Snow-free Summerway sunset ... a big plus.

Beautiful sunset this evening.

As I watched the sun withdraw its gold I realised I was appreciating the watery gleam on the cars and road as much as I enjoyed the winter-pale sky colours. 

Not hard to understand why.

It's a whole year since Exeter suffered serious snowfall. 

Twelve months ago driving was treacherous. Too few roads were cleared quickly. Buses struggled. 

Cycling was scary - partly because drivers didn't want to share 'their' two parallel tracks with a cyclist. 

But no-one, by foot or bicycle, dared share space with the soon-slithering vehicles going too fast for the conditions.

 
All of which might not have mattered - we might have enjoyed wintery walking through stunning scenic views of our city - if only our pavements had been cleared/gritted. Instead every footway became a churned-up skid-pan.

So, until there's a sensible solution to keeping Exeter moving after snowfall... I'm dreaming of a white wet Christmas, not like the one we knew last year.

Orangutan mince pies

Thank goodness for the small shops that bring variety and genuine purchasing choice to Exeter.
I looked for mince pie mincemeat in Pinhoe's Aldi - they had one brand on offer.
I checked out Pinhoe Sainsbury's. They had their own bottle, tub and 'Taste the Difference' jar, plus Robertsons Classic and Duerrs luxury 1881.
Choice surely? 
No.  
Not one bottle or tub was free from palm oil.
BBC Panorama says this about palm oil - Orangutan survival and the shopping trolley
So I went to Magdalen Road shopping centre, where variety and choice are genuine and often local. 
Small traders still dominate and I could buy a jar of palm-oil free mincemeat. 
Last year I didn't have this problem.
Sainsbury's know about the palm-oil issue. They are trying to switch to sustainable palm-oil; so far only in their biscuits range.
But Greenpeace points out the problem of being sure whether oil that's called sustainable truely is
I don't want to feel I'm adding to the biodiversity threat to our world's forests and their inhabitants every time I eat a mince pie.
Has anyone else found a mincemeat brand that is palm-oil-free?
Please let me know if you do.

Nature nearby

How can urban areas have nature nearby?
Natural England have an inspiring answer  - they invite local residents to get together to create "doorstep greens". Exeter City Council calls these "pocket parks".
Whatever the name we're aiming to start up soon in the Whipton area of Pinhoe Ward.
If you're interested in getting involved come along at 10.15 a.m. on Friday 2nd December to Whipton Community Hall Pinhoe Road, near Whipton shopping centre.
I will be there, as will the  RSPB and  Exeter Wild City.

Thanks to Exeter's street sweepers

Autumn winds and rain have been flinging millions of leaves down onto our pavements and roads.

Sometimes lovely to look at. 

But as they rot and grow slippery, not always easy to walk or cycle over.

And definitely not easy to sweep up.

So it's a big thank you to Exeter City Council's street sweepers for being out there in all weathers tackling the problem. Very much appreciated.

Tories' sham-green shame

Many thanks to The Independent news paper's exclusive - Backlash grows over Camerons green sellout  for the following list of the promises that have gone sour as the Govt back-tracks on environment policies and plans.

Planning New rules will strip away protection of the countryside from development – the Government has so far resisted a continuing, widespread campaign against the plans.

Motorway speeds To the horror of environmental campaigners, the Government is raising the limit to 80mph, adding more than two million tons a year to carbon emissions.

Forests Ministers announced last year a mass sell-off, despite no reference in the Conservative manifesto or coalition agreement, but a public campaign forced a U-turn.

Green investment bank A flagship environmental policy has been severely undermined by a Treasury block on it providing loans. It will not be allowed to borrow until 2015.

Eco-homes Another legacy of Labour, but any new homes built with "zero carbon" credentials will not have carbon emissions from electrical appliances counted, undermining the definition.

Quangos The Forestry Commission, Natural England and the Environment Agency have all been prevented from policy-making, while the Sustainable Development Commission and the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution have been axed.

Illegal tropical timber Ministers have scrapped a Conservative manifesto pledge to criminalise the possession of illegal tropical timber.

Aggregates The Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund, which diverted £20m in taxes raised from the sand and gravel industry to 200 green projects, has been scrapped.