The International Energy Agency reported last month that the growth in global carbon emissions had stalled for the first time in their 40 year records, in the absence of major economic crisis. The figures remained at 32 gigatonnes in 2014, the same as 2013. While this is encouraging the IEA has warned that despite the news, this was “no time for complacency”. “This is both a very welcome surprise and a significant one,” said IEA Chief Economist Fatih Birol, “It provides much-needed momentum to negotiators preparing to forge a global climate deal in Paris in December: for the first time,…
Author: Laura Sutton
As Lord of the rings famously said “boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew”. The humble potato has many uses and is now on the verge of launching a food revolution. On a small island called Texel (pronounced Tessel), part of the Netherlands, a group of scientists have pioneered a species of potato that is grown using diluted sea water. While most farmers go to great lengths to keep salt water away from their crops Marc Van Rijsselberghe, an entrepreneurial organic farmer has embraced the salty water and developed a potato that is not only tolerant of salt…
With yet another London Fashion week over and companies already planning their 2015 spring summer collection, it seems that clothes from summer just gone are already well and truly out of style and those clothes that are ‘so last season’ will soon be disposed of. Over 60% of the UK clothing waste ends up in landfill which is a sad fact for any vintage lover, but the reality is that we just don’t make clothes like we used to any more. During the war material was in short supply and everything had to be made to last, now garments are…
FOOD waste from across North Wales is now being used to produce electricity. A new anaerobic digestion plant which will be run solely on food waste collected from the local area has opened in Waem near St Asaph. A predicted total of 22,500 tonnes of food waste, from across Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire will be processed each year, and converted into enough electricity to power 2,000 homes. The scheme is the largest of its kind in the country and is leading the way in recycling food waste and helping Wales to make a significant contribution to the UK meeting its…
Residents of St David’s, in Pembrokeshire, will soon be having their homes powered by a 400kW tidal power generator that was unveiled in Ramsey Sound last week. The trial project will run for 12 months generating energy from tidal currents on the sea bed, and is being hailed as Wales’ first grid connected free standing tidal turbine. It is hoped that this trial scheme will lead to a larger project for Tidal Energy Ltd, which will incorporate nine, 150 tonne, seven story high turbines which are due to be built in Pembroke Dock by Mustang Marine. Mustang Marine were recently…
The National Trust’s most polluting property is going green. Once heated by an oil boiler, Plas Newydd, located on Anglesey, is now to be heated by the Menai Straits. During the winter months, the house used to use 1,500 litres of oil a day, which is the same amount an average house would use in 10 months. Now after a £600,000 revamp, water is pumped from the straits through a 53 meter pipe into a heat exchanger which works in a similar way to a refrigerator only in reverse. Heat is extracted from the seemingly freezing water using the same…
On Thursday the 10th of July, four Peregrine Falcons were found dead at a local Gwynedd quarry. The birds were last seen alive on Thursday 3rd July, and this has been confirmed by photo evidence obtained by the police. The police have stated that three chicks and one adult have died at Dyffryn Nantlle Quarry, tragically, the chicks were only about a week from fledging. The RSPB have said that it is highly unusual for four birds to die in such a way, and therefore foul play is suspected. The most likely cause of death is poisoning by bait brought…
A village near Betws-y-Coed is now proud to be home to one of the eight contenders for the best ree in Wales! A horse chestnut tree in in Pentrefoelas near Betws-y-Coed was announced as a contender for the best tree in Wales last week. e spectacular tree is situated in the centre of Pentrefoelas, next to the Afon Merddwr, by the A5; the competition is not looking for beauty however, its objective is to nd the tree that most brings the community together. The Woodland Trust has said that the competition is about showing the importance of trees, as they…