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The Bentley Effect - An Inspiring Call to Action

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The Bentley Effect is a documentary of resistance currently touring the UK with two of its main protagonists. On Thursday the lucky audience was in Edinburgh.  The film charts the story of three communities over five years on the front line against Unconventional Gas extraction (UCG) in New South Wales, Australia. When the regional government granted several licenses to Arrow Energy to begin drilling for gas in the Northern Rivers shire, people were rightly angry that there had been no public consultation about the issue given the widely uncertain environmental and health implications. In the first two communities, we witness a build-up of local resistance to UCG activity, and when the issue is finally put to the polls in the regional centre of Lismore, 87% vote against it. Yet the government continue with their plans regardless, and so the people are forced to stop UCG in its tracks. The creativity of the communities in slowing down the industry vehicles on their way to dril
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Hustings for a Sustainable Future – what do Edinburgh councillors have to say?

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Candidates from each political party gathered on Tuesday 25 April to discuss and answer questions from the audience on their approach to sustainability if they are elected to Edinburgh city council on the 4 May. Representing the Green Party was Chas Booth, a current councillor for Leith ward. The conservative candidate was Cameron Rose, a councillor for Southside/Newington. For Labour was Maureen Child, current councillor in Portobello/Craigmillar; for the SNP, Adam McVey, current councillor of Leith, and for the liberal democrats was Vita Zaporozcenko, a candidate for Leith. Speakers were asked to answer six main questions which would shape the evening’s debate: 1.      If elected, would you call for the divestment of fossil fuel holdings from the Lothian Pension Fund and re-invest them in renewable energy? 2.      Would you support the introduction of a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Edinburgh to combat air pollution? 3.      What would you do to improve the quality of h
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