Here’s our weekly selection of news stories gathered from twitter:
Biodiversity
Well done – any fruit trees among them?: RT @WaseemZaffar: 61 new trees planted in Lozells & East Handsworth Ward http://bit.ly/GJfNHe
RT @wwwfoecouk: Interesting news on #bee decline – pesticides and disease makes for deadly combination for bees http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
RT @leohickman: Footage captures final hours of orangutan’s life as Sumatran rainforest around her is destroyed http://bit.ly/GGgEhC
Oceans will provide $2 trillion per year less by the end of the century unless #climate change is abated, says report http://bbc.in/GD0j9m
“@BBCRBlack: How bee reserves are being created on rooftops – great pics @BBCNature http://bbc.in/GFeEkz” #bees #urban #cities
Energy & Climate Change
RT @CraigBennett3: From Business Green: Solar sector hails ‘landmark’ Supreme Court ruling against subsidy cuts http://bit.ly/GVpnId
Visit an eco #SuperHome in Bournville, Birmingham this weekend. Find out how CO2 was cut by 75%. Free open house event http://bit.ly/GFk2G2
RT @BBCRBlack: Fossil fuels ‘stubborn to substitution’, study concludes http://wel.ly/csz
RT @jossgarman: #BP said if blow out, will cause biggest spill in world, just off Scotland. Ed Davey consents it: http://bit.ly/GNKomP
RT @guardianeco: #Budget2012 catch-up:: #Osborne fires starting gun on dash for #gas http://bit.ly/GFyZui by @fionaharvey
RT @BHPlanet: 27/03 Meeting for people in Balsall Heath wanting to make homes energy efficient – how to pay for it! http://bit.ly/GEs555
The “DECC coup”, Nigel Lawson and green taxes: George Osborne and climate change | Carbon Brief: http://bit.ly/GDk65z
Index-linked bonds could replicate Birmingham’s energy saving programme: http://ourbirmingham.org/?p=
RT @dpcarrington: Davey’s ‘dash-for-#gas‘ U-turn means its the Big 6 vs consumers for UK’s #energy and #climate future http://bit.ly/wH3UzH
Tory patriotism fuels wind energy ad campaign: http://bit.ly/ykkdH6
Planning
Responses to two consultations on our website; Eastside Masterplan: http://bit.ly/GUte71 and Places for the Future: http://bit.ly/GUthzO
Hopes rise for Birmingham Wholesale Markets rescue plan: http://bit.ly/GHl2M8 – this does sound promising.
Have this in mind when Mr #Osborne claims his new #planning system / #NPPF will be good for business + economic growth: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/
Tesco wins Birmingham site battle against coop in Stirchley – didn’t see this in the local press: http://bit.ly/GAOMal
Future of Wholesale Markets will not be debated by Bham City Council despite huge petition: http://bit.ly/GAIEmZ – hope it’s reversed in May
RT @SimonBowens: blog post about double standards at @englishheritage – anyone else spotted such political bias? http://bit.ly/AuNy3C
RT @LocaliseWM: New: @RELURUF video policy briefs released!: Managing environmental change at the rural urban fringe: http://s.coop/dytt
Transport
It’s time to really start planning for much higher oil prices. Nothing we can do, so need to ensure smooth transition: http://bbc.in/GS7UkM
RT @birminghampost: #HS2 could see Bham Airport renamed as London-Birmingham, claims chief engineer: http://bit.ly/GQZGuu -why we’re against
RT @AirportWatch: Budget 2012: George Osborne’s fossil-fuelled fantasy is the road to nowhere | Damian Carrington http://gu.com/p/36b8x/tw
RT @BHPlanet: Practical encouragement for people to cycle – looks like a good day coming up at MAC on 28 April http://www.pushbikes.org.uk
Best poster ever for car sharing? RT @orangejon: When you drive alone you ride with Hitler, says @Powellds – http://bit.ly/GDFvkG #BrumCOTF
RT @birminghampost: Midland mways M6 and M42 to be used for 80mph speed limit trial http://bit.ly/GCiCL0 – great 1st for higher death rates
So, Birmingham has 2 of the 10 worst roads/junctions for cyclists in the country. Both where there are supposed to be cycle lanes! #proud
Here is the article on worst places for cycling courtesy of @sustrans http://bit.ly/GCUhs3
New briefing on how to fund 20mph zones – hope that our councillors will be reading this ahead of elections: http://bit.ly/GAGyCC
RT @guardianeco: Rising oil prices threatening airlines’ profits, warns Iata http://bit.ly/GADu3d – how can loss-making industry expand?
Fresh plans launched to pedestrianise Birmingham city centre: http://bit.ly/GAIpsf – more to introduce shared space than pedestrianise
If UK aviation in 2010 was a country it’d be about 73rd in the world ranked on CO2 emissions. 33.45 million tonnes. http://assets.dft.gov.uk/
Privatising roads could worsen tax row between motorists and cyclists: http://bit.ly/wL6H8y – have been worried about mentions of “road tax”
Car sharing in Birmingham takes off as petrol prices rocket http://bit.ly/yza1GL – how can this be bad – less congestion, cleaner air?
Building and widening roads to tackle congestion is a dead-end policy: http://bbc.in/xBhZ9e
Waste & Resource Use
MP proposes laws that would see food waste go to charity – glad it got through first reading: http://bit.ly/GALGXm
I attended a meeting of the Waste and Resource Efficiency delivery group yesterday and will write up my notes shortly.
Others
RT @PositiveMoneyUK: To move towards economic systems that don’t require growth, move away from a debt-based system. http://bit.ly/GNzM7u
Getting a few photos in from our #brumcotf event on Tuesday – here’s the panel: http://yfrog.com/h8bmepkj
Our reaction to the budget can be found here: https://birminghamfoe.org.uk/
#Budget2012 will do nothing to get us off the hook of high fossil fuel prices, @CraigBennett3 tells Guardian http://bit.ly/GE92d9
Austerity, the Budget and the art of not drowning the dog (its not difficult Mr Osborne, you keep the head above water) http://bit.ly/GAlvwi
Julia Slay of NEF kicking off City of the Future debate http://yfrog.com/mnh1yswj #BrumCOTF
RT @EarthSummit2012: Want a 21 hour work week? Fewer hours has social, economic and ecological benefits – @NewEconomics http://bit.ly/xM63cp
