From louise.hazan at peopleandplanet.org Wed Feb 2 16:07:13 2011 From: louise.hazan at peopleandplanet.org (Louise Hazan) Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:07:13 +0000 Subject: [Goinggreener] Cold Times: online campaign for warmer private rented student homes Message-ID: <4D498131.6090609@peopleandplanet.org> Hi All, Thought this may be of interest: *Cold Times* Friends of the Earth has recently launched an exciting new online campaign action called Cold Times. You can see it here: www.coldtimes.co.uk Or via the main web page for our work on Warm Homes, or straight from our homepage. http://www.foe.co.uk/what_we_do/warm_homes_25659.html *Cold Times*was launched with the support of twice Mercury Music Prize nominated musician Natasha Khan aka Bat for Lashes. It was originally aimed at a younger audience, more likely to engage with online campaigns. However we have been overwhelmed by the response from all age groups. The campaign encourages people to write their experience of cold housing to their MP, rather than simply sending a standard email, and asking them to sign the EDM and support the campaign,. It might be a cold home in their past because they are lucky enough to have a warm one now, it might be a relative currently struggling in a poorly insulated property or it might be their own current situation with a landlord who refuses to improve the property. We are also asking people to make those experiences publically available to others to read (though they don't have to). The result has been incredible with hundreds of moving experiences posted online. MPs take far more notice of personal letters then standard emails, and the result is that some MPs who have so far not supported our campaign have now signed the EDM. Student campaigning group People & Planet , who are part of this coalition, have been promoting Cold Times to their supporters. Perhaps others would like to do the same either by putting something on your website linking to the online action or by emailing your supporters with a link? I would be more than happy to supply you with text for an email or you are welcome to copy it from our website. Best wishes Dave Friends of the Earth ---------------------------------- Here are just a few of the responses we've had: *Steven, St Albans * This recent chill has been fairly tough because of the poor insulation in my flat and the rubbish energy-sapping electric heaters we have here. I had the same problem last year in other rented accommodation. I don't see myself being able to afford my own home for a very long time. I'd therefore be personally grateful if a law was in place to protect people in my situation. *Susan, Abergavenny*** My 11-year old daughter and I are currently moving out of a rented house. The house is freezing cold, with no draught proofing and draughty sash windows with huge visible gaps in the window frames. During the recent cold weather, ice formed on the inside of the window each morning. On Christmas Day, I was able to write 'Happy Christmas Ellie!' on it. Despite asking my landlady for help on this issue, she said it was our concern to keep the house warm. We spend enormous amounts on heating but are never warm. The only place with room for a sofa in our living room is a spot in front of a draughty front door. It's far too cold to sit on in the evenings, despite our best efforts at draught proofing with thick blankets in front of the door and thick curtains hung over it. We are in the process of moving and I'll be glad never to live in such a cold house again. *Rob, Sheffield*** I am an established student landlord in Sheffield and have always properly insulated my rented houses. Unfortunately I fear I am in a minority and that many other landlords do not bother. Students in particular are likely to suffer as a result of this as the high turnover means that unscrupulous landlords are likely to ignore requests for improvements, safe in the knowledge that the 'trouble makers' will be moving out soon anyway. *Kristie, Pinner * I rent a one-bedroom flat on my own. My heating bills in the winter are 12 per cent of my monthly income, and this only heats my living room. In the winter, I use two duvets and a blanket as well as lots of clothes and hot water bottles to keep me warm in bed. Having a bath is difficult. My body is so cold when I get in the water burns my feet, but then cools so quickly that having a soak is impossible. Horrible black mould grows throughout my flat which no amount of scrubbing will remove! I've told my landlord about this and asked for a better heating system, but he said it's too expensive. *Paul, North Wales * As a professional working person, I have been renting houses in North West Wales for the last five years. All the properties I have rented have been through private landlords. None of these houses have been sufficiently modernised or insulated. Consequently, they have been both difficult and expensive to heat efficiently. It is extremely annoying that private landlords are allowed to rent out badly maintained and poorly insulated houses. The current Government needs to act to see that the law is changed. I now work for a university and come into contact with a great number of students. Many have suffered this winter due to appalling living conditions and lack of sufficient heating and insulation in their privately rented student houses. *Norma, Stoke-on-Trent * My flat is very cold and very expensive to heat as it is all electric. There is no heating in the icy cold bathroom and water pipes that run along the lift shaft mean the hot water simply isn't hot for long. The situation was made worse a few years ago when the landlord replaced very efficient hardwood window frames with cheap plastic ones. I immediately lost about eight inches of insulation around the windows and I have never been able to get my flat warm since. ----------------- Dave Timms UK Climate and Energy Campaigner Friends of the Earth 26-28 Underwood Street London, N1 7JQ ------------------------------------- Direct line: 020 7566 1615 Mobile: 07701 047 880 ------------------------------------- www.foe.co.uk -- Support Friends of the Earth Friends of the Earth Limited - Company No 1012357 Friends of the Earth Trust - Company No 1533942 Registered Charity No 281681 Registered Office - 26 - 28 Underwood Street, London. N1 7JQ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From doshi.nishma at googlemail.com Fri Feb 4 18:06:04 2011 From: doshi.nishma at googlemail.com (Nishma Doshi) Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 19:06:04 +0100 Subject: [Goinggreener] =?utf-8?q?I_=E2=99=A5_People_=26_Planet_Ceilidh?= Message-ID: Hello all! Next weekend, on *Saturday 12th February*, keep your calendar free for fantastic fundraiser for People & Planet (and Third World First) members old and new, appropriately named: *I ? People & Planet*. *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141* It's going to be amazing - with an excellent ceilidh band called Green Kite Midnight and *loads of people from the public, NGO and charity sectors* (and you don't have to have had any People & Planet or Third World First affiliation to attend). There will also be plenty of drinks, some great space to chat and catch up and some of that* old-fashioned Third World First / People & Planet love *to make your pre-Valentines spirit go around. Tickets are more than reasonable: ?10 for FAN Club members and ?12 for non-members *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141 *The Ceilidh's in the evening, from* 8 to 11pm*, in the *Round Chapel, Powerscroft Road, Hackney, London*. *Please come along, book your tickets and invite all your friends*. If you can't make it, please *do invite your fellow students & lecturers*, as they may have some affiliation to TWF or P&P in the past - so many have! *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141* Thanks! Nishma --- *People & Planet Volunteer* nishma.doshi at peopleandplanet.org 07979156954 @nishmadoshi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From doshi.nishma at googlemail.com Fri Feb 4 18:01:14 2011 From: doshi.nishma at googlemail.com (Nishma Doshi) Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 19:01:14 +0100 Subject: [Goinggreener] =?utf-8?q?I_=E2=99=A5_People_=26_Planet_Ceilidh?= Message-ID: Hello all! Next weekend, on *Saturday 12th February*, People & Planet is hosting a fundraisers for People & Planet (and Third World First) members old and new, appropriately named: *I ? People & Planet*. It's a great chance to get together and meet current and ex-P&Pers in London *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141* It's going to be amazing - with an excellent ceilidh band called Green Kite Midnight and *loads of people from the public, NGO and charity sectors* (and you don't have to have had any People & Planet or Third World First affiliation to attend). There will also be plenty of drinks, some great space to chat and catch up and some of that* old-fashioned Third World First / People & Planet love *to make your pre-Valentines spirit go around. Tickets are more than reasonable: ?10 for FAN Club members and ?12 for non-members *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141 *The Ceilidh's in the evening, from* 8 to 11pm*, in the *Round Chapel, Powerscroft Road, Hackney, London*. *Please come along, book your tickets and invite all your friends*. If you can't make it, please *do invite your fellow students & lecturers*, as they may have some affiliation to TWF or P&P in the past - so many have! *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141* Thanks! Nishma --- *People & Planet Volunteer* nishma.doshi at peopleandplanet.org 07979156954 @nishmadoshi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From alice.hemming at peopleandplanet.org Wed Feb 9 16:53:31 2011 From: alice.hemming at peopleandplanet.org (Alice Hemming) Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:53:31 +0000 Subject: [Goinggreener] It's Go Green Week! Message-ID: <4D52C68B.9010101@peopleandplanet.org> Hello all! Did you know that it's *Go Green Week* at your university? From 7 - 14 February People & Planet groups, students and staff are joining forces to put on a week of *fun and creative events* to raise awareness of the simple changes that we can all make to reduce our carbon footprint and tackle climate change. Find out how you can get involved: http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreenweek _*Take the Go Green Week pledge*_ By making simple *behaviour changes* collectively we can have a big impact on our university's carbon footprint. So we're asking students to make 4 simple commitments to recycle more, switch-off, eat less meat and fly less! The pledge will also call on the government to *cut the carbon, not education* by urging David Willetts, the Minister of State for Universities and Science, not to divert finance away from carbon-cutting initiatives for universities. Take the pledge now: http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreenweek/take-action/pledge _*What's happening near you?*_ From veggie food feasts and grow your own workshops to Dr Bike cycle clinics and swap shops, there are loads of exciting activities happening during Go Green Week all over the UK. Find out what's happening near you: http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreenweek/whats-on Have a great Go Green Week Alice, Louise and all at People & Planet -- Alice Hemming Climate Campaigns& Activism Coordinator People& Planet ------------------------------------------------------------ Email alice.hemming at peopleandplanet.org Phone +44 (0) 1865 245678 Website http://peopleandplanet.org Twitter http://twitter.com/peopleandplanet Facebook http://facebook.com/peopleandplanet Address People& Planet, 51 Union Street, Oxford OX4 1JP Company People& Planet Ltd, Registered No. 3076463 Charity People& Planet Trust, Registered charity 326008 ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From doshi.nishma at googlemail.com Fri Feb 11 13:55:04 2011 From: doshi.nishma at googlemail.com (Nishma Doshi) Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:55:04 +0100 Subject: [Goinggreener] TOMORROW NIGHT - bring a bottle and your dancing shoes! Message-ID: Hi P&Pers, Third World Firsters and friends! Really looking forward to tomorrow night and being well entertained by the Green Kite Midnight ceilidh band ( http://www.facebook.com/l/a72d9nfAc6EmGf3YoYD3DgrVXjA;www.greenkitemidnight.com/ )! Please bring a bottle of your favourite tipple and your dancing shoes!! Address of the venue is: Round Chapel, Powerscroft Road, Hackney, London. Everyone is welcome and tickets on the door are ?10 for P&P Fan Club members or ?12 if not. Bring as many friends as you like! See you tomorrow at 8pm! :) --- www.thetopsoil.org.uk 07979156954 | @nishmadoshi On 4 February 2011 19:06, Nishma Doshi wrote: > Hello all! > > Next weekend, on *Saturday 12th February*, keep your calendar free for > fantastic fundraiser for People & Planet (and Third World First) members old > and new, appropriately named: *I ? People & Planet*. > > *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141* > > It's going to be amazing - with an excellent ceilidh band called Green > Kite Midnight and *loads of people from the > public, NGO and charity sectors* (and you don't have to have had any > People & Planet or Third World First affiliation to attend). > > There will also be plenty of drinks, some great space to chat and catch up > and some of that* old-fashioned Third World First / People & Planet love *to > make your pre-Valentines spirit go around. > > Tickets are more than reasonable: > ?10 for FAN Club members and ?12 for non-members > > *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141 > > *The Ceilidh's in the evening, from* 8 to 11pm*, in the *Round Chapel, > Powerscroft Road, Hackney, London*. > > *Please come along, book your tickets and invite all your friends*. If you > can't make it, please *do invite your fellow students & lecturers*, as > they may have some affiliation to TWF or P&P in the past - so many have! > > *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141* > > Thanks! > > Nishma > > --- > *People & Planet Volunteer* > nishma.doshi at peopleandplanet.org > 07979156954 > @nishmadoshi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From doshi.nishma at googlemail.com Fri Feb 11 13:56:31 2011 From: doshi.nishma at googlemail.com (Nishma Doshi) Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:56:31 +0100 Subject: [Goinggreener] =?utf-8?q?I_=E2=99=A5_People_=26_Planet_Ceilidh?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi P&Pers, Third World Firsters and friends! Really looking forward to tomorrow night and being well entertained by the Green Kite Midnight ceilidh band (http://www.greenkitemidnight.com/)! Please bring a bottle of your favourite tipple and your dancing shoes!! Address of the venue is: Round Chapel, Powerscroft Road, Hackney, London. Everyone is welcome and tickets on the door are ?10 for P&P Fan Club members or ?12 if not. Bring as many friends as you like! See you tomorrow at 8pm! :) --- www.thetopsoil.org.uk 07979156954 | @nishmadoshi On 4 February 2011 19:01, Nishma Doshi wrote: > Hello all! > > Next weekend, on *Saturday 12th February*, People & Planet is hosting a > fundraisers for People & Planet (and Third World First) members old and new, > appropriately named: *I ? People & Planet*. It's a great chance to get > together and meet current and ex-P&Pers in London > > *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141* > > It's going to be amazing - with an excellent ceilidh band called Green > Kite Midnight and *loads of people from the > public, NGO and charity sectors* (and you don't have to have had any > People & Planet or Third World First affiliation to attend). > > There will also be plenty of drinks, some great space to chat and catch up > and some of that* old-fashioned Third World First / People & Planet love *to > make your pre-Valentines spirit go around. > > Tickets are more than reasonable: > ?10 for FAN Club members and ?12 for non-members > > *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141 > > *The Ceilidh's in the evening, from* 8 to 11pm*, in the *Round Chapel, > Powerscroft Road, Hackney, London*. > > *Please come along, book your tickets and invite all your friends*. If you > can't make it, please *do invite your fellow students & lecturers*, as > they may have some affiliation to TWF or P&P in the past - so many have! > > *Book NOW: http://peopleandplanet.org/publicphp/event.php?go=141* > > Thanks! > > Nishma > > --- > *People & Planet Volunteer* > nishma.doshi at peopleandplanet.org > 07979156954 > @nishmadoshi > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From matt_mcmullen at hotmail.co.uk Fri Feb 11 16:45:53 2011 From: matt_mcmullen at hotmail.co.uk (Matt McMullen) Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:45:53 +0000 Subject: [Goinggreener] Final shout out - Student Activism - TOMORROW! Message-ID: Hello, Don't miss out on an awesome weekend of training and decision making starting tomorrow at SOAS, Central London. Organised by students for students. Workshops on a range of social and environmental justice issues and training on how to take effective and powerful action! Share your ideas and run your own sessions in the open space. On Saturday evening we will be having a meal at the vegan Pogo Cafe before heading to the to the I <3 People & Planet ceilidh! More details: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=181399231888972 In solidarity,Matton behalf of the orgainsing team -Details- Who can attend: Saturday is open to ALL students (not just People & Planeters). Democracy Day on the Sunday is only open to those involved in groups who self identify as part of the People & Planet network Entry: FREE Start: 9.00-10.00 Saturday 12th February End: 16.00 Sunday 13th February Where: Room G2 Russell square building, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG http://www.soas.ac.uk/timetable/teachingrooms/finding/map-of-russell-square-campus.html Directions: Main Russell Square building (next to Senate Library and opposite Brunei Gallery). Room G2- go up steps to main reception and turn left away from the barriers. Food: A vegetarian and vegan lunch will be provided for free on Saturday and Sunday. We will be going out for a group meal on the Saturday evening. Attendees will need to find their own breakfast on Sunday morning. Accommodation: Sleeping space on Saturday evening is available for those People & Planeters who don?t live in London. This is likely to be a fellow student?s floor. If you would like accommodation ? please email a.tomson at uea.ac.uk Any Questions? Email a.tomson at uea.ac.uk -Agenda- Saturday: Open to all student activists ? not just those affiliated to People & Planet Lets get trained up! 9.00-10.00 Arrive- Tea & Coffee 10.00 Welcome & Introductions 10.30 What has everyone been up to? 11.00 Campaigns workshops: - Buy Right (sweatshops and universities) - Go Green Week - Tar sands: Stopping the most destructive project on Earth 12.30 Lunch ? Vegan and Veggie food provided for free 13.30 Organising and taking action workshops: - Non Violent Direct Action (Climate Camp London) - Non violent direct action is playing a increasingly important role in the anti-cuts and other social movements. Come along and learn about how to take action from experienced activists! - Campaigning on campus - Getting the most from your online campaigning 15:30 Break ? Tea & Coffee 16:00 Open Space session: Anyone can have a discussion or run a workshop on any issue - this is your chance to plan an action, raise awareness of an issue, build a campaign or just have a chat. 17.30 End 18.00 Meal out and People & Planet benefit party! Sunday: Open to all those affiliated to People & Planet Democracy Day ? making decision on the future of People and Planet 9.30 Introduction to the day 10.00 Proposal 1 11.30 Proposal 2 13.00 Lunch 13.30 Proposal 3 15.00 Wind down and open circle 16.00 End Matt McMullen -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From alice.hemming at peopleandplanet.org Thu Feb 24 12:26:31 2011 From: alice.hemming at peopleandplanet.org (Alice Hemming) Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:26:31 +0000 Subject: [Goinggreener] How was it for you? Fill in our Go Green Week feedback form and WIN PRIZES Message-ID: <4D664E77.9070308@peopleandplanet.org> Hello! Hope you've had jam-packed weeks of green related fun! Tell us how your Go Green Week went by filling in the Go Green Week feedback form for a chance to win prizes including a P&P t-shirt and a copy of Danny Chiver's new book "The No-nonsense Guide to Climate Change". Not only this but it will give you the warm glow of achievement and satisfaction! Cant get better than that Fill in the feedback form here (it only takes 2 minutes!!): http://peopleandplanet.org/navid11966 Thanks Alice :) -- Alice Hemming Climate Campaigns& Activism Coordinator People& Planet ------------------------------------------------------------ Email alice.hemming at peopleandplanet.org Phone +44 (0) 1865 245678 Website http://peopleandplanet.org Twitter http://twitter.com/peopleandplanet Facebook http://facebook.com/peopleandplanet Address People& Planet, 51 Union Street, Oxford OX4 1JP Company People& Planet Ltd, Registered No. 3076463 Charity People& Planet Trust, Registered charity 326008 ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: