Losing the Great Barrier Reef

Scientists have been monitoring the Great Barrier Reef for several decades. The phenomenon of coral bleaching is now widely known as a devastating impact of the warming oceans that they live in.  This is a stress response by the coral that causes them to expel the algae that live inside them, resulting in the coral losing the bright colours that the algae give them and returning them to their white skeletal colour. 

The warming seas are a direct result of climate change.  When the earth's atmosphere warms, the water warms with it. Marine life such as coral are extremely sensitive to these changes and cannot tolerate even a small rise in temperature.   The coral starts to die and this has a knock on effect on the species and organisms that feed on and live off the coral.  

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is now thought to have lost around half of all its coral since 1995. This has occurred across all types and sizes of coral, and we are now seeing reduction in the sealife that use the coral as a habitat too. 

The warming has also contributed to the growth of other organisms that thrive in warmer waters and this is changing the balance of the ecosystems.  So what can be done?  The main answer would be to halt the rise in global temperatures.  This is a difficult challenge and can only be done by committing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in renewable energies.  We can also try to limit our plastic pollution as this can also harm the wildlife that live in this delicate ecosystem.  Scientists are also looking at ways to restore coral reefs and grow it back by creating coral nurseries.  This looks to be a successful option but will take time to establish and will only be sustainable if temperatures don't continue to rise.

To find out more and get involved, click on the links below:

🐚 The WWF

🐚 The Coral Reef Alliance 

🐚 The United Nations 

News in brief: 5th - 11th October 2020

UK to invest more in wind power
Boris Johnson is to pledge to increase wind power for the whole of the UK with the intention that every home will be powered by wind within the next decade; this push towards green energy will form part of the government's plan to invest in a green future and create thousands of new green jobs, particularly as there will be a rise in unemployment due to coronavirus

Click here to read more...

Threat of extinction to whales

A letter has been signed by hundreds of scientists and conservationists calling for the protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises; although saving whales has been an issue since the 1970s and 1980s, the issues around overfishing and illegal fishing have not been resolved and more action is needed to ensure that these species don't become extinct in the near future

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New 'Earthshot' Prize to encourage environmental innovation

A new Earthshot Prize has been announced by Prince William and Sir David Attenborough which offers five awards of £1million a year for ten years to the best environmental solutions or strategies to help save our planet; the goals are centred around protecting nature, cleaning our air, reviving our oceans, building a waste free world and fixing our climate

Click here to read more...

The future of wind power

There has been a lot in the news this week about the future of wind power.  Britain is looking to invest more money than ever in new offshore wind farms in order to make this the main source of energy for homes and businesses.  This is a good move as it will make our energy cleaner and more sustainable, and it will reduce our reliance on importing energy and being subject to sudden changes in oil and gas prices.  

The government is proposing to spend £160 million on building turbines and updating existing facilities, and in the process will create 2,000 new jobs. This will generate more security in the green economy and should hopefully make a good base to support more green jobs in the future. 

The main benefit of investing in wind power is that it will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are pumped into our atmosphere every day.  This will help the UK reach its climate change goals for 2050 and will contribute to the global effort to minimise the impacts of climate change.  If carbon emissions were to continue at the current rate, we would start to see even more extreme weather events such as floods and wildfires, and our oceans would be at risk from increased warming.  This endangers all wildlife on land and in the sea and so it is vital that we don't let our ecosystems deteriorate any further. 

The investment in clean energy is part of what is being called the 'green recovery' from the recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic.  Making sure we 'build back greener' is essential to ensuring we meet climate targets, become independent in our energy generation, and ultimately protect our planet so that we don't interfere and damage any further the wilderness areas. 

To find out more about wind power, click on the following links:

♻ Renewable UK

♻ Energy Saving Trust

♻ BBC News

World's wildlife facing a crisis

If you watched David Attenborough's latest programme called 'Extinction: The Facts' on Sunday night, you will be fully aware of the problems facing the world's wildlife.  Most of these have been caused by our human actions and decisions we have made, often when we are far away from the consequences.  It is only when we see programmes like these that we become fully aware of the bigger picture and the harm that is happening to wildlife and also to people who live in the most poverty-stricken areas of the world. 

Deforestation is a huge issue, and is the most common cause of most loss of wildlife.  This is driven by the need to farm cattle, sheep and goats, or to grow animal feed crops such as soya which requires huge amounts of land, fertiliser and water.  It is usually cheaper to just clear new land than to help recover and reuse previously farmed land.  

Fishing is another problem.  Fish are caught inside huge industrial nets which catch many other fish and sea life, not just the desired species that they are after.  Quotas may be in place but are not monitored or enforced properly.  Many animals each year are entangled in fishing-related equipment or consume plastic items which remain inside their stomachs and cause death if they are unable to feed successfully. 

Animal poaching is a hidden problem that continues to happen without much detection.  Many animals such as rhinos, elephants and pangolins are trapped and killed for their horns, tusks or scales in the belief that they will cure diseases such as cancer, and they can sell for thousands of dollars on the black market.  Animals may also be kept alive in terrible conditions and have very poor quality of life. 

The UN announced in a report yesterday that the world has failed to meet any of its targets set out in Japan in 2010 to protect wildlife and reverse the damage that has already been done.  They have said 'humanity is at a crossroads' and that it is up to us to take the next steps.  Some progress has been taken in some areas, but large areas of vegetation and habitat are still being destroyed and many species are still at risk of extinction particularly in areas such as South America.  

Governments can make decisions that will help put laws in place, but it is also up to us as individuals to take actions that will reduce our impact on the planet.  To find out more visit the links below:

👉 Age of extinction - article

👉 BBC player - Extinction: The Facts

👉 The World Wildlife Fund

👉 Greenpeace

👉 The Wildlife Trusts 

News in brief: 7th - 13th September 2020

Motorways speed limits introduced to cut down air pollution

Sections of four different UK motorways will trial speed limits of 60mph towards the end of this month to see what impact it has on reducing air pollution; nitrogen dioxide is released in car exhaust fumes and is a key contributor to greenhouse gases which are causing climate change

Click here to read more...

American wildfires reach Oregon

Wildfires are now extending further out of California and have reached the state of Oregon; two large fires merged near one of the most populated part of Oregon towards the suburbs of Portland and around half a million people are under some kind of evacuation order

Click here to read more...

Global wildlife extinction worsens

Sir David Attenborough has spoken more strongly again about the risk of global wildlife extinction; since 1970, all vertebrate animals including birds, mammals and amphibians have decreased by 60% due to habitat destruction, poaching, and the drive for human development

Click here to read more...

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

A selection of the best comedy wildlife photos have been displayed; these light-hearted moments are a fantastic celebration of all that we love about the animal world, and want to protect!

Click here to see more...

Zero Waste Week 2020

 This week is Zero Waste Week  ♻

How much waste do you think you produce in a week? What about a month? A year?  How much of it goes to landfill, or are you a super recycler?  If you're like me, you try not to think about it too much as it can feel quite alarming when you add it all up! Zero Waste Week is a time where we can refocus on how much rubbish we produce each week and try to find ways to limit it.  Producing zero waste is quite an ambitious challenge, but if we even halve our waste then that would be amazing progress!

It's important to remember why we need to do this.  We are so far removed from the whole operation of waste disposal that it is easy to forget it even exists once the rubbish lorry has been along and collected it. Plastic continues to be one of the biggest problems in the waste disposal process.  So much plastic is for single-use, and is then dumped back into landfill where it will remain for several hundred years.  Even plastics that can be recycled and not always put through this process and end up in landfill too.  

Plastic pollution in our oceans is a major cause for concern.  As plastic is so light, it can float and travel long distances and is very hard to retrieve.  Around 8 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year and over 90% of bird species are thought to have plastic in their stomachs.  Some of the biggest culprits are plastic bags, plastic drinks bottles, and any kind of plastic packaging (this accounts for 40% of all plastic produced).  

So what can we do?  Any action is better than no action, and although making different choices can sometimes be more expensive, we need to think about what damaging plastic is costing the planet:

💚 Visit a local green grocers

Lots of greengrocers sell produce loose or in paper bags which can be easily composted

💚 Shop second-hand

Lots of clothes are made from polyester or viscose which are a kind of plastic; buying second hand is cheaper and avoids new plastic being made

💚 Buy from a refill shop

If you have one nearby, take some containers along and fill up on a few items from the refill shop.  Look to see what other plastic free items they have as well

💚 Get a compost bin

You can easily buy or make a compost bin.  This saves your food scraps from going to waste and is amazing for the garden!

💚 Buy less

We tend to generally buy a lot more than we need!  Challenge yourself to see if you can go for a week (or even a month!) without buying the things you absolutely need such as food and toiletries

Find out more at https://www.zerowasteweek.co.uk 

News in brief: 10 - 16 August 2020

Mauritius oil spill worsens
The Japanese bulk carrier that began spilling oil last week has now broken into two pieces; hundreds of tonnes of oil have spilt into the area since the end of July and large numbers of volunteers have now stepped up to help with the clean up effort

Click here to read more...

Plans for renewable heat networks

Two projects have been given extra funding to supply buildings in south Wales with waste heat generated from industrial sites; a system of underground pipes will transfer the heat from the site to the buildings, and this will help to save both carbon emissions and costs of heating

Click here to read more...

Arctic ice shelves breaking up

New satellite photos from the Plant-Earth observation company have shown a worrying break in the Milne Ice Shelf in the Arctic; this is one in a series of many break-up events over the last 15-20 years and as such is yet more evidence of the rapidly warming climate

Click here to read more...

News in brief: 9 March - 15 March 2020

Coronavirus pandemic
The global spread of the coronavirus has led to worldwide panic and recent lockdowns of major cities  in Europe; many flights are being cancelled and people are being barred from entering foreign countries

Pressure to plant more trees
The government has promised to plant 30 million trees a year in a bid to become greener and take carbon dioxide out of the environment; however, it is important that tree planting is done responsibly as new saplings need to be cared for and there may be conflict with landowners who want to use the land for a different purpose

Sea ice melting faster than ever
Records show that Greenland and Antarctica are losing mass six times faster than they were in the 1990s, losing 6.4 trillion tonnes of ice between 1992 and 2017; this has implications for sea level rise around the world which could cause catastrophic flooding

Allowing the roadsides to grow wild
Modern farming methods have reduced the number of wild flower species what grow alongside the edges of fields or beside roads; new projects that are encouraging the growth of wild flowers are seeing a substantial increase in the number of plant, animal and insect species that are growing in these areas and are raising the general biodiversity level

Could Coronavirus help fight climate change?
It appears that the changes we are making as a result of the coronavirus could be having a positive knock-on effect on carbon emissions; with people self-isolating and not going into work, traffic pollution and emissions from industry have lowered, with significantly decreased air pollution being recorded in Italy and China 

News in brief: 17 February - 23 February 2020

Flooding worries continue
The UK is not experiencing any let up in flooding concerns as heavy rain and wind continues to sweep across the country; heavy overnight rain has meant that residents of towns in the Yorkshire Dales had to be evacuated from their homes overnight

Controversy over domestic fuels
The UK is introducing a ban on coal and wet wood (wood that has not been seasoned or dried for 1-2 years) being used in homes for domestic fires; the trend for log burners in homes is leading to a reduction in air quality and it is thought by controlling the type of fuel used it may make it more environmentally friendly

Rise in blue whale population
The number of blue whales spotted near Antarctica has risen dramatically according to recent observations; a 23-day survey carried out recorded seeing 55 animals, an amazing number considering the area was an epicentre for whaling in the early 20th century

Greta Thunberg to visit Bristol
The Swedish environmental activist is to visit Bristol next week for a youth climate protest; Bristol has previously received an award for being a European Green Capital in 2015 and has backed a commitment to being carbon neutral by 2030

Is spring arriving early?
Weather watchers and nature lovers are noticing that spring has arrived incredibly early this year with daffodils and snowdrops flowering as early as the end of January; in some places, flowers are coming out all at once instead of being staggered throughout the spring

News in brief: 10 February - 16 February 2020

Storm Dennis hits the UK
The UK has suffered further high wind speeds and extremely heavy rainfall especially in some areas asa result of Storm Dennis; people have had to evacuate their homes in parts of south Wales and Herefordshire due to rapidly rising floodwaters

Coronavirus continues to spread
China reported a rapid increase in the number of cases of coronavirus this week, although this seems to have plateaued over the last couple of days; current figures now state that 68,470 are infected with 1,663 dead and 9,326 recovered

Antarctica is warming
Antarctica's temperature has been recorded as above 20 degrees celsius for the first time; scientists have described this as being incredibly abnormal and that it is a worrying indicator of what is happening to climate around the world

Sydney bushfire concert
A large concert has been held in Sydney, Australia to raise money to help communities that have been devastated by the recent bushfires; the concert aimed to raise around A$10 million which will go towards supporting rural fire services and wildlife that have been affected

The UK leads the fight against illegal logging
As part of UN climate talks later this year, the UK will lead the way in addressing the issue of illegal logging and deforestation; cutting timber down is a significant source of carbon emissions and also destroys the habitats of the wildlife that live within it

In pictures - ozone layer repairs

The hole in the ozone layer is currently at its smallest since records began (Image credit: Copernicus)

>> Why is it good that the ozone layer is repairing? What role does the ozone layer have in our atmosphere?

News in brief - Monday 30th September

Large iceberg breaks off Antarctica
A 315 billion tonne ice berg has broken off the Amery Ice shelf, the biggest berg to be created in 50 years; the size of the berg means that it will have to be monitored as it poses a risk to shipping, and is also of interest to climate change scientists who attribute global warming to this kind of unusual event

Girl guides call for the reduction of single use plastic
A Girlguiding campaign is calling for the reduction in the amount of single-use plastic with a five pledge 'plastic promise'; the promise includes making sure everyone has reusable water bottles, reusable cutlery, reusable coffee cups, reusable food wrapping, and a commitment to standing up and speaking out against brands who do not try to reduce their plastic use

News in brief - Wednesday 25th September

UN oceans report warns of climate change impacts
A new report from the United Nations is showing that climate change is having devastating impacts on our seas and oceans; melting ice is causing the release of significant amounts of carbon dioxide and warming seas are leading to the mass migration of wildlife

Mont Blanc glacier in danger of collapsing
Reports that around 250,000 cubic metres of ice are at risk of breaking away from a Mont Blanc glacier have caused road closures and evacuations in the area; local people are saying the mountain is changing due to global warming and that the glacier is moving more quickly than normal

North Sea cod population falls
Recent data is showing that the numbers of cod in the north sea are declining and that fisherman may no longer be allowed to catch it; this comes two years after the fishery was given the 'blue tick' eco-label to certify sustainability 

News in brief - Thursday 19th September

Alarming loss of global bird species
Two new studies have found that bird species across Asia and the US have experienced severe loss in compared to 50 years ago; North America has witnessed a 29% loss of birds, and it is reported that in Indonesia there are now more birds living in cages that in the wild

Greta Thunberg calls for natural solutions to climate change
Climate activist Greta Thunberg has made a film highlighting the importance of using nature to help restore our planet and combat climate change; in the film, she describes how using forests and planting mangroves and seagrass meadows can significantly boost natural storage of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere

Burger King announces plans to remove plastic toys from meals
The fast-food chain Burger King has been one of the first companies to remove all plastic toys given away to children as part of a meal deal; there has been increasing pressure on corporations such as Burger King and McDonalds to remove this unwanted and un-recycleable plastic from its products as the toys often end up in landfill sites

News in brief - Tuesday 10th September

UN 2020 Climate Change Summit to take place in Glasgow 

Glasgow will be hosting the Conference of Parties climate change summit (COP26) at the end of next year; the event will last for two weeks and over 200 world leaders will attend to discuss ways forward in tackling causes of climate change

Making beef production carbon neutral

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has stated that it is possible to make beef production carbon neutral by 2040 without cutting back on the amount produced; their plan is to offset their carbon emissions by growing crops for biofuels and using carbon capture technology to store carbon emissions in the ground

Radiation still remains at Fukushima

Since the tsunami struck the nuclear power plant in Fukushima (Japan) in 2011, sea water has been accumulating inside the plant that is now highly radioactive; the storage tanks will run out of space by 2022 and there may be no other options expect to release it slowly into the Pacific Ocean and dilute it

News in brief - Monday 9th September

Controversial badger culling
The government has been allowing the culling of badgers in certain zones within the UK to help try and stop the spread of TB (tuberculosis) in cattle; it is predicted that up to 50,000 badgers may be killed this year, which would be double the amount of the previous year

Solar panel complaints
Thousands of people who installed solar panels have had to complain about the lack of money they have made from generating power; many customers who installed these solar panels took out loans to cover the initial costs, hoping to make the money back from the electricity they made by selling it back to the grid

UK failing to do enough to stop climate change
The UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has concluded that the UK has some of the best resources and knowledge in the world to deal with climate change, but it is failing to utilise them; Baroness Brown who chairs the committee has said that the UK should be leading the world by example and not let itself be underprepared and have to deal with disrupted train services and threats of dams bursting

Featured article - Grow your own forest

This week's Guardian article explain how you can make a small difference by planting trees