Positive thinking

   Rupert Read, University of East Anglia The world is witnessing an increase in the number and severity of hurricanes, droughts, floods and famines. A significant part of this is attributable to the temperature rises and disruption to the weather systems that human industrial activity has triggered . Yet at this very moment, when the world needs new protections to mitigate dangerous climate change more than ever, Britain faces a struggle to maintain its current levels of environmental protection. Britain’s vote to leave the European Union has set in place a process that, if it continues, jeopardises the future of many of the country’s most important environmental protections. In a recent briefing to MPs , my colleague Tim O'Riordan and I focused on the threat to what’s called the precautionary principle , and why it matters for the future of environmental law after Brexit. The precautionary principle is present in UK law mainly by way of its presence in ...

Raffaella Ocone, Heriot-Watt University - United Kingdom One question that arises from the announcement by the UK government that new diesel and petrol cars will be banned by 2040 is what it means for biofuels. If cars running on fossil fuels will be substituted by electric cars, it could imply that all liquid transport fuels will be eliminated. Around 5% of the volume of the average British tank of petrol or diesel comes from biofuels at present. It is produced from various sources, including corn, wheat, sugar beet and waste ranging from rotten vegetables to used cooking oil. Biofuels in the UK by feedstock type RAENG report The large-scale use of biofuels dates back to the 1970s, when they were first introduced in Brazil through government incentives to build vehicles that could run on 100% ethanol produced mainly from sugar cane. Brazil remains a leader in biofuels, despite ups ...

Christine Cole, Nottingham Trent University - United Kingdom In Britain and other developed countries, disposing of unwanted things is taken for granted. There is (lots of) legislation in place to ensure waste is collected, transported and treated safely without having an impact on either health or the environment. But waste management is a costly business, increasingly seen by organised criminals and opportunists alike as an easy way to make quick money. Two recent instances of waste crime, in my local area, show how this can happen. In the first, a deserted factory, used for the illegal storage of 5,000 tonnes of partially treated waste was deliberately set alight using an accelerant. It contained combustible materials, such as plastics and decomposing food, making it particularly fire prone. The police investigation looking for the source of the waste, as well as the reason it was set alight, is ongoing. Illegal waste dumps such as this are becoming an incre...

Christine Wamsler, Lund University  We know that mindfulness can transform the life of an individual. But did you know it could also change the world? We are facing increasingly complex global challenges, of which climate change is perhaps the most important. It is obvious that we must do something about our carbon emissions and the increase in floods, windstorms, and heatwaves that threaten our environment – but we don’t seem to know what. It is becoming clear, however, that the problem can’t simply be solved by new technology or new governments alone. We also need to develop new social practices and encourage a broader cultural shift towards more sustainable living and climate action. We have to completely rethink how we do things. This is where mindfulness comes in.  Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to the present moment. It is more than just moment-to-moment awareness. It is a kind, curious and non-judgemental ...

By Fran G. (UK) What pops into your head if I suggested you buy an electric car? For most people, it conjures up a host of stereotypes. Electric cars are thought to be either unreasonably expensive, like Teslas; or they don’t travel far enough; or they’re just plain ugly. And up until recently a lot of that was based in some truth. But the landscape is changing at breakneck speed. With the air pollution problem growing worse in our cities and towns, we need alternatives beyond the diesel or petrol cars currently filling our roads. And now, finally, electric cars are becoming that clean, green alternative. What are we waiting for?! Here are seven reasons to go electric now! 1. Electric cars travel much farther than you think Most new electric cars have a range of around 100 miles (or more). Given that the average UK journey   is just 25 miles, this range should cover most needs. Of course, a long range is important to some drivers. As technology and i...