Take the empty container and cut it into manageable pieces. Then carefully peel the paper from the silver backing.
Remove the plastic lid - One piece for recycling!
Impossible task - peeling off the plastic coating around the lid
The silver stuff (i am still not sure what it is)
After 10 minutes this is the end result!
This is the problem with tetraPak. It makes the content of the packs easy to store but afterwards difficult to dispose of.
Another point is that if I decide to buy milk in plastic bottles (there is nothing available in glass) then the price is nearly double, so it raises the weekly food shop bill by quite a lot for a family of 4 (for example). At the moment because of one thing or another the cost of living is high and most people are naturally buying the cheaper things.
Cutting down on dairy is another option!
The blog song for today is: "The grand parade of lifeless packaging" by Genesis
Cruise Ships Are the Biggest Black Carbon Polluters
Cruise Ship Pollution
Larger
ships make up the vast majority of black carbon emissions, with
container ships, bulk carriers and oil tankers emitting 60 percent of
all BC emissions, according to the 2021 European Maritime Transport Environmental
report. Although cruise ships make up only 1 percent of the global
fleet, they account for 6 percent of black carbon (BC) emissions. This
reveals how disproportionately bad for the environment cruise ships are, releasing the highest amount of black carbon per ship of any vessel. Container ships,
on the other hand, produce around a third of the black carbon per ship,
at only 3.5 tonnes. But with so many of them (5008 according to the
cited 2017 report, or 5,534 according to our latest stats), they have a far greater impact on the environment, accounting for 26 percent of the global fleet’s black carbon emissions.
Black
carbon, or “soot” as it’s more commonly known, is created through the
partial combustion of diesel, coal, or other biomass. When inhaled, the
small particles can lead to health problems, namely with respiratory and
cardiovascular illnesses. Yet it’s also an environmental hazard, as the
dark color of its particles means that black carbon is very good at
absorbing sunlight, which heats up the atmosphere and contributes to the
climate emergency;
something reflected in the report, which states that black carbon was
responsible for 6.85 percent of the global warming contribution from
shipping in 2018, while CO2 contributed 91.32 percent. This damage
appears to be regional, as when soot blankets snow or ice, it reduces
the natural ‘albedo’ effect - the ability to reflect sunlight - while
heating up the surface, leading to greater melt, and more warming than
elsewhere. This means black carbon near the Arctic is especially
harmful.
As it stands, BC emissions are not currently directly regulated at an international level. The Arctic Council and the International Maritime Organization
are, however, looking further into the impacts of black carbon in the
Arctic. The report states that next steps may be to introduce a
potential ban on the carriage and use of heavy fuel oil by ships in the
Arctic, as of 2024.
Anna Fleck
anna.fleck@statista.com
Description
This chart shows which ships are the worst soot polluters.
I have read about this before but haven't seen the numbers! It really does make you think. Apart from the health issues about being on board a boat with the same air circulating for 2 weeks or so, prospective passengers should think carefully about the environmental impact a cruise has. There is also the question of where the waste gets dumped from all these people on the cruise, along with all of the rubbish accumulated. It just seems to me like a giant floating bin.
The blog song for today is: "Moby Dick" by Led Zeppelin
May 25, 2022conscious shopping, environmental nonprofits
It doesn’t get much better
than buying your favorite products from businesses that contribute to
charity. Combining the thrill of an exciting new purchase with a good
deed is a win-win. However, with the rise of greenwashing,
consumers have become less trusting that their money is making its way
to the intended cause. So how can we, as conscious consumers, guarantee
companies are putting their money where their mouth is? Yvon Chouinard,
the founder of the well-loved sustainable brand Patagonia, was asking
the same question.
Alongside his business partner Craig Matthews, Chouinard set out to create 1% For The Planet.
They created the organization to give consumers confidence that some
businesses really were donating to their stated charitable partners. The
organization certifies businesses that can prove they donate 1% of
their annual sales or salary to environmental causes.
This is not philanthropy. This should be a cost of doing
business. It’s paying rent for our use of the planet.” —Yvon Chouinard,
1% For The Planet co-founder
Why Shop With 1% for the Planet Members?
When a brand chooses to become a 1% For The Planet member, it commits
to donating regardless of the business’ annual profitability. Many
brands make claims about committing funds to environmental causes.
However, these donations are often ad hoc or based on annual bottom-line
profitability. When donations are calculated based on profits, there is
more room for dishonesty. For example, business owners can take out
large sums of profit, offer enormous bonuses, and pay for expensive
business trips before calculating their profit. In other words, they can
“cook the books.”
Patronizing 1% For The Planet members isn’t the only way to avoid
greenwashing. There are undoubtedly many honest and generous businesses
that are not current members. But this is one certification you can
trust. When you see the 1% for the Planet logo, you’ll know the company
has made a commitment to give back to environmental nonprofits.
How Does It Work?
Visit this page to found the businesses involved: https://directories.onepercentfortheplanet.org/
Once a business has committed to donating 1% of gross sales to
environmental nonprofits and filled out the paperwork, it is officially a
member. 1% For The Planet provides businesses with a preapproved list
of charitable organizations to ensure that donations go to worthy
causes. The businesses submit their records to 1% For The Planet to
certify their contributions. In return, member businesses can display
the 1% logo to alert conscious consumers that they support the
environment.
Over 5,000 businesses
have committed to joining 1% For The Planet. When you buy products and
services from these businesses, your purchase supports their commitment
to helping the planet. Since 2022, members have raised more than $265
million for environmental nonprofits.
Where Does the Money Go?
There are 4,000 environmental nonprofit organizations within the 1%
For The Planet network, so businesses can ensure their donations go to
the causes they believe in most.
These organizations fall into six categories: climate, food, land,
pollution, water, and wildlife. Under each category, there are various
subcategories. Examples of these subcategories include climate
solutions, renewable energy, sustainable farming practices, conservation
of natural resources, and cleanups.
Here are just a few of the nonprofits involved with 1% For The Planet
to give you an idea of the variety of environmental causes member
donations support.
National Forest Foundation
The National Forest Foundation was
founded to restore and enhance America’s forests and grasslands. The
foundation leads conservation efforts, helps recover lands damaged by
wildfires, and plants trees, among its many projects. Minute Key, a
locksmith and key cutting company, is one of The National Forest
Foundations’ business partners. Through its ongoing donations, Minute
Key is on its way to helping the National Forest Foundation plant
1,000,000 trees by the end of 2022. Now that’s an impact.
Audubon
Audubon
is an American nonprofit dedicated to protecting birds and their
habitats. Its work includes planting native plants to improve bird
habitat, helping landowners establish bird-friendly land management
practices, and conserving rivers, lakes, and watering holes that birds
frequent. It also works on solutions to climate change, which is a major
threat to bird populations.
Surfrider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation
is a grassroots environmental organization whose mission is to protect
the world’s beaches. It was founded over 30 years ago by three surfers
who worked with their local community to prevent the destruction of
their favorite place to catch waves. Since then, its mission has
expanded to include water quality, beach access, healthy marine
environments, and coastal preservation.
One Way To Identify Responsible Businesses
It’s important to recognize that 1% For The Planet is just one of
many ways to determine a business’ commitment to the environment. The
organization only verifies a business’ financial contributions to
environmental nonprofits. It does not tell us about the company’s
internal practices or other important factors that contribute to a
sustainable business.
But when you see the 1% For The Planet logo, you can be confident
that the business is putting its money on the line for environmental
causes. So if you want your dollar to go a little further than the
product you are purchasing, supporting 1% For The Planet businesses is a
great place to start.
About the Author
Tayla Nova is an Australian writer specializing in all things
sustainability. She began her journey studying fashion design in Paris
before spending several years working in e-commerce, including working
for a sustainable retailer and then moving to freelance writing.
This is a step in the right direction, we are able to make change, more education for everyone, not just in schools is needed urgently. If we can destroy the planet we can save it, after all it is all of our responsibility.
The blog song for today is : "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse.
Rishi Sunak has announced a £15bn package of
support for households struggling with the cost of living crisis,
part-funded by a £5bn windfall tax on energy companies.
The chancellor set out what he called a “significant set of interventions” to help offset the impact of rocketing inflation.
These
will include a £650 one-off payment for families on means-tested
benefits, and an extra £200 for all energy bill payers that will not
have to be repaid.
The package will be partly funded by what Sunak called a “temporary, targeted energy profits levy” – a windfall tax.
Cost of living payments and a windfall tax – Rishi Sunak’s measures at a glance.
“The
oil and gas sector is making extraordinary profits, not as the result
of recent changes to risk-taking or innovation or efficiency, but as the
result of surging global commodity prices driven in part by Russia’s
war,” he said.
He therefore announced what he
called a “temporary, targeted energy profits levy” of 25% but with a 90%
tax relief for firms that invest in oil and gas extraction in the UK.
Sunak said he was also “urgently evaluating” the scale of excess profits made by electricity generators.
Responding
to Sunak’s statement in the House of Commons, the shadow chancellor,
Rachel Reeves, said his adoption of a windfall tax showed Labour was
“winning the battle of ideas in Britain”.
“Today
it feels like the chancellor has finally realised the problems that the
country is facing. We first called for a windfall tax on oil and gas
producers nearly five months ago to help struggling families and
pensioners. Today he has announced that policy but he can’t dare say the
words. It’s a policy that dare not speak its name,” she said.
Sunak
told MPs: “The high inflation we are experiencing now is causing acute
distress for the people of this country.” Annual inflation hit 9% in
April, the highest rate for 40 years.
He
said the public would understand that ministers could not offset all of
the increase in prices. But he said: “This government will never stop
trying to help people”, adding: “We will get through this.”
“We
will send directly to around 8 million of the lowest-income households a
one-off cost of living payment of £650 – support worth over £5m – to
give vulnerable people certainty that we are standing by them at this
challenging time,” the chancellor said.
He
also announced that more than 8 million pensioner households that
receive the winter fuel payment would receive an extra £300, while 6
million disabled people would get a one-off payment of £150.
He said one-third of households would receive the targeted support, which is worth £9bn in total.
In
addition to the targeted support, all households would receive an extra
£200 discount on their fuel bills in October, in addition to the £200
already promised.
But in a U-turn on the rebate scheme announced in February,
Sunak said households would now not need to repay this £400 in the
coming years. Previously, they had been expected to repay the discount
over the coming five years.
Sunak said spending measures to tackle the crisis had to be “timely, temporary and targeted” to avoid stoking inflation.
He
set out the plans just two months after giving a spring statement that
was criticised across the political spectrum for failing to do enough
for the poorest households.
The energy regulator, Ofgem, warned earlier this week that the annual price cap limiting household power bills was likely to rise by a further £800 in October, after the £700 increase in April.
Several
cabinet ministers, including the energy secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, had
previously expressed opposition to a windfall tax, an idea that has been
advocated by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
But
the Treasury and No 10 have increasingly warmed to the idea as it
became clear they would have to take more action to offset the
once-in-a-generation increase in household energy bills.
At last, let us hope that this tax carries on. It is obscene that these companies are making such huge profits and getting tax concessions when normal people struggle to find the money to pay for everyday costs.
The blog song for today is: "Telephone line" by ELO
Whether you want to glitter
like a disco drag queen or just want a subtle shimmer to brighten your
face, the ingredient that gives your makeup its sparkle is mica.
Unfortunately, the mineral that makes you look pretty has a pretty ugly
backstory that might make you decide au naturel is a good look. But if
the thought of going out bare-faced gives you nightmares, there are some
better options for shine.
Safe Makeup
It’s no secret that personal care and beauty products are among the least regulated industries in the U.S. American consumers looking for safer cosmetics turn to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the EWG Skin Deep Database to find nontoxic personal care products. EWG rates mica as an ingredient with a relatively safe score of 2.
That’s good news for your health, since mica is present in nearly every
type of cosmetic product – not just the ones that promise shimmer. Even
products like deodorant and shaving cream frequently employ mica as a
thickener.
Impacts of Mica
Mica is a group of 34 naturally occurring silicate minerals with a layered structure that makes it shine. People have been using
it to bring sparkle into their lives since the ancient Maya mixed it
with stucco. The mica that is used in makeup mostly comes from small
mines in India. Although small-scale mining can be a better choice than industrial mining, up to 70%
of the mica in India is collected illegally from former industrial
mines. These mines officially closed when the forests in which they are
located became protected by India’s Forest Conservation Act. Illegal
mine operators supplement their income through illegal logging, which clears more area to expand their operations
The
layered structure of this Muscovite mica makes it shine, but mica
mining comes with ethical issues including child labor. Image: Adobe
Stock
Ethics of Mica
Worse than the environmental impact of mica mining is the direct human cost. Many destitute families scavenge mica fragments with their bare hands from abandoned pit mines where they inhale mica dust and damage their lungs in exchange for 150 rupees (about $2) for 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of mica. A Dutch NGO reports that up to 20,000 children as young as age five or six are working in illegal Indian mica mines. An investigation by the Thompson Reuters Foundation revealed that in three months in 2016, several children were killed
while working in illegal mica mines in India. The Dutch study also
found evidence of child labor and illegal mining in Madagascar and
identified China, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Brazil as suspect based on
discrepancies between production and trade figures for mica.
Mica-free Makeup
There are several brands that offer mica-free makeup. Most Rejuva products are mica-free, and Omiana’s
website is searchable with a mica-free filter. There is no third-party
verification for mica-free products. If you want to avoid mica
completely, you will have to read ingredient lists carefully. Mica can
be listed as muscovite, fluorophlogopite, or sericite.
Some products use glitter instead of mica. But glitter is made from small pieces of plastic, which behave like microplastics when they enter waterways – which they do. There are some new biodegradable glitters, but they don’t appear to be any less harmful in aquatic ecosystems. Glitter is not a great alternative to mica.
Ethical Mica?
The Responsible Mica Initiative
(RMI), an international nonprofit organization based in France, aims to
create responsible, traceable mica supply chains. Working in
partnership with local stakeholders in India, their programs aim to
simultaneously develop supply chain maps and workplace standards;
empower communities in mining areas; and establish an enforceable legal
framework for continued mining. There are now more than 75 companies participating in RMI, including Burts Bees, L’Oreal, and Sephora.
Synthetic mica may be a better option for cosmetics, but the environmental impacts of producing it are unclear. Image by AdoreBeautyNZ, Pixabay
Synthetic Mica
There is a synthetic alternative to mined mica, and some companies – most vocally Lush
– advocate it as a better material for use in cosmetics. They claim
better purity and a particle size that makes for brighter colors.
Synthetic mica is created in a lab from magnesium aluminum silicate
sheets. There doesn’t seem to be any information on the environmental
impacts of producing synthetic mica, but its laboratory origin should at
least guarantee that it’s free from child labor.
The Best Choice
The simplest solution would be to avoid makeup altogether. Your
personal boycott of mica cosmetics is not going to make a difference.
Mica is also used
in auto paint, gypsum wallboard, electrical insulators, and dozens of
other products. There isn’t a clear winner between RMI and synthetic
mica. Whatever you buy, the most effective way to make a difference
is by reaching out to cosmetic companies. Let them know you care about
the environmental impact of your cosmetics and that you do not want your
money supporting child labor.
An interesting report, I dread to think how much money goes into the make up industry! I don't use make up just because I have very sensitive skin and I like the natural look! The other point that it is in a lot of other products too is a valid one, it is like most things on this subject,change has to start somehow and what better way than changing some things slightly?
The blog song for today is: "Champagne supernova" by Oasis
Día del reciclaje: recicla, pero que no te engañen.
Entrada de blog por Greenpeace España - 13-05-2022
Día del reciclaje: recicla, pero que no te engañen
Este martes
es el Día Mundial del Reciclaje y verás a muchas empresas diciéndote lo
mucho que reciclan y que tú debes contribuir a ese reciclaje, pero NO
verás o verás a muy pocas a empresas decirte qué hacen ellas para
cambiar su modelo de negocio para no generar más residuos.
Siento ser portadora de malas noticias, pero el reciclaje no
acabará con la contaminación por plásticos, por moda, por tecnología,
etc… No acabará con esa contaminación que asola océanos y hasta desiertos, como el de Atacama.
Las empresas y los gobiernos nos han hecho creer que la única solución y
la más sostenible es comprar algo y depositarlo en un contenedor de
reciclaje porque alguien lo gestionará. Los datos nos dicen lo
contrario: solo se recicla el 9% de los envases de plástico a nivel
mundial; en España, el 25%. Las cifras de reciclaje en textil son muy
bajas, no superan el 12% y, además, nos dedicamos a exportarlo a países
de África para que contamine allí. El reciclaje ha tocado
techo, porque hemos producido demasiado y ahora necesitamos buscar otras
opciones, porque este sistema no funciona.
Las empresas y los gobiernos nos
han hecho creer que la única solución y la más sostenible es comprar
algo y depositarlo en un contenedor de reciclaje
Y ¿por qué el reciclaje no es la única solución?. En este post ponemos dos ejemplos.
En el caso de la moda, se
produce demasiada ropa, se compra y se tira sin pensar. Cuando
reciclamos ropa, creemos que se gestionará, pero muchas veces acaba en montañas de toneladas de basura,
que exportamos a terceros países. Muchas de las exportaciones de ropa
usada se utilizan también para deshacerse de los restos textiles que no
somos capaces de gestionar en Europa. Pensamos que somos afortunadas
porque no vemos las toneladas de residuos que la industria nos asegura
que se reciclan, pero no es así. Solo en Alemania se recogen cada año
más de un millón de toneladas de ropa vieja. Menos de un tercio se
revende como artículos de segunda mano. En España, se estima que cada
año en torno a 990.000 toneladas de productos textiles van a parar a los
vertederos. Sin embargo, las tasas de reciclaje textil siguen siendo bajas:solo entre el 10-12 % de los residuos textiles post-consumo se recoge por separado
para su reutilización y/o reciclado, y menos del 1% de la producción
total se recicla en ciclo cerrado, es decir, con el mismo uso o similar.
Menos del 1% del textil se recicla en ciclo cerrado, para el mismo uso o similar
Una reciente investigación de Greenpeace ha
destapado la realidad oculta tras la ropa que se envía desde Europa y
China para su reventa en algunos países africanos. Toneladas de ese
material textil acaba en vertidos incontrolados. En la foto, Kibera Slum
sostiene una zapatilla de Adidas en Nairobi.
¿Y los plásticos?Cada
año, los mares y océanos reciben hasta 12 millones de toneladas de
basura. La situación mundial es dramática, más aún teniendo en cuenta
que la producción de plásticos se acercó en 2020 a los 350 millones de
toneladas (un 900% más que en 1980). Los podemos encontrar en la playa,
en las rocas, flotando en el agua e incluso en las zonas más profundas.
Su uso está asociado a los modos de consumo de usar y tirar, ya que la
mayoría de estos plásticos (39,7%) se emplean para envases de un solo uso.
Un modelo insostenible del que España, como cuarto mayor productor de
la UE, es partícipe. Sin embargo, de todos los envases de plástico que
compramos, Ecoembes apenas recupera y recicla en su contenedor amarillo el 25%, pasando el resto a contaminar el medioambiente.
De todos los envases de plástico que compramos, Ecoembes apenas recupera y recicla en su contenedor amarillo el 25%, pasando el resto a contaminar el medioambiente.
Cada vez son más las empresas que se suman a la moda de añadir en sus envases que son reciclables,
cuando antes también lo eran o poner en sus tiendas contenedores de
reciclaje, pero ofreciendo un bono para que sigas comprando sus
productos. Puro greenwashing.
Dentro de todo esto hay una buena noticia: la Economía Circular es
el futuro. Pero la verdadera economía circular, la que se basa en
modelos alternativos que no cierran con el reciclaje, sino que nunca
llegan a él. Cada persona consumidora puede, y debe, formar parte de
esta economía que trata de respetar los límites del planeta, que van
mucho más allá de reciclar. Algunos ejemplos:
El lado bueno
Moda: hay marcas de moda slow
fashion que recogen vaqueros viejos y los convierten en nuevas prendas o
complementos. Hay profesionales que te ayudan a darle una segunda vida
útil a las prendas que ya tienes en tu armario, enseñándote a
combinarlas de manera distinta. Modelos de negocio dónde las prendas
circulan entre usuarias y usuarios para “estrenar” ropa diferente cada
mes, pero que ha sido usada por varias personas. O bueno, quizá llevar
esos zapatos al zapatero para que queden como nuevos.
Plásticos: Botellas
reutilizables o rellenables, envases de cristal, champú sólido, pasta de
dientes en pastillas… la vida sin plásticos está aquí, y hay muchas
alternativas. Cuando veo algunas de ellas en los grandes supermercados
siento esperanza, porque están ahí por la demanda de las personas que
consumen responsablemente más que por la mayor conciencia o mejor labor
de los grandes centros de consumo.
También hay más buenas noticias, , la nueva ley de residuos, recién aprobada plantea eliminar los microplásticos y microesferas de cosméticos y otros productos de consumo, fomenta que el agua servida en restauración proceda del grifo y no de envases plásticos,
erradica utensilios plásticos como pajitas, removedores, cuberterías de
usar y tirar, abre por fin la puerta a poder disfrutar de un sistema de
devolución y retorno de envases (lo que se conoce como devolver el
casco a las tiendas)… También permite que los excedentes de
tecnología y textil que no se venden, no sean destruidos y puedan darles
salida por otros canales de reutilización o donación. Aunque está lejos de alcanzar el objetivo de Economía Circular que necesitamos, es un paso más en el buen camino.
Entonces, ¿celebramos este
martes el Día del Reciclaje o no? Sí, celebremos que las cosas se pueden
hacer de otra forma, que tenemos en nuestra mano ser parte del cambio
necesario. Antes de la R de Reciclar, hay muchas y varias opciones, practica
la R de Reducir tu consumo de forma consciente, y también la R de
Reutilizar, la de Reparar antes de adquirir nuevos productos. Y
sólo si ya has hecho todo lo anterior y no puedes alargar la vida útil
de ese elemento, solo si has llegado a ese punto, entonces sí,
recíclalo.
Descarga o copia esta imagen para tus COMPARTIR en tus redes sociales.
Meat and dairy products have been a source of food for
millennia. But modern industrial farming practices and the sheer number
of animals involved is causing huge environmental damage, squeezing out
wild animals and accelerating climate change.
In
the last few decades food companies have filled our shelves with meat,
chocolate, cheese and eggs, which has resulted in an explosion of
livestock numbers – especially cows, pigs and chickens. There
are now so many that an estimated 60% of all mammals on the planet are
livestock, while just 4% are wild (the other 36% is us). Farmed poultry
account for an incredible 70% of all birds.
This rapid growth in meat and dairy
production has been driven by profit-hungry companies and has led to
drastic consequences for our planet. All these animals need a lot of
food and vast areas of forests, grasslands and wetlands have been
destroyed to feed livestock. Giant chunks of the Amazon rainforest and
other South American forests and savannas have been replaced with fields
of soya, wiping out the wildlife they support.
This is a disaster for the climate. Agriculture and deforestation contribute a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions,
and animal farming is responsible for 60% of the emissions from
agriculture. These emissions come from a variety of sources. Converting
forests and other landscapes into fields for animal feed releases
greenhouse gases, and removes trees that help suck up and store carbon
dioxide in the first place. Artificial fertilisers use a lot of energy
to produce and they release another greenhouse gas – nitrous oxide –
which traps much more heat than carbon dioxide. And cows produce a lot
of methane – it’s no laughing matter that farts from billions of cows
are warming our planet.
Common questions answered
Why is meat bad for the environment?
From climate change to forest fires
to human rights abuses, the global industrial meat industry leaves a
trail of destruction all over the world. And it’s not just red meat
that’s the problem.
How can I eat less meat and dairy?
One of the most useful things
everyone can do to take action on climate change *right now* is to eat
less meat and dairy. Here are 10 tips to increase the amount of
plant-based foods in your diet.
How much meat is ok to eat?
We need to end the system that’s
churning out meat at an unsustainable rate – and in turn eat a lot less
meat. Lots of people have already started. But if reduction is the key,
how much meat is it ok to eat?
If forests are being cut down for soya, are vegan burgers just as bad?
Forests are being slashed and
burned to make room for giant soya plantations. But where is all this
soya going, and are vegetarian soya burgers really to blame for the
destruction?
More tips and stories
Chicken is often seen as a more
environmentally friendly choice compared to beef, but global chicken
consumption has almost doubled since 1990. Producing chicken at that
scale comes with a host of problems – notably vast amounts of animal
feed.
Animal agriculture is a really inefficient way to produce enough food for everyone on the planet. For
every 100 calories of crops fed to animals, we get 40 calories in the
form of milk, 12 calories of chicken, and just 3 calories of beef. Instead, that grain could be used to feed people directly and would help ensure everyone has enough food.
Industrial farming also comes with a
host of other serious problems. Converting land for agriculture can
disrupt water supplies and lead to soil erosion, while fertilisers
escape the fields to pollute rivers and oceans. Animals in factory farms
are kept in brutal conditions and bred to maximise meat production at
the expense of their own welfare. And eating more meat and dairy is
increasingly being linked to a host of health impacts such as obesity,
diabetes and various cancers, jeopardising our own health.
There’s still time to stop the
damage, but we need to radically change the way we think about food. The
best advice comes from writer Michael Pollan: “Eat food. Not too much.
Mostly plants.” As he suggests, we can eat less meat and dairy, not just
as individuals but at a global level. To keep global temperature
increases below 1.5ºC, we need to reduce the amount of meat and dairy
we’re eating by more than half by 2030. That means big companies need to
start producing tasty, healthy plant-based meals – and reduce the
amount of meat and dairy products too. What meat we do eat has to be
produced ecologically, respecting both the environmental impacts and the
welfare of the animals themselves.
We also need to hold governments and
companies accountable for the damage food production is causing and
demand a more responsible approach. In this way, we can stop destroying
forests to rear animals and grow crops to feed them. In 2006, Greenpeace
pioneered a collective agreement between soya growers, traders and food
companies to protect the Amazon from further destruction, which is
still in place today.
A better attitude towards meat and
dairy means we’ll be healthier, the animals we farm will be healthier,
and our planet will be healthier.
A very interesting report, as usual from the wonderful people at Greenpeace! Always on target!
The blog song for today is: "over the hills and far away" by Led Zeppelin
The E.U. is Streets Ahead of the U.S. in Electric Vehicle Uptake
Mobility
The best-selling EV
may hail from the United States, but when it comes to uptake among the
domestic population, the U.S. is trailing Europe by some distance. As
this infographic using Statista Mobility Market Outlook data illustrates, Tesla has its biggest potential customer base in Europe - and the gap is only set to get bigger.
Come 2026, Statista analysts estimate that there will be 4.4 million EVs sold in E.U. countries, compared to just 1.9 million in the United States
- that equates to 997 and 556 vehicles per 100,000 people (using 2022
population figures), respectively. From 2016 to 2019, the U.S. was
actually head in terms of adoption, but Europe rapidly became the
pacesetter. Statista estimates EV revenues in the European Union to
amount to $120 billion in 2022, compared to just $35 billion in the U.S.
By 2026, revenues in the E.U. are set to surpass the $300 billion mark.
In contrast, in the same year the U.S. should break the $100 billion
barrier for the first time.
In the scope of the estimates are
battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
(PHEVs), road electric vehicles and passenger cars. Not included in the
analysis are electric vehicles that are not self-contained and cannot be
classified as BEVs or PHEVs, rail electric vehicles, surface and
underwater vessels, electric aircraft or spacecraft, motorcycles,
scooters, mopeds, buses, vans, and trucks.
Martin Armstrong
Data Journalist
martin.armstrong@statista.com
Description
This chart shows estimated
electric vehicle unit sales per 100,000 population in EU-27 countries
and the United states.
So there you have it! unfortunately the cost of buying an electric car is well out of reach of the normal folk, and surely it is best to keep the car you have for as long as possible to avoid the problem of what to do with it and where it goes once you have. As I explained in a previous blog, the actual cost to the environment to make the electric car in the first place is much higher than continuing with a petrol driven car at the moment. It is a catch 22 situation,which can really only be resolved by all of us not using our cars as much and finding alternative ways to get about, or not going on pointless journeys!
I am always amazed at the amount of people who drive their kids to school when the school is literally just around the corner, I get it if it is bad weather but here on Menorca we have the mediterranean climate so that is no excuse. Not only does it make people gain wait because they are not excercising, it is also bad for air quality.
The blog song for today is: " sunshine superman" by Donovan
Shipments of
Russian oil, totalling 257,000 tonnes, have been imported into the UK
since the war in Ukraine began, a new analysis of industry data by
Greenpeace UK reveals [1]. The imports, which equate to 1.9 million
barrels, have an estimated value of almost £220 million.
A total of eight tankers have
delivered shipments of Russian oil to the UK since Russia first invaded
Ukraine on 24 February, averaging one every week. Another tanker
carrying 33,000 tonnes of Russian diesel, destined for the UK, is
currently at anchor off the coast of Immingham in Lincolnshire.
More than four fifths of the oil
imports have been Russian diesel, with the rest made up of fuel oil [2].
The UK currently relies on Russia for 8% of oil and 18% of diesel imports and despite pledging “unwavering support” to Ukraine, Boris Johnson has left the door open to Russian oil imports until the end of the year.
The UK government has imposed a ban on Russian owned, operated or flagged ships
from entering the UK. However, Russian fossil fuels are still able to
pour into Britain via tankers owned and flagged by other nations.
All Russian fossil fuel shipments
that have arrived in Britain since the war began have been imported
legally, rendering the UK government’s ban on Russian ships tokenistic.
Greenpeace UK is calling for the
sanctions to be tightened and a genuine and immediate ban imposed on all
Russian fossil fuel imports, in order to stop the flow of fossil fuel
money to Vladamir Putin that is funding his bloody war in Ukraine [3].
Georgia Whitaker, oil and gas campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said:
“The UK government is no stranger to hypocrisy but pledging ‘unwavering
support’ to Ukraine while shipping in almost 2 million barrels of
Russian oil is utterly disingenuous, even by Boris Johnson’s standards.
“This war has cost at least 2,000
civilian lives so far [4]. That’s 2,000 innocent deaths largely funded
by fossil fuels. Despite the mounting death toll, the UK government has
given itself until the end of the year to stop importing Russia’s bloody
oil.
“Sanctions don’t work until they’re
implemented and eight more months of oil and gas imports is eight months
too many. It’s clear we need an explicit and immediate ban on all
Russian fossil fuels.”
Greenpeace has been monitoring Russian fossil fuel shipments since the war began, through its Russian Tanker Tracker Twitter bot [5], which uses shipping data to monitor supertankers delivering oil and gas from the country.
Six of the shipments to the UK have
come from the Russian port of Primorsk, with the remaining two from
Tuapse and Vysotsk. They have been imported into five ports across the
UK in Merseyside, Essex, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire.
In addition to banning Russian oil
and gas imports, Greenpeace UK is calling for the government to end the
UK’s dependence on fossil fuels altogether and stop wasting energy by
improving the energy efficiency of buildings and rolling out low carbon
heating. This would not only stop the flow of money to Putin, but help
tackle the climate crisis as well as reduce soaring energy bills.
I should say I am surprised but unfortunately this is the world that we live in these days. It always comes down to money. It is hard not to get despondent with news like this but I try not to because I know there are millions of us out there who are really trying to make this world a better place for future generations.
The blog song for today is:"the life of riley" by the Lightning Seeds
If you haven't already done so go to the website and they will give instructions as to what to do!
How to take part
Taking part is easy — there are 4 simple steps:
1
Sign up
If you’re not already signed up – that’s the first step. Sign up now to receive your free digital counting pack with everything you need to take part.
2
Get ready to count your plastic!
If
you ordered a postal pack, you should have it by now. In it, we’ve
provided a tally sheet to make it quick and easy for you to record all
the different types of plastic packaging waste you use.
We
suggest putting the tally sheet up somewhere near your bin this
weekend, so come Monday morning you and anyone you live with can see it.
If you ordered a digital pack (or your postal pack didn’t arrive), you can print off your tally sheet at home, at a family or friends, in the library, or at an internet cafe.
Or alternatively you can tally online.
If you’re tallying online, save the link somewhere so you’ve got it to
hand, ready for Monday morning (but remember only one person in your
household can use the tally online).
3
How do you count?
For
7 days, you need to count every single piece of plastic packaging waste
that you throw away - that's plastic waste that you put in the bin and
plastic you put in the recycling. Try to count anything you throw away
while out of the home too.
Some
people like to tally up each piece of plastic as they go along, whereas
others find it easier to save up all of their plastic over the course
of the day or week (storing it in a bag or box) and then tally it up in
one go - it’s totally up to you which you do!
We’ve
tried to make the categories on the Tally as simple and easy to
understand as possible, but if you need any help check out this plastic ID sheet or our FAQs.
4
Submit your results
At the end of the week, whether you’ve tallied as you’ve gone along, or you’re submitting all your data in at once - head over to the website to submit your results.
Please
don’t forget to do this, as this is crucial! Without your data, there
is no investigation - we need thousands of people to take part to ensure
the evidence is as strong as possible. So we really can’t do this
without you.
What
happens if you need to skip a day? Don’t worry! Either you can make up
for it another day and submit your results a bit later, or when you
submit your results you can just tell us how many days you counted for.
You’ll have up until 31 May to submit your results if you need it.
What happens after you count?
Once
you’ve submitted your results, you’ll get your household’s plastic
footprint, and we’ll also share tips to help reduce plastic in
day-to-day life.
Once
we’ve got all the data, scientists will crunch the numbers to work out
the national results. These results will help prove that we need bigger,
bolder action to solve the plastic problem.
We
hope that covers everything you need to know! If you’ve got any other
burning questions then check out our FAQs page which has answers to lots
of common queries.
HELP US INVESTIGATE
Whether you live alone or with friends and family, use hardly any plastic or lots – we need you to be part of this.
With your help, we want to reveal the truth about what actually happens to plastic packaging when it leaves our homes.
We
will use the results from our investigation to show the government just
how bad the UK’s plastic problem is and urge them to act on it.
Although it will not mean anything, I will be counting my plastic here in Menorca, it will be interesting to see the results! I have tried to reduce the amount of plastic I buy!
The blog song for today is: "Bad decisions" by the Strokes
