Counting On … – Page 85

Counting on ….day 325

1st October 2022

According to the Woodlands Trust there are more than half a million miles of

hedgerow in the UK. Hedgerows are important for biodiversity providing a habitat for various wild plants, birds, small mammals, insects and beetles. Hedges in towns are as those in rural areas. Down the road one house has a thick privet hedge which is always full of the chirping of sparrows. If you haven’t got room for a hedge you might consider creating a dead hedge which will provide shelter for various wild creatures.

Count Down

Counting on … day 324

30th September 2022

Autumn is a good time to plant trees. If you have space why not choose one for

your garden – not all tree are big and fruit trees produce an edible reward too!

Brogdale in Kent holds the National Fruit Collection and has over 4000 varieties of fruit trees including apples, pears, quinces, plums , cherries and cobnuts – including many heritage varieties.

The Fruit Collection

Counting on …day 323

29th September 2022

In a follow up to Loss and Damage Action day last week, there is a petition you can sign asking your MP to sign an early day motion on this matter and urging positive action in the run up to COP27, which is now only 6 weeks away.

https://act.globaljustice.org.uk/ask-your-mp-make-polluters-pay-climate-compensation?utm_medium=email&utm_source=mailchimp_2209MPA&utm_campaign=Climate_campaign&mc_cid=15b26f1d41&mc_eid=5834b7ce59#

Counting on … day 322

28th September 2022

The Climate Coalition is running a project called Letters to Tomorrow:-

“Write a letter to a loved one in the future to call for political action on climate change now.

Because the future of our planet isn’t written yet. The climate crisis is affecting our lives already, and it’s only going to get worse for the next generation unless we take action now to get it under control – because the years will tick away before we know it.”

Here’s the link https://www.letterstotomorrow.com/

And here’s my letter

Judith Russenberger’s Letter 497

Counting on …day 321

27th September 2022

Whilst governments push (or not) for a Loss and Damage fund, we as individuals can help the more uk era leaders to adapt to climate change through our support of charities. Practical Action has been doing this in Zimbabwe. There an extended drought was this spring followed by torrential rains such that this year’s maize harvest is 45% smaller than last year’s. Practical Action has been promoting a small scale method of farming – ‘pfumyudza’ – that enables a family to grow enough maize for a year from a 16th of a hectare. One mother of three reports: “Before the training [in conservation agriculture], I could barely feed my family but now I am harvesting an average of three tonnes of maize on a smaller piece of land than I used to grow.” “From my first year of using Pfumvudza as a way of farming, and demonstrating it to others in the village, my crops never failed. The rainfall was erratic as usual but we got a good harvest.” (https://www.greenfriends.org.uk/pfumvudza-transforming-zimbabwe/

Counting on … day 319

25th September 2022

In the garden it feels like a second spring as plants that have struggled during the heat, spring back with new green leaves and fresh flowers. While it is still warm, this is a good time to plant new plants or to divide up old ones. There is time for them to root in before the winter and to get them selfs well established before next summer’s heat wave.

Counting on… day 318

24th September 2022

Manure and urine from farm animals is a major source of ammonia: in the UK 87% of ammonia released into the air comes from agriculture. Here ammonia reacts with other compounds in the air to form particulate matter that pollutes the air, irritating lungs and affect people’s breathing. Ammonia also leads to the creation of smog, and the acidification of water and soil. It is harmful to plants and wildlife as well as humans.

A particular concern at the moment is the health of the River Wye in Herefordshire. A large number of intensive chicken farms have been established in the Wye valley and the affluent from millions of chickens has created an algal bloom that is destroying the biodiversity of the river.

This is another good reason for reducing our meat consumption.

Counting on … day 316

22nd September 2022

Today the world marks Loss and Damage Day. The Guardian this week reported that the issue of how to help poor nations suffering from the most extreme impacts of climate breakdown – loss and Damage- is one of the most contentious problems in climate negotiations. The UN general assembly is being asked to set up a “climate-related and justice-based” global tax, as a way of funding an insurance policy that would pay out to affected nations. You can support this objective by signing Christian Aid’s petition: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/loss-and-damage-petition

For more information on loss and damage see: https://greentau.org/2022/08/10/green-tau-issue-47/

Counting on … day 315

21st September 2022

Despite understandings made at last year’s COP26 to reduce the carbon emissions – halving them by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050 – the UK government is preparing to approve the Rosebank oil field – the biggest undeveloped oil field in the North Sea. If these two seem totally irreconcilable to you, do sign this petition:- https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stoprosebank/?link_id=11&can_id=a3029987c1ac6171de26390e6aabf63f&source=email-thats-a-wrap-stopjackdaw-week-of-action-2&email_referrer=email_1671196&email_subject=we-have-a-new-fight-on-our-hands-_-stoprosebank

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stoprosebank?source=direct_link&

Counting on …day 313

19th September 2022

Prayer walking or walking prayer is a way of calming the soul and focusing the mind on God through the gift of creation. It can be mindful, slow walk that allows you to pay attention to the natural world – however humble – and so to be drawn into the presence of God. The poet writer Ian Adams, in Running Over Rocks, terms it as Terra Divina.

You can find an extract from the book about Terra Divina here:

http://www.unforcedrhythms.org/contemplative-spirituality/terra-divina/