Environment News – Headlines
Some bite-sized pieces of news from the environment this week.
8 May, 2019
A good idea!
If you watch or read the weather forecast, you want to know what’s happening in your area. The Guardian newspaper in the UK is now publishing the daily CO2 count together with its weather. A reader suggested it, and the editors thought it was a great idea! Why not include information on climate change in weather forecasts, and keep it front-of-mind for everyone? I hope other media follow suit.
Your Brain Doesn’t Register Climate Change
Environmentalists and climate scientists have known for a long time that most people simply aren’t worried about or interested in climate change. And that’s a huge problem, because we have so little time to make big changes – now.
A new report says that “climate change” and “global warming” are phrases that simply don’t work. Most people like the idea of warm weather, so global warning isn’t at all scary. And the climate is always changing (though NEVER like this) so it’s easy to brush aside. And of course, the millions being spent on climate denialism are harming our future too.
The report says we need stronger terms, and they suggest “climate crisis”. So I’ll be starting to use that phrase from now on.
You Need To Listen To Birds!
Spending time connecting with the natural world is the perfect antidote to the pressures of modern life. Getting close to nature – and especially listening to birdsong – doesn’t just bring us physical benefits – it also helps improve our mental and emotional health, happiness and wellbeing.
And this isn’t just some warm, fuzzy feeling. Several studies have shown this to be true, and a new report from scientists at the University of Surrey shows the “restorative benefits of birdsong”.
Renewables Need Dirty Mining
It’s a sad fact that whatever we do in life, we have an impact on the planet. Even if you live a zero waste life (which is relatively difficult to do), you still have a carbon footprint (but a smaller one). We know we have to ditch fossil fuels. Renewables don’t cause pollution while they operate, which is great. Fossil fuels do. But renewables require copper and rare earth metals to manufacture, and these are often mined in remote, pristine places. Technology isn’t the total solution to climate change – we need to manage our resources better, like recycling those metals so we don’t keep needing more as renewables gain ground. And more R&D to investigate more earth-friendly ways of building solar panels and wind turbines.
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Warm regards,
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