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 – whether individuals or organisations.
Here’s a list so far of The CAPS Partners
SOCIAL MEDIA!
Don’t forget to join us in conversations online at the CAPS Facebook page:
Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth (CAPS)
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EVENTS!
NEXT GREEN DRINKS: 7.30pm: Thursday 16th May
On the third Thursday of every month – 7.30pm for an hour or so
Meet informally to talk about environmental issues @ CAPS monthly ‘Green Drinks’ event!
Upstairs room, Anchor Inn, Old Fore St, Sidmouth EX10 8LS
Just meet at the bar! AND please buy a drink!
[with thanks to Portsmouth Green Drinks (UK) (@GreenDrinksPort)]
LOOKING FORWQRD TO THE NEXT GREEN DRINKS!
Get in touch for more information by contacting us here.
WHAT ACTIONS TO TAKE!
How to save money and the planet
The main thrust of last year’s Sustainable Sidmouth Champions Awards was all about ‘how to save a little money and how to save the planet a little’: Sustainable Sidmouth Champion Awards
The Metro newspaper does regular pieces on ‘how to save money and the planet’, with this from a couple of years ago: 27 ways to save the planet: from short showers to longer lasting tech | Metro News
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A good example of ‘saving a little money and saving the planet a little…
Dave Bramley, chair of CAPS has adapted the lists from Metro – with his own list of 16 really easy ways to…
“Going about your daily life shouldn’t cost the earth but going green needn’t cost a fortune either. In fact, there are lots of ways taking the environmentally friendly option could actually save you money, you know, while you save up for an electric car or a few solar panels for the roof or whatever. To get you started, here are 16 easy ways to save money and the planet…”
16 really easy ways to save money and the planet
FEATURES!
ROSA’S FOOTPRINT
[from the Sidmouth Herald]
A stunning photo of a dinosaur’s footprint, discovered on Sidmouth beach in February, is being used to send a powerful environmental message to children.
The dinosaur footprint on Sidmouth beach, February 2024 (Image: Dr Rob Coram)
Fossil hunter Dr Rob Coram spotted and photographed the print, which was made 240 million years ago by a rauisuchian – a reptile that looked like a cross between a crocodile and a dinosaur.
The picture is being used to promote the environmental message of a children’s book by local author Jo Earlam, which is being given away to local libraries and coastal litter picking groups. The book, Rosa’s Footprint, was inspired by the discovery of a similar print in Sidmouth 12 years ago. It aims to raise awareness of climate change and marine pollution, encouraging readers to think about their own ‘footprint’ on the planet. More information can be found here:
Jo is planning to start her book giveaway on World Earth Day, Monday April 22. She will be at Sidmouth Library at 4pm to read out Rosa’s Footprint and present copies of the book for distribution around East Devon libraries.
Amazing dinosaur footprint discovered on Sidmouth beach | Sidmouth Herald
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NEWS!
Catching up with some recent blog posts:
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How can we stay sane in the climate crisis? The Positive News site has come up with a very simple list:
Feeling anxious in the face of climate breakdown is an entirely normal response – but how do you ensure your emotions don’t overwhelm you? How can they even be channelled for good? As data from Google Trends shows that search queries related to ‘climate anxiety’ have increased dramatically – 27 times higher in the first 10 months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2017 – we’ve pulled together eight tips for building resilience, from reframing the issue to finding your climate community.
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Heat pumps are again in the news, with grants having just been extended to more homes as the ‘boiler tax’ is delayed by the government, as reported in the This is Money website – which also gives a very handy overview of the changes. Which? magazine looks at heat pumps vs boilers: the key things you need to know – and comes firmly on the side of the heat pump:
A good look at heat pumps – Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth
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How would the Sid Valley generate its own power? There are different ways to do large-scale stretches of solar panels: covering roofs and creating solar farms are the most obvious – and both have been in the news lately.
Solar roofs and solar farms in the news – Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth
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The European Court of Human Rights has just declared that the Swiss government’s inaction on climate change has violated the human rights of its citizens. Which brings us to the question of who is responsible to bring down greenhouse gases. The Economist asks: What responsibilities do individuals have to stop climate change? Whilst the Guardian answers: Individuals can’t solve the climate crisis. Governments need to step up.
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IMAGINE!
A weekly synthesis of academic insight on solutions to climate change, brought to you by The Conversation
The Conversation is a good place to go for in-depth news and analysis:
Climate change – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation
It also has a weekly newsletter focussing on issues around climate:
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Imagine newsletter – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation
For example, a recent ‘Imagine’ newsletter looked at what the Anthropocene really means – here.
“Every fish in the sea, bird in the sky, microbe in the soil and beast on the land weighs less than the cumulative mass of things humans have made. Stark evidence that people are transforming the planet is not hard to come by. Yet a month ago, geologists rejected a proposal to date Earth’s departure from the Holocene of the last 11,700 years, the relatively stable epoch in which a mild climate allowed farming to flourish and civilisations to rise, and the dawn of a more dangerous era shaped by human endeavours: the Anthropocene…”
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The Anthropocene already exists in our heads, even if it’s now officially not a geological epoch
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