There's something about a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior that got me thinking. Thinking big. Their research suggests that cooking skills developed as a young adult are likely to have long-term benefits for their future health, nutrition and wellbeing. But what if it isn't just their own health that learning how … Continue reading Could food education save the world?
The media is bursting with the sudden, violent hype around reducing our reliance on plastics and switching to 'eco-friendly' substitutes. But what exactly are we going to replace it with? And does that simply push our consumption issues elsewhere? More haste, less speed Companies are under huge pressure to reduce their plastic packaging and replace … Continue reading Plastics are bad. But what’s the alternative?
The 'take, make, dispose' way of doing things is coming to an end. With the reuse, remanufacture and recycle of products there exists the huge opportunity for continuous value creation, all stemming from rethinking our traditional economic system, generating what is now referred to as a 'circular economy'. Promoting resource efficiency According to edie's 'Jargon Buster', their … Continue reading What is a ‘circular economy’?
Nature. Not the first thing you are likely to see on the agenda of any normal executive meeting. Yet, since the release of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005, coalitions and organisations have been transforming the language of nature into something CEO's and Board Directors understand - Economics. This has allowed 'value' to be explained … Continue reading Putting Nature on the Boardroom Table
Two and a half years ago I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the very first steps toward the now 'Building with Nature' Standards, recently launched by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. These standards have been a long time coming and are a fantastic medium to support the creation of high-quality green infrastructure throughout the … Continue reading The Launch of ‘Building With Nature’
Like many of us, I want to lead a more ethical and sustainable lifestyle. But this aspiration is often out of reach with a perceptively high price tag hindered by a limited salary and the high cost of living. But, with much research and a nagging in my gut, I have finally taken key steps … Continue reading Sustainable fashion choices – hunting for ‘green’ labels
Public space is so important for the health and well-being of our communities, our wildlife and for the environmental sustainability of our cities. This TEDx Talk highlights fantastically what can be achieved to meet the needs of everyone, as well as economic prosperity. Adrian Benep, Senior Vice President and Director of City Park Development for … Continue reading The Power of Sustainable Design in Public Green Space
Whilst much focus lies on renewable energies, the long-term environmental impact of solar farms is still in relative infancy compared to wind turbines and hydropower. But with an appropriate land management plan, solar farms have incredible potential to support wildlife whilst contributing to national biodiversity targets - becoming undisturbed havens for wildlife across the UK. There … Continue reading Can ground mounted solar farms be wildlife havens?
There are many methods to improve biodiversity, retain and manage habitats and secure enough food and water for a growing global population. Farming is at the heart of all of this, albeit with often contradicting demands on the way we grow our produce. Here, I take a peek into the world of a highly favourable … Continue reading Can ‘Vertical Farming’ save the planet?
With the recent announcement from the UK government to deliver 14 new “garden villages” built outside existing settlements, it made me question how green are these villages actually going to be? It reminded me of an article I read in the CIEEM Bulletin, InPractice magazine from June 2016, discussing the case for high-density housing vs … Continue reading How Green is your Garden Village?
