View image in fullscreen‘How to greenwash’: propane industry tries to rebrand fuel as renewableLobbying group spent nearly $30m on ads touting…
Read moreView image in fullscreen‘How to greenwash’: propane industry tries to rebrand fuel as renewableLobbying group spent nearly $30m on ads touting…
Read moreView image in fullscreenDomestic wood burners having a deadly impact in outside areasDeaths due to wood-burning stoves are comparable to those of…
Read moreView image in fullscreen‘Biggest, baddest’ – but is it the cleanest? World’s largest cruise ship sets sailClaims that Icon of the Seas, the…
Read moreView image in fullscreenMinisters urged not to play culture wars over species reintroductions in EnglandExclusive: Head of government taskforce…
Read moreAfter being hunted to near extinction, wolves have returned to Europe. But when one killed Ursula von der Leyen’s family pony, it ignited a…
Read moreView image in fullscreenGlens, lochs and isles battle to be Scotland’s next national park Glen Affric in the Highlands has joined more than 10…
Read moreView image in fullscreenGreta Thunberg joins protest against expansion of Hampshire airportFarnborough airport submits plans to increase number of…
Read moreView image in fullscreenTo get to net zero, we may have to sell off the UK’s futurePhillip InmanThe cost of decarbonising is vast. Something like…
Read moreView image in fullscreenThe Observer view on Britain’s Big Garden Birdwatch: take pleasure in counting birds, but don’t ignore the threats they…
Read moreSunak’s anti-green stance exposes his reckless dishonesty. His fate is what matters, the planet can go hangPolly ToynbeeHe claimed to represent…
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When you imagine public transport of the future, it’s easy to picture flying trains and driverless buses, hurtling around Fifth Element-style. But the reality of our public transport system in 2030 will likely be somewhat different — with the biggest changes those we can’t see at all.
When you imagine public transport of the future, it’s easy to picture flying trains and driverless buses, hurtling around Fifth Element-style. But the reality of our public transport system in 2030 will likely be somewhat different — with the biggest changes those we can’t see at all.
Every year, more than 9,000 Londoners die prematurely from long-term exposure to air pollution. Many live in areas where air pollution exceeds safe legal levels — mayor Sadiq Khan has described it as “nothing less than a serious public health crisis”.
Every year, more than 9,000 Londoners die prematurely from long-term exposure to air pollution. Many live in areas where air pollution exceeds safe legal levels — mayor Sadiq Khan has described it as “nothing less than a serious public health crisis”.
The desire to move to an electric transport future is clear — but there are also barriers to achieving this transformation at consumer, business and policy levels.
For many of us considering buying an electric vehicle, the most obvious…
The desire to move to an electric transport future is clear — but there are also barriers to achieving this transformation at consumer, business and policy levels.
For many of us considering buying an electric vehicle, the most obvious…
Tips on how to reduce food waste could save households up to £60 a month.
Trafford council is set to be posting leaflets through residents’ doors in a bid to help people out of poverty. The partnership between the authority and its contractor Amey PLC, known as OneTrafford, are on a mission to reduce residents’ food bills.
The hope is, by reducing food waste, families could save up to £60 a month. The handy leaflets are set to arrive over the coming weeks and include ideas like…
When it comes to deliveries, we rarely spend time considering how crucial supplies arrive at their destination — until they don’t. “People don’t think about freight and logistics until something doesn’t arrive,” notes Natalie Chapman, head of urban policy at the Freight Transport Association.
Some of the UK’s coastal towns and villages may have to be relocated due to rising sea levels and erosion, the head of the Environment Agency will warn.Sir James Bevan will tell a flooding and coastal erosion conference that the “hardest of all inconvenient truths” is that “in the long term, climate change means that some of our communities – both in this country and around the world – cannot stay where they are”. “That is because while we can come back safely…
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When it comes to deliveries, we rarely spend time considering how crucial supplies arrive at their destination — until they don’t. “People don’t think about freight and logistics until something doesn’t arrive,” notes Natalie Chapman, head of urban policy at the Freight Transport Association.
Plans for a care home and 97 accessible flats are set to be decided this week. The huge site of the former Pelican Pub and Motel on Manchester Road in Altrincham could be transformed into a care home and new accessible flats, if Trafford council’ s planning committee approve it on June 9. The plans, from New Care (Altrincham) Ltd., are to demolish the site’s existing buildings and replace them. The site will be three storeys high, featuring 97 flats (made up of 80…
Read moreTrafford has been listed in the top ten areas nationally that contain the most outstanding schools. The borough is the only area outside London that made it into the top ten, with a third of its schools achieving the highest possible rating.The prestigious list is based on inspections carried out by education watchdog, Ofsted, for each area of the UK. Trafford sits eighth in the national list, compiled by Money.co.uk, with 35.87pc of the borough’s schools securing an…
Read moreThere are no plans to put prices up at public swimming pools - or turn the water temperature down - despite the rising costs involved in heating them.Greater Manchester's publicly owned pools and leisure centres are facing a huge increase in energy costs, but intend to continue with 'business as usual', although a spokesperson said the organisation's in charge 'can't rule out' changes in the future. This includes a £200,000 increase in energy costs to run leisure centres in…
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Vehicle ownership in Britain has changed dramatically in the past 50 years. By the start of the 1970s, half of all households owned one or more cars, but by 1981, 15 per cent owned two or more cars — and by 2016, a third of all households had at least two cars at home.
Vehicle ownership in Britain has changed dramatically in the past 50 years. By the start of the 1970s, half of all households owned one or more cars, but by 1981, 15 per cent owned two or more cars — and by 2016, a third of all households had at least two cars at home.
I’m the kind of person whose phone battery alert is always angrily flashing red. It drains lower and lower until I snatch a frayed charger lead from somewhere and give it a little boost. And then some kind of vital phone session — a work call, an urgent dip into Instagram— pulls it off charge and it’s hovering at 10 per cent once more.
With transport responsible for 22% of the world’s greenhouse gases every year, there has been a rise in new transportation schemes around the globe that aim to reduce carbon emissions.
Similar models to London’s Ultra Low Emission…
London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), the traffic charging scheme targeting disel and other worst polluting vehicles, is due to be significantly expanded next year as the capital steps up efforts to reduce harmful emissions and improve air quality for its inhabitants.
Huge investment into Altrincham town centre is taking another step forward with road layout changes, new seating areas and cycle ways planned.Work is starting from as early as this summer as Trafford council continues its investment in Altrincham town centre with a number of changes, including a reversal of Market Street’s one way system in an attempt to reduce traffic speed. Work is planned to start in early summer 2022 and is due to be completed in late 2023 and is…
Read moreThose struggling mentally, financially or physically from the effects of covid are set to benefit from almost £500,000 of funding. People living in Trafford who are affected can get help from eight support groups across the borough, which are being supported by grants from housing group Trafford Housing Trust. A total of £465,000 has been made available following the easing of covid restrictions and will primarily be used to support people dealing with the after effects of…
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Which area of London is the most anxious? Where do people report feeling the most depressed? By looking at data from Babylon’s Healthcheck — a digital tool that provides an assessment of your current and future state of health, based on answers to clinically designed questions — we can see that those living north of the river are more likely to be stressed and anxious; while women and…
Britain has now entered into the ‘delay stage’ of the coronavirus prevention strategy, and that might mean more of us will be encouraged to work from home.
Over four million people in the country already work in this way, according to…
It’s 2016 and I’m standing outside Estée Lauder’s dazzling New York headquarters. To my left, protesters demonstrate in front of Trump Tower. To my right, pure midtown, Big Apple buzz. But nothing can distract me from the task ahead: I’ve been given the opportunity to pitch my business idea to a room of stakeholders from the world’s most recognisable and prestigious…
Ninety-eight per cent of MPs believe compostable packaging alternatives can partially solve the UK’s problems with plastic pollution, according to new research.
A poll of 100 of the 650 MPs was conducted by market research agency…
The battle against plastic pollution may be boosted from an unlikely source – hungry caterpillars.
In a recent study, larva of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella were found capable of consuming and metabolising polyethylene –
It was ironically around the publication of her book Eat Happy that Melissa Hemsley faced one of her lowest moments. “I remember it was January 2018 and it was Mental Health Awareness Week so I posted a picture of me and just wrote honestly about how I was feeling,” she says.
UK electric vehicle company Arrival has acquired £85m investment from Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation, it was announced today.
Lifting the business to £3bn in value, the deal makes Arrival one of the UK's largest…
You may know him as the bassist of boyband McFly or the winner of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here 2011. But Dougie Poynter has recently added another achievement to his CV: author of kids’ anti-plastic manual, Plastic Sucks!
More than 1,000 businesses are started every day in the UK. But according to Government research, women are half as likely as men to start their own company, creating a “significant pool” of under-utilised talent.
These four…
Areas of Manchester city centre still recorded ‘dangerously high’ levels of pollution weeks into lockdown, experts have found. In some areas of Manchester nitrogen oxide readings dropped by more than 40 per cent in the three weeks after the coronavirus lockdown began. But several sites, such as the Mancunian Way, continued to have high levels of the pollutant. Scientists at Manchester Metropolitan University say this could be because transport doesn’t…
Read moreA huge forest stretching from Liverpool to Hull is coming to the North and planting has begun in Greater Manchester. The Great Northern Forest scheme has kickstarted, with plans for more than 50 million trees to be planted in a 120 mile corridor across the north of England within a 25 year window. The forest will connect Liverpool, Manchester and Lancaster to the West with Sheffield, Leeds and Hull to the East. By October 2019, 600,000 trees had already been planted as part…
Read moreCyclists have praised new pop-up cycle lanes installed along the A56 – with one saying it is the “first time they have felt safe in 40 years of commuting”. Trafford Council announced its plans to close one lane of the A56, the main road from the borough into central Manchester, to make space for cyclists and pedestrians earlier this month. Now the scheme is well and truly under way, with more routes being added and new speed restrictions in place.
Read moreA special school’s controversial plan for a £45m revamp has been given the green light by the government following a public inquiry. The decision to allow the Seashell Trust to go ahead with the radical overhaul - part-funded by 325 green belt homes - overturns Stockport council’s 2018 refusal of the application. Planning Inspector Michael Boniface heard evidence from the trust, the council and local campaigners the Heald Green Action Group during a six week…
Read moreThe government has declined to reassure town halls that they will be fully paid back for financial losses during the covid-19 crisis - shortfalls local leaders warn would result in ‘catastrophic’ further cuts to frontline services. Read More
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At the start of the pandemic, local authorities were assured by ministers that they would be reimbursed for the extra financial burden of the pandemic, currently predicted to reach more than £500m across…
People are now banned from parking near a popular walking spot after too many were flocking from miles around. The move comes as Trafford Council attempts to ensure people restrict their movements as part of the UK-wide lockdown during the coronavirus outbreak. Sale Water Park, an area of countryside, parkland and a lake, normally attracts hundreds of people every day but council bosses want to restrict visitors to nearby residents who can walk there to exercise. Now, after…
Read moreTrafford Council has temporarily brought back its green waste bin collections on a limited basis. The authority said coronavirus is continuing to impact collections and its ability to provide a full waste and recycling service. However, the new limited service will start next week and will run for two weeks, finishing on Friday April 17. The council explained this is only possible by diverting resources from other services, but will allow for a one off final collection to…
Read moreA bin lorry crew was attacked and pelted with a brick during a round in Trafford. The workers were collecting bins in Partington when a group of youths attacked them, throwing objects at the crew and a brick into the back of their lorry. The incident took place at the junction of Derbyshire Road and Tulip Road on Wednesday. The damaged lorry had to be taken out of service to be repaired. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident which Trafford Council confirmed was reported…
Read moreSt Ann’s Hospice plans to build a £20m new facility on land next to its site in Heald Green. Once built, the current hospice would be demolished to make way for 40 new homes - with the new residential development part-funding the project, The hospice celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, having been built in 1971 as an extension to the Victorian era St Ann’s Hospital, which became part of Cheadle Royal in 1887. Paul Jarvis, director of business…
Read morePeople are being asked to report any takeaways not complying with the new restrictions during the COVID-19 outbreak. Restaurants and cafes offering takeaway food have been instructed by Trafford Council to carefully follow Government advice to keep their customers safe. Guidelines have been issued to ensure social distancing rules are being followed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, especially when customers pick up their food from premises. These guidelines include: No…
Read moreBin collections are being disrupted in parts of Greater Manchester as the coronavirus crisis piles pressure on local authorities. Residents have been asked to stop putting out certain types of waste for the foreseeable future, while also taking steps to stop the virus spreading to council workers. All househould waste recycling centres in Greater Manchester - except Wigan - are also closed until further notice. With staff numbers dwindling, councils are facing difficult…
Read moreTrafford Council has suspended green bin collections and closed its playgrounds over the COVID-19 outbreak - and is reviewing whether or not it will need to close parks too. As thousands thronged to beauty spots, parks and national reserves over the weekend, Trafford Council is pleading with its residents to adhere to social distancing rules as the spread of coronavirus accelerates. The authority is now reviewing how some services run in the borough in order to keep both its…
Read moreAn adorable video featuring children from a Trafford school thanks mums everywhere this Mother’s Day. Children from St Hilda’s C of E Primary School in Firswood, Stretford, made cards for their mums and learnt a poem off by heart to recite for the video. Their headteacher, Carla McCoy, praised the ‘lovely’ video for Tiny Happy People, a venture which is designed to tackle the pre-school language and communication gap in Greater Manchester.
Read morePublic spaces across Bury are set to shut in a bid to reduce the transmission of coronavirus. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told pubs, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres to shut after tonight to reduce social contact. Following the announcement, council bosses confirmed they would be temporarily shutting Castle Leisure Centre in Bury, as well as leisure centres in Ramsbottom and Radcliffe. The borough’s three civic halls will also be closed: Ramsbottom Civic,
Read moreFormal complaints against Trafford council over its maligned bin collection services have been upheld by a watchdog. The town hall now has to change the way it investigates missed bin collections after the Local Government Ombudsman received a large 'volume of complaints' over the authority's handling of its waste management service. Bin collections in Trafford, which the council contracted out to Amey PLC to provide as part of the OneTrafford partnership, have been a…
Read moreA man who told homeowners he would remove their rubbish before dumping it in the street has been fined £3,500. Sandor Petrovics pleaded guilty to two counts of flytipping at Manchester Magistrates Court on Tuesday after a long investigation by Bury Council and the police. The 54-year-old, from Wainsford Walk, Oldham, was found to have ditched two piles of rubbish on the same day after posting on websites as Kevin Roy Gardening Service and telling people he could…
Read moreAn animal lover has been left ‘heartbroken’ after Stockport council workers sent her dead cat for cremation without her knowledge. The authority says it scanned ‘Snaps’ - Gemma Robertshaw’s beloved 18-year-old Persian moggy - but was unable to detect an electronic chip, leaving it no choice but to dispose of the body. But Gemma says the pet was wearing a collar tag with her contact details, which she claims would have been found by anyone…
Read moreManchester council has issued a call to ‘collective action’ on the climate crisis after unveiling ambitious proposals to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. Having pledged to be carbon-neutral within 18 years, the town hall wants to reduce its output by making changes to its buildings, energy consumption and transport fleet. Nearly 35,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide has been cut in the last decade, though the council still produces around 30,000 tonnes.
Read moreTown hall leader Elise Wilson hailed Stockport council ’s ‘people’s budget’ as Labour's financial plan for the coming year was passed by a majority vote. It includes a 3.99pc hike to council tax as well as a £4.2m package of cuts to crisis funding, museums, libraries and transport for special needs children. Council tax payers will also stump up an average of £24 for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s general and policing precepts,
Read moreCouncil tax is set to rise by nearly five per cent as local authorities face a funding gap of £40m. Local Democracy Reporter JOSEPH TIMAN reveals which services and new projects the council will fund in future years. Bury Council was expected to set its budget for the next financial year at the town hall last night. After cumulative cuts of £102m since 2010, the council, which now works together with the health commissioner, still faces a multi-million-pound…
Read moreA council said it will step in if it has to if flooding in the borough gets worse. Trafford Council is prepared to take action if the flooding situation in the borough forces people from their homes. Currently, floodwaters have not put anyone at risk of having to abandon their properties, but Trafford Council has reassured people it is ready to step in if it has to. Over the weekend, high river levels led to the Environment Agency setting up a 24 hour control room near the…
Read moreGreater Manchester leaders have renewed calls for the government to urgently provide funding towards their Clean Air Plan ahead of a parliamentary debate on new environmental legislation. A ‘scandalous’ impasse has delayed the introduction of a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) , which would charge drivers of the most polluting vehicles using the region’s roads from 2021. The Clean Air Plan would also provide money to allow businesses to upgrade their vehicles, as well…
Read moreSalford residents have banded together to repair the damage done to their community centre by reckless vandals. Last month the Boothstown Community Centre in Worsley was found with destroyed hanging baskets, smashed bedding plant boxes and planters had been ripped off the walls of the cherished community centre. The vandals also caused more than £1,000 worth of damage to the plant watering system of the building. The community centre is a well loved and well used…
Read moreA secure children’s home in Salford has received an ‘outstanding’ grade by inspectors Ofsted, who said it offered children ‘life-changing opportunities’. Inspectors who visited the home in January found children that feel safe, trust the adults who support them and go on to exceed expectations. One child told inspectors about staff: “‘They have brought me up.’” Ofsted does not publish the names or addresses of…
Read moreBury Council has been accused of not acting on its pledges seven months after declaring a climate emergency. The local authority voted through an “aspiration” to become carbon neutral by 2030 in July. It also committed to creating a cross-party stakeholder panel to develop a strategic plan and report back to the council within six months. But speaking at a town hall meeting, Bury Climate Action campaigner Susan Sollazzi asked councillors why a plan has still not…
Read moreAreas of the UK are in “uncharted territory” after record levels of flooding - with more heavy rain forecast for later in the week. Eight severe flood warnings, indicating a danger to life, were in place on Tuesday morning (February 18) across England and Wales in the wake of Storm Dennis. Shrewsbury town centre in Shropshire is cut off by road due to flooding after the River Severn reached its highest level there in 20 years. Communities across the country are…
Read moreSalford was placed at risk of flooding by the Environment Agency last weekend but the city's brand new £10m flood defences managed to stay strong. Storm Ciara battered Greater Manchester last weekend with heavy gusts, rain and many homes up and down the region flooded and damaged. Unlike neighbouring Bury, which saw residents evacuated from their homes as the River Irwell bursts its banks and parks destroyed as Storm Ciara swept through, Salford fared much better.
Read morePlans for a new 729-space car park near Manchester Airport have been approved - despite pleas from climate activists to reject it after the town hall declared a climate emergency. Manchester City Council gave the green light to the temporary car park, just off Enterprise Way, in yesterday’s planning meeting. The e-commerce company the Hut Group behind the application said the car park was necessary for its employees near the airport while construction work was…
Read moreBury Council has been accused of not acting on its pledges seven months after declaring a climate emergency. The local authority voted through an “aspiration” to become carbon neutral by 2030 in July. It also committed to creating a cross-party stakeholder panel to develop a strategic plan and report back to the council within six months. But speaking at a town hall meeting, Bury Climate Action campaigner Susan Sollazzi asked councillors why a plan has still…
Read moreBig changes could be on the way for two Trafford villages, and the deadline for people having their say on the plans has been extended. Draft plans for Sale Moor and Hale Village have been put forward by Trafford Council and a public consultation was due to finish on February 11, but this has now been extended by four weeks until March 10. Images show the plans in detail and some of the proposals include road changes, speed limit reductions and changes to shop front…
Read moreMost people love the idea of having a conservatory, but making it a year-round investment can be tricky. During the summer months it feels fantastic having that extra space to soak up the sunshine and relax with the family. But when winter comes rolling around it can be a completely different story. With cold air seeping in the room can either go unused for half of the year, or you see your heating bills sky rocket. In fact, according to the Energy Saving Trust you…
Read moreResurfacing the ring road around Bury town centre would cost the local authority around £4m, the councillor responsible for the borough’s highways has said. Cllr Alan Quinn, cabinet member for environment, warned that the council will soon be left with no choice but to close parts of the A58, Peel Way, Derby Way and Jubilee Way for repair work. He said: “We need to look at spending money on the ring road because that’s getting hammered. If we get to…
Read moreA council has extended its deadline for a "repeatedly failing" bin company, despite months of complaints from residents and the service remaining an "extreme concern". Trafford Council gave their waste contractor firm, Amey, until Friday January 31 to dramatically improve services for residents, but say "the service is not yet meeting standards residents expect". Problems with Amey's bin collections, alongside its street and park cleansing services, have persisted for…
Read more“Whilst its again important to stress that limited, controlled flaring is an authorised and important safety feature of industrial sites, we’ve heard clearly from over 380 reports to SEPA of the impact this further flaring event is having on local communities.
“Having referred ExxonMobil Chemical Limited to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) for consideration of prosecution related to Easter 2019 flaring, we remain frustrated by the frequency of flaring…
06 April 2020
Warning that “if you deliberately do the wrong thing, you’ll get the uncompromising regulator your behaviour deserves.”
SEPA confirms next steps in its response to the “biggest public health emergency in living memory.”
SEPA will play its role in helping Scotland get through this public health emergency.
SEPA will partner with other regulators,
18 February 2020
Salmon have been spotted swimming upstream in an Inverclyde river for the first time in over 100 years following the successful adaptation of a redundant industrial weir.
Work has been carried out at Gotter Water Weir, in Quarrier’s Village, by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to lower the existing height of the weir and increase the downstream…
19 February 2020
Scottish business environmental compliance was over 90% for the fourth year in a row in the latest figures published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). 90.5% of Scottish regulated business sites were assessed as compliant (Excellent’, ‘Good’ or ‘Broadly Compliant’) in 2018. 76.2% of Scottish regulated sites (almost 4,000 sites) rated…
14 February 2020
‘Unplanned flaring’ during ExxonMobil Chemical Limited’s Mossmorran restart is a reminder of why short and medium term solution are critical to addressing ‘unacceptable flaring’ said the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) today (Friday 14 February 2020).
While elevated flaring is a possibility during restart it was not…
03 October 2019
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has today (3 October, 2019) launched a public consultation to inform the next steps in regulation of the finfish aquaculture sector.
The technical consultation follows one of the agency’s largest consultation programmes in late 2018, the publication of its Finfish Aquaculture Sector Plan and the introduction…
07 November 2019
Time is running out to vote in Scotland’s best-known green awards scheme. Since their inception in 1999, the VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards have recognised more than 150 businesses that have taken significant steps to improve or reduce their impact on the environment, often saving money in the process.
To celebrate the competition’s 20th…
18 December 2019
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency today (Wednesday 18 December 2019) confirmed that Scottish farmers and landowners who hold a water abstraction licence would have until 31 January 2020 to submit annual returns.
The returns, a mandatory requirement for licence holders, ensure that their abstraction of water doesn’t impact on the ecology of…
18 December 2019
Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, today announced the appointment of Craig Hume, Julie Hutchison, Dr Harpreet Kohli and Philip Matthews as Members of the Board of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
Appointments
Craig Hume heads up Utopia, a computer manufacturer in Ayrshire who…
19 December 2019
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) today (19 December 2019) updated stakeholders on the progress of its regulatory investigation into “unacceptable” flaring by ExxonMobil Chemical Limited during Easter 2019.
The agency also outlined the steps it continues to take to tackle the unacceptable impacts of flaring from the operation of the…
24 January 2020
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) today (Friday 24 January 2020), confirmed the continuation of its ‘twin-track’ approach to the responsible restart of ExxonMobil Chemical Ltd’s Mossmorran facility in Fife.
With the agency having regular contact with the operator regarding its planned restart, SEPA confirmed it stands ready with a…
The world wide web has revolutionised how we communicate, find and use information and data. In celebration of the launch of the world wide web twenty-seven years ago on 23rd August, this is the second of a two part blog that is shining a light on the web team that brought Scotland’s environment web to life.
Scotland’s environment web August 23, 2018
None of what you see today on Scotland’s environment web would have been possible…
In this blog, we’re shining a light on, and celebrating, some of Scotland’s most dedicated volunteer rainfall observers, who have been actively recording rainfall data, every day for decades – some dating as far back as the 1960’s. This is extremely valuable data to record in all weathers – even during the dry spell that we’ve had recently.
Scotland's environment web September 12, 2018
Celebrating dedication and…
A second data practitioners’ event was organised by the Waste Data Strategy Delivery Board and held in Perth on the 30th January 2019.
Fiona Weatherly, SEPA's Dataflows Unit February 20, 2019
The aim of this event was for attendees to:
Hear about progress made on the strategy’s action plan and how waste data is being used by others
Learn more about the electronic waste tracking project
Feed in ideas to the reporting outputs of the waste…
Butterfly Conservation Scotland’s ‘Bog Squad’ team is a volunteer task force, created to carry out rehabilitation works on damaged peatlands across Scotland with funding from Scottish Natural Heritage’s led-Peatland ACTION project. David Hill, Peatland Restoration Project Officer tells us more.
David Hill, Peatland Restoration Project officer March 15, 2019
Bog Squad volunteers at Langlands Moss (© Sara Green/Butterfly…
Waste shipments enable resources to be transported for use in industries across the world, creating a valuable commodity from discarded materials. In a modern world where natural resources are increasingly scarce, waste shipments offer an alternative to the over-use of our planet’s resources.
Laura Gillan, SEPA Graduate Trainee April 04, 2019
Scotland lacks the capacity to reprocess the amount of waste that it generates and as such we currently…
This week is national Invasive Species Week, 13-17 May, which aims to raise awareness across Great Britain about invasive species and their impacts. Vicky Hilton from the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative explains more in this latest blog.
Vicky Hilton , Scottish Invasive Species Initiative May 13, 2019
Being a project all about invasive species, here at the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative, we’re quite excited about having a whole week of lots…
To improve sharing and reuse of spatial data from the Scottish Government’s funded research on natural assets (that is not available anywhere else), partners created a web app (Natural Asset Register- Data Portal, NAR-DP) and established a steering group to aid continuous improvement of the NAR-DP, gradually adding datasets related to Scotland’s soils, land, biodiversity, water and cultural heritage. Kit Macleod and David Donnelly from The James Hutton Institute, tell us more.
Read moreA debate this month about the cost of six new bungalows at a council meeting in Swansea was part of a larger story about what it takes to re-engineer our homes, transport, industry and agriculture to slash greenhouse gas emissions. It emerged that the properties built by the council in West Cross had low-carbon technology costing £51,000 each, taking the total construction cost to £283,000 per bungalow.The council wants to build 1,000 energy-efficient rental homes over…
Read moreA 22-year-old woman ended up needing multiple blood transfusions and dialysis when she went swimming off the Welsh coast hours after a “suspected sewage spill” on a bank holiday weekend. Caitlin Edwards developed E. coli which led to haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a rare condition damaging her kidneys, after swimming at Amroth in Pembrokeshire last summer.Her mum Jayne Etherington said the five-month ordeal was "absolutely horrendous" as she looked on helplessly…
Read moreA 22-year-old woman ended up needing multiple blood transfusions and dialysis when she went swimming off the Welsh coast hours after a “suspected sewage spill” on a bank holiday weekend. Caitlin Edwards developed E. coli which led to haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a rare condition damaging her kidneys, after swimming at Amroth in Pembrokeshire last summer.Her mum Jayne Etherington said the five-month ordeal was "absolutely horrendous" as she looked on helplessly…
Read moreOn September 17 new legislation will come into force that will reduce the speed limit on most of Wales’ 30mph limit roads down to 20mph. This Welsh Government plan has been met with scepticism, confusion and (often fabricated) fury by their political opponents. As a journalist, nothing would make my life easier than if the 20mph policy was a dumb one. However, after a lot of research and weighing up the evidence I am forced to conclude that the policy isn’t just good,
Read moreThis period of enforced change to our daily lives has undoubtedly been a time of discovery for all of us – some positive, some less so. We have rediscovered the wealth of compassion engrained within our communities, seen the speed at which financial support systems can be established to help those most in need, and seen afresh what is really important in our lives – and what is not. For me, it’s been an opportunity to reconnect with the landscape around…
Read moreThis period of enforced change to our daily lives has undoubtedly been a time of discovery for all of us – some positive, some less so. We have rediscovered the wealth of compassion engrained within our communities, seen the speed at which financial support systems can be established to help those most in need, and seen afresh what is really important in our lives – and what is not. For me, it’s been an opportunity to reconnect with the landscape around…
Read moreSome people heading to Wale’s newly reopened McDonald’s drive-thrus have simply dumped their litter in car parks and beauty spots. The fast-food giant reopened 16 outlets in south Wales this week for people driving to collect meals - but there were almost immediate reports of the company’s packaging being tossed out of car windows, left at picnic spots and even blowing on beaches. People in Wales have said they can tell McDonalds has opened in their area…
Read moreSome people heading to Wale’s newly reopened McDonald’s drive-thrus have simply dumped their litter in car parks and beauty spots. The fast-food giant reopened 16 outlets in south Wales this week for people driving to collect meals - but there were almost immediate reports of the company’s packaging being tossed out of car windows, left at picnic spots and even blowing on beaches. People in Wales have said they can tell McDonalds has opened in their area…
Read moreCoronavirus has managed to disrupt most businesses up and down the country. From government advice to stay away from pubs and restaurants, to bigger companies having to send staff home, the pandemic is proving to be a tough time to be in business. But that hasn’t stopped one new company from ploughing on with launching its new venture. On Saturday, March 14, a brand new “zero-waste” shop opened its doors for the first time and the owner is determined not to…
Read moreWalking along the sea wall on the Wentlooge Marsh, on the green, fertile strip of land nestled between the bustle of Cardiff and Newport, everything is idyllic. Or so it seems. Warning: this article contains an image of a dead animal which some readers might find distressing. In a nearby local café, a handful of residents have come together for the first time to discuss the ongoing issue blighting the levels and their communities - fly-tipping. The Gwent Levels are…
Read moreIt’s a pleasant, sunny day in Pontypridd, temperate for this time of year. The sunshine glints above the hills that surround the town and the vista is that of a picture postcard. The weather system has finally brought a much needed inner calm to the valleys, a week after Storm Dennis wrought devastation in the town, a month’s worth of rain falling in a 24-hour deluge causing rivers to swell and burst their banks across the region. Besides the Taff in Sion Street,
Read moreThe Prince of Wales has heard of the devastation caused by flooding to businesses and homes in south Wales. Charles met with residents and business owners in the Valleys town of Pontypridd, where 80 shops have been flooded in the centre alone. It is estimated that 1,100 properties - both residential and commercial - have been affected in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area. The heir to the throne first spoke to Emma Jamal, 40, the owner of KooKoo Madame, a boutique shop that…
Read moreA recycling company that illegally dumped 10,000 tonnes of waste blocked a watercourse and caused nearby homes to flood. The incident, which required a £380,000 clean-up operation, threatened to contaminate the River Ely and damage water supply to 32,000 properties, with machinery getting stuck in the mud as Wenvoe Recycling tried to fix the problem. Christopher Rees, for company director Anthony Gaughan, accepted: “He was clearly ill-suited to be running a…
Read moreToxic algae has been a problem on Lough Neagh since June - yet the department tasked with protecting our environment didn’t hold their first operational taskforce meeting on the issue until August 18.If that doesn’t highlight the complacency of our supposed environmental guardians, I don’t know what does. I think it’s well past time the Audit Office looked into how the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs is managing its obligations when it comes…
Read moreEnvironmentalists have held a wake to mark the “death” of the UK and Ireland’s largest freshwater lake as they accused polluters of causing a huge bloom of toxic blue-green algae.Activists dressed in black and carried a makeshift coffin to the shore of Lough Neagh on Sunday afternoon. A wreath with the name of the lough was placed atop the black coffin during an event on Ballyronan beach, Co Derry, organised to highlight the scale of the ecological damage. The…
Read moreA law firm is exploring group and individual actions around the crisis unfolding on Lough Neagh.PA Duffy & Co, whose founder Paddy Duffy also helped form Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Cooperative in 1965, has an historic interest in the lake. Mr Duffy, a solicitor and politician, was involved in the campaign to secure sole ownership of the eel fishery from the government in 1971 and later spoke of his concerns about management of the lough. Read more: Lough Neagh fisher…
Read moreThe Department for Infrastructure’s 17-year failure to test emissions from diesel car exhausts is due before the High Court for a landmark hearing on Thursday.Lawyers, environmental justice groups and the NI children’s rights watchdog have come together to try and force the Department to carry out the full statutory tests. DfI told us in May last year: “The reintroduction of a full emissions test for cars and light goods vehicles under 3,500kgs, will require a…
Read moreA travel lover who has visited more than 40 countries uses “clever hacks” to reduce her carbon footprint, from packing less than 10kg to taking plastic food containers so she can have “leftovers for brekkie” and asking hotels ahead of her stay to remove any free toiletries.Caitlin Weich, 31, from Dublin, tries to avoid flights at all costs and has travelled more than 1,800 miles from Greece to the UK using only buses, trains and ferries – while her partner, Adam…
Read moreIf oil and gas companies didn’t drill and frack - we wouldn’t be facing climate breakdown.If agriculture hadn’t razed nature to grow grass and soy to feed animals the world’s burger giants are only to keen to sell you in largely throwaway packaging - we wouldn’t be facing a biodiversity crisis. If foresters and developers hadn’t cut millions of hectares of old forests down to make way for pines and industry - the out of control wildfires burning across countries…
Read moreIf oil and gas companies didn’t drill and frack - we wouldn’t be facing climate breakdown.If agriculture hadn’t razed nature to grow grass and soy to feed animals the world’s burger giants are only to keen to sell you in largely throwaway packaging - we wouldn’t be facing a biodiversity crisis. If foresters and developers hadn’t cut millions of hectares of old forests down to make way for pines and industry - the out of control wildfires burning across countries…
Read moreCampaigners say they're ‘very disappointed’ by the outcome of their judicial review against a marine licence for seven gas caverns under Larne Lough.Former Environment Minister, Edwin Poots, gave Islandmagee Energy the greenlight to salt mine the 1,350m deep caverns and discharge up to 24,000 cubic metres of the resulting brine into the sea every day in November, 2021. Civil servants recommended he approve the application but he was also given the option to refer it to…
Read moreCampaigners say they're ‘very disappointed’ by the outcome of their judicial review against a marine licence for seven gas caverns under Larne Lough.Former Environment Minister, Edwin Poots, gave Islandmagee Energy the greenlight to salt mine the 1,350m deep caverns and discharge up to 24,000 cubic metres of the resulting brine into the sea every day in November, 2021. Civil servants recommended he approve the application but he was also given the option to refer it to…
Read moreThe manager of Lagan Valley Regional Park has said a Stormont cut to funding this year risks “the collapse” of Northern Ireland’s most visited outdoor attraction. Dr Andy Bridge was reacting to a withdrawal of the total Department of Infrastructure funding grant for this financial year, amounting to £42,000. He said: “The Lagan Valley Regional Park has worked constructively with funding from the Department for Infrastructure for more than 20 years, sharing goals…
Read moreThe manager of Lagan Valley Regional Park has said a Stormont cut to funding this year risks “the collapse” of Northern Ireland’s most visited outdoor attraction. Dr Andy Bridge was reacting to a withdrawal of the total Department of Infrastructure funding grant for this financial year, amounting to £42,000. He said: “The Lagan Valley Regional Park has worked constructively with funding from the Department for Infrastructure for more than 20 years, sharing goals…
Read moreThe National Trust has temporarily restricted access to paths to Ballymacormick Point inCo Down after a dead whale washed up on the shoreline.The area is between Ballyholme beach and Groomsport near Bangor. The Trust says it has temporarily restricted access to the area as the whale carcass "poses a health and safety risk". Read more: Co Down coastguard save two dolphins stranded on beach In a post on its Strangford Lough & Ards Peninsula Facebook page, the National…
Read moreThe National Trust has temporarily restricted access to paths to Ballymacormick Point inCo Down after a dead whale washed up on the shoreline.The area is between Ballyholme beach and Groomsport near Bangor. The Trust says it has temporarily restricted access to the area as the whale carcass "poses a health and safety risk". Read more: Co Down coastguard save two dolphins stranded on beach In a post on its Strangford Lough & Ards Peninsula Facebook page, the National…
Read moreA Belfast councillor has described Stormont cycling infrastructure policy as “a bit of a joke”. At a recent Belfast City Council committee meeting at City Hall, councillors from the Alliance Party and the Green Party criticised the Stormont Department for Infrastructure during an item about Stormont responses to council correspondence. Alliance Councillor Mickey Murray said at the City Growth and Regeneration Committee: “There is quite a lot going to DfI but not a…
Read moreStormont has been urged to encourage a 20% reduction in meat and diary consumption in Northern Ireland by Westminster’s Climate Change Committee.It was among a list of recommendations included in the CCC’s 2022 report to Parliament on our progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The independent statutory body was established in 2008 to advise the UK and its devolved governments how to meet legally binding climate targets. Read more:Planners should be looking…
Read moreSinn Féin have criticised Belfast City Council for the amount of people employed to clean the city centre. Sinn Féin Councillor Ciaran Beattie said during the full council meeting at City Hall this week that six cleansing employees for the city centre area was “not enough”. Councillor Beattie tabled the council motion to create the new Belfast Cleansing Task Force in May, which received cross party support. Belfast has seen months of bad headlines concerning…
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Belfast City Council has outlined a plan to deliver a host of new covered cycle stands, cycle repair kits and secured cycle parking provision throughout the city.
The service is part of the council’s "Active Travel Enablers" projects supported by Green and Blue Infrastructure Fund coming from Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure.
At the council’s recent City Growth and Regeneration Committee elected representatives approved ten new covered cycle stands,
A sea-slug that’s native to much warmer waters has been found off the Ulster coast in a possible first of its kind sighting.Natural sciences and biology student, Libby Keatley, made the ‘unusual’ discovery while diving at the weekend. The Diaphorodoris alba - which is yellow rimmed nudibranch - was pictured off the coast of Rathlin O’Birne island, Donegal on Sunday. Read more: Watch: Behind the scenes with Rathlin Islanders helping endangered puffins And its…
Read moreBelfast councillors have been told people think the city is “dirty and unclean”. Elected representatives at City Hall this week warned of a residential “crisis in confidence” in the state of the council’s cleansing efforts amid a growing storm concerning littering, fly tipping, missed collections and graffiti. All parties came together at Tuesday’s People and Communities Committee to back a 'Cleansing Task Force', consisting of members from each party, senior…
Read moreMaritime engineers have launched a “world first” commercially viable workboat that “flies” above the water using electric-powered hydrofoils.The eco-friendly vessels deploy the same foiling technology used by America’s Cup racing yachts, with hydrofoil wings attached to the hull with vertical struts. Much like a plane taking off on a runway, the underwater wings drive the workboat up and out of the water as it picks up speed. Read more: Details of four-day festival…
Read moreLet me tell you a story about a wee girl who just wanted to take the train.Trains you see are the most environmentally friendly way to get people from A to B. They hold lots and lots of folks (even dogs) and can be electrified so they don’t use the fossil fuels slowly poisoning us and the planet. And have you seen the modern price of filling your tank?! Read more: World Oceans Day: How the scenes beneath NI waters are changing That’s why we need trains that go fast…
Read moreThe grass is greener when you work with nature says a Co Down farmer who halved his costs and grew profits with sustainable methods. Patrick Flynn turned his back on ‘modern farming’ techniques that push monoculture around five years ago. In that time the effect regenerative agriculture practices are having on his fields has become clear for all to see. Now he has joined forces with sustainable start-up, Farming Carbon, to document and continue researching how the…
Read moreNorthern Ireland’s planning system was branded “professionally corrupt” at a Stormont committee this week by a planning expert.Dean Blackwood was among four people from across Northern Ireland speaking on behalf of environmental group The Gathering at the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday. The town planner told MLAs he could fill the chamber with people “traumatised” by a dysfunctional planning system that birthed many of the community groups fighting “bad…
Read moreA new report has revealed the cost of littering to the public purse in Northern Ireland. It's estimated that 1,294,164 items are littered on our streets at any one time, weighing approximately 28 tonnes. That costs the public purse £45million annually according to the new report from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. The Litter Composition Report was funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) According to the report, a…
Read moreIt’s the unavoidable truth, air pollution is something that everyone experiences. Whether living in the country near fields and trees or up in the Mourne Mountains, it takes one plume of exhaust fumes from a tractor or a car to inhale enough particle matter (PM) to enter the blood stream to alter it. Tim Smedley, sustainability journalist and author of Clearing The Air states – “motor vehicles, in particular those powered by diesel engines, are now pumping…
Read moreProtected habitats and species off Islandmagee in Co Antrim“are under considerable threat” if a gas storage project gets the go ahead, say wildlife and environmental groups. InfraStrata, which now owns Harland & Wolff, wants to hollow out seven large caverns under Larne Lough for gas storage and pump the waste water and dissolved salt brine into the North Sea at Islandmagee. But the Northern Ireland Marine Task Force - a coalition of environmental NGOs,
Read moreThe NI Science Festival is championing sustainability in this year’s packed programme of events and workshops from February 13 – 23. Sustainable living can happen cost effectively by shopping local, knowing your labels and growing a wild garden. Here are the top 10 pieces of advice from NI Science Festival participants - scientists from the School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Dr Niamh O’Kane and Dr Paul Caplat - to help…
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