Positive News Autumn 2022

 Positive News October 2022

Rest your soul a little by reading something positive 🌎

1.     Super Reserve in Somerset

In May 2022, Natural England announced a new 'super' nature reserve to be created in Somerset, protecting over 6000 hectares of precious saltmarsh, heath and wetland habitats, home to nationally significant wildlife populations.

The site will link six nature reserves and managed land in the Somerset levels, coast and moors and will join England’s developing Nature Recovery Network.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-super-national-nature-reserve-created-to-protect-rare-wildlife

Various Nature Recovery projects will extend across 99,000 hectares of land in total over time – this is equivalent to all the 219 current national nature reserves in England.

2.     Bee Numbers Increasing in Sussex

Community funded projects have led to an increase in bee numbers in the South Downs. Sussex residents raised £75,000 to help a young charity, Bee Lines, plant wildflower oases across the South Downs national park.

There has been a 72% rise in bees and other pollinators since the projects began.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/22/new-wildflower-havens-in-south-downs-national-park-boost-bee-numbers

3.     Large Blue Butterfly Making a Comeback

Large blue butterflies were previously very rare in the UK. During an re-introduction program, around 1,100 of butterfly larvae were released at West Country locations, with 750 butterflies successfully emerging.

It is the first time for 150 years that the large blue butterfly - the largest and rarest of all nine British blue butterflies - has been recorded at Minchinhampton and Rodborough Common (Stroud in Gloucestershire).
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/53757437

It was also announced in March 2020 that butterflies have bounced back to the best levels in 20 years after a monitoring survey took place in the UK. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51987691

4.     Bison to Help With Rewilding in Kent

The UK is one of the most nature depleted areas and to help with re-wilding the Wilder Bean project have introduced wild bison to England, for the 1st time in thousands of years. 

Their grazing can help bring light to young shoots, their poop fertilises the land and their rolling (in dust baths) can help create habitats for lizards, birds, insects and other animals.

Three bison have been initially released in Blean Woods, Kent. The wardens were delighted to find a new calf was born in September (see video below)!

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/wild-bison-return-uk-first-054502529.html

5.     George Ezra Donates to National Trust

Partnering with You Tube's Sustainability Fund, George Ezra has donated £85,000 to the National Trust which will help them plant 17,000 more trees.

The trees will create a new woodland that will lock in carbon, help reduce flooding and create homes for wildlife, the National Trust said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/61200564

6.     Fin Whales Returning in Large Numbers

A study published in July 2022 noted large numbers of fin whales in the Southern Ocean. Researchers estimate there could be at least 8,000 fin whales in the Antarctic, where they were hunted almost to extinction in the 20th century.

One group being spotted contained 150 whales - wowsa!

https://www.positive.news/society/positive-news-stories-from-week-28-of-2022/

7.     Glastonbury Festival's Social Housing Pledge

Michael Eavis, the founder of Glastonbury Festival has donated some land just two miles from the Glastonbury festival site to The Guinness Partnership (who build affordable social housing).

The new houses, flats and bungalows will be built and equipped with heat pumps. Michael has also generously donated £275,000 to help with development costs.

https://www.positive.news/society/glastonbury-founder-digs-deep-to-build-affordable-homes/

8.     Glasgow City Emissions Continues to Fall

Glasgow City, which is historically home to some of Scotland’s most polluted streets due to traffic emissions, reported that their CO2 emissions fell by 13% since 2020 and 50% since 2006.

The Scottish Environment and Protection Agency (Sepa) said their latest statistics across Scotland follow a downward trend in emissions since 2007.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/scotlands-greenhouse-gas-emissions-continue-171614944.html

For other Scottish news head on down to: 

https://www.lovelierplanet.com/2021/12/2021-eco-news-in-scotland.html

9.     Salvaged Metal in Future Coins

A newly planned Royal Mint factory set to open in South Wales in 2023 will aim to use salvaged metals in the production of new coins. 

Precious metals (including gold) can be extracted from used mobile phones, laptops and circuit boards. They aim to process up to 90 tonnes of UK sourced circuit boards per week, to retrieve hundreds of kilograms of gold per year.

https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/royal-mint-to-turn-electronic-waste-into-gold/

10.     Milestone Reached in Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Ocean Cleanup team released prototypes to skim plastics from an area in the North Pacific Ocean known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 

Their first ocean plastic cleaning prototype (system 001 Wilson), was launched September 2018 which collected a little over 7,000 kilos of plastic. 

The 2nd system (system 002 Jenny), was released August 2021 and has collected over 100,000 kilos during its 45 extractions, which is equivalent in weight to 2.5 Boing 737-800s - wow!

1,000 more extractions will be needed to complete the mission but they are delighted a milestone of 100,000 kilos has been reached. 

The Ocean Cleanup Team are hoping to release system 003 soon for more sweeps to take place at a faster rate (at 3 times the size of system 002).

https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/first-100000-kg-removed-from-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch/

11.     The Great Bubble Barrier!

Meanwhile, entrepreneur Claar-els van Delft in the Netherlands devised a clever plastic catching device to be placed in rivers. 

Known as the Great Bubble Barrier it uses compressed air to push up plastics and push them to one side to be collected. This will help reduce the number of plastics that make it out to the oceans!

The project was part funded by the People's Postcode Lottery 'Green Challenge', so the UK played a part in making this happen too!

https://www.onlygoodnewsdaily.com/post/brilliant-bubble-barrier-stops-plastic-reaching-the-sea

Check out our positive news section for more encouraging reads. 
https://www.lovelierplanet.com/p/lovelier-news.html

Enjoy!

🍁

Beware of Hidden Plastics

The Hidden Danger of Plastics

All around us are plastics, we cannot fail to notice. But what we can’t see are tiny little microplastics which make their way into our food chain, water & even the air we breathe.

Even makeup and face washes contained micro beads which have been banned thankfully. Micro fibres during a clothes wash can also be a huge unseen problem. 

Below I have listed some of the sources of hidden plastics, some which may surprise you such as in tap water & car tyres. It does make for stark reading. 

It was watching hard hitting documentaries that triggered me to start this blog, so seeing the hard truths can help trigger positive change. 

I hope some of the items listed below will give you food for thought..

Sources of Hidden (Micro) Plastics.

Drinks – a study by Dr. Noam van der Hal found that cows milk contained 10 to 200 particles of microplastics per sample. When he went to the dairy & sampled the milk, he found far less particles within the dairy collection tank. Dr. Noam concluded that the bottling process itself leaches plastics into the product.

Another study looked at contamination of soft drinks, cold tea & energy drinks - it was found that microplastics were detected in 48 out of 57 samples. 

Tea Bags – folks didn’t realise that tea bags contained plastics until a gardener noted that tea bags in his compost heap refused to break down fully. This is caused by polypropylene being used to seal the bags, keeping in the tea without them coming apart during a hot dunking.

Following subsequent news reports, consumers began to put pressure on tea bag companies to change their products to become more eco friendly. I wrote an article on these hidden plastics in tea back in 2019.

Some companies have improved their products since my article above - maybe check out the website of your fave tea company, to check on how they’re doing to emit plastics from their products.

Tap Water – A study reported that 83% of tap water samples from major cities around the world contained plastic fibres. In the UK, 72% of samples were found to have micro fibres, whereas in the US, numbers were much higher at 94%.

Bottled Water - Research from State University of New York examined 250 bottles from nine worldwide countries & found plastics hiding ‘in bottle after bottle and brand after brand’. There were typically 10 plastic particles found, per litre of bottled water.

Chewing Gum – In ancient times the chewing gum was plant based, usually from sap, tree resins & bark that Native Americans, Early Europeans & Mayans/Aztecs used to chew on as a breath freshener.

Modern day chewing gums may contain plastics in their gum base as well as polyisobutylene, a type of rubber found in inner car tyres. This is why you see wads of gum sticking (quite literally!) around for years & years.

There are biodegradable alternatives available, see the link below for some ideas. https://www.treehugger.com/is-chewing-gum-biodegradable-5187955

Glitter – glitter can often contain plastic but some may not be aware. I found this article quite useful to learn a little more. https://moralfibres.co.uk/eco-friendly-alternatives-to-glitter/

Toiletries – Microbeads (small insoluble particles) have been used as exfoliators in cosmetics & toiletries. These are solid plastic particles less than 5mm. It was realised that these microbeads can run off into oceans & be ingested by fish & sea mammals causing potential harm to the environment & wildlife.

Cosmetics Europe recommended that by 2020 all products containing microbeads should be phased out. Many companies have been switching to alternatives such as tapioca, seaweed, silica & corn.

In 2018, the UK government placed a ban on products containing microbeads being sold in stores. These included toothpastes, shower gels, face scrubs & soaps.

The government website stated that 'just one shower alone was thought to send 100,000 microbeads down the drain and into the ocean, causing serious harm to marine life.'

Sadly there will be many beads out in the environment already swirling around in the seas & waterways, but at least action has been taken to prevent more being produced in the UK.

Clothes – fabrics can often be made up of polyester or acrylic. Washing of clothes releases thousands of microfibers into the waterways. These may not be picked up during filtration leading to contamination of tap water or be leached out into rivers & streams.

Prof Richard Thompson at Plymouth University found that on average, a 6kg wash load could release 140,000 fibres from a polyester-cotton mix or more than 700,000 fibres from acrylic. Dryers can also carry fibres into the air creating a source of airborne microplastic pollution.

Tyres – A report commissioned by Friends of the Earth found that vehicle tyres are the biggest cause of microplastic pollution in rivers, lakes & oceans in the UK. 

A recent study in Norway found that the average car tyre loses 4kg in its lifetime. 

Tyres contain about 20% natural rubber with the rest being made of synthetic materials containing plastic polymers. 

Another worrying ingredient is the use of carbon black - sourced from fossil fuels, it is used to blacken the tyres for resistence to UV light but is also reported to be non biodegradeable & possibly carcinogenic.

Fragments of plastic & synthetic rubber from tyres & brake pads can be kicked out onto the roads. Due to their tiny size they are easily picked up & carried by wind into streams, drains & rivers. The Norway study found particles can remain airborne for a whole month.

Nurdles – so what are nurdles I hear you ask! These are tiny plastic pellets that are often melted to make larger items. They are in effect the primary source of virgin plastic & transported by cargo to foreign countries still in its small pellet form.

Cargo spillages during bad storms can cause nurdles to be dumped out into the oceans. Due to their small size & light weight, they can often drift on top of the current & be carried out by tides to large expanses at sea, even as far as the arctic circle.

Fish & sea birds mistake them as food as they are similar in size to fish eggs. An accumulation of the microplastics can lodge in their guts, causing blockages & malnutrition.

Spillages can also occur during transfer by trucks to factories which can cause run off into drains & rivers, so the problem can be very widespread indeed.

This charity is looking for nurdle hunters to identify the full extent of the problem. Check out the site above for more information & if you can help, why not join the search for nurdles at your local beach.

Rainwater – Researchers studied rainwater & air samples in 11 protected areas in the Western USA over 14 months - they found that over 1,000 metric tons of microplastic fragments fell into these areas each year. 

This is the equivalent to over 120 million plastic water bottles (or 8 blue whales in weight). 

North Pole – Nanoplastics (smaller than a micrometre) have now been found as far away as the North & South poles. A chart about half way down this page shows they are so small they may even cross the blood-brain barrier.

Meanwhile, the top of Everest has been found to harbour microplastics – analysts found samples rife with thin, curly fibres of microplastic. Humans have quite literally left their mark in all sorts of places.

And who can forget the images of polar bears scavenging for food covered in plastic bags? Researchers in Alaska found a shocking 25% of polar bears had plastics lodged in their stomachs. 

Human Beings – A small study of 22 healthy volunteers in the Netherlands found traces of plastics in 17 of the blood samples taken. 

The most common plastic was polyethylene terephthalate (PET) usually found in drink bottles & fabrics, whilst the second most common was polystyrene used in takeaway food containers such as Styrofoam. The third was polyethylene used in paints, plastic wrap, sandwich bags & detergent bottles.

Here is another article on plastics affecting the human body – this is not meant to depress us, but is meant to open all our eyes to the problem we are all facing!
 

Did you know that humans have produced 18.2 trillion pounds of plastic since the 50s (equal in size to 1 billion elephants)? 

It’s hardly surprising that humans are ingesting & breathing in microplastics, but it is a concern that blood samples also contain plastic too. A stark reminder of how much damage we have done to ourselves & our planet.

We are resourceful beings & we need to come together to find solutions & act quickly – this planet is far too beautiful to waste.

Thank you for reading! 🌍

Check out our Positive News Stories to pick up the mood..

Positive Eco News Summer 21

Positive News June 2021
New 'Feel Good Stories' to give us hope for better things!

1. Big Fish, Small Pond

The UN estimates that 640,000 tonnes of discarded fishing gear are dumped out to sea every year. 

Three American surfers had the idea of turning discarded fishing nets into skateboards and sunshades by starting a company called Bureo in Chile, South America. 

The plastic content of the nets is melted down to make the new products. Ben, David and Kevin have decided to expand their product by also producing surfboard fins made from recycled fishing nets. 

Compared to the production of traditional skateboards, the method reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 70%. The wheels are 30% vegetable oil and have a 100% recycled mechanism. 

Once finalised, the boards come in the shape of a long fish with coloured scales. A great idea to turn a discarded item into something new.

https://www.livingcircular.veolia.com/en/eco-citizen/sea-street-sustainable-skateboards-bureo


2. Retask the Mask

UK Marine biologists in Cornwall set up a company called Waterhaul, turning discarded fishing nets into eyewear and equipment. 

A recent crowdfunder called Retask the Mark was launched by the group to turn melted down facemasks (sterilised & treated with high heat at the Royal Cornwall Hospital with each block using 6000 masks). 

These are then mould injected to make litter pickers, which are used by beach cleaning groups such as Surfers Against Sewage, Keep Britain Tidy, The Wildlife Trusts and Beach Guardian. 

Those who pledge £15 or more can even receive their own litter pickers..

Fantastic idea!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/waterhaul/retask-the-mask-recycling-covids-plastic-pandemic


3. 9th Millionth Tree Planted at National Forest

Following this year’s planting season the National Forest has reached an amazing 9 million trees!

Forestry Minister, Zac Goldsmith, was scheduled to plant the tree, but as the country’s still in lockdown, they had to think of a creative way for the landmark tree to be planted.

Instead, they bought in a new ambassador for the National Forest to plant the milestone tree: Shaun the Sheep!

Minister Goldsmith goes on to say:

“I am pleased to announce an extra £2.26m from the government’s Nature for Climate Fund which will enable the National Forest to double its tree planting aspirations for this year, bringing all the benefits of trees to even more people.”

The National Forest is situated in the heart of England spanning 200 square miles across parts of Derbyshire, Leicester & Staffordshire.

https://www.nationalforest.org/blog/news/national-forest-celebrates-planting-its-9-millionth-tree

4. Nature for Climate Fund

The Department of Environment has announced in December 2020 a new £12.1 million fund, to plant over 500 hectares of trees in ten Community Forests for this year (2021).

Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest and the Chair of England’s Community Forests, said:

"Our Trees for Climate programme will plant millions more trees around England’s town and cities, targeted at areas where they can make the greatest difference, in particular to local quality of life and levels of health and wellbeing."

A £640 million Nature for Climate fund, will help to increase tree planting to 30,000 hectares per year across the UK by 2025, alongside peatland restoration and nature recovery.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/500-hectare-planting-boost-for-englands-community-forests


5. Rewilding London

The Wild West End project in London encourages residents to nurture green roofs, flower walls, foliage patches, putting out planters, as well as beehives and boxes for bats, birds and butterflies.

This map shows some of the pockets of green: 
http://www.wildwestend.london/map

A London ornithologist says he is delighted to see the Black Redstart bird sightings are on the rise, one of Britain rarest birds.

https://reasonstobecheerful.world/london-is-rewilding-and-native-species-are-flocking-in/

🌼Check out our homemade wildflower seedballs🌼

https://www.lovelierplanet.com/p/for-sale.html

6. Airbnb your Allotment!

Per a Positive News report - The National Allotment Society reported more than 300 per cent increase in applications in some areas. One allotment in Leeds now reportedly has a waiting list of 170 years!

Architect Conor Gallagher had a great idea of creating a platform called Allot Me - anyone wanting a green space can connect with those who can rent out their back gardens or spare plot of land, through the site for around £15 to £30 a month.

More info:

https://www.positive.news/society/allotments-the-platform-connecting-growers-with-green-spaces/

7. Have a Beaver’s at This

Following successful introduction of beavers to Devon last year (see our good news June 2020 report) the Wildlife Trust have introduced 20 more beavers. 

The Wildlife Trusts are releasing the tree-gnawing, river-damming animals in Derbyshire, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire and Montgomeryshire, having already released them in Dorset earlier in the year (2021).

https://www.positive.news/society/positive-news-stories-from-week-7-of-2021/

Beavers in the UK became extinct in the 16th century due to hunting for their fur. Beavers can help with wildlife & may even prevent flooding as the water is pooled rather than free flowing, 

After a 13 year research study by Stirling University, Scotland, they concluded that:

'Pools created by dams had 20 times more aquatic plant life, and the number of species in the surrounding habitat was 28% higher.'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-35578369

8. Waste not Want not - HP Using Ocean Waste in their Products

In 2019 Hewlett Packard released a notebook called Elite Dragonfly using ocean-bound plastic bottles. 

According to their site, ‘To date, HP has sourced more than 35 million plastic bottles or more than 450 metric tonnes – of ocean-bound plastics from Haiti for its products’.

https://press.hp.com/us/en/press-releases/2019/hp-launches-worlds-first-pc-with-ocean-bound-plastics.html

The Elite monitor display contains the equivalent of more than three 16 oz. plastic bottles whilst the Elite Chromebook is made with a top lid of 75% recycled aluminium, a keyboard made from 50% recycled plastics, and speakers with ocean-bound plastics.

Meanwhile, their HP Tango printer is made from 30% post consumer recycled plastic.

Click here to download HP’s’circular economy report: https://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=c06614535


9. Hollywood Actor Pledges $43 Million for Wildlife Protection

Leonardo DiCaprio has announced he'll be pledging $43 million (£30.2 million) to help protect the Galápagos Islands.

DiCaprio posted on Twitter saying: "More than half of Earth's remaining wild areas could disappear in the next few decades if we don't decisively act."

The project should bring the pink iguana, the Floreana giant tortoise and the Floreana mockingbird back from the brink of extinction, and to ensure the people of the Galapagos thrive with the wild.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/57168243


10. Feel Good Volunteering Projects

If you're feeling enthused and want to do your part I have added some volunteer projects you can get your teeth into below:

a) Join the Conservations Volunteers: 

During 2020, TCV worked with 51,000 people, transforming 900 green spaces, planting 50,000 trees and giving 340,000 trees to community groups.

They delivered 31,000 volunteer days with a further 13,000 days of green space connections - through volunteering, training courses, nature engagement and education sessions.

b) For plastic free projects in your local community why not check out: 

https://plasticfree.org.uk/get-involved/find-your-community/

c) Fancy joining a Beach Clean? Head over to https://beachcleans.org.uk/

Like what you've read so far? See more feel good stories at: 

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

You're a Star!

Positive News for Autumn

Good News Stories Autumn 2020

Positive news helps us with a lift & shows us that good things can happen.

Here’s a few roundup stories to keep us all in good spirits! 

1. The Upside of Lockdown?

During Covid Lockdown, folks had to take stock of their lives and make new choices, whether by being more resourceful and making things last longer, or getting fitter by cycling or walking.

The Country Living magazine reported a new study (see link below) by Princes Fish, where they found 27% of people have been cutting back on food waste, while 22% now wash clothes at a lower temperature, to reduce their environmental impact.

Meanwhile 28% have been cooking from scratch and upcycling household items, while a further 29% have been cycling or walking to places rather than driving.

Here’s 20 ways on how householders reduced their waste: https://www.countryliving.com/uk/news/a34138520/eco-habits-uk/

2. On Yer Bike

According to Positive News, the government encouraged people to get on their bikes during lockdown, by giving away thousands of cycle repair vouchers and earmarking £2bn to boost walking and cycling. 

As a result, the UK saw a 146 per cent increase in cycling with a reported 1.3m bikes being sold in the same period. 

Some councils have redesigned their town centres to make them more bike & pedestrian friendly. Many hope this will be the start of a greener way of living. 

Cycling UK are looking for volunteers for their ‘Pumped Up’ campaign to keep the momentum going. 

3. Getting Heavy on the Levy

It’s been 5 years this October since the plastic bag levy of 5p was introduced in the UK. 

The Pre-loved web site reports that plastic carrier bag sales have fallen by more than 95%, with charities receiving nearly £180 million since 2015.

The average person in England now buys just four bags a year from the main supermarket retailers. The UK Government are planning to raise the bag levy to 10p from April 2021.

4. Sea Kayaks Made from Marine Waste

The group Clean Ocean Sailing have collected 5 tons of marine waste off the coast of Cornwall. The waste including barrels and hard plastics, was transported by their boat ‘Annette’ to Exeter, where they will be converted into kayaks by the Ocean Recovery Project.

The Ocean Recovery Project has recycled over 20 tonnes of material and achieved an 80% recycling rate.

It’s wonderful to see great minds come together for the greater good and help to reduce marine waste at the same time.

Check out this BBC Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-cornwall-54190973 

5. Re-purposing Discarded Tents

Remember the shameful sights of discarded tents where festival goers had left them behind?

A resourceful team at 2 Minute Beach Clean got to work collecting them, to turn them into beach cleaning sacks.

In turn these sacks help clean up plastic waste - waste from one venture being used to help clean up another (yes we humans are messy).

Simply a great idea – see this BBC video and report for more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-cornwall-49182294 

6. Is There Wind in Your Wales?

Per a Positive News article, the Crown Estate, which manages the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, has granted two new leases for windfarms in Welsh waters, including one that will float.

Floating windfarms can be useful where the seabed is too deep, which would normally inhibit installation.

Meanwhile, the Gwynt y Môr offshore windfarm in North Wales has been granted permission to extend – they are currently the 5th largest offshore windfarm in the world.

7. Free Those Trees (yes please!)

The Woodland Trust are providing free trees to local communities and schools.

‘We want to make sure everybody in the UK has the chance to plant a tree. So we’re giving away hundreds of thousands of trees to schools and communities.’

All trees supplied are sourced from UK & Ireland - deliveries take place March & November.

For more details go to: 

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

8. Dubliners Go Wild!

In February 2020, Trinity College in Dublin submitted a poll to ask who would like to see a wildflower meadow in their College Green. A whopping 90% of respondents voted a resounding yes!

The wildflowers planted include a mix of annuals and perennials, with as many as possible being of known Irish origin. 

Planting may be supplemented with bulbs and plants such as wood anemones. The main aim will be flowering to extend over as long a period as possible. 

Trinity College is in the centre of Dublin, so tourists as well as students will get to admire the colourful scene. How wonderful!

For more on the story go to:
https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/trinity-plants-wildflower-meadows-on-college-green/

9. Lego Maybe Bricking It!

After pressure from children, the BBC reported that Lego have agreed to be more environmentally friendly.

They will replace plastic packaging with paper from 2021 and are investing up to $400m (£310m) over three years to improve its sustainability efforts.

In 2015 the Danish firm set a target, to make its products from sustainable materials by 2030. As part of this pledge it will expand the use of bio-bricks, such as those using sugar cane as a component.

2030 seems an awful long way away, so keep up the pressure kids! 

10. Have your Cake & Eat It?

I leave you with news of a zero waste and organic veggie shop newly opened in Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire. With a cheery yellow façade, Artichoke Natural Foods stock an amazing array of organic fruit and veg.

Check out their Facebook page for a look at their tasty bakes, fresh bread, gluten free options, dried pasta, re-fillable herbs, spices and pulses, plus plastic free bathroom products.

https://www.facebook.com/artichokefoods

See other feel good stories!

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

🍃

How to Have a Greener Christmas

Less Waste this Christmas

Eco Product Reviews

Books on Going Plastic Free

Home Made Eco Gifts

🍃

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 

Positive News for Spring

5 More Feel Good Stories for Spring

We like to keep things upbeat, let's take a look at some positive news for 2020 💕 

1. Whales are making a come back. 

Did you know that 75% of the planet’s surface is covered by ocean? Did you know also that trees are not the only things that help absorb CO2?

Per the Good News Network (Mar 2020): Dr. Chiami, an economist at the International Monetary Fund found that just a 1% increase in phytoplankton in the sea would capture hundreds of millions of tons of additional CO2 a year. 

Dr. Ralph Chiami highlights the influence that whales, especially great blue whales—and their poo—have on climate change. It is all due to the predominance of whale fecal matter in the diets of the tiny ocean dwellers called phytoplankton.

It's reassuring therefore to see blue whales making a comeback (see reports below).

'Researchers counted 36 sightings of 55 critically endangered Antarctic blue whales during their 2020 trip, up from just one sighting of two whales in 2018, according to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) team.'

According to Eco watch (Feb 2020): 'In addition to Antarctic blue whales, BAS recorded 790 humpback whales over 21 days, and estimates that there are now more than 20,000 of them feeding off the island in the summer.'

2. New Climate Change Rules in Europe

According to BBC Environmental News (Mar 2020): 'New rules could spell the death of a "throwaway" culture in which products are bought, used briefly, then binned.' (I can hear you all saying hurrah!)

'The regulations will apply to a range of everyday items such as mobile phones, textiles, electronics, batteries, construction and packaging.'

This initiative is set by the EU, but word is Britain will also benefit, as manufacturers may not be willing to design products for two different markets. 

Let's hope we can do away with our throw away culture, as manufacturers purposefully build in a form of obsolescence to encourage people to buy more.

3. Wax worm has an appetite for plastic!

Wax worms are maggot like creatures which are larvae from a moth that likes to eat the waxy material found in bee hives. They have a special type of bacteria in their guts that acts like an enzyme that helps to digest wax. The discovery though was by accident -when a bee hive was decimated and the worms disposed of in a plastic bag, they merrily digested their way out of it!

This is not to say we should be releasing lots of wax eating moth maggots out into the world but studying how they digest plastic and break it all down is useful science - although of course we do need to reduce our reliance on plastics in the first place.

See initial article in the National Geographic (April 2017).  

In Mar 2020 scientists in Canada discovered these worms can survive entirely off a plastic diet and a form of alcohol is produced as a result!

4. Yorkshire Tea have Fine Tuned their PLA Teabags

Yorkshire tea had some teething problems during their first release of plastic reduced tea bags. Some of the bags would split open, so with the help of Sheffield University they fine tuned their production and are pleased to announce a new version of tea bags (Mar 2020).

They are keen to emphasise that they prefer NOT to call them 'plastic free' as natural plastics are still used (but thankfully not petro chemical ones). PLA plastics can be made from corn, coconut, banana leaf and all sorts of other natural fibres.

Click here to see how other tea companies are doing to reduce their plastics in tea.

5. Farm Trial Declared a Success for Wild Life

Positive News Site (Mar 2020) reports that a trial subsidy scheme to allow farmers in England to use their land to encourage biodiversity has been a success. 

'The two-year pilot was carried out on farms in Norfolk, Suffolk and Yorkshire. According to Natural England and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, which led the trial, participating farms had 43 per cent more seed-bearing plants than nearby sites that claim existing subsidies. Such plants provide a rich food source for birds in winter.'

This trial was co-funded by the EU, let's hope the British government keeps up the good work to help protect our local countryside, as we certainly need to do more!

Before You Go!

I leave you with a video on what it's like to save trees and how 50 million trees have changed the world. 

Do consider helping to support Ecosia, this is a web search engine tool that donates trees for clicks so you can donate just by doing your daily browsing. Enjoy!

Some Other Links of Interest:

Positive News Jan 2020  / Lovelier Planet News 2019 
Can Seagrass Help Us Breathe? / Trees for Life

Eco Friendly Books for Children

Books on Plastic Waste and Reductions Suitable for Children

In a previous blog post I looked at ten books suitable for both adults and children on the problems with plastic waste. 

There are so many new books coming out onto the market, so I have decided to split this into two posts, one suited to adults (see link above) and one suited to children below.

These books are listed in size order (with the biggest at the top). Age ranges are listed also. 

10 Eco Friendly Books for Kids

1) This Book is Not Rubbish: 50 Ways to Ditch Plastic, Reduce Rubbish and Save the World! by Isabel Thomas. 208 pages by Wren & Rook.

Covering issues like plastics, pollution, global warming and endangered animals, this book is full of top tips for kids and families. Discover how to ditch the plastic, reduce your rubbish and start making everyday steps that will make all the difference.

It's time to take control of your future and help clear the world of all this rubbish!

Published September 2018 and suitable for 9 to 11 year old.

2) Guardians of the Planet: How to be an Eco-Hero (in support of Client Earth) by Clive Gifford / Jonathan Woodward. 128 pages by Buster Books.

This environmentally positive book contains everything children need to become guardians of the planet. Kids can learn how to become keepers of the coasts, friends of the forests, home heroes and much more through a mix of compelling facts, creative activities and proactive tips.

Published Sep 2019 for ages 8 to 11. Printed using waterless ink on FSC paper.

3) What A Waste: Rubbish, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet by Jess French. 72 pages by DK Children.

Everything you need to know about what we're doing to our environment, good and bad, from pollution and litter to renewable energy and plastic recycling.

As well as explaining where we're going wrong, What a Waste shows what we're doing right! Discover plans already in motion to save our seas, how countries are implementing schemes that are having a positive impact, and how your waste can be turned into something useful. Every small change helps our planet!

Published April 2019. Packed with illustrations. Suitable for ages 7-9.

4) Little Book for Big Changes: Activities and tips to make the world a better place by Kirsten Liepmann / Karen Ng. 64 pages by Studio Press.

Little Book for Big Changes helps young people understand complex global challenges such as inequality and climate change, and is designed to inform, empower and motivate tomorrow's leaders to help make the world a better place.

Packed with over 100 puzzles, games, craft activities, experiments and tips for children aged 7+, Little Book for Big Changes offers fun, educational and creative ways to bring people together to help change the world.

Published Nov 2018 for ages 7 and up.

5) Plastic Planet: How Plastic Came to Rule the World by Georgia Amson-Bradshaw. 48 Pages by Franklin Watts Publishing.

Plastic Planet offers readers a look at plastic through the ages, exploring what it is, how it's made and how we have become so dependent on it in a single-use, disposable world.

Published June 2019 and in colourful pages to appeal to the younger audience (age 9-11).

6) Saving Tally: An Adventure into the Great Pacific Plastic Patch (Save the Planet Books) by Serena Lane Ferrari. 37 pages, Self Published by Author.

Tally is a curious little turtle with a talent for getting into trouble.

Her best friend Ara is a wise and strong lobster. The most dangerous part of the ocean is about to shock Tally and Ara and make them realise that their underwater world isn’t always charming. Will they be able to escape the danger?

An engaging [picture] book that addresses the issue of plastic pollution and how it impacts our oceans and sea life.

"When we protect our Planet we’re protecting our future! Saving Tally makes children understand that they can do something - even if it’s very small - to help take care of our oceans.” Editor.

Published October 2019 and suitable for younger children.

7) Duffy's Lucky Escape: A True Story About Plastic In Our Oceans (Wild Tribe Heroes) by Ellie Jackson. 36 Pages, Self Published by Author.

Duffy's Lucky Escape is a true and gentle story about the global problem of ocean plastic. It highlights to children the relationship between humans and wildlife and the dangers animals face in their own natural habitats.

Published August 2017 with lots of beautiful illustrations. Suitable for ages 2 and up.

8) Not for Me, Please! I Choose to Act Green by Maria Godsey. 34 pages by Create Space Publishing.

Join Luke on his journey to protect what he loves with this engaging children's picture book about sustainability and acting green. After noticing the damage caused to the environment and animals due to trash and waste, Luke decides to take action. He believes he can have a big impact on the world around him and invites his readers to join him!

Interesting facts, definitions, and statistics can be found in 'info' boxes throughout the book.

Published April 2018. Ideal for children from ages 5 to 9.

9) Harry Saves The Ocean!: Teaching Children about Plastic Pollution and Recycling by NGK / Sylva Fae. 34 Pages by NGK.

From the bestselling children's picture book series, Harry The Happy Mouse, a children's picture book teaches about the problem with plastic pollution, and how to help!

This poetry book follows Harry the Happy Mouse on an amazing adventure and has a strong, positive message for children to follow. A great tool to teach children the importance of taking care of the environment. 

Published August 2019 with poetry and illustrations. Suitable for ages 1-6 years.

10) A Planet Full of Plastic: and how you can help by Neal Layton. 32 pages by Wren & Rook.

Award-winning author-illustrator Neal Layton is here to explain where plastic comes from, why it doesn't biodegrade, and why that's dangerous for animals and humans alike. But he's also FULL of ideas for how you can help!

From giving up straws in juice cartons to recycling all we can and taking part in a beach clean, A Planet Full of Plastic will get young readers excited about how they can make a difference to keep Planet Earth happy.

Published Sep 2019 for ages 6-8.