Tag: environment

‘Oily’ Roses expose toxic relationships around Rosebank oil field

Environmental campaigners have been highlighting companies and groups connected to Norwegian oil giant Equinor by delivering roses in order to expose their toxic relationships with the proposed Rosebank oil field.

Campaigners yesterday delivered bunches of ‘oil’ covered roses to locations in Glasgow and Edinburgh representing some form of financial or political influence over whether the Rosebank oil field goes ahead.

These included the Norwegian consulates in both cities; the UK Government building, Barclays bank and the First Minister’s residence Bute House in Edinburgh; and Glasgow City Chambers.

 + Equinor holds a 40% stake in the Rosebank field and is majority owned by the Norwegian state.
 + Barclays is one of Equinor’s corporate financiers providing them with $2.46 billion of backing since 2015.
 + The Strathclyde Pension Fund, which runs Glasgow City Council pensions investments, holds £9million in shares in Equinor.
 + Nicola Sturgeon has failed so far to explicitly oppose the  Rosebank field, despite objecting to the smaller Cambo development in late 2021.

Rosebank contains over 500 million barrels of oil, which if burned would produce the equivalent CO2 emissions of the 28 lowest-income countries combined. Ahead of the COP27 climate talks, the UN has warned that the world was on course for a catastrophic 2.8C of climate warming by the end of this century.

The UN report ‘The Closing Window’  demanded that emissions should fall 45% by 2030 if we are to stay within agreed climate limits.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Oil and Gas campaigner Freya Aitchison said: “Equinor is propped up by governments, investors and pension funds, but by drawing attention to these toxic relationships we can undermine their reputation and highlight the dangers posed by the vast Rosebank project.

“Today’s deliveries show that support for Equinor and Rosebank is all around us, and these links must be broken if this climate-wrecking development is to be stopped.

“Climate science is clear that the development of new oil and gas fields will take us even further past safe climate limits. Lending financial or political support for new fossil fuels is climate denial.

“Governments, banks and investors urgently need to redirect support away from the fossil fuel industry that is driving the death and destruction across the world and instead invest in ramping up affordable, reliable renewable energy.”

Separate analysis has shown that developing the Rosebank field will cost UK taxpayers over £100 million, due to a deliberate loophole in the UK Government’s windfall tax.

Equinor recently declared profits of £21 billion for the third quarter of 2022.

Climate March: Scotland to join Global Day of Action on 12th November

Edinburgh will host a Climate Justice March on Saturday 12 November as part of a Global Day of Action, campaigners have announced.

It will take place during the UN Climate Conference COP27 that runs from 6 – 18th November in Egypt. The family friendly march is being organised by a range of climate and environmental groups and will coincide with over 20 UK events and scores more around the world.

Civil society activists in Egypt face persecution from one of the most repressive regimes in the world so there will be no mass mobilisation in Egypt around the climate talks. Egyptian activists along with allies across African countries and the Arab world, are calling for this global day of action to draw attention to demands for climate justice and human rights.

Since COP26 ended in Glasgow last year, people have felt the devastating impact of extreme climate change including the floods in Pakistan that displaced tens of millions, deadly heat waves across Europe and famine in East Africa.

This global crisis is being driven by the burning of fossil fuels. At the same time we are facing a cost of living crisis fuelled by rising energy prices. But in the last 12 months the UK Government has opened new oil and gas fields, tried to lift its ban on fracking in England, as well as offering licences for companies to explore for even more fossil fuels.

Campaigners will highlight how solutions to the climate crisis such as insulating our homes and investing in affordable renewable energy are essential to tackling the cost of living crisis.

The March will gather at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh at 12 noon on Saturday 12 November.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns Mary Church said: “The climate crisis demands action on a global scale. Governments and corporations are adding fuel to the fire by going after more fossil fuels and fantasy techno-fixes that will only serve to delay action and line the pockets of the rich.

“We are marching to demand real solutions that will halt climate breakdown and improve ordinary peoples’ lives – an end to fossil fuels and a just transition to safe, affordable renewables.

“We see the suffering of climate impacted people around the world and we stand in solidarity with them and in particular with the people of Egypt who are being denied their human rights by a brutal regime.”

Extinction Rebellion Scotland are joining the march and highlighted the key issue from the UN climate talks of Loss and Damage. This is when the destruction from climate change is so great that it cannot be avoided or adapted to, and the people affected need compensation for their loss.

Joan Forehand, from Extinction Rebellion Scotland, commented: “None of us are going to be insulated from the climate crisis but there is terrible injustice and unfairness to this catastrophe.

“The wealthy have caused the most emissions, yet it is the poorest of humanity who are going to suffer disproportionately. Their natural resources have been extracted to create wealth for others. They are losing their homes, their futures and their lands and they don’t have the resources to protect themselves or rebuild their lives.

“It’s only fair that loss and damage payments are given to those who will suffer the most from this crisis, through no fault of their own. Without the justice of loss and damage, efforts to avoid ever worsening climate breakdown will stall and everyone will suffer.”

Luke Henderson, Coordinator of the Edinburgh Climate Coalition, explained why their grassroots group are involved in organising and promoting the march: “It is clear that our government won’t act urgently enough to reduce climate changing emissions and so it is up to us, the people, to push them into action.

“We have seen the huge impact that ordinary people can have through movements like Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo campaign. We need everyone who cares about the environment to show it to the world by joining this mass mobilisation.”

“It is fantastic that so many significant environment campaigns in Scotland are working together to promote the Edinburgh march and the energy and vibrancy of activists is going to create some fantastic art, music and excitement for the public to engage with and enjoy along the march route.

“Getting on the streets to save our planet could not be a more important issue, and this time having your say will be fun!”

Organised by the Edinburgh Climate Coalition, Climate Justice Coalition, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Global Justice Now, Extinction Rebellion Scotland, Tipping Point, BankTrack, Jubilee Scotland, Scot.E3 and others.

Protecting Scotland’s drinking water

New rules to align with European Union standards

Powers passed by MSPs to help deal with the impact of Brexit are being used for the first time to ensure Scotland’s high quality drinking water aligns with standards set by the European Union.

The new regulations will be laid in the Scottish Parliament on Monday 31 October and should come into force from 1 January 2023 to tie in with the new monitoring year.

The EU Continuity Act 2020 ensures that Scotland can maintain and advance the high standards shared between devolved Scots and EU law, irrespective of the consequences of the UK’s exit from the European Union.

New regulations being laid under the Act this week will adhere to updated standards set by the World Health Organisation that limit emerging pollutants and endocrine disrupting compounds.

Such pollutants include PFAs which are better known as ‘forever chemicals’ and are commonly used in non-stick and water repellent products and do not degrade when they reach the environment. 

Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Scotland’s drinking water is renowned for its excellent quality all over the world and we will be relentless in ensuring it stays this way and meets the highest of standards.

“These latest steps we are taking, to maintain those standards, are a prime example of our commitment to re-join the EU and align with its policies. Through such action, we will continue to protect the health and wellbeing of people in Scotland and also ease the future process of Scotland’s return to the EU. 

“This is in stark contrast to the approach being taken by the UK Government, intent on undermining retained EU law which will be hugely damaging to people and businesses in Scotland.  

“We’re determined to continue to be an active and constructive participant on EU matters, which will ease the process of Scotland’s future return to the EU.” 

NHS Lothian introduces e-bikes to boost sustainability efforts

As part of NHS Lothian’s sustainability programme, they have recently introduced the use of e-Bikes to several services, which will allow nearly 200 staff to access this healthier and more eco-friendly way of getting around.

Last year the Podiatry department in Edinburgh were the first to be part of a trial in NHS Lothian designed to reduce carbon emissions, save money and support staff wellbeing. The eCargo bikes were used as a way of travelling to see and support patients.

Gillian Hawthorne, Team Lead Podiatrist said: “Although this pilot has both financial and environmental benefits, it also has the bonus of supporting our staff’s health and wellbeing by giving them more access to fresh air and exercise while working.

“We hope this project will help to reduce the use of cars for undertaking home visits whilst addressing the ever-increasing traffic congestion in the City of Edinburgh.”

Although the trial started small with just two e-bikes, the health board now has a total of 24 e-bikes over multiple services.

Some of the teams now using the e-bikes include a Rapid Response Team, a Health Visitors team, a Community Mental health team and several others.

We recently spoke to Ciara Feeney, Podiatrist, about her experience using the e-Bikes to visit patients and travel around the city. Watch a short video with Ciara online

Jane Hopton, Sustainability Lead and Programme Director for Facilities in NHS Lothian, said: “This roll out is the next step to our overall sustainability work in Lothian and we hope it will inspire other departments to do the same.

“The more people that make the decision to cycle or walk rather than drive, the more impact this will have on NHS Lothian’s carbon emissions.”

NHS Lothian is committed to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions.

You can find information at https://org.nhslothian.scot/Sustainability

Shell profits ‘show scale of the pain’ of cost of living crisis

Environmental campaigners have reacted to the announcement that oil giant Shell has made £8.19bn ($9.5 Billion) in profits in the third quarter of this year.

Campaigners say that the forthcoming Scottish Energy Strategy is a chance for Scotland to ‘chart a clear path’ away from the oil and gas companies who are harming people and the planet to instead create an energy system that runs on renewable energy.

Climate science is clear that we urgently need to transition away from our broken fossil fuel energy system in order to stay within safe climate limits. Analysis has shown that renewable energy is 9 times cheaper than new fossil fuel energy.

Independent climate advisors have made it clear that increasing UK supply of oil and gas will have almost no impact on UK bills as prices are set by the international market. However, continued reliance on volatile fossil fuels will leave millions vulnerable to spikes in their prices.

Shell’s profits for the previous 3 months of 2022 (Q2) were £9.5billion ($11.5billion).

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Oil and Gas campaigner Freya Aitchison said: “The announcement of yet another obscene profit for Shell shows the scale of the pain that these companies are inflicting on the public.

“While oil companies continue to make record breaking profits, ordinary people are facing skyrocketing energy bills and millions are being pushed into fuel poverty.

“Bosses and shareholders at Shell are being allowed to get even richer by exploiting one of our most basic needs. Shell is also worsening climate breakdown and extreme weather by continuing to invest and lock us into new oil and gas projects for decades to come.

“The Scottish Government must use the opportunity of its forthcoming Energy Strategy to chart a clear path away from fossil fuels and towards an energy system that is built on clean, reliable renewables.

“They must listen to the science which tells us that to meet climate targets in a fair way, fossil fuel extraction needs to be phased out in the next decade.”

Recycle Week: Capital residents can recycle rubbish councils don’t collect

●        To celebrate Recycle Week (17th – 23rd October) Edinburgh residents and the surrounding areas can recycle items the council doesn’t collect and raise money for charity in the process

●        The recycling programmes are free to join for individuals, schools and businesses

●        For each item recycled, points are awarded that are redeemable as donations to a chosen charity, community project or school

●        Less than half of all household waste produced in Edinburgh is currently recycled

Edinburgh residents and the surrounding areas can celebrate Recycle Week by signing up to recycle “unrecyclable” items – including cheese packaging, cleaning product packaging, hair care empties and beauty products  – whilst raising money for their chosen good cause in the process.

These everyday items have traditionally not been recycled by councils, usually because they are made up of a mix of materials that makes them more complex and costly to recycle. As a result they are often destined for landfill, incineration or the natural environment.

The recycling programmes are run by TerraCycle and are free to sign up to. By signing up, residents can either collect and send in their waste to be recycled, or they can set up a public drop-off location and become recycling champions for their communities.

Less than half of all household waste produced in Edinburgh is recycled.

By signing up to one or more of the following free recycling programmes – among others which can be found on TerraCycle’s website – everyone can play their part in combatting the waste crisis:

The Cheese Packaging Free Recycling Programme

The Kinder Free Recycling Programme

The Ueshima Coffee Company Free Recycling Programme

The Hair Care Packaging Free Recycling Programme

The RB® Hygiene Home Free Recycling Programme

The Personal Care and Beauty Free Recycling Programme 

Once signed up to a programme, a free shipping label is sent which can be attached to a box containing the items. Once full this is sent free of charge to TerraCycle to be recycled.

For each item sent in to be recycled, points are awarded which are redeemable as monetary donations to the recyclers’ chosen good cause. To date people across the UK have diverted more than 250 million items from landfill, raising more than £2m for schools, charities, community causes and non-profits.

For more information visit: www.terracycle.co.uk

Thriving? Council seeks your views on Edinburgh’s Green Spaces

We want to hear your views on Edinburgh’s Thriving Greenspaces 2050: A Vision and Strategy.

This consultation will be the benchmark for how we move forward with greenspaces over the next 30 years 🌲

Find out more and take part here until November 15th: 

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/…/thriving…/

Recycle Week at Fort Kinnaird

5 WAYS YOU CAN RECYCLE AT FORT KINNAIRD

This week (Monday 17th – Sunday 23rd October) is Recycle Week – an annual event that celebrates recycling across the nation with the aim to get more people recycling more of the right things, more often.

To mark it, Fort Kinnaird is sharing five different ways you can recycle at the centre, from clothes and shoes to pet food and beauty packaging – sometimes with the chance to receive vouchers in return.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Supporting the community is extremely important to us at Fort Kinnaird, and doing our bit for the environment is a huge part of that.

“As a centre, we are committed to working towards a more sustainable future and we want to encourage our visitors to do the same. We hope by highlighting these great initiatives offered by our retailers we help to make recycling even easier for local shoppers – not just during this week, but beyond that too.”

Here are five recycling schemes you can make the most of at Fort Kinnaird this Recycle Week: 

  1. H&M

Through H&M’s Garment Collecting programme, you can take any unwanted clothes or textiles – from any brand and in any condition – to their store at Fort Kinnaird and receive a £5 digital voucher to use on your next purchase, as well as earn 20 ‘Conscious Points’ as part of its loyalty scheme.

Old garments are either marketed as second-hand clothing or recycled into something new entirely.

  1. schuh

Schuh’s ‘Sell Your Soles’ scheme offers customers £5 towards a new pair of shoes when they bring their old, worn pairs into store. The schuh Kids store at Fort Kinnaird also offers the same discount as part of its ‘Too Big For Your Boots’ initiative when taking in an old pair of shoes that no longer fit. 

  1. Pets at Home

At the Pets at Home store at Fort Kinnaird, pet owners can recycle old, rinsed food pouches from any brand that are made from a flexible plastic. These can be a struggle to recycle at home but, with the Pets at Home scheme, the pouches go through a specially designed process which heats the plastic, turning it back into an oil and separating the aluminium – which can then be made back into new products.

  1. M&S

The ‘Plastic Recycling Scheme’ from M&S helps customers to recycle plastic from any product in-store, regardless of whether it is an M&S product.

Carrier bags, food wrappers and packaging from clothing multipacks are just some of the items which can be recycled at the Fort Kinnaird store and are difficult to do so at home.

  1. Boots

The ‘Recycle at Boots’ scheme is aimed at hard-to-recycle beauty, healthcare and wellness products that cannot be put in recycling bins at home. Usually this is because they are too small (travel minis, mascaras), made of composite materials (make-up palettes, lipsticks) or made from non-recyclable materials (toothpaste tubes, lotion pumps).

Shoppers at Fort Kinnaird can gain up to 500 Boots Advantage Card points when they participate, which is equivalent to £5 to spend in store.

  1. The Leith Collective

The recently opened Leith Collective store at Fort Kinnaird is running a ‘coat exchange’ where you can donate your old winter and waterproof coats. These will then be made available for collection at no cost for those who need them this winter.