PKC engagement on Climate Change consultation with Communities.  https://consult.pkc.gov.uk/housing-environment/climate-emergency_phase1/  


Feedback – over 400 responses to all the surveys. The online sessions with the Climate Cafes produced lots of good idea for projects and actions many community-based. Results are expected in April. However, we can still contact Eirini and Clare if we think of any other ideas etc. Results will be out later in the year. 


List of PKC sessions - Energy and Buildings, Whole River System Catchment Management, Land Use, Rural Transport, Waste and Resources Management, Transport, Business & Industry finishing with a General one. I went to the Waste and Resources. Alison Robb had a meeting with Peter Marshall PKC and Andrew Holmes about planting fruit bushes around Pitlochry. Was anyone able to attend any of the other sessions? 

PKC Community Food Growing Strategy/Allotments meetings in February. - PKC has parcels of land around Pitlochry they would be happy for us to use to grow something like a community orchard or like and we now have the map so can see where they are.  


When Alison spoke with Peter and Andrew, she suggested the idea about using some of these parcels of land for informally growing fruit bushes and trees, just like the Walnut Trees at Tom Na Moan and they could be picked by everyone.  Peter said he would check the areas and get back to her but some kind of consultation with residents would have to be undertaken. Peter also mentioned that if he was sent a list of those people interested in allotments then he could approach the local landowner to see if they would provide the community with a piece of and for Allotments.  


PKC had organised two meetings about allotments and community orchards. There are over 25 people interested in Allotments. Andrew Holmes from the Community Council has been gathering names and there will have an update at next Monday’s CC meeting if anyone is interested in what progress has been made. 


Lend and Tend (Lend and Tend.com) An idea that came from the Community Food Growing Strategy meeting where Joyce Veheary from Croydon gave a presentation about her group Lend and Tend.  An idea similar to what Alison has also mentioned. As we don’t have allotments in Pitlochry at the moment but there are a number of large gardens where veg has been grown before, we wondered if anyone would be interested in sharing knowledge. skills and small areas of their gardens with others who would like to learn to grow veg but don’t have gardens or big enough gardens to do so. There would be an exchange support and manual help for veg or fruit grown in their gardens. But also there would be the advantage of some company too.


We can do something locally or Joyce is happy to do the hard work to match people who are looking for a garden with those who are looking for help in their garden.  She has a network of matches across the UK with only a few in Scotland at the moment.   


These could all lead onto a community garden or a community woodland somewhere close and it would be great to get all the schools both teachers and pupils involved. 

Garden Water butt idea – to recycle rainwater for watering the garden especially in summer, maybe a PKC Initiative? Local initiative? Will have to check with Jess Pepper as she suggested we apply to Zero Waste Scotland or Scottish water for funding.
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Neighbourfood market – The market is doing really well and we are hoping to get more producers on board to extend the range of products and to help more producers retain their businesses. More local businesses are still needed. And due to Brexit happening wondering if it would be a good idea to contact more local farmers and see if they could grow and sell their produce locally? 


PKC Waste and Resources Meeting. Sheila Best PKC – mentioned that PKC are trialling a communal recycling waste system in Perth City Centre and when residents do not use the bins properly members from the waste team are engaging with those residents to learn why they are not placing waste in the right bins and how they can educate them in how to recycle properly. 


We have been asking for recycling bins in Pitlochry for about 18 months now as a trial to see how well they could encourage people to stop dropping litter and recycle more in and around the town.  So we have decided as they are doing these trials then we don’t need to keep chasing them.

​Carol Aitken

PKC engagement on Climate Change consultation with Pitlochry & District Climate Café, Friday, 13th November 2020 (Jess Pepper and Eirini Kourtesi, Climate Change Graduate from PKC in attendance)
 
This meeting was focussed on PKCs Climate Action Plan and was the 3rd in a series of open meetings hosted by the Highland Perthshire Climate Cafes with PKC officers who are drafting their Climate Action Plan in response to the Climate Crisis. 
 
All of this, as you probably know, is the start of a community engagement with online surveys (links below) with a closing date of January 5th followed by a number of events focussed on specific issues in January and February. Details to follow. 
 
Some of the changes PKC will want to introduce will depend on public support so we are all urged to speak up. As Peter Marshall  from PKC Sustainable Planning mentioned at the Blairgowrie Climate Café session often a few negative voices objecting to changes hold more sway than they should, so the Council needs to hear the positive supportive voices too and be encouraged to be ambitious!


General:https://consult.pkc.gov.uk/housing-environment/climateemergency_phase1/ 

Energy and Buildings: https://consult.pkc.gov.uk/housing-environment/copy-of-climate-emergency_phase2/

Land use: https://consult.pkc.gov.uk/housing-environment/copy-of-copy-of-climate-emergency_phase3/

Transport: https://consult.pkc.gov.uk/housing-environment/climatechange_phase4/
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Business & industry: https://consult.pkc.gov.uk/housing-environment/climatechange_phase5/

PKC engagement on Climate Change consultation with Pitlochry & District Climate Café.


Here are a list of possible solutions we could take for the biggest Environmental impacts on our homes (energy), transport, food and stuff choices. 


Food – Create more opportunities for communities to have access to fresh, seasonal, organic, local, less but better-quality meat, less dairy.

Community Allotments and Orchards.

Responsible Agriculture - Reduce, remove intensive farming practices in Perth and Kinross for more sustainable future. 

Tree planting where it can be done especially native trees, and regeneration of peatland to help with floods and droughts. Stabilize soils and maintain vegetation cover to prevent erosion.

Protect ponds, streams and watersheds from drainage of chemicals, pollutants, fertilizers and sewage, especially in storm runoff.

All part of education about our food systems and how to improve them .

Change Food share banks to Give and Take banks too then people can empty their cupboards of food they don’t or wont use. 


Transport – 
Help people to avoid using their cars for short journeys, 
Shift people out of their cars so improve public transport. 
More safe cycle and walking routes.


Why are you building Cross Tay Link Road when we are trying to reduce travelling and car use etc? The money would be better spent on improving other systems such as looking at how we can create new types of buses that would offer a more personal experience – compartmentalize buses. Or improve taxi services so people do not use their own cars in towns. 


Energy - reduce consumption, improve energy efficiency, switch to green supplier, renewables, hydrogen not necessarily good news! EST freephone can help.


Resources – 
Remove, reduce, reuse, recycle as much waste as possible. 


Better reuse and recycling facilities – As people do not all have access to recycling centres then allow people to drop off and pick up usable products like furniture from municipal centres


Alison mentioned that bins have been distributed for the wild campers during lockdown. They are now not being used. We have been asking for recycling bins in Pitlochry for 18 months now as a trial to see how well they could encourage people to stop dropping litter and recycle more in town, The Rural situation was going to be talked about next. Was supposed to be sorted just before Lockdown started. I am contacting both Aberdeen and North Berwick Climate Cafes to see if they have been able to address and resolve this problem with their respective councils  


Local Bottle return scheme that businesses could get involved with?


Mobilise money - divest savings and pensions out of fossil fuels – PKC 


Health and Well-being – We could look towards the Sustainability goals to help us inform any changes we would like to see PKC make? 


So let’s fill out the surveys, explain to the Council where they need to make changes (better bus services, recycling facilities, warmer homes, access to locally produced food, repair facilities.). 


Anyone could also write to the Cabinet Secretary to ask for the Route Map and updates from the FM! 


Verges – why do all of them need cut back? What about the biodiversity of these areas as verges were always a place left to go wild when I was younger? They were a place where many wildflowers could grow. Why is the litter along the verges not being picked up before they are cut? You walk along the road beside Faskally Woods and there are cut up drinks cans lying around for a child or animal to hurt themselves on. 


Comes back to what can be done about our littering problem in nature?  


Support and Education – Our plan to create an Eco One Stop Shop alongside Kaja’s Refill shop  – eco hub/information centre/educational workshops for repair/reuse. Work with other groups to create a network of Eco Hubs/information centres to give people easy access to up to date information and advice? The distribution of information and advice has been too confusing for people at times. But it could also include Men’s Shed and Repair Café workshops, presentations and talks, Zero waste events and any other ideas we have that helps and supports our community including the ones above.


Other ideas and information:
Find creative ways to get everyone interested and involved such as -  
Providing opportunities for people to watch informative films and programmes in their communities. Such as 2040 https://togetherfilms.org/2040-screenings Damon Gameau explores what the future in 2040 could look like by the time his daughter is 24 years old. He looks at the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shift them rapidly into the mainstream.

Would you be interested in joining in to watch this inspiring film? 

National Trust of Scotland membership cards. From Nicky King - for this year have written on them 'This card is 100% plastic free and recyclable with your paper and compost' printed on them. They feel just like the plastic ones they have always used till now - so it can be done. 

Compost  - Deirdre Machearan has been told this service has started up again and is based at Inveralmond Recycling Centre...down the far end of Ruthvenfield Rd on RHS. The compost is free of charge and limited to 2 x 25kg bags per day. It was suggested that she call before she goes just to make sure that they have compost ready with it recently started again. Deirdre is going to see what the centre is like and let us know. 

Terracycle  - The bins at Infinityblu have been removed for the time being. However the Coop have a crisp bin for Grandtully School. 
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Idea - Garden Water butt – to recycle rainwater for watering the garden, maybe a PKC Initiative?


​Carol Aitken