“Humans like and need social interaction.” “Perhaps in post-Covid UK, we will live in the city centre and commute to jobs in the suburbs.” .… Read More »Work pods and working from home

“The hedges of Devonshire are proverbially large and rich. Sidmouth is closely surrounded with them like so many green and flowery zones… In the vernal… Read More »The Sid Valley Hedgescape: full report

“As for office work, I sense the future lies with small towns and suburban villages.” . There’s been quite a boom in WFH: Working from… Read More »Working from home: reviving town life

Grants through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme BEYOND THE GIG ECONOMY: Empowering the self-employed workforce . During lockdown, the government was on hand for the… Read More »Supporting the self-employed

“Cemeteries will be left overgrown in areas where graves are rarely visited to allow wildlife to flourish” “Maintenance of cemeteries is a contentious issue. EDDC… Read More »Wildlife in cemeteries

PLASTIC IN YOUR PRAWNS . Last month’s newsletter from the DMF included a report from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory: Are we underestimating microplastics in the… Read More »Sea food and microplastics

”why go elsewhere when everything is here….” . To be launched formally next month, the new town council website for tourists is pretty impressive –… Read More »New ‘Visit Sidmouth’ website

Unless farmers, food companies and retailers can make a profit switching to more sustainable production methods and consumers can afford sustainably produced products, the food… Read More »How to create a sustainable food system

10 Actions to Improve Streets for Children . A lot of the proposals from during and after lockdown would make our streets a lot safer:… Read More »Children-friendly streets

Wildflower meadows in the Yarty Valley displaying all their glory. . The Sid Valley Biodiversity Group has just launched its first presence online: Sid Valley… Read More »A farm as a haven for wildlife

“… energy storage has a key role to play in decarbonisation” . More and more new battery technologies are being explored: New liquid air battery… Read More »New Vanadium battery technology

“City councillors had a very limited understanding of what reducing Exeter’s carbon footprint to sustainable levels would actually involve.” “Choosing politically-palatable policies to present as… Read More »The ‘Net Zero’ Exeter plan has “profound flaws”

But will this be superseded by the proposed abolition of district councils? . The latest news on what’s happening with the GESP has been widely… Read More »Mid Devon set to reject Greater Exeter Strategic Plan: analysis

Emissions from the transport sector account for around 14% of global emissions. . Here’s a very important question: . How can long-haul transport lower its… Read More »Zero-emissions flying

“A historic Georgian high garden wall was the starting point for this stunning certified Passivhaus in Devon, which won planning permission under the ‘exceptional design’… Read More »Passivhaus East Devon