At one time landfill was a problem; increasingly large swathes of lands were needed, with all the ensuing problems of methane leakage and forever plastics. When landfill sites were full to capacity, rather than tackling the problem holistically (what can we do to reduce waste?) we sidestepped and introduced waste incinerators. These incinerators currently provide […]
Why cash is the new currency
Some time ago I watched a film on environmental issues in New Zealand, in which someone made an interesting comment. We are, they said, working simply to pay interest. Much of what we earn doesn’t go into wealth, but paying banking systems. There is a lot of truth in this; certainly my own outgoings include […]
How to take the scenic route with a holiday on the rails
If we are to be serious about tackling the climate crisis, we need to stop flying. By taking a long train trip, the journey becomes part of the holiday. I first went interrailing in 1989, when I was eighteen. At that time it was a young person’s game; interrail passes were only valid until the […]
Party time! Join the community celebration by volunteering to help
Ilive in the village of St Germans. We are lucky to have may highlights throughout the year. One is undoubtedly the St Germans May Tree Fair weekend. It’s a time when the community gets together to enjoy live music, tug-of-war, stalls and more. The weekend is full of fun; there’s a mock mayor election on […]
Take the bus! On the joys of slow travel
Do you ever feel the pace of your life is too fast? Much has been made of the importance of slowing down. This trend has inevitably been monetised, with a proliferation of wellness channels extolling the virtues of slow living, with books and merch to match. But are we heeding the advice? It’s quite hard […]
A new and dangerous precedent for the right to protest – continued…
In April I wrote about trial of Trudi Warner. Trudi, a 69 year old health worker had been arrested for holding a placard outside the courts saying “Jurors you have the absolute right to acquit according to your conscience.” A week earlier the GP Dr Sarah Benn was found guilty of professional misconduct. She was […]
Defending our right to protest and speak the truth
In 2011 we visited an journalist friend in Kyiv, who at the time was a reporter for Ukraine and Belarus. His stories of Belarus were fascinating. Ruled by the authoritarian dictator Alexander Lukashenko since 1994, Belarus has long been criticised for its record of human rights and the silencing of journalists and opposition political movements. […]
It’s action time! A campaign for cleaner seas for a healthy planet.
Last year I took part in a clean water ‘paddle out’ organised by Surfers Against Sewage. Joining others on boats and kayaks, we swam to the diving board off the Hoe, having persuaded a friendly kayaker to transport our banner. The message was one that we’ve heard a lot recently; pollution is damaging our oceans. […]
How to find joy and rainbows, when rain falls.
Sometimes I find myself craving good news, and this month more so than usual. It’s been a difficult start to the year; a dear friend’s child took his own life. It’s been a heartbreaking few weeks, and I’d like to make a plea to my readers; don’t suffer in silence. If you feel low, do […]
The importance of acting now for a healthy future
Afew weeks ago I went to a talk about climate change by the inspirational Hugh Montgomery. Hugh was a professor of intensive care medicine at University College London before he decided, for the sake of his children, to put all his energies into fighting climate change. Hugh’s talk was impressive in that the data he was […]