their hearts.
I bet the letters editor is getting tired of me. I've written quite a few recently.
Somerset County Council plans to sell County Farms
A couple of emails, reproduced in full.
Today/Tomorrow (Tuesday 8th December), the Conservative administration of Somerset County Council plan to meet in secret to decide whether to accept a proposal to sell off, with immediate effect, ALL County Farms.
This will be to the highest bidder at auction. The aim is to raise short term funds...obviously at the cost of the future food security of Somerset, and in opposition to their moral responsibilities as custodians of an entrusted estate. The County Farm estate is a community asset. SCC have been stripping it for years, but this will be the final nail in the coffin. It stands in direct opposition to last weeks NFU South West report on the value of County Farms.
Anybody in Somerset who wishes to oppose this, please get in touch ASAP. Tonight, at a meeting of Somerset Land and Food, representatives of groups including the Soil Association, Wessex Community Assets, Somerset Community Food, Somerset Primary Care Trust and many others, all agreed to oppose the move with a united voice.
Email dansunrise@gmail.com if you feel you can help in this campaign. Otherwise, write to the press, your local member and shout it out everywhere you can.
Press release:
8th December 2009
To Whom it May Concern:
It was drawn to the attention of all at the inaugural meeting of Somerset Land and Food, held at Great Bow Wharf, Langport, yesterday, that the Conservative administration at County Hall, Taunton, will today decide upon a proposal to put up for sale, as of immediate effect, the entire County Farm Estate. Alternative proposals, including the hastening of the asset disposal process, are also due to be assessed.
The attendees of this meeting, numbering 65 persons involved in local land and food, wish to express their deep dissatisfaction with this proposal and their objection to asset-stripping the Council in this manner. Furthermore, the attendees call for urgent consultation with the Conservative administration on the future of the County Farm Estate in Somerset before decisions are taken on this matter.
The attendees of this meeting wish to express their deep concern at the lack of transparency in this process to date and to remind the Council of their duties as servants of the people of Somerset and Trustees of the land given to their care. Somerset Land and Food wishes to remind the County Council of their responsibilities regards safeguarding the safety of its residents, including in which the support and promotion of local resilience and the urgent need to protect local food security in the face of global crises. Furthermore, Somerset Land and Food objects to the scrapping of the Somerset Landscape Scheme as a means of reducing expenditure, pointing to the positive works carried out by this fund in the previous 12 months.
Those here represented include representatives of Somerset Community Food, Wessex Community Assets, the Soil Association, Somerset Primary Care Trust, South West Food and Drink, Somerset Market Towns Forum, Transition Somerset (and all 28 communities operating under this banner), Mendip Housing Ltd, Glastonbury Community Development Trust, Sharpham Park & The Ecos Trust.
The assembled representatives also wish to serve notice that they intend to raise awareness of this proposal at all levels of government, media, farming groups including the NFU, in the public and private sector, and amongst the General Populace.
We look forward to hearing from the Conservative administration as soon as possible on this matter of extreme urgency.
Yours sincerely,
Somerset Land and Food
Email: linda.hull@somersetcommunityfood.org.uk
Tel. 01458 254269
Address: Great Bow Wharf, Bow Street, Langport, Somerset, TA10 9PN
Somerset Land and Food is a project of Somerset Community Food aiming to increase community-based food production in the county. Supported by the Big Lottery Fund, Soil Association, Wessex Community Assets and NHS Somerset.
Today/Tomorrow (Tuesday 8th December), the Conservative administration of Somerset County Council plan to meet in secret to decide whether to accept a proposal to sell off, with immediate effect, ALL County Farms.
This will be to the highest bidder at auction. The aim is to raise short term funds...obviously at the cost of the future food security of Somerset, and in opposition to their moral responsibilities as custodians of an entrusted estate. The County Farm estate is a community asset. SCC have been stripping it for years, but this will be the final nail in the coffin. It stands in direct opposition to last weeks NFU South West report on the value of County Farms.
Anybody in Somerset who wishes to oppose this, please get in touch ASAP. Tonight, at a meeting of Somerset Land and Food, representatives of groups including the Soil Association, Wessex Community Assets, Somerset Community Food, Somerset Primary Care Trust and many others, all agreed to oppose the move with a united voice.
Email dansunrise@gmail.com if you feel you can help in this campaign. Otherwise, write to the press, your local member and shout it out everywhere you can.
Press release:
8th December 2009
To Whom it May Concern:
It was drawn to the attention of all at the inaugural meeting of Somerset Land and Food, held at Great Bow Wharf, Langport, yesterday, that the Conservative administration at County Hall, Taunton, will today decide upon a proposal to put up for sale, as of immediate effect, the entire County Farm Estate. Alternative proposals, including the hastening of the asset disposal process, are also due to be assessed.
The attendees of this meeting, numbering 65 persons involved in local land and food, wish to express their deep dissatisfaction with this proposal and their objection to asset-stripping the Council in this manner. Furthermore, the attendees call for urgent consultation with the Conservative administration on the future of the County Farm Estate in Somerset before decisions are taken on this matter.
The attendees of this meeting wish to express their deep concern at the lack of transparency in this process to date and to remind the Council of their duties as servants of the people of Somerset and Trustees of the land given to their care. Somerset Land and Food wishes to remind the County Council of their responsibilities regards safeguarding the safety of its residents, including in which the support and promotion of local resilience and the urgent need to protect local food security in the face of global crises. Furthermore, Somerset Land and Food objects to the scrapping of the Somerset Landscape Scheme as a means of reducing expenditure, pointing to the positive works carried out by this fund in the previous 12 months.
Those here represented include representatives of Somerset Community Food, Wessex Community Assets, the Soil Association, Somerset Primary Care Trust, South West Food and Drink, Somerset Market Towns Forum, Transition Somerset (and all 28 communities operating under this banner), Mendip Housing Ltd, Glastonbury Community Development Trust, Sharpham Park & The Ecos Trust.
The assembled representatives also wish to serve notice that they intend to raise awareness of this proposal at all levels of government, media, farming groups including the NFU, in the public and private sector, and amongst the General Populace.
We look forward to hearing from the Conservative administration as soon as possible on this matter of extreme urgency.
Yours sincerely,
Somerset Land and Food
Email: linda.hull@somersetcommunityfood.org.uk
Tel. 01458 254269
Address: Great Bow Wharf, Bow Street, Langport, Somerset, TA10 9PN
Somerset Land and Food is a project of Somerset Community Food aiming to increase community-based food production in the county. Supported by the Big Lottery Fund, Soil Association, Wessex Community Assets and NHS Somerset.
Planning officer's report about the proposed Tesco in Glastonbury
Mendip District Council's planning officer, a Mr Edward Baker (whose proper title is Development Control Team Manager Area West [ooph!]) recommended that planning permission for the proposed Tesco between B&Q and Wollens be refused.
This is the report he submitted to the planning board.
Planning Officer's Report
This is the report he submitted to the planning board.
Planning Officer's Report
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Cynical blogger charmed by baby hedgehog
Got this in my inbox:
Hello to all you car drivers everywhere
I have come here to tell you to be so very careful when you are driving
Because this is the time of year when I am just learning to walk
So please don't run me over
Just look how sweet I am
Thank you
Hello to all you car drivers everywhere
I have come here to tell you to be so very careful when you are driving
Because this is the time of year when I am just learning to walk
So please don't run me over
Just look how sweet I am
Thank you
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Planning advice website
Planning Aid
"Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional help, advice and support on planning issues to people and communities who cannot afford to hire a planning consultant. Planning Aid complements the work of local authorities but is wholly independent of them."
"Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional help, advice and support on planning issues to people and communities who cannot afford to hire a planning consultant. Planning Aid complements the work of local authorities but is wholly independent of them."
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
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