Today's reminder that we need to stop smashing the #planning system and to give it the powers to prevent any further dumping of sprawl housing, distribution sheds and solar panels on productive farmland. tinyurl.com/mr8exz3w
Britain could face food shortages as drought continues, farmers warn
Farmers battle to salvage what they can of their crops as heatwave set to continue
tinyurl.com
Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said Virginia has to stop approving new data centers altogether until the impacts on water, electricity and other issues are figured out first.
Virginia state senators call for data center moratorium
The calls to stop data center growth in the data center capital of the world are getting louder as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle get behind calls for a statewide moratorium. Some lawmakers said...
nbcwashington.com
Today's reminder that this is the future we need a robust planning system for (and a reminder to fossil fuel shills to STFU).
Volcaholic@volcaholic1.bsky.social · 3d agoDrill baby, drill. www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9Qj...
Have you emailed your MP yet? Take our latest campaign action - call for a better railway for people and places: actionnetwork.org/letters/a-be...
Email your MP: a better railway for people and places
Great British Railways is the new public body that will soon be responsible for managing the whole rail network, both track and trains. The creation of Great British Railways is a once-in-a-generation...
actionnetwork.org
Today's reminder that #WaterSecurity and #FoodSecurity are much more important than HM Treasury's fantasy sprawl housing targets. tinyurl.com/ytfj9n5b
‘We cannot magic up more water’: the supply problems putting housing targets in England at risk
Council leaders say crumbling infrastructure and lack of water are jeopardising government’s plans for new homes
tinyurl.com
So, not only is London's green belt to be destroyed as grey belt housing, anything left is to be covered with power/water/land hungry data centres. Any feeble conditions applied will be little comfort in a few years when they're found to be obsolete. tinyurl.com/4b4bke4c
What is Sadiq Khan's New Plan for Green Belt Data Centres?
Sir Sadiq Khan's draft London Plan opens the door to green belt data centres, with energy, heat recovery and sustainability at the heart of the policy
tinyurl.com
And here's another problem with data centres the Government has yet to address in its zeal to allow their building everywhere. Add unacceptable noise to their high water & energy consumption and land take. And remember they may be obsolete not far down the line.
Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · last wk.This is a well-produced segment. I encourage you to watch so you can hear the noise for yourself. The professor of environmental health science that they interviewed called it an “unprecedented new noise source.”
Today's reminder of the urgent need to stop government turning the #planning system into a vehicle for dumping housing sprawl around the country and instead make it central to #adaptation to & #mitigation of climate change.
NEWS: Defra; Mary Creagh out, Jenny Riddell-Carpenter in www.gov.uk/government/n... Blog: is this the way to run Environment Department? markavery.info/2026/07/23/i... High turnover of Envt Secretaries, ministers have little experience/interest in the brief, lead non exec owns grouse moor.
Our creaking water system cannot provide enough water to cool these monsters, they're adding to destructive sprawl, they consume unsustainable amounts of power & they're set to destroy employment levels. + they might be obsolete in 10 years or so. So why? tinyurl.com/5a9hd6kd
Not enough water for UK’s datacentre plans, trade body says
Industry says government’s failure to address cooling demands means AI growth plans are ‘fatally flawed’
tinyurl.com
In 2014, New York City lowering the speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. In just the 1st year: Traffic fatalities fell by more than 22% Pedestrian fatalities fell by more than 25% The most dangerous drivers, those driving over 35 mph, slowed down the most. Via @transalt.org Speed is always a factor.
Too Fast, Too Furious: New York City’s Speeding Epidemic and the Case for Local Control of Speed Limits — Transportation Alternatives
We need immediate action to reverse the rising death toll on our streets. Passing Sammy’s Law would give the City of New York the power to set its own speed limits and create streets safe for all New ...
transalt.org
New polling from YouGov shows public support net zero climate action, but underestimate how much UK has already achieved 6️⃣3️⃣% voters: UK should be trying to meet its net zero 2050 target (29% oppose) 5️⃣0️⃣% of respondents inaccurately believe the UK's overall progress is off track net zero 2050 target
BLOG What is #Manchesterism? Andy Burnham's recent speech promised to abandon the neoliberalism which has done so much damage. Yet a recent paper defining Manchesterism by "Mainstream Labour" trotted out all the familiar #TuftonSt #YimbyLobby lies about planning. tinyurl.com/ynztrtpn
Manchester Labour, Liberals and Ism – Smart Growth UK
tinyurl.com
Proving that you'll bend to hysterical campaigns in populist media is not a good way to start your premiership. tinyurl.com/bdeuktdy
Burnham to announce plans for new North Sea oil and gas drilling
Drilling has become a controversial topic for the Labour party after the 2024 manifesto pledged to not issue new licences.
tinyurl.com
#France has implemented one of the most pragmatic energy policies: large parking lots are being equipped with #solar canopies. This turns already-paved areas into a source of clean energy—without taking up additional natural or agricultural land www.mass.gov/doc/france-s... #ActOnClimate #SolarPower
So wait a minute. The Government's Defence Investment Plan is still short of £5bn. But the Government wants to waste £11bn on building a short stretch of the #OuterM25, exacerbating, congestion, accidents and greenhouse gas emissions across the regional network?
Transport Action Network@transportaction.bsky.social · 3w agoOur Roads Campaigner, Becca Lush, was interviewed about the Lower Thames Crossing for ITV News. Hear what both Becca (and a local resident) had to say about the £11 billion+ road scheme 👇🏽 youtu.be/-8Z94eT1C6Q?...
Great that the NAO have confirmed they will be auditing the Lower Thames Crossing project, but there is no start date! Meanwhile public money is being thrown at this damaging road scheme without a completed business case in place. actionnetwork.org/letters/inve...
Investigate the privatised Lower Thames Crossing now!
Transport Action Network has uncovered serious financial irregularities with the privatised* Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) ‘smart’ motorway, and needs your help to make sure this is investigated. It’s n...
actionnetwork.org
Huge data centres for AI need:- - vast areas of farmland & nature - much of our scarce water supply - big increases in power supply & GHG emissions - huge reductions of employment levels But they would enrich tech billionaires & count as economic growth, so they're a good thing, right?
Pretty obvious really - we don't need economists to tell us The UK is especially at risk - almost half of food imported and the 3 worst harvests in the last 5 years - resulting in a loss of a year's worth of bread supply Don't rule out some rationing www.theguardian.com/business/202...
‘Super’ El Niño could cause global food price shock lasting into 2028, analysts say
Weather cycle threatens harvests worldwide, adding to inflation already fuelled by the Iran war
theguardian.com
Council leaders have told ministers they should oppose proposals for a new city of 400,000 homes covering 45,000 acres of West Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Government’s New Towns Taskforce have rejected the proposals known as Forest City 1. www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/news/pr20260...
"My car can't drive at 20 mph". FFS. Presumably you get it airlifted into car parks then?
❗The UK isn't equipped for extreme heat - we need urgent action to protect the people & places we love. How do we build mass support for a safer, cooler future to drive faster change today, whilst cutting our emissions? 🗓️ Thurs 16 July 🕜 11am–12pm 👉 Register: climateoutreach.org/webinar-adap...
"A single AI data center can consume 5 million gallons of water a day — equal to the daily water usage of a U.S. town with 50,000 residents. Now, lawmakers in at least 14 states pushing to ban or halt new data centers over mounting environmental concerns ..." www.facebook.com/naturalfruit...
I'm delighted to be the 2026 guest speaker at the Lewis Mumford Lecture at the Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York. Lewis Mumford was a student there, and the beloved Jane Jacobs was the first guest speaker. 22 September | 6.00 pm Registration: www.eventbrite.com/e/from-crisi...
From Crisis to Proximity: A New Social Contract for Cities
Please join us for the 2026 Mumford Lecture: From Crisis to Proximity: A New Social Contract for Cities, presented by Carlos Moreno.
eventbrite.com
“Wisconsin residents sue Microsoft over noise caused by new data center *** Residents have also complained the area has become a ‘dust bowl’ due to construction” 7/4/26
Wisconsin residents sue Microsoft over noise caused by new data center
Residents have also complained the area has become a ‘dust bowl’ due to construction
independent.co.uk
