Category: Counting On …

Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on

Counting on … day 1.227

30th November 2023

Today is the start of COP28. This is the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference. Held annually, this gathering of various parties (governments and others) is tasked with agreeing policies to limit the rise of  global temperatures, and to help countries adapt to the climate change that is already happening.

You can sign up for their daily newsletter  – ‘Top of the COP’ 

You can join in daily prayers by zoom with Green  Christian – https://greenchristian.org.uk/prayer-for-cop28/

I also recommend this link for daily prayers and reflections –

https://sites.google.com/view/praying-for-cop28/home

Counting on … day 1.226

29th November 2023

Recently I was chatting with a friend about the number of items which have since our youth become single use items (this is not to say I am either old nor that everything was so much better in the good old days!). But things like wet wipes did not exist – instead there would be a cloth or maybe even a damp flannel in plastic bag for a journey. A kitchen towel meant a hand towel: washable dish clothes and floor clothes were for wiping up spills. Hankies were cotton and washable and came with embroidered designs or printed patterns. And I even remember from my honeymoon having a paper envelope with my room number, in which I placed my cotton serviette at the end of the meal so that I could use it again at the next meal. 

Surely laundering is better than creating waste that is either burnt or ends up in landfill?

Counting on … day 1.224

27th November 2023

As responsible consumers, we may want to think not just about what we are buying but about the packaging too. Most packaging in single use – the plastic container, the cardboard box, the plastic wrap, the paper cup. Sometimes it is essential if we are to be able to take the product home, but more often it is a decorative feature that makes the product more attractive. And giving pleasure is not a bad thing. But maybe there are times when we should be saying ‘no thank you’ when something has an excess  of packaging. Or times when we should be writing to the manufacturer asking for less packaging or at least packaging that can – and will be – recycled. Or times when we should look for a refill option using reusable packaging. 

I often feel it is a pity that cardboard boxes can’t be reused more often before they are recycled: they are often so strong and sturdy and there must be a a carbon footprint involved in recycling them. 

Are Cardboard Boxes Eco-friendly?

Counting on … day 1.223

24th November 2023

Black Friday seems a good day to reflect on what it might mean to be a good consumer. Certainly shopping ethically – https://greentau.org/2023/11/07/counting-on-day-1-210/ – but maybe also consuming more slowly. How often do we need a new dress or new duvet set? Maybe consuming more locally so that we support the local economy – buying from the local bookshop not Amazon, the local green grocer not Tesco’s. Maybe for some of us it means consuming less. Maybe it means campaigning so that others can afford to consume more so as to live in comfort.

For more thoughts – “Sustainable production and consumption must therefore replace undifferentiated economic growth as the goal of 21st-century political economy. And making the case for this means challenging the belief that sustainable consumption will always involve sacrifice, rather than improve wellbeing.”

Read the full article here –

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2023/nov/23/consumerism-planetary-ruin-life-community?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on … day 1.222

23rd November 2023

This Friday is Black Friday  – a widely advertised event that lasts at least for a week! – when retailers encourage us  spend more on so called ‘bargains’. It seems as if the whole purpose of human existence is to shop. But shopping for the sake of shopping – consumerism for the sake of consumerism – is highly destructive of the environment and undermines the essence of being human which is about relationship with our neighbours. 

The following extract comes from a pertinent  Guardian report: “It’s forecast that this month and next, a record £9.5bn will be blown on advertising, more than the UK government spends on prisons in a year. This is the philosophy of “spending like there’s no tomorrow” – literally, given the climate crisis. 

Black  Friday.” (1) 

But it doesn’t have to be this way and we can be part of the transformation. Make this Friday a Buy Nothing Day! Display a Buy Nothing poster on your garden gate, front window etc. For more info and posters visit http://buynothingday.co.uk/

  1. – https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/nov/21/the-guardian-view-on-festive-marketing-stop-spending-like-theres-no-tomorrow?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

This article from a few years ago focuses on the huge amount of waste that Black Friday and Cyber Monday produce – https://greentau.org/2021/11/29/green-tau-issue-24/

Counting on … day 1.221

22nd November 2023

This week Christian Climate Action is embarking on its campaign to ask MPs to support the Loss and Damage Fund. 

If you too want to participate you can find a template letter to send  your MP on CCA’s web site – https://christianclimateaction.org/events/

Or via this link  – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sa7QyhFFMC2mpobJJG0Z8G3XOErzz5b-_O9-glkC1V8/edit?usp=sharing

Why is this important?

The climate crisis is being felt across the world but the damage is inflicted unevenly. Some countries – often the poorest – are being hit harder. And perversely these are countries that have contributed least to the problem. 

Malawi, for example, has been inflicted by intense tropical storms – most recently Cyclone Freddy with 200 deaths – flooding, mud slides, and droughts. But Malawi struggles to cover the cost of the damage as it is already heavily burden with foreign debt as it tries to improve the economy and living standards of its people.

The UK, which profited from early industrialisation, has emitted 78,500 million tonnes CO2e since the start of the Industrial Revolution, whilst Malawi has emitted a mere 52 million tonnes. The UK is a wealthy nation with GDP of $3,871,790 million, whilst Malawi has a GDP of only $37,900 million. (Populations are approx 68 million and 21 million respectively).

The injustice in this situation gave rise to the proposal at COP26 for a Loss and Damage Fund. This fund will use money supplied by the wealthy – those who caused the CO2 pollution – to pay for the damage being suffered by the most vulnerable. In the two years since then committees have been working out the details of the scheme. Once finalised this is to be ratified at the forthcoming COP28.

Of current concern is whether the UK government will continue to a) support the introduction of the Loss and Damage Fund, and b) whether it will be willing to contribute its fair share.

Counting on … day 1.220

21st November 2023

Following on from yesterday’s post, another area where we as individuals can make a difference is in our choice of diet. Cutting back on meat and dairy can both reduce pressures vis a vis deforestation, and directly reduce emissions arising from farm livestock. 

In particular, when cutting back on meat and dairy, we may want to review the provenance of what meat and dairy we do eat. We may want to investigate how and where the relevant livestock are reared – whether they are fed on imported grain, whether they are intensively farmed, whether they are grass fed and have access to outdoor spaces, whether they are reared organically, whether they are reared in the UK or elsewhere, and even what provision is made for the safe disposal of their sewage. Effluent from industrial sized chicken farms are severely polluting the River Wye.

For more information on the merits of meat-based, vegetarian and vegan diets see – https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/food-drink/climate-impact-meat-vegetarian-vegan-diets

Counting on … day 1.219

20th November 2023

The authors of the State of Climate Action 2023 report advise that world needs to:

  • Retire about 240 average-sized coal-fired power plants a year, every year between now and 2030.
  • Construct the equivalent of three New Yorks’ worth of public transport systems in cities around the world each year this decade.
  • Halt deforestation, which is happening to an area the size of 15 football pitches every minute, this decade.
  • Increase the rate of growth of solar and wind power from its current high of 14% a year to 24% a year.
  • Cut meat consumption from ruminants such as cows and sheep to about two servings a week in the US, Europe and other high-consuming countries by 2030.” (1)

We may feel we have little control over deforestation, especially that which happens outside the UK, but indirectly we do. Many of the products we consume every day come directly or indirectly from forested land that has been cleared to allow for commercial production of sugar, palm oil and soya beans. 

Palm oil is an interesting crop as it finds itself in many products ranging from toothpaste to margarine, laundry liquid to biscuits. When listed as an ingredient, it may appear as palm but can as easily appear as palm- , stear- , laur- , or  glyc-. Reducing our consumption of palm oil, or seeking products made from sustainably produced palm oil, does take some research – Ethical Consumer has a useful guide – https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/palm-oil/palm-oil-free-list

Processed soya beans may feed directly into our shopping basket as tofu, tempeh or as soya milk (and other similar dairy replacements).  This accounts for a very small portion of global soya production – less than 6%. Most of the global output of soya beans (77%) is used as animal feed. By eating less meat and dairy produce we can reduce the demand for soya beans and hence deforestation! 

For more information on palm oil and how to avoid its damaging production – https://greentau.org/2021/12/15/green-tau-issue-27/

For more information on the dangers of sugar plantations – https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/sugar-a-killer-crop.html, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jun/18/a-shame-for-the-world-ugandas-fragile-forest-ecosystem-destroyed-for-sugar?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other, 

For more information on soya beans and deforestation- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/06/top-grain-traders-helped-scupper-ban-on-soya-from-deforested-land?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other , https://ourworldindata.org/soy

(1) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/14/world-behind-on-almost-every-policy-required-to-cut-carbon-emissions-research-finds?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on … day 1.218

17th November 2023

In September of this year, the Sycamore Gap Tree was, through criminal action, chopped down. Previously a 400 year old oak was felled in Northamptonshire to make way for road improvements. A 600 year old oak was felled in Peterborough because it was damaging nearby buildings. A 250 year old wild pear tree was felled In Warwickshire to make way for HS2. 

Should we treasure trees as much as we treasure buildings? Are they not an as important part of the landscape? 

The Woodlands Trust is pressing “the UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Governments to protect our most important trees by:

  • Legally protected heritage status for some of our most ancient and important trees
  • Strong, consistent policy protection for old trees  
  • More support for land managers to care for ancient and veteran trees”

If you would like to add your name to their petition, here is the link –

https://campaigns.woodlandtrust.org.uk/page/99702/petition/2

The Woodlands Trust also has ideas for home made Christmas gifts – https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2023/10/homemade-christmas-gifts/?utm_campaign=3328841_E23COM041_Newsletter_Dynamic&utm_medium=email&utm_source=E23COM044&utm_content=Christmas-Crafting&dm_i=2D76,1ZCJT,6HXEUF,71JUC,1

Counting on … day 1.217

16th November 2023  

The lead author of the study into the health (or rather threatened health) of our woodlands, published in  ‘Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research’, is Dr Eleanor Tew, head of forest planning at Forestry England and visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge. Whilst the threat of a collapse of our woodland ecosystems is possible, it is not inevitable. “We do have time to make a difference, and there is a lot we can do to make our forests more resilient,” said Tew, who described the paper as a “call for action”… The forestry industry has to plan in advance …. an average conifer in a plantation can take up to 60 years to reach maturity, and a broadleaf up to 150 years. “Forestry has always been about planning for the long-term, and we’re at a time of huge change,” said Tew. Solutions [could] include increasing the diversity of tree species within a wood, planting trees of different ages, promoting natural regeneration and managing deer populations.”(1)

The Forestry Journal published advice from ConFor the forestry’s  industry wide body  to improve tree planting:-

  • a coordinated UK-wide approach to the 30,000-hectare target, currently not in place;
  • planting targets to be clearly linked to delivering other policy objectives – mitigating climate change, supporting biodiversity and delivering rural jobs and growth;
  • clear targets to use more home-grown wood – the UK is the second highest global net importer of wood after China, and using more wood will lock up more carbon (2)

Growing timber for domestic use – eg construction, furniture making etc seems logical. Maybe we can help by specifying such products if we are making such purchases. 

(1) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/08/uk-forests-face-catastrophic-ecosystem-collapse-within-50-years-study-says-aoe?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

(2) https://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/news/18834822.confor-calls-urgent-action-tackle-uk-tree-planting-failure/