What’s Going On Here? As the lockdown starts to ease, the UK government and campaigners are urging the public to walk or cycle instead of driving or using public transport. What Does This Mean? With the lockdown gradually being eased in the UK, the government is advising that as many of us as possible walk and cycle to protect the public transport network. Understandable…
What’s Going On Here? The global coronavirus pandemic highlights the link between ecological destruction and the increased risk of new diseases. What Does This Mean? Approximately 70% of emerging (new) diseases are thought to be ‘zoonotic’ in origin, meaning they were originally from animals, also known as ‘spillover’. It is suspected that the new coronavirus passed from wild animals at a live animal or ‘wet’ market…
What’s Going On Here? A new study published by Nature Energy has confirmed the significant disparity of energy usage between the rich and the poor. What Does This Mean? A study by the University of Leeds combined data from the European Union and World Bank to calculate the difference in energy footprints between 86 countries. It identified that the wealthiest tenth of people globally consume approximately…
What’s Going On Here? New research has found that stag and hen dos account for a huge proportion of flights for young people in the UK! What Does This Mean? Research carried out by the environmental charity Hubbub that surveyed of 2,000 people found that half of all flights taken by men aged 20-45 were for stag-dos, and a third for women of the…
Roses are red, not green. Love it or loathe it, this Friday is Valentine’s Day. Bouquets of flowers are one of the most common gifts, but what is the truth about the environmental footprint of flowers?
What’s Going On Here? Night trains are returning to the tracks across Europe following pressure from the Swedish flygskam movement and Flight Free 2020! What Does This Mean? Between 2009 and 2018 the European night train network shrank due to competition from budget airlines. However, over the last few months we’ve got wind of a revival with both new routes and restoration of previous networks. ÖBB, Europe’s largest…
What’s Going On Here? Australia is suffering its worst bushfire season in living memory causing loss of life and devastation to homes, landscapes, and biodiversity. What Does This Mean? The size of the bushfires is hard to comprehend, with over 10.7 million hectares of land burnt so far – an area larger than the Amazon and Californian bushfires combined. To date 28 people have been killed, over 2,204 houses have been…
What’s Going On Here? The Swedish organisation ‘We Stay on the Ground‘ have launched a ‘Flight Free 2020’ campaign urging people all around the world to commit to giving up flying for an entire year to reduce their carbon footprint and help raise awareness of the climate crisis. What Does This Mean? Back in June we wrote about ‘flygskam’ – the Swedish word meaning…
What’s Going On Here? Over the last 18 months organisations and NGOs that provide carbon offsetting services have seen a significant increase in investment. This is thought to be due to growing public awareness, thanks in part to public figures such as Greta Thunberg and Sir David Attenborough as well as Extinction Rebellion and the school strikers. What Does This Mean? Carbon offsetting…
