Action Briefing December 2006 - January 2007
	The Newsletter of Birmingham Friends of the Earth

Recycling Campaign Victory

More than 1500 people signed our postcard petition over the past few months to ask Birmingham City Council for better recycling facilities.  Already, we can see improvements. So we'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped by signing up and/or working on stalls at various fairs and fetes and to all our members whose subscriptions help us run these campaigns.
This paper version of this newsletter went out, not only to our current members, but also to all those people who signed the petition and said they'd like to be kept in touch with the campaign.
Our demands were to:
Provide doorstep recycling services for every home in Birmingham by 2008.
Collect these basic materials: paper, cardboard, glass, steel cans, aluminium cans, green waste and plastics.
Extend collection to include: oil, electrical goods, batteries, clothing, wood and kitchen waste within 4 years.
The Council has now announced that it will provide a doorstep recycling scheme to all homes not in multiple occupancy for the basic materials by spring 2008.
We're keeping the pressure up and want to ensure that the scheme is as successful and as far-reaching as possible.
This has been one of the biggest campaigns that Birmingham Friends of the Earth has organised, and its success has been due to the amazing response of the people of Birmingham.
As you may know, Birmingham Friends of the Earth (FOE) is an organisation of volunteers who work together to try to improve the environment, locally, nationally and internationally. We are part of the international network of over 5000 Friends of the Earth groups, spread all across the world. In many ways, we are a very lucky group, as we have a building from which we can work, and we don't suffer the kinds of oppression which groups in some countries do!
We also employ a "Campaigns Support Worker" who helps out volunteers by doing things at times they can't make - such as talking to the local press in the daytime or attending meetings with the City Council.
Our campaigns cost money, but they do get results. For example:  in the last big change in local planning law in the city (the "Unitary Development Plan"), we managed to secure extra protection to prevent allotments being built upon; we work hard to ensure that public transport in the city is improved; with other groups across the country, we've pressed and pressed MPs to get a climate change bill before Parliament - now all the main political parties have agreed this is a sensible idea. These changes wouldn't happen without all our campaigners, members and supporters, all ordinary members of the public, who've decided to do their bit to change things for the better.

Take Action

1) Write to or email your local Councillor asking for their response to the recycling petition.  To find out your local Councillor's name, address and email details, go to: http://www.writetothem.com

2) Sign up to our email list for updates once or twice a month.
Email info@birminghamfoe.org.uk

3) Become a member of Birmingham Friends of the Earth (see page 11), to help us campaign and receive our regular newsletter. If you're already a member, why not recruit a friend or pay for a friend’s membership as a gift this Christmas?

4) Come along to one of our campaigns meetings.  We meet at 7.30pm every Monday (except bank holidays) at The Warehouse, 54 Allison St, Digbeth, B5 5TH.

Andy Pryke