At around midday yesterday, supporters of Animal Rebellion entered Waitrose in Morningside, took milk from the shelves, and emptied it on the floor of the shop.
This follows two high-profile milk spills in Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges in London where two individuals were arrested and charged with £100,000 in damages
SIX Animal Rebellion supporters disrupted Waitrose on Morningside Road yesterday as they continue their call for a plant-based future.
Two protesters took bottles of milk from the shelves and emptied them over the store’s floor to highlight the need to support farmers in a transition to a sustainable, plant-based food system.
Similar actions occurred simultaneously in London, Norwich, Manchester and Leeds.
Hannah, one of the activists, said: “Milk isn’t a viable product, it’s unsuitable for human consumption, it becomes unsuitable as soon as we exploit animals, deforest massive sways of land for unsustainable animal agriculture, polluting our groundwater and contributing more Greenhouse Gas Emissions than Exon, Shell and BP.”
The action comes as part of Animal Rebellion’s demands for a plant-based future, which were announced on 23/05/22.
The animal and climate group is calling for wholesale governmental support for farmers and fishing communities to transition to a plant-based food system and a programme of rewilding that will secure a future for generations to come by drawing down carbon from the atmosphere and restoring vital habitat to native wildlife.
Other recent actions taken by the group include disrupting the Queen’s Jubilee, running onto the track at Epsom Derby, and blockading multiple dairy distribution centres day-after-day at the beginning of September.
Animal Rebellion is a mass movement using nonviolent civil disobedience to call for a just, sustainable plant-based food system.
Campaign to explore Britain’s hidden gems by train launches
A national awareness campaign, uniting communities across Britain to showcase the delights and benefits of ‘Days Out by Rail’, launches next week.
The three-week initiative is raising awareness about rail as one of the greenest ways to travel with the family – especially when combined with walking, cycling and buses – avoiding traffic jams, parking and pollution, while enabling exploration of lesser-known spots as part of a day out, short break or staycation.
Days Out by Rail, developed by Community Rail Network, draws on local insights and ideas from community rail, a grassroots movement spanning Britain, which involves communities and volunteers with their local railways and stations.
The campaign is being delivered through Community Rail Network’s tourism initiative, ScenicRailBritain.com, and aims to provide inspiration for families looking for days out during the October half term and throughout autumn.
The campaign will include tips on how to have a low-cost railway-themed day out, ideas for things to do with the kids as well as highlighting some of Britain’s fascinating hidden gems off the beaten track, all accessible by train.
And it’s not all about the destination, whether families decide to play travel games, enjoy a packed lunch or play I-spy from the window, taking the train can be so much more than just a journey.
Most of the lines featured in the campaign are supported by community rail partnerships and station volunteer groups working at grassroots level to engage local communities and promote rail as a key part of sustainable, healthy travel.
The movement works to improve rail connections, advising railway partners on local needs to help more people be able to access rail.
Community Rail Network, the non-profit organisation that operates Scenic Rail Britain, supports, connects and champions those working and volunteering in community rail across Britain.
Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “Many people don’t realise the scope for seeing Britain’s stunning landscapes, pretty villages and historic sites by rail – and making use of our wonderful, often little-known, community rail lines and stations is a great way to do this.
We’re excited to launch our Days Out By Rail campaign with help from community rail partnerships and station volunteers across the country. This campaign is all about drawing on the local knowledge and insights from the community rail movement, and sharing that with families, day-trippers and holidaymakers.
“We hope to inspire more people to explore our beautiful countryside and fascinating heritage through green and scenic journeys by rail, avoiding the stress and pollution of driving and parking.”
Westminster’s Environment and Climate Change Committee has published a report which warns that the Government’s current approach to enabling behaviour change is seriously inadequate and will result in the UK failing to meet its net zero and environment targets.
The Committee identified—drawing on the Committee on Climate Change’s assessment—that one third of greenhouse gas emissions reductions up to 2035 require decisions by individuals and households to adopt low carbon technologies and choose low-carbon products and services, as well as reduce carbon-intensive consumption.
The Committee found that while the Government has introduced some policies to help people adopt new technologies, like electric cars, that focus has not been replicated in other areas.
The Committee concluded that there has been too great a reliance on as yet undeveloped technologies to get the UK to net zero and a reluctance to help people cut carbon-intensive consumption.
During the inquiry the Committee heard from 146 organisations from across the UK and further afield including businesses, local authorities, charities and think tanks as well as government ministers, academics & researchers, and young people.
Baroness Parminter, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee said: “After a summer of record temperatures, fires and hose pipe bans, it has never been more apparent that the twin crises of climate change and nature loss demand an immediate and sustained response.
“People power is critical to reach our environmental goals, but unless we are encouraged and enabled to change behaviours in how we travel, what we eat and buy and how we heat our homes, we won’t meet those targets. Polling shows the public is ready for leadership from the Government. People want to know how to play their part in tackling climate change and environmental damage.
“The Government’s mantra of “going with the grain of consumer choice” demonstrates a reluctance to help people cut carbon-intensive consumption. It is in a unique position to guide the public in changing their behaviours, however their approach is inadequate in the face of the urgent scale of the environmental challenge.
“The Prime Minister urgently needs to set out her vision of a country where low carbon choices and behaviours can flourish.”
Key recommendations
The Committee recommends that the Government should:
learn from examples of where it has enabled behaviour change, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, and enable people to make the necessary shifts in the key areas of how we travel, what we eat, what we buy and how we use energy at home
launch a public engagement campaign to build support for helping people to adopt new technologies and reduce carbon-intensive consumption in the key areas where behaviour change is required
help the public to reduce carbon and resource-intensive consumption in diets, products, services and travel
use the Net Zero Forum, announced in October 2021, to address the coordination, resourcing and responsibilities between local and central government, recognising the key role of local authorities in helping enable behaviour change in local communities
use every lever the Government has–including regulations and fiscal incentives and disincentives–to address the barriers which prevent changing behaviours
place fairness at the heart of policy design and tailor behaviour change interventions to avoid placing a burden on those who can least afford it. For example, providing financing support for low-income households as part of a national drive to improve the energy efficiency of our homes.
Ever wondered what the earthworms in the soil and compost are actually doing? Join us with @RealFarmED to find out all about earthworm ecology, and help us monitor the populations on the farm:
-Big Swap is a FREE GIVEAWAY of second hand clothes, shoes, books, toys and household items,
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Edinburgh College has been named as a regional Planet Saver award winner in the British Chambers of Commerce Business Awards and will now compete for a national prize.
The College was entered into the UK-wide awards scheme having collected the Net Zero Champion accolade at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards in February this year.
The awards programme is a showpiece event in the UK business calendar, recognising and promoting the best of British business through a series of regional heats, culminating in a campaign to showcase winning businesses on an international stage.
The College’s success comes in recognition of its renewed commitment to Sustainability and increasing engagement with its student body through a Go Green project led by Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA) and the introduction of an annual Sustainable Education Week.
ECSA’s work involved creating Go Green Hubs on each campus, which feature Clothes Swap Shops and Community Fridges, and are aimed at reducing food and textiles waste, alleviating poverty and keeping the issue of Sustainability visible and at the forefront of students’ minds.
Sustainable Education Week sees classes across the curriculum focus their teaching on Sustainability, with students embarking on new projects or one-off activities which embed one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals into contextualised learning.
Edinburgh College Principal, Audrey Cumberford said: “We’re delighted to have been named as a regional winner by the British Chambers of Commerce.
“This award and progression into the next round of the programme is a wonderful recognition of the work of our College in engaging students to support, drive and lead our sustainability priorities, working towards achieving the goals set out in our Environmental Sustainability Strategy. I am extremely proud of what our staff and students involved have achieved and I believe they truly deserve this recognition.”
Al Wilson, ECSA Director, said: “Well done to the College and in particular our brilliant team members for this latest award recognition.
“Our Go Green project has delivered tangible outcomes in terms of reducing literally tonnes of food and textiles waste, as well as raising awareness of sustainability among the student body at Edinburgh College – something which is vital to help us tackle the climate emergency and make it real for our students as they become the workforce of tomorrow.”
Eighty three per cent of adults in Scotland believe nature is under threat and urgently needs more done to protect and restore it, according to polling from the RSPB Scotland and WWF Scotland.
The majority have seen a decline in nature and wildlife in their local areas; with close to half (47%) expressing a willingness to take action themselves to avert a nature crisis. However 39% don’t feel empowered to do so.
The results come as three of the UK’s biggest conservation charities join forces with celebrity champions Maisie Williams and Cel Spellman to launch the People’s Plan for Nature, inviting the nation to have its say on how the UK solves the ongoing nature crisis.
Through both a UK-wide conversation and the first ever citizens’ assembly for nature, the charities are inviting the public to share their ideas and together develop a set of public demands to tackle the nature crisis – calling on the leaders of all four nations to take action before it’s too late.
The charities feel the time is ripe for co-creating a proposal for nature’s recovery as the polling shows that the people in Scotland already would like to see improvements in their local areas, including:
more action for cleaner rivers, waterways and seas (49%),
more protection for nature in the planning and housebuilding system (33%)
strengthened legal protection for nature, wildlife, and habitats (36%).
People from Scotland and the rest of the UK can submit their thoughts on the future of nature in the UK on peoplesplanfornature.org by the 30th October.
The charities have also partnered with Future Art Centres (a network of independent cultural centres across the UK) to help facilitate the nationwide conversation. The public will be invited to add their ideas to specially-designed tree installations at 30 Art Centres around the country.
The trees can be found at venues including Eden Court in Inverness, Lyth Arts Centre in Caithness, Lairg Learning Centre, Pearce Institute in Glasgow, and Glasgow Science Centre.
The two charity chiefs, Lang Banks (WWF Scotland) and Anne McCall (RSPB Scotland) said in a joint statement: “This summer saw Scotland experience record-breaking temperatures and adverse weather conditions that caused drought conditions, wildfires, and other harm to its nature and wildlife.
“Extreme heat led to fears of crop loss, contributing to the cost of living crisis everyone is experiencing. The twin nature and climate crises affect everyone, so everyone should be involved in the conversation about how we address them.
“The majority of people in Scotland say they have witnessed a decline in nature and wildlife in their local areas, according to the polling: 62% in the amount and variety of insects they see including butterflies and bumblebees and 54% in birds; 57% in the number of mammal sightings such as hedgehogs, badgers and otters and 53% in green spaces such as parks and woodlands. And many have seen this decline in some form in the last five years alone (60%).
A representative group of 100 people from across the UK will come together as a citizens’ assembly to develop a set of recommendations to help and restore nature in the UK, starting in November this year. The leading charities are also bringing in celebrity champions to support the campaign, starting with Maisie Williams and Cel Spellman.
Emmy-nominated actor, activist, and producer Maisie Williams said: “The People’s Plan for Nature is the chance for all of us to come together and fight for nature before it is too late.
“I am so excited to join this vital conversation and play a part in protecting and restoring the wildlife that means so much to me and countless others. For me, it’s about birdsong – it always reminds me of home, and I’m scared that I will wake up one day and won’t be able to hear it anymore.
“We must act now – and the most powerful thing we can do is use our voices, collectively. So let’s join this fight together and bring our nature back to life.”
Actor, presenter and activist Cel Spellman:“The People’s Plan for Nature gives us a rare opportunity to unite and bring about desperately needed change for our natural world.
“We have all turned to and appreciated nature like never before in the last few years. For me, spending time immersed in the natural world is my medicine, it’s good for the soul, body and mind. Yet the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.
“Nature needs us now more than ever, and this is the time for us all to stand up, take action and use our voices to protect and restore our precious wildlife species, ecosystems and environment. Together we can make a real difference.”
Mariyah, aged 10 from Glasgow: “I’m super excited about the launch of The People’s Plan for Nature as I love getting outdoors and having fun with my friends and family. Nature and the outdoors just makes me so happy and I wish that we can all enjoy the beautiful nature that we have in Scotland throughout our whole lives!”
The People’s Plan for Nature will give a voice to everyone to share their ideas, asking the public: “what do you love about nature in the UK? What would you miss if it disappeared?” to get their feedback on how to thwart the nature crisis and to understand what people would like to see for the future of UK nature and wildlife.
Edinburgh is set to join over 2,000 cities across the globe to celebrate World Car Free Day tomorrow with a free, community-focused event supported by The City of Edinburgh Council and organised by Crexcell.
As a mark of respect following the death of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Edinburgh’s Car Free Day was postponed from the official date of 22 September and will now be staged on Waverley Bridge tomorrow (Sunday, 2 October) between 11am and 7pm.
Waverley Bridge will be transformed into an inclusive community hub of information, inspiration and activity encouraging people to consider alternatives to car travel in Edinburgh. The city’s public transport operators, cycling and environmental campaigners, active travel and public safety organisations are all taking part.
The Council has set an ambitious target to reduce distances travelled by car in Edinburgh by 30% over the next decade, as well as achieving Net Zero status by 2030. With transport being one of the biggest carbon emission contributors, Edinburgh’s World Car Free Day event will encourage people to consider more sustainable modes of transport for their everyday journeys.
It will raise awareness of the the options available across the city, promote the health and wellbeing benefits of active travel and offer the essential information and support people need to commit to long-term change.
Amongst those already signed up to attend are Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams, who play a significant role in reducing reliance on more carbon intensive forms of transport by providing a quick, convenient and reliable alternative to driving. Members of the team will be at Waverley Bridge to chat about their services, including Park and Ride options, and the vast opportunities for – and the benefits of using – public transport.
Police Scotland will offer support to cyclists and walkers with cycle security and personal safety advice, bike marking and general crime prevention information.
The Bike Station, which inspires new cyclists by selling reliable and affordable upcycled bikes, will be on hand to offer bike safety checks and bikes to try out. The team will have information on safe cycle routes throughout the city, and bike to work and cycle-friendly employer schemes.
There will also be a hosted reception and information point, additional bike parking, a wellbeing area with health and fitness demonstrations and classes and a chill-out zone. Local singers and bands including Sara Forshaw, Folk Drama, and The Wispz will provide the musical entertainment throughout the day.
World Car Free Day is a worldwide initiative to encourage motorists to reset how they think about travel and use more sustainable transport. It promotes the improvement of public transport, cycling and walking, and the development of healthier, greener neighbourhoods where jobs are closer to home and where shopping is within a short walk, wheel or cycle from home.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Choosing more sustainable modes of transport like bus, tram, bike or walking over the car not only benefits the world around us, but can have a really positive impact on our health and quality of life. Car Free Day gives us the chance to focus on these benefits, and to help people consider how they might try alternative ways to travel.
The Council has set some ambitious goals to reduce car kms travelled by 30% in the next decade, as well as delivering on our 20-minute neighbourhood vision to enable a net zero Edinburgh where everyone can live well locally. We need to rethink the way we move around the city to meet these targets. I would encourage people to come along on 2 October to find out more about the different ways we can travel around the capital.
Neil Booth, Edinburgh Trams’ Safety Manager (Environment), added: “Car-free days provide a massive opportunity for cities to raise awareness of how pollution affects our lives, and highlight how congested roads can be used in different ways.
At Edinburgh Trams we are fully committed to helping to make Edinburgh healthier, safer and more attractive for both residents and visitors by providing a quick, convenient and reliable alternative to driving into the city centre.
Edinburgh’s ten-year City Mobility Plan aims to transform the way we move around the city, reducing emissions and air pollution, positively impacting public health and tackling congestion amongst other benefits.
Thousands of school pupils from across Scotland have taken part in a National School Assembly with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to mark the end of Climate Week yesterday.
They discussed the action young people are already taking to build a sustainable future and what pupils have learnt about climate change, including what measures they can take to secure a greener planet for us all.
Scotland’s Climate Week encourages everyone to talk about the climate as everyone has a role to play in creating a net zero Scotland.
The week culminated in more than 600 primary school classes from around the country registering to take part in a virtual assembly, led by Keep Scotland Beautiful to share their experiences and discuss what they had learned.
The First Minister visited St Albert’s Primary School, in Pollokshields, Glasgow to take part and hear about their daily live lessons on climate related topics.
She said: “Today’s assembly was a highlight of Climate Week, and I am impressed by the hard work young people have put in to further their knowledge of the topic.
“Their efforts over the past few days show why youth action is so important. Climate change is already having a massive impact around the world and if we don’t take the right action, things will only get worse.
“Future generations deserve a more equal, just and fair future that leaves no one behind. Not only have children and young people played a significant role in keeping climate change at the top of the global agenda, but they will also face the greatest impacts of climate change over their lifetimes.
“It is only right that we listen to the the voices of the next generation, and that we hear them when they challenge us to do more to tackle the climate emergency.”
Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “We’ve been inspired over the past five days to see first-hand the enthusiasm and commitment the children, young people and educators who have engaged with Climate Action Week have for taking real action to address the climate emergency.
“Our Climate Action Schools live lessons have been a great way for us to engage with 15,000+ pupils right across Scotland – extending our reach, opening up new conversations and helping them to amplify their voices as they take action to combat climate change.”
Transport leaders have tested out one of a newly operational network of on-street electric vehicle chargers in Edinburgh, as the nation marks Scotland’s Climate Week.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, Michael Matheson joined Edinburgh’s Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Scott Arthur, on the eve of World EV Day, to see one of the new charge points, funded by £2.3 million awarded through Transport Scotland’s Switched on Towns and Cities Challenge Fund.
In total, 81 new chargers (141 charging bays) were installed and went live this summer across the city, including 41 rapid and fast chargers (72 bays) at on-street locations with the remainder provided at Hermiston and Ingliston Park and Ride sites.
The roll-out is designed to encourage and support the take-up of cleaner, low emission transport like electric vehicles. Motor transport contributes significantly to carbon emissions, and the switch to more sustainable transport is essential to the city’s Net Zero target, which is also a key aim of Scotland’s Climate Week.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “During Scotland’s Climate Week and ahead of World EV Day, I’m pleased to welcome these new EV charge points across Edinburgh to the ChargePlace Scotland network.
“Phasing out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, to help respond to the climate emergency, can only be achieved if drivers have the range confidence that comes from readily available charging infrastructure. These latest charge points help provide that confidence to people who require EV charging in the capital.
“Our previous funding approaches have helped us deliver the most public electric vehicle charging points outside of London, and the most rapid charge points anywhere in the UK. We now want to see greater private sector investment and involvement in line with our draft vision for Scotland’s public EV charging network – delivering more infrastructure faster and in way that is more accessible than ever before.”
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “I am delighted that we are expanding on-street electric vehicle chargers across the Capital in a way that does not leave footpaths cluttered with cables and chargers. These new chargers will provide convenient charging for residents and visitors alike travelling around the city.
“Increasing the provision for greener technologies such as electric cars is a vital step in our wider plan for decarbonising transport in Edinburgh and for reaching our goal to become a net-zero carbon city by 2030, which is brought into sharp focus during Scotland’s Climate Week.
“Of course, choosing to walk, cycle or use public transport is the best travel decision people can make if they want to help us in our net-zero ambition.”
