Hartstongue - December 2020

Are you worried about climate change? Do you live in the South Hams? Here are some ways to take climate action in the South Hams.

Take action in how you shop. Take action in how you travel. Take action by joining groups. Take action by supporting each other. Take action in non-violent protest.

: Last Updated: 01 October 2021; Hits: 1566

A Net-Zero Task Force has been appointed, which will use its specialist knowledge and experience to produce an evidence-led Devon Carbon Plan. This will consider the earliest, credible, date that should be set for net-zero emissions.

Stages to Creating a 2-Part Devon Carbon Plan

The Interim Devon Carbon Plan will be available for consultation by the end of the year (2020), reflecting the suggestions identified in the public call for evidence and thematic hearings and highlighting issues that require further consideration by a Citizens’ Assembly. We expect to publish the Final Devon Carbon Plan for consultation in 2021, providing more detail on the challenging issues which will have been deliberated on by the Citizens’ Assembly, as and when this event is able to take place.

https://www.devonclimateemergency.org.uk/devon-carbon-plan/

Publication of a draft Interim Devon Carbon Plan 8th December 2020

We are, therefore, delighted to introduce the consultation draft of the Interim Devon Carbon Plan, produced at our invitation by the Net-Zero Task Force, who have generously volunteered their time and expertise. This Plan shows how we can deliver collectively on our ambition for a net-zero Devon.

The transformational change outlined through this ambitious document will be challenging, but it also highlights many new opportunities for Devon. The Plan requires investments, but the return on investment is clear for the climate, the environment and the health of Devon’s citizens, as well as for the many economic opportunities it presents.

Collaboration has been essential to the development of the Plan, with the input of much expertise by Devon’s citizens in the Thematic Hearings and in response to the Public Call for Evidence, from which the Plan has taken shape. The ongoing information sharing and collaboration of the partner organisations has also been valuable in informing the Plan.

https://www.devonclimateemergency.org.uk/interimcarbonplan/?cat_id=2572

The Task Force has assessed all available data and contributions from the evidence gathering phase to identify which actions can be adopted more easily across Devon. These ideas will be used to produce a draft Interim Devon Carbon Plan that will be published for consultation in December 2020. Ideas that are deemed more controversial or more challenging to implement will be presented to the Citizens’ Assembly in 2021 to ensure the recommendations in the Final Devon Carbon Plan are reflective of the opinions of Devon’s Citizens.

https://www.devonclimateemergency.org.uk/interim-devon-carbon-plan-webinar-series/

: Last Updated: 16 July 2021; Hits: 1339

Read more: Devon Carbon Plan

Ecology sees our world as an ever-changing web of energy and matter. Patterns appear and disappear. Life grows and dies. We look at our world through the lenses, each lens illuminates an aspect of the whole. These notes, inspired by the I Ching, look at a selection of contrasting ideas which can help us to act mindfully in our world.

: Last Updated: 31 May 2021; Hits: 1247

An Energy Performance of Buildings Certificate (EPC) is intended to provide prospective buyers and tenants of a building with correct information about the energy performance of the building and practical advice on improving such performance.

An EPC provides an energy efficiency rating (related to running costs) for a building based on the performance potential of the building itself (the fabric) and its services (such as heating, insulation ventilation and fuels used). Not all buildings are used in the same way, so the energy rating uses 'standard occupancy' assumptions which may be different from the way the building is used.

An EPC includes recommendations on how the energy performance of the building can be improved (to reduce running costs) together with an indication of the payback period. There is no statutory requirement to carry out any of the recommended energy efficiency measures stated.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-performance-certificates-for-the-construction-sale-and-let-of-dwellings

Find an energy certificate Use this service to find energy certificates and recommendation reports for properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

https://find-energy-certificate.digital.communities.gov.uk/

Properties can be rented if they have an energy rating from A to E.

If the property is rated F or G, it cannot be let, unless an exemption has been registered. You can read guidance for landlords on the regulations and exemptions.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance

: Last Updated: 16 February 2021; Hits: 1416

Wikipedia A great conjunction is a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn, when the two planets appear closest together in the sky. Conjunctions occur every 19.6 years, on average, when Jupiter 'overtakes' Saturn in the sky due to the combined effect of Jupiter's approximately 11.9-year orbital period and Saturn's 29.5-year orbital period.

The great conjunction of 2020 will be the closest since 1623. It will occur seven weeks after the heliocentric conjunction, when Jupiter and Saturn shared the same heliocentric longitude. On 21 December at 13:30 UT, Jupiter will be 0.1° south of Saturn and 30° east of the Sun, meaning both planets will be visible in the same telescopic field of view (though they will be distinguishable from each other without optical aid). The two planets will be visible low above the southwestern horizon in the constellation of Capricornus after sunset. From mid-northern latitudes, the planets will be less than 15° in altitude, one hour after sunset.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_conjunction