Action Briefing Dec 2003 - Jan 2004
	The Newsletter of Birmingham Friends of the Earth

Practical steps for a greener Birmingham

With every seat on Birmingham City Council up for grabs in June 2004, Birmingham Friends of the Earth intends to put the environmental policies of the City Council, present and future, under the spotlight.

After drawing extensively on the inspiration, knowledge and experience of our supporters, both within the local environmental voluntary/NGO sector and beyond, we compiled Practical Steps For A Greener Birmingham, a “green manifesto” to guide and inform the environmental and sustainability policies of City Council election candidates and their respective political parties, all of whom received a copy. Implementing our recommendations would, we think, make life better for people in Birmingham, improve the local environment, and demonstrate a responsible attitude to global environmental concerns, as well as save money and resources and create jobs.

In addition, the document challenges the political parties and candidates to declare their commitment to five key policy objectives before May 12th 2004. These are:

1. Pass a GM-free resolution through the City Council;
2. Implement a Zero Waste Policy and put into the public domain the whole contract between the City Council and Tyseley Waste Disposal in order that an open and transparent renegotiation of the contract can take place. At no stage between now and 2019 increase the capacity of the Tyseley Incinerator;
3. Support the Local Communities Sustainability Bill and seek to implement its recommendations;
4. Oppose the extension of the current runway at Birmingham International Airport and further reject any proposals for a second runway;
5. Adopt a policy to develop a city-wide Combined Heat and Power system and initiate its development.

In brief, the seven major policy areas we addressed were:

1. Resource Management
The Recycling Bill, which passed the House of Lords on Oct 14th 2003, requires all local authorities to introduce a doorstep scheme for at least two recyclable materials, for example glass and paper, by 2010. The City Council faces the possibility of large fines if it does not meet it’s recycling targets of 17% by 2003/4 and 18% by 2004/5.

Birmingham collects 450,000 tonnes of domestic waste each year, but has signed a contract to deliver over 90% of it to the Tyseley Incinerator company, Tyseley Waste Disposal. Government inspectors have severely criticised the financial cost to the City, and the overall costs are rising.

Needless to say we don't consider incineration to be an acceptable alternative to a proper waste strategy. Incineration generates more energy than dumping waste, but much less than would be saved by recycling. Recycling plastic bottles uses eight times less energy than producing new plastic. What's more, incinerators release toxic fumes into the air.

Instead, the Council should aim to provide a doorstep recycling service for at least two recyclables for all households in the City by 2005, to increase to at least eight recyclables by 2010, and support the development of regional recycling processing facilities, ensuring the growth and jobs created by recycling are delivered locally.

2. Economics and Trade
Any sustainable policy on economics and trade must seek to promote local economic growth over global. All parties should commit to strengthening Birmingham’s local economies at appropriate scales so that, depending on the type of goods or services, everything is produced and delivered as locally as possible and that local services are protected.

3. Transport
Rather than comprising a wish list of grand infrastructure schemes, transport policy should be integrated and based around an agreed set of required outcomes. The aim should be to reduce the need to travel by ensuring that local facilities are flourishing and easily accessible by walking, cycling or public transport.

4. Energy
Global Climate Change is potentially the most serious environmental issue, with implications for the lives and livelihoods everyone on the planet. Birmingham Friends of the Earth welcomed the City Council’s decision to sign the Nottingham Declaration in 2002 but since then we have seen little action on the ground in terms of realising the declaration’s objectives.
The Council should develop an energy efficiency strategy which reduces energy usage from 2000 levels by 20% by 2010 along with a renewable energy strategy which exceeds the regional target of 10% from renewable energy sources by 2010.

5. Food and Farming
Sustainable food and farming practices should be a priority for any local authority, even that of a big city like Birmingham. Our recommendations include procuring locally for schools, meals on wheels, and city catering; continuing to support and develop the farmers’ market; publicly supporting the GM-free Britain campaign and demanding GM-free status from the Secretary of State; and protecting City allotment sites from development.

6. Biodiversity and Habitats
All parties must demonstrate a commitment to protecting biodiversity and wildlife habitats and recognise their inestimable contribution to quality of life in the City.

7. Planning
Greenfield sites should stay green while better use is made of existing derelict land and buildings. Planning permission for Greenbelt developments should always be refused where a Brownfield alternative can be found. The Council should insist that all developments above a sensible minimum size are fully and adequately environmentally assessed, and have a net positive environmental impact.

For a free copy of Practical Steps for a Greener Birmingham call James at Birmingham Friends of the Earth on 0121 632 6909. The document can also be viewed online at www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/Greener_Bham.htm

We welcome any suggestions or comments you may have and we will take all the feedback we receive into account when subsequent revisions of the document are undertaken.

James Botham and Andy Pryke