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The Big One 21st - 24th April 2023 Tens of thousands of people are set to gather outside the Houses of Parliament in London later this month to highlight the UK government’s failure to act on the climate and the related crises. Climate change activists will be standing alongside health workers, anti-racism campaigners, and many well known and respected national organisations for a four day gathering starting on 21 April, dubbed ‘The Big One’. It’s four years since XR brought parts of the English capital to a standstill, parking a pink boat in Oxford Circus. Following that the UK parliament declared a climate emergency. But, says Greenpeace UK’s head of climate, Mel Evans: “The UK government is failing to deliver the kind of wholesale action needed to avoid full-blown climate breakdown.” Since bursting onto the global stage a few years ago, the main co-organiser of the event, Extinction Rebellion , has been doing some soul-searching of its own. In a New Year’s statement titled ‘We Quit’ , the protest group announced it would now “prioritise attendance over arrest and relationships over roadblocks.” The Big One is the first major event since this resolution. Pitching up outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster from 21 to 24 April, it promises to be family-friendly, accessible, welcoming, creative and engaging. “Awash with colour and culture, the politically powerful streets of Westminster will be transformed with People’s Pickets outside government departments and a diverse programme of speakers, performers and workshops,” Extinction Rebellion UK says on its website. The invitation is open to everyone and if the co-host list is anything to go by, it promises to live up to its name. XR is calling on 100,000 people to attend, making them “impossible to ignore.” It certainly seems to be capturing the imagination of diverse groupings. For example, faith groups expected to take part include: A Rocha UK, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Christian Climate Action, Green Christian, the Iona Community, Just Love, Operation Noah, the Student Christian Movement, Tearfund, Young Christian Climate Network, Quakers, Faith for the Climate, and many other faith based members of the Climate Coalition. Global Justice Now is a social justice organisation working to create a more just and equal world. They are campaigning for compensation for the global south to be paid by the big polluting corporations in the fossil fuel industry. Praising the “vital role” that XR has played in the past, director of Global Justice Now, Nick Dearden says that the Big One’s potential lies in its inclusivity. April’s mass action can help foster a “generational movement.” Mel Evans, head of climate at Greenpeace UK, makes the point: “It’s clear that only through working together will civil society defeat the vested interests intent on putting profits over people and the planet . “We either win as a movement or lose as individual organisations. That’s why The Big One promises to be such a key moment in the fight for climate justice and why we’re getting involved.” Robin Wells, of Fossil Free London comments: “The climate crisis can be easy to ignore because it is continuous. It exists in the periphery of our attention all the time - in the weather when we wake up in the morning, the prices of the food we buy at the shops, and on the fringe of the news reports that we watch when we get home. But there are moments that cut through and grab our attention. One is the release of scary warnings from scientists like in [yesterday’s] IPCC report. Another is freak temperatures beyond what we’d have ever imagined, and another one, that we campaigners can make happen, are moments in which we are brought together and reminded of our power and unity in shaping the world we want to see. The Big One will be one such moment.” How Can I Get Involved? All the main information is on The Big One website , including ways to volunteer and donate. Click HERE ​ We know of at least one multi generational group that will be travelling to Westminster from Stoke. If you are on the Stoke Environment Group mailing list you will have had details, and an offer of advice if you are thinking of going. For others in the area contemplating the trip please get in touch and we will try and 'put people in touch with each other' . Contact Dave at envirostoke@yahoo. com

A Safer Stoke Safety at Home - Safety on the Road - Safety at Work - Safety at School - Safety at Play No Nanny State, but let's make Stoke a safer place to be Safety on the Road Thanks to everyone who responded to our post about a possible 20 mph speed limit in Stoke St Gregory. It was really just a means of raising the issue of road safety in the village, and the following responses show what a wide range of possibilities we have if we want to look after each other when we are out and about. England might follow Wales in a few years' time and impose a blanket speed limit in towns and villages, but in the mean time are there better alternatives? Here are some of the initial responses: 20 mph Speed Limit - people feel strongly, but both for or against. If you are unsure have a look at the 20's Plenty site HERE but to start here's a comment from an ex Stoke resident: “I was Lo llipop man at the school between 2000 and 2005 prior to the crossing being put in front of the school it was a 60 mph road unbelievable in front of a school!!” Another comment was: "Would be excellent especially as we have many roads with out pavements definitely a positive action" Whatever the speed limit , another responder said: "The problem isn't the 30 mile an hour limit, it is people not respecting it, a lack of consideration for other road users/hazardous areas and the inappropriate national speed limit on the other village roads, that are just too narrow and bendy for this to be safe." And another: "It would be safer for pedestrians if some drivers were to slow down on the bends in Woodhill; that’s for sure." Other Road Users - as road users we all have our pet hates, and they are always other road users . Cyclists, horse riders, tractors, slow drivers, fast drivers . . . . (and some people hate us as well, even though we are perfect road users). Here are a couple of experiences shared by our respondents: "It’s not only the children that you should slow down for. Coming through North Curry last week a women with two dogs came out from a field, dogs not on leads and partner on other side of road, dog ran in front of me and lady not far behind with other dog, good j ob I was only doing 18 miles an hour." And by Stoke School: "Luckily I was going slowly approaching Stoke School from the playing fields (the lights were not flashing) and a boy dashed straight across the road in front of me from the school." The posters on this page are from Nether Kellet school in Lancashire. Check out their web site HERE Parking - this is a recurring issue "People parking in the square" was just one of the comments. The School and HOTV have been trying to discourage this, and the Parish Council has issued a statement, but it continues to be a problem. Official parking restrictions have been considered , any ideas would be welcomed. Personal Pledges - several people have said that they are already committed to driving at no more than 20 m ph through the centre of the village. If this could reach a significant number , traffic generally would be slowed down. Are there other areas where pledges could be made? Parish Council - "Spend some Community Infrastructure Levy money on signs telling people how fast they are going ." The SID (speed indicator devices) in North Curry appear to have been so successful that the Parish Council is planning on buying and installing three more in the village. This has been raised at a parish council meeting in Stoke, but no conclusion has been reached. Do you think it would be worth campaigning for this to happen? There is still a large pot of CIL money to be spent on village infrastructure. Safer Walkways - "Make it safer for people to walk, cycle and use mobility scooters round the village and separate them more from vehicles. Start with tarmacing the path from Polkes Field all the way to the shop and the school." This is another job for the Parish Council, but it is unlikely to happen unless the people involved make their wishes known and show that there is a need. Please respond to this post if you think this suggestion is a good one envirostoke@yahoo.com and ask your friends who may not use use the internet. Posters - "I would love to see these kind of signs appear all throughout the village. A friendly community message displayed through a variety of graphic signs rather than a law enforced speed restriction I think would have a real impact." This probably sums up an attitude of many of us in the village. We don't want to be told what to do by busybodies, but we accept that traffic is not what it was 60, 40, or even 20 years ago. Is there anyone out there who would like to approach the school with a view to including road safety in the village to a greater extent in the curriculum? If you've read this and any of the ideas grab you as worth following up (or indeed any other suggestions to make Stoke safer), do please get in touch by email, social media, or a note though the letterbox at Stoke House. It would be great if a few people could get together and see how some of these ideas could be moved forward. Anyone willing to stick their head above the parapet?

ENVIROFAIR 24 - Exhibitors Don't forget - ENVIROFAIR 24 - Saturday 1st June - Williams Hall, Stoke St Gregory - 10 am till 4 pm These are some of the organisations who will be waiting to greet you. More next week! Somerset Beekeepers’ Association (SBKA) was set up in 1906 to advance the craft of apiculture and to promote general awareness and understanding of honey bees and holds true to its founding principles today. The provide training, promote best practice and offer advice, support and education to beekeepers and the public. https://www.somersetbeekeepers.org.uk Based on the Somerset Levels, Brew Planet are on a mission to get people feeling, looking and becoming happier in themselves. Not only are all their products strictly ethically sourced, using planet-friendly technologies and techniques; they have an attitude that says no to environmentally damaging products and yes to putting wealth back into our planet’s health. https://www.brewplanet.co.uk Climate Action Taunton Sharing ideas and concerns about Climate Change Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064689788292 Dykes Farm is an organic, family run, dairy farm situated in the village of Stoke St Gregory with land on the ridge and low lying levels. Grass is grown to feed the herd of 70 holstein friesian, black and white cows. The cows graze the fields in the summer months and are fed on grass silage and hay during the winter, when they are housed. Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/dykesfarmdairy Sharandys Birds of Prey. Sharandy’s Bird Sanctuary will be giving us two sessions of their ‘Owl Experience’. Sharandys Birds of Prey Centre in Chard is both a unique visitor attraction and a raptor rescue centre. With dozens of resident birds and animals and countless sick and injured rescues, it is a veritable hive of activity. A great way to learn about these amazing birds and the work of the centre. Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Sharandys/?locale=en_GB RSPB Located in the Somerset Levels and Moors, the West Sedgemoor reserve is part of England's largest remaining wet meadow system. As such, it is home to large populations of breeding waders in the summer and wildfowl in winter. https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/west-sedgemoor Secret World Wildlife Rescue (SWWR) exists to relieve the suffering of British wildlife and to encourage respect and tolerance for wildlife. They do this by providing a rescue, rehabilitation and release service for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife; inspiring learning and sharing information about British wildlife and delivering professional training https://www.secretworld.org Somerset Waste Partnership. The Fixy representative will be, promoting volunteer-run repair groups and opportunities to get involved. They will also be accepting donations of unwanted smart tech for reuse, including laptops, tablets, mobile phones, digital cameras and other smart devices – data will be securely wiped by Donate IT before items are passed back into the community. https://www.somerset.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-waste/fixy Somerset Wildlife Trust Their work over the decades has slowed the rate at which species have been lost, and has protected important habitats in Somerset but we must now take a more radical and urgent approach and involve many more people in acting locally for nature’s recovery. Small things add up to make a difference. But the challenges nature is facing are vast, so we are all going to have to think bigger, think bolder and take more action together to have the impact that’s needed. https://www.somersetwildlife.org Somerset Wildlands is developing a network of sites throughout the Levels. Each of these will be managed in as light-touch a way as is possible allowing nature to take the lead, and each will be subtly different. Rather than one big rewilded estate, over time this will create numerous ‘wild stepping stones’ - providing refuges and diversity within the overall landscape, and adding something to the existing mix of managed nature reserves and farmland. https://www.somersetwildlands.org Do come and meet them Williams Hall, Stoke St Gregory, TA3 6HA 10 am - 4 pm Saturday 3rd June 2023

ABOUT US For details of the Steering Group see HERE Vision Statement A rural community that is friendly, inclusive and resilient where people share skills, ideas, knowledge, experience and time. A connected and healthy community, where everyone can get around with minimal carbon emissions. A green community that is rich in wildlife, that encourages biodiversity and cares for all species. An empowered community, where every individual can make a positive difference for the benefit of all. A socially responsible and sustainable community where we actively care for our environment and the wellbeing of current and future generations. Mission Statement ​ ​ To share information, enabling constructive dialogue around sustainability and supporting positive behaviour change To identify opportunities to support and enable the reduction of carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases and waste To respect, protect and restore our natural environment by fostering greater community awareness To create a self-reliant and environmentally resilient Parish where community cohesion and well-being are enhanced Objectives To make a positive contribution towards finding practical and affordable ways of reducing carbon emissions in our community To champion environmental awareness by working with all ages and experience and sharing reliable information that will lead towards a greater understanding of our impact on the natural world To support our natural world, and where possible, increase the diverse range of birds, plants, insects and mammals in our community To promote practises that have a positive and lasting benefit on our environment To encourage participation and inclusivity in the group’s work leading to an improvement in personal wellbeing and sense of belonging

Bat Detectives Saturday 2nd or Sunday 3rd September 2023 Williams Hall Stoke St Gregory Somerset Bat Group Stoke St Gregory Environment Group Somerset Wildlife Trust 7.15 - 9.30 pm Book HERE FREE This event is weather dependent as it needs to be a dry and not windy early evening, so it will hopefully be on either the Saturday or the Sunday evening. We will be learning how to use a Bat Detector, which attaches to a phone and working in small groups to see how many species and numbers of bats we can identify in the village. It will be a fun evening and suitable for all ages. Children need to be accompanied by an adult. ​ This is a FREE event, but PLEASE do BOOK via the SWT Web Site - HERE Starting out at Stoke-St-Gregory Village Hall you’ll get a short briefing, collect a bat detector and your group will head out to an area within Stoke-St-Gregory parish (including Curload, Woodhill and Meare Green). Please note that you will need to arrange your own transport to get to your survey location. Once you have surveyed your area you will head back to base to return your kit and find out the results. Please be aware that this is not a guided walk and your team will not be accompanied by a member of staff or volunteer during the survey This event is part of the Somerset BIG BAT COUNT It's your chance to get involved in real-time, night-time monitoring of bat species and use the very latest, cutting edge bat detecting technology to collect data. The more data we collect about the county’s bats, the better we can conserve the habitats they call home. I f you would like to find out more about Somerset bats have a look at the Somerset Bat Group's web site HERE

Recycle Your Smart Tech Is your old computer still working, but you now have an upgrade? Stop before you throw the old one out! With a few quick repairs your old machine could make someone else’s life a bit easier. Not all old computers and electronics are disassembled. Machines that are in working condition may be donated to low-income families, underfunded organisations, or schools. This gives adults and children across the world access to the technology they need, but might not have been able to afford. Did you know that over 40 million tons of electronic waste are discarded every year? Because of this astounding number, recycling old computers and other electronics is more important than ever. Materials in old computers can be used again, and working machines can be donated to schools and charities. Computers and other electronics contain hazardous materials, like carcinogens, lead, and mercury. If an old computer is dumped in landfill, these nasty substances can leach into the atmosphere and waterways. Polluting can be harmful to plants, animals, and humans, too. When recycling old computers, the computers are disassembled. Many of the parts can be broken down into raw materials to be used again in new electronics. This means reducing the need to mine finite resources. The metals removed from an old computer’s circuit board, for example, can be used again in a new computer’s circuit board – so nothing goes to waste. If you’re looking to buy a new computer, it’s worth checking out any trade-in deals available at computer retailers. Some are willing to give a discount to those who bring in their old device. Natural resources are not unlimited. We need to reuse resources we already have. When using recycled materials, less resources, energy, and money is needed to manufacture new products. So what’s happening at this year’s ENVIROFAIR? Somerset Waste Partnership’s Fixy initiative will be there and will happy to receive any smart tech equipment you are willing to donate. They will accept donations of unwanted laptops, tablets, mobile phones, digital cameras and other smart devices. All data will be securely wiped before items are passed back into the community. If it’s working or repairable it will help bridge the digital divide between t he rich and the not so rich. If you can’t get to the ENVIROFAIR ? You can donate your smart tech at one of DonateIT’s collection points across Somerset and other parts of the South West. One such is Langport Library, Whatley, Langport TA10 9RA. Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 10am - 4pm. Sat 10am to 4pm More details at https://donateit.co.uk

Williams Hall Stoke St Gregory 10 am - 4 pm FREE ENTRY Saturday 1st June sees Stoke Environment Group’s Fourth Annual ENVIRONMENT DAY in the Williams Hall, Stoke St Gregory - Free Entry & plenty of free parking. Make a note in your diary - it will be ‘Serious Fun For All The Family’. If you came to either of the first three ENVIROFAIRS you only need to know that this one will be even bigger and better. Have look HERE at some of the contributors Plant Table We Need Seeds, Seedlings & Plants For Our Plant Table PlantTable Please think about it NOW . If you are planting seeds, can you sow a few more in another container to l et us have on the day? If you have some plants you are thinning, can you pot them up now, so they have time to root? ​ And can you make sure you label them? Please drop them off to the Village Hall as early as you can on the morning of Saturday 1st June. If you can't be around then, please drop them off at Trevor & Jane's, Birch House, Woodhill , Stoke St Gregory as near as possible beforehand. Bring something with you & take something away; or just bring something with you; or just take something away. All free, but there will be a pot for donations. If you have somewhere you could display a poster please download and print this one HERE Fixy

Stoke St Gregory villagers, young and old, gathered last Saturday to plant 120 metres of native hedging around their Village Hall. About 500 whips of 14 different species were planted, being sourced from Reimagining The Levels and the Woodland Trust. Apart from the general benefits to the local environment, the new hedge will provide an important wildlife corridor from the hedge in Dark Lane to the one in Slough Lane. Roads, buildings and arable fields create huge barriers to wildlife. By filling in the gaps and connecting what must seem like an impossible obstacle course, wildlife - both great and small - can move safely from one place to another. This is the first environmental project organised by Stoke Environment Group that directly involved members of the community. We hope and believe that this will encourage community ownership of the hedge and the project overall. Wildlife Corridors Roads, buildings and arable fields create huge barriers to wildlife. By filling in the gaps and connecting what must seem like an impossible obstacle course, wildlife - both great and small - can move safely from one place to another. But it’s not just tunnels under motorways, or even hedges round village halls. We can all help to make smaller corridors within our village, especially from garden to garden. Winter is the best time to start. With some of the vegetation died back we can see what’s what. For ideas, have a look at this RSPB page HERE Below is a list of the species that were planted A Big Thank You to everyone - of all ages - who turned up to make this a truly 'Community Planting Day' Amongst the young people helping was Cecily Arthurs, aged 7½, Kingfisher Class, Stoke St Gregory School, who gave this interview: Why do you think it is important to plant hedges? C: Because it makes homes for wildlife and makes more oxygen in the air. Did you enjoy planting the hedge? C: Yes, because I saw lots of worms. And worms mean the soil is healthy. Why do you think it is important to look after the environment in the village? C: Because I have never seen a hedgehog and I really want to see one. And there will be more homes for squirrels.

24th September to 4th October The Big Planting Saturday, 24th September, The Williams Hall, 10am – 4pm Come along and join SEG volunteers planting native British bulbs at The Spinney, the Village Hall and along Willey Road. These will provide food for the early pollinators in the spring and add a touch of colour to brighten up our village for everyone to enjoy! (Refreshments and lunch will be provided). ‘Ways to Save on your Energy Bills’ Wednesday, 28th September, The Williams Hall 1.30pm-2.30pm The Centre for Sustainable Energy will give a talk on how you can make your home even more energy efficient. Hear about the grants available and the ‘Low Cost, No Cost’ actions you can take to reduce energy use and cut your bills. Get independent advice on suppliers, tariffs, billing, meters, payment plans and debt. The Big Swap Saturday, 1st October, The Williams Hall, 10am – 4pm Come along with any items you no longer use or need and would like to swap for something new to you! Clothes, toys, furniture, tools etc. Book a table or just come along on the day. A fun way to meet up with neighbours and share! Refreshments available. Email: envirostoke@yahoo.com Website: www.envirostoke.org

STOKE FOOD PARTNERSHIP Stoke St Gregory, Somerset, England stokefood@yahoo.com Back HERE to Stoke Food Partnership Home Page FOOD WASTE (Using All We Can ) As UK households we waste 6.5 million tonnes of food every year, 4.5 million of which is edible. We’re not just talking egg shells or chicken bones. We mean the last few bites from my plate that I couldn’t quite manage, or bread crusts, or potato peelings – all stuff which could have been transformed into something delicious. " Love Food Hate Waste" (Web site HERE ) is a very good starting point for anyone interested in reducing the amount of food they waste. As they point out: "The average family of four can save just over £60 per month by reducing their food waste. Whether you’re doing the food shop or ordering a meal at a restaurant, every decision is an opportunity to save food from the bin. If you don’t want a side salad, ask for your meal without it. If you won’t make good use of the extra portion, don’t be tempted by it. And if you can’t finish your main, ask for a doggy bag! Food is made to be loved, so that’s what we should do." Stoke St Gregory & North Curry Homegrown Swap Shop is a great way of cutting down on waste food if you have a surplus - from your garden or an unwanted BOGOF offer. Their Facebook page is HERE Spare plants are also always welcome. Just leave stuff on the shelves outside the Wagon House, Meare Green. The BBC 'Good Food' Section has some useful material on food waste (see HERE ) Reminding us that misshapen, marked, discoloured or oddly sized fruit and vegetables often don’t meet the standards of the marketplace (up to 20-40% are thrown away before even leaving the farm). There are suggestions and recipes to help avoid throwing away leftovers and surplus food. What Can We Do? Your suggestions and examples of your own experience would be very welcome. Let us know what you do at home to cut down on waste food and we'll post the suggestions here. Please contact us at stokefood@yahoo.com

ROUND ROBIN - 07 - April 2023 Click HERE ​ ROUND ROBIN - 01 - December 2022 WELCOME TO STOKE ST GREGORY’S NEW BLOG ON ALL THINGS ENVIRONMENTAL, SPONSORED BY SEG. WE HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THIS PUBLICATION, FIND IT USEFUL, ENTERTAINING AND INFORMATIVE. WHAT CAN I DO? GO TO:Change.org ‘The World’s Platform for Change’ This is the largest platform for global social change, founded 2007, as a non-profit foundation.This a simple way to support multiple causes. You can just tick, share or donate as you wish. In 2019, the young sisters Ella and Caitlin took on McDonald’s and Burger King to ban plastic toys in their kids’ meals. They achieved over 560,000 votes on change.org. In 2019 Burger King banned plastic toys. McDonald’s attempted to give a choice of toy or fruit - eventually 2 years later they have capitulated (paper and soft toys). This is in the UK only. The irony is these plastic toys are now being sold as collectors items. At least they are not all going to landfill. *************************************************** The Wild Life Trust: ‘Changing Nature’, have made a climate risk assessment on their estate of nearly 400 sq. miles. They are campaigning to see increased efforts from governments, business, and other landowners. You can read on line their Impact Reports: wildlifetrusts.org. To join Somerset group: £3.50 per month. This dynamic organisation has many campaigns and ways you can support or be involved. ENGLAND’S TOP LAND HOLDERS (ACRES) Forestry Commission 489,814 National Trust 474,641 Ministry of Defence 397,098 Crown Estate 264,233 United Utilities (water companies) THE CUP THAT CHEERS: ‘Plastic’ free tea bags is often misleading. PG tips uses PLA (Polylactic Acid) from plant fibre, which will not break down in your compost. Tetley, Yorkshire are following suit, Twinings have plans for 2025. Pukka, Teapigs, Whittard use various plant fibres and pulps - but these still need commercial composting. Break open to compost leaves, put the bags in your food disposal box. Best option? Buy loose tea sustainably packaged such as Pukka and Teapigs. Langport Stores sells loose tea; you can take your own container. RECYCLE Plastic bottles eg milk containers: swill out, squeeze and screw on top. Put in Blue bag. Glass containers eg beer bottles, jam jars: Swill out, put glass in box and metal tops in Blue bag. You can put small tops inside an empty can then squeeze shut. Stoke telephone box - next year we hope to make this a recycling depo for blister packs. SEG has grubbed out and planted the bank next to the box. HOT TOPS FOR KEEPING WARM Invest in hot water bottles, they make cosy portable heaters. Put behind your knees for best effect. Thermal underwear can be very expensive. Wear several thin layers to trap body heat. Have a thick blanket on your settee to snuggle into. Wear warm slippers in the house. Hats and gloves outside - or in the house or even in bed. Body extremities are where you loose most heat. A curry, chilli or soup will warm you up. A cup of tea warms your inside and hands! Keep doors closed, use draught excluders eg: curtains, sausages - I made mine from an old pyjama legs stuffed with the rest of the pyjamas. When you turn the oven off leave the door open for residual heat to escape (not if you have young children). GREEN GARDENING I recently decided that my garden lacked one important element - water. I didn’t want a pond, risk hazard for the grandchildren, expensive to install and a lot of maintenance. So I went much, much smaller. I re-purposed an old washing up bowl, two plastic boxes and one small tin tray. I put gravel and stones in the bottom of each and filled up with rain water, or you can use tap water that has stood for a couple of days. The tin tray I filled almost to the top with small pebbles to make a bee bar. The bowl and a small box have been inserted into an old pallet. NO PLASTIC PLEASE SANTA! You can eat Quality Street this Xmas without feeling guilty. They are introducing paper wrappings. This will remove 2.5 billion pieces of packing from their industry, per year. Smarties have also gone plastic free. Sweet! ****************************** At Xmas we use in the UK roughly 300,00 tonnes of wrapping paper and card, and 1000,000 tonnes of plastic - 80% of which is toy packing. Use paper tape, eg. Naturally Wrapt (online) or tie with string, ribbon, raffia. Use recycled/recyclable wrap. Eco friendly wrap sold at our shop. Buy second-hand toys/books/games, or from charity shops. Buy your Xmas vegetables/fruit loose from a local farm. Homemake crackers, or make little boxes filled with sweets (Smarties and Quality Street?) or festive gingerbread. Don’t buy any cards wrapped in plastic. Children find it great fun to make their own cards, or make new cards from old. Send Xmas postcards instead, like the Victorians. See Eco Craft (online) for sourcing and inspiration. XMAS RECIPE PANZANELLA SALAD great use for stale bread, cheap and filling. 2 lb ripe tomatoes, cut into small chunks and deseeded 1 red onion thinly sliced 3/4 lb thick bread cut into small cubes lightly tossed in olive oil Cucumber, thin slices cut into 1/2 moons Sauce: 2 tblsp Red/White wine or cider vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, basil, crushed garlic, seasoning. Put bread on a tray and bake 180 C fan until crunchy but not brown. Drain tomatoes and put juice to the side. Mix onion, cucumber and tomatoes. Add cooled bread. To tomato juice add sauce ingredients and whisk until thick. Pour over bread and stir together. Chill for 6 hours. There are lots of variations to this recipe. You could add olives, roast peppers, anchovies or capers. ……………………………………………………………………… Shockingly we waste about 8 million tonnes of food a year in the UK (latest figures available 2018) LEFT OVERS: Use stale bread for: Stuffing the turkey, or make into balls with herbs and onions, or bread sauce. Coating homemade burgers, patties, fish, chicken fillets. Mix with grated cheese and use as a gratin topping, grill or bake. Make garlic bread, crostini, brochette or croutons. Bread and butter pudding or bread pudding all good cheap fillers. SPREADING THE COST: An easy way to make your butter go further is to make your own spread. Put 200g of salted butter in a bowl and beat until soft. Add 100ml oil of your choice and mix slowly at first, then increase speed for approx 2 mins until homogeneous (well mixed). It may look too soft but when chilled it will be fine.This is a healthier as it reduces the saturated fats found in butter. ………………………………………………………… If you have any have any queries about this publication please contact Karen Housego email: housego20@yahoo.com uk The research and content of the Round Robin is done to the best of our abilities.Let us know if there has been a big blunder, for the little ones please forgive us. JOIN US AND TURN THE WORLD AROUND Contact: envirostoke@yahoo.com MOBILE PHONES What is 3TG? It is an umbrella term for ‘Conflict Materials’ eg. Tantalum, Tungsten and Gold - the mining of these is linked to human suffering, pollution and destroys ecosystems. We no longer have a law against regulating this (EU law 2021). How can I cut my phone carbon emissions? They create around 1% of global greenhouse emissions. Most of the carbon foot print is in the making of a phone - a 2 year phone will be 52.5kg - 10 years later 10.5kg. It is estimated that currently there are 55 million unused phones in the UK. So the solution is simple and so much cheaper - buy a 2nd hand phone. The longer you take to write and read an email the more emissions, more if you copy in lots of people and send attachments. Avoid unnecessary emails eg: ‘LOL’, gifs, emojis and images. If we each sent one less ‘Thank you’ each day, the UK would save more than 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year. Research has found that we check our phones every 5 minutes, we spend on average 4 hours per day on the phone (LSE 2021). What are Smart Phones Made Of ? (average phone) 25% Silicon, 23% Plastic, 20% Iron, 14% Aluminium, 7% Copper, 6% Lead, 2% Zinc, 1% Tin, 1% Nickel, 0.03% Barium, tiny amounts of Gold, Palladium, silver. How do I buy an environmental and ethical phone? Look for the TCO Certified label - https://tcocertified.com/ product-finder (Ethical Consumer 199 Nov/Dec 2022) Oxfam shops now take unwanted or broken phones to recycle.

BACK to Footpaths & Footways BACK to Projects BACK to Stoke Environment Home Page STOKE FOOTPATH GROUP has put together 8 Circular Walks of varying lengths all starting in the square where there is parking, and also refreshments and toilets when the shop or the pub is open. These walks can easily be changed in length by cutting out bits or combining a part of one with another. ​ If you would like to know more about the FOOTPATH GROUP , and maybe get involved , see the bottom of this page. ​ Just Click on the Walk Numbers ​ Walk 1 Huntham - Windmill - Sedgemoor - Huntham 3.7kms 2.3mls Walk 2 West Sedgemoor - Woodhill - Dark Lane 8kms 5mls Walk 3 Collickshire - Curload Hill - Playing Fields 2.7kms 1.7mls Walk 4 North and South of Huntham Lane 3.3kms 2mls Walk 5 West Sedgemoor and Curry Moor Ridge 7.5kms 4.7mls Walk 6 Above and along the River Tone 7.2kms 4.5mls Walk 7 River Tone - Windmill Hill - Willows and Wetlands Centre 3.1kms or 4.1kms 1.9mls or 2.5mls Walk 8 Dark Lane - Woodhill - East Deane Way - Main Drain - Pincombe Drove 5.7kms 3.5mls Walk 8a Extension of Walk 8 to Stathe & North Drove ​ If you are up for trying some new walks, have a look at our 'Beta Walks' page HERE and give us some feedback Since the summer of 2021 individuals and small groups have been out and about cutting back and trimming around stiles and along some of our footpaths. This is being done with the agreement of the landowners concerned. The footpath group was formed in the summer of 2021 as an offshoot of the Stoke Environment Group. The aim is to encourage people to walk round and across fields and vary their walks to get to know the lovely countryside that surrounds the village. Footbridge from Dunfield Space to Walk Initially, the members of the group cleared stiles, bridges and gates of brambles and nettles to make them easier to navigate. Subsequently, following various trials, the group has put together directions and maps for eight local walks of various lengths - all starting in the village square. This helps people who are new to the village (and those who have never found the footpaths) and has helped ensure that people stick to the rights of way. Some of these were shown at the 2021 Envirofair with a lot of interest from those attending. These are now available below as downloadable and printable pdf files, and some printed copies are available in the cafe (jar for donations towards printing costs) . More will follow starting from different places in the village. The group has also replaced missing arrows and ‘re-yellowed’ faded arrows to make them easier to follow. Landowners have generally been co-operative and accepting of our help. The group has regular meetings and ideas for improvements are always forthcoming. The 'Clammer' in Slough Lane If you would like to be involved, please contact: Sarah Evans ssrs@btopenworld.com 07970 856798 or Email envirostoke@yahoo.com ​