News and Events

by

How to plant a tree

Did you know?

  • Just 13% of the UK’s total land area has tree cover (compared to an EU average of 35%).
  • Doubling UK woodland cover could help absorb 10% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions annually.
  • Not only do trees absorb carbon, they fight flooding, reduce pollution, nurture wildlife and make landscapes more resilient.
  • In a year, a single mature tree can absorb up to about 22kg CO2. That’s roughly equivalent to driving 10 miles in heavy traffic.
  • 100 mature trees can absorb roughly a third of an average annual UK carbon footprint (excluding stuff we buy and international flights).

Every tree counts, and we need more trees in cities like Oxford. If two thirds of all households in Oxford planted just one tree in their garden, we would have an additional 40,000 trees, which in time could grow into the equivalent of a tenth of Wytham Woods!

This short video from the RHS talks you through what you need to consider if you want to plant a tree.

Continue reading →
by

Our chance to take action – have your say on traffic reduction plans for Oxford

Oxford is taking to the streets. Over 5000 children and adults took part in last Friday’s Global Climate Strike, spilling through Broad Street, Cornmarket and surrounding streets, demanding action. This was followed on Sunday by World Car Free Day, as Broad Street was stripped of its car parking and “given back to the people”.

Now is our chance to build on this and help Oxford become a less congested, healthier and more pleasant city to live and work in, reducing its climate impact as well as air pollution: Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council have published ambitious proposals to reduce congestion in Oxford and are inviting the views of residents, commuters and employers. Members of the Coalition on Health Streets and Active Travel, including LCON, will be contributing to the consultation and we encourage everyone to have their say. Find out more,  including how you can respond, here. And check out Cyclox and LCON’s Alison Hill’s column in the Oxford Mail.

  • This is what more of Oxford could be like – CAR FREE Broad St on 22 Sept
by

Calls for poems by XR

Calling all activist poets! Extinction Rebellion Oxford will publish an anthology of poems (planned for the autumn) from people rising up to demand urgent action by local and national governments to halt the deterioration of our planet before it is too late.  Please send your own poems about the climate emergency, the urgent need for radical measures across the world, and the transnational campaigns to put them in place, to: rebtalk@igy50.net by 15 September 2019.

Continue reading →
by

E-Car Club – new Summertown e-car can do 120-150 miles

Back in 2013 LCON partnered with E-Car Club, to provide the residents of Summertown with their very own electric car sharing scheme. This was part of a wider project to combat climate change and improve air quality in and around Oxford.

Six years later and with significantly more members using the service, we’re now delighted to announce that E-Car have launched a brand new, fully loaded Renault Zoe 40KwH to replace the vehicle previously available to the residents of Summertown. The new model, located at the Diamond Place Car Park, offers a much wider charge range of 120-150 miles. This new feature will enable users to travel longer distances without having to worry about re-charging the electric vehicle. To celebrate this, E-Car are offering new members 50% off the sign-up fee (£25 instead of £50) and £10 driving credit. To redeem this special offer, enter DIAMOND19 when prompted during sign up. You can sign up here.

New e-car comes to Summertown
by

‘Old houses, new houses – thoughts on sustainable homes’

We are delighted to announce a public meeting followed by our AGM, at the Baptist Church, Woodstock Road (corner of Beechcroft Road) on Wednesday 3 July at 7pm (doors open 6.30pm).  The evening is open to everyone, so do invite friends. We’d appreciate it if you would RSVP via Eventbrite.

Our theme for this meeting is Cosy Homes Oxfordshire – the new local home energy efficiency retrofit service. Our headline speaker, Charlie Luxton, is an architectural designer and TV presenter who writes and speaks about the environment and sustainable architecture (see article below). His practice Charlie Luxton Design is based in North Oxfordshire and specialises in sustainable housing.

We will also hear from a representative from the Cosy Homes Oxfordshire service and there will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and find out more about the new service.

These discussions will be followed by our Annual General Meeting.

by

Oxford Together on Climate Change – 10,000 actions for our climate

LCON is supporting Oxford Together on Climate Change (OxToCC). This is a major new initiative looking to involve as many people as possible in Oxford and across the county in taking action in their own lives to help tackle climate change (and to tackle the idea that ‘nothing I do will make a difference’. OxToCC is seeking to get people taking 10,000 actions by June.

The OxToCC website has advice and information on actions aorund four key issues – Food, Travel, Money and ‘Making Change Happen’ – please visit the site and choose what you can do. Register the action on site and it counts towards the 10,000 target.

by

LCON responds to the Oxford North proposal

LCON has submitted our objection to the controversial Oxford North development. You can download it here.

In summary we covered:

Energy efficiency and energy supply

We want to see this site (if it goes ahead) pioneering a zero-emission future in energy use in buildings and in transport.  We have strongly objected to the idea that solar PV might be installed ‘subject to roof design’.  Roofs should be designed so that they are suitable for PV panels!

Roads and transport

We have strongly objected to road layout plans. There are no safe and attractive routes into and out of the site for people who walk and cycle. Air quality legislation dictates that no development is permitted to make air quality worse within problem areas, yet this development with its predicted extra car movements will make it worse.

Employment and housing

One of the main reasons for allowing this part of the Green Belt to be built on was ‘poor housing affordability in Oxford and ….. backlog of housing needs’. We have thus objected to the lack of provision of affordable housing, particularly social rented housing.

Public meeting, 18 April: Air quality in North Oxford – what can we do?
by

Public meeting, 18 April: Air quality in North Oxford – what can we do?

Please come to our public meeting on Wednesday 18 April. Our guest speaker at this meeting is Dr Tim Chatterton, who will be talking, among other things, about the Claircity project that he has been involved in. This is about citizen-led interventions to improve air quality, hence the title for his talk: What can we do?

We will start with an update from Allen Shaw on what is happening to monitoring air pollution in Oxford.

The event is part of our work to help inform people in Oxford about the air quality situation, how it is affecting our health and what we can do about it. We are hoping, also, that better informed citizens will result in extra pressure on Oxford City Council to introduce effective policies.

We look forward to seeing our supporters and friends there – it is free and there will be ample time to ask questions and network.

Wednesday 18 April, 19.00 – 21.00
Baptist Church, 198 Woodstock Road
Facebook event page