Earthmatters ISSUE 101 SPRING 2021

f th s o e E d a n r ie t r h F 50 S Years p n ec io ial Edit

POSITIVE MAJOR ENERGY Making renewable MILESTONE energy fair for all Celebrating 50 years of IN A GOOD PLACE A closer look at sustainable communities around the world

Welcome

Welcome to Earthmatters in our 50th year! I started working at Friends of the Earth in 1993 and was blown away by the kindness, passion and smarts of the staff and volunteers here. These happy attributes are still Celebrating our 50th around, and we’ve clocked anniversary, p12 up some incredible successes to boot – see inside for more on that. This issue: As we look ahead to our next 50 years, I hope to see even don’t miss... more people coming together 10 to demand decision-makers act How can we end our to protect people and planet. reliance on fossil fuels Our Local Groups and Climate in a fair way? Action groups are an amazing 16 The next 50 force for change that do just that. After 27 years of working Some of our network share their hopes for at Friends of the future the Earth, I am prouder than 24 Community spirit ever to be a part The communities of it. working to make the world a better place

On the cover John Craddock Hundreds of glass bottles IT Support Officer were left outside Schweppes in our first campaign in 1971

Earthmatters Friends of the Earth Limited (Reg. No. 1012357) is incorporated in England and Wales. Registered office: 1st Floor, The Printworks, 139 Clapham Road, , SW9 0HP T: 020 7490 1555. Friends of the Earth Limited (“Friends of the Earth”) receives grants from Friends of the Earth Charitable Trust, a registered charity in England and Wales with charity number 281681. Advertising: Michael York T: 01865 403339. Earthmatters is published twice a year on behalf of Friends of the Earth by James Pembroke Media, 90 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. T: 01225 337777. Printing production by by Clearprint Solutions Unit 5b, Bulrushes Business Park, Coombe Hill Road, East Grinstead RH19 4LZ T: 01342 313473. Our paper is totally recycled and our printers hold ISO14001 certification which means they care about the environment.

friendsoftheearth.uk @friends_earth @friends_earth friendsoftheearth friendsoftheearth Yourimpact The difference you’ve made

Claire Wallerstein has raised nearly 50 YEARS OF £3,500 SUPPORT

ver the last five decades, Opeople like you have helped make Friends of the Earth the largest grassroots environmental campaigning community in the UK. We’ve enjoyed numerous successes together, so let’s remind Fundraiser ourselves of some of them. It seems only fitting that for our 50th anniversary we highlight the heroic efforts of one supporter, Claire Persistence Wallerstein, who recently turned A new road through the unique 50 herself. She’d planned to raise landscape of the Gwent Levels was £2,000 for us by climbing Cornwall’s first proposed in the 1990s, to ease Rame Head 50 times in one day. congestion on the M4 in south It took Claire around 13.5 hours to Wales. But local communities feared walk over 25 kilometres with a 1,450 it would cause irreparable damage metre elevation gain (100 metres to the landscape and wildlife of more than climbing Ben Nevis from the area. sea level!). Claire smashed it though, After nearly 30 years of public raising nearly £3,500 for us in total. pressure and campaigning by Friends of the Earth Cymru and GET INVOLVED local groups, the route was finally Follow in Claire’s footsteps and walk for ruled out in 2019 on cost your planet foe.uk/walk-em101 and environmental grounds.

4 Spring 2021 Earthmatters Your actions make a real difference

Local group success Keeping with the theme of 50, IMPACT YOUR our Local Groups built 50 paper mountains outside council offices for the Great Paper Chase campaign in 1974. The idea was to encourage collection and recycling of the hundreds of thousands of tons of paper wasted every year. It was such a success that by 1975, so much wastepaper was being collected that Druridge saved the paper mills doing the recycling Over 10,000 of you supported couldn’t keep up. our work with community group Save Druridge to protect A world first for climate Northumberland’s beautiful coast When nearly 200,000 of you from coal . After a tense contacted your MPs – whether that legal battle, Communities Secretary was by letter, email, posting a video Robert Jenrick refused planning clip, or in person – you helped pass permission for the mine in the first ever Climate Change Act September 2020, stating it was “not in 2008. environmentally acceptable”.

FAST FACTS

£3,500 50 200,000 10,000 has been raised by paper mountains people contacted of you lent your the heroic efforts were built for their MPs about support to the of supporter the Great Paper the 2008 Climate Save Druridge Claire Wallerstein Chase campaign Change Act campaign

Spring 2021 Earthmatters 5 UKnews Round-up of environmental stories

FOSSIL FUELS Ella’s legacy will hopefully The UK government prevent more announced an end to funding deaths from oil and gas projects abroad. pollution in the future. Our campaigner Rachel Kennerly said “it’s great that the PM has recognised we can’t continue to fund climate-wrecking oil and gas overseas. Ending investment Ella Kissi-Debrah inquest in all overseas fossil fuel n inquest into the death of projects will help us meet our A9-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah climate commitments, but in 2013 has found that air pollution there can be no exceptions”. directly contributed to her death. The Under these new rules, a gas coroner added that inaction from mega-project in Mozambique authorities to reduce levels of nitrogen is still planned to go ahead. dioxide and particulate matter in Friends of the Earth will Lewisham where Ella lived had continue to challenge this “possibly contributed to her death”. project in court. Ella is the fi rst person in the UK to have air pollution recorded as a cause MAKE A DONATION of death. We hope that this ruling will Make a donation to support push local and national authorities to this work foe.uk/legal-em101 take bold action on cleaning our air.

HEATHROW EXPANSION In December, the Supreme Court overturned the decision against a third runway, ruling the expansion lawful. However, the judgment makes clear that climate considerations must be addressed as the project returns to the planning permission stages. With this requirement, the path to a third runway is far from clear.

6 Spring 2021 Earthmatters

Worldnews The global stories that matter to you

SOUTH AFRICAN ACTIVIST KILLED Mama Fikile Ntshangase, a vocal anti-coal activist from Somkhele in South Africa, was shot and killed by unidentifi ed The Red Rebels and activists pose with a donation cheque to cover the legal costs gunmen in October. She’d been campaigning against the expansion of Shell in court the Somkhele coal mine hell’s exploitation of fossil fuels has before her death, and Sbeen driving climate breakdown reportedly refused to for years. Which is why, last December, sign an agreement with Friends of the Earth led the mining company to an historic coalition that’s taking the withdraw legal challenges company to court for violating its duty against the expansion. of care by undermining the world’s We stand in solidarity chances of limiting global warming to with the Somkhele below 1.5°C. community and all those If successful, the court would rule that fi ghting for a healthier Shell must reduce its carbon emissions in planet, and call for a line with the Paris Climate Agreement. thorough investigation A verdict is expected in May 2021. into Ntshangase’s murder.

President Joe Biden faces many challenges BIDEN = GOOD FOR CLIMATE? One of President Joe Biden’s fi rst acts as president was to recommit the US to the . But it won’t be easy to transform the US into a global leader on climate... For more visit foe.uk/em101-biden

8 Spring 2021 Earthmatters SRI LANKA REJECTS

Protesters in kayaks UK WASTE NEWS WORLD attempt to block After a year-long court the deep arctic oil exploration ship process, the Sri Lankan Court of Appeal has ordered the repatriation of 243 waste containers to the UK. The Sri Lankan government is also demanding £6.2 million from the UK for illegal People vs Arctic oil exportation of waste. Dumping waste on ampaigners in Norway have lost other countries violates a court appeal to prevent Arctic C the Basel Convention – oil exploration by the Norwegian an international treaty government. aimed at stopping The claimants, led by Young Friends high-income countries of the Earth Norway and , exporting their waste to argued that oil exploration would lead to low-income countries. increased carbon emissions and would also jeopardise people’s rights to a “liveable future”, violating Norway’s constitution as well as the European Convention on Human Rights. Therese Hugstmyr Woie, head of Young Friends of the Earth Norway, said: “The youth in Norway fi ghting against Arctic oil drilling are used to being disappointed, and we will not give up. “We will continue our fi ght in the The UK faces streets, in voting booths and in the sanctions for illegal waste exportation courts if need be”.

Spring 2021 Earthmatters 9 Offshore and onshore wind power are essential to the UK’s renewable energy future RENEWABLE ENERGY RENEWABLE

Renewable energy How can we end our reliance on fossil fuels in a fair way?

n the UK we use 8 times more and international agendas too, I fossil fuels than we did 50 years from the UK government’s recent ago. But thankfully, this increase in 10-point plan on climate, to New consumption has been accompanied Zealand committing to a carbon- by an increase in public awareness neutral government by 2025. of the damage caused by the fossil And let’s not forget the historic fuel industry and of a burgeoning 2015 Paris Agreement, where 195 environment movement. countries pledged to reduce their Reducing our reliance on fossil emissions. fuels and preventing total climate But what might an energy sector breakdown is clearly on national free from fossil fuels look like?

10 Spring 2021 Earthmatters ALTERNATIVE LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND ENERGY SOURCES Big changes are needed if we’re to meet emissions targets, but WIND: Onshore wind is the it’s important that no one is left most affordable new power behind during the transition. available, while offshore wind is Creating green jobs and providing plummeting in price too. New training for those moving from offshore wind farms will be far polluting industries, taking cheaper than new steps to eradicate fuel poverty, RENEWABLE ENERGY RENEWABLE stations – and new gas generation providing financial support to too. Most of the new renewable the world’s poorer nations and energy produced should be shifting government spending powered by wind, as this generates from fossil fuel industries to more power in the winter when it renewable energy must be made will be needed for heating. a priority. The government’s 10-point climate plan has pledged SOLAR: Globally, solar costs £12 billion of investment to help have dropped 90% since 2009, address these issues. While this and more than 1 million UK will certainly help, there are still households have solar panels concerns that it might not be on their roofs. While we can’t enough to help achieve net zero produce enough solar energy emissions. to power big infrastructure like transport, it will definitely help meet our domestic needs.

HYDROGEN: 96% of hydrogen produced in the UK currently comes from fossil fuels. For hydrogen to be green, it needs to be produced via electrolysis – using (renewable) electricity could to split water into hydrogen become cheaper and oxygen. We need green than new gas within the next few years hydrogen to meet our future renewable energy needs, but LEARN MORE current government plans to scale Find out more about renewable energy up production won’t kick in for foe.uk/energy-em101 another decade.

Spring 2021 Earthmatters 11 Friends of the Earth protesters demand more allotments, UK, April 1980

50 years of Friends of the Earth Significant milestones make us reflect and take stock, says Joanna Watson

12 Spring 2021 Earthmatters Long-time supporter Caroline Douglas

aroline Douglas recently wrote Cto us following her 60th

birthday. You probably don’t ANNIVERSARY 50TH know Caroline, but she’s one of the founding members of Friends of the Earth – at 10 years old she took part in our first campaign to persuade Schweppes not to chuck reusable bottles. She’d been visiting her brother in London when they happened Since joining, I’ve stood across the anti-waste march. with international activists at global “My brother lent a hand pushing climate negotiations, demanding the front cart, with me trotting justice for those most affected by alongside. Someone asked me climate breakdown. I’ve helped to walk in front carrying the build a dike in the Hague, pulled a placard ‘Don’t let them Schhh on giant lifeboat through the streets Britain’, so I did.” of Bonn, and joined hundreds In the decades following of others to spell out Caroline’s march, Friends of the Peace on the streets of Paris. Earth ran community recycling projects and created handbooks for Strength in numbers local council recycling officers. By Working with others, whether with 2003, we’d piloted the Household colleagues or your local community, Waste Recycling Bill through makes a difference. It attracts media parliament, and doorstep recycling attention to campaigns, helps services became the norm. While strengthen partnerships between our campaigns have moved on, the groups, and forces those in power to approach remains the same: start look up. locally, then scale up. Just think – when I joined in the I recently celebrated my own 1990s, climate change was rarely on personal milestone: three decades the public or political agenda. Few at Friends of the Earth. people understood how vital the

Spring 2021 Earthmatters 13 tropical rainforests and their again local communities prove that peoples are to climate regulation, change at a grassroots level can medicines and the conservation have a ripple effect. Fracking has of culture and land. Renewable stopped in the UK, while renewable energy wasn’t even considered a and community energy schemes are viable option. But that’s all changed, flourishing. largely due to the work of local Climate and nature degradation people on the ground. are now mainstream issues, and

50TH ANNIVERSARY 50TH Whether it’s leading by example, I’m beyond proud of the small part like Manchester Friends of the I’ve played in these campaigns. But Earth’s support for a community there’s still more to do. renewable investment scheme, or Our movement must be more by standing vigil for months outside inclusive. Our economic systems the gates of a planned fracking site must shift to address growing at Preston New Road, time and inequalities and the continued

SUCCESS STORIES

1970s 1980s 1990s As well our We launched the first Sustained campaigning work on recycling, international campaign by us and Greenpeace we also campaigned to to protect tropical forced the government to save the whale and to stop rainforests, working stop subsidising any new the trade in furs from big with indigenous groups nuclear power stations. cats. Victory came swiftly: and subsequently with a UK ban on imports of colleagues in Brazil, We campaigned leopard, tiger and cheetah Indonesia and Malaysia, successfully with local skins in 1972, and a ban to oppose destructive communities to protect on baleen whale products projects and highlight places like the Brecon in 1973. In 1976, the the crisis facing the Beacons from damaging Act world’s . roadbuilding schemes. became law. Together with local communities, we stopped the construction of unsafe nuclear waste sites in places like Killingholme and Fulbeck.

14 Spring 2021 Earthmatters exploitation of natural resources. And our planet’s poorest people must be protected from the eff ects of climate breakdown. So, as you read and celebrate just some of our collective big wins from the past fi ve decades, ask yourself: what role could you play to protect people

and planet in the years to come? ANNIVERSARY 50TH

Without your support these successes would not have been possible. Please help us continue our work by making a donation. foe.uk/em101-donate

2000s 2010s 2020 Together with a Hundreds of thousands After a decade-long coalition of local of people campaigned campaign, the UK groups, environment with us on the Bee Cause, government fi nally organisations and and together we announced in December thousands of supporters, achieved a Europe-wide 2020 that it will stop we persuaded the ban on bee-harming funding all new oil, government to pass the chemicals on all coal and gas projects Climate Change Act in outdoor crops. overseas. 2008, committing us to This decision represents year-on-year emissions Friends of the a massive step forward reductions – a model that Earth Northern for climate justice. has since been copied by Ireland won a crucial legal many countries. challenge over sand dredging in Lough Neagh – the UK’s biggest freshwater lake and one of Europe’s most important wildlife sites.

Spring 2021 Earthmatters 15 f th s o e E d a n r ie t r h F 50 S Years p n ec io ial Edit

You have been campaigning for change for 50 years

The next 50 Some of our network share their hopes about what can be achieved in the next 50 years

e all have a part to play here results, and brought about some Wat Friends of the Earth. From huge changes. And we hope that campaigners to supporters and together, we’ll be able to keep members of our network, we’ve making a diff erence for the next achieved some truly remarkable 50 years too.

16 Spring 2021 Earthmatters “Being part of the group amplifi es my voice, gives me hope when I feel down and direction when

I feel energised. I NETWORK OU am fi ghting for a world where life “I am fi ghting for a is more than a “I’m Outreach future where people desperate struggle Eco Campaigner know the worth of for survival and with Birmingham the environment, resources; where Friends of the a future where my grandchildren’s Earth. I would like teenagers don’t have generation can the world in 50 the anger, pain or celebrate the success years to be more compassionate fear we feel towards of a global fi ght for a fairer greener and inclusive the people in power world.” with the world’s who made no eff ort Brenda Kent limited resources towards making – where nature the earth a place and people can where not only live in peace and humans, but every grow together, living creature can healthy and wiser live healthily and for the better.” happily.” Toqueer Ahmed Aliha Babar Quyyam

“I’m part of Eastbourne Friends of the Earth because I want to be a true defender of all life on this amazing planet when it faces environmental threats. I’m fi ghting for a world that puts the wellbeing of nature and people fi rst, so that my daughter – and all children – can enjoy a cleaner, greener, healthier world in 50 years’ time.” Andrew Durling

Spring 2021 Earthmatters 17 “We’re in an unprecedented time, earth’s health OUR NETWORK OUR is being disrupted by climate “I’m part of Young breakdown, which “I’m part of Zero Friends of the Earth also threatens Waste North to try and further many animal West because environmental species. This is why we’re a part of a justice eff orts I am part of My global movement and ensure that World My Home informing, young people, programme, as it supporting and as well as people provides me the inspiring each with disabilities opportunity to other to be the like myself, have fi ght for a bigger change we want to their voices heard change and make see. Transforming within climate a diff erence. In 50 our community campaigning. I am years, I want to into caring, fi ghting for a world see an alternative healthy, happy, where our economic source of testing people whose systems and global for medicine and relationship to inequalities have cosmetics, that’s self, others, other changed drastically, more ethical than species and earth to become systems animal testing.” honours the that respect the Khalisah Syeeda oneness of it all.” planet and where Jim Keys global resource and power distribution is far fairer.” Charlie Balchin GET IN TOUCH We’d love to hear why you’re part of the network, Tweet us @friends_earth

18 Spring 2021 Earthmatters

Smallsteps Books to inform, inspire and entertain Friends of the Earth staff share what’s been on their reading lists lately

ast issue we shared book and NATIVES Lfi lm recommendations from 1by Akala staff . Over the past six months Annie Pickering, we’ve added some great new Regional Campaign entries to the list, to get you Organiser inspired while restrictions on socialising and other activities I’d recommend this continue. If there’s a particular as an audio book as book or fi lm you’d like to it’s read by Akala recommend, do contact our himself, with his signature passion supporter care team and let and eloquence. It’s an accessible and us know. simple look at Black British history in the 80s and 90s, from a semi- FIND OUT MORE autobiographical perspective. As a For a full list of book and fi lm 20-something person I was surprised recommendations from our team go to: how little of this recent history I knew foe.uk/em101-books-rec before reading this book!

20 Spring 2021 Earthmatters spectacular results and is now attracting rare species back to UK shores. A passionate storyteller, Tree explains how “rewilding is restoration by letting go”, and off ers a brave SMALL STEPS Get inspired and optimistic vision of what this spring our landscape could be.

ALL THE 3BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders Ben Rider, Press Offi cer

Imagine you’ve wandered into a party with Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, and Ben Okri. They’re WILDING all bouncing off each other to 2 THE tell you one amazing story about RETURN OF the confl ict between science and NATURE TO A the supernatural. Then they BRITISH FARM resurrect Salvador Dali and ask by Isabella Tree him what San Francisco would Rita Marcangelo, look like in the near future if Marketing it was fi lled with hipsters and Offi cer witches. Imagine all that, add an ever- Tree and her partner Charlie escalating climate crisis, and Burrell faced a failing farm and you’ve got the setting for All the fi nancial ruin before transforming Birds in the Sky. It’s a story that the Knepp estate, inherited by sublimely blends science and Burrell, into a groundbreaking magic, and shows that humans experiment in rewilding. are at their best when working The experiment yielded towards the same thing.

Spring 2021 Earthmatters 21

Corporatepartners Responsible business Corporate Partnerships Manager Adam Scott on outdoor apparel brand, Patagonia

he clothes we choose to buy can protect Europe’s rivers and promotes T have a devastating impact on regenerative agriculture. What’s the environment. The production more, it worked alongside Native of clothes and textiles alone is American groups to launch a lawsuit estimated by the to against proposals by the Trump contribute 10% of global carbon administration to reduce the size of emissions. We need to act now to several protected areas in the US. change the textiles industry and the We need businesses to leverage culture of throwaway fast fashion. their power and infl uence like Thankfully, awareness is this, and to behave as global and increasing, and brands are starting to environmental citizens. Responsible act. One brand that has been ahead business models are not easy, nor of the curve for decades is outdoor are they as common as they should apparel brand Patagonia. be, but Patagonia proves that they The company was founded on are possible. That’s why we’re proud principles of only buying what to count Patagonia as one of our you need, and repairing, reusing funding partners. and recycling. Those principles remain, but I think Patagonia FIND OUT MORE shows environmental leadership If you’d like to fi nd out far beyond its link to clothing. It what the company is has donated over $100 million up to in 2021, such as their new community energy campaign, to grassroots environmental visit foe.uk/r610j organisations, runs campaigns to

Spring 2021 Earthmatters 23 INTERSECTIONALITY W 24 doesn’t have to be limited to the the to limited doesn’t be to have WhatsApp. up astreet set and groups aid mutual joined We Thursday. every clapped We for neighbours. shopping off We community. dropped in alesson it became for many But that sense of belonging of belonging sense that But Spring 2021 us all in different ways, ways, different in all us impacted lockdown hile We take a look atsomeinspiring communitiesthat are working tomake the world a better place Earth Community spirit matters and showing us how it’s us done. showing and by example leading are folk inspiring these island, Scottish aself-sufficient to Japan in village azero-waste From it right. getting and that just doing people are area. local our improving it to apply and spirit community same that take We can pandemic. All around the world there world there the around All 2,000 residents 2,000 fewer than Kamikatsu has different categories different 45 into sorted is household waste In Kamikatsu, PECKA, PECKA, goals in less than amonth. than less in goals crowdfunding its smashed Pecka of village rural the in, chipped who organisations and individuals of hundreds the to Thanks fi project. solar community rst country’s welcome to its excited is &Herzegovina Bosnia Earth the of Friends organisation sister Our BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA the secrets of its zero-waste success. zero-waste of its secrets the learn to want who campaigners from feat. nomean that’s person, per waste plastic to it comes when countries worst one of the in And declaration. azero-waste pass to Japan in place fi the became rst Kamikatsu 2003, In recycle. reuse, reduce, Rs: three the to turned they waste, its away transport nor aff incinerators new build to ord two incinerators. of its closure the meant emissions on dioxin law anew 2000, in when, adapt to forced were they But living. for zero-waste amodel out be to set not did of Kamikatsu village The KAMIKATSU, JAPAN Today, the village welcomes visits visits welcomes Today, village the couldn’t community small the As Community solar panels on the roof of Pecka Visitor Centre Visitor Pecka of roof community solar project Crowdfunding has financed Pecka’s

INSPIRING COMMUNITIES INSPIRING COMMUNITIES 26 surpassed.” considerably but it’s been fulfilled, of it been all has Not only spirit. of the renewal and renewal cultural energy, renewable about was vision original the Trust, Eigg first up the we set “When Guardian: The with interview an in said McIntosh, Alastair independence, Trust. Wildlife Scottish the and Council, Highland government’s Scottish the of Eigg, residents the between partnership a Trust, Heritage of Eigg Isle the by owned been has island 1997, the Since nature. with relationship residents’ changes ownership public of how example agreat is of Eigg Isle Hedbridean the island, friendly eco- most Britain’s as billed Often SCOTLAND EIGG, in the background the in looking out to Eigg Mallaig Harbour, One of the activists behind Eigg’s Eigg’s behind activists of the One Spring 2021 Earth matters in Scotland. Scotland. in communities for other blueprint a become have achievements eco Eigg’s network, electricity its power to sun and water wind, the only Using energy. renewable on based system off-grid an launch to world the in community first the globally at foe.uk/international-em101 at globally network of communities taking action Discover more about our international MORE OUT FIND In 2008, Eigg made history as as history made Eigg 2008, In energy forenergy electricity use only renewable Residents of Eigg Eigg of Residents

Hugh Knowles

Miriam Turner

Day in the life “ It is a huge privilege to take on the leadership”

Miriam Turner and Hugh Knowles are taking the helm as Co-Executive Directors of Friends of the Earth

ver the past few issues, we’ve used in communities. They’re both eager Othis page to feature diff erent to strengthen Friends of the Earth’s voices from across our network and work on climate justice and ensure a showcase the wide-ranging jobs people-centred approach to tackling and roles involved in the grassroots climate breakdown: movement. This issue we’re excited to “Friends of the Earth connects introduce the new leaders of Friends people and communities – of the Earth, Miriam Turner and supporting them to build the fairer, Hugh Knowles. greener world we all want to see. In This is the fi rst time in our history addressing the climate and ecological that the role has been held as a job crisis we know we can address other share – both Miriam and Hugh work crises – polarisation, deep inequality, part time and have young families. injustice, and historic failures to It’s also the fi rst time that a woman provide a better future for all. has been at the helm. “We both passionately believe Between them, Hugh and Miriam communities can, and should, have spent a total of over 40 years be at the heart of the change that working on . is required. For the past four years they’ve “It is a huge privilege to take on led the Innovation Directorate at the leadership of this very special Friends of the Earth, testing new organisation as it comes in to its approaches to tackling climate issues 50th year.”

28 Spring 2021 Earthmatters

Yourviews Let us know what you think – we love hearing from you

My daughter is 10 and keen Message from to raise donations to help the Aleanna, Supporter environment. What can she do? Relations Manager AJ, London

Happy 50th to my That’s lovely! If she’s a baker or Friends of the Earth cyclist, how about a sponsored family. In my 15 event? We have a new fundraising years here, I’ve read pack we can send you that is jam- thousands of your Your questions packed with inspiration. Contact letters and emails. have been us on [email protected] and our answered Back when we were in by Aleanna fundraising coach Mia will share our Luton offi ce, we Shaughnessy the pack. Do ensure you follow used to get sacks of mail. Nowadays, the restrictions where you are and whether it’s by Instagram or a tweet, always maintain social distancing. hearing from you means just as much. It reminds me that we’re one big community, which is as important as ever in these uncertain times. In I noticed some wrapping paper November, we lost our much-loved isn’t recyclable so I bought colleague and friend John Perkins to reusable hessian bags to put my cancer, and we want to pause to think Christmas presents in. They’re of all the loss we’ve collectively felt this great for anyone with diffi culty past year. John was one of the most using their hands and look much hopeful, positive prettier. members of our Dawn, Reading team, and when we’re feeling lost, we play What a fantastic idea. We love the music he loved hearing your green tips whatever and carry on in his the time of year. We focused on memory. Look aft er promoting digital Christmas cards to yourselves, stay safe save on resources too, and you can John Perkins and here’s to the next now fi nd cards for all occasions over 50 years. on our website foe.uk/ecard-em101

30 Spring 2021 Earthmatters