The Power of Small Things

Small things

Hello, and welcome to my little post about small things! Little things can make a difference & we can too 😊

Have you made the switch to plastic free shampoo bars? I’ve been using them a while now & enjoy trying different ones. I like Garnier’s Ultimate Blends Oatmeal Shampoo Bar. Because I have sensitive skin it helps soothe the scalp & stop the itch! You can also get a kiddy ‘no tangle’ shampoo bar too for the little ones. https://www.garnier.co.uk/hair-care/shampoo-bars

Another one I’ve been trying recently is the Aussie Koala Bear Shampoo Bar. This is so cute sitting in my soap dish & lathers up really well with a nice soft foam. There’s a ribbon to hang it up too (keep away from running water when not in use). https://aussiehair.com/aussie-products/shampoo/nourishing-hug-solid-shampoo-bar/

Another thing I’ve been trying lately is Dr Beckman’s Magic Leaves Detergent Sheets for your laundry. https://www.dr-beckmann.co.uk/products/magic-leaves-bio-25-sheets/ They dissolve quickly into water even at low temperatures & can cut out plastic bottles altogether.

I found if you add one sheet you don’t get much scent so I added two without a fabric conditioner, but the fabric was still left feeling a little cardboardy. My conclusion is that due to the water quality in our area, that some sort of water softening is required!

Previously I had tried the washing ball called Eco Egg which our local supermarket now stocks. The idea is that you use the egg for up to 50 washes so don’t need a whole line of plastic bottles taking up room in your cupboard (you buy refill pellets to add in to keep the product going).

I didn’t like these as the ball makes an awful clonking noise through the whole wash & the scent was non existent. Plus it takes up space in the washer that the magic leave sheets don’t so I do prefer the sheets to the ball, in fact I gave away the ball + refill for someone else to try!

I've also tried Method Kitchen Spray refill. Available in a tiny bottle the size of my hand, this is strong enough to make up 10 bottles using water & re-using an old spray bottle. The citrus & mango one we tried so far & the smell is divine!

Caught the bug? 

Talking of small things it has been lovely to see bees & butterflies in the garden this year but we have noticed a drop in numbers. I saw mostly small white butterflies, even though we have a large selection of flowers including allium, buddleia, clovers, daisies & home made wilfdflower seedballs, plus we leave parts of our lawn to grow wild.

We avoid using any pesticides in the garden & leave out shallow bowls of water with bug hotels dotted around (for solitary bees). The butterfly watch survey results will be published later this September so will be interesting to see what the trend is countrywide.

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If you want to help bugs in your garden why not check out https://www.buglife.org.uk/get-involved/gardening-for-bugs/ for some ideas. 

Don’t forget the hedgehogs need our help too. Encourage them into your garden with a small gap in the bottom of your fence for them to travel across spaces. You can map your hedgehog friendly gardens on this site https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/. Why not get the kids involved in designing a wildlife friendly space around your lawn.

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Remember, remember the 5th of November & remember the hedgehogs too. Make sure they’re not hiding out in log piles, if you’re planning to light a fire on fireworks night. 

Meanwhile next year why not take part in a Butterfly Count? You can load an app on your phone to help with recording & identification. You’ll be an expert before you know it! https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/

If you have a wild space you can record your patch in the following site: https://wild-spaces.co.uk/. Folks with just a patio or window box are encouraged to take part too, we can all do our bit to help wildlife thrive & be(e) strong!

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According to bug life, 8 out of 10 wildflowers rely on insects for pollination. Our crops depend on insects too.

Don’t forget that hover flies, beetles, moths, butterflies, wild bees (including solitary bees) & honey bees can all help with pollination so a good range of bugs in your garden can all help!

Did you know also that 25% of native UK beetles are pollinators too as they like to feed on pollen & nectar? More useful tips here at: https://earthwatch.org.uk/blog/the-different-types-of-pollinators-and-why-we-need-them/

Video on wild spaces:

A cool idea for bringing more insects into your garden is planting wildflower seeds. Pollenize is a company that sells a blend of 34 native seeds & grasses with an extended flowering season. Once planted they’re encouraging businesses & citizens to record their planting on an interactive re-wilding map https://www.pollenize.org.uk/seed-map.

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If you don’t think your little space helps why not check out ‘The Every Garden Matters’ report? They say ‘green corridors begin at home’.

Small gardens can connect wildlife as they move from one garden to another. We built our houses in their way, maybe we can give back a little to encourage nature to return. https://gardenorganic-assets.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/documents/Every-Garden-Matters-report.pdf

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The organisation ‘State of Nature’ writes regular reports on wildlife & habitat decline in the UK. Can be depressing but also a reminder on how we can (& must) do more to turn things around.

If you want to help out with insect & wildlife counts in your local area then their site has a list of organisations they work with, including bat counts, mammals, butterflies, birds & marine life https://stateofnature.org.uk/

People’s Trust for Endangered Species are also keen to encourage spotters who can record their findings – from stag battles to hedgerows to water voles - check out their site for ideas: https://ptes.org/get-involved/surveys/ 

Old from new

So what else have we been up to? My hubby has been busy growing tomatoes & chillies & I love to grow herbs. I decided to venture into micro herbs this year. Re-purposed plastics can be good for this (we’re not against plastics but wish to cut down heavily on single use plastics, finding a new life for old is always a good).

Old tubs can be used as containers for growing seedlings. Drill a whole in the bottom of one tub & add some chord. Put water in the bottom pot & the plant with chorded hole next level up & it becomes self watering as the water soaks up the chord.

Cut the top off the upper half of a lemonade bottle & you have an instant cloche which can be watered from the top. Or you can even use an old cleaned Ziploc bag as a mini greenhouse placed over the top. 

Meanwhile, you can use old margarine pots as a micro herb grower (see photo above). You can even turn lemonade bottles into a make shift vase!

A new project for self is to make something ornamental for the garden using old medicine spoons. I have donated old spoons to an artist for paint stirring but built up more since. I have plans to create a flower using the spoons as petals – let’s hope I’ll get around to it some time!

Stocking up for Christmas!

Meanwhile, there’s only a few months ‘til Christmas so I’m pleased to announce that our Christmas shop is now open! I make cotton fabric crackers with seedballs & a poem inside or cracker sleeves so you can make your own crackers using loo roll. Add your own mini gifts inside. They can be used time & time again & can be washed & ironed if they get mucky paws on them!

We also have washing up cloths of various designs that can be composted as they’re all made from natural materials. Plus fairylight bottles made from upcycled whisky, gin, rum & wine bottles. The batteries can be replaced keeping your gift going for longer & helps to light up a Winter’s eve.

New for this year, get a 12% discount on multiple items in your trolley. 

💬 Quote SAVE12 to get the discount when checking out 

Meanwhile enjoy that last little bit of summer, it’ll be soon time to get out your winter warmers!

Check out some of our previous posts to help you make eco friendly choices this Christmas:

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Books Galore

Festive Dreams

Green Christmas

Cost of Living Tips!

Less Waste at Xmas

Have an Eco Christmas

 Homemade Items for Sale 

 

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Positive News for July 2023

Positive News July 2023

This time of year is so uplifting but there’s always space for more good things so here’s our latest round up of good news 😊

1) King’s college Meadow - A New Study

We previously reported on wildflower meadows taking shape in Kings College Cambridge. As part of a study, King’s Research Fellow Dr Cicely Marshall, found that in spite of its small size, the wildflower meadow supported three times as many species of plants, spiders and bugs, including 14 species with conservation designations.

Terrestrial invertebrate biomass was found to be 25 times higher in the meadow, with bat activity over the meadow also being three times higher than over the remaining lawn. 

https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/news/2023/study-shows-impact-kings-wildflower-meadow

I love the fact they use horses to harvest the meadow at the end of the season with the bales offered to locals to create a meadow of their own: 

https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/a-greener-kings/kings-wildflower-meadow

2) Postcode Gardeners

Friends of the Earth & Co-Operative Bank have partnered together to place Postcode Gardeners into the most nature deprived neighbourhoods, helping to green the area & also bring neighbours together. Trial projects have taken place in Hackney, Chester & Bideford, Devon with more being planned in Birmingham, Bristol & London.

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/planting-more-postcode-gardeners-create-greener-streets

3) Chocolate Wrappers to go Plastic Free

For the first time since its launch in 1936, Nestlé is changing the packaging of their famous Mars bar wrapper. Traditionally wrappers are made from aluminium & plastic which are hard to recycle although they can be recycled via Terracycle collection points (if there’s one in your area) who shred the wrappers & melt the plastic element into pellets.

Nestlé are piloting a new recyclable paper wrapper which will be available at 500 Tesco stores in the UK for a limited time.

https://happyeconews.com/candy-bar-wrapper-plastic-free/

Have you seen the new Smarties packaging? Smarties was the first global confectionery brand to switch to recyclable paper packaging, removing approximately 250 million plastic packs sold globally every year.

https://www.nestle.com/media/news/smarties-first-global-confectionery-brand-recyclable-paper-packaging

4) How to Recycle Old Credit Cards

HSBC are providing a new drop off point in selected branches for people to recycle their old debit & credit cards. The recycling scheme is in unison with Terracycle. Old cards will be shredded & turned into plastic pellets.

https://uk.pcmag.com/e-commerce-payments/147433/mastercard-is-encouraging-us-to-shred-our-credit-and-debit-cards

5) Royal Mail Pledges to Achieve Net Zero

Royal Mail are hoping to achieve net zero operations by using 100% renewable energy, switching to more trains (& less planes) for the movement of parcels & using electric vehicles for deliveries.

According to their site ‘We have the UK’s largest electric fleet of any major UK parcel operator, with almost 5,000 electric vans in service today. We continue to trial other alternative fuel vehicles such as micro electric and hydrogen vehicles, as well as other delivery models – including delivery by drone!’

https://www.royalmail.com/sustainability/stepstozero/net-zero-operations

6) UK's First 100 Per Cent Sustainably-Fuelled Aircraft Takes to the Skies

The UK’s first ‘waste-fuelled’ aircraft piloted by the RAF took to the skies over Oxfordshire using 100 per cent sustainable fuel last year. Sustainable fuels using waste based fuels such as used cooking oil have the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 80 per cent, according to the RAF.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/uks-first-100-per-cent-200000100.html

7) Carbon Zero Fuel for Cars?

Former Formula One engineer Paddy Lowe hopes to start production of a new type of e-fuel this Autumn, which uses green electricity and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make a carbon-neutral alternative to petrol. The fuel is seen as attractive as it can be used in existing cars & passenger jets which could help reduce scrappage of usable vehicles.

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/british-lab-synthetic-petrol-race-065424482.html

8) Turning Carbon Dioxide into Cleaner Fuel

A team from University of Cambridge have discovered how to create clean, sustainable fuels using carbon dioxide captured from the air and energy from the Sun.

Passing the gas through an alkaline solution, the researchers were able to concentrate the CO2 to make it easier to convert into syngas fuel using sunlight. Adding plastic waste to the system enabled the team to create useful chemicals like glycolic acid, which is widely used in the cosmetics industry.

“This solar-powered system takes two harmful waste products – plastic and carbon emissions – and converts them into something truly useful,” said co-first author Dr Sayan Kar. 

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/scientists-create-clean-fuel-thin-150153623.html

9) Electricity from Humidity! (Air-Gen )

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts have discovered how to generate electricity from humidity. The researchers claim that just about any surface can be turned into a generator by replicating the electrical properties of storm clouds. Sounds very promising...

https://happyeconews.com/the-air-gen-device-that-converts-humidity-into-energy/

10) Irish Native Bee Sanctuary

To save the bees it’s important to protect native wild bees including bumble bees & solitary bees. Paul Hendrick has set up a bee sanctuary with 55 acres of organic land in County Wicklow Ireland. They purposefully do not cater for honey bees (no hives) but focus on wild native bees using meadows, flowering weeds, wetlands + trees, bushes & hedgerows to give them places to thrive all year round.

https://www.positive.news/environment/the-worlds-first-native-bee-sanctuary-how-to-save-bees/

11) Earn Eco Rewards at Bracknell Forest

Choosing to walk, cycle or take public transport in Martins Heron (Bracknell Forest) just got more rewarding, with the introduction of new Eco Rewards QR codes around the area. Residents who walk or cycle to local amenities, such as the shops, parks, schools or station, will also be rewarded for choosing active travel routes.

The expansion of Eco-Rewards programme comes after the council secured funding through South Western Railway’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF). Points earned can lead to discounts, prizes, or cash-back rewards!

https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/news/2023/07/eco-rewards-expansion-martins-heron

12) Rewilding at Northwood – Nurturing Nature

The Northwoods Rewilding Network was set up in 2021 to harness the growing appetite for nature restoration among farms, crofts, smaller estates and community landholdings. Northwoods now consists of over 60 land partners stewarding 14,000 acres.

In their recent email they cited the following key points:

In 2022, Northwoods land partners planted 108,000 native trees and set aside 4,800 acres for natural woodland regeneration plus 70 new ponds & scrapes, 22 ‘leaky’ dams & 130 acres of restored peatland means more homes for wildlife and a reduced risk of flooding.

9km of new hedgerows were planted & 10km of redundant fencing removed, allowing wildlife to expand and disperse (all with the help of land partners & 500 volunteers!)

https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/

What is Happening in July?

🦋 The Big Butterfly Count is now on - Between Friday 14th July and Sunday 6th August, choose a place to spot butterflies and moths. Watch for 15 minutes. Then submit a record of the species you see!

An ID guide can be downloaded online or you can use their app to identify & report your findings. https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/

🌞 Check out Plastic Free July – a movement that began in Australia which has since grown to 100+ million participants in 190 countries. 

Get some tips on how to reduce plastics at home, in the office or at school here at https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/

Some Useful Apps For You to Try

If you’re out & about in the garden or nature reserve why not try these interesting apps that help you identify plants or bird song?

🐦 Merlin bird app helps you identify birds. I found the ‘record bird song’ element really helpful & manages to pick up bird song even when there’s traffic noise in the background. It highlights which bird is singing & keeps a record of your spottings you can refer back to later. https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

🌻 Plant Net app helps you take photos of weeds & flowers in your garden & instantly tells you what it may be (with a ranking so you can see other suggestions). I have found it to be user friendly - some weeds I have deliberately left for insects after learning more about them. https://identify.plantnet.org/

Check out our directory for lots more useful links - enjoy!

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A Greener Planet

Green Planet

What a joy it was to watch Sir David Attenborough’s Green Planet aired by the BBC earlier this year. It was split into 5 episodes, exploring Tropical Worlds, Seasonal Worlds, Human Worlds, Water Worlds & Desert Worlds.

Sir David Attenborough follows the remarkable nature of plants, including how they grow in remarkably hostile terrains and how, with a little care, we can encourage nature to spring back allowing a biodiverse environment and benefitting us in the long term.

If you missed this amazing programme & you’re based in the UK you can access clips at: https://www.bbcearth.com/shows/the-green-planet or find past episodes in your TV box.

Inspired by the BBC programme, an AR experience has been created for a short time in Piccadilly Circus, London. It runs from Friday 11th February to Wednesday 9th March.

Travel through some digitally enhanced worlds including Saltwater, Freshwater, Rainforest, Seasonal & Deserts.

The Green Planet AR Experience is located at Piccadilly Circus in London. Tickets are free & can be booked online at https://thegreenplanetexperience.co.uk/

Also available is this Green Planet double-sided colour poster. Produced by the Open University, it is free to order online at https://connect.open.ac.uk/greenplanet

If you enjoyed the programme, you can test your knowledge with the Green Planet Quizzes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/603w5bpcKGlp2WtkzqLDp6X/the-green-planet-quizzes

How Can we Keep our Green Planet Green?

Hedgerow Planting:

Hedgerows are easy to undervalue but they are a great refuge for multiple species of birds and insects. According to Positive News, the Climate Change Committee recommends a 40% increase in hedgerows, which not only helps wildlife but they can act as a carbon store. Devon Farmer Rob Wolton, with the aid of entomologists, spotted 2000 species in one hedge alone, including insects, small mammals, lizards, grass snakes and various types of birds.

The Guardian report that hedges reduce the likelihood of flooding downstream, help to suck pollutants out of water, and prevent soil erosion. Flower filled hedgerows could also attract pollinators which have been in decline. (An excellent look at the benefit of hedgerows and how they can help us reach net zero can be read in the Guardian link above.)

The Tree Council kick started a National Hedgerow Planting Week end of May/early June last year. Their Close the Gap Hedgerow Project is part funded by the UK Government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund in unison with the National Lottery.

If you’d like to support them you can donate to the Tree Council, pledge a hedge or get tips on looking after your own hedge at: https://treecouncil.org.uk/our-members/close-the-gap/

The People's Trust for Endangered Species have links to a hedgerow survey app you can download.

Tree Planting:

The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Everyone across the UK is being invited to plant trees from October 2021 (when the tree planting season begins) through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022.

For more info head on down to: 

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/schools-and-communities/queens-green-canopy/

The Local Authority Treescape Fund (LATF) will re-open in early 2022. The government expects that up to 100 grants worth £50,000 to £300,000 will be available for local authorities in the next round.

The first round of funding is currently supporting planting of an expected 260,000 trees outside of woodlands, with 139 local authorities awarded a share of £4.4 million across 42 projects. 

For further tree & woodland planting grants head on down to: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tree-planting-and-woodland-creation-funding-and-advice

So why are trees so important? Although they can produce carbon, they sequester twice as much as they emit allowing them to be a carbon sink.

According to an article by Eco Watch: ‘Forests emitted on average 8.1 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide and absorbed 16 billion between 2001 and 2019.’ The net amount absorbed is 1.5 times more than United States emits annually, so our trees MUST be nurtured if we want to continue our existence.

Peatland Restoration:

The UK Peatland Strategy was launched in April 2018 by the IUCN UK Peatland Programme. They estimate that 80% of peatland is degraded, this sadly leads to drying out of the peat causing carbon loss rather than carbon capture. In the UK, three broad peatland types exist – blanket bog, raised bog and fen. Peatland in good condition can help with water filtration and prevent flooding, as well as encourage a more diverse mix of plants and insects which then encourages a greater mix of birds and wildlife.

In 2021 the UK government produced an England Peat Action Plan (PDF). According to the plan they have launched a four year ‘Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme’ investing over £50million in peatland restoration by 2025.

According to Cambridge news:

“Peatlands are Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon store, holding more than twice the amount of carbon in all the world’s forests. 87 per cent of peatlands are degraded. In this state, they do not capture and store carbon but emit an estimated 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent every year.

“The Government’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme aims to capture this carbon by setting 35,000 ha of degraded peatland on a path to restoration by 2025.”
https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/fens-benefit-cash-boost-20-22704400

Seagrass Planting:

Swansea University, Sky Ocean Rescue & WWF have been planting sea grasses to help our shores. Sea grasses are a useful source of carbon capture & provide a haven for sea life. 

Sadly 92% of seagrass on UK shores have disappeared - with planting projects, the aim is to bring back a thriving community. https://www.wwf.org.uk/press-release/seeds-planted-uk-seagrass

A Seagrass Seeds of Recovery Fund has helped create a Seagrass Nursey in Wales. For some of the seagrass projects around the UK, including England, Scotland & Wales check out: https://seagrass.org.uk/?page_id=87

Rewilding Land:

Rewilding is allowing nature to return back to its natural habitat. Land can be over farmed losing its nutrients; trees can be cut down for house building & animal grazing can strip young shoots preventing new growth. Hedgerows can be cleared to make way for larger fields and waterways can be straightened and narrowed, reducing natural flood plains which can result in flood water rushing down into inhabited towns and villages.

Animals, birds and insects that rely on natural surroundings begin to suffer as their native food supply may be lost due to lack of forest and ground cover and lack of healthy plant and flower growth in the area. Soil can lose nutrients and peat land can dry out. With dry peat land, unhealthy soil and a lack of greenery, this leads to carbon storage becoming much harder to control causing carbons to be lost into the atmosphere.

Rewilding projects help to work with landowners and farmers & allows nature to return back to its former glory, thereby encouraging a more biodiverse landscape. This will help with carbon capture thereby helping us out too!

If you’re a landowner, here’s 12 steps to begin rewilding: https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/start-rewilding/12-steps-to-rewilding

Regenerative Farming:

Check out this short video by the United Nations:

Overgrazing can deplete soil causing loss of nutrients and soil erosion. We don’t have to STOP farming, just re-think the methods in the way we do it. 

Methods could include planting wildflower meadows along the edges, building more hedgerows, allowing fields to recover before bringing grazers back in, avoid over tilling of soil which could strip the nutrients, planting trees, shrubs and herbs that produce food which also encourages pollinators & allowing grazing animals to move between trees rather than land clearance.

Our recent eco booze article covered ways in which grape producers encourage local biodiversity in between their planted vines as an example.

There’s also the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund by the UK government which encourages collaborative farming communities getting together to exchange ideas. 'The scheme plays a significant role in fostering and strengthening an engaged, collaborative and environmentally aware farming community.'

Wildflowers:

The Tower of London are holding a Super Bloom event this year. Vibrant meadow flowers will be used to fill the moat in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. 

In spring 2022, over 20 million seeds will be sown from carefully designed seed mixes. 

The flowers will be in bloom from June to September. Tickets can be booked online at: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/superbloom-at-the-tower-of-london

Seedballs:

One of the Green Planet episodes covered a project in Kenya, whereby seeds were encased in charcoal ash and scattered by volunteers which included school children and wardens. Numerous ways have been used to plant seedballs, including dropping from planes, using slingshots to project them in random directions (great fun for the kids!) and some countries even uses camel riders to drop seedballs as they trek through the desert.

More on the Seedballs Kenya project at: https://www.seedballskenya.com/

The beauty of seedballs is that the material used to encase the seeds (such as charcoal, clay), can be used to protect the seedlings and feed them during the early development. The seeds naturally bury their roots down into the soil so don’t need digging in.

Did you know that Lovelier Planet have been making seedballs with wildflower seeds for your garden? A good way to attract bees and butterflies into your garden to increase pollination. 

They are individually hand made from 50% compost & 50% clay and come in packs of 10 balls in a gift pack (which can be personalised on request) or in home made fabric crackers in packs of six available, with Easter and Christmas designs. See our etsy store for more details.

Resources for the Family:

Schools:

Ask your school to apply for some free tree planting packs with the Woodland Trust: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/act/your-school/plant-trees-with-your-school/

Try this excellent Tree Tools for Schools site, which is a child friendly & full of resources: http://treetoolsforschools.org.uk/menu/

Apply for fruit tree and hedgerow packs with the Tree Council (current application ends 7th March 2022) https://treecouncil.org.uk/schools-and-education/orchards-for-schools/#apply

Weddings:

Couples can get married in the Northwoods Rewilding Centre in Scotland. Maybe carbon offset your wedding day or perhaps ask for donations to support re-wilding projects. More info on all these options at: https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/weddings.

For confetti, why not choose flower confetti using dried petals? (Normal confetti may contain plastics). https://www.confettidirect.co.uk/ 

For flowers & bouquets, check whether they are grown in the UK (rather than flown in from abroad) to reduce your carbon footprint.

Some great links below on eco wedding choices including venue and suppliers at: 

https://eco-friendlyweddings.co.uk/

Funerals:

Green burials are becoming more popular. Read more on this at: https://www.funeralbasics.org/what-is-green-burial/ or https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/arranging-a-funeral/types-of-funeral/eco-burial/

Did you know you can choose alternative coffins too, including beautifully designed cardboard based coffins?

 
Memorial:

If you have lost a loved one why not donate a tree in their honour through Woodland Trust? RSPB can accept memorial donations and have a book of remembrance at selected reserves.

Shopping:

Support sustainably produced projects such as companies that use green energy or re-utilise waste products (check out our recent eco-booze article for some ideas).

If buying products made from trees, look at for the FSC label to ensure it was properly managed, or use products made from faster growing bamboo. Our reviews section has some ideas for you. 

Check whether your product uses sustainable palm oil by using a Giki app. (This app looks at various ethical badges to help you make an informed choice). 

Also look out for the Rainforest Alliance logo on products for sustainable agriculture.

Check the label and see which products are produced locally. Avoid those sent by plane (for instance perishable goods such as fruit & veg flown in from abroad). Support your local farm shop for fresh produce.

Support local care farms (aimed at helping people as well as the environment whilst growing and selling fresh produce). There is a UK map here which you can enlarge to see the local care farm in your area. https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/your-area

Check our food to save the planet article a look at the impact of various food choices.

Waste:

Check the packaging of items you buy in store to see if the manufacturer uses recycled content for their packaging (this uses less virgin plastics or trees which would add to your carbon footprint).

If you have a zero waste store in your area, help cut down on packaging waste by taking your own containers. See this directory for some stores near you. 

https://www.thezerowastenetwork.com/

Reduce food waste (waste produces methane which can affect plant growth and increase global warming). There are some food apps to help reduce waste you can try.

Holidays:

Flying is a huge source of greenhouse gas emmissions for our planet. Look for greener ways to get around. If staying in the UK check out the National Trust’s eco holiday accommodation site.

Reading:

Check our list of eco books which can help make swaps in your life to more eco friendly products. https://www.lovelierplanet.com/search?q=books

Garden:

Create a wildlife friendly garden with tips from the PTES. The site includes pollinating flowers, how to create woodpiles, insect hotels, bat boxes, ponds & hedgehog friendly gardens.

Anyone donating receives a free Wildlife Friendly Garden Kit too!

Exercise:

Ditch the gym membership and find some outdoor gym equipment in your local area. This site shows some ‘fresh air fitness gyms’ that might be near you.

Check for local activities such as ranger led nature walks at the National Trust.

If you like walking, maybe get a group of friends together to do a beach clean or litter pick.

Waterhaul, a UK company, can sell you litter pickers for about £15 made from recycled fishing nets and face masks. Great idea! Or the RSPB has one made from recycled plastics & metal.

Easter:

You’ll be surprised that even Easter eggs have their affect on the planet as well as worker’s rights. The Ethical Consumer group has listed Cadbury’s, Terry’s & Nestle as scoring poorly in their league table. 

Read on to learn more. (It’s worth reading the summaries below the league table too for some interesting insights).

Christmas:

Maybe not relevant now, but keep an eye on our tips towards the end of the year to reduce waste at Christmas. https://www.lovelierplanet.com/search?q=christmas

Banking:

Support banks & pensions that don’t invest in companies that fund oil production or chopping down of trees.

For a look at ethical investments check out this very informative site: https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/money-finance/introduction-green-investment-funds

The site below is an eye opener for those looking at greener savings accounts. I was shocked to see my bank has been financing the nuclear weapons industry, as well as contributing to climate change industries whilst scoring poorly in tax payments and the use of tax havens. 

They are also involved in high levels of directors pay. https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/money-finance/shopping-guide/ethical-savings-accounts

What Else Can We Do?

⚘ Support charities such as wwf, woodland trust, wildlife trust, & friends of the earth. Support your local Green Party candidate. 

⚘ Support companies that offer free tree planting with your order such as Floral Fox. Switch your search engine browser to Ecosia to support tree planting projects with every click. 

⚘ Get ready for Earth Day 2022 with your Earth Day Action Toolkit! 

Don't forget to breathe!

⚘

Positive News Autumn 21

 Positive News September 2021

Some good news stories to keep us in the mood!

1.     First Baby Beaver Born

The National Trust released 2 Eurasian beavers in Somerset and just 18 months later a new pup was born, the first in 400 years! 

Beavers became extinct in the 16th century but recently reintroduced to help with flooding defences. It didn't take long for the introduced beavers to get into the groove (see what I did there?)

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/press-release/first-beaver-born-on-exmoor-for-400-years

2.     Pine Martens Make a Comeback

The first pine martens born in England for 200 years have been caught on camera. Eighteen pine martens were moved from Scotland to the Forest of Dean and three of the females have since given birth. 

Beavers and pine martens dwindled due to hunting and loss of woodland. It is great to see moves to bring them back but we must protect them for the future.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-gloucestershire-53363491

3.              Irish Baron Rewilds Estate

An Irish baron, Randall Plunkett turned his 1600 acre estate in County Meath, Ireland into a refuge for nature.

Cattle, sheep, crops and lawns are no longer part of the estate but shrubs, trees and flowers are taking shape. Many trees have been planted by the local wildlife, Plunkett recalls.

Before, the estate had just three types of grass, now it has 23. “I didn’t do it, the birds did.” 

Trees regenerated and multiplied – oak, ash, beech, Scots pine and black poplar. “I see a lot of saplings growing that I haven’t planted.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/07/people-think-youre-an-idiot-death-metal-irish-baron-rewilds-his-estate

4.             Jays Planting Trees 

A research centre in the heart of Cambridgeshire was left to re-wild for 60 years. They found shrubs and trees were planted, not by man, but by the local wildlife including thrushes, jays and squirrels. 

52% of the trees in Monks Wood are oaks and jays love to cache oaks, thereby planting a tree. Good work, hey?

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/monks-wood-wilderness-60-years-115910314.html

5.             Shire Horses Mow Cambridge Uni Meadow

The wildflower meadow at King’s College, Cambridge was harvested this year with the aid of two Shire horses. The horses cut the meadow on Monday 2nd August. 

The bales will later be used to create more wildflower meadows across the city of Cambridge.

https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/news/2021/wildflower-meadow-harvested-aid-shire-horses

6.             Cows Digesting Plastic?

Scientists in Vienna (Austria) found that bacteria living inside a cow’s rumen can digest certain plastics, including those used to make single-use packaging. 

The results of the study found that three different types plastics could be broken down in “hours” by the rumen liquid. So we can stop blaming them for belching methane, eh?

https://www.positive.news/science/cows-are-being-touted-as-the-latest-solution-to-plastic-pollution/

7.             English Moor Used as CO2 Sponge 

Peatland in the West Pennines near Manchester is being used to soak up CO2. The peat had dried up due to over grazing and wildfires so banks were created to help trap water and improve the condition of the moor. 

In good condition peat bogs can absorb twice as much carbon as forests.

https://www.positive.news/environment/climate-crisis-english-moor-turned-into-giant-sponge-to-absorb-co2/

8.             Football Going Green 

A Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea game was billed as the first major net-zero carbon football match. 

Tottenham Hotspur is currently the greenest club in the Premier League, using reusable cups, waterless urinals, veggie alternatives and green energy supplies.

Forest Green Rovers site is run on green energy, serves vegan food, has an organic pitch and electric car charging points. https://www.fgr.co.uk/eco-park.

Other clubs are looking at solar power, LED bulbs instead of flood lighting and providing public transport to reduce car traffic at the match.

More in the link below..

https://www.positive.news/lifestyle/sport/climate-crisis-the-football-clubs-making-net-zero-more-competitive/ 

9.             Travel by Rail and Plant a Tree

Positive news reported of a new company called 'Tree Hugger' where for every rail ticket bought a tree is planted. 

The green travel company has joined forces with the Royal Forestry Society and the Royal Scottish Forestry Society to optimise the planting. A new app is being developed soon.

https://www.positive.news/lifestyle/travel/green-travel-every-time-you-buy-a-train-ticket-this-company-will-plant-a-tree/

10.             Be Free and Go Fly Free!

Meanwhile a new company called 'Byway' was launched in 2020. After the public reviewed their ways to travel due to Covid restrictions as well as environmental concerns the founders noticed a rise in travellers wanting a slower way to travel.

https://www.positive.news/lifestyle/slow-travel-the-no-fly-agency-that-wants-to-take-you-the-scenic-route/

_________________________________________________________

Here's Some Ways to Help the Planet:

1) Truckers Clean Up:

Did you know there is a Facebook page called 'Truckers Cleaning Up Britain'? Truckers often see discarded rubbish thrown into laybys and have grouped together to share their clean up ventures as they go. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/393605774773227

2) Insurance for Nature:

If you're looking for home, business or charity group insurance, why not check out this company that supports nature? They are also offering a 12 month subscription to Positive News magazine, so a win win!

https://www.naturesave.co.uk/positivenews/

3) Restarting Your Electrics:

Do you love to fix things? Are you in need of something fixing yourself? Check out the Restart Project for some ideas on events that may be happening near you. You can also host your own event too.

https://therestartproject.org/

Check out my other feel good stories at: 

https://www.lovelierplanet.com/p/lovelier-news.html 

Positive News for Wildlife

Positive News for Wildlife

 

This report reflects how our wildlife can make a comeback with a little support. Enjoy! 💕 

1. Sea Life Returning to the River Thames

According to Octopus Optimist Report: In the 1950s, London’s River Thames was so polluted it was declared biologically dead. However, after 62 years of conservation efforts, the River Thames has once again been deemed a “hub of life” by the Zoological Society of London. 

In 2019, ZSL launched its Mother Thames campaign, calling for public awareness of – and participation in – conservation efforts. In September, after their first comprehensive survey, the charity announced that 138 seal pups had recently returned to the Thames’ riverbanks!

They join more than 120 species of fish, including two species of shark, short-snouted seahorses and the critically endangered European eel.

2. Re-wilding Project to Help Nature Recover

A new national wildlife charity called Heal Rewilding is planning to buy ecologically depleted land across Britain and give it back to nature.

The charity will seek former farms, green belt or lower-grade land where wildlife can recover. The sites will be within easy reach of large towns and cities to benefit more people.

According to the Guardian: The initial £7m, 500-acre project will be in the southern English lowlands on a site yet to be announced, avoiding wildlife-rich land. The site will grow wild from its seed bank, animal seed dispersal or by spreading seeds from nearby land.

3. Beaver Population on the Rise in Britain

The River Otter Beaver Trial followed the two families of beavers introduced under licence into the wild in Devon in 2015. By 2019, the population had increased to at least eight breeding pairs across 13 territories.

Per the Positive News site: 'The report noted that beavers help to increase diversity of habitat for fish; higher numbers of brown trout, minnow and lamprey were recorded in beaver impacted areas of the river.'

Meanwhile, pools created by beaver-made dams contained 37 per cent more fish than stretches of the river with no dams.

4. Grass Cutting Being Stopped to Create Wildflower Meadows

Helen Tandy, from Friends of the Earth’s Chester and District branch said, “The Friends of the Earth team is really excited to be involved in the Urban Meadows project (at Chester and Ellesmere Port). We have been campaigning to protect our pollinators for over 10 years now and as part of that encouraging more local pollination strategies."

This project is part of the Council’s new Pollinator Strategy to boost biodiversity in the borough.

The Chester Standard reports: The new urban meadows will have nectar-rich plants like oxeye daisy, field scabious and knapweed which will provide nectar for bees and other insects into late summer. 

5. Providing Habitat for Lemurs in Madagascar

The People's Trust for Endangered Species are working with partners on a project to help lemurs in Madagascar. The project called SEED aims to replant trees to help them survive.

The team have collected 20,000 Acacia mangium seeds and 5,000 other seeds of 17 different native species. This vital work will reconnect lemur habitat and increase the forests by 58 hectares. 

The Acacia grows really quickly, plus fixes nitrogen into the soil and has a high survival rate. So growing this species first makes the environmental conditions more favourable for planting native species. Then native species are added to increase diversity.

6. Barn Owls Growing in Number in the UK

In 1987 barn owls were at their lowest ebb with around 4,500 breeding pairs, having declined by 70% since 1932.

According to the Guardian: In 1988 their fortunes started to change thanks to the work of Colin Shawyer, who set up the Barn Owl Conservation Network with the aim of doubling the population by 2020. More than 20,000 boxes have been put up nationally, with Shawyer installing 4,000 personally.

Shawyer’s ambitious targets have been smashed: barn owl numbers have nearly tripled and he doubts they will be able to climb much higher. Up to 80% of barn owls now nest in man-made boxes. There are an estimated 12,000 breeding pairs in the UK.

7. White Stork Chicks Hatched in the Wild for the 1st Time in Centuries

Eggs in one of three nests at the Knepp estate in West Sussex have hatched, the White Stork Project announced. It came after the same pair of white storks unsuccessfully tried to breed at Knepp last year.

Lucy Groves, project officer for the White Stork Project, said it was the first time in hundreds of years that wild white stork chicks have hatched in the UK.

According to the Guardian: The project aims to restore a population of at least 50 breeding pairs of white storks in southern England by 2030.

8. Numbers of Greenback Turtles Spotted by Drones in Australia

Drones spotted endangered greenback turtles over the Great Barrier Reef heading for Raine Island in Australia. They estimated 64,000 turtles heading to shore ready to lay their eggs.

Young turtles are very vulnerable and a recovery project team on Raine Island are hoping to monitor the young ones to ensure their chances of survival improve. 

Videos of the mass migration can be seen here at: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/09/world/green-turtle-drone-nesting-intl-scli-scn/index.html

9. House Sparrows Make a Comeback in the UK

The Guardian reports: Since the Big Garden Birdwatch began in 1979 house sparrow numbers have declined by 53%. But in the past 10 years their numbers have begun to recover, with a 10% increase in sightings.

This year the house sparrow remained at the top of the rankings as the most commonly seen garden bird. Starlings were the second most sighted, followed by the blue tit.

More gardens also reported seeing long-tailed tits, which were up 14%, while wrens were up 13% and coal tits up 10% in 2020 compared with 2019.

10. Giant Orchard Planned for the West Country

Octopus Energy are working with Yeo Valley to plant a giant apple orchard in the British west country.

From the Octopus site: Over the last 100 years, apple orchards have disappeared from the British landscape, so ours will be planted at the site of a lost orchard where only a couple of ancient trees remain. 

The trees will suck carbon out of the atmosphere, and act as a supportive habitat for endangered British birds, insects, and mammals - like the vole!

Some Other Links of Interest:

Feel Good Stories Mar 2020 / Positive News Jan 2020  / Lovelier Planet News 2019