Category: Counting On …

Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on

Counting on …day 199 

31st May 2022

Much to my surprise I found a crow sat on a plant pot surveying our cat, who stared back with equal bemusement. The crow was a fearless youngster whose wing feathers were not yet fully fledged, rendering the bird flightless. I caught the crow in a box and placed him in the shed overnight away from any passing fox. The vet suggested leaving the bird in  a safe place where the parents might find it. As our gardens home to several cats a safe place was not to hand. The RSPB look after birds on the larger scale of providing reserves etc rather than rescuing individuals. I contacted the London Wildlife Protection who quickly offered to collect and care for crow junior. https://www.londonwildlifeprotection.org/

I was highly delighted when crow junior’s rescuer arrived on a bicycle with a specially adapted backpack for transporting birds and other small creatures – highly ecological!

Counting on …day 197 

29th May 2022

We can recognise ancient buildings like castles and cathedrals quite easily. We can probably recognise old houses quite easily too – especially those that are large and grand! We expect such buildings to be protected – perhaps under the auspices of the National Trust or English Heritage, or to be a listed building. But what about trees? The oldest tree in the world is probably a 4m wide  Patagonia cypress in Chile which could be up to 5,484 years old (https://theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/26/worlds-oldest-tree-cypress-chile). And that is older even than the pyramids in Egypt! According to the Woodland Trust, the oldest tree in the UK is said to be the Fortingall yew in Perthshire. It’s estimated to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old, although some believe it could be 5,000 years old. Such trees are historic landmarks and deserved to be protected in the same way that we protect historic buildings. The Woodland Trust has instigated just such a campaign! 

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/protecting-trees-and-woods/campaign-with-us/tree-protection-campaign/

Counting on … day 196 

28th May 2022

Glyphosate and other herbicides are variously used – or not – by local councils to manage weeds in public spaces such as streets, parks, play grounds and pavements. In June 2020 Amanda Tuke asked thirty two London Boroughs (not including City of London) for information about:

  • their Councillors responsible for weed management
  • their weedkiller policies in particular relating to glyphosate
  • their weedkiller contractors and contracts. 

The results show that whilst some councils do not use glyphosate at all, others allow its application up to three times a year. https://freelancenaturewriter.com/2020/07/15/london-councils-use-of-weedkiller-policies-and-reduction-initiatives/

Where less herbicides are used, you may well notice a growing number of small plants along the edges of the pavements – a greening of the environment that pollinators may well appreciate!

You might like to ask your local  council about their policy.

  Counting on …day 195

27th May 2022

“Pesticides are poisons and there should be no place for them on supermarkets shelves. We should not be using these chemicals in our gardens and allotments, where our children and pets play, and where our wildlife should be thriving. In any case there is no need for them – it is easy to garden without pesticides.” Professor Dave Goulson, University of Sussex https://www.pan-uk.org/take-pesticide-products-off-supermarket-shelves/

PAN UK believes that there should be a ban on selling glyphosate to the public and is leading a campaign to press supermarkets to stop selling pesticides in their stores. Both the Co-op and Waitrose no longer stock high risk synthetic pesticides.

safe to use?

For gardeners who wish to avoid using pesticides, PAN UK provides guidance on combating pests without the use of pesticides  – https://www.pan-uk.org/gardening-without-pesticides/. 

Counting on …day 194 

26th May 2022

Chemical residues from pesticides and herbicides can affect human health. When applying these chemicals it important to follow the appropriate protective protocols. Residues can contaminate fruit and vegetables and thus put those who handle and eat the food at risk. Glyphosate  for example is now considered as carcinogenic and its  use is currently being phased out in Luxemborg, Italy,  Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, France and Germany.  The EU (as opposed to individual countries)  has, disappointingly, postponed its decision over whether to renew the licence for glyphosate from this December to 2023. Under post-Brexit government policy this could see the weedkiller approved for use in Britain until at least July 2026. https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/farm-policy/eu-delays-glyphosate-renewal-decision-until-2023

PAN (Pesticide Action Network) UK is calling for a rapid phase-out of glyphosate in agriculture and support to help farmers adopt safer approaches to managing weeds. We can add consumer-based weight by asking UK producers – eg producers of oil seed rape who routinely use glyphosate to kill the ripe plants as this makes harvesting easier – why they still use glyphosate. 

 Counting on …day 193

25th May 2022

Pesticides and herbicides not only kill pests and weeds, they are also kill others higher up the food chain such as ladybirds, frogs, and birds. In the recent review, the  State of the World’s Birds it has been noted that across the globe more than half of bird species are in decline with farmland birds in Europe declining by 57%  since 1980.

“‘This is due to the intensive agriculture that supplies cheap food, Lees said, adding: “If we want farmers to farm wildlife, we have to pay for that as a society.”’ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/05/canaries-in-the-coalmine-loss-of-birds-signals-changing-planet

There are two things we can do: first opt where possible for organic produce, and second, avoid using pesticides and herbicides in our own gardens. 

Counting on …day 191

23rd May 2022

Marking Rogation-tide yesterday, we walked round the parish boundary and finished with tea and cake  in the church garden. 

Vegan fruit cake

8oz flour plus raising agent

3oz vegan butter

3-4 oz sugar

12 oz dried fruit

Nutmeg

1 tbsp egg replacement powder

1 sliced banana

Oat milk

Rub butter into flour. Add nutmeg and egg replacement powder, sugar, fruit and banana.

Add milk and mix to achieve a firm dropping consistency.

Put into a lined loaf tin.

Bake 160C for 40 – 50 minutes or until cooked!

 Counting on …day 190

22nd May 2022

This month saw the launch of FlexCollect, a 3 year trial project in which  flexible – soft/ scrunchable – plastic will be part of the kerbside recycling collection  made by local authorities. The first council taking part will be Cheltenham Borough Council.

https://flexibleplasticfund.org.uk/

For more articles about recycling  see https://greentau.org/tag/recycling/

Counting on …day 189 

21st May 2022

HDPE and LDPE are widely used for packaging – plastic bags and wrappers, margarine cartons and milk containers  – and both can be recycled. As with PET bottles closed loop recycling is possible but more often these plastics are recycled into none food items such as pipes, plastic ‘wood’ for outdoor furniture,  recycling bins and rubbish bags. Clearly it would be better for the environment if all recycling were closed loop recycling as this is the best way of eliminating the use of oil to make virgin plastic. 

Again ask companies whether they use recycled plastics and of not, what not. 

NB the recycling of plastics is made much easier of the plastic is washed/ cleaned before it is put in the  recycling bin. Dirty plastic can contaminate a whole batch sent for recycling .