COP26 was held in Glasgow from Oct 31st – 13th November 2021. Most of the 197 signed up countries were having their annual meeting to check progress and set new targets in the fight against climate change. It was the “code red for humanity” year declaring that the world needs more than goals; we need clear and ambitious plans for how countries will reduce their emissions. Ultimately, we will all need to make changes to achieve “net zero” emissions of harmful gases. For this issue of Barrow Voice, we have asked “how is Barrow doing?” The good news is that we can see the dawning of collective responsibility. Some community groups, institutions and businesses are putting the climate crisis on their agenda.
Here is a report of our findings so far
Home charging points are rapidly growing. However, people living in terraced housing, apartment buildings or wherever there is no off-street parking must rely on charging points in car parks and other public spaces.
Mr Devani at Barrow Filling Station is actively researching the provision of e-car charging points.
Barrow Parish Council has requested that Barrow is considered when Charnwood Borough Council (CBC) next looks for suitable sites in car parks in the borough. Currently, CBC has identified two suitable sites (neither in Barrow) but the council is researching what infrastructure is needed and how grants work.
Our roving reporter from Barrow Voice is trying to find out if anyone else is considering installing points in Barrow car parks. One pub has seriously discussed the possibility. The Coop is “continuing to review this matter but a decision has not been taken”. Their customers tend to use a quick ‘in and out’ style of parking. The nearest public charging points for Barrow are those at Tesco in Shelthorpe.
Jelson Homes
We asked Jelson whether their house-building on Poppyfields contributes to net zero and their targets for the future – i.e. about their plans for routine installation of air-source heat pumps (or other low carbon heating) instead of combi gas boilers; the introduction of photo-voltaic panels or tiles as standard; solar panels for waterheating; e-v charging points at all houses; and what their plans are for the introduction of schemes for efficient conservation of water.
They gave a comprehensive reply from which we are able to give the following brief synopsis (we may be able to cover this in more detail in a future issue): Poppyfields was planned in 2016 so the buildings and site infrastructure were not designed to accommodate the new approaches now under consideration. However, Jelson increased building efficiency beyond the regulatory-minimums including cavity walls and thermal specifications for glazing. They anticipate that the approaches highlighted above will become standard for all new houses from 2023 but they acknowledge that tackling these issues on an industry-wide basis will be the most productive and effective way forward. A Future Homes Taskforce has been set up by the Home Builders Federation (of which Jelson is a member) to co-ordinate an industry wide response.
Barrow Community Library
(report by Keith Butler)
The library has recently installed air source heat pumps to provide heating (and cooling for hot summer days). Heat pumps are an energy efficient way of heating, and work by harnessing energy from the outside air, even when outside temperatures are low. The heat pumps replace the existing gas-fired warm air heating system, so reduce the library’s greenhouse emissions.
Later this year, we plan to install solar photovoltaic panels on the library roof, sufficient to generate 5kW of electricity. This will be enough to power the heat pumps and the existing LED lighting, further helping to combat global warming. The cost of all this will have been met entirely by grants.
Come along to the library and see for yourselves. We are open on Mondays 1pm to 5pm, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am to 5pm, and Saturdays 10am to 12 noon.
British Gypsum in Barrow
British Gypsum kindly responded to our question by confirming that their Barrow mine is leading the way in Europe by being the first to switch to battery-powered haulers (the vehicles which transport rock to the surface), so cutting their CO2 emissions by 25%. An important additional benefit is that this technology also reduces employees’ exposure to exhaust gas emissions.
Tarmac in Barrow and Mountsorrel
Tarmac told us that the long-term power purchase agreement with their electricity supplier ensures that 100 percent of the electricity purchased across the whole of their business comes from a renewable energy source (a mix of wind and solar energy).
From pasture to plate: The carbon footprint of our favourite foods (report by Genevieve Silk)
When we sit down, ravenous, before a giant plate of our favourite food, the carbon footprint is often far from our minds. Yet it is an inconvenient truth that everything upon our plate leaves a mark on the environment and some foods have bigger criminal records than others when it comes to sustainability. Veganism is one of the fastest-growing trends in the world today and is driven by the increasing desire to eat less meat for both ethical and environmental reasons. However, while reducing the amount of meat in your diet is one of the simplest ways to reduce your overall carbon footprint, vegetarian foods are by no means equal when it comes to the amount of CO2 generated.
While we are becoming more and more accustomed to seeing calorie counts on menus in restaurants, we are not yet used to seeing carbon counts. The carbon-counted menus at the recent COP26, however, revealed an unexpected discovery. A bacon roll was given a carbon count of 0.4kg of CO2, whereas the carbon footprint of a plain croissant was 0.5kg CO2. But how can this be? Surely any meat product is automatically worse for the environment than a vegetarian pastry? Well, not always. Not all meats are equal. Beef is one of the least sustainable foods. Statistics vary regarding the precise quantity of CO2 emitted by beef, but it is estimated that one kilo of beef produces around 27kg of CO2, compared to 12.1kg for pork and 6.9kg for chicken. Moreover, since cows are one of the least sustainable animals to rely on for food, largely because of the harmful methane they produce, dairy products such as milk, butter and cheese also have high carbon footprints. Consequently, the bacon butties at COP26 were more environmentally friendly than the croissants. However, it’s worth noting that the ingredients for both the bacon roll and the croissant at COP26 were sourced locally and don’t necessarily reflect the carbon footprints of meat and dairy products on sale in supermarkets.
As the graph below demonstrates, a vegan diet is the most environmentally friendly diet to follow, with the average vegan diet producing a little over half the CO2 of a meat lover’s diet. Interestingly, however, the biggest change an individual can make to reduce their carbon footprint is by eliminating beef from their plate. I was personally intrigued to discover that the diet of a meat eater who has cut out beef is more similar to a vegan diet than it is to an average, meat-eating diet in terms of CO2 emissions
Barrow Co-op appears to be unique amongst major supermarkets in that it invites us to recycle all soft and crinkly plastics. Just collect them and take them in an old plastic bag to the front of the store.
The Co-op has also introduced compostable plastic shopping bags which are reusable but then you dispose of old ones with your food waste, to be collected and commercially composted. You can also recycle crisp and biscuit packaging, batteries, aluminium cans (proceeds to Helipads for Hospitals) and clothing (to the Salvation Army).
The Co-op has a very interesting and thoughtful website revealing its long-term environmental aims. Just search www.coop.co.uk/environment
Central Vape Shop allows you to recycle toothbrushes and other dental equipment as well as all sizes of battery.
Methodist Minimarkets have started again on the 1st Saturday of each month. Reusing clothes and “stuff” keeps it out of landfill and generates some income for the church.
There is some discussion about separating our village rubbish bins into recycling and not recycling.
Barrow Voice would like to challenge all Jubilee street parties to use compostable cups, plates and cutlery.
You can easily buy everything you might need from the internet. Most of these products are made from plastic manufactured from corn or sugar cane waste (bagasse). Just put a name in your search engine and order on line.
CUPS: Disposable Green, Biocups, Enviropack suitable for hot liquids
PLATES: Nisbets’ Fiesta Green
CUTLERY: Purple Planet Packaging, Vegware
We all have our individual part to play here
Judith Rodgers