Uncategorized – XR MILTON KEYNES

Climate Cafe MK “CLIMATE ANXIETY: COPING AND HOPING”
Saturday 4th March 2-4pm (doors 1:45pm). Great Linford Memorial Hall, March Drive MK14 5AX.
Free entrance – speakers and co-listening session – children’s activities – networking and refreshments.
climatecafemk.co.uk climatecafemk@gmail.com

TRANSITION TOWN MK – MK SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA DISCUSSION – WED 1ST MARCH

Wednesday 1st March 7pm until 8:15pm (doors 6:45pm). AIIMI Ltd 100 Avebury Blvd MK9 1FH.
Special guest speakers, Milton Keynes Councillors: David Hopkins (Conservative Party), Jenny Wilson Marklew (Milton Keynes Labour Party) and Paul Trendall (Liberal Democrat Party). To register:
www.eventbrite.com/e/transition-town-milton-keynes-monthly-social-evening-tickets-469515632897

XR MK MONTHLY MEETINGS MARCH & APRIL 2023

Mondays 6th March and 3rd April 7-8:30pm – a zoom invite will be sent out beforehand.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL – PODCAST

“Reasons to be Cheerful” brings Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloyd together with smart thinkers and inspiring
campaigners from around the world. Each week, Ed and Geoff unearth bold ideas to create a better
society: www.cheerfulpodcast.com/reasons-to-be-cheerful-ed-miliband-geoff-lloyd

December 2022 – update

December 24, 2022 by user

To view a PDF version of this newsletter, click here.

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday and New Year from all at XR MK!

PLANET “A” PODCAST

A podcast on climate change hosted by the Danish Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities Dan Jørgensen. Inviting some of the world’s leading experts, policy makers and activists to share their thoughts with us. Not only to address the challenges and dilemmas inherent in climate change. But also to talk about its possible solutions. Listen here.

BREAKING NEWS! FRANCE STARTS BAN ON SHORT HAUL FLIGHTS

For information on this amazing ban: https://electrek.co/2022/12/05/france-to-ban-short-haul-flights/

LINKS FROM TRANSITION TOWNS MK

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TransitionMK/permalink/5207280692705625/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TransitionMK/permalink/5212626108837750/
https://mailchi.mp/e702e76ec310/eco-design-consultants-news-9513169?e=7797e3c1eb

NEXT UK REBELLION

For information – extinctionrebellion.uk/next-uk-rebellion/
To volunteer – volunteer.extinctionrebellion.uk
If you are thinking of going to a protest and would like to travel with the MK group then please email us.

JUST STOP OIL

JSO has attracted significant attention of late with its blockades of fuel depots and motorways. To register for one of the Zoom talks (Tuesdays at 7pm and Sundays at 5pm) and for the current JSO event calendar juststopoil.org/events/JSO on Eventbrite eventbrite.co.uk/o/just-stop-oil-40080441803

COMMUNITY ACTION MK CLIMATE CHANGE INFO

For a whole host of local information and resources https://communityactionmk.org/climate-change/

LISTENING CIRCLES AND ACTIVE LISTENING SESSIONS

If you are interested in finding out a bit more and organising or joining a circle or session, please contact Christina (for listening circles) at sparklingmind@hotmail.com or Patricia (for active listening sessions) at patricia@goleencottage.com. “With the gift of listening, comes the gift of healing.”

NEXT XR MK MONTHLY MEETING – JANUARY 2023

Next regular monthly meeting – Monday January 16th 7-8:30pm – please email us for details.

A “PORTRAIT” OF MK – THE MK DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS GROUP

The MK Doughnut Economic group is constructing a ‘portrait’ of MK, through data, which describes how thriving and safe its people and nature are.

It is a new way of looking at the economy, finding a ring of equilibrium where we are no longer degrading the planet but we still support everyone to achieve a sustainable standard of life, and it is finding favour with a range of governing bodies from Amsterdam to Exeter! (Here is a link to more information on Doughnut Economics: https://doughnuteconomics.org/about-doughnut-economics)

The group has begun the discussion with MK Council through the Cabinet Member for Sustainability and to gather the data to flesh out the Portrait. We are also about to reach out to community-focussed organisations to ask them to help not only to collect the data, but also to aid with having the conversations at grassroots level because DE is a tool for facilitating people to change their understanding of climate change but also what they can do about it.

On Wednesdays mornings we have been using a workspace in CMK and hope to continue that arrangement in 2023. We also hold regular evening meetings.

If you want to know more or get involved please contact Wendy Sale, initially -via Transition Town MK: https://www.transitiontownmk.org/contact-us/

WHY CLIMATE AND ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGNERS HAVE COMMON CAUSE

December 12, 2022 by user

by Chris Coppock

I recently attended Oxfordshire Peace Campaign’s day-school exploring common ground
between the anti-war and climate campaigns. Speakers included Dr Larch Maxey, a co-founder of XR, and Dr Rebecca Johnson, a leading international campaigner against nuclear weapons. However, rather than simply precising their talks, I set down a few thoughts on arriving home:

Tackling climate change depends on international co-operation, not competition or
conflict. CC doesn’t respect borders.

The colossal financial and human resources wasted on weapons and warfare could
instead help to combat or ameliorate CC. In the UK for example as military budgets increase overseas aid is cut.

The scramble for fossil fuels drives great-power tensions, e.g. the Arctic Ocean, pipeline
routes anywhere and, as one speaker argued, the war in Ukraine. Fossil-fuel producing states generally lack human rights/democracy, with troops used to suppress unrest e.g. the Gulf states, Iran. In poor countries CC impacts (e.g. drought or floods) drive displacement, tension and war. The former colonial powers (e.g. UK, US or France in C. Africa) respond with special forces, drones and securitizing our borders against refugees. “National security” trumps human security. Militaries have a huge Carbon-footprint even when not at war—an estimated 6% of the global total—yet this is excluded from C-accounting (e.g. Paris Agreement) and poorly reported, if at all.

The US military (over 800 bases worldwide, 13 in Britain) is the world’s largest C-emitter and a major polluter. The F35-A fighter now arriving (with new US nuclear bombs) at “RAF” Lakenheath, Suffolk, burns an unprecedented 1,480 gallons per hour. “Greening” the military, if at all, aims purely at tactical advantage. Wars—including post-war reconstruction–greatly increase the C-bootprint, also pollution and ecosystem disruption.

Even a “limited” or “localized” nuclear war (e.g. the 40 x 100kT warheads on one UK Trident sub) could cause massive CC by injecting soot into the stratosphere and wrecking the ozone layer. Global average temperatures could drop eight degrees (a “nuclear winter”) crippling global food production so billions—if they survived–would starve. Nuclear power is not peaceful: it was developed to provide weapons-grade material and creates a requirement for military-style security. It is also—as shown in Ukraine—incredibly vulnerable in a war zone.

November 2022 – update

November 11, 2022 by user

To view the PDF version of this update, click here.

Community Action MK climate change info

For a whole host of local information and resources https://communityactionmk.org/climate-change/

LINKS FROM TRANSITION TOWN MK

NEXT UK REBELLION

For information – extinctionrebellion.uk/next-uk-rebellion/

To volunteer – volunteer.extinctionrebellion.uk

If you are thinking of going to any protests and would like to travel with the MK group then please email us.

JUST STOP OIL

JSO has attracted significant attention of late with its blockades of fuel depots and motorways. JSO also held two meetings in MK recently, and is running NVDA (non-violent direct action) workshops across the country.

Arrestable roles and plenty of support roles are available. To register for one of the Zoom talks (Tuesdays at 7pm and Sundays at 5pm) and for the current JSO event calendar click here.

To follow JSO for the current JSO event calendar click here.

CLIMATE CAFE MK

Are you Dreamin’ of a green Christmas? The next CCMK event is a Green Fair on Saturday November 19th from 2-4:15pm at The Old Bathhouse in Wolverton. See here for the event flyer.

Volunteers needed – for details email climatecafemk@gmail.com

Greta Thunberg to skip ‘greenwashing’ Cop27 climate summit in Egypt

www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/31/greta-thunberg-to-skip-greenwashing-cop27-climate-summit-in-egypt

LISTENING CIRCLES AND ACTIVE LISTENING SESSIONS

NEXT XRMK meeting and outreach/leafletting dates for 2022

Next regular monthly meeting – Monday November 14th from 7-8:30pm – please email us for details.

Our next outreach is on Saturday 19th November at the Climate Cafe MK event – please see details above.

Why climate and anti-war campaigners have a common cause (by Chris Coppock)

CC doesn’t respect borders: tackling it depends on international co-operation, not competition or conflict.
The colossal financial and human resources wasted on weapons and warfare could instead go to combat or ameliorate CC. In the UK for example, as military budgets increase overseas aid is cut.
The scramble for fossil fuels drives great-power tensions, e.g. Arctic Ocean, pipeline routes anywhere and arguably the war in Ukraine.
Fossil-fuel producing states often lack human rights/democracy, with troops used to suppress unrest e.g. the Gulf states, Iran.
In poor countries CC impacts (e.g. drought or floods) cause displacement, tension and war. The former colonial powers (e.g. UK, US or France in C. Africa) respond with special forces, drones and securitizing our borders against refugees. “National security” trumps human security.
Militaries have huge C-footprint even when not at war—estimated at 6% of the global total—yet this is excluded from C-accounting (e.g. Paris Agreement) and poorly reported if at all. The US military (over 800 bases worldwide, 13 in Britain) is the world’s largest C-emitter and a major polluter. The F35-A fighter now arriving (with new US nuclear bombs) at “RAF” Lakenheath, Suffolk, burns an unprecedented 1,480 gallons per hour. “Greening” the military, if at all, is purely for tactical advantage.
Wars—including post-war reconstruction–greatly increase the C-bootprint, also pollution and ecosystem disruption.
Even a “limited” or “localized” nuclear war (the 40 x 100kT warheads on one UK Trident sub are enough) could cause massive CC by injecting soot into the stratosphere and wrecking the ozone layer. Global average temperatures could drop eight degrees (a “nuclear winter”) crippling global food production so billions – if they survived – would starve.

(Nuclear power is not the answer: it was developed to provide weapons-grade material and requires military-style security.)

October 2022 – update

October 8, 2022 by user

To view the PDF version of this update, click here.

COMMUNITY ACTION MK CLIMATE CHANGE INFO

For a whole host of local information and resources https://communityactionmk.org/climate-change

XR MK MONTHLY MEETING

October regular monthly meeting – Monday October 17th from 7 – 8:30pm – please email us for details.

NEXT UK REBELLION

From October 14th – 16th in London, and for 2023 information https://extinctionrebellion.uk/next-uk-rebellion/.

If you are thinking of going and would like to travel with the MK group then please email us.

JUST STOP OIL

Arrestable roles and plenty of support roles are available. To register for one of the Zoom talks (Tuesdays at 7pm and Sundays at 5pm) and for the current JSO event calendar click here.

To follow JSO for the current JSO event calendar click here.

CLIMATE CAFE MK

Are you Dreamin’ of a green Christmas? The next CCMK event is a Green Fair on Saturday November 19th from 2-4:15pm at The Old Bathhouse in Wolverton. See here for the event flyer.

THE GREAT BIG GREEN WEEK

September 24th to October 2nd – for more information click here.

LISTENING CIRCLES AND ACTIVE LISTENING SESSIONS

OUTREACH/LEAFLETING DATE FOR SEPTEMBER

Saturday September 10th from 10:30am-12:30pm outside Marks and Spencer in the city centre. Join us!

OUTRAGE & OPTIMISM – PODCAST

Searching for something new to listen to? Look no further than Outrage & Optimism – featuring interviews with leading figures in the global climate change movement, from politicians to activists, this entertaining, enlightening and always inspiring podcast lives up to both parts of its name. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

HS2 ACTION – HELP!

April 5, 2022March 29, 2020 by Caroline Thomson Smith

Where do I start… despite COVID-19 restrictions and the guidelines from a government that people should only attend for essential work, HS2 is still ploughing ahead.

In a call with the complaint line duty manager the justification for this is that it is deemed to be “essential work for the company”. What!!.

Well, this essential work takes the form of destruction to ancient woodland, removal of ancient soils felling of trees and tearing up of hedgerow with associated wildlife crime being committed routinely.
Not to mention, HS2 itinerant workers are sent in from all areas of the country to the HS2 sites, a virulent vector for the transmission of COVID-19.

People within walking distance of the sites are taking their daily exercise to document the destruction and to protest stop the works wherever possible.

For those of you who cannot get out to the sites there is plenty that you could do to stop this heinous project which still does not have notice to proceed from the government.
Given the dire social and economic situation the country is now facing it is increasingly unlikely that this project will ever be finished.

Yet every day more money is being thrown at it more of our environment is being destroyed more wildlife is being lost and people are being placed in danger of COVID-19 infection.
on Thursday, 26th bailiffs moved in to evict a protection camp in Crackley Woods despite the government guidelines that no evictions should be taking place. this was an unexpected move as licence for HS2 to enter the wood has not been granted until the 1st of April, the campus and tree dwellers were taken unawares. these campers have been living as an isolated family unit for several weeks. get bailiffs and HS2 security invaded their home. Those who occuoy the tree houses are now being denied food and water.

What can you do – Make contact, complain MAKE A £$%@ NOISE!!!!!

Follow this link to XR call to action for remote rebels.

In it you will find all useful links to:

HS2 main construction contractors
Sub-contractor company names,
Phone numbers and addresses.
Ministerial Twitter accounts.

And don’t forget to include your MP in communications where appropriate.

Make your concerns and objections known!

Further HS2 background can be found at StopHS2.org

FEBRUARY MEMBERS MEETING & PEOPLE ASSEMBLY

January 30, 2020 by Guy Roberts

We will be hold the meeting in the Crown pub in Stony Stratford on the evening of Tuesday 11 Feb. See the list on the event page for details

As normal we will do the new member welcome and induction in the first half an hour and followed by the main meeting. In this meeting we will also run a Peoples Assembly Session to help XR establish its 2020 strategy.

7:00 – 7:30 New Members Welcome and Induction
7:30 – 9:30 Main Members Meeting & Peoples Assembly
9:30 – Drinks in the Pub

The exact agenda is being worked out and will be posted here. Please use the comments section on this page to add any requests.

Hope to see you there!