Friends of the Earth Selby

To be honest, you could have convinced me it was any of them!

The total greenhouse gas emissions of the UK hit 502 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent between 2020 and 2021. This was a 3% increase on the previous year, meaning that emissions are going up (slightly).

26% of these emissions were related to the stuff we spend our money on! (consumer expenditure). The second highest was the energy sector, clocking in at 17% of these emissions. Followed by manufacturing then transport.

These were the top four emitters then... what might be on top in next year's statistics?

Place your guesses and reactions below!

Question time!

Which of these four options was the biggest contributor to UK's greenhouse emissions in 2021?

Give your answer below and check in tomorrow for the answer and some stats.

Time for your opinion, what do you think... honestly 😶‍🌫️

From talking to residents, I have found that many people have mixed feelings towards this move from the council.

Have you paid for them to empty your green bin?
Have you decided that composting at home is the way forward?
Have you started taking this waste to the household waste recycling centre?

or... dare I ask, have you found a new inventive way of ridding the rubbish?

If you feel comfortable to share, please comment below.

The posts will be back... On Monday!

For a range of personal reasons, it has been difficult to ensure that there is a steady flow of posts. As of Monday, I will be adding some posts to the queue for you all!

Please keep an eye out and where you can, like and comment 😎

At Friends of the Earth Selby we think about at all the ways that climate change and environmentalism has impacted our lives. While it is easy to point out the physical effects that pollution has on our health, we need to also recognise the mental health of those around us.

In a survey in 2020, it was found that over half of the people questioned said that climate change affects their mental health in some way. Three years later, we want to pose the question, what about now?

We are going to see the Conservative party dismantle any chance of a net-zero future by opting to go for profit rather than people.

Would this recent news story change this number?

There are people who deny that climate change happens, influential people and family members, news outlets and companies.

Would this attitude towards climate change change this number?

The ideas behind this post are simple, mental health can be affected by the issues around us.

How do we know this? It is because we are open to discussing the hard topics within our membership and leadership of this group.

If you want to see action in the world, join us today and help us on our mission to make Selby a more Earth friendly town, to make changes bigger that us and go beyond our surrounding villages.

Here is the return of our weekend wonder feature! This week, featuring Lego!

It was inevitable, it was always going to happen with the popularity of this toy and this is a fact.

It is odd to think that there is a minifigure in the world for each of us...

Wow...

In recent weeks, we have been watching where Drax is putting its money...

This company clearly loves building a campaign based on questionable material, such as science which doesn't quite hit the mark, creative accounting which is based on claiming government subsidies or promises of jobs of which many look to only last the construction phase.

By putting these advertisements out there, sponsoring publications such as Selby Times or Yorkshire Post, you can see these outlets choose the money over journalistic integrity.

Can influence be bought? Ask Drax

We have a meeting coming up next week and you are invited!
Just drop us a message and we can give you all the details you need to attend.

See you there!

Now that the by-election has come to an end, time for a rest FOR ALL OF US!

See you next week 😁

O+

Our new MP for Selby and Ainsty is... KIER MATHER! 🥳

Congratulations to Kier and well done to all of the other candidates who took the time to campaign on the ground, walking the miles and miles of footpath in our region.

In terms of a breakdown, here are the results for the top three:

Keir Mather (Lab) 16,456 (45.96%)
Claire Holmes (C) 12,295 (34.34%)
Arnold Warneken (Green) 1,838 (5.13%)

Clearly there is a swing towards Labour here, which could be for many reasons. What we should take away from this is that people want change, they want it now.

One interesting observation to take away from this is that the Green Party increased its voter share (leapfrogging Yorkshire Party and Lib Dem candidates too!). Is this due to dissatisfaction with the environmental policies of the major parties? Could it be linked to performance in recent local elections across the country? Maybe it is pure fluke?

It would be nice to see what the trends are, but this might take longer to unearth. It may also never happen.

For now, we need to focus on discussing these issues with Kier Mather and ensure that he is aware of some of the items which our members and residents within our town deem to be concerning to them.

To those who have been up all night, GO TO BED!

O+

Today is the day! 🥳

Please go and cast your vote where you can.

You vote them in and they represent you, make it count 😁

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Today is the day! 🥳

Please go and cast your vote where you can.

You vote them in and they represent you, make it count 😁

Come fly with... not me...

We hear about the cost of living a LOT right now, but this type of behaviour just shows out of touch our prime minister is with the common person. Whilst security is important, accountability is much more of an issue with Rishi Sunak. Especially when the environment is involved!

By hiding this information, we are unable to hold him to account for the carbon footprint of the decisions he is making around travel. It may be more time effective to fly direct, however there is a cost to us all when these flights occur. Rishi isn't the only person with access to a private jet, all of these flights should be accounted for in order to truly monitor the carbon cost of aviation across the board. Knowing how bad this form of transport is will help us all in deciding the most appropriate way to travel to our intended destinations, both for us as consumers and those who own private jets.

With all this discussion of flights, it does make you wonder... Is there something wrong with our trains?

Jokes aside, let us know what you think in the comments below. Should Rishi Sunak's jet use be hidden? Should he be questioned over this usage?

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Heated debate warning!

Whether you believe in climate change or not, get ready for the new normal as countries across the globe experience many adverse weather events and top temperatures. In the last two days we have seen the following:

- China hit 52.2 degrees celsius, with roads reaching temperatures of 80 degrees! In addition to this, there has been strain on their electric grid due to air conditioning usage and a typhoon on the southern coast.
- In the USA, specifically in the Death Valley there have been recorded temperatures of 56.7 degrees. it is so hot that the homeless have started to be treated for third degree burns due to exposure to the heat.
- Rome hit 39 degrees celsius, closing the colosseum, impacting electricity supplies leading to power cuts and cows overheating leading to less milk production at present.
- In India, there have been heavy monsoon rains which have killed approximately 90 people.
- In Greece, temperatures of around 40 degrees celsius have led to wildfires in the south of the country.

With these situations worldwide, we haven't escaped reality as there have been questions about our governments own preparedness. Are we ready? Looking at the papers, we hazard a guess at possibly not.

This could change, if we put the climate first and think about what impact our decisions will have on the planet. You could start small at home, change some of the practices and behaviours which are easiest to develop into good habits (such as turning lights off when you leave a room, making a meal plan to address food waste etc.), and build this up over time to something massive (such as selling your car and cycling to work or using public transport).

What do you think? Share your ideas in the comments below...

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Labour Logic 🌹🧠

A very poignant editorial from Monday's Independent which rings true, especially in the context of our by-election and a looming general election in the coming years.

Will Kier Mather deliver? Will Kier Starmer deliver? We do need change, we need to see vast improvements within governmental decisions and not just to hear rhetoric time after time. Will the Labour Party stand up for change in our towns?

Would Claire Holmes, alongside the dominant Tory party, deliver the improvements which are needed for Selby and Ainsty? Do we trust Rishi Sunak to help us?

Would someone like Arnold Warneken from the Green Party be much more appropriate with the historical experience they hold (not to mention the time being on North Yorkshire Council)? Or would one of the other 10 candidates be better suited?

Will this by-election shift the approach to governing this country? Will the next election make it better? Will Selby and Ainsty benefit? Most importantly, will you benefit?

Remember, your vote does matter and it WILL influence what happens here in Selby and Ainsty.

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No... Just no... 🤬

We just don't get it, why is this happening again! All schools are struggling, we are aware of this as it is clear from the news cycles of late. However, why is it that some schools have to rely on the Earth destroying, science denying Drax to be the benevolent saviours?

This further proves that the government has its priorities wrong. We (through taxes) subsidise Drax and somehow they subsidise our schools, rather than our taxes going straight to the schools who need the money to pay the bills.

Do our schools really have to pick money over ethical decisions? Do they have to compromise on their values in order to stay open? Just look at Selby Abbey Primary School, a Church of England School! Does this action match their religious beliefs?

We shall campaign where we can to remind Drax to keep their hands off of our schools. Will you answer our call for support? Please drop us a message and we can start to act together to solve this issue alongside many other organisations such as Stop Burning Trees, Axe Drax and more.

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Well done MPs, hold him to it! 💪

We hope whoever is elected would do the same, hold the government to account.

Hustings Event TONIGHT! 🗣️

These events are a great opportunity to hear from the candidates themselves and ask them questions.

If you want to come along please use the link below (in the comments) provided by the organisers so that you can register to attend.

Or you could just turn up 😉

See you there!

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Hmm... more money for Drax? More projects at Drax? What is with this greed! 🤑

Once again, the Selby Times remains 'impartial' by dedicating a great amount of space to promote yet another Drax press release. Whilst most of this is a negative story, we do support them in the decision to continue decomissioning their remaining coal burning units.

Come to think of it, there must be a reason as to why the government said that it wasn't going to give them further subsidies. What makes it worse is that they are now thinking of taking BECCS CLOSER TO THE FORESTS by refocusing their efforts on American operations. Are Drax about to jump the good ship Britannia?

Have a read of the article and comment below with your thoughts, we always appreciate your time.

Let's see how tomorrows by-election hustings at Drax Social Club go...

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Really? 🤔

Another story which, in theory, sounds great.

However, all of these actions we need to take need to work in tandem. For example, it's good looking at methane, but we could stop over-farming or bad practices in management of livestock. It's good buying an electric car, but is the electric from the grid renewable? We could cycle more in towns and cities, but to do it we lay more tarmac rather than making the roads themselves safer.

There are a lot of actions which need to be taken, TOGETHER. Fixing one doesn't allow you to be lax elsewhere.

What do you think? Comment below 😊

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Are you going to any hustings events? 🎤

They are a good opportunity to listen to what the candidates have to say, their pledges and question them.

Are you aware of any of these events? We know of a few and hope to attend them to hear the candidates directly. We encourage you to go along, meet them and see who feels the best fit for you and your vote.

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A postcard from Selby 📮

We have seen visits from quite a few high profile Westminster politicians in recent days. This election is clearly crucial to all involved and so it should be.

Whoever is elected, don't let them forget that they represent you and all of the other residents in our towns and villages.

Here's to another few days of electioneering!

O+

On the back of the previous post, guess who else will be dropping into Selby today!

Keep an eye out for him and the entourage.

If you can get any straight answers out of him drop us a comment below!

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Natalie Bennett (Peer in the House of Lords) will be in Selby today campaigning alongside the Green Party candidate Arnold Warneken.

Will you see them out and about today?

Share your photos below

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(P.S. technology isn't working today... Normal branding will resume soon)

Whilst it might appear we are taking a break, it is just so that we can look into the coming week's posts and the topics which would be covered.

We shall return tomorrow, but in the meantime, use the opportunity to have a rest from it all and spend a moment on yourself.

Enjoy your day.

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