Nottingham wants to be the first UK city to reach carbon neutrality and has set a target of 2028, 2 years ahead of most cities. Carbon emissions have been reduced by 58% since the 2005 baseline, and the City Council is determined for Nottingham to be one of the most sustainable cities in Europe. They …
Plastic is everywhere – there is no place you won’t find it. As I write this blog, I look out of a PVC-framed window and see the plastic fascia and guttering on the edge of my house. On my desk sits my podcast mic and phone, encased in plastic. I’m wearing an old jumper made …
In September 2020, the UK Government announced a commitment to 30% of land for nature by 2030. Sadly, the UK’s National Parks and Areas of Natural Beauty are severely depleted of wildlife through overgrazing, poor management or intensive agricultural practices. Half of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest where nature is supposedly protected are in …
Increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are raising global temperatures, resulting in complex impacts known as climate change. New goals and strategies are needed to mitigate and adapt to this changing climate. In my conversation with Dr Steve Smith on the podcast, he provided insight into net zero and carbon dioxide removal, important features within …
Climate change caused by the build-up of greenhouse gases (GHG) from burning fossil fuels and other human activities is a global catastrophe. These gases form a blanket in the atmosphere, resulting in warming temperatures and increased extreme weather events such as flooding, droughts and wildfires, impacting all life on Earth. Jeremy Williams (see our podcast conversation), …
When I spoke with Helena Clements on the podcast, one of the many fascinating points she raised was her dual identities. At work, she was Dr Helena Clements, a paediatrician helping sick children. Outside of work, she was Helen Tilley, wife, mother, and householder, with sustainability at the heart of home life. She held these identities …
How much do we really know about how our clothes are made, where they start their life and what they go through before arriving on the shelf ready for sale? Talking to Jess Strain on the podcast, it became clear how complex fashion supply chains are and how we consumers can only make informed choices …
With home ownership comes the responsibility of maintaining the fabric of the building to ensure it keeps its inhabitants warm and dry. Our renovation decisions are motivated by what we want to achieve and what is within our financial means. But how do we know the changes we make are climate-friendly too? Deciphering what is …
Peatlands are wetland landscapes formed from the accumulation of dead and decaying plants over thousands of years in the presence of waterlogged conditions. This organic matter is called peat. They occupy 3% of land globally and 12% within the UK. There are multiple types of peatlands, three of which are common in the UK: Why …
I wonder if we take our air for granted? When we go about our everyday lives, how often do we consider if the air we breathe is polluted? We are fortunate in the UK not to have visible polluted air that makes our eyes sting, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t experiencing poor air quality. …
