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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.

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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
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26 June 2019 – lobby our MPs

Don’t miss out on your chance to be part of history. ‘The Time is Now’ aims to be the biggest mass lobby the UK has ever seen – with 10,000 people expected to surround Westminster on 26 June and ask MPs to take strong action for our climate and environment.  Even though our local MPs are generally ‘on side’ it’s important that they know that there are people who do care and will go to Westminster to talk to them. Oxfordshire groups are working to have the largest presence possible.  So if you can help, please register on The Time is Now website. It only takes a minute, and you can see how many others from your area have also signed up.

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‘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.

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We’re still recruiting

LCON has an opportunity available for a talented freelance contractor. The deadline is 28 May 2019, with interviews to be held in the week beginning 3 June. We’ve extended the deadline from the earlier April date to enable us to find the best possible candidate for this important piece of work.

Project manager for the Healthy Streets and Active Travel Low Carbon Hub Community Grants Fund

Do you want to be involved with tackling air pollution in Oxford and making it a healthier, more attractive city to travel in? On behalf of a coalition of community groups, Low Carbon Oxford North is looking for an enthusiastic, capable project manager to help us deliver five, funded activities, starting as soon as possible.  The time commitment is approximately 4 hours a week for nine months but is very flexible. The description of the work and how to apply are available here.

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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.

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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.