After the sudden rise in ivory poaching that started around 2008 there was a big increase in protection though this was often to slow. Half of the forest elephants of west Africa (thought to be as closely related to mammoths as African Savannah elephants), were taken in the last decade. ecosystems such as the Selous in Tanzania, one of the largest mostly undisturbed remaining Savannah habits, which lost up to 100,000 elephants. Continue reading “Extending the ban on ivory to other species”
UK government considering aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2050
In 2008 the UK committed, Â as part of a climate agreement, Â to cutting climate emissions by 90% compared to 1990 emissions by 2050.
Partly due to the decline in coal powered power stations, UK emissions averaged a defile of 6% the last 3 years and our emissions are now at 1890 levels – pretty impressive. Continue reading “UK government considering aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2050”
News in brief – McDonald’s to stop using plastic straws in UK, Biodegradable water bottles, and plants which won’t need pesticides
McDonald’s to stop using plastic straws – in UK
After a large campaign, McDonald’s has agreed to stop using plastic straws in the UK and instead use ones made of paper.
1.8 million straws are used every day in UK McDonald’s restaurants and as these can’t be properly broken down or reused the plastic hangs around in the environment for centuries or even millennia. While the plastics will get broken down into microplastics in time, and the tiny plastics won’t choke wildlife, Â they can build up in wildlife, and it had already been shown that fish for human consumption containing these microplastics is being eaten around the world including in the UK. Continue reading “News in brief – McDonald’s to stop using plastic straws in UK, Biodegradable water bottles, and plants which won’t need pesticides”
Monsanto and the problem with gene patents
The company Monsanto have created soybeans that can stand high doses of pesticides so that the crops can be protected from pests. However they have highly restrictive sales that prohibit farmers keeping some seed to replant for the next year. Continue reading “Monsanto and the problem with gene patents”
Local people driven off their land on the edge of protected reserves by their own government
In many countries around the world, on the creation of protected reserves, the local indigenous population were given reserves of their own (bordering the new national parks). The intention of this was to allow these people to continue living as they have for millennia.
In countries where many tourists go to see animals in the wild, these human reserves often have high amounts of game, but falling outside the reserve, the restrictions on what can be done in them is far looser. Continue reading “Local people driven off their land on the edge of protected reserves by their own government”
Bp buying a fast charging network
The oil company BP is buying Chargemaster, a fast charging network designed to recharge cars.
Chargemaster has 6500 charging points, but having bought it, it will make it very easy for BP to add electric car charging points at its petrol stations. Continue reading “Bp buying a fast charging network”
Attacks on electric cars
Despite a number of European countries setting a date to end the sale of combustion engine cars (I have written about the UK date for this), there are many people who do not believe that this fight is over.
The argument goes, electric cars use more resources to manufacture them. Coupled with the fact that most electricity is made by burning fossil fuels you are creating less carbon emissions to just drive a gas guzzler (the arguers suggest the most carbon intensive means of creating electricity). Continue reading “Attacks on electric cars”
News in brief – Canada nationalising Kinder Morgan pipeline and Waitrose singled out for failing to reduce waste
Canada nationalising kinder Morgan pipeline
Justin Trudeau has successfully made Canada look like an environmentally forward looking government, Â but if this pipe gets nationalised all that is likely to go out the window. Continue reading “News in brief – Canada nationalising Kinder Morgan pipeline and Waitrose singled out for failing to reduce waste”
China’s plan for a huge panda reserve
China is in the process of creating a huge panda reserve covering 10,476 square miles. Â This reserve is three times the size of Yellowstone National Park in the USA.
With all of the work saving the panda in China, it is surprising that the first reintroduction attempt was only 2006. Since then seven more have been reintroduced, Â but out of these eight only five survived. Continue reading “China’s plan for a huge panda reserve”
Bananas under attack
As with many other human crops, bananas are under attack. In the rainforest different species of tree are spread throughout the forest- this is because if there are several trees of the same species together, Â then the fungus or other pests that specialise in that tree do particularly well and kill off those trees. Continue reading “Bananas under attack”
