Counting On … – Page 88

Counting on …day 299

4th September 2022

Environmentally kind resolutions can include our gardens – making space and caring for nature. You might set aside part of your garden for wildlife. Climate change places extra pressures on wildlife so give them a helping hand by encouraging wild plants (weeds) to colonise part of your garden. Nettles are very good for ladybirds and butterflies, dandelions flowers are good for bees and dandelion seeds are tasty food for goldfinches.

For further thoughts see https://greentau.org/2022/04/04/the-green-tau-issue-39/ and

Eco Tips: Welcoming Garden Birds

Counting on …day 298

3rd September 2022

Cycles of all shapes and sizes benefit from regular cleaning and maintenance: and you are rewarded with a speedy and comfortable ride. Even in the summer cycles get dirty with a grime that clogs moving parts. Once cleaned, lightly oil the chain. Check brakes and adjust or replace as necessary: in wet weather well adjusted brakes are an essential safety measure.

As the nights begin to draw in, make sure that you have a set of functioning front and rear lights.

Counting on … day 297

2nd September 2022

As the summer holidays end and schools go back, it feels as if a new term is starting for us all. This can be a good time for setting in place new intentions or resolutions about how we live and how we care for the world around us.

Whilst the weather is still mild, it is a good time to develop the habit of active travel – using walking, cycling and public transport as our go-to means of getting around. Good for the environment and good for both our physical and mental health.

Counting on … day 296

1st September 2022

Today is the beginning of creation-tide which is a season observed by many churches and denominations across the globe. Last year I put together a series of images, one for each day, under the title of Falling in Love Again. Here is the link to the first one – https://greentau.org/2021/09/01/falling-in-love-again/

Counting on … day 295

31st August 2022

A message from our milk delivery service: “Rinse, Return, Repeat. Did you know, our glass bottles are reused an average of 25 times before being recycled? But, this is only possible with your help!

We’re sometimes unable to re-use returned glass bottles if there are too many traces of juice and milk left behind, and this is an important part of ensuring our cycle is zero waste.”

– a message which equally applies to plastic food cartons that we put out for recycling.

Counting on…. Day 294

30th September 2022

Much of the plastic that ends up polluting the oceans gets there via streams and rivers. And the plastic that ends up in the streams and rivers is either litter that has been thoughtlessly discarded or plastic that has fallen or been blown out of recycling bins. We can help in three ways – firstly not thoughtlessly discarding plastic (which I am sure we wouldn’t). Secondly by picking up litter and disposing of it safely. Thirdly by ensuring that the plastic in our recycling bins is flattened as much as possible and packed (eg stacking similar sized pots or trays together) so that there are no loose pieces that can easily be dislodged. Aim for a neat and condensely packed bin.

Counting on … day 293

29th August 2022

Pollution of our water system can begin at home. Only three things should go in the toilet – pee, poo and toilet paper. (Other paper, even things like paper serviettes shouldn’t be thrown down the loo – they are not designed to break down quickly and can cause blocked drains). Wet wipes, cotton buds, sanitary products, sticking plasters, dental floss etc should not be discarded via the toilet. NB You can biodegradable dental floss which can go into the compost bin.

In the kitchen what goes down the drain should be limited to waste water and appropriate amounts of soap and cleaning fluids. Fat and oil (wipe excess up with a paper towel or piece of news paper) and food waste, including coffee grounds, should go into the food waste bin. Food waste and fat can block drains, and chemicals such as white spirit can cause pollution.

Counting on … day 292

28th August 2022

For vegans – and others – choose sustainable seaweed!

Seaweed can be eaten as a food in its own right and as an additive in food and non-products (such as toothpaste). It can also be used in making fertilisers, plastic alternatives and in animal food. 98% of seaweed thus consumed is grown commercially – and it is an expanding sector. Japan is the largest producer of seaweed. Here in the UK most seaweed is harvested from the wild – albeit commercially. If you want to give seaweed a try, check out companies such as the Cornish Seaweed Company https://www.cornishseaweed.co.uk/ or Mara Seaweed https://maraseaweed.com/

Counting on …day 291

27th August 2022

For fish eaters, choosing sustainable fish will help preserve fish stocks and biodiversity in the oceans. The Marine Stewardship Council has a certification scheme with a blue badge indicating which fish products come from sustainable sources. This scheme covers fresh, frozen and tinned fish. Check when eating out whether the fish on the menu is sustainable.

https://www.msc.org/what-you-can-do/10-reasons-to-choose-the-blue-fish-label

Counting on …day 290

26th August 2022

https://www.greenpeace.org/international/act/protect-the-oceans/

“The ocean is the largest ecosystem on Earth, and it is the planet’s life support system” – Marine Conservation Institute. It too is under threat from overuse and misuse by human activity. Current negotiations s at the UN are trying to agree a treaty that would protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 – although it looks as if financial interests in making further profits from the oceans will water down any agreement.

According to UNESCO, plastic waste makes up 80% of all marine pollution and around 8 to 10 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year – and in the last 10 years we have produced more plastic than in the last century! Cutting back on the plastic we use, and ideally aiming for zero plastic, we can be part of the solution.

Eco Tips – Zero Waste

https://greentau.org/tag/plastic-free/