Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on
10th February 2023
Some people take recycling to a whole new dimension!
One engineer has been reusing computer batteries to create electric bikes! https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/01/29/meet-the-kenyan-teacher-who-turns-old-laptops-into-e-bike-batteries?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=EN_TESTMay&utm_content=meet-the-kenyan-teacher-who-turns-old-laptops-into-e-bike-batteries&_ope=eyJndWlkIjoiMTJjMTk2MDNmOWI2YTEwZmZmMTQ0ODYyMWQ3NDJhNDcifQ==
9th February 2023
The Guardian has issued a useful reminder on what and how to recycling.
8th February 2023
Pray. Whether in private prayer, in church intercessions or environmentally focused vigils, praying for wisdom, discernment and action is important. Sharing our concerns with God and with one another builds engagement and resilience.
6th February 2023
Support campaigns that urge the government and big businesses to proactively address the climate crisis. Sign petitions, write to MPs, CEOs, join marches and demonstrations.
If you are craft minded, make a green heart to send to the focus of your campaign.
4th February 2023
Even without wilding your garden, be a green gardener. Avoid the use of pesticides, herbicides and artificial fertilisers. Don’t cut the grass too short especially when dry weather is likely. Opt for hand rather than power tools – and keep fit. Set up and use a compost heap. Veer away from using plastics – plant pots, lawn edgings, etc. Install a water butt (there are few choices here other than plastic). Avoid concrete and other hard surfaces and opt for surfaces that allow water to drain and the earth to breath.
See also https://greentau.org/tag/gardens/
3rd February 2023
If you have a garden, that can become your mini wildlife area. Many of the groups listed yesterday have advice on how you can do this, whether it is sowing wild flowers, building a bug hotel, creating a pond, planting bee-friendly plants etc.
For further ideas see – https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/wildlife/rewild-your-garden
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-grow-a-better-lawn-for-wildlife.html
2nd February 2023
Support wildlife and rewilding projects to increase biodiversity, and improve the health of our environment and our own selves. The RSPB, the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust, the National Trust, the Woodlands Trust, the Wildlife Trusts, A Rocha, plus even more local groups such as the Friends of Palewell Common are part of a growing trend to take responsibly our all calling to care for the natural world.
For further thoughts on rewilding – https://greentau.org/tag/rewilding/
1st February 2023
Protect our rivers and local environment by a) ensuring plastic waste does not escape from the recycling system, and b) ensuring we don’t misuse our sewers.
Yesterday Greenpeace launched another campaign against the fossil fuel industry. For further info see https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/stop-drilling-start-paying?source=EM&subsource=ECCLJUPEEM06BG&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Stop+drilling+start+paying+20230126&utm_term=Non-Signers
31st January 2023
Support campaigns for restoring rivers. Allowing rivers to follow their natural course rather than being dredged and straightened helps control flooding and provides a more secure habitat for river wildlife. Cleaning rivers of physical pollutants also helps prevent or limits the affects of flooding – wind blown and carelessly discarded plastic and other rubbish can block inlets and outlets and be a death trap for river wildlife. Cleaning rivers of chemical pollutants enables rivers once more to become vibrant places of biodiversity as well as becoming safe places to bathe!
Clean and biodiverse-rich rivers are rewarding places to spend leisure time and we are increasingly aware of the health benefits of blue spaces. What’s not to like?
https://theriverstrust.org/our-work/cleaning-up-rivers#main-content
30th January 2023
As climate change leads to more extreme weather conditions, it is not only droughts that affect us, but floods too, as we fluctuate from periods of no rain to sudden downpours. By reshaping and adapting our local environment, it is possible to mitigate some of the effects of heavy rain. For example replacing hard surfaces such as tarmac and concrete with soft surfaces such as gravel and grass, limits a rapid run-off of water that can overload drains and watercourses. Replacing grass with trees and bushy plants further slows the rate at which rain enters rivers and drains. Allowing rivers to both meander and to overflow into water meadows and areas of marshland, enables rivers to cope with excess quantities of water.
Even in our own gardens we can take evasive action – replacing hard driveways with soft ones, installing water butts – and ponds – and planting trees and shrubs.
For more ideas – https://greentau.org/2022/01/19/eco-tips-17/
The Green Tau 