The time to TAKE ACTION is NOW!
Urgent - What you can do today
Volunteer some of your time :)
“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”
Other Actions You can Take
Emailing / Letter Writing
We have put together a list of concerns you may wish to raise in your letter or email and have provided examples of letters that have been written to give you inspiration! See our Letters & Objections page.
Write to Theresa May - 10 Downing Street London SW1A 2AA. mayt@parliament.uk
Write to your MP - If you don't know who your MP is you can find out here http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/
OR USE https://www.writetothem.com/
Write to County Councillors
You can find your West Sussex County Councillor here http://tinyurl.com/lvwl7y3
You can find your East Sussex County Councillor here http://tinyurl.com/mxgjpoa
Write to the water authorities- Guidelines to help you are HERE
Write to your local town and parish Councillors
Councilors and politicians needs votes, so make them engage with the issue!
OBJECT OBJECT OBJECT! to planning Applications
It is our job to object to the planning applications of companies like Cuadrilla and UKOG as they are submitted to West Sussex County Council and The Environment Agency. There is also a list of current applications on the WSCC site https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/living/environment_and_planning/planning/planning_applications/fracking.aspx
Please write an objection letter against heavy industrial drilling in our National Parks.
A simple objection letter template:
I object to the above application. I believe that the County Council cannot know the full impacts of the work that (name of gas company) wishes to undertake because a full Environmental report does not exist. (West Sussex County Council) should have required a full Environmental Impact Assessment when (name of gas company) applied for their permission in (2010) I believe that you cannot make a decision on this application without the required information about environmental impacts and therefore the precautionary principle must be applied.
There are a range of impacts I am concerned about including:
- Water quality
- Air quality
- increased traffic
- increased noise
- negative impact on local wildlife from lighting, noise and general disturbance.
I therefore urge you to refuse it.
NAME and title
Change Your Energy Supplier
You don't have to buy your energy from 'The Big 6'. There are alternatives out there...
Visit http://unfrack.me/
or http://www.cooperativeenergy.coop
Raise awareness
The fight to keep Sussex frack free starts with raising awareness amongst the people of Sussex, and indeed throughout the UK. We are doing everything we can to raise the issue throughout our networks of family and friends, BUT WE NEED YOU TO DO IT TOO! Social media such as Facebook is a brilliant way of sharing information, petitions and news of the local campaigns. Why not organise a home screening of the film "Gasland"? Talk about fracking with other parents, church groups, sports groups, down the pub, at the bus stop, at the shops- anywhere you can! If your water was going to get poisoned and your home drastically de-valued, you would warn your friends, right?
Attend public meetings and voice your concerns
Across Sussex local groups are organising film screenings and public meetings. Check in with our EVENTS page to see what is next on the Frack Free calendar. Please go along and educate yourself further on the issues and join in the debates on a local level about what is best FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. These forums are a great opportunity to ask questions and get answers!
Get Involved!
The campaign to prevent Fracking ruining our county is made up of an ever growing number of people LIKE YOU! We are fighting against multi-national corporations with millions of pounds to spend on PR so we need you, whatever your skills and expertise.
Event organisers, letter-writers, graphic designers, video-makers, photographers, website builders, persuasive talkers, sign-makers, cake-bakers, tea servers, leaflet handers, media observers, database builders, film showers, nature-lovers, lorry-blockers, T-shirt designers, scientists, economists, environmentalists, musicians, artists....you name it!
Here is a list of Sussex based groups to get involved with;
Frack Free Sussex FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/FrackFreeSussex
Worthing Against Fracking FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WorthingAgainstFracking/
Frack Free Arun FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/232783256869591/
Gas Drilling in Balcombe Website: http://gasdrillinginbalcombe.wordpress.com/
Frack Free Balcombe Website: http://www.frackfreebalcombe.co.uk
Knitting Nanas Balcombe FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Knittingnanasbalcombe
Frack Free Cuckfield FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/frackfreecuckfield
Keep Kirdford and Wisborough ‘Green' No Drilling FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/NoDrillingSussex
Frack Free Fernhurst FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/FernhurstAgainstFracking
Chichester Anti-fracking Forum FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/500267603421245/
Horsham Against Fracking FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Horshamagainstfracking
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/795370587147155
Brighton Anti-Frack FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brighton-Anti-frack/420620088028811
Frack Free Mayfield & Five Ashes FB Page: http://www.frackfreemayfieldandfiveashes.org/
Frack Free FRow (Forest Row) FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/FrackFreeFrow
Frack Free Billingshurst FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/FRACK-Free-Billingshurst/368355889934042
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/keepbillingshurstfrackfree
Markwells Wood Watch FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/MarkwellsWoodWatch
Lewes Against Fracking FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lewes-Against-Fracking/234168936662614
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/166526800133807
Frack Free Storrington & West Chiltington https://www.facebook.com/groups/317039095146562
Warnham Frack Free FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/FRACKFREEWarnham
SEER - Sussex Extreme Energy Resistance: https://www.facebook.com/extremeenergyresistancesussex
Hand Out Leaflets or Display a Poster
An easy way of spreading information to people in your community is to do some hand outs. Here are some to get you started.
'Get the Frack Out Of Sussex' poster
'Get the Frack Out of Britain' poster
'Top 20 ways to get fractivated' info sheet
'Why Ban fracking?' food&water watch full colour flyer
'Our countryside is not for shale' Green MEP Keith Taylor, report
PROTEST!
The fight to keep Sussex FRACK FREE may take years but we are in it for the long haul- for our children and their children. Every lorry that is slowed down, every delivery that is made difficult makes the share holders question their investment in unconventional oil & gas. We mustn't be afraid to exercise our right to peaceful protest. We mustn't be afraid to stand up and be counted. We mustn't be afraid to PROTEST because, ultimately, we need to ask ourselves "At what point do we claim self-defense?"
Farmers & Foodies!!
Please join the Sussex Frack Free Food Alliance. More Details on our Food Not Fracking Page.
Keep the debate going!
Participate in online discussions- Don't be afraid to post and comment on online news reports and articles. A lot of people are still unaware of this issue and you can help to change that.
Write to the newspapers- local and national.
Organise an event locally. Summer fairs, school fairs, meetings, fund raisers, screenings, petition signings, door to door information spreading - it all needs to happen!