News

Girl Band sign protest song about RBS investment in Tar Sands

Do look at this excellent video

Nominations for Community Council Elections

Community Council elections are due throughout Highland this year and the closing date for nominations is Wednesday 28 September, not Wednesday 31 August as previously announced. Go to the Highland Council website
Do think of standing to promote and encourage green policies.

RoWAN want workers in Caithness and Nairn

RoWAN (Ross-shire Waste Action network) want help in locating possible volunteers to help them as they are widening their horizons to Caithness and Nairn. They would particularly like to build links with schools in both these areas.
They have received further funding from Zero Waste Scotland to work with volunteers around the Highlands (excluding Skye and Lochaber) to encourage people to cut food waste,compost, use peat free compost, stop unwanted mail and recycle more. They are very keen to recruit more Zero Waste volunteers from around the Highlands who can help deliver these messages, so could members of this list please spread the word and also contact them if you would like to find out more about volunteering. The contact details are: Email: zerowastevolunteers@rowan.org.uk or info@rowan.org.uk; Phone: 01349 867063 or text 07730208850; Address (for mailing only): RoWAN, Pavilion Court, 34A High Street, Dingwall IV15 9SN

New permaculture teacher available

James Chapman has started teaching permaculture courses across Scotland. Permaculture provides individuals with the skills to design their environment for an abundant future; creating sustainable, healthy environments by working with nature and caring for the planet. At the moment James can offer 2 day introduction courses and from March 2011 can also provide the Full Design Course. The Full Design Course can be taught over weekends or in a 2 week block. James can offer a full service including advertising and taking bookings or he can teach for a day fee and travel expenses. James' teaching business is a social enterprise and he strives to provide subsidised rates where required. He is also available as a permaculture consultant and designer. Please contact James to discuss any ideas further. James Chapman, 117B High Street, Newburgh, Fife KY14 6DX; email; 07790 265883, 01337 842277

NEW Highland Food Market in Inverness

There is a new market in Inverness, selling just food and it is being held on the third Saturday of every month in the High Street.

REAL Food stopped trading on 11 September 2010

REAL Food, the trading and social enterprise arm of the REAL operation at Inverness High School has very reluctantly decided to stop operating its range of town centre, workplace, village market shops and deliveries as from end of day on Saturday 11 September.
REAL Food's retail activities were designed as a means to provide pupils with a range of experiences of how businesses work, what good customer focus looks like and how to build a brand. REAL activity at the High School will now continue with horticulture production activities, working with pupils in a series of climate change projects, both of which will provide further training that builds confidence and enhances workplace and other life-skills. Their wholesale business supplying local restaurants and shops with produce direct from the farm will continue to operate as normal.

SDC Report: 'The Future is Local'

Published 13 July 2010 in Sustainable Development
SSN SDC-UK
A new report from the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) argues that enabling communities to lead local renewal projects with a neighbourhood-wide approach is the most cost-effective way to ensure villages, towns and cities are fit for the future and create the conditions for people to thrive. Go to Sustainable Scotland website

Robin Hood Tax

3 mins of video that could unleash such freedom... Go to Robin Hood Tax video to see how we could benefit from the bankers.

Woodland Crofts Update

A new information sheet has been produced for rural housing burdens and rural housing bodies. You can get more information on woodland crofts and download the leaflet from HIE website

Eco Friendly Modular Housing by Affresol

"Affresol, of Swansea, has developed technology to build low carbon houses from the plastic and minerals. The firm, backed by Welsh Assembly Government money, has launched a range of eco-friendly homes and four-tonne modular portable buildings." See the BBC website

Making a stink over flatulent cattle

Geoffrey Lean: 'At first sight, it's the daftest green proposal yet - taxing flatulence. But the plan, put forward by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation might come up smelling of roses, for it could help fight world hunger as well as global warming. The idea is to impose a tax on cattle who, surprisingly, emit more of the pollution that causes climate change than cars, producing methane - which is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide - from both ends of their digestive systems. Every day, a single British cow produces the equivalent of 4,000 grams of CO2, far outstripping what comes out of the exhaust pipe of a Land Rover Freelander during the average day on the road.' The Daily Telegraph

Greenspace is good - so prove it!

Greenspace scotland invites urban community greenspace groups to take part in Social Return on Investment programme. Over the last year greenspace scotland has been working with Scottish Natural Heritage and local partners to explore how SROI can be applied in the greenspace sector. The earlier work with greenspace projects such as the Greenlink project in Motherwell and the Pacific Garden in Govan was very well received by the projects and partners taking part.
Community groups interested in taking part can find out more information on the project and download an application form from greenspace scotland website
Deadline for applications is 12 noon on Tuesday 9 March 2010

Where does the Inverness bypass go and what will be the future use of it?

To view a bigger version of this click on: Route of the bypass over the canal and river and then click on 'Preferred Road line for Western Section'.
As you can see, it is planned to go from the junction of the Fort William road and the road leading to Kinmylies, diagonally across the Torvean Golf course, under the canal and across the rugby field to a big roundabout and over the river upstream of the islands.
Inverness has few attractive recreational areas and this 1970s style road construction could well be a mistake comprable with the 1960s reconstrution of Inverness buildings. Why?

• The bypass is aesthetically very unpleasing.
• In the next few decades oil prices will definitely rise and car use become restricted and the need for the bypass will go.
• In the shorter term, public money is to become in short supply and any money that is available should be used, if we are a caring society, for things like hospitals, education and care. Certainly not for cars. With more access for cars comes more pressure from developers to build more housing and that, in turn generates more cars and the need for more public spending - which there simply will not be.

Chance to View the Videos of the Scotland Projections in Practice Event

The Scotland Projections in Practice event was organised by The Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SCCIP) in partnership with The Highland Council and was held on 27 Jan 2010.
To view the videos of the talk go to ww2.highland.gov.uk/hidden/conference

Sky Delights - a New Organic Shop and Cafe in Nairn

A new Organic Cafe called Sky Delights has just opened in Leopold Street, Nairn. It's a vegetarian, 100% organic shop with a small cafe/takeway. Do visit it.

Highland Heat Seeker's Blog

Read a local person's blog charting the process of converting their home heating entirely to renewables. Go to the Blog

Cuba plans city farms to ease economy woes

Cuba has launched a project to ring urban areas with thousands of small farms in a bid to reverse the country's agricultural decline and ease its chronic economic woes. Part of the conditions of the programme is that farmers must grow everything organically.
To read more go to The Guardian

See how much of Inverness will disappear as the sea levels rise.

Go to the website http://flood.firetree.net/ and zoom in on Inverness and alter the sea level marker to discover how much of the city disappears as the sea level rises.

Out Of This World

Scientists are warning that our planet is fast running out of many essential materials. Dwindling reserves of platinum, copper and phosphorous could create crises in the electronics, medical and farming worlds.
Listen again on BBC Radio 4

Energy Savings Trust Scotland Grants

Energy Savings Trust Scotland yesterday confirmed their grants of 30% or up to £4000 of the install cost are still available- with no decision yet on availability after April this year. The EST will also allow you an interest free loan of up to £8000 towards the installation.
For more information go to the Energy Saving Trust website

New Feed-in Tarrifs Announced

The FITs scheme will start from 1 April 2010. Through the use of FITs government hopes to encourage deployment of additional low carbon electricity generation, particularly by organisations, businesses, communities and individuals who are not traditionally engaged in the electricity market.
For more information go to the Department of Energy and Climate Change website.

Transition Black Isle is looking for a Gardening Contractor

They will be required to:
Develop a training syllabus specific to food growing on the Black Isle
Deliver three series of practical food growing training sessions
Identify, assess and manage sites for training
Compile a manual of locally specific growing techniques
Review and disseminate the performance of the pilot program
Act as lead tutor, and sub-contract other contributors.
Potential contractors should register their interest in tendering for delivery of the project, by submitting a note (max 2 pages A4) outlining their skills, experience and approach to delivery. Please send applications by 23 February, by email to: Bob Bull, bob@glachbeg.org.uk

Recent Scotland Projections in Practice Events

For information on the recent SCCIP events go to their website
And for information on information on SCCIP services and team members, click here

Scottish churches want nuclear weapons ban to be key election issue

Ekklesia staff writers (27 Jan 2010)
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Bill Hewitt, and members of Scottish Clergy against Nuclear Armaments (SCANA) have launched an initiative at Holyrood seeking to place nuclear weapons and Trident at the heart of the General Election campaign. To read more go to www.ekklesia.co.uk

Cost of UK flood protection doubles to £1bn a year

Latest data from the Environment Agency shows that more than half a million UK homes are at 'significant' risk of flooding . . . The rising costs will be incurred from the impacts of climate change that will take effect in the coming decades, meaning the risks to homes and communities will increase unless defences are improved. To read more go to the Guardian

Open University Course - Sustainable Scotland

The Open University is launching a new short course on sustainability and sustainable development in Scotland, starting in May 2010. *Sustainable Scotland* looks into key themes of the sustainability agenda, including how we manage waste, how we produce and use food, our choice of energy sources, how we use information technology, and transport issues. The course also considers some less well explored areas including cultural and community sustainability.
This course is taught entirely online and is a broad-based course at SCQF level 7 that can be taken as part of a qualification or on its own. No previous qualifications are required to study. Do visit their website for further information and if you would like to receive a supply of leaflets about the course then do email

Nine meals from anarchy

"A cold snap shows how fragile our supply of food and fuel is. We need a more sustainable system. . . . Events are revealing that many of the things we take for granted, like bank accounts, fuel and food, are vulnerable. If we value civilisation, the litmus test for economic success should not be short-term profitability, but resilience in the face of climatic extremes and resource shortages. When Gordon Brown meets Cobra, the civil contingencies committee, this week, item one should be the transition to a more sustainable food and energy system."
To read the rest of this article by Andrew Simms go to the Guardian

Scottish Government's Zero Waste Plan

"The Scottish Government's Zero Waste Plan targets state that 70% of waste produced in Highland must be recycled or composted by 2025. Whereas landfill disposal will be capped at 5% and the use of Energy from Waste technology to deal with the remaining portion of waste that cannot be recycled will be limited to 25%."
Taken from the Highland Environment Network (HEN) newsletter December 2009. For more information on HEN go to their website

WEEE. All waste electrical and electronic equipment can now be recycled throughout the Highlands

Householders in Highland will be able to recycle any electrical item with a plug attached, or items operated by a battery. The following constitute WEEE: Refrigeration equipment such as fridges and freezers; Any item with a cathode ray tube, such as televisions and computer monitors; Large items such as cookers, washing machines and dishwashers; Small items such as hairdryers and DVD players; Fluorescent light tubes and bulbs, including energy efficient light bulbs; Battery operated items such as toys and flashlights.
For more information go to the The Highland Council website

Couple snub supermarkets for grow-your-own and save £110 a week

A feature in the Mail profiles a couple who, after thinking about how the high street giants dominate our shopping habits, set themselves a challenge - to see if they could survive without the stores for 12 months. During the experiment, which started last January, they grew vegetables in their back garden and rented land to plant crops, as well as keeping animals. As a result, they managed to slash their weekly shopping bill from £160 to £50 - an annual saving of £5,720.
Taken from the Mailonline.

Make Sharing Lifts a New Year's Resolution

Go to www.liftshare.com.uk to: save you lots of money; improve your carbon footprint; reduce your stress levels; clear car congestion and ease parking problems.

Wind Farm or Tidal Scheme for the Black Isle?

"In a ground-breaking move, three Black Isle councillors - David Alston, Billy Barclay and Isobel McCallum - have opened the door to the possibility of a community-run wind farm or tidal scheme being established to tap into the potential of alternative energies."
To find out more go to the Ross-shire Journal

Cimate cost labelling in Sweden

The fast food chain Maxburgers are including CO2 costs on their burgers and are hoping to introduce more non-meat fillings. Sweden is also looking at a Green label for environmentally sound foods to carry.
For more information go to the BBC News website

Local food co-operative guide launched

Every town and village in the country could have access to food co-operatives or initiatives such as farmers' markets and community-owned shops by 2012, according to a new guide. The Simply Legal guide, published by Co-operatives UK, informs communities about the advantages and disadvantages of setting up community enterprises. It also tells communities all they need to know about organisational types for local food and legal forms. People are being encouraged to take control of their own food and where it is sourced from. The aim is for 650 community food enterprises to increase access to and awareness of local food for one million people by 2012.
See Community Newswire

Local, seasonal and organic foods most influential - Waitrose research

Research by Waitrose has highlighted local, seasonal, and organic foods as the most influential food trends in the last decade, along with sustainable fish and Fairtrade products.
See the Daily Telegraph

Wind turbines may be built at Nigg creating 2,000 jobs

Two thousand jobs could be created in the Highlands if an American firm invests in a project to build offshore wind turbines.
For the full article see the BBC News

Age of Stupid - Watch it on BBC iPlayer

Drama-documentary-animation hybrid starring Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, watching archive footage from 2008 and asking why climate change wasn't stopped before it was too late.
BBC 4, watch again on BBC i-player

The Stupid Show on the Internet

If you are totally confused about what is happening in Copenhagen at the moment, then tune in every night at 7pm to watch The Stupid Show; presented by Franny Armstrong and Mark Lynas. Go to The Stupid Show

Glen Lyon looking at heating their homes with wood

The community has been awarded a £21,500 grant from the Scottish Government's Climate Challenge Fund to fund a feasability study which will explore the potential for using wood from commercial forestry and reintroducing traditional woodland management techniques such as coppicing. For the full story go to The Low Carbon Cairngorms website.

Paul Kingsnorth: environmentalists have lost their way

Former deputy editor of the Ecologist, Paul Kingsnorth, tells Matilda Lee why an obsession with CO2 has distracted environmentalists. See The Ecologist website

Sir David Attenborough investigates whether the world is heading for a population crisis.

"In his lengthy career, Sir David has watched the human population more than double from 2.5 billion in 1950 to nearly seven billion. He reflects on the profound effects of this rapid growth, both on humans and the environment. While much of the projected growth in human population is likely to come from the developing world, it is the lifestyle enjoyed by many in the West that has the most impact on the planet. Some experts claim that in the UK consumers use as much as two and a half times their fair share of Earth's resources. Sir David examines whether it is the duty of individuals to commit not only to smaller families, but to change the way they live for the sake of humanity and planet Earth." To watch this Horison programme go to the BBC iPlayer

Top scientists rally to the defence of the Met Office

The Met Office has embarked on an urgent exercise to bolster the reputation of climate-change science after the furore over stolen e-mails. More than 1,700 scientists have agreed to sign a statement defending the "professional integrity" of global warming research. It states that the evidence for man-made global warming is "deep and extensive" and comes from "decades of painstaking and meticulous research by many thousands of scientists across the world who adhere to the highest levels of professional integrity".
The Times website

This decade 'warmest on record'

The first decade of this century is "by far" the warmest since instrumental records began, say the UK Met Office and World Meteorological Organization.
For the full story see the BBC News website

Urban foraging: 'It's day two and I'm going to die'

Is it possible to feed yourself for a week simply with food you find growing wild - in London? Bella Bathurst takes up the urban foraging challenge. For the full article go to the Guardian website

Bang Goes the Theory - The Human Power Station

This programme can be viewed on iplayer for the next week. It is an excellent demonstration of how much work goes into powering our homes. A family go about their normal day, using their normal amount of energy, while, unbeknown to them a group of bicyclists pedal furiously to keep up with the family's energy demands. A simple, but very powerful way to illustrate how much power we unthinkingly waste.
To watch it go to BBC iplayer

Highlands share in 'green' payout

"North projects awarded part of £3.6m funding to fight climate change. Projects across the north and north-east are to share in Scottish Government funding to help fight climate change. Some 41 schemes throughout Scotland have been awarded £3.6million to reduce their carbon footprint and inspire others to follow suit. The funding was announced by Green MSP Robin Harper, who said he was pleased to see the Climate Change Fund support innovative communities throughout Scotland. To read the full article go to the Press and Journal

Farmshops cheaper than supermarkets

"An independent report has shown that farm shops are cheaper on average than supermarkets when buying items such as fruit and vegetables. The survey was carried out in Yorkshire, commissioned by the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber, and took place over three months. Items from Tesco, Sainsbury's and other major supermarkets were compared in price to the same items from 20 farm shops. Farmshops were found to be 12% cheaper than supermarkets for meat, 16% for eggs, and 24% on baking potatoes."
Taken from ISN - International Supermarket News website Thursday 3 December.

Todmorden's Good life: Introducing Britain's greenest town

'Grow your own' fever has gripped the Pennines community, which is aiming for self-sufficiency . . . In under two years, Todmorden has transformed the way it produces its food and the way residents think about the environment. Compared with 18 months ago, a third more townspeople now grow their own veg; almost seven in 10 now buy local produce regularly, and 15 times as many people are keeping chickens."
To read more see the article in The Independent

Samso in Denmark becomes energy self-sufficient

The Danish haven of Samso is one of the world's first industrialised places to become energy self-sufficient. The inhabitants of this Danish isle seized upon wind's potential as a source of energy and money more than a decade ago. "Being part of a project like this gives you a wonderful feeling of being in harmony with nature," resident Erik Andersen explained. The 64-year-old cattle farmer has shares in a wind turbine, solar panels on his roof and runs his tractor on home-grown rape-seed oil. He feeds the mush that's left over to his cows. When all of his alternative energy sources are working, he delights in looking at the electricity meter that offsets his own power against what he has to import. "On a good day the meter runs backwards," he said.
The Independent (26 Nov, p.34)

Soil Carbon - the missing link in COP 15

New research from the Soil Association reveals that if all UK farmland was converted to organic farming, at least 3.2 million tonnes of carbon would be taken up by the soil each year - the equivalent of taking nearly one million cars off the road. Patrick Holden, Soil Association Director, said:
"Unless we are successful in tackling climate change, we won't be able to feed the world's growing population, however we farm. This report shows that agriculture can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while producing food sustainably. "Our findings add fresh evidence to the strong case for agri-environmental farming made in the IAASTD Report, produced by 400 international scientists and endorsed by the UK Government."
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 89% of agriculture's global greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential is from carbon sequestration - a fact that Governments seem to be ignoring in the critical run-up to climate change talks in Copenhagen (COP 15) in December.
The research's key findings are:

• On average organic farming produces 28% higher levels of soil carbon compared to non-organic farming in Northern Europe, and 20% higher for all countries studied (in Europe, North America and Australasia).
• In the UK, grasslands and mixed farming systems also have a vital role to play, and soil carbon may go a long way to offsetting the methane emissions from grass-fed cattle and sheep.
• The widespread adoption of organic farming practices in the UK would offset 23% of UK agricultural emissions through soil carbon sequestration alone, more than doubling the UK Government's pathetically low target of a 6-11% reduction by 2020.
• A worldwide switch to organic farming could offset 11% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Raising soil carbon levels would also make farming worldwide more resilient to extremes of climate like droughts and floods, leading to greater food security.

Peter Melchett, Soil Association policy director said:
"This research underlines the immediate and profound effect that organic farming techniques could have in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK and globally. Climate change means that business as usual in our food and farming systems is no longer an option. To minimize tropical deforestation and maximize soil carbon sequestration we need to move to healthier diets based on unprocessed, seasonal produce and grass-fed meat in moderation rather than intensive poultry and pork. With dietary shifts we could feed the world sustainably, address the health and diet-related ill-health time bomb, and help meet our GHG targets. This should provide a no-brainer basis for inclusion in the COP15 treaty."
To read the full report and summary of findings go to: The Soil Association website

Soil carbon facts and figures:

• Soil is a major store of carbon, containing three times as much carbon as the atmosphere and five times as much as forests. About 60% of this is in the form of organic matter in the soil.
• The large size of this store means that soil carbon changes can have significant effects on the level of atmospheric CO2. Each 1% increase in average soil organic carbon levels could in principle reduce atmospheric CO2 by up to 2%.
• Soil carbon losses account for a tenth of all the CO2 emissions by human activity since 1850. However, unlike the losses of carbon from the burning of fossils fuels, the soil carbon store can be recreated.
• The principal component of the soil carbon store is humus, a stable form of organic carbon with an average life-time of hundreds to thousands of years.

Climate change: Copenhagen in graphics

"The energy supply is the biggest source of emissions globally. Where do greenhouse gas emissions come from? Which countries are most responsible for causing human-induced climate change? And have governments pledged tough enough cuts so far to keep the global average temperature rise within "safe limits"? As the UN summit in Copenhagen approaches, we look at the past, present and possible futures of climate change."
Taken from the BBC News website

Climate change email hacking to be looked into by University of East Anglia

No evidence that data was falsified, says Met Office. See this sensible article in the Guardian

Small is beautiful for food security.

"Governments at the world summit on food security at the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome last week took few of the required steps to respond to rising hunger . . . Recent research confirms that globally more than two-thirds of food is provided by small-scale producers, not global food companies, though they claim - and would wish to control - more. These small-scale food providers - farmers, livestock keepers, fisher peoples - many using resilient ecological approaches which have been proven successful in helping them adapt to climate change, need increased recognition and inclusion in decision-making at all levels, including in the FAO. This will have a high impact on eradicating hunger now." See the Guardian for the full article.

The Land, Environment and Sustainability Strategy Group Meeting

A copy of the Council's various plans: revised draft Allotment Policy; Inquiry into Future Support for Agriculture in Scotland and Draft Highland Biodiversity Action Plans can all be seen on the council website. The Land, Environment and Sustainability Strategy Group discuss these on Thursday 26 November and members of the public can attend.

Electric Car is Streets Ahead in Cairngorms National Park

The first electric vehicle to be used in a rural community has been unveiled in the Cairngorms National Park today (Monday 16 November). The unique project has been given the seal of approval by Fergus Ewing MSP, the Scottish Government's Minister for Community Safety. see the Cairngorms website. Scroll down the page.

Hovis bread goes 100 percentage British

The first 100 per cent British loaf of bread will go on sale at the start of next year, after Hovis decided to stop importing foreign wheat. From January all Hovis loaves will contain only British flour. Jon Goldstone, at Hovis, said: "We used to import £18 million worth of Canadian wheat, £18 million which will now go to British farmers. This is a significant amount of cash. We have talked to consumers and there is such a huge interest in being self-sufficient and supporting British farmers." The Daily Telegraph (20 Nov, p.2)

Green beliefs win legal protection

An article in Wednesday 4 November 2009's The Independent says that "employees who raise concerns about their company's environmental practices won the right to legal redress yesterday after a judge ruled that green beliefs deserved the same protection in the workplace as religious convictions."
For the full article go to The Independent

Climate Change Denial

Why the sudden surge in climate change denial? Could it be about something else altogether?
See the article by George Monbiot, published in the Guardian, 2 November 2009 in www.monbiot.com

Species' extinction threat grows

More than a third of species assessed in a major international biodiversity study are threatened with extinction, scientists have warned. Out of the 47,677 species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 17,291 were deemed to be at serious risk. These included 21% of mammals, 30% of amphibians, 70% of plants and 35% of invertebrates. Conservationists warned that not enough was being done to tackle the main threats, such as habitat loss. The Red List, regarded as the most authoritative assessment of the state of the planet's species, draws on the work of thousands of scientists around the globe. The latest update lists amphibians as the most seriously affected group of organisms on the planet, with 1,895 of the 6,285 known species listed as threatened. For more information go to the BBC website

Paths in Scotland

You can give your views about whether better web information is needed about paths in Scotland through the following questionnaire.
Go to the paths online website.

Monsanto falsely advertised Roundup as being "biodegradable" and that it "left the soil clean."

France`s highest court has ruled that Monsanto lied about the safety of its weed killing herbicide Roundup. The decision came just days ago and confirms an earlier court judgment in France finding that Monsanto had falsely advertised Roundup as being "biodegradable" and that it "left the soil clean."
For further details see the Natural News website.

Study claims meat creates half of all greenhouse gases

Livestock causes far more climate damage than first thought, says a new report published by a respected US thinktank, the Worldwatch Institute. Two World Bank environmental advisers claim that instead of 18 per cent of global emissions being caused by meat, the true figure is 51 per cent.
See the article by Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent in Sunday 1 November 2009 The Indenpendent

Transform Scotland's submission to the Scottish Government's Central Scotland Transport Corridor Study

Click here to read Transform Scotland's submission. Transform Scotland is the National Sustainable Transport alliance - to find out more about them go to their website.

A post-oil world gets less sci-fi by the day

Dwindling supplies and no plan B - are we heading for Mad Max scenario?
This article by Ashley Seager in guardian.co.uk on Monday 26 October 2009 is essential reading.

Science Museum unveils climate change map showing impact of 4C rise

The Guardian Thursday 22 October 2009 shows a new map of the world, developed by Met Office scientists, that details the likely effects of a failure to cut carbons emissions. The article is by David Adam and Allegra Stratton.

350 - 24 October 2009 is International Day of Climate Action

See www.350.org for more information and to find out what '350' stands for.

Interest-free loans of up to £10,000 are being made available to help owners make their homes greener

Homeowners in Scotland will be able to borrow up to £10,000 interest free in order to improve energy efficiency. The Scottish government has made £2m available for measures such as better insulation, more efficient boilers or small renewable energy systems. The loans are part of the Energy Efficiency Action Plan, aimed at helping meet a target of cutting C02 emissions by 42% by 2020. See the BBC website.

Oil supplies could start running out before 2020, according to a new study

The Telegraph 8 October 2009: The exact date of "peak oil" - when the amount of oil being pumped out of the ground every day reaches its highest point before beginning an inexorable decline - has been hotly debated for decades. Environmentalists have tended to warn oil could run out at any moment, while oil companies insist there are plently more oil fields yet to be discovered.
The most recent estimation from the International Energy Agency, that advises Governments around the world, said conventional oil would not peak until after 2030.
"In our view, forecasts which delay a peak in conventional oil production until after 2030 are at best optimistic and at worst implausible. And given the world's overwhelming dependence on oil and the time required to develop alternatives, 2030 isn't far away," said the report's lead author Steve Sorrell. "The concern is that rising oil prices will encourage the rapid development of carbon-intensive alternatives which will make it difficult or impossible to prevent dangerous climate change."

The Highland Council Climate Change Working Group Report

It would be useful to read the following if making a comment on the proposed Highland Wide Local Development Plan. The Highland Council Climate Change Working Group has produced this document, dated 10 September in response to the 2009 Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. The Report is by Head of Policy and Performance.

The Highland Wide Local Development Plan

The Highland Wide Local Development Plan can be seen on the Council website and events are being held from 10am to 6pm at:
5 October Inverness Town House
6 October Dingwall Town Hall
9 October Golspie Community Centre
Closing date for responses to the plan is 9 November at 5pm
The Plan is maybe not very sustainable, ignoring the importance of agriculture and concentrating more on consumerism, but do look for yourself and comment.

'Yum' to sell Local Food

The Old Town Deli in Church Street has closed and the replacement business, Yum, 14a Margaret Street, Inverness; tel 01463 239809, is going to, once the delicatessen foods are sold, sell local food. If you are interested in selling your produce there, do make contact.

Transition Gathering in Forres

Forres is hosting a Tranisiton Gathering supported by Transition Support Scotland. It will be held on Saturday 31 October 2009. Further details will follow.

10:10

10:10 - a pledge to lower your carbon footprint by 10% in 2010. This is a national effort to cut the UK's emissions by 10% in 2010. For further information go to the 10:10 website: Do sign-up today. By committing to cut your emissions by 10% in 2010, you will join thousands of individuals and organisations all actively helping stop climate change by making simple changes to their lifestyles, homes and businesses. More importantly, your voice will be part of the national demand that the UK Government acts quickly to cut our country's emissions as a whole. If we in the UK can prove that fast, deep cuts can be made at a national level, then we may just inspire all the other big polluting countries to follow suit.
An excellent guide to cutting your emissions by 10% and one recommended by the 10:10 campaign can be found by clicking on this link to the Guardian

Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CAPS)

The Cycling Action Plan for Scotland can be found at the Scottish Government website No details of actions or analysis of costs is contained in the plan. However there is commitment by the Minister Stewart Stevenson to achieve the target of 10% all journeys by bike by 2020. Please write to your MSP or MSPs, MP and Minister and tell them that to achieve the laudable target set by the minister we need: a major reallocation of resources - at least 10% of Transport funding; a costed plan on this basis in time for 2010 Spending Review; skilled and experienced staff in all LAs to act as leaders in developing cycling facilities; concentration on cycling as transport; strong leadership in Central Govt and Local Authorities and they must act now! This is taken from a flier sent around by the Highland Cycle Campaign.

Council Consultation on Allotments

Read the draft policy on the Highland Council website and do make your comments in support of allotments in Inverness. Consultation responses are invited before the deadline of Friday 11 September 2009, in writing to Keith Walker, Policy Officer, Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX or by email to keith.walker@highland.gov.uk

Dame Ellen MacArthur's committment to Sustainablity

Dame Ellen MacArthur, at her talk at Caledonian Stadium in July 2009, outlined how committed she has become to promoting sustainablility. See her website.