Lorna Slater, the local Scottish Green MSP for Lothian Region has hailed the transformative impact of free bus travel for everyone under 22 in Edinburgh.
New figures, published by the Scottish Government, show that over 85,314 young people in the capital city are already benefiting from the scheme, allowing them to travel anywhere in Scotland.
This groundbreaking initiative was secured through negotiations between the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Government. Scotland is the only country in the UK that offers free bus travel for all young people under 22.
Over 137 million free bus journeys have been taken across the country, allowing young people to travel for work or education, or simply to visit friends and family.
Ms Slater said: “The free bus travel scheme for under 22s has been transformative, and in some cases life-changing, for young people in Edinburgh.
“Allowing young people to access school, work or leisure for free is helping to support them and their families through a Tory cost-of-living crisis which has hit everyone in Scotland.
“The scheme has opened up huge opportunities for young people across our communities, creating exciting new chapters and helping them to explore the country and develop crucial skills for the future.
“Transport is Scotland’s largest source of carbon emissions. Encouraging people to use public transport rather than take the car is a huge boost for our environment and will reduce the number of cars on our roads.
“Over 85,000 young people in Edinburgh have already signed-up for their free pass, and I urge all those who have not yet registered to do so today at Freebus.scot.”
Garden Centre to host themed children’s workshop in May
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is inviting children aged four to 10 to a free workshop in its Edinburgh store in May to learn more about trees and how to protect them.
‘Love Your Trees’ is the theme of next month’s Little Seedlings Club, taking place on Sunday 5 May, ahead of Love Your Tree Day on 16 May.
Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club provides interactive learning activities that allow children in Edinburgh to understand, explore, and connect with plants, wildlife and the environment around them.
During May’s workshop, children will learn about the most common trees in the UK, including the Alder, Beech and English Oak, and discover the value of trees and learn how to nurture and protect them.
They will delve into the anatomy of trees, exploring their different parts and understanding their fascinating lifecycle, from seedling to plant, as well as the difference between deciduous and evergreen varieties and how they change through the seasons. To add to the fun, there will be a special tree-themed 3D craft activity.
Dobbies’ colleague Liz Clare-Savage, who is involved in the delivery of the Little Seedlings Club, is looking forward to welcoming children along to May’s workshop. She said: “Our Little Seedlings Club is very popular with kids in Edinburgh, and we’re thrilled to introduce them to the wonders of trees.
“Learning about and encouraging the planting of new trees is a fantastic way to give back to nature and support our wildlife. Little Seedlings Club is not just about learning, it’s about fostering a lifelong connection with nature and having a great time.”
For more information about Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club May session or to make a booking, visit dobbies.com/events.
A lucky Edinburgh heating and plumbing installer who launched his own business less than three months ago has won £500 from smart thermostat company tado°.
Ryan Beattie, 35, struck out on his own and started his company Thermatek in February after an 18-year career in the industry because he wanted to offer his customers tailor-made options that included smart heating and were more environmentally-friendly.
He also joined tado°’s Professional programme for installers and within two weeks had won the £500 giveaway prize on offer to celebrate the scheme’s first year in operation.
Installers were entered into the prize draw whenever they bought tado° products from participating partners and a delighted Ryan said: “I’m very happy because starting a new business is very stressful and so this is a nice little boost as I’m starting out.
“It’s not that common for a product to give back like this so it is nice to feel valued.”
It has been a busy time for Ryan after his wife Sally gave birth to the couple’s son Rowan nine months ago.
He started working for his father Stevie installing heating systems in Belfast straight from school before moving to Edinburgh and continuing in the industry. However he felt a desire for more autonomy to offer customers with products he trusted and used himself that saved them money and were also better for the environment.
“I want to be at the pointy end of the industry,” Ryan explained. “I want to provide people with the most modern and cutting edge technology that is also better for the environment.
“I am not a complete green warrior but there is only one planet and we all have to do our bit.
“The companies I have worked for have had a more traditional view on heating systems but I can now offer to customers the best possible products that are tried and tested and can take my time. If you get it right it makes people happier, they tell their friends and you grow more work that way.”
tado°’s £500 giveaway was to celebrate its Professional programme’s first full year of operation, which saw the number of installers grow by 600 per cent. As well as being a loyalty scheme that offers rewards, tado° Professional gives installers support through training, phone support and extended warranties to help grow their businesses.
tado° Professional is growing in 2024 across the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France and Spain and European Channel Director (Installer) John Steven said the programme is working towards improved lead generation to pair more consumers with professional installers within their locale.
He said: “It was a fantastic first year for tado° Professional. It’s been reported recently tradespeople saw their turnover take a hit in 2023 and so we wanted to do something for tado° Professional’s first birthday that gave something back to our installers.
“We couldn’t be happier that someone like Ryan has won – he is an installer who is not only ambitious about starting his own business but at the same time wants to deliver the best possible heating products that are easy for customers to use whilst cutting their energy bills without compromising on comfort.
“That, and his desire to do what he can for the environment, perfectly aligns with tado°’s mission and values.”
Ryan hasn’t decided what he will use the £500-worth of reward points on but said he was likely to choose something that helps his business continue to grow.
He added: “There are rewards schemes out there but it’s nice with tado° Professional to get back something for using a product, especially if you like it, and that benefits the business in ways that are not just financial.
“There is that support from tado° and it is nice to feel valued.”
Ryan was a tado° customer before he launched Thermatek. He said: “I wanted the nursery to be a constant temperature and tado° was the easiest way to achieve that.
“When I first started installing tado° it was more the techy people who wanted it but it has become a little more mainstream.
“I know some heating brands and controllers can be incredibly complicated and that can switch people off but the best thing about tado° is that it all happens in the background for them.
“Not all customers want a smart thermostat but when you explain it to them and that there is a way to set it up so it is simple to use while also saving money and energy there is a lot more interest.”
Installers can sign up to the tado° Professional rewards programme at:
Launches Sunday 26 May 2 – 4pm at Earth in Common, Leith Links
Announcing a new collaboration between Earth in Common and Deborah Shaw (Aurora Engine), supported by the National Lottery Community Fund’s Together for Our Planet Fund
Highlights include environmental songs from Karine Polwart, works from Tinderbox Sparks Orchestra, stories from Edinburgh’s Gaelic community and Scottish International Storytelling Centre, poems from Ash Dickinson and Alec Finlay, folksong from Kirsty Law, sonic works from Siôn Parkinson and Aurora Engine, incorporating political themes of land rights, references to highland clearances and the Edinburgh housing crisis as local rents continue to increase
Coinciding with Earth Day, a new soundwalk at Earth in Common has been announced, with an upcoming launch event scheduled from 2 – 4pm on Sunday 26th May 2024, with live performances and a guided tour of the new installation with Deborah Shaw.
Tickets are now on sale for the launch event with various price options available. Book now: https://bit.ly/harksoundwalk
Environmental organisation Earth In Common presents HARK!, an immersive soundwalk nestled within the grounds of Leith Community Croft.
This unique experience will offer a tapestry of compositions, soundscapes, poetry and stories, curated by composer and sonic artist Deborah Shaw (Aurora Engine), supported by Together for Our Planet fund.
HARK! aims to foster a deeper connection to nature and reflect Earth In Common’s values regarding crofting, land and the intrinsic relationship between arts and the environment.
Alongside the pastoral, is the political, with themes of land rights, references to highland clearances and the Edinburgh housing crisis as local rents continue to increase. Some works explore the effects on communities, raising the importance of nature access in urban landscapes which the Croft provides.
Visitors will be able to access recordings through their electronic devices, and experience sonic folk tales, haunting choral compositions and immersive soundscapes featuring the collected sounds from nature and wildlife.
HARK! contributors include renowned musician Karine Polwart with a brand new song composed for the croft, “Earth In Common” inspired by her passion for nature and environmental causes. Tinderbox Orchestra will present “ICE” from their Sparks collective a piece composed in response to an ice installation at Dynamic Earth.
There will be pieces from Edinburgh’s Gaelic community, a story from Donald Smith, Director of Scottish International Storytelling Centre, and a haunting choral from Earth In Common’s own climate choir and a song from folk singer Kirsty Law.
Poet Ash Dickinson will be featured with poem ‘Fox Fishing’ about declining nature, and Alec FInlay’s words from their Push the Boat Out Poetry festival commission ‘Manifesto for Urban Crofts’ will also play as part of the soundwalk.
Sonic works will include pieces from Siôn Parkinson, composer and sound artist currently an AHRC Research Fellow at RBGE with ‘Pastoral blah’, curator Deborah Shaw (Aurora Engine) with a sound work about land rights and pieces inspired by birdsong.
As participants navigate the Croft with a provided map on their smartphones, they are invited to immerse themselves in the sounds and music at their own pace. A visit to the charming farm shop/café can enhance the experience, allowing for leisurely exploration of the works on display.
Deborah Shaw, HARK! curator, said: “I wanted to create a magical world that invites audiences to leisurely experience music while immersing themselves in nature.
“HARK! facilitates this journey, inviting listeners to tune into music, sounds, poetry and stories while also sparking conversations about land rights, climate and current housing issues”.
Alec Finlay, featured artist in HARK!, said: “I was inspired by Leith Urban Croft, which was conceived by Evie Murray, and is a contemporary twist on the traditional allotment, with an attempt to encourage a more communal approach, as well as broadening the social activities, helping with wellbeing, and giving young people an experience of nature and nurture.
“Some of the growing plots are run by schools. There’s a wee cafe, they sell produce, and are developing a visitor centre. It’s used by parents and toddlers … I think in terms of pandemic culture and climate breakdown, every park and green space should have an urban croft.
“It aligns with the idea of a ‘culture of recuperation’, which I’ve been thinking about for the past few years, and more specifically, with a project I did in Glasgow, with the Walking Library, exploring ideas of urban rewilding.”
Evie Murray, Earth in Common’s Founder and CEO said, “The Soundwalk project embodies Earth in Common’s ethos and builds on all we have achieved over the last decade.
“Leith Community Croft is an established hub for social, cultural and environmental regeneration. The Soundwalk enhances our identity at a crucial time for Earth in Common, when we are recovering from disruption caused by a major capital building project and our reserves are running low.
“If people like our work, they can visit the ‘Soil-idarity’ page on our website to learn how they can help us survive and thrive.”
Protecting the environment and reducing marine litter
The supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic will be banned across the UK following overwhelming support during public consultation, with 95% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing with the proposals.
Measures have been set out in a joint response by all four UK nations published today (Monday April 22), including a transition period for businesses to help them prepare.
Scottish Ministers will introduce regulations by the end of 2024 with the ban due to come into force 18 months later.
Wet wipes containing plastic do not biodegrade in the natural environment and persist for many years, which may cause harm to wildlife and the environment, and are a source of unsightly litter and of microplastic pollution.
Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater said: “I am delighted to confirm today that the Scottish Government will ban wet wipes containing plastic.
“These items are a problematic source of marine litter and are a threat to the health of our environment and wildlife. This ban delivers on an important commitment made in our Marine Litter Strategy and builds on previous actions to ban unnecessary single-use plastic items such as plastic-stemmed cotton buds and plastic straws and cutlery.
“These policies are all proof of the progress Scotland is making toward protecting our environment, and all contribute to our journey toward a circular economy.”
Plastic-free wet wipes are readily available and several retailers have already stopped selling wet wipes containing plastic.
An 18-month transition period will commence when legislation is passed to allow businesses time to prepare. Following consultation with industry, the ban will not include the manufacture of these products, in line with other recent single-use plastic bans.
However, the governments of all four UK nations will continue to encourage manufacturers to move to a position where all their wet wipes are plastic free.
The joint response also sets out exemptions to ensure that wet wipes containing plastic remain available where there is no viable alternative – such as for medical disinfectant purposes.
For the period 2015 to 2020, an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100m of beach surveyed across the UK according to Defra Beach Litter Monitoring Data.
On Thursday, the Scottish Government announced the 2030 climate change target is “out of reach”. So, what went wrong (writes Fraser of Allander Institute’s JAMES ALLAN)?
In 2022, we undertook research commissioned by ClimateXChange for the Joint Budget Review between the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament on matters related to climate change.
Our remit focused on how budgetary and policy decisions are made rather than individual policies themselves. This required us to piece together through many interviews how civil servants were developing policy in practice, how decisions were being made and challenged internally and what information was flowing to Ministers and Parliament.
The culmination was a number of recommendations, one of which was for a “Net Zero Assessment” of policies as they are being developed. The basic principle is simple – if your policy is likely to have significant positive or negative impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, you need to roughly estimate the emissions that policy is likely to create. In most cases, this isn’t hugely difficult and some parts of government were already applying fairly rigorous assessments. But for many areas, these were patchily applied at best or seemingly sidestepped at worst.
In the areas where civil servants seemed less likely to routinely produce emissions estimates, it became apparent that these were often not being asked for by those approving projects. Approval without challenge beyond the financial cost led into a cultural view that some processes were optional.
It was encouraging to see that the climate change action policy package announced alongside the 2030 target statement reinforced earlier commitments to introduce a Net Zero Assessment.
Dropping targets can be disappointing but the Scottish Government now has the opportunity to take stock and refocus efforts where immediate progress is critical. Setting targets is not enough to meet them. Nor is it enough to have genuine ambition to reduce emissions – which we regularly encountered in our interviews. Both of these cannot create change that outweighs a system of processes and practice that gravitate towards the status quo.
But this also means that it is not simply enough to add a process like a Net Zero Assessment and assume that policymaking in practice will suddenly start following expected processes. A Net Zero Assessment must be sufficiently embedded within practices so that incentives and norms within Government act as a support rather than a counterweight. This isn’t easy – governments are having to grapple with this challenge globally.
But first and foremost, this means ensuring that a challenge function is in place and that challenge function has sufficient clout. The results of net zero assessments must be asked for, they must have taken place early enough in a project before too much momentum has built up, and there must be a degree of centralisation in this challenge function so that lagging policy areas are identified and supported.
This is the “how” of policy, rather than the “what” of policy. Is it the only step the Scottish Government will need to take to hit 2045 targets?
No – not by a long shot. Many difficult decisions lie ahead. But you cannot make and deliver on effective decisions without good evidence and robust processes. Significant and immediate focus now on the “how” of policy must be seen as a non-negotiable requirement if the Government wishes to make substantial further progress on its 2045 climate targets.
The introduction of a Net Zero Assessment will be a big step forward for the Scottish Government and will demonstrate global leadership on climate change processes. But don’t forget that the challenge function is just as important as the process itself.
I want to end this article with the concluding remarks from our report to the Joint Budget Review, which refers to the methodology within a Net Zero Assessment as an “individual level carbon assessment”.
These parting comments seem as relevant now as they were when published in December 2022:
‘A key emissions reduction target looms in 2030. While eight years away, many of the decisions the Government makes today are deciding its level of emissions in 2030. Missing this target substantially raises the risk of missing Scotland’s 2045 net zero target and results in challenging economic headwinds in the 2030s.
‘Our recommendations therefore cannot be left for years down the road, when the outcome of Scotland’s progress, determined by decisions taken now, becomes inevitable.
‘It is critical that the Scottish Government creates an environment of continuous improvement in policymaking processes. This environment can develop the processes that will ultimately help deliver the required outcomes in the short, medium and long-term.
‘Therefore, we conclude this report with a clear message that the mistakes of the past cannot be repeated.
‘In 2008, a project to explore a methodology for a high-level carbon assessment was undertaken. This resulted in the Carbon Assessment published annually alongside the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget.
‘It was widely recognised at the time that this was a limited tool, and that the critical next step in achieving carbon reductions was the development of individual-level carbon assessments, running in a parallel project.
‘It appears, from what we have seen, that this project was never taken forward. Fourteen years have now passed. This work cannot wait any longer to be seriously implemented.
‘Some of these recommendations will be challenging to implement – Government-wide change is never simple. But nor are these recommendations untested on an international stage.
‘The Scottish Government will need ambition, it will need the courage to embrace change, and it will need to treat a declared global climate emergency as just that – an emergency.‘
Gardening and horticulture cross-party group advocates for health and wellbeing benefits of therapeutic horticulture
Members of the Scottish Gardening and Horticulture Cross-Party Group (CPG) have written a joint letter to three Ministers advocating for the health benefits of horticulture and gardening in healthcare settings.
The letter emphasises the role of environmental horticulture in enhancing health outcomes and urges policymakers to provide sustained funding for therapeutic horticulture initiatives.
The letter was sent following a set of visits and a meeting facilitated by the charity Trellis and the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), where MSPs and their staff saw firsthand how therapeutic horticulture fosters health and well-being among communities.
The Ministers contacted were Minister Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, Minister Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport and Minister Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity.
The Gardening and Horticulture CPG highlights the potential of horticulture and gardening as a policy solution to bolster patient recovery and mental health while enhancing healthcare professionals’ welfare. The group also emphasises the economic benefits of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) projects, including reduced healthcare service utilisation and medication dependency.
To address the critical need for standardised training and professionalisation within the field, Trellis Scotland is collaborating with educational institutions to develop the first accredited course in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture in Scotland.
Additionally, Trellis is spearheading the establishment of the UK Association for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture to uphold quality standards and provide essential support for practitioners in the field.
The letter’s signatories also invite policymakers to participate in World Therapeutic Horticulture Day on 18 May 2024, which will precede a week of activities dedicated to highlighting STH’s benefits.
The letter expresses gratitude for the Scottish Government’s past support but emphasises the need for sustained funding to safeguard the continuity and expansion of essential initiatives in therapeutic horticulture.
Stan Green, who represents the HTA in Scotland, commented: “We are delighted by the reaction and engagement The HTA continues to have at Holyrood.
“This reflects the substantial progress regarding the profile of Environmental Horticulture, and a recognition of the role it has benefiting all in the health sector, whether general wellbeing or treating people with severe illness or in need of social support.”
“Edinburgh is a city with big ambitions” – Cllr Scott Arthur
A ‘major milestone’ in the Meadows to George Street project was reached yesterday (April 19) as the statutory orders needed to progress to the construction stage are advertised.
The scheme will improve cycling, walking, accessibility, and public spaces in some of Edinburgh’s busiest and most recognisable streets: from Teviot Place along Forrest Road before crossing George IV Bridge, The Mound, Hanover Street and finishing at George Street.
It will create a welcoming outdoor space with new high-quality cycling and walking facilities. These will include segregated cycleways, wider pavements, and pedestrian priority areas, which will make it easier for people to safely walk, wheel, and cycle as part of their everyday journeys.
The council will also be engaging with local residents, businesses and community representatives through a programme of door-to-door distribution, email, workshops, drop-in events, and information packs.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Scott Arthur said: “I’m delighted that we’ve reached this significant stage in the Meadows to George Street project. This is a really important part of our wider plans to transform our city centre into one which enables our residents to enjoy a safe, connected, and sustainable place to live, work and spend time in.
“We’re keen to get on and deliver the changes proposed so it’s important that we take the time to re-engage with those along the route and take them along with us on this exciting journey. We understand the impact these projects can have on the local community, in particular businesses, and we will be working closely with them throughout to support them and ensure the benefits are maximised.
“Edinburgh is a city with big ambitions. Through schemes such as this we’re sending a clear signal as to the sort of Capital we’re aspiring to be.
“From reaching net zero by 2030, to enhancing our already excellent public transport networks and making sure our residents are at the heart of everything we do, I’m really excited to see what the future holds.”
Karen McGregor, Scotland Director for Sustrans said: “This is a hugely exciting time to be in Edinburgh, and a massive achievement within the context of active travel.
“The all-new walking, wheeling and cycling links Meadows to George Street is set to deliver will absolutely transform everyday journeys for thousands of people living and working in the city, not to mention those visiting every year.
“We’d like to thank the whole community for their continuing involvement and support, and for the clear ambition they have shown in pushing this project forward.”
New six-year study proves that leaving areas of grass to grow long in gardens can increase butterfly numbers by up to 93%
This the first scientific evidence that wildlife-friendly gardening practices, such as having long grass and flowering ivy, boost the numbers and typesof butterflies, particularly in urban areas and near farmland
The research is great news for gardeners and non-gardeners alike, proving the free and easy action of letting an area go wild can make a positive impact for butterflies
Letting parts of your garden grow wild with long grass can increase butterfly numbers by up to 93% and attract a wider range of species, according to new research from leading wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation.
The study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, provides the first scientific evidence that having long grass in your garden increases butterfly abundance and diversity. Creating such wild spaces may help to reverse the decline of these beautiful insects.
Undertaken by Butterfly Conservation scientists Dr Lisbeth Hordley and Dr Richard Fox, the research analysed butterfly sightings from more than 600 gardens across the UK, collected by members of the public over six years through the charity’s Garden Butterfly Survey.
The results show that gardens with long grass had a significantly higher number of butterflies recorded, with a greater variety of species, than those without.
Importantly, the biggest benefits of these wild spaces were found in urban areas and intensively farmed landscapes. In highly arable areas, gardens with long grass saw up to 93% more butterflies, and those in urban areas showed an increase of 18%.
The potential to provide wild spaces for butterflies and moths to thrive is huge. Gardens make up more than 728,000 hectares in Great Britain – the equivalent of over a million football pitches.
If each of these gardens had a space that was allowed to go a little wild, with grass growing long, it would make a huge difference for butterflies and moths, providing spaces for them to feed, breed and shelter.
While the research specifically studied gardens, the benefits to butterflies of long grass and wild spaces are likely to extend beyond the garden gate. Public green spaces such as parks, school grounds, allotments, and road verges, could also provide vital spaces for wildlife, and enable more people to see more butterflies if allowed to go a little wild.
Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation and co-author of the study, said: “Nature is in crisis; 80% of butterflies have declined since the 1970s, so we need to take action now to protect them.
“We wanted to be able to give tried and tested gardening advice that will benefit butterflies as we know lots of people want to help. This study proves, for the first time, that allowing a patch of grass to grow long will attract more butterflies into your garden.”
The study also found that the presence of flowering ivy in gardens increased the number of certain butterfly species, such as the Holly Blue, Red Admiral and Comma, which use ivy as a breeding habitat or nectar source.
Butterfly Conservation is calling for everyone to create their own Wild Space, no matter how big or small, to help butterflies survive and thrive. Through its Wild Spaces programme, the charity aims to transform 100,000 areas across the UK to help support butterfly populations.
Dr Fox added: “The simple act of creating wild spaces by allowing a patch of grass to grow long, or a border edge to go wild is free and easy to do, and can significantly boost butterfly numbers, especially in urban and agricultural settings where they are most under pressure. The benefits of each individual wild space are small, but if thousands of people get involved the boost to butterflies could be huge.
“Whether you have a large garden, a small patch of grass, a community or school space, or a balcony or window box, anyone, anywhere can help. We hope that our Wild Spaces programme will inspire people across the UK to take action and help to create a national network of butterfly-friendly habitats.”
Wild Spaces can be created by anyone, anywhere – from gardens to shared community spaces, balconies, terraces, or patios. No matter the size or location, every Wild Space can contribute to the recovery of butterfly populations and support biodiversity.
We are very pleased and grateful to the team at the Neighbourhood Centre as we will be joining their Future Family Fun Day taking place on the same day. We will be there to share some of the draft designs and ideas for the park and we’d love to hear your feedback.
As a reminder, we have been working with the City of Edinburgh council to develop concept designs for enhancements across Drylaw Park. These include improvements to park connectivity, accessibility and safety, infrastructure to address surface water issues, nature enhancements and improvements to play provision.
The concept designs take these themes into account and have considered a variety of previous feedback from the community and other key stakeholders.
The Drylaw Park forms part of the Climate Ready Craigleith project which sits under the cities overarching Climate Ready Edinburgh strategy and there is more information on the developing storymap here:
