 My teenage son tells me Climate Change is ALL down to greedy corporations (yes, he's a Leftie... I might have had something to do with that). But researching a story on individual's impact, I uncovered some insights that put some of the ball in 'our' court. Approximate figures in tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted by the following activities (source):
Current World Population 8,009,548,408+ If 10% of the population decided to: Carbon Offset holidays, travel, recreation Recycle, re-use, by more 2nd hand Turned off 'stuff' when not in use (win-win given the £££ of energy)/ Implemented small household changes.  Ate less meat... switch meat to organic (I know, kerching!)/always buy responsibly sourced/ buy direct from farmers / buy LOCAL where possible.  I'm struggling to see why individuals in the wealthiest nations can't make even small changes. From the wealthiest countries, take the stable, 'wealth-distributed' nations, USA 4.25 % (global population) Germany 1.07 % UK 0.87 % France 0.84 % Combine Europe, the Northern Americas, Australia for starters, that's easily 10% of us with the means to readily make changes United Kingdom Population 67,886,011 Here in the UK, there's no excuse to not recycle.
I'm in danger of moralising but it struck me that small changes by us - taking batteries to be recycled... taking 'do not recycle at home' plastic to supermarkets... choosing fewer Amazon deliveries...- DO have huge, environmental ripples. Which is empowering!
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 To kick-start 2023, here's an old news piece that filled me with joy: Re-greening the Loess Plateau. In 1994, China began the largest redevelopment project in the world. The Loess Plateau is located in China’s Northwest (which takes its name from the dry powdery wind-blown soil). Centuries of overuse and overgrazing led to one of the highest erosion rates in the world and widespread poverty.  A staggering combination of: innovation, education and financial support; a huge investment in labour; the switch to sustainable farming practices - lifted more than 2.5 million people, in four of China’s poorest provinces, out of poverty. Farmers’ incomes doubled, employment diversified... and a degraded environment the size of France was revitalised.  Loess Plateau before  This is perhaps my favourite, inspirational example of what we can do with political will. While away a happy 10 minutes + to see how it was done here and here  Loess Plateau after |
Inspiration from t'internet...For a living, I meander down blind alleyways for my research. Shared here, some of the glorious achievements and ideas that educate and inspire me, a reminder that we're not blindly heading for Armageddon: ArchivesCategories
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Good News Links:
Saving the Reefs Ozone Hole in recovery More to follow as I find them! Practical Links: Calculate your Carbon Footprint Offset your Carbon Footprint Ethical Shopping Guide Carbon Trust More to follow... |
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