Code red for planet Earth

5:27pm - 11 August 2021
Image of the earth from space with glowing red and orange patches on the usually green landmasses

A stark warning for humanity was issued this week with the publication of the world's largest ever report on climate change.

The UN’s landmark scientific report has highlighted the damage that humans have already done to the planet and how this will very likely worsen.

This is real and affects us all but if we act now we can reduce the likelihood of climate catastrophe.

There is no time for delay and no room for excuses.

While the scale of the problem might seem insurmountable, individual actions can add up.

Sir David Attenborough said in his 2019 documentary Climate Change - The Facts that: “We’re running out of time but there is still hope.

“Every one of us has the power to make changes and make them now. Our wonderful natural world and the lives of our children and grandchildren, and all those who follow them, depend upon us doing so.”

You can see a four-minute clip or the full hour-long documentary on BBC iPlayer.

A summary of the IPCC report is on the BBC website.

Two years ago we declared a climate emergency and we want to support residents to lead greener lives and help North Somerset become carbon neutral by 2030.

That’s only eight and a half years away so we need to start making changes now about the way we live our lives.

You can stay up-to-date with climate news and events in North Somerset by following the dedicated nature and climate Facebook page.

Here are some other events and initiatives taking place locally over the coming weeks…

Poster for the Picture This art competition

Picturing a carbon neutral future

Can you picture how a carbon neutral North Somerset may look?

We want you to draw, paint, write or even embroider your ideas of how a net-zero area could look when the worst effects of the climate crisis are behind us, as part of an innovative art competition.

The Picture This competition, run in partnership with Culture Weston, is open to anyone of any age, but particularly children and young people.

It’s about visualising a brighter world where greenhouse gas emissions are reduced as close to zero as possible and we’ve adapted to using low carbon technologies.

Artwork can be in any creative medium - anything which focuses on what is possible and achievable to address the challenge of climate change and create a better world.

The competition closes on Thursday 30 September. Finalists will be displayed in public spaces around North Somerset over the autumn and winter.

Solar panel buying scheme launches soon

Harnessing the sun’s natural energy could be the perfect way to power your home – and a new scheme has launched to make it more affordable.

We want North Somerset to be carbon neutral by 2030 and we’re doing what we can to help residents and businesses live greener lives.

One way of doing this is by improving access to green energy sources, including solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and batteries.

With this in mind, we’ve partnered with an independent group-buying collective iChoosr to launch Solar Together and make solar panels more accessible.

This innovative scheme uses the collective bargaining power of local households to access high-quality solar panels and installation at a very competitive price.

Homeowners can feel confident they are paying the right price for solar panels from pre-vetted installers.

Registration for the scheme opens on Monday 23 August. You can register your interest with no obligation to buy.

You’ll need to give details of your roof size and which way it faces. Find information about how to do this on our website.

Community event to learn about sustainable living

Families can enjoy a community festival in Cleeve next month which embraces reusing, sustainability, nature and the environment.

Love Cleeve takes place in locations around the village from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 September.

It features a fun-packed morning of ‘smart living’ sustainable activities and demonstrations, information for young people who are keen to accelerate change, nature walks, puppet making, a reuse event and more.

Entry to the festival is free but there is a charge for some workshops and tickets may be needed for certain events.

Go wild for nature workshops

New hands-on workshops are launching to explore the relationship between humans, creatures, plants, land and earth through gardening and growing together.

Grow Feral is a new community project commissioned by Culture Weston and funded by Arts Council England.

Hands-on making and doing sessions will consider how we want to live, co-exist, and connect through food and all things green.

All workshops are free and open to over 18s. They take place at Osprey Gardens, Clark’s Field Allotments, in Rectors Way, Weston-super-Mare.

·       Tomorrow (Saturday), 10am-4pm - Co-create Grow Feral Micro-Garden. Explore the principles of ‘permaculture’ and look at natural ecosystems to create a seated, green and growing area for Weston town centre

·       Friday 20 and 27 August, 10am-2pm - The Art of Botanics: Plant Crafting sessions for women. Explore the proven therapeutic benefits of plants for body, mind and soul

·       Friday 3 and Friday 10 September, 10am-4pm - From the Earth to the Table: Build a Wood-fired Clay Oven. Co-build an outdoor clay oven for baking food. 

 Places are limited so book in advance by emailing samfrancisco5@hotmail.com.