15th December 2022
The cold weather is a reminder to us of the importance of food, both for ourselves to keep us warm, and for local wildlife.
The RSPB has useful tips –
Counting on … day 408
Category: Counting On …
Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on
Counting on 407
14th December 2022
Euronews Green has compiled a summary of all the good news environmental stories from 2022 as a counterweight to all the less than positive stories we read.
Counting on … 406
13th December 2022
‘France has been given the green light to ban short haul domestic flights. The European Commission has approved the move which will abolish flights between cities that are linked by a train journey of less than 2.5 hours. The decision was announced on Friday. The changes are part of the country’s 2021 Climate Law and were first proposed by France’s Citizens’ Convention on Climate – a citizens’ assembly tasked with finding ways to reduce the country’s carbon emissions’. https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/12/02/is-france-banning-private-jets-everything-we-know-from-a-week-of-green-transport-proposals?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=green_newsletter&_ope=eyJndWlkIjoiMTJjMTk2MDNmOWI2YTEwZmZmMTQ0ODYyMWQ3NDJhNDcifQ==
Does this sound like an excellent idea!
Counting on day 405
12th December 2022
The Wildlife Trust notes ‘Orchards are areas of trees and shrubs planted for food, usually fruit. They are an historic habitat; many species of fruit tree were brought over by the Romans and cultivating fruit trees might date back to the Neolithic period. Not only are orchards useful and beautiful, they can also be important for wildlife. They are perfect for pollinators, and fruit trees age quickly which creates essential deadwood habitats.’
Preserving orchards is an important way of maintaining the UK’s biodiversity. Many orchards are under threat partly because the lack of people to pick the fruit and partly because of the propensity of supermarkets to stock imported fruit – so equally that may suggest we as consumers need to ensure we seek out UK grown produce.
Counting on … day 403
10th December 2022
On Thursday the Government gave approval for the opening of a new coal mine in Cumbria despite the averse affect that its carbon emissions will have on the environment. Would this result have been different if Nature had a voice in Parliament?
In the meantime if you wish to voice your opposition to this new coal mine Greenpeace a petition in place. https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/no-new-coal?source=UN&subsource=ECENCLPEUN03DJ&utm_source=Native&utm_medium=Thank+You+Page+Mobile+Share&utm_campaign=Pardot+Coal+Petition+-+Feb+22+%5BBW%5D++PE
Counting on… day 402
9th December 2022
Faith in Nature (makers of ethical soaps etc) is the first company in the world to make Nature a director. Two individuals appointed to the Board will be legally bound to speak on behalf of the natural world. ‘Developed in partnership with Lawyers for Nature and Earth Law Center, we believe this signals a new way of doing business. It’s about changing the way we think about Nature — no longer treating it as a resource but as central to our decision making process.’ https://www.faithinnature.co.uk/pages/sustainability
Counting on … day 399
6th December 2022
Today is the feast of St Nicholas who once threw three bags of gold into the house of a poor father who was no longer able to provide financially for his daughters. Amongst other things, St Nicholas s the patron saint of pawn brokers and hence the three gold balls that symbolise a pawn broker. Sadly there are still people who find themselves unable to provide financially for their household needs. One source of finance that has proved useful are credit unions. These operate like a cooperative with everyone a co member. Members use the the union both for savings and for loans and because the union is owned by them, it operates to their best advantage – and not say to the advantage of external share holders. They are always a cheaper option than pay day loans.
Counting on … day 400
7th December 2022
Today the Biodiversity COP15 starts in Montreal. “The Earth is experiencing the sixth mass extinction, according to scientists, which threatens the foundations of human civilisation. How we farm, pollute, drive, heat our homes and consume is beyond what our planet can sustainably provide and at Cop15 governments are tasked with plotting a path to living within planetary boundaries.” https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/05/making-sense-of-cop15-what-to-look-out-for-in-montreal?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
The issues of biodiversity loss and climate change are interlinked and neither can be addressed in isolation from the other.
For another insight into this topic see https://green-reporter.com/spaceship-earth-cop-15-on-biodiversity/
Counting on … day 398
5th December 2022
Making our money make things better is surely a good way forwards.
Various certification schemes credit producers who run their business so as to make a positive difference – eg by paying their staff the real living wage. The following articles lists some of the food producers who have accredited B Corp status.
Counting on … day 397
4th December 2022
What does your money do?
I love the advertising over the Oxfam shop’s front. Here is a shop where your money will grow vegetables, fill classrooms, drill wells, empowers women and fights poverty – wow! With a little thought money can do some amazingly positive things.
The Green Tau 