Closer to nature..

“It feels out of place and time, like a little community where people relax and have time for each other, separate from the stress and strains of normal life,” is how Louise Rogan passionately describes her ‘slice of heaven’, her very own allotment.

Located in King’s Langley, backing on to the canal, it was not just the picturesque location, I presume, that caught this nature enthusiasts eye, but more importantly, the several other benefits that it had to offer.

To begin with, “the advantages are fresh fruit and veg, grown without pesticides. Plus, with soaring food prices, it works out much cheaper,” says Lousie.

All this, coupled with a feeling of “pride of seeing food grown from seed, working outside in a lovely environment, seeing wildlife and generally feeling closer to nature. Also, the people are always friendly and happy to give advice.

When I first started, they would come and introduce themselves and even now, often give me produce from their own plots and pass on plants if they have grown too many.” Who could complain?

So, is it an expensive hobby, I question. “I have taken over half an allotment which costs me £6.50 per year. Other expenses include gardening tools, seeds, water butts, netting, a shed, if you want one, although it is not necessary,” informs Rogan.

Allotment facts

Well, as is the two sides to every coin, I begin to wonder if this‘hidden treasure’ has perhaps, a downside to it. 

She reveals that “occasionally sheds do get broken into, so most people don’t put padlocks on. I just have old tools and leave them out. None however, have gone missing.”

Contrary to common belief though, allotments have acquired such an increased popularity not just with retired folk, but with “a lot of middle aged-working people and a few individuals in their twenties, as well.”

Hence, be prepared for a substantial wait to get your hands on a plot. “I have had the allotment since January 2008 and was on the waiting list for approximately eight months prior to that. It is full now, with people still queuing to get in!”

It is evident therefore, that time is no deterrent and neither are any of the apparent drawbacks.

A rebirth is what has occurred, and a good one at that! “Owners tell me that a few years ago, the place was overgrown with few people, so they have definitely undergone a revival.

Allotments have gained much exposure recently, via river cottage and gardening programmes,” concludes the nature lover.

 

Eco-fashion: the truth about going green

The economy may be in the red due to the credit crunch, but our appetite for all things “green” is booming.

With the increasing popularity of eco-conscious clothing, its prices are falling and the locations from which it is available are proliferating.

However, balancing consumers interests between consumption and the environment is an exhausting task. The reason being that the pros and cons of green fashion are complex and need to be thoroughly understood.

In recent years, eco-conscious clothing has become more mainstream, with a variety of celebrities and designers embracing this trend – from Angelina Jolie to Ralph Lauren.

Recently released government figures reveal that the clothing and textiles sector in the UK produces around 3.1m tonnes of CO2, two million tonnes of waste and 70m tonnes of waste water each year.

Moreover, 1.5 million tonnes of unwanted clothing ultimately ends up in landfill, a figure that has increased in recent years as the shift towards wider use of man-made fibres has made recycling more difficult.

As a result of this, London Fashion Week 2009 saw many of the fashion industry’s biggest names signing up to the government’s new Sustainable Clothing Roadmap – an agreement to cut the industry’s giant environmental footprint.

More than 300 organisations, including retailers like Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s, clothing giant Nike, emerging green fashion firms such as Adili and charity shops agreed to undertake a wide range of measures designed to cut its environmental and carbon footprint across its global supply chains.

Many are worried that all of this talk about going green is just that – talk.

Serious concerns

Bamboo is being heralded as the newest eco-fabric to hit stores across the world. Although at one point of time, organic cotton and hemp were the most widely used substitutes for non-organic apparel.

Indian fashion designer Savio Jon says, “The concept of eco-friendly clothing was completely alien to India a couple of years ago. But now, many fashion designers, including myself, use fabric made from bamboo. Its texture is extremely close to that of satin, in comparison to organic cotton.

“Also, my clothes aren’t very expensive as organic clothes can be found in a number of shopping outlets in India,” he said.

Fabrics made from bamboo or hemp are promoted as having been raised without pesticides and also for growing much faster than cotton.

However, organic cotton which is also a favourite amongst environmentally-conscious designers and consumers, is also grown without the use of pesticides, but is not always used in its pure state.

The major downside for bamboo, hemp and cotton, is that once they have been harvested, they may be chemically treated, or printed with toxic dyes, and still be labelled as organic.

Julian Riley, an Environmental Science teacher at Watford Grammar School for Girls says, “These chemicals are extremely toxic and can cause severe health problems to the workers handling them.”

Even with all these health effects bamboo is still more environmentally friendly than many other materials. For example non organic cotton uses approximately 150 grams of pesticide per pound of raw cotton – enough to produce just one T-shirt.

Naturally softer fabrics made from soy have a mild impact compared to the three mentioned above.

According to several environmental groups, clothes made from soy wear out faster and have to be replaced more often – which has an environmental cost of its own, whereas bamboo or hemp fibres are naturally tough.

And there are still other serious factors that have to be considered.

For instance, how can clothes assembled in factories far from the fabric mills and shipped from one end of the world to another be green?

In addition to this, how eco-friendly is the packaging that contains these clothes?

Julian Riley glancing at the pair of socks he just bought over the internet makes an interesting point also. “Although I am a frequent buyer of organic clothes, what really gets under my skin is why do a lot of them have these huge cardboard information tags pinned to them, discussing their organic nature? Isn’t that a waste of paper?,” he asks holding up the newly bought socks.

Given such criticisms, are the bamboo-based and organic clothes really “green?”

“Perfect doesn’t exist and we’re probably never going to get there,” said Leslie Hoffman, the executive director of Earth Pledge, a non-profit group that promotes sustainable development and technologies. “We all make compromises every day. Making them with your eyes open instead of arbitrarily is the best piece of advice I could give.”

Butterfly numbers plunge after wet summer

Wet summers and changes to countryside are behind the dramatic fall, leaving some species threatened with extinction.

The small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is on the brink of extinction.

Britain’s butterflies have suffered their worst year for more than a quarter of a century as a series of wet summers have hit species already struggling with changes to their habitat, a study revealed today.

The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme found 12 species – the highest number ever recorded – have suffered the worst summer on record, since monitoring began in 1976.

Some of the rarest butterflies such as the high brown fritillary is one such species, with fewer than 50 colonies in many parts of the country, many of them small.

Other threatened butterflies include the pearl-bordered fritillary and the wood white, which have less than 100 colonies.

The small tortoiseshell experienced a 45 per cent decline and is becoming scarce in some areas. And the orange tip, easily recognisable in Scottish gardens due to the distinctive colourings on its wings, was down 26 per cent.

Charlotte Rogan, a 2007 Zoology Graduate from the University of Reading said if there is another dire summer this year, butterflies could suffer long-term damage.

“In the summers of 2007 and 2008 especially, we had heavy downpours which prevented butterflies from performing two tasks essential for their survival – flying to reach flowers that supply them with nectar and mating. They require the sun to become fully active,” she said.

“The butterfly population is important because it acts as an indicator of the wider environment. These new figures reflect a degradation of their habitat such as flower-rich meadows, thought to be lost due to climate change, intensive farming and other human impacts.”

Huw Irranca-Davies, the Wildlife Minister, promised to support conservation schemes to boost butterfly numbers.

“Climate change is having a detrimental effect on a number of our butterfly species and in parts of England we’re in danger of losing some species all together,” he said.

“Butterflies need good habitats to thrive and the Government will continue to support schemes to promote the recovery of butterfly numbers.”

The survey, run by Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, involved 1,500 volunteers who monitored butterflies in 920 sites across the UK.

London 2012 going for green

The official olympic games logo; Source: Wikipedia

Plans for London’s Olympic Park will mean the 2012 games will be the greenest held in modern times, but critics fear they do not go far enough.

 

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), in charge of constructing all the venues, aims to deliver infrastructure and facilities for London 2012 in a sustainable manner by concentrating on energy- saving schemes, the use of alternative energy sources and recycling.

The authority aims to measure the games entire carbon footprint, including the emissions caused by the construction of the Olympic Park and those from the flights carrying competitors, media and fans alike.

Carbon emissions from the Olympic village and the venues left after the games will be cut by half through energy efficiency measures and a specially designed combined heat and power plant.

And a minimum of a fifth of the energy used will come from renewable sources, including a 120-metre high wind turbine north of the park.

All venues will also be designed to reduce water consumption by 40 per cent with grey water recycled from showers, sinks and baths used where possible.

Richard, an environment manager of the ODA said, “It is part of my job to ensure that we minimise the effects of our construction project on the environment, and on people living and working around the Olympic Park. This is extremely challenging as a result of the scale of the project and fixed deadline – everything must be built by mid-2011.”

One significant element of the Games that should not add to the footprint will be the Olympic flame, which organisers are determined to make carbon neutral.

Jane Johnson, an activist for Greenpeace London said, “Although the initiative shown by the ODA to go green is commendable, they need to reorganise their priorities to meet renewable energy resource targets, which have so far been disastrous.”

“Doing calculations is not enough, more action is what is needed. Publicity stunts like making the Olympic flame carbon neutral will have hardly any environmental impact,” she said.

Plans reveal that more than 50 miles of walking and cycling routes will be built to encourage people to travel to and around the Olympic site.

Eco-parenting: for non-toxic, healthy homes

This was an article I wrote for my magazine project. Hope it’s informative!!

Lifestyle choices influence how children grow up – their health, attitudes and behaviour. nurture offers advice on how to make simple, effective changes in your home, making it easier than ever to be an ‘earth parent’

Toys that don’t cost the Earth

Eco-friendly toys can be as creative, exciting and fun as the normal plastic kind that usually captivate children. From the very creation of these products, right up till packaging, every effort is made to reduce the impact on environmental resources.

Go to lulasapphire.com, edenproject.com or greatgreentoys.co.uk

Cleaning, eco-style

To get a home that is truly clean, why not use a combination of both, eco-friendly cleaners and age-old recipes. Washing soda removes stains and disinfects, while white vinegar or lemon juice cuts grease and would freshen-up your home.

Other  eco-friendly commercial brands like Ecover, BioKleen and seventh GENERATION would also do the trick. Go to ecover.com, freedompondmoonworks.com or eco-nest.co.uk

Eco-chic paint

There are a lot of paint products on the market, which claim to be “natural”, “organic” or “eco-friendly”, but it’s impossible to have a paint that is entirely eco-friendly and non-toxic.

However, you can minimise the risks and adverse effects of paint on your health and the environment. Go to naturaldeco.co.uk, earthbornpaints.co.uk or ecosorganicpaints.co.uk

Bathtime bliss
To help make your child’s bath time more eco-friendly, indulge in some organic products that are kinder to both, the environment and their health.

Whether it’s shower gel, bubble bath or shampoo you’re after, natural bath products smell great and are made using plant-based ingredients and natural organic oils.

Free from animal testing and petroleum oil bases, products even come in recyclable bottles! Visit Boots, Lush or Burt’s Bees

Bamboo for bedding

Ideal for bed linen, bamboo or a combination of bamboo and cotton make perfect bed linen. This new eco-fabric does not take decades to grow and can be cultivated without the use of pesticides or fertilisers and it feels soft on the skin. Go to betweenthesheets.co.uk, uk.shopping.com or bamboo.org.uk

Laundry powder, au naturel

 
The dangers of using conventional laundry products like detergents, fabric softeners and stain removers are plentiful. Protecting the environment and preventing your child from asthma, eczema and dermatitis can be as simple as switching to an eco-friendly laundry powder.

Go to spiritofnature.co.uk, nenviro.com or eco-essentials.co.uk

Just plain stupid, maybe?

Scores of passengers were left stranded at Stanstead airport, as environmental group Plane Stupid disprupted hundreds of flights with their tactics to combat climate change.

Many believe that Plane Stupid’s actions were  just that, plain stupid.

I was going through the Telegraph’s website and one of the comments caught my eye. This is what he had to say.

“I dont know much about global warning or have any views on it really, but what i do know is that if these activists are proud of themselves, then they are utterly selfish.

Innocent passenegers have had to pay out copious amounts for new tickets to get to their destinations.

Considering it’s coming up to christmas and the whole financial state at the moment these costs are so unnecassary!!

Writing as someone who has serious doubts about whether airport expansion is still necessary, I have been appalled by their tactics.

Given how many other people the demonstrators have alienated, perhaps Plane Stupid is apt after all.”

A different approach, perhaps?

I do agree, to some extent with the above comment.

The idea behind it was in goof faith, but I think the way in which the activists carried out their protests was flawed.

To combat climate change, you need supporters. But after reading and listenting to comments on this, there were not many who were amused with the group’s approach.   

Innocent passengers were the unknowing victims of this campaign.

The next worry however, is if this is going to happen at Heathrow as well.

In addition to this, BAA’s (British Airport Authority) security provisions are in serious question. 

Protestor’s set on driving their point home is one thing, but what about those with more sinister intentions?

What will the faith of millions be, if a major terrorist attack does occur?

Food for thought…

Elements of genetic engineering; Source: Wikipedia

I came across an extremely interesting programme on BBC2, called Horizon.

 

This week, it covered the pros and cons of cultivating Genetically Modified (GM) crops and was presented by scientist-turned-farmer, Jimmy Doherty.

 

GM to the rescue!

 

·         It is a powerful technology that could be used to create crops that produced higher yields, boosting food production.

·         It could create crops that are resistant to drought, preventing famines.

·         The main beneficiaries of GM: farmer’s and seed companies.

·         Scientists believe that a GM disease-resistant tree could protect Uganda’s vital banana crops, which are under attack from a rampant disease, saving people from dying of starvation.

·         GM soya beans have become Argentina’s biggest export, almost single-handedly rescuing the country from economic meltdown.

·         In Pennsylvania, farmers grow a variety of corn that produces its own insecticide.

 

 

 

 Too risky, perhaps?

 

·         Some believe GM to be a dangerously untested science that threatens environmental disaster.

·          Small-scale farmers have been facing a reduction in land size, as GM mega-farms work best when grown on a large scale.

·         Vast areas of natural forests are being cleared for the exact same reason mentioned above.

·         Genetically modified genes may spread into other non-GM crops, as a result of gene-flow. On a large scale, this would imply that no crop would be GM free.

·         The above would be bad news for conventional and organic farmers, who grow crops au natural. There wouldn’t be a choice for people who don’t want to eat GM food.

 

 

Although Doherty did portray a balanced account of events, the programme failed to offer any real answers.

 

What I did gather however, was that research into GM must continue as it could possibly benefit us in the future.

 

It still needs to undergo years and years of testing, before we can remotely begin to comprehend the world of GM.