Who is going to join me for Plastic Free July…? (Sign up for the challenge here) It’s never too late even though we are in the last week of July…every little helps and there are some great ideas on the website..small changes combined DO make a difference.

Personally, Plastic Free July has been a stepping stone for me and will not stop on the 31st of July…If you have been looking at the figures and watched the video on the biggest garbage dumps around the world I hope that has encouraged you to think about your waste and how you can reduce it I know many of you are already aware but we can all do more…

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”
—Jane Goodall

Whilst I agree we should do more to reduce the plastic we throw away TODAY I am sharing the good news stories…the ones which give me hope..it doesn’t mean however that we should be complacent…

We all buy books and to get that hardcopy in one’s hand is special it could be made all the more special if the cover was plastic-free…

Plastic Free reading…

Plastic Free tells the incredible story of how a simple community initiative grew into one of the worlds most successful environmental movements.

To ensure that traditional plastic lamination wasn’t used, the publishers worked through alternatives and decided on using the reverse side of the coated artboard, so the surface was a bit textured, and used a dry trap varnish for protection. They loved the effect so much they have now used it for other titles.

Normally, the boxes are plastic shrink-wrapped onto the pallet with plastic straps. To get around this the publishers used metal straps instead.

I think this is a huge step forward in many ways…one which we could find so easy do as the buyers of so many books…I am getting my copy, are you?

You can purchase a copy of the book here

I don’t go out partying as much (not) at all at the moment as I used to but the market is huge for the ages of 18-45 and Heineken have stepped up as all manufacturers should do and hopefully will follow suit and will do something about it…

I am particularly showing big business as they have the market to make these changes on a larger scale ALTHOUGH I am not for one minute discounting my own efforts or yours for collectively we can make a difference…it is a combined global problem and we all need to play a part…

Green spaces in cities help offset climate changes and provide physical and mental well-being for their citizens Biodiversity – all living organisms, including plants, animals and microorganisms – is essential for human existence. Yet when we think about biodiversity, we rarely picture a city in our minds.

With this goal in mind, the Global Commission on BiodiverCities by 2030 was launched last month, as part of the BiodiverCities by 2030 initiative. The commission is made up of a diverse group of city experts and practitioners from the public and private sectors, civil society and academia whose passion for and expertise in biodiversity conservation and climate change will steer its objectives to make cities safer, more fulfilling and cleaner places to live.

When I look at some of the designs they seem very futuristic to me and I wonder how they will work given the population of the world..when I see lovely green plants going all the way up a tower block will they look like that all year round I am guessing given how plants change during the seasons that unless thought is given to mixing types of plants they maybe won’t…Just some thoughts…

A mouse believed to have been wiped out 150 years ago has been found alive and well on a remote island in Western Australia. 

Distinguished by its shaggy fur, the Gould’s mouse has been hiding in plain sight for decades: researchers monitoring the rodent thought it was a different species. This week scientists set the record straight. 

The resurrection of the mouse is a rare piece of positive news against a backdrop of population declines. However, it’s not the only cause for celebration down under: in May,

Tasmanian devils bred on mainland Australia for the first time in 3,000 years, delighting conservationists.

The UK launched a trial to suck CO2 from the air

Stabilising the climate means rapidly slashing emissions. However, scientists say sucking historic emissions out of the air is also vital if we are to keep warming to internationally agreed levels. 

A £30m project to do just that was announced in the UK this week. As part of the trial, scientists will test the most effective ways of drawing climate-heating carbon out of the air, including planting trees, re-wetting peatlands and spreading rock chips that absorb CO2 on farmland. It will be one of the world’s biggest carbon capture projects. 

“Greenhouse gas removal is not only essential, but it also has the potential to become big business,” said Prof Cameron Hepburn, from the University of Oxford, who is coordinating the trials. “As we rebuild societies and economies following Covid-19, we have an opportunity to orient ourselves towards the green jobs and industries of the future.”

There are lots of good things going on around the world…Hopefully with what we do on an individual basis and what governments and manufacturers do it will be enough…

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
—Margaret Mead

Thank you for popping in It’s lovely to see you and read your comments… see you tomorrow for my A-Z where the middle letter this week is the letter K…Anyone for Chicken Tikka?…