local matters

ONE in Milton Keynes

The ONE Campaign, sponsored by many of the world’s greatest charitable foundations, hosted a Great Big Green Week event for Milton Keynes. And CA-WN was invited. A diary clash had pushed the event to Saturday 24 June, the week after the official GBGW, which very usefully highlights that if

bookshelf

Less is More - How degrowth will save the world by Jason Hickel

After reading this book, I have become obsessed with the idea of 'less is more' and whether it's possible for society (in developed, industrialised nations) to thrive in a post-growth economy. I have no doubt that the environment will benefit. Ever since studying Economics at A

recipes

Penny’s Blackcurrant Surprise Pudding

What’s for afters? This childhood refrain frequently rang round the table as the family polished off our first course. It was either “afters” or “pud”, never “sweet” or “dessert”, so I make no apologies for calling the following dish a pudding, though in the strictest terms pudding should be

podcastshelf

Your Brain on Climate

Collectively, we know that climate change is a serious threat to our future, and we know what we need to do to avoid the worst effects. But we don’t seem to be doing it, at least not fast enough. So why is our behaviour not in line with the

Join us for tea, cake and even more action on climate

Meet like-minded people at an informal social event at the Grosvenor Centre in Northampton on Saturday 8 July. From 1.30pm we’ll be at the Gatherings Meeting Room on the level above the ground floor just along from the Market Square entrance to the Grosvenor Centre. Please register using

meeting reports

CA-WN Monthly Meeting Notes 15 June 2023

Our guest speaker on the Politics of Climate Change was Dr Caroline Kuzemko, Reader in International Political Economy at Warwick University, and author of numerous books, articles and academic papers. She is also Co-Lead of Warwick's Energy GRP and a member of Warwick's Environment & Social

water

GBGW 2023: There’s no more water

It’s true. All the water in the world is just that, all the water in the world. No one knows how water got here and we can't make more H2O. Welding two parts of hydrogen to one part oxygen doesn't work, unlikely as that seems

business

GBGW 2023: A consumer guide to identifying a sustainable business

As CA-WN Exchange contributor Harry Mellor pointed out in his Great Big Green Week article earlier in the week, three-quarters of all our greenhouse gas emissions come from consuming goods and services. Aside from trying to consume less overall, how do we as consumers try to choose more ‘sustainable’ and

air

GBGW: Clean Air Day 2023

By Dave Pearson - Clean Air Northampton Yes. The 15th June 2023 was Clean Air Day. But shouldn’t everyday be a Clean Air Day? The Council, with statutory duties to ensure the good health of residents, must answer why Northampton is the town with the most polluted air in

individual impact

GBGW 2023: Climate anxiety - a personal journey

People talk about sustainability journeys – that is, starting with small actions such as paying attention to recycling or switching to recycled toilet paper and then progressing to the big carbon-ticket items like installing solar panels or committing to going flight-free. But there’s a whole other journey that I personally

individual impact

GBGW 2023: Why don't we all care about climate change?

While researching the basis of my own climate anxiety, I began to form a picture of why some people don’t seem to care about the climate and biodiversity crises. I try to weave sustainability into every aspect of my life. Every decision I make I have the environment at

nature

GBGW 2023: Why Measuring Matters and How You Can Help

We now know that wildlife and biodiversity in the UK is in a great deal of trouble – Clare Slater wrote about this in a recent editorial for CA-WN Exchange, and the BBC Wild Isles series spelled out the scale of the problem in beautifully filmed colour. A point made in

housing

GBGW 2023: It starts at home

The government figures shown here chart our collective contribution to global climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions. Because everything we do has a climate consequence let’s keep in mind that when it comes to reducing emissions, as they say, every little helps - one way or another. With nearly half a

Welcome to Great Big Green Week 2023

Today is the start of Great Big Green Week, a celebration of community action in fighting climate change and nature depletion. The week-long series of events across the country showcases community projects and is an opportunity to send a message to the government to show that we want greater action

food & farming

GBGW 2023: The Great Food Challenge

Great Big Green Week 2023: Food & Farming

nature

The latest from CA-WN Exchange - June 2023

Often when I speak to people about the environment, the primary concern seems to be around greenhouse gas emissions and global heating. Indeed, the headlines that the 1.5-degree barrier will be breached soon (albeit temporarily for now) really do hook you into the media articles; it doesn’t take

opinion

CA-WN accepts Andrew Lewer's invitation to talk about Net Zero

The Northampton Chronicle & Echo recently published an opinion piece by the Conservative MP for Northampton South: Political Opinion: We need to talk about Net Zero, by Andrew Lewer MP That's an enthusiastic 'yes, please' from CA-WN to talking about Net Zero: Andrew Lewer says: The

bookshelf

Clearing the Air: The Beginning and the End of Air Pollution by Tim Smedley

Air pollution results in millions of premature deaths worldwide each year. This book explains how historical and ongoing human activities have resulted in air that damages our health, the different pollutants involved, and that we are still working to understand all the ways in which they affect our bodies. Tim

transport

Walk to School Week

By Eluned Nicholls of Northampton Living Streets May 15th to May 19th was Living Streets’ National Walk to School Week in 2023. Kingsthorpe Parish Council and Northampton Town Council both offered to sponsor participating schools in their areas by buying the packs of classroom and advertising materials produced by Living

local matters

Greener Byfield Family Fun

CA-WN out and about

local matters

Climate Chaos – Save Our Future

CA-WN out and about

local matters

University of Northampton Sustainability Summit

CA-WN out and about

business

Eat Curious - growing more than plants... an insight into sustainable food production

I recently had the good fortune to eat three delicious meals in a row; two lunches with a breakfast in between; cooked by someone else. What a joy it was – an exquisite symphony of flavoursome curries, rice, side dishes and snacks courtesy of Northampton-based food development company, Eat Curious. Don’

individual impact

My Three Things for Climate Change

by Damon Fox, Business Development Manager at Northampton Town F.C. Community Trust. As the sustainability lead at Northampton Town F.C Community Trust I have begun to take Climate Action even more seriously. Over the last two years I have been the advocate for engaging our fans, school children

recipes

Salad Days

In my long-ago youth, “salad” meant two or three lettuce leaves, a few slices of cucumber and a tomato. The addition of radishes and watercress rendered the dish positively festive. A few decades on, salads have become more interesting. Featured in today’s dish are potato salad, kohl rabi slaw,