Author: Judith Russenberger

Environmentalist and theologian, with husband and three grown up children plus one cat, living in London SW14. I enjoy running and drinking coffee - ideally with a friend or a book.

Counting on … day 117

4th November 2026

Switch to meat and milk alternatives?

Goulson begins by noting the rising levels of consumption of vegan and vegetarian substitutes – although these may be the result of highly processed ingredients. He also notes the ongoing research into and development of, meat substitutes using ‘precision fermentation’ using microbes such as selected  yeasts and bacteria. And of course he reminds us that fermentation is widely used in many existing food items such as beer, cheese, sauerkraut, tofu etc.

However, “The very large plus side is that a switch to a lab-grown meat or precision-fermented protein sources in place of conventional meat and dairy would be a game changer for our planet. It would free up roughly 92% of all land that is currently used for livestock grazing and to grow food for livestock…that could be turned over to nature and carbon capture. This would eliminate the vast greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock farming. It would be the single largest step we could realistically take in the near future to combat climate change and biodiversity collapse.

“That may seem like a glittering prize for environmentalists, but of course life is rarely quite to simple. A change like this would be hugely controversial, and have obvious and devastating consequences for the livelihoods of livestock farmers. On the other hand, if we carry on along our current trajectory, then climate change will devastate economies and livelihoods, cause extreme weather events that kill millions, flood low-lying lands including many coastal cities, render large chunks of Africa uninhabitable, and drive mass migration and social upheaval. Many scientists, me included, predict the collapse of civilisation this century if we don’t do much to combat biodiversity loss and climate change. Having to adapt to a world without livestock farming seems like small potatoes in comparison.” (143)

This I feel is at the heart of the book. We need to change the way we eat and the way we farm if we are to safeguard our lives on this planet.

Goulson argues that rather than UPFs substitutes, the healthiest option is to eat a diversity of protein-rich plants – lentils, beans and peas and products such as tofu and tempeh. As regards milk alternatives, he commends those plant-based milks that avoid the more complex additions of stabilisers, acidity regulators and emulsifiers. However he equally highlights that dairy milk is a good source of vitamins D and B, calcium and iodine and on that basis recommends dairy milk for children. (P146)

Counting on … day 116

3rd November 2026

Do livestock suffer?

Not only does meat and dairy production have a massive environmental footprint, its progress from birth to abattoir is frequently unimaginable.

In this chapter Goulson explores the reality of the living conditions of livestock which are frequently not the bucolic frolicking in meadows of happy animals that advertisements suggest. At root much of the inhumane farming of livestock is driven by the pressure to produce ever cheaper food products. Where chicken was once a treat for a special occasion, chicken is now very cheap. Goulson quotes £6 for four chicken breasts or a mere £4 for an oven ready chicken. (P128) To achieve those prices costs have to be pinched as much as possible. “Typically, in the UK, each chicken is reared with 25,000 others in a large, dimly lit building, usually windowless, with sawdust in the floor. The dim light discourages movement, so that the birds do not waste energy. They eat carefully formulated feed, usually soy-based, with much of the soy brown in South America, in what was once tropical forest…Often the feed has palm oil added too, and/or fish meal from small fish such as sand eels. The birds are stocked at … nineteen grown chickens squeezed into every 1 meter by 1 meter …Naturally, chickens have a life expectancy of twelve years or more, but meat chickens are slaughtered at five or six weeks old…” (p128-9 Eat the Planet Well) Goulson follows through this chapter with equally disturbing descriptions of the raising of egg-laying hens, pigs, dairy and beef cattle.

Although he doesn’t advocate not eating meat or dairy products, he asks that if we do do so, surely at the least we should ensure the wellbeing of each animal throughout its short life. He recommends choosing products that have in someway been certified to ensure this – whether that be organic, Pasture for Life, and RSPCA Assured – but notes that certification is not always enough.

Green Tau: Climate loss and damage – who suffers and who pays?

3rd November 2026

Since 1954 the oil giants have known that burning fossil fuels causes climate change; that burning fossil fuels causes air pollution; that methane gas – what the industry calls ‘clean’ or ‘natural’ gas – is an even bigger contributor to rising global temperatures. They have known that oil and gas leaking from pipelines pollutes the soil, water supplies and the air. They have known – and seen – how oil spills kill wildlife, seabirds and marine life, how these spills cause ecological devastation.   (1)

Yet for all this, oil giants have continued to expand production and make ever larger profits. They have continued to promote their products to new markets – especially in developing countries where renewable energy would be cheaper and easier to sustain. They have used advertising to present their products as natural, as necessary for economic growth, as good for households and industry, and – unbelievably – as good for security. They have employed lobbyists and sponsorship deals to ensure governments and other big institutions stay on their side. (2)

It is clear that the oil industry has caused £ billions of damage to people’s lives, to the environment and to the climate. Yet are they obliged to make good the damage they have caused? To compensate those who have suffered loss? To pay fines for their continuing intransigence?

Oil companies do not willing pay for the damage they cause but serious attempts are being made to ensure that they do! Here are three examples.

Campaigning – Make Polluters Pay

The Make Polluters Pay coalition in the UK is campaigning to highlight the impact of climate change on people here and across the globe: –

  • £3000 per year from higher food costs and insurance bills  – and for other nations it is much more.
  • 2877 excess deaths during the heatwaves in May and June 2026 – and again far worse in other countries
  • £4.4 billion lost to the economy due to lost output and reduced working hours – and that doesn’t include the losses suffered by farmers as this year’s harvest is yet again down.
  • $120 billion losses from the ten costliest global disasters in 2025 alone
  • 250 million people displaced by climate disasters over the last decade.

And all the while oil giants were making  $2.8 billion that oil giants have been  making every day for the last 50 years!

Make Polluters Pay is demanding that the UK government impose windfall tax these oil companies so that they do not profit from rising oil prices solely driven by the war in the Middle East. They advocate that this money should be used to:-

1. Keep schools, hospitals and care homes safe during extreme heat.

2. Give firefighters and emergency services the resources they need to respond to floods and wildfires.

3. Protect homes, transport and other vital infrastructure from climate impacts.

4. Accelerate the transition to clean, affordable British energy.

5. Support communities around the world recovering from climate loss and damage and adapting to a changing climate. (3)

Court Action – The Odette Case

In December 2021, Super Typhoon Odette tore through the Philippines and upended the lives of more than 8 million people. Typhoon  Odette remains the third strongest storm ever recorded

in the Northern Hemisphere. New research shows that the likelihood of storms like Typhoon Odette has doubled in the Philippines due to human-induced climate change. In a  landmark 2022 report, the  Philippine Commission on Human Rights found that companies like Shell are partly to blame. (4)

On the basis of this a group of Filipinos, victims of the Typhoon are using the law to hold Shell accountable for its contribution to Super Typhoon Odette. They filed their claim,  first stage of these proceedings, at the High Court of Justice on 9 December 2025.

“Backed by UK law firm Hausfeld, this case will be filed in the UK, where Shell is based, but will follow Philippine law since the harm occurred there. This case puts the power in the hands of the communities demanding justice for the harm caused by Shell’s dangerous activity.
“The claimants are seeking financial compensation for the damage they suffered, in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle. The claim alleges that Shell’s actions contributed to anthropogenic climate change, making Typhoon Odette significantly more likely and more severe.” (5)

UN Loss and Damage Fund  – Nepal

The collapse of the glacier in the Himalayas this Autumn and the tsunami floods that then flashed through valleys below caused catastrophic damage in Nepal and Tibet. The rapid melting of the glaciers resulting from accelerating climate change was clearly a significant contributory factor.

The damage which decimated communities, demolished essential infrastructure, killing and injuring thousands of local people and tourists, was colossal and as further land slips and floods occur, is increasing. The Nepali government estimates the cost of physical damage nd economic losses as $2.7bn. The Nepali government has now requested $20 million – a mere 0.7% of the total – from the UN fund for loss and damage.

The UN Loss and Damage Fund was finally established at COP27 in 2022. 2022. The fund is intended to be a multilateral fund that will support communities when adaptation strategies are inadequate or implemented too late, and damage and risk has already happened. It is intended to support poorer countries, funded by financial contributions from the richer nations according to the Paris Agreement mechanism. (6)

The claim by the Nepali government is the largest ever made against this fund. It joins the 176 claimants who have already requested compensation for numerous climate-induced damages, totally $2.8bn. Sadly the current fund stands at a mere $0.8bn as richer nations have failed to pledge sums previously agreed. (7)

Where does the UK stand vis a vis the Loss and Damage Fund? The following comment was made by  the Save the Children Fund in November 2023:-

“While the UK’s £60 million pledge towards loss and damage is an important contribution to a vital fund, it is not new or additional finance, but a repackaging of existing commitments. And it rings hollow in the face of a string of broken climate pledges. We’ve already seen £1.6bn stripped from the existing £11.6bn climate finance commitment by redefining what goes into it –  effectively creative accounting.  The government is giving with one hand while taking with the other. Today’s pledge does not reflect what countries on the front line of the climate crisis are calling for or need. The UK must not recycle finance and disguise it as progress, but provide the additional funds required to confront the climate crisis with the urgency it needs.” (8)

(1) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/12/big-oil-fossil-fuel-warning?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

(2) https://influencemap.org/pressrelease/Big-Oil-s-Big-History-of-Blocking-Climate-Action-da8364692983184477b5f4347e77d761

(3) https://www.makepolluterspay.co.uk/ There is also a link so that you can email your MP. Greenpeace and Oxfam have an online petitions:-

https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/make-polluters-pay
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-oxfam/make-rich-polluters-pay/donate/?crm_event_code=22CMSPEM81

(4) https://www.odettecase.org/ There is an online petition too

(5) https://www.odettecase.org/about

(6) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_and_Damage_Fund

(7) https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-nepals-20m-loss-and-damage-claim-only-covers-0-7-of-flood-costs

(8) https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/news/media-centre/press-releases/2023/loss-and-damage-fund-uk-giving-with-one-hand-while-taking-with-the-other

(NB a shorter version appears on the Green Christian website)

Counting on … day 115

2nd November 2026

Ultra processed food

“In the past fifty years, our diets have undergone the biggest shift for 12,000 years – since the dawn of agriculture.” (P109 Eat the Planet Well) Goulson describes that earlier shift as being from a hunter-gatherer diet of great diversity to one of a more limited diet of what could easily be farmed, with a reliance on grains – a limitation that itself caused dietary deficiencies. Fast forward to the twentieth century, and alongside a growing obsession with nutrition, a growth in ultra processed foods. These are, in essence, synthetic foods made from a limited number of ingredients  – principally wheat, rice, corn and soy – that re-created into a diverse range of foodstuffs by “extracting substances such as oils, starch, sugar and protein from basic foodstuffs, or by grinding and pureeing animal carcasses, and then reconstituting these substances with gelling agents, salt, flavour enhancers, anti-foaming agents, sweetness, colours, preservatives, antipyretic, emulsifiers and stabilisers” writes Goulson. “The food industry loves such products, as they are based in cheap ingredients and hence can be sold at a very profitable market-up. Preservatives are added to ensure the convenience of a long shelf life, and most of these products require little or no preparation before eating. Moreover, these synthetic foods are designed to be moreish and slow to induce satiation, so that we eat a lot of them; this is good for profits, not so good for us.

“A further advantage of  UPFs from a food industry persevere is that they can be tinkered with to suit the latest food FSDA or nutritional advice, making it seem like they are the healthy choice. You might replace sugar with sweetener, add a few vitamins to a sugary cereal, or use more than one type of refined grain to bake a loaf of wholesome-sounding ‘multigrain’ bread.  Even Pringles now come in a ‘multigrain’ option.” (P110 and 111)

What are the health hazards of UPFs? Goulson refers us to a systematic review of twenty-three relevant studies that “concluded that high levels of consumption were associated with increased mortality, obesity, low HDL cholesterol and metabolic syndrome (a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity)” whilst other studies pointed to risks of depression, higher risks of cancer, and of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (P119)

How to identify UPFs? Goulson starts with Michael Pollan’s advice:

  1. don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognise as food, and avoid food products containing ingredients that are
  2. Unfamiliar
  3. Unpronounceable
  4. More than five in number* or that
  5. Include high-fructose corn syrup. To which Goulson adds, anything where sugar comprises more than 10% by weight of contains artificial sweeteners; or ingredients thtvhve been hydrogenated, refined, hydrolysed, modified, bleached or enriched. (P121-2)

Goulson also points out that vegan and vegetarian foods are as equally likely to be highly processed in including vegan sausages, cream, cheeses etc.

He concludes: “Remember that, on average, UK, US and Canadian citizens consume about 50-60% of their calories as ultra-processed foods; it is that which makes us ill. Treating yourself to the odd packet of crisps or an icecream or whatever else tickles your fancy, is fine.” (P125)

* Although bear in mind that a curry or tagine, say, may well have a lot more ingredients given the variety and range of spices and vegetables included.

Feast of All Saints

1st November 2026

Reflection with readings below

All Saints is a celebration of the community of God’s people. It is not just a peek at what it might be like in heaven, but a reminder that we are already part of God’s kin-dom here on Earth, and are called to be part of that movement of gospel living and working that will make God’s kin-dom a reality for all. It is a reality built on God’s healing and redemptive power.

The reading from the Book of Revelation is a reminder that to be active as God’s people is not a ‘get out of gaol’ card: the work of the gospel may well require not just effort but sacrifice too. The work of the gospel requires us to speak truth to power and to oppose practices that are contri to the kin-dom of God.

The kin-dom of God is not to be found in economic and business practices that say profit can override the wellbeing of others, nor caring for the wellbeing of the planet. Nor can profit override making good any damage caused. We heard in last Sunday’s readings the assertion that God’s law can be summed up in the twofold command that we should both love God  and love our neighbour as ourself.

This command does not sanction merely looking after number 1. This command does not sanction accumulating wealth at the expense of others. It does not sanction seeking out high pay packages when others do not even have a sufficiency to get by.  To work for the kin-dom of God is to be poor and dependent, is to suffer grief, to hunger and thirst after what is right, to be merciful and generous, to accept disrespect and persecution. It is to share our wealth and our income, to focus on the needs of others, and to shape our lives to care for the Earth.

Groups such as Christian Climate Action, Fossil Free London, Greenpeace, and many others are challenging Shell – and other oil companies – and the government. The latter for their acquiescent stance towards this oligopoly-style industry.

How can it be acceptable for companies, who know that their business is destroying the safe climate that we have enjoyed for at least 10,000 years, to continue to operate?

How can it be acceptable for them to do this knowing – from their own scientists and advisers – the harm they are causing?

How can it be acceptable for them to continue to expand this destructive line of business – including engaging in the creation of even more new markets for their products?

How can it be acceptable for them to make ever-increasing profits from their business – increases that are currently the direct result of war? And how can it ever be acceptable that they can make these profits without being required to pay compensation and reparation for the historic and ongoing damage they are causing? And how can it be acceptable for them to receive tax breaks and subsidies from the government in order to enlarge their business?

Surely the Government’s responsibility is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both people and environment? To ensure that businesses and business models do what is good for both people and environment? To ensure that what businesses do now doesn’t adversely impact future generations?

Let us seek to do what is good in God’s eyes, to follow the teachings of God’s law, so that God’s kin-dom becomes a reality for all. Let us accept persecution and opposition, if that is what needed to challenge businesses and business practices that are contri to God’s values. Let us accept that we may need to be more generous in sharing the wealth we have to ensure the equal wellbeing of our neighbours. Let is accept that we will have to adjust our lifestyles, reshape our expectations  – but do so knowing it will be for a better, kinder future for all.  Let us accept that we must be willing to show loving kindness – ie mercy – to everyone, including government ministers and those who run fossil fuel companies, as well as to those who are victims of climate change, of pollution, of profit-driven extractivism, and of wars etc.

Let us rejoice in living together as God’s community of saints.

Revelation 7:9-17

After this I, John, looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

and thanksgiving and honour

and power and might

be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

“For this reason they are before the throne of God,

and worship him day and night within his temple,

and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;

the sun will not strike them,

nor any scorching heat;

for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Psalm 34:1-10,22

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; *
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.

2 I will glory in the Lord; *
let the humble hear and rejoice.

3 Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord; *
let us exalt his Name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me *
and delivered me out of all my terror.

5 Look upon him and be radiant, *
and let not your faces be ashamed.

6 I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me *
and saved me from all my troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encompasses those who fear him, *
and he will deliver them.

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; *
happy are they who trust in him!

9 Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, *
for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger, *
but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good.

22 The Lord ransoms the life of his servants, *
and none will be punished who trust in him.

1 John 3:1-3

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

The Joys and Sorrows of the Tree of Knowledge

31st October 2026

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1

You Lord, are the source of all good things:

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation:

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives:

May we live together in peace.

A reading:  So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak: ‘You Israelites, and others who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors ….. he made David their king. In his testimony about him he said, “I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.” Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus, as he promised. Acts 13: 16, 17a, 22b,23

Reflection

Roots secure us to the past, ensure that we are part of the continuity of creation; shoots  and branches  take our lives forward into the as yet unformed future. Without the next generation there will be no ongoing continuity. The gospels of Luke and Matthew both locate Jesus within a human family tree;  the prologue of John’s gospel locates him as co existent with the beginning of all creation. Later in John’s  gospel, Jesus affirms his coexistence with the Father and the ongoing coexistence, that through him, of all believers, all God’s children.

For gifts of past generations

We thank you God:

For the gift of fire for cooking and heating

For the gift of clean water and sewers

We thank you God:

For the domestication of cattle and horses,

Cats and dogs, sheep and pigs,

Hens and geese

We thank you God:

For the gift of gardening and arable cultivation,

sowing and reaping,

growing and harvesting

We thank you God:

For the gift of healing and caring,

of medicine and surgery

For the understanding of the intricacies of mind and body

We thank you God:

For the gift of story telling and drama,

of art and observation

means of sharing grief and joy.

We thank you God:

For the gift of learning and research,

of teaching and sharing

We thank you God:

For the gift of exploration and endeavour,

of travel and communication

We thank you God:

For the gift of worship,

of self realisation and of the knowledge of God.

We thank you God.

But what shall we pass on to generations to come?

Do we offer gifts or burdens?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Clean air or choking smog?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Living water or dying oceans?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Renewables or fossil fuels?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Biodiversity or widespread extinction?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Fertile soils or inhospitable dust?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Balmy summers or wild fires?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Snow capped mountains or drowned coastlines?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Homes for all  or camps for migrants?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

May we be wise guardians of what we have received

Skilful custodians of what we consume

Generous donors of what we hand on

That the future of creation will be bright and beautiful,

fair and just.

Amen

Green Tau: the gas mystery

29th October 2026

Today I saw a Cadent (1) van with the slogan “Keeping you warm” which I questioned.

What did it mean?

Is this the only way of keeping warm? Are other alternatives available?

No to the first and yes to the second.

Electricity is definitely an alternative and if used to power a heat pump, is far more efficient at keeping homes warm. British Gas’s own web site say that a gas boiler is up to 90% whilst a heat pump can be up to 380% efficient. (2) This means for every unit of energy that goes into a heat pump the heat output will be nearly 4 times as much. Heat pumps are super efficient. To be fair at current prices the unit cost of electricity is more that the unit cost of gas. This is due to a quirk in the way electricity prices are calculated – bizarrely it is the high price of electricity produced by gas power stations rather than from renewable sources that accounts for this.(3)  Are gas prices alway going to be less than electricity prices? Looking around the world and seeing the conflicts effecting gas, the answer surely is no.

On the other hand some electrical suppliers provide very attractive pricing packages that making running a heat pump much more affordable – eg Octopus Cosy (4)

However the cost of retrofit installing a heat pump is more than simply replacing a boiler – even with the currently available government grant (5). Keeping warm is always easier if you have enough spare income or capital. Gas may keep you warm if you can’t afford to invest in a better alternative.

Extra home insulation will certainly help keep you warm – and once paid for – at no extra cost.  MoneySupermarket suggests for example that for a typical house loft insulation can save £380 a year on heating bills. (6) However again you do need the upfront cash. Curiously the Great British Insulation grant scheme was ended by the government earlier this year! – although there are still some grants for those in particularly constrained circumstances. (7)

Back to the ‘Keeping you Warm’ slogan. Is it an acknowledgment that burning gas is warming the planet keeping us all warm, like it or not? In England mean temperatures this summer were at least 2.4°C above average. (8)

Visiting Cadent’s website, you will find the longer version of their tag line: “We are Cadent. Keeping people warm, while protecting the planet”!!! (9) Surely they cannot both praise themselves for delivering gas to customers and praise themselves for protecting the planet? The more gas they deliver (to ‘keep us warm’) the greater the amount of dangerous greenhouse gas emissions being put into the atmosphere!

We seem to be stuck in a system where in all parts of the chain from gas fields to boilers, no one is calling time on the continued use of gas. Not even the government! It is barely a week since the government approved the licensing of the Jackdaw gas field on the grounds that it would protect security of supply – plus a (small) number of jobs – for the consumer. Jackdaw will increase domestic production of gas by 6% – which is a mere 2% of all the gas we currently use. (10) For this ‘benefit’ Jackdaw’s developer, Adura (a new joint Shell and Equinor company) will receive subsidies in terms of tax relief for development cost. Then after the anticipated 11 year life of Jackdaw, a further subsidies towards the costs of decommissioning the gas field. (11)

Surely it would be better for the government to use its financial resources and legislative clout to improve the insulation of buildings, to upgrade the electricity grid, and enable the installation of more solar panels, heat pumps and batteries? Equally would such measures be a more effective way of enabling the UK’s transition away from fossil fuels to a net zero renewables economy?

(1) Cadent is the company which looks after the UK’s gas pipe network; it doesn’t itself buy or sell or produce gas

(2) https://www.britishgas.co.uk/heating/guides/air-source-heat-pumps-vs-boilers.html

(3) https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-why-are-uk-energy-bills-so-high-and-how-could-they-be-lowered

(4) https://octopus.energy/blog/heat-pump-run-cost-savings/

(5) https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/heat-pumps-grant/

(6) https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/loft-insulation/

(7) https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-cavity-loft-insulation/#lowincome

(8) https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/blog/2026/summer-2026-so-far-a-look-at-the-season-at-the-halfway-point-

(9) https://cadentgas.com/getmedia/54c406e9-88fe-4d3b-aa90-049e83c21cda/Introduction.pdf

(10) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq4g13pplyzzo

(11) https://theconversation.com/jackdaw-approval-what-a-new-north-sea-gasfield-means-for-uk-energy-security-bills-and-tax-291418 and  https://www.e3g.org/news/north-sea-oil-gas-bad-deal-uk-taxpayer/

Counting on … day 114

28th  October 2026

What to do about soy and palm oil?

You well be surprised to learn that soy and palm oil are by far the biggest sources of vegetable oil in our diets: 76 million tonnes of palm oil and 59 million tonnes of soy are harvested every year. The next most co:mon vegetable oil is rape seed coming in at 25 million tonnes, whilst olive oil measures a mere 3 million tonnes. (P100 Eat the Planet Well).

Most of the soy oil is used to manufacture high protein animal feed. Soy that is used to create protein rich tofu, soya milk, soy sauce etc uses but a fraction.

Palm oil is widely used in food processing. Palm oil yields are high, making it a cheap oil. It is versatile, stable during cooking and semi solid at room temperature. It can be found in products as diverse as bread, icecream, biscuits, breakfast cereals, chocolate and even baby food. It is also widely used in products such as shampoo, toothpaste and cosmetics. A wonder ingredient! But the problem lies in where and how oil palms are grown. They grow best in hot humid conditions with plenty of rainfall such as occurs in rainforest habitats. Vast tracts of rainforest have been cleared to make way for mono crop oil palm plantations, causing ecological and climatic devastation.

Another downside of palm oil is that it is higher than other plant oils in saturated fats – 52% (NB Coconut oil is even higher at 89%).*

“So” asks Goulson, “should we boycott palm oil? There is no clear answer, so I can only tell you my decision. If palm oil were a healthy ingredient used in nutritious foods, I might reluctantly recommend that we consume it, choosing products certified by RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) and pushing RSPO standards to be improved to prevent further deforestation. In reality, palm oil offers little nutrition beyond raw calories, is probably bday for our hearts, and is largely only available in ultra-processed foods that are almost universally awful for our health…. I for one will not consume the oil.” (P108 Eat the Planet Well)

*Butter contains about 70% saturated fatty acids.

NB vegan butters tend to contain either palm or coconut oil to gain their semi solid consistency. For more information visit https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/is-vegan-butter-healthy

Counting on … day 113

27th  October 2026

Is organic food healthier?

One view is that being free of pesticides etc organic food is healthier; it is also felt that such food may also be fresher (less dependent on chemical sprays to prolong its shelf-life), to be more nutritious, containing more antioxidants and being free of GM ingredients. Another plus view is that organic farming ensures better animal welfare and better welfare for the environment.

On the other hand organic food can be seen as expensive and overhyped.

Either way organic food has to be produced in accordance with a strict set of regulations that encompass how the soil is farmed and how livestock are raised and their access to open air and grazing.

Goulson reviews various research projects that aim to quantify the benefits or not of organic food. Two areas where there does seem to be clear evidence is that organically reared cows,  wing fed more on grass, hay and silage, produce milk and meat that is higher in omega-3 fatty acids. The other clear benefit of organically raised livestock is that they are not routinely treated with antibiotics as a prophylactic meaning that less of these antibiotics in the environment and therefore less of a build up of antibiotic resistance.

He concludes “Overall, it is clear that those who eat organic food as part of various positive lifestyle choices will be exposed to fewer pesticides, consume more antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and they and their children will be less likely to develop various ailments, from eczema to lymphoma. They can also feel relieved to know they are not funding the cruel industry of intensive animal husbandry and its associated ills, including the spread of MRSA. It seems like a no-brained to me: so far as you can afford it, eat organic.” (P90 Eat the Planet Well)

It strikes me that governments intent of benefiting their citizens – and reducing health costs – should be proactively encouraging organic food production AND ensuring that everyone can afford a healthy diet.

As regards GM crops, which Goulson also covers, he concludes “If the development of GM crops were funded by charitable bodies of governments with the goal of growing food more sustainably, their safety was carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis, the seeds were given to farmers for free, and farmers were allowed to gather their own seed for future use, then I think GM technology has a place. When used to lock farmers into an intensive, high-in out farming system, it can be actively harmful. The value of GM technology depends on who is wielding it and where their motivation lies.” (P99 Eat the Planet Well)

Counting on … day 112

26th  October 2026

Poisoning ourselves

“In Europe, about 500 different pesticides are licensed for use on our crops, with almost twice as many available in the US. These are all poisons, intended to kill insects (insecticides), weeds (herbicides), fungi (fungicides), or slugs and snails (molluscides). Some are naturally occurring compounds extracted from plants, and a few are simple inorganic compounds such as copper salts. Most, however, are complex organic compounds synthesised in a lab – chemical structures that never previously existed. They vary hugely in how much of them is used, how and when they are sprayed, and their chemical and physical properties, all of which affects the likelihood of them ending up in the food on your fork. They also vary greatly on how harmful they might be to us as humans.” (P74 Eat the Planet Well)

Goulson notes that many chemicals band in Europe still enter our food supplies via imported produce. Worryingly he also points out the difficulty of determining the impact of a combination of pesticides etc on our health – for few crops receive only one dose and more typically a raft of different chemicals will be used at different stage of the the growth of the crop, in,causing just before and after harvesting.

Equally the impact of these chemicals on our health may vary depending on how long we are exposed to them and whether the residues accumulate in our bodies.

He concludes “All things considered, it would seem wise to avoid consuming pesticides and feeding the, to our children so far as possible. This can be challenging, as most of the cheap and readily available food in supermarkets and fast-food outlets comes from intensive farming and is likely to be contaminated one way or another. Avoiding pesticides is inconvenient, and sometimes more expensive, but it is not impossible. The most obvious strategy is to buy organic, which we will explore next.” (P83 Eat the Planet Well)