There are a series of roadshows throughout the summer and residents can provide feedback online. From a ZCD perspectove this is a good step forward with respect to community engagement and, while we would like to see more ongoing engagement, is a good start if enough of us take the time to provide feedback.
 A group of cafes in part of Bournemouth have launched a pilot scheme to help cut waste from single-use cups.
The businesses in Southbourne are allowing members to borrow a reusable cup that they can return to any of the participating cafes. The Dorset Cup scheme, which costs £5 to join, is being launched in conjunction with Litter Free Dorset. It is hoped the scheme will be rolled out to other areas.
 A battery storage facility, thought to be the second-biggest of its kind in the world, has been approved by planners. Proposals for the site at East Chickerell Court Farm near Weymouth, Dorset, include 600 battery units containing 2.5 million lithium ion cells. The units will charge up when there is surplus energy or low demand, and feed electricity back into the National Grid in times of need.
 Sustainable transport operators Beryl and partners, Dorset Council, are launching a brand new e-bike share scheme linking coast to town and beyond.
Later this summer, 121 e-bikes will be made available to hire across Dorchester, Weymouth and the scenic Isle of Portland to help encourage even more sustainable transport habits across Dorset. The e-bikes will be hired from and returned to 30 ‘Beryl bays’, which will be located following consultation with communities and key stakeholders.  Councillors of Dorset Council have voted to declare a nature emergency at the meeting of the full council. The motion, which was put forward by Cllr Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council, urged council members to recognise that nature is in decline and that urgent action is needed to reverse this.
Following on from its climate and ecological emergency declaration in 2019, this new declaration will help strengthen the council’s ambitions to create a carbon neutral, nature positive and resilient Dorset as outlined in its Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology strategy. Other commitments in the council’s nature emergency declaration include removing and restricting the use of glyphosate and other chemicals damaging to nature, reducing pressure on wildlife and wildlife corridors, and improving access to nature – particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. You can find out more about what the council is doing to support nature recovery in Dorset and how residents and organisations can play their part, by visiting the Dorset Council website.
 A Wimborne woman has been honoured with the Volunteer of the Year award for her work with the group Wimborne War on Waste. Sarah Wise was recognised for her “outstanding contributions” to organising community litter picks and promoting waste reduction efforts in the town. Sarah was given the award by Wimborne Town Council at the mayor making ceremony in May.
Sarah began each morning by walking through Redcotts Recreation Ground in Wimborne Minster, picking up litter. This small act evolved into gathering a group of people together and eventually led to the formation of Wimborne War on Waste.
 Bournemouth University is joint 39th out of 1,963 universities in the global Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024. The Impact Rankings measure the work of universities against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
Each university receives a score against criteria for each UNSDG to create an overall score, which is then ranked against other participating universities. As well as an overall ranking, universities are awarded rankings by-goal. BU was joint 1st for SDG12 Responsible Consumption and Production, recognising BU’s high recycling rates on campus, academic research and waste data reporting. Find out more about how BU contributes to a more sustainable world and about BU’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals on the BU website.  Bournemouth University has switched one of its academic buildings, Dorset House, to low carbon heating. The project, which is the first of its kind at BU, has replaced fossil fuel natural gas-fired boilers in Dorset House with an air to water heat pump system, and should reduce BU's emissions by an estimated 64.4 tCO2e per year. This is part of the plan to decarbonise heating across BU. The project will contribute to the goals set out in BU’s Climate and Ecological Crisis Action Plan (CECAP) and help to reach the target of 50% emissions reduction by 2030/31 and net zero.
 Bournemouth Uni Food is excited to announce the introduction of carbon labels to our menus, starting with the Fusion Restaurant.
This ground breaking initiative is part of the ongoing commitment to sustainability and aims to equip everyone in the community with the tools to make informed choices about the food they eat. Menu choices will have a label, ranging from A to E alongside them, each accompanied by a traffic light colour system for easy identification. An 'A' rating indicates a low carbon rating, while an 'E' indicates a higher carbon intensity. The aim is to foster open and informed discussion about food choices and the sustainability of the broader food system.  Bournemouth University has become the first ‘Refill Campus’ by pledging to help turn the tide on plastic pollution.
The new accreditation sees the unveiling of eye-catching artwork on 45 of their water refill points making it easier for students and staff to find a free water refill and reduce their need to buy water in a single-use plastic bottle. The commitment to become a ‘Refill Campus’ is one that will see BU take steps to ensure that all of their buildings are single-use plastic free. This comes alongside the returnable cup scheme which has been launched across both campuses.
 Weymouth Climate Hub is planning to host Weymouth’s Great Big Green Week again this year, building on the best bits of last year in St Nic’s Gallery in Weymouth but striving to include more events from other local groups and venues. The week takes place 8th-16th June and there is a theme this year: “Let’s swap together for good” However, they do need your help. While happy to facilitate access and help publicise events they are looking for individuals and groups to put on events and for volunteers to help make those events happen. Please contact them via their website.
 While a small group has been protesting the idea (even though there are no proposals in BCP) and where even the Transport Minister has been happy to spread conspiracy theories, The Guardian reports that the 'quick to protest' French are actually enjoying the benefits of the 15 Minute City approach being championed by the city's Mayor. Contrary to conspiracist claims, this people centred approach is breathing new life into cities across the world. (Picture courtesy academyofurbanism.com)
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2024 NEWSAs we discover what's going on in Dorset, or stories of relevance from around the world, we'll share it here. If you have a story or think we've missed something, please email [email protected] Archives
August 2024
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