Public and Commercial Services Union

Have a very merry green Xmas!

Xmas is nearly here and the Wales PCS Green committee wishes you a very merry and peaceful festive season!

Xmas today has become a consumer’s nightmare in many ways with little environmental consideration – but you can still be green and have a great time!

Firstly, the tree: essential, yes, but most get thrown away. Try getting one with roots, preferably a small one that will stay in a pot outdoors until needed next year. If this isn’t an option make sure your tree is recycled - most councils have a scheme. Don’t overdo the lights and use LED if possible. Certainly don’t decorate the exterior of your house so it can be seen from space, as seems to be so fashionable nowadays!

Don’t overspend. Set a budget, especially for presents, and consider buying ethical goods – try Oxfam or Amnesty, for example, for ideas. Consider wrapping paper and Xmas cards. Why not make your own, and certainly recycle afterwards or indeed save the best to reuse next year.

Reduce the amount of meat you buy and where you do buy meat buy quality, especially organic. Most climate experts believe that meat-eating needs per to be reduced from present levels to reduce carbon emissions. There are lots of good veggie alternatives – look them up on the internet or see magazines like the BBC Good Food Vegetarian Xmas Special. Get your veg from an organic wholesaler or farmers’ market. Again, buy less but buy organic.

How about making your own drinks for the season? Home brewing is the thing at the moment, endorsed by celebs like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Wine and soft drinks such as ginger beer and lemonade can all be home-made!

All sound too much? Not really – it just takes planning. Try it: we think you will have a doubly great time enjoying Xmas to the full, knowing the effect on the planet has been minimal.

PCS Wales Green Reps' Forum Report
 

By Steve Ryan

PCS Green reps from across Wales came together on 1st December, ahead of the Climate Change demonstration in London on 5th December and the Copenhagen Summit, to discuss how best to take forward environmental issues in Wales.

The day began with a talk from Leanne Wood AM, who, as well as being the chair of the PCS Assembly cross-party group, is also Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on sustainability and environmental issues.

Leanne gave an overview of the effect of climate change worldwide and the steps being taken to combat the changes in Wales – think global, act Local! – in particular communities empowering themselves via initiatives such as erecting wind turbines owned by the community which then produces energy AND income that can be reinvested into the community, as excess energy is sold to the national grid. Leanne answered a number of searching questions, ranging from ‘Can we really make a difference?’ to the issue of Assembly support for official recognition of Green reps in the workplace.

Steve Ryan and Marianne Owens, PCS Wales Committee Green reps, outlined the Committee’s Green agenda and introduced the workshops for the rest of the day. These ranged from keeping green issues on the agenda during a recession to developing an action plan for the Wales Committee and the reps. The workshops were very successful, with a wide and innovative range of ideas and action points arising, which will be the subject of a separate report.

This was a great day for reps in Wales and builds a firm base for taking forward the Green agenda in Wales during 2010.

Several attendees at the forum also braved the weather to take part in the impressively-attended March and ‘Wave’ in London on the following Saturday. At least 50,000 were there (probably more). Inspiring speeches were heard, including from our very own Chris Baugh, there was some good folksy music, as well as the march to Parliament and the ‘Wave’. It was great to see so many there, committed to acting NOW against the massive threat of climate change, determined that those in power must not let the poorest suffer, when so much could be achieved through agreed reductions in emissions in the developed world and the implementation of proposals for the creation of one million green jobs in the UK alone.  

Climate Camp Cymru

Marianne Owens and Steve Ryan from the Wales Green committee spent the weekend at Climate Camp Cymru in August.

Climate Camp is an innovative form of direct action that has evolved from the environmental movement. It is based on education, sustainable living and direct action against the root causes of climate change….and, of course, camping!

The camp had chosen as its focus in Wales Merthyr due to the Ffos-y-fran open cast mine. The mine is one of the biggest in Wales and whilst it will extract 10 million tons of coal, it will also release 30 million tons of carbon dioxide – the same as the entire country of Mozambique!

Despite local residents collecting 10,000 signatures on a petition opposing the mine, the Assembly government let it go ahead.

Local opposition remains forceful and was supported by the Climate Camp participants over the weekend, with a march in conjunction with residents and talks and speeches from those active in the campaign.

Aside from this, the camp was based on sustainable ideals - compost toilets and vegan food being the most obvious. In addition, the camp is non-hierarchical, with decisions being made by consensus. This is interesting and challenging for those used to more traditional methods of decision-making. Certainly, the ‘two-handed wave’ to denote acceptance of a proposal was at first hard for some to get over!

Climate camp is also educational: there were a range of workshops and plenary sessions. We chose to attend workshops on participatory economics and anti-capitalism, which had more crossovers with the trade union movement. Again, the content was interesting and challenging in relation to the ways in which we are used seeing things.

All told, Climate Camp is an amazing experience: if you get a chance to be involved, do so, and you will be rewarded with a great experience!

To see what it’s all about, just google ‘Climate Camp Cymru’. 

Trip to Machynlleth to learn about Green Technology

The Co-operative Group will be running a trip to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) at Machynlleth on Saturday 3rd July 2010, which is the date of International Co-operators’ Day. This trip will be an enjoyable way to learn more about green and environmental issues, as well as finding out about the activities of the Co-operative Group in Wales. This event will be run for Co-op Group members, but it's only £1.00 to join (either online, over the phone or by posting back an application form).

Co-operators and trade unionists share very similar values and the Co-op has been at the forefront of campaigns such as FairTrade and dealing with climate change. Our link with the Co-op Group in Wales is through Chris Hall, PCS Wales joint Vice-Chair and Green Committee member. Contact Chris (details below) for more information about the trip.

Contact Points

If you have any feedback or questions about this newsletter or other green issues relevant to PCS, or anything that you’d like to contribute to a future issue, please contact one of the following:

Chris Hall (MoJ North Wales): christopher.hall@hmcourts-service.gsi.gov.uk
Marianne Owens (HMRC Wales): marianne.owens@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
Steve Ryan (HMRC North Wales): steve.ryan@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
...or Darren Williams (PCS Wales office): darrenw@pcs.org.uk