Before we start, the Rothbury Trust campaign I mentioned in September has raised 87% of its £30,00,000 goal. If you have a spare fiver and/or know a millionaire, ping them that link and let’s get the land secured lads.
Support the most independent of indie bookshops in east London
The People’s Letters in Bethnal Green is a cooperative bookshop and events space I hope to visit when I’m next in east London for more than just a train, because we need more cooperatives, more bookshops and more events spaces. The People’s Letters share its space with Release, a drug charity that runs a harm reduction hub. On paper they might not seem like the most obvious neighbours, but I guess books and harm reduction initiatives are both in the business of improving people’s lives. The People’s Letters ran a crowd funding campaign earlier this year that remains open, or you can support them via Kofi, Patreon or merch.
(Full disclosure this is the sort of space I’d love to stock my books in; if that ever happens rest assured that they’d get a cut.)
Continuing with something of an east end/Essex theme…
Tell a data centre in Thurrock to fuck off
You couldn’t make this shit up: Thurrock Council is thinking of selling a local wildlife site to Google for a data centre campus. You can sign a Wildlife Trust petition before 14th October, with the added option to add comments. (I did.) (I recommend it.)
Support a global plastics treaty
I’m including this because until last week I assumed there already was a global treaty on plastics. I don’t know why I assumed that, given the average intelligence level of many contemporary world leaders, but apparently UN negotiations are ongoing and you can tell the Secretary of State for Environment that you reckon that’s a good idea, via this Greenpeace petition. Plastic in medical care? Amazing, fantastic use of scientific research. Three layers of unrecyclable soft plastic in household goods I had to buy online because all the relevant shops I could have bought from folded in 2011? No ta.
In the spirit of recycling, I wrote that on the back of an old envelope.
Happy spooky season!!
Look after yourselves,
Francesca
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