Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of recycling and climate change news from around the world. ..many countries are relaxing their quarantines and already some are seeing an increase in new cases and in light of recent developments around the world I am guessing it is not over yet…It does seem from what I have observed that even over a country some areas have little or no infections and others are seeing an increase is it because there are varying stages of precautions or not and those who are being vigilant are staying safer? To me, that does appear to be the case…

I was also disturbed to read the other day that take- away meals are on the increase which has also led to more containers and bags being dumped…Which takes me back to last week and maybe details should be printed on packaging in infrared so the culprits can be traced and fined heavily I will add…

Factory Farms…

For decades there have been public health and safety concerns around the practices of factory farming…Man does seem to have an increasing insatiable need to eat meat at what cost though this pandemic has highlighted that to me and often animals are cramped wing to wing or snout to snout in their thousands in less than hygienic conditions…to me, it is now more worrying but it isn’t just me…Scientists and watchdogs are having the same thoughts… Can you spot the difference my babies have freedom…

These don’t…I know what I prefer and if they were asked Ithink I know what the chooks would prefer…

Photo credit: Farmwatch on Visualhunt.com / CC BY

Throughout this pandemic maybe you have experienced meat shortages if so have you gone without? You have probably eaten either less meat or found alternative meals which are just as tasty and nutritious.

Farmworkers and food workers are among essential workers and have shown up for work…shortages occur when they get sick often though they aren’t given sick leave or lose their job or carrying on working and infect more people…A vicious circle isn’t it?

But the one thing it does highlight is that it puts countries meat supply chains at risk of disruption but it also highlights our dependence on the centralised and industrialised food systems.

We need to think differently we need to accept that maybe we pay more for meat from local farmers but that meat is sustainable and the animals are cared for…We need to know that our animals are not pumped full of antibiotics and growth hormones ..That in itself is another issue…Our health and our families.

I am not saying we shouldn’t eat meat ...I believe we need a balanced diet and should not cut out food groups unless medically advised and diagnosed. But we should apply moderation and be aware of all the problems that factory farms bring to our lives and health and I also believe that while I do eat meat and fish those animals should be shown respect and live a happy life.

Or we could consider and although I haven’t tried them I do know many people who have and the comments have been positive…Have you tried a plant-based meat product? It sounds like due to the pandemic products like The Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat are proving a viable alternative to real meat…These companies are now filling grocery stores shelves and proving to be popular with the stay at home public…

You have heard circular recycling mentioned on here before and how beneficial it can be and mostly is… let’s take that one step further and look at a Circular Economy.

So what is a Circular Economy?

Human society consists of a variety of people. Some create art, others provide healing and care, others build great things. We need a good mix of people to cover any or most eventualities… All are possible together if we have balance and the powerful lend a hand to the weak. For the past 70 or so years, it would appear we have been out of balance.

The capitalist economy is touted as the only way, and anything else is not taken seriously. You take resources, make products, and when consumers tire of them or they outlive their usefulness, they throw them away and repeat. signs of change

We have become a throw-away society…although I do see many signs of change

I also think that now many are beginning to realise that if populations keep increasing and if that populace wants more and more we could in fact face shortages in some areas.

A circular economy is the opposite. Instead, it uses resources over and over. When something is worn out or beyond the point of being repaired, its basic materials are recycled into a new product. The resources are reused and are not wasted I am heartened by signs that we are realising the need to create and produce products where the resources are not lost at end of life and in so doing can contribute far more to humanity than the simple throwaway society that is so common in recent history.

We are running out of easy to obtain natural resources, the time is now to start looking at how we can shift to a more sustainable way of driving the human economy.

A true circular economy could and has in some places eliminated waste completely.

The Black Sea...

For years the Black Sea has been known as the dead zone…Can that be changed…Known as the region’s dustbin…So sad…all that pollution…

But there is some good news from Spain…Clean Energy Moves Ahead in Spain

For example,  Spain just brought online the largest solar plant in the world. The Núñez de Balboa facility is located in the middle of the Iberian peninsula in the  Extremadura region of Spain, and near the border with Portugal. Run by Spanish power utility Iberdrola, the project consists of more than 1.4 million solar panels and is able to supply the energy needs of 250,000 people per year. The project was completed in December of 2019 and brought online last month. It shows that despite setbacks due to Covid19, the push for clean energy continues.

Well, that’s all for me this week on the environment and climate change…we are in our rainy season now so hot steamy days and stormy nights so everything is growing super quick…including the bamboo…x

Thank you for reading be well and stay safe xxx

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all stay safe and healthy xx