Tag: conservation

Counting on … Lent 20

1st April 2025  

You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges,

softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. Psalm 65:9-10

The Earth has sufficient water to maintain both the natural environment and agriculture provided water is suitably garnered – eg as here, with furrows that collect the rain allowing it to gently soak into the soil. Good agricultural practices are key but equally non agricultural land use must also respond appropriately in its relationship with water. For example covering land with hard surfaces such as paving, concrete or tarmac, prevents rain water from soaking into the ground. Instead it rushes off and gathers in great volumes that can overwhelm drainage systems, and cause flooding and damage to land down stream.  Equally extracting water from lakes and rivers to supply water intensive enterprises such as growing cotton or bottling water, should be limited so as not to diminish these sources of water.

Looking after creation with empathy, paying attention to God’s wisdom, is vital for the wellbeing of the Earth.

“Nearly every water-related intervention involves some kind of cooperation. Growing crops require shared irrigation systems among farmers. Providing safe and affordable water to cities and rural areas is only possible through a communal management of water-supply and sanitation systems. And cooperation between these urban and rural communities is essential to maintaining both food security and uphold farmer incomes.”

Counting on … day 30

12th February 2025

Some 30 years ago we lived for a year in Zimbabwe, during a drought. Households were rationed to initially 50 litres of water a day (between five of us). We were able to send our washing to the laundry but for all other needs had to plan how we used our water. Apart from what we drank, every drop was reused – cooking and washing up water flushed the toilet, baths (we used a baby bath) were shared etc. We weren’t allowed to water the garden as all waste water was need to keep the sewers flowing. 

That was an extreme situation, but thinking about how we use every drop of water is relevant at any time.

Counting on … day 29

11th February 2025

The drinking water that comes into our homes, comes at an environmental cost. The water has to be purified to a drinkable standard, it has to be stored and pumped, all of which requires energy and resources – pipe work, concrete for reservoirs etc. Once used it has to be treated again to be clean enough to return into rivers and waterways or to be recycled again as drinking water. If we are more careful about not wasting water, then we are improving the sustainability with which we live. 

The climate crisis increases the likelihood of both droughts – when the benefits of conserving water are most obvious – and floods. Floods can lead to the contamination of drinking water as well as causing difficulties in remove waste water and sewage. 

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-conserve-water

Counting on … day 192

15th October 2024

Rewilding the sea – seawilding – is as important as rewilding the land. Rewilding Britain explains why. “Britain’s seas used to be home to the biggest creatures on the planet: blue, humpback, fin, sperm, bottlenose and sei whales. Our rich, soupy waters helped fuel a thriving, diverse ecosystem, attracting huge numbers of small fish, and in turn massive balls of herring and whiting, which would bring these ocean giants to our shores to feed. Like the decline of large mammals on land, whales were hunted to near local extinction for their meat and oil. Alongside the decline of these very visible giants, all marine ecosystems are suffering. The UK has lost around 92% of its seagrass meadows, 95% of its native oyster reefs and nearly all its kelp in regions like Sussex where it once was abundant” (1)

In February 2023 three areas of water of the coast of England were given the status of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) where all activities such as fishing, mining and laying cables that might damage the sea bed, are banned. The aim is to protect marine biodiversity by allowing seaweeds such as kelp and sea creatures to recolonise the sites. That said, these areas cover only 0.5% of English seas. 

There are other projects where a proactive approach has been taken by actively replanting new kelp meadows – such as the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project – or in the Humber Estuary by creating oyster reefs to serve as nurseries for the reintroduction of native oysters (2)

  1. https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/why-rewild/what-is-rewilding/examples/introduction-marine-rewilding

(2) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/02/oyster-restoration-project-rebuild-uk-reefs-overfishing-seabed-trawling?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on … day 173

18th September 2024

In 2019 London declared itself to be the first National Park City, to enable residents to live greener, healthier and ‘wilder’ lives, as well as promoting new business opportunities. (1) Already green and blue spaces cover 49.7% of the land. 

The fact that an area of land is designated as a National Park does it always mean that it will be used or cared for in such a way as to promote biodiversity. (2)

On the other hand plenty of organisations work really hard to achieve this.  In London many organisations are drawing up and implementing biodiversity action plans, including the City of London, the Royal Parks, the Greater London Authority, various London Boroughs, as well as organisations such as the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust, the South East Rivers Trust, Barnes Common Limited, and many more, both smaller and larger. Positive change is possible!

  1. https://nationalparkcity.london/proposal

(2) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/09/national-parks-in-england-and-wales-failing-on-biodiversity-say-campaigners?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting On … day 108

16th May 2024

With dry summers and water shortages, we have cut back on our use of water. We boil water for dish washing – one kettle is sufficient per wash – as this saves drawing several kettle’s worth of water from the hot water cylinder to get to the hot water. We boil water likewise for a daily body wash and then only need to heat the hot water cylinder when we shower which we typically do once a week. Showering once a week doesn’t leave us smelly or dirty! Realising this, also makes us less likely to put clothes in the laundry basket after one or two uses (although my running shirt does need regular washing). Laundering less often again reduces water – and energy – consumption.

We collect dish washing water for use on the garden when the ground is dry. Hand washing water we collect and use to quickly flush the loo – using the cistern flush as necessary.  

Rain water is collected for watering the garden and for keeping the pond topped up.

Although our water is metered we have yet to have a bill based on how much we use as opposed to an estimate! 

Counting on … day 79

4th April 2024

Bioenergy can also be obtained from trees – the timber is burnt to  either as direct form of heat from a stove of fire, or in a power station to  drive steam turbines that generate electricity.  Burning timber is the most common form of bioenergy used in the UK. Whilst it can be claimed that only waste timber is used – cuts and shavings from timber plants – the reality is that power stations such as Drax import timber which already starts to add to its carbon footprint. International rules imported timber is zero carbon as the emissions are counted in the country where the trees are harvested. In fact these emissions are often not recorded at all. And whilst the timber arrives here as preformed pellets, the timber intact comes from whole trees  from mono culture plantations or from virgin forests.

In reality burning timber as a bioenergy is not a zero carbon option. The carbon stored in the timber is going to be released at some point in the future but if that tree is left to grow, and in its own good time, die, that carbon is locked in longer. Even better as the tree decays in its natural environment it will take years to decay during which time it will provide a habitat for a great variety of different plants and creatures.  Further a large part of the carbon will be absorbed into the soil, again storing it away. If on the other hand the tree, having been felled, is used to make doors, floor boards, paper, furniture etc so the carbon is locked away for many more years to come. 

For further reading – https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-we-do/influence-government-and-business/nature-protection-and-restoration/bioenergy

Is burning wood for energy worse for the climate than coal?
Biomass Basics

Carbon capture and storage CCS for the ongoing burning of fossil fuels to generate energy – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/26/tone-deaf-fossil-gas-growth-in-europe-is-speeding-climate-crisis-say-activists?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 Counting on … day 1:004

4th January 2023

Curlew conservation projects. Curlews are beautiful birds of the moorlands and coast, with a burbling call. There number has been in decline for many years due to habitat loss but this is beginning to turn through the effort of conservation projects such as that of the RSPB in the Antrim Hills. From no successful breeding pairs in 2005, last year saw 37 curlew pair produce 69 fledglings. 

 Counting on …day 327

3rd October 2022 

“Help create the People’s Plan for Nature by sharing your thoughts about the future of nature in the UK. What do you love about nature in the UK? What would you miss if it disappeared?”

Join the conversation and share your views as part of a nationwide initiative organised by WWF, the National Trust and the RSPB. Use the link below.

Our insights will help resource the planned People’s Assembly which is to tasked with producing the People’s Plan for Nature by the spring of 2023.

https://peoplesplanfornature.org/