Food & Drink

B Corps explainer – Business as a force for good!

B Corps – they’re popping up everywhere… Increasing numbers of businesses across the world are undergoing certification, but do you really know what a B Corp certified business is? This week, we’re deep-diving into the B Corp certification process and its benefits to people, the planet and profit in order to help you understand exactly what this little logo means! So, what…

Scallop discos! The new sustainable alternative to dredging

Scallop on sea bed

What’s going on here? Trials for a new fishing technology are taking place that use light instead of fish bait. The method attracts scallops as well, meaning this could be a promising alternative to dredging. What does this mean? Scientists from Fishtek Marine have been working alongside fishermen trialling the use of LED lights in pots to catch crabs and lobsters. Surprisingly,…

Agroforestry: the future of farming?

A white sheep is in the centre of the frame looking towards the camera. It is standing on grass in-between two rows of trees. A group of sheep can be seen in the background underneath the canopy of the trees.

Agroforestry isn’t a new phenomenon; Indigenous peoples have been practising it for thousands of years, but it’s now gaining popularity across the globe. What is agroforestry?  Agroforestry is a land management approach in which trees are grown on the same area of land as crops or pasture. There are many types of agroforestry, but the two most common approaches are:  1. Silvopastoral…

Five ways to swerve the financial costs of environmentalism

Here at Curious Earth, we talk a lot about the role privilege plays in the climate crisis. We try to raise awareness of the disproportionate impacts of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and extreme weather events on the global south and many other marginalised groups. (Check out our Stories from the Frontline series to hear directly from those worst affected.) Yet, we also want…

Ancient water conservation methods resurface in Spain 💧

Acequia

What’s going on here? A project in Spain is restoring ancient water channels which have been around as far back as the mediaeval times. These channels are important for dealing with drought and the increasing demand for water from intensive farming. What does this mean? Acequias are networks of irrigation streams. They distribute water from snow melt in the Sierra Nevada mountains…

Neonicotinoids – What’s the buzz?

What’s Going On Here? After an application from the National Farmers Union (NFU) and British Sugar, last week Defra authorised the ‘emergency’ use of a neonicotinoid pesticide treatment on sugar beet crops planted in England in the 2022 season. In 2018, the EU banned all outdoor uses of neonicotinoids due to evidence that they cause harm to bees.  What Does This Mean? …

Post-Brexit biodiversity plans incite concern

tomatoes growing on a farm, with farmer in the background

What’s going on here? Under the EU, BUnder the EU, British farmers received grants through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Following Brexit, the government has promised to introduce the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), consisting of: The Sustainable Farming Incentive, Landscape Recovery and Local Nature Recovery schemes. ELMs promises the restoration of 300,000 hectares of land 2042 by paying farmers and landowners…