| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Contact: | |
| When: | Monthly on Friday mornings 4th Friday of the month. 10:00am - 12:00pm. |
| Venue: | Odiham and Greywell Cricket Club |
| Cost: | £15.00 per year |
Everything we do has an effect on our environment, and it is now well established that the world is going through a significant change of climate, mostly caused by human activity. The objective of this group is to help members more fully understand what the issues are, and how we can through our own actions, and through informing others, both improve the environment around us and help to mitigate the effects and adapt to the changes caused by the climate emergency.
Each month we will concentrate on a relevant aspect with subjects being introduced by members or guest speakers.
Whilst this is an important and topical subject, we wish the discussions to be open and supportive rather than confrontational, with everyone encouraged to participate as much or a little as they wish.
Visit our Environment and Climate Change microsite to view details of our meetings and to access a wide range of resources for members, including: the latest climate news; climate science; energy and CO2 mitigation technologies and much more.
We welcome new members to our discussions whatever their knowledge of the subject.
If you would like to contact the group by email click on the Group Contact above.
Go back to exploring all of our groups here.
Environment and Climate Change Group
‘Autumn Newsletter’
December 2025
The Environment and Climate Change Group held its inaugural meeting in October 2020. Commencing in a difficult time globally, the group has faced the realities of scientific data and endeavoured to make sense of the challenges presented to human custodians of this planet both from an environmental and planetary perspective.
We respect each other’s opinions and rights to make personal choices. We encourage debate and the free exchange of views. Life is extremely complicated and it is only by understanding the many aspects of human existence can we individually and collectively make strong, informed views and choices based on reliable information.
These are some of the Environment | Climate | Change aspects our group has covered during June - November 2025.
High Seas and the Oceans
Ian Green - June 2025
Sir David Attenborough celebrated his 99th Birthday on 8 May 2025.
The release of his latest documentary Ocean with David Attenborough coincided with his grand celebration of life.
Ian Green presented a review of the documentary starting with the official trailer https://youtu.be/cIZAdCtKT_g (2.28 minute view) in which Sir David warns of the dire situation which currently exists and gives us a message of hope for the future if we work together to save the sea.
Krill, Baby, Krill – Industrial over fishing in the Antarctic
- The total global harvest amounts to 150,000–200,000 tonnes annually
- A significant portion of the Antarctic krill harvest, roughly 60% of krill meal, is used in aquaculture feed. (Farmed Fish)
- A key concern is not how much krill gets fished but rather where that fishing is conducted. (The Antarctic Seas)
A second video discussed the issue of unregulated Krill fishing and how consumers are unwittingly supporting this practice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsjzyXEIR5M (58 seconds view)
The second clip from the Ocean documentary was a hard watch. However, to make informed choices we need to understand the issue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLxmUbQESAU&t=1s (1 minute 35 seconds view). In this video Sir David graphically illustrates the harm industrial bottom trawling does.
“What hope is there?” you may ask.
After 20 years of work, in June 2023 193 member states of the UN adopted the landmark High Seas Treaty for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction
To find out more about the Marine Protected Areas for food security visit the website
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a4415fb70d974d1d995d2f98c06abd80 There is hope for the future of the seas, if we work together on a global level.
Disco Dancing Scallops
And typically, Ian ended his presentation with a light hearted and positive subject. In this instance it was to look at a novel way of fishing for scallops.
- A scallop has between 50 and 200 eyes mounted along the edge of its shell. They are 1mm in size and can detect only movement and light
- A traditional lobster pot is fitted with a small LED light, which lasts for six weeks before it needs a new battery. A little plastic ramp is attached to the side of the pot.
- The LED illuminate's phytoplankton, the scallop's food source. The scallop jumps into the pot to get better access, where it is trapped and harvested
- The pot still traps Lobsters & Crabs
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-cornwall-61508000
And if you wish to see this in action, follow the BBC link.
Rivers and working with Politicians
Special visit Alex Brewer MP North East Hampshire Chris Clark - July 2025
Chris Clark chaired a Q and A Session with our new MP, Alex Brewer.
Alex had been provided with a selection of questions members of the group wished to ask the MP.
Angela Shaw, who already knew Alex, raised issues regarding protecting our local chalk streams and rivers. Some of these waterways are heavily polluted or are in a state of stress due to over abstraction by Thames Water plc.
Clive Teague raised questions regarding the proposed increase of flights to and from Farnborough Airport and the associated increase in local noise and air pollution. Currently the average number of passengers per flight at Farnborough is between just 2 and 3 individuals. Air travel emissions contribute towards Co2 levels and thereby global warming and yet some of the private jets currently taking off and landing at Farnborough have less than 10 passengers and some flights have no passengers at all, using the airport as a ‘cheap’ aircraft park.
Alex was clearly aware of the issues raised during the Q and A and took time to explain how politics in Westminster ‘worked’ and the processes MP’s had to follow.
Alex and her team remain in contact with members of the E & CC Group and we work with her to influence positive change.
Zoom Earth
Introducing the World Weather Website. Bo Nightingale - June 2025
If you have an interest in weather, its patterns, tempestuous storms, freezing polar temperatures and all things from the Earth’s surface up, you will enjoy this website.
The application is:-
- Free to use
- No Account required
- No download required
The weather Maps dropdown menu offers six options :
- Satellite
- Precipitation
- Wind
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Pressure
The maps are created using layers of ‘open source’ international information with additional layers showing wind animation, active fires, tropical storms and more.
It is difficult not to be a massive fan of this website and to be witness to the biggest view of Planet Earth and the daily weather patterns.
To explore Zoom Earth Visit https://zoom.earth
If you would like to know more about the options available within Zoom Earth visit
https://claudiabow.uk/2025/07/30/navigating-our-planets-weather-with-zoom-earth
Regenerative Farming – A visit to Penn Croft Farm
A Guided Tour by owner Simon Porter Angela Shaw - October 2025
Simon Porter of Penn Croft Farms visited the E & CC Group in June 2025 to talk about Regenerative Farming. An article on this subject was featured in the July edition of the Odiham u3a Newsletter https://odiham.u3asite.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/July_News_2025.pdf Page 10.
Locally we are starting to see the changes in farming practice as plants such as Sunflowers and Scorpion weed blossom encouraging pollinating insects and fields are no longer tilled leaving the soil bare, with no plant cover for substantial periods of time. All these are signs of Regenerative Farming in practice.
Penn Croft started its Regenerative journey in 2000.
Simon kindly offered to provide a guided tour of Penn Croft farm and 16 members signed up to climb aboard a trailer to see regenerative farming in practice.
Woodland
We started in an area of semi natural ancient woodland where commercial Hazel coppicing takes place. The withies, pea sticks and bean rods, produced by coppicing, are used in Royal Parks, the National Trust and for garden sculpture.
Mark Howard, who manages the woodland, explained the how coppicing works. Every year there is a blanket of bluebells, Yellow Archangel, Violets and Stitchwort in the spring as a result of coppicing. After the coppice wood is harvested, sunlight floods across the woodland floor warming the soil and for the first time in several years and Euphorbia and Wood Spurge appear. With an abundance of flowering plants, it is possible to hear and see the insects
In addition to managing the coppiced trees, they have a good variety of mature trees. When asked about the issue of Ivy growing on older trees, we were informed that generally, Ivy will grow on trees that are already struggling. Moreover, Ivy provides an important habitat for insects and food for both insects and birds during the winter months when it flowers and bears fruit.
Fields
In this field different seeds have been planted. Diversity is key to 'Regen' farming. All of the plant varieties will keep the ground covered and their roots bind the soil. This is important to prevent soil erosion during heavy rainfall.
Growing a mixture of plants is called companion cropping. In this field the variety of plants include vetch and clover which are nitrogen fixers, buck wheat which is designed to deter insects that lay eggs in the crop of oil seed rape, a member of the brassica family.
Simon also described Bi- cropping. An example of this is to intermix wheat and broad beans in the same field. The plants are sown at the same time. Once mature the plants can be cropped together, which is called bi-cropping. The wheat and beans are separated following harvest.
When asked if the crops are rotated, Simon explained that they have deliberately lengthened the rotation so, for example, wheat may be gown on a field once in every four to five years to avoid pest and disease problems. This lessens the need to use pesticides.
Hedgerows
Every aspect of farming enthuses Simon, including the planting and management of hedgerows. He explained that the hedgerows on the farm are a mixture of Hazel, Spinney, Cherry, and Blackthorn. The hedges are planted with supporting wild life and particularly birds in mind. The hedges are maintained to be thick and wide at the base and are a crucial bird and small mammal habitat.
The Vineyard
We then arrived at the vineyard.
According to Simon, vineyards are one of the worst examples of monoculture. Those who have visited Europe will be familiar with rows and rows of vines separated by bare earth.
Immediately we were aware of the wider than usual distance between the rows of vines and the fact that there are four rows of canes, rather than the traditional two. Simon proudly told us that to visitors he says “Welcome to my scruffy Vineyard!”.
Cover crops are grown, between the rows. Every other row is planted with oats, cereals and rye. In June these plants are rolled flat. This creates a thatch which can reduce the soil temperature by up to 10 degrees. This provides an improved environment for soil bacteria and microbes in the heat of summer.
The alternate row is planted with a mix of Chicory Grasses, clovers and other beneficial plants
He is continually experimenting to find new ways of improving yields.
The farm grows a variety of grapes, chosen for their success growing in an English climate and, of course, taste!
Earth worms
At this point Simon was keen to introduce us to a creature he is passionate about – earth worms. Earth worms are a sign of good soil health and fertility.
When we returned to the farm Simon was keen to show us just how successful regenerative farming was in terms of soil health. We were shown a field which had been recently been grazed by sheep and was now planted with a mix of plants. The surface of the soil was literally covered with worm casts
In Conclusion
And so, as our visit neared the end, Simon explained the realities of farming in the present day. The economics and the global and political influences which dictate how financially successful a farming business can be. And to achieve this the farm has had to diversify to remain healthy.
A man of vision, Simon regards himself as a custodian of the family farm and looks to the future pragmatically and with hope.
The Penn Croft winery and idyllic vineyards are open for tours. For details visit https://penncroftvineyards.com/pages/tours
And Finally! Waste Food Caddy - On Your Doorstep!
October 2025
Food Waste Collection finally arrives in Hart and Basingstoke and Deane
The Environment Act 2021 included an obligation for local Authorities to arrange for weekly collections of domestic food waste by March 2026. With six months to spare HDC and BDBC delivered Green Food Waste bins and grey Caddies to all households in their respective areas in readiness for collections to start in October 2025.
Every household in England now has the opportunity to put their food waste into a ‘Caddy’ so it can be collected by local Waste Collection teams and sent to be processed into:
- Green Biogas, or
- Green Electricity, and
- Natural Fertiliser for fields
So what happens when your kitchen waste bin is collected every week by the ‘Bin’ vans?
The kitchen waste is taken to a Biodigester Facility where the material is processed and then ‘fed’ into a biodigester like the ones shown below.
Caddy Power!
Kitchen food waste caddies give you the opportunity to make a real environmental difference. Every scrap is important ….. really important. Our food waste is valuable. It can provide power to generate clean green energy. Once processed the residue becomes a natural fertiliser which can replace expensive artificial fossil fuel derived fertilisers.
You literally have the power in your kitchen caddy to change the world!
- RECYCLE your kitchen food waste!
- FEED Biodigesters!
- HELP to clean up our Planet.
Be environmentally friendly and USE YOUR CADDY!
