East Devon District Council (EDDC) and their waste contractor Suez have spoken to more than 500 local primary school pupils about the value of recycling.

Workshops teach pupils about how to sort different materials and how and where they can reuse material, making use of fun and interactive activities.

They encourage the younger generation to enjoy getting involved with protecting the planet, and have been received well by children and teachers.

The Devon Agri-Tech Alliance (DATA) aims to support Devon’s agricultural sector by making innovation easier and more accessible.

Members will share knowledge and collaborate, which can help to support the testing and adoption of low-carbon agricultural practices.

Love Summer days out but don’t like to impact on your local environment?

Pledge to keep it green while you’re out this summer and you could win one of 5 #BigGreenDayOut prizes worth over £200 each. Prize includes a Devon’s Top Attractions family ticket with travel (bus and train) and an eco picnic set.

Find out more and make the pledge via the link below.

Two consultations are currently open for you to feed back on improving local sustainable travel:

• Exmouth - consultation on proposals including wider footways, improved crossing points, upgraded bus stops and the closure of the existing subway.
• Exeter - consultation on a new city centre contraflow bus lane.

Following the public consultation on the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Climate Adaptation Strategy, which closed on the 30^th of June, we have been processing responses in order to then finalise the Strategy.

Initial analysis shows that 80% of respondents support the Strategy (including 54% who agreed with the statement “I support the strategy” and 26% which said “I support some parts of the strategy but not others”). Amendments are being made to account for feedback received. The updated Strategy will be published later this year.

Follow Devon Climate Emergency on social media or go to our website for updates. You can also read the draft Strategy at https://www.climateresilient-dcios.org.uk/

Devon Climate Emergency enjoyed judging the student presentations for the Climate and Environment Emergency Grand Challenges Week 2023 at the University of Exeter.

During the Grand Challenges week students worked on a group project to address the Climate and Environment Emergency. As part of their project, students created outputs including podcasts, social media campaigns, websites and apps and so much more. An inspiring diversity of proposals were put forward relating to sustainable fashion, composting, energy and tourism.

We are working to publish twice yearly progress reports on the priority actions in each chapter in the Devon Carbon Plan and hope to make them available on the website shortly. For August, we are preparing a report on the priority actions in the Transport section of the Plan.

So that we capture as much activity going on in Devon as possible we are asking the public as well as our partner organisations for updates against the priority actions. We would appreciate your responses to three questions in relation to any of the listed Priority Actions which you have an update on –  we only need a line or two on each.

Priority Actions:

• T1 Continue the roll out of the Connecting Devon and Somerset programme.
• T6 Develop Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs).
• T8 Support community bike rental schemes
• T18 Protect and enhance funding for local bus routes, to ensure people can access services, employment and events without requiring a car.
• T32 Develop EV Charging Strategies to deploy the right chargers in the right place.
• T33 DCE partners to use their assets to provide publicly-accessible EV charging and shared mobility infrastructure.
• T35 DCE partners and organisations in the County to transition their fleets to Ultra Low Emission Vehicles.

Questions:

• What progress has been made on this action?
• Are there any issues hampering delivery of this action?
• What action do you anticipate in the next 6 months?

Please either respond by email or fill out the below form by Sunday 6th August.

Restoring Stover Country Park; Stover Country Park, A382, Stover, Newton Abbot, TQ12 6QG; Sunday 6th August, 10:00am – 12:30pm

Stover Country Park, owned by Devon County Council, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserve. The Park contains 114 acres of woodland, lake and marsh, heathland, grassland and a substantial variety of wildlife. It is also designated as a dragonfly hotspot by the British Dragonfly Society.

This guided walk will explain how the Park's wildlife and historic value will be restored through the 'Restoring Stover Park' project.

The event costs £3 payable on the day, and dogs are not permitted on the walk itself (except service dogs).

Sign Of Our Times Workshop; Braunton Countryside Centre, EX33 1AA; Tuesday 8th August, 10:00am – 3:00pm

Children aged 9-11 that live in North Devon are invited to take part in a FREE workshop to create artwork in response to climate change to be displayed alongside the work of one of the world's leading contemporary photographers Gideon Mendel.

The aim of this project is to develop children’s understanding of potential impacts to their local environment because of climate change. The workshop will feed into an exhibition at Barnstaple Pannier Market in October/November as part of an international Climate Festival.

Tree Aftercare Session; New Haven Field, next to the allotments, Exeter, EX2 4JS; Friday 11th August, 10:30am – 12:30pm

Thirsty For Fashion Exhibition - Reused, Recycled, Reborn; Killerton, Broadclyst, Exeter, Devon, EX5 3LE; Daily until Sunday 5th November

The 'Thirsty For Fashion' exhibition at Killerton explores circular fashion from the 18th century to the present day. Items from the National Trust’s largest fashion collection highlight some of the techniques used to repair and reuse clothing throughout history.

The exhibition shows how we are rethinking our approach to fashion and its environmental impact.