Hampshire Friends of the Earth Network

Click image to download the latest copy of the New Forest Friends of the Earth newsletter for January / February 2012.

Southampton and Eastleigh Friends of the Earth Meeting

On Weds 22nd February we’ll be meeting up at The Art House in Southampton to re-launch Southampton and Eastleigh Friends of the Earth. If you’d like to be involved or have ideas about what issues we could be working on locally, then come along or get in touch.

Bring along your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. We look forward to seeing you there.

The Meeting starts 7.30pm – 9pm at

The Art House
178 Above Bar Street
Southampton
SO14 7DW

Southampton and Eastleigh Friends of the Earth News

Eastleigh residents sent a clear message to Chris Huhne today by signing up to the Friends of the Earth campaign to rein in the big energy companies.

Over 70 signatures were added to a petition calling for a public enquiry into high energy bills as spoof representives of the Big Six companies, thanking hard-pressed consumers for their soaring profits.

Campaigner Steve Burgess said:

“We were overwhelmed by the response to our campaign and it’s clear that there’s a strong demand for tough action. Eastleigh residents have sent a message to Chris Huhne that he can’t ignore. He needs to address the power of the Big Six energy companies and make them invest in clean power and cutting energy waste.”

Friends of the Earth recently unveiled a report showing that households in the UK could face extra costs of around £300 per year as the bill for using fossil fuels to generate electricity spirals even higher. With nearly 10% of households in Eastleigh already in fuel poverty, local MP Chris Huhne must address thir urgently in his role as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

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CARE a Humming-bird Hawk-moth

CONSERVATIONISTS have welcomed a recommendation from MPs that could safeguard Hampshire’s wildlife amid sweeping changes to planning.

The Localism Act was given royal assent last month and involved proposed reforms to the planning system.

It caused widespread concern with its ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ recommendations – without providing a clear definition of the term sustainable development.

However, the Communities and Local Government Select Committee has released a report on the draft National Planning Policy Framework.

Recommendations included the need for a clear definition of what is sustainable development.

Steve Gilbert, RSPB conservation programme manager for Hampshire, said: ‘This report delivers a healthy dose of common sense when it comes to planning reform.

‘It is clear to anyone who cares about our natural environment that the government’s plans are too biased in favour of development.’