CAPS

Welcome to CAPS!

CAPS is the Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth

CAPS is about raising our awareness of the climate – and our collective action to address it.

CAPS is a partnership of Sidmouth Town Council and other local organisations – including the Sidmouth Churches, the Sidmouth Plastic Warriors , the Sidmouth Science Festival , Sidmouth schools and the Vision Group for Sidmouth

And the Partnership is open to all members of the Sid Valley community.

EVENTS!

GREEN DRINKS! NEW DATE! WEDNESDAY 6TH DECEMBER

An issue raised in the survey by some respondents was that it would be good to meet informally to talk about environmental issues. To this end, CAPS has will be putting on a ‘Green Drinks’ event in the early part of each month.

The next is on Wednesday 6th December at 7.30 pm in the Balfour Arms: 26 Woolbrook Rd, Sidmouth EX10 9UZ .

Just meet in bar!

Get in touch for more information by contacting us here.

CELEBRATING WOOD CRAFT AND USE OF WOOD! SATURDAY 9TH DECEMBER

CAFÉ SCIENTIFIQUE: 16TH JANUARY

“Experiences of adaptations to the effects of climate change on subsistence agriculture in the Himalayas“

Tuesday 16th January: 3pm in the Cellar Bar of Kennaway House

Roger Cozens of Greenacres Consultancy

More details on the Science Festival website

FEATURES!

A Christmas Vegan Special

Adapted by Denise Bickley from the BBC’s Good Food pages:

“Make this vegan wreath as a showstopping Christmas centrepiece.”

Jewelled squash, chestnut & mushroom wreath recipe | BBC Good Food

As adapted by Denise: Features – Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth

NEWS!

The CAPS team is attempting to push the positive: here are a couple of ‘good news stories’ from this month – with more coming:

Big Stories in Numbers

£6 billion will be invested in the new EV, charging infrastructure by members of Charge UK, which includes Shell, BP and Ionity – a 2021 study found a fivefold increase in chargers is needed by 2030.

63% of UK adults would back a government tax on oil companies to support nations damaged by climate change.

£20 billion new project from Cerulean Wind will decarbonise North Sea oil and gas platforms by providing them with clean wind power. » Cerulean Winds » Industrial Decarbonisation » Green Energy

£4 billion. investment in Somerset battery factory by Indian giant Tartar motors

440 GW of new renewables will be added to the grid globally in 2023, mostly solar, according to the IEA.

75,000 recruits needed by the nuclear industry to meet target of 24 GW of capacity by 2050, according to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee

‘Meltdown’: Learning Lessons from British Columbia’s Heat Dome

22 June 2023: Rich McEachran

In June and July 2021 British Columbia was trapped in a heat dome. The high-pressure weather event that trapped heat was responsible for 619 deaths.

In its review of the event, the Canadian government found that 98% of the deaths occurred indoors. Of these only 7% had AC units present in their homes, but only seven of those who died (15%) had them turned on at the time of their death. What`s more 24% of those who died had fans in their rooms and 70% of them had them turned on at the time of their deaths.

What this data shows is that while AC units and mechanical ventilation has a roll to play in keeping people cool during perods of extreme heat, AC is neither a quick or easy fix .

Canadian authorities published the extreme heat preparedness guide in the aftermath of the heat dome. Recommendations include installation of heat pumps for cooling provision in all social housing and low-income apartments. Furthermore, it called for building codes that require higher standards of heatwave readiness. Lessons need to be learned from events such as British Columbia heat dome – policies need to be developed and actions taken that built resilience to extreme heat as well as other climate risks.

Source: Institution of Mechanical Engineers – Professional Engineering publication. Meltdown: Learning lessons from British Columbia’s heat dome

NEXT STEPS!

Town Council invites us to try out a Carbon Calculator

We believe that taking a first small step can be a very engaging action. To better understand how we are using the earth’s resources, we invite you to try out a carbon calculator at Carbon Savvy. The quickest one only takes 1 minute to try out. The calculator will allow you to know your own personal carbon footprint. Armed with information you can then decide what you might be able to do to help.

Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth – Carbon Calculator – Sidmouth Town Council

PROJECTS:

Sidmouth Town Council is actively involved in trying to help Sidmouth residents understand – and hopefully then reduce – energy costs.

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The Town Council’s first project – which will be available in the autumn – was an
infrared camera survey of your house so you can see where you might be losing heat.

Thermal Imaging (Infra-red) Domestic Residence Survey Request – Sidmouth Town Council

AND FINALLY:

Net Zero: a glossary of terms

Nerdy maybe, but still, a basic bit of info to reference:

CO2, CH4, GWP, N2O, CO2e? It’s not all about carbon – and the most important emission from agriculture isn’t carbon dioxide. See below our glossary of terms regarding carbon and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

Net Zero: a glossary of terms | AHDB

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