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Mark’s Blog
Has social distancing been abandoned?
Midlothian has crowded pubs, shops, and roads, and the beaches were as busy as ever according to news and other reports, so what now for the second wave? Are over 50s being told to stay at home so the young can party as usual?
Where have all the bugs gone?
As I drove to Boness and back the other day, I did not need to clear my windscreen of any bugs at all, and there should have been plenty in the middle of summer. Has the overuse of pesticides wiped out everything, or is there some other reason? Maire has a photo of the broccoli in our garden, it’s perfect, unmarked, uneaten, and no sign of any caterpillars. Are we supposed to accept this as “Normal”?
Extinction Rebellion
European Convention of Human Rights
The illustration below shows the European Convention of Human Rights. #TheresaMay plans to scrap these by 2020. This must NOT happen!
It’s important we give people the choice to spend their final days at home
Alison Johnstone MSP, Health & Social Care spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today commented on new figures showing no increase in the time spent at home rather than in hospital in the final six months of life.
More: https://greens.scot/news/its-important-we-give-people-the-choice-to-spend-their-final-days-at-home
Communities with nuclear plants should be properly consulted
Mark Ruskell MSP, Energy & Environment spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (11 Aug) challenged Scottish Ministers to close a loophole that allows nuclear power plants to have their operating life extended without public input.
Read more: https://greens.scot/news/communities-with-nuclear-plants-should-be-properly-consulted
Scottish Greens call for energy policy to be devolved to Holyrood
“The comments were made in response to the call by the GMB Union for the UK Government to scrap the national energy regulator Ofgem after disappointment in what the GMB called “ineffectual reforms”.
https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/9027/scottish-greens-call-energy-policy-be-devolved-holyrood
What now for the greenbelt and for greenbelt communities?
What now for the greenbelt and for greenbelt communities? How will Midlothian be effected by this ongoing expansion of housing and associated infrastructure in Edinburgh and this continuing nibbling away of the greenbelt?
Will the thousands of empty homes and commercial premises across the city ever be developed? Will the existing acres of brownfield sites and land banked by developers ever be brought into sustainable use? When will we actually start building sustainable livable homes that are affordable, accessible and connected to good quality local services, transport and greenspace?
What is the value of all LDPs and their housing targets, including Midlothian’s post-Brexit? There’s a question! Perhaps a time fro a rapid reassessment?
At present, I’m not sure that there’s a satisfactory answer to any of these questions? Or indeed any sign that the voice or concerns of local communities on either side of the greenbelt will be heard any time soon by either local or central government.
Read more:
More of our greenspace is disappearing
Ian Baxter, Midlothian Green Councillor writes about his concerns that a hotel has been given planning approval in the Pentland Hills Special Landscape Area.
At Tuesday