World’s population reaches 7 billion today - Monday October 31st  

I rather like this cartoon from http://subdude-site.com/WebPages_Local/Blog/topics/environment/enviro_worldPopGrowth_charts.htm which highlights part of the problem of this statistic but there are other problems!

According to the U.N. the world's population will reach 7 billion people today. Since the turn of the 20th century global population has soared from 2 billion in 1927 to 4 billion in 1974 and 6 billion in 1999. This has sparked all sorts of discussion over the past week.  For those of us concerned about the future of our planet this is rather depressing - all these extra humans apart from needing food - and millions of people are already undernoursihed - will use more of our scarce resources and cause more pollution and send even more of the other wonderful life forms we share our planet with, speeding to extinction.  Not that people aren't lovely but you can have too much even of a good thing!

Here in the UK, the Office for National Statistics has released projections showing that the current UK population of 62 million is rising at 0.8% a year and may increase to 73 million by 2035.  The carbon footprint (or impact on the Planet) of UK citizens is much greater than those living in Africa and most of Asia so rising population here and especially in the energy hungry USA is particularly worrying.  Here are some links to some excellent interactive websites which may help you understand why some of us are worried.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/datablog/interactive/2011/oct/26/un-world-population-growth
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/interactive/2011/oct/24/how-big-worlds-population-born
http://www.breathingearth.net/

Another good website to exlore is http://populationmatters.org/

As part of the government's review of 'red tape', the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 Section 23, which governs the provision of allotments, is at risk.

The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners is asking everyone to comment, so as to ensure the act stays in place. You can find out more on their website, the public only have until April 25th left to respond.

Next Wednesday (20th April 2011), Transition Bookham will be launching their Energy Group by holding a free public meeting on 'Eco Homes', as a follow up to the recent Surrey Green Homes Event.

As well as a short film, they'll have four solar energy installers giving quick presentations. They'll no doubt take part in the Q&A session as well.

Time and venue info (including map link), along with other forthcoming meetings, can be found on the Transition Bookham calendar (click on an entry for details, use the 'Agenda' view to see events as a list).

On Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March, 28 homeowners throughout Surrey will open their doors to the public, to share their knowledge and experience about making their own homes more energy efficient and ecologically sustainable. Homeowners will be able to report on how these changes have affected their fuel bills, and the comfort of their homes.

Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at the global environment charity WWF, said "WWF is pleased to see so many green homes opening their doors to inspire others". This event has been organised by Action Surrey, in partnership with local environmental volunteer groups across the County.

To find out more, and to book free tickets, please visit the Action Surrey website.

The Epsom and Ewell Energy Group will be showing this remarkable film, as part of Climate Week, on Thursday 24th March, from 7.30pm, at WS Atkins, Woodcote Grove, Epsom.

Made largely by Leonardo di Caprio, it was directed by Leila Conners and written partly by Leonardo. Released in March 2008, it looks at the state of the global environment, including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems.

The '11th Hour' is the last moment when change is possible. The film explores how we've arrived at this moment - how we live, how we impact the earth's ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course.

It features former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolsey, sustainable design experts William McDonough and Bruce Mau, and over 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders.

Find out more, and see clips and the trailer, at the IMDb website. There are other activities during Climate Week, see the site for further information.

Renewable Energy For Your Home - Hot Water And Electricity From The Sun

Meeting 8.00 pm, 2nd February 2010
Marshall Room - Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall

The guest speakers:

Richard Warren of ‘Solstice Energy’ will talk about the different types of solar energy systems, and the government Feed in Tariff scheme.

Alban Thurston, of ‘Juice from your Roof’, will tell us about his Merton buying club and the potential discounts for bulk buying PV panels, which, if there is enough of us, we might be able to make considerable savings.

Sam Tilney of ‘Infinite Energy’ talks about larger solar power schemes putting energy into the grid, and the commercial possibilities.

Come and learn from the experts about home solar energy installations. There will also be the opportunity to chat with local home owners who have already had solar panels installed for both heating and hot water.

The evening includes tea, coffee and refreshments plus a chance to find out more about Transition Ashtead.

For further details, please contact Barrie Mould.

The Close the Door Campaign is asking retailers to conserve energy by keeping their front doors closed. In the UK, businesses spend about £1.6 billion on energy a year, 20% of it is wasted due to sloppy habits. If ­two-thirds of the nation's shops took part, the saving in carbon emissions would be the equivalent of taking more than 1.1 million cars off the road.

Retailers are being asked to close their doors and display the campaign sign, with answers to objections, like "it's too hot inside, the shop next door has an open door, and customers won't come in.", being backed up with scientific research.

Customers are encouraged to ask stores to join the campaign, speak to managers, support shops and restaurants displaying the logo (and boycott ones that won't), or to just close the door!

A study they commissioned found an average shop with its doors open emits 91kg of CO₂ a week, if all retailers kept them shut UK energy usage could drop by 2.5%. Air curtains have little impact on emissions, being one of the biggest users of energy, typically consuming 24kWh a day.

Saturday 16 October

On Dorking High Street front of Barclay’s from 9AM-2PM

Join us on the High Street to find out more about Transition Dorking— we’ll have leaflets and more importantly time to talk.  We’re holding a book swap—please bring along one or two books (no boxes of books-please!  We don’t have the space) about living simply, gaining skills, or the environment and swap them for others that look interesting.

Are your apple trees producing more fruit than you can handle? Then bring your spare apples to the stall and we’ll juice them using a Vigo screw press—no gas! No electricity!

If you’re interested please bring your clean, chopped if possible, apples (eaters not cookers) to the stall where we will chop and press them.  No need to peel or core, just chop them roughly and put them in a bag.  You need to bring a clean, dry container for the juice—a 1 litre milk carton would be perfect. Fresh apple juice doesn’t keep very long so be sure to drink the juice the same day.  Not sure if your apples are cookers or eaters?  Just try biting into one.  If it’s too tart to eat, it’s too tart to juice.

The Surrey Hills Wood Fuel Working Group has been established to encourage people and organisations based in and around the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to adopt wood fuel as their primary method of heating and to use the wood fuel now being produced locally. Michael Sydney, Chairman of the Working Group comments;

"We are the most wooded county in the country, and much of this is secondary and low grade woodland that is ideally suited to wood fuel production. We should be aiming now to be the most wood-heated county in the country."

The Surrey Hills Wood Fuel Working Group is organising a Wood Fair at Birtley House in Bramley on Saturday 9th October 2010 to showcase woodland management, woodland products and wood fuel suppliers to the public.

For further information on the Surrey Hills Wood Fuel Working Group click here or contact Gail Sperrin, Working Group Coordinator on 01372 220651 or email gail.sperrin@surreyhills.org

The biggest-ever day of positive action on climate change will take place on Sunday 10th October 2010 (10:10:10). Around the world people will take simple steps to reduce their emissions, cutting carbon and sending a powerful message to world leaders.

From sumo wrestlers cycling to training in Japan to 10,000 schools planting trees in Croatia and Russia. From a carbon-cutting telethon on national TV in the Netherlands, to the president of the Maldives installing solar panels on his roof, events are already planned in over 140 countries.