We ran a survey over June and July to find out what people in Camden think about environmental issues. We received 80 responses in total – from our website, email list, other community group email lists, Camden Green Fair and a stall at Parliament Hill farmer’s market.

Here’s some of the top level results from the survey (click to view bigger):

People were most concerned about climate change, resource consumption, waste and recycling, and transport.

Although people were most concerned about climate change, this was felt to be the area we can least influence locally. This is something our Get Serious about CO2 campaign aims to target, to encourage local councils to help businesses and individuals cut carbon emissions as well as reducing their own footprint.

People felt that incentives would help them live more sustainably. We also received many useful and suggestions, in particular comments on people’s eco bugbears, which help to highlight which issues people in Camden feel strongly about. We received many comments on concerns about recycling in Camden, and transport issues, which we are currently feeding back to the Council.

Are you aged between 18-30? Live in London? Passionate about the environment? Keen to get involved in actions around the capital? Friends of the Earth is looking to develop a new network of activists in London, bringing together people aged 18-30 to take part in a variety of campaign actions and social activities across the capital.

Group members of Camden FoE will be involved - we think it sounds like a great way of mobilising campaigners across London. If you’ve never been involved with Friends of the Earth activities before this is a great opportunity to get involved in new ways of environmental campaigning!

Find out more on the Friends of the Earth website.

We have a letter in this week’s Camden New Journal (22 April) about the Hampstead & Kilburn Hustings: read more here.

Camden Friends of the Earth took campaigning to the catwalk (well, almost) when we were invited to the UCLU Modo Green Fashion Show on 28 February.

We ran a stall for our Get Serious about CO2 campaign, getting over 50 postcards signed and a lot of positive response from those at the event!

We also were lucky enough to see some of the amazing recycled and ethical fashion creations designed by students, inspired by the green theme. The Mododiva blog has some more great examples of ‘Trash’ fashion too, including the IKEA dress (pictured). Would you wear it?

Unnecessary packaging forms a huge part of our waste. A new shop in Islington provides a place for you to shop, without the packaging. Just bring your own containers, and fill them up with what you need.

For more information, see http://www.beunpackaged.com/

6 – 21 September 2008
Join others for a week of eating only local organic food, free from plastic packaging to demonstrate to Government urgent action is needed to transform our food system. This is a ‘pilot’ in preparation for a bigger week next year!

Most of us would love to eat more locally grown food that has been grown in ways that are good for both our health and the environment. But how many of us feel we could actually do it with our current globalised and industrialised food system? Well three people, all with their different takes on local food, have decided to do just that and are asking you to join them for a week!

Between Saturday 6 and Sunday 21 September, during Organic Food Fortnight and when food is at its most abundant in the UK, we ask you, for one week, to only eat food from a selection of the following sources:

- Organically grown UK food without plastic packaging – if it is organically grown on British soil, it qualifies, but obviously the more local the better. Plastic packaging is out.

- Foraged food – food growing wild and abundantly all over the UK – free rich pickings!

- Self-grown food – any food you, your friends or family have grown.

Visit http://eatthechange.org for more information and advice on how to do it.

Sign up at www.pledgebank.com/eatthechange - if you are taking part please sign up even though we’ve already reached our target so we can show how many people are taking part: we need as many people signed up as possible to make an impact.

Check our website: www.camdenfoe.org.uk for details of our next meeting.

As part of our campaign on waste, members of Camden Friends of the Earth went out to interview people on the streets of Belsize Park regarding their views on throw-away shopping bags. Shoppers were asked whether they supported the idea of Belsize Park going “Bag Free” and how they think this should be achieved. The majority of shoppers support measures to reduce the use of plastic bags, and wanted this to be carried out by a combination of charging a levy and an area to drop-off and collect old bags.

Camden FOE is hosting a public meeting to raise awareness about climate change and to encourage local MPs, Glenda Jackson and Frank Dobson, to back a strong climate change bill.

The bill will be introduced to parliament in November and FOE has concerns that the draft did not include…
- targets that reflected the latest scientific evidence
- the environmental impact of international aviation and shipping
- a requirement for annual reporting

The meeting will take place at Haverstock School, on Haverstock Hill, by Chalk Farm tube, on 13th November from 7.15pm.

Speakers include the 2 local MPs and Carbon Coach, Dave Hampton.

Contact us if you want to find out more.

Camden Friends of the Earth today responded to London Council’s consultation on throw-out shopping bags.

The group supports the introduction of a levy on all throw out shopping bags, whether paper or plastic, together with restrictions on the types of bags that shops can supply.

Bags use finite resources in their manufacture and distribution. Additionally, on disposal, often after only one use, they create litter, add to the UK’s landfill problems, and endanger wildlife on land and in water. While throw out shopping bags form a small percentage of our waste, such a levy will send a strong message to consumers and businesses about the need to reduce our impact on the environment.

Paper bags are not the answer as lifecycle analysis has shown that their environmental impact, although different to plastic bags, is still damaging. The group believes that the answer is a return to reusable bags, and that we should not wait for this legislation to make that change.

On 17th November the group is holding a joint event with Highgate LEAF (Local Environment Action Forum) to help people make bags. javascript:void(0)Material, sewing machines, and lessons will be provided. Please contact camdenfoe@gmail.com for more information.