Montgomery Environment Group - MEG

26/10/2026

Following the many local screenings of the People's Emergency Briefings, please remember to email you local MP and/or MS (*details below) about the climate and nature crises, if you feel moved to do so.

Here are some suggestions of what to ask your MP/MS to encourage the government to do:

- Tell the public the truth about the climate and nature emergencies;

- Do all they can to reduce carbon emissions;

- Do all they can to allow nature to flourish because we completely rely on it for our survival;

- Stop giving fossil fuel giants huge subsidies, wasting tax payers money on something that is the biggest cause of the climate problem;

- Support and invest in renewable/green technologies and energy;

- With investment in green technology /energy, ensure that this is not to the detriment of poorer countries (eg mining for minerals) that are already suffering from the effects of climate change, largely down to richer countries' luxury/extravagant lifestyles.

National Emergency Briefing



*Steve Witherden MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr:
[email protected]

Elwyn Vaughan MS for Gwynedd Maldwyn: [email protected]

25/10/2026

Next MEG talk:

'Community Energy and the Community-owned Wind Turbine in Bishop's Castle.'

*Monday 16th November
7.30pm
at
Montgomery Town Hall*

Dave Green will talk about how important wind energy is in the UK, bringing MEG up to date on the Bishop's Castle wind turbine and why size matters in relation to wind turbines.

Dave Green has worked for many years in the fields of Household Energy Advice and Community Energy.

25/10/2026

MEG's next Repair Cafe will be on Sunday 15th November from *4.00 - 6.00pm at the Activity Centre 🛠️👨‍🔧💡☕🍰

*Please note the later start time.

21/10/2026

The People's Emergency Briefing will be shown at St Nicholas church, Montgomery this Saturday at 7pm.

MEG is also looking into showing the Derek v Derek film mentioned.

I am sure that I am not the only one struggling mentally under the heavy cloud that is the metacrisis; climate collapse, the fall of the international rules-based order, and wars waged under deranged leadership – all fuelled by growing wealth inequality and fascism rearing its ugly head again.

Perhaps worst of all is societal division led by media bias and BS, which makes it all too easy to believe the bad guys are winning and that kindness and decency are on the retreat. But how should we behave in order to be effective in driving urgently needed change?

My wife Geetie is filling the cupboards with lentils and buying wind-up radios; her inclination is to provide not just for our family but for our community. Given the drought and fires of this summer, far worse to come is now inevitable. Who could question the justification of “disruptive” climate protesters – banged up, silenced, and derided? Apparently the disruption to commuters was the real crime.

I have until now avoided watching the People's Emergency Briefing even though it was made by friends… Geetie and I felt it would be more than we could bear. But last week we took the plunge and attended a community screening at our local village hall. I stepped out, not happier, but more resolved – yes, massive, disruptive change is inevitable but we can still reduce the scale of the calamity. Nor am I alone in recognising this: the Peoples’ Climate Vote 2024 found that 72% of people want to see a fast transition away from fossil fuels.

If we can mobilise and maintain our love for each other, while building resilient communities on less complexity and consumption, the disruption ahead might just be bearable. Which is why we’ll be screening the People’s Emergency Briefing online on the 6 November at 2pm (GMT) for Riverford customers.

I’d also recommend the funny and sensitively made film Derek v Derek, which charts the turbulent relationship of two Devon farmers – garrulous, “maverick rewilder” Derek Gow and Derek Banbury, the obstinate, intensive farmer, proud of his orderly hedges.

A lot less hopeful is Sarah Wilson’s book, I Eat the Stars, which I found honest, helpful, and paradoxically uplifting. Personally, I am done with “hopium” – hope without action turns out to be complicity.

18/10/2026

There will be another chance to see the People's Emergency Briefing film in Montgomery next Sunday 25th October, in St Nicholas' Church at 7pm. This event is free and all are welcome

This event is organised by the churches in Montgomery (St Nicholas Church in Wales, the Presbyterian Chapel, and the Quaker group (that now meets in Newtown).

This is the 50 minute film created to bring out the key messages from a series of 9 presentations about the likely effects of the Climate and Nature crises that are developing.

The 9 presentations, given by respected authorities in their fields, cover the consequences for extreme weather, food security, the economy, national security, tipping points, nature, climate, health, and the energy transition.

The original presentations were delivered in Westminster last November to an audience of MPs and leaders in business, sport, culture and the media.

The government has issued its own internal report on the national security implications of ecosystem collapse, these words below are from a UK official government document written in collaboration with MI5 and MI6

"National security risks from ecosystem collapse

Migration will rise as development gains begin to reverse and more people are pushed into poverty, food and water insecurity. A one percentage increase in food insecurity in a population compels 1.9 percent more people to migrate.

Serious and Organised Crime will look to exploit and gain control over scarce resources. More people pushed into poverty will mean more opportunities for SOC [serious and organised crime] to exploit (e.g. people trafficking and black markets in scarce food, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals).

Non-state actors including terrorist groups will have more opportunities resulting from political instability - e.g. acting as mercenaries or pseudo governments. They may gain control over scarce resources."

See attached for the full document.

11/10/2026

08/10/2026

Are you considering installing a boiling water tap? Here's an interesting podcast about them, including energy efficiency and costs compared to a normal kettle.

Spoiler alert: despite the marketing claims, "as an investment in reducing your energy costs, it makes very little sense at all. So it's BS from me." (Mark Thompson, an engineer who has previously worked with the government on energy solutions but who now runs a consumer blog called 'Get Energy Savvy')

Do boiling water taps save you money?

14/09/2026

Next MEG talk:

'Recycling & the new Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) Regulations' by James Thompson

*Monday 21st September
7.30pm
at
Montgomery Town Hall*

Should manufacturers take responsibility for the cost of dealing with packaging they produce?

Powys Council’s Waste
Awareness Officer James Thompson will talk about what PCC is doing to meet the tight recycling targets set by Welsh Government, and about new EPR legislation forcing manufacturers to take responsibility for their packaging.

10/09/2026

MEG's next Repair Cafe will be this Sunday 13th September from 3.00 - 6.00pm at the Activity Centre 🛠️👨‍🔧💡☕🍰

21/08/2026

Excellent analogy 👌