Category: Counting On …

Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on

Counting on … day 1.122

26th May 2023

The ongoing climate crisis makes local weather patterns more unpredictable and with that comes the risk of some plants species dying out in the short term. For example the speed with which bluebells can naturally migrate northwards to cooler climes may soon be slower than the speed with which unseasonal heat is advancing. If the bluebell seeds can be artificially transported to more suitable climes then the species can be saved.
Seedbanks gather and store seeds to protect all our futures. Their stocks can allow for replanting in the future. They are also our security against our short sighted eradication of plants that we currently see as weeds, but which hold as yet unforeseen virtues.

You might like to find out about the UK based Heritage Seed Library https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/what-we-do/hsl

Kew Gardens maintains a global seed bank, The Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) with over 2.4 billion seeds, representing over 39,000 different species of the world’s storable seeds.  You can make financial donations to support this work.

https://www.kew.org/science/collections-and-resources/research-facilities/millennium-seed-bank

Counting on… day 1.121

25th May 2023

I thought I saw the following headline – “Sowing the Seeds of Biodiversity Conversation’ – but when I looked a second time, I saw it read “Sowing the Seeds of Biodiversity Conservation”. And yet perhaps I did read it aright as I am now having a conversation about biodiversity. My reading had been about the idea that to assist biodiversity it helps to sow and grow local seeds and plants – ie ones that are most likely to grow where you are and to be a significant part of the localities food chain – nettles for comma butterflies for example. One way of doing this would be to collect seeds from such plants and share them with your neighbours.

How to collect and store seeds – https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-collect-and-save-seeds/

And for a list of seed swop events – https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/what-we-do/hsl/seed-swaps

Counting on …. Day 1.120

24th May 2023

On Wednesdays when Parliament is sitting, a group gathers on the pavement ent outside for an Earth Vigil. In two shifts, 11-1pm and 1-3pm, we sit or kneel to express our love and grief for the earth and its compromised environment, and to pray for wisdom for those in positions of power, and for all who can share in caring for the earth.

Last Wednesday we were joined by Andy, who afterward as spoke eloquently about the experience –

Counting on … day 1.119

Counting on …. Day 1.119

23rd May 2023

The campaign group “We Move” believes that politics in Europe needs to put people and planet first, and that it is people who have the power to push for the changes that are needed. 

Here is one of there current campaigns –

“Just 1% of people are responsible for half of all toxic emissions from flying….But here’s the thing: we can do something about it. In fact, the solution is simple – cut emissions from luxury flights. This includes a ban of private jets from European airports, a tax on frequent flyers and an end to frequent flyer programmes. And we know it can be done: Climate activists recently scored a win and managed to ban private jets at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Let’s build on that success and cut down luxury emissions from flying.”

https://act.wemove.eu/campaigns/ban-private-jets-and-luxury-emissions

Counting on …day 1.118

22nd May 2023

Sustainable living means not consuming more than can be replaced or replenished.
Helium is a light gas that once released escapes beyond the limits of earth’s atmosphere – and thus from our viewpoint becomes irreplaceable. Helium forms naturally through the radioactive decomposition and decay of certain elements such as uranium and thorium. The gas has thus formed either escapes directly into – and out of – our atmosphere, or else becomes trapped with in rock pockets. This latter is the gas that is extracted for commercial use – but the supply is limited. The gas cannot be artificially manufactured.

Long term or excessive use of helium is not sustainable. However helium gas is currently a critical part of the operation of MRI scanners. These two factors are good reasons why we should not waste helium to fill party balloons. An additional reason for avoiding party balloons is the damage to the environment caused by the remnants of balloons – even biodegradable ones can block drains, choke or poison birds and animals.

Are there alternatives to helium balloons? In terms of party declarations, bunting (paper or fabric) which can be reused and finally recycled, paper chains, paper balloons, banners – Google these and you’ll find a wealth of ideas.

Counting on … day 1.117

21st May 2023

We have a bee hotel which used to be fixed to the gable end of the shed. During the winter it was blown down and temporarily placed on a stone bench by the water butt. This is somewhere I also sit, and I have been watching solitary bees buzzing backwards and forwards. They land and inspect the bamboo tubes working out which is their’s. Then they disappear inside. Sometimes they quickly reappear and go in back wards. I’m guessing they are laying eggs. Some of the bamboo ends have been infilled with a clay like mixture which must mean that that incubator is full.
High up on the shed gable I never noticed this activity so that is one small blessing of the winter’s winds.

Counting on … day 1.116

20th May 2023

Reuters reports “The French government plans to budget half a billion euros annually for a new tax credit for environmentally-friendly investments as part of a bill presented on Tuesday to green the industrial sector, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said.

“The tax credit makes France the first EU country to take advantage of a loosening of European state aid rules in recent months in response to new tax subsidies in the United States made available by the Biden administration’s $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).”

Which begs the question, why doesn’t the UK follow suit?

Counting on … day 1.115

19th May 2023

Today marks the day when in the UK we have used up our year’s quota of the earth’s resources. After today our lifestyle is being lived on credit. Can we increase – through better care – the fruitfulness of the earth? Can we shift our way of life to a more sustainable pattern?

For more information about Earth Overshoot day see https://greentau.org/2023/05/13/green-tau-issue-69/

Counting on …day 1.114

18th May 2023

The United Nations Environment Programme is called on all countries to reduce their plastic consumption by 80% by 2040. Plastics are problem items because they are made from oil and thus come with an inbuilt unsustainable carbon footprint, and because much of the plastic is not recycled and instead causes pollution – especially in marine areas.

To cut our use of plastics, we will need to cut our dependency on plastic packaging. Our local cafe which also has its own coffee roasting business now supplies beans packaging free. The beans are stored in silos and you simply decant them into your own container (the cafe also sell reusable tins). Simple!