Tag: News

A deposit return scheme will be launched in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2025.

Alright, what’s a deposit return scheme?

In this case, the deposit return scheme is an effort to make sure that fewer drinks bottles are discarded as litter. 

Small cash deposits will be placed on single-use drinks containers (plastic bottles), which you can get back when you return them.

How will it work?

In essence, you’re renting a plastic bottle as a container for your drink (yes, it sounds a little bizarre when you put it like that).

When you’re done with your drink, rather than littering or throwing it away, you can return your plastic bottle via a vending-style machine, and receive your deposit back.

Is it just for plastic bottles?

Currently, that’s the plan – however, in equivalent schemes in Wales and Scotland, glass bottles are also included.

There are a couple of years to go, yet, before the scheme is launched – who knows, maybe the scheme will expand to include glass here, too?

This article aligns with the UN SDG Climate Action.

French volunteers are on a quest to create ‘pocket forests’ in Paris.

What are pocket forests?

Great question! These pocket forests are based on a Japanese method of tree planting known as the Miyawaki method, after Akira Miyawaki, the botanist who invented it.

Miyawaki was inspired by the small forests around shrines made up of indigenous tree species that seemed to thrive without human intervention.

Not only that but based on his findings he concluded that densely planted indigenous species grown at four different heights in prepared soil not only grow ten times faster than standard managed forests, it also traps more carbon.

So why are they planting these pocket forests in Paris?

Organised by the French non-profit Boomforest, the forests are hoped to help with climate change. They have another bonus effect, though – Paris has been feeling the heat lately and, with only 9% tree coverage, the city sweltered during the heatwave this summer.

It is hoped that planting these trees and creating more shade will create a better environment for the Parisians, and for the planet.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Climate Action.

The Bronx River has long been considered an “open sewer“, thanks to massive amounts of industrial waste dumped into it for over a century.

So it was a surprise when people saw dolphins in the river for the first time in years recently.

The sheer amount of pollution drove many local species away for cleaner water, dolphins among them, but years of concerted conservation work have made the water clean enough for the dolphins to swim and hunt in, and ideally, soon make more regular appearances. 

“It’s true—dolphins were spotted in the Bronx River this week,” NYC Parks and Rec wrote in a Tweet. “This is great news—it shows that the decades-long effort to restore the river as a healthy habitat is working. We believe these dolphins naturally found their way to the river in search of fish.”

In 2018, the parks department released 400 adult alewife, a type of herring, into the river as part of its efforts to help improve the water ecology. The hope was that the fish would mate and lay eggs in the river restoring a previously naturally occurring population of fish in the only freshwater river in New York City. 

According to the BBC, this is the first time dolphins have made their way into the Bronx River in five years. 

The section of river that they were spotted in was next to Starlight Park, an area in the Bronx that has previously unused developed land and has since been restored with vegetation, picnic areas, playgrounds, and more.

Hopefully, as conservation efforts continue then other animals along with the dolphins can return to the Bronx River and other bodies of water around New York City.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Life Below Water.

Households in the UK could now be paid for not using energy during peak times.

Where do I sign up?!

The scheme has only been used in tests so far, but from today (Monday 23rd Jan) it will officially launch between 5pm and 6pm.

If your energy supplier is one of the 26 that has signed up, and you have a smart meter, you should get a notification that the scheme will start today.

How does it work?

Customers will receive a discount if they reduce electricity usage between certain times – today, that is 5pm to 6pm, but in future, it will vary.

The National Grid says you can earn a few pounds, but as much as £20, by delaying things like running your washing machine, oven, or even charging an electric vehicle.

For more information on the Demand Flexibility Service, including whether or not your provider is involved, take a look at this page on the National Grid website.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Affordable and Clean Energy.

For the first time in over a century, this bird has laid an egg in the wild.

Incredible! Keep going!

The kiwi (not the fruit) is a bird native to New Zealand – and only New Zealand. There are five different species of the kiwi bird, four of which are listed as ‘vulnerable’, while the fifth is ‘near threatened’.

That sounds pretty bad.

It is – but 11 North Island brown kiwis were released at Mākara in Wellington in 2022 as part of an attempt to help boost their population. This has resulted in incredible news – the first kiwi egg to be laid in the wild in over a century!

A century?!

That’s right – the last kiwi egg known to be laid in the wild was in the Tararua Range in the mid-1870s. That’s around 150 years!

While the minds behind this venture know more than anyone not to count your kiwis before they hatch, this is still a brilliant sign for the birds in the future.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Life on Land.

The UK has hit a record high in wind generation.

Amazing! But… what does that mean?

Basically, it means that on 30th December 2022, the UK generated the most power it has ever generated from wind, coming in at 20,918MW.

Plus, the energy created through zero-carbon sources hit 87.2% of the country’s electricity mix.

However, on January 4th 2023, zero-carbon generation beat that record – getting to 87.6%. A week later, wind generation hit 21,620MW – smashing the previous record.

Why is this so great?

All this goes to show that the UK as a country is moving away from fossil fuels and towards zero-carbon energy sources – which is amazing for the planet. Good stuff.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Climate Action.