Month: April 2022

A threatened woodpecker has been sighted for the first time in decades, causing conservationists to celebrate. Since 1944, a grainy black and white photo was thought to be all that remained of the ivory-billed woodpecker. This was till researchers spotted it in the forests of Louisiana earlier this month.

Director of conservation at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh Steve Latta was with the party who spotted the bird. 

“You realise you’ve seen something special that very few people had the opportunity to see,” he told The Guardian.

Before the sighting in Louisiana, the woodpecker was registered as extinct by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. This was despite one report that it was seen in the Big Woods of eastern Arkansas in 2004.

[Read more uplifting news about initiatives working to protect, restore and replenish wildlife and nature]

Once the species was relatively common. But their numbers started declining rapidly in the 19th century due to human activities their habitat and overhunting. 

To make things worse, hunters started targeting them because their rarity made them valuable collectors’ items. Poor communities also hunted the birds as a cheap source of food.

The species is distinguishable by the white edges of its wings, a call like a “tin trumpet” and the double tapping sound it makes when pecking trees. 

Understandably, the bird has become wary of humans, making it increasingly difficult to find.

“No one has held a camera and got a picture of one in years because it’s a scarce bird in tough swampy habitat and they don’t want people close to them because they’ve been shot at for 150 years,” a biologist at Auburn University, Geoffrey Hill, told The Guardian.

Inspired to act?

DONATE: Help conservationists do more to protect bird populations. Donate to the RSPB.

TAKE ACTION: Volunteer or support campaigns to support birdlife around the UK by getting involved with the RSPB.

 

In the luscious green Surrey Hills, Marion McBurney runs an acreage known as Kingfisher Farm. Aside from a few small updates over the years, the farm is remarkable in that it fundamentally hasn’t changed much for decades. 

Since playing on the farm in the 1970s, Marion has maintained an eco-friendly approach to agriculture that she believes could be the answer to climate-related challenges to agriculture. 

On Kingfisher Farm, workers grow rotational crops and use renewable energy, refills and local produce to remain as sustainable as possible. 

To collect and carry fruit and vegetables from the farm shop, customers can use paper bags, cardboard boxes or baskets woven by a local craftsperson.

Marion tells Smiley News: “Since my parents ran the farm in the ‘70s, it’s always been clear to us that we shouldn’t overbuy or overproduce and that we should always, wherever possible, reuse packaging.”

Initially prompted by her parents’ postwar attitude of ‘make-do and mend’, the business approach has gained legitimacy with time. 

As more people become environmentally aware, the need to remain sustainable becomes ever more apparent. Marion sees the evidence firsthand. Due to the climate crisis, she is experiencing more obstacles to farming, as is the case for many others like her. 

For over a century the farm has produced watercress. But with changing seasons, this has become increasingly difficult. The weather is less predictable, it is difficult to judge when to sew crops, and the watercress takes longer to grow. Other crops such as corn and potatoes are also affected.

“They call the period between last year’s harvest and the next harvest time ‘the hungry months’ and I think it’s only going to become more true to its name as time passes,” she says.

But to overcome these challenges, she believes her age-old approach to farming will outdo more intensive forms of agriculture. 

She explains: “With intensive monocropping, if something goes wrong it will impact your entire production system. Whereas if you’re just cultivating a small area with rotating crops, then a crop failure won’t have such a significant impact on your business – so you have more control.”

Additionally, she believes her approach is better for strengthening communities. 

“In smaller farm businesses, the focus on the local community is much greater. You’re feeding people you have regular contact with rather than people hundreds of miles away from where the food is produced.”

“With time I think small-scale farming is only going to become stronger,” she adds.

Inspired to act?

DONATE: To encourage more sustainable farming in the UK, donate to the Sustainable Food Trust.

TAKE ACTION: Add your voice to the growing call for sustainable food production. Get involved with the Sustainable Food Trust.

 

Your career can take up a significant amount of time, with thousands of days spent at work by the average person in the UK. So for all those eco-conscious professionals, an environmentally-friendly work routine should be a priority.

To minimise your climate impact, here are five steps you can take to keep your keep carbon emissions low throughout your daily work routine.

Awaken to nature

Start your day on a high. From the moment you wake up, keep your impact low by opting for a bamboo toothbrush and other plastic-free toiletries. This reduction of plastic waste matters as it will help preserve nature, wildlife and ecosystems.

Brilliant breakfasts

Fancy a coffee? Pick organically-grown beans and plant-based milk such as oat milk, with a lower environmental impact. You might also consider eating vegan food and avoiding intensively produced animal products – one of the top ways we can lower our carbon footprints as individuals.

Switch on the eco-tech

It’s time to hit the keyboard! The type of device you use matters for the environment. Instead of buying new laptops, tablets or computers, try sourcing something second-hand. When browsing the internet, use less energy-intensive search engines such as Ecosia, and remember to save energy by switching off when you take a break or finish off.

A climate-friendly lunch

Say goodbye to sandwiches in packets and drinks in disposable plastic bottles. To make sure your lunch isn’t worsening the world’s plastic waste problem prepare your own packed lunches. If you travel to work, use a lunchbox or if working from home, there’s no excuse not to eat from a plate.

Sustainable stationery 

Sometimes it’s nice to work with good, old-fashioned pens and paper. Keep it ecological, by buying recycled notepads, refillable pens and upcycled stationery. You’ll only thank yourself for doing just that little bit to protect those marvellous trees that do so much for life on Earth.

 

A lively new partnership is going to support communities living in the world’s biggest rainforests.

Appliance brand Haier and climate charity, Cool Earth, will work together to back people and local communities to protect the rainforests and contribute to the fight against the growing climate crisis. 

Cool Earth works with communities in some of the largest rainforests in the world including the Amazon, Congo and New Guinea. 

“We work with indigenous peoples and local communities whose ancestors have lived in rainforests for thousands of years – these people are the real rainforest experts,” says Lauren Vyvyan, Cool Earth’s Business Partnerships Manager. “They have the knowledge to help protect these precious environments.” 

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“Together, Cool Earth and Haier will champion the relationship between people, the rainforest, and the climate,” adds Lauren. “We are excited to be partnering with Haier, working together to back people and help fund projects that create choice, tackle the root causes of deforestation and protect vital carbon sinks over the long-term.”

Cool Earth provides cash directly to rainforest communities. A recent project in partnership with Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and local communities in the Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia is an example of what can be achieved:

:: 120,634 acres are being protected by the people living in the Cardamom Mountains.

:: 84 people were trained to start businesses raising chickens for food and for sale. 

:: 103 people were trained in adaptive farming.

:: 40 additional farmers were trained during the harvesting and planting seasons.

Lauren adds: “With our help, local communities will continue to adapt to the climate pressures to protect their home and their way of life. New approaches are needed to adapt to changing conditions and tackle food security, create sustainable incomes, provide better health care and resilience for communities.” 

Jim McEwan, Chief Commercial Officer UK & Ireland at Haier, adds: “This is an immensely important partnership for us. The protection of our rainforests is key to the fight against climate change. We are proud to announce our partnership with Cool Earth and look forward to funding projects in the local communities in the rainforest where most help is needed.”

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