Tag: environment

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.

Accelerating action to tackle nature and climate crises

More funding to support biodiversity projects

Projects that restore Scotland’s rainforest and protect some of the country’s most threatened wildlife are among those set to benefit from crucial funding.

A new package of Scottish Government support totalling over £2.9 million will focus on conservation, research and connecting people with nature – aiming to accelerate the response to the biodiversity and climate crises.

A project to restore Scotland’s rainforest will receive over £1.3 million helping to control invasive rhododendron and manage the impacts of wild deer to promote the recovery of the fragile forest ecosystem.

‘Species on the Edge’, a five-year partnership project, will receive £500,000, helping to support 37 of Scotland’s most vulnerable species – such as the great yellow bumblebee and the Scottish primrose.

A further £200,000 will go to the Green Action Trust to help expand nature networks – supporting their work with local communities across Scotland to create and restore woodlands and wetlands.

Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said: “The interlinked crises of nature loss and climate change need urgent action across government and society. A healthy natural environment with restored and thriving biodiversity is also crucial to both our wellbeing and our economy. 

“That is why we are continuing to support and build on a wide programme of enhancing nature protections. This new package of funding adds to our £65 million Nature Restoration Fund, which supports projects across Scotland – on land and at sea – that address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

“We are at a critical moment as we approach the UN CoP15 biodiversity summit at the end of this year. We will soon publish a new Biodiversity Strategy for Scotland, which will set out what our natural environment needs to look like by 2045 in order to reverse biodiversity decline and protect our environment for the future.

“The Strategy will set out in detail how we achieve our goals and a Natural Environment Bill which will pave the way for statutory nature restoration targets.”

Alistair Whyte on behalf of Woodland Trust Scotland and Plantlife Scotland said: “We welcome the allocation of funding to begin the crucial work of halting the loss of Scotland’s rainforest.

“Restoring the rainforest will need a long-term, strategic approach to funding and action on the ground. In financially challenging times, this announcement is an encouraging step towards fulfilling that larger commitment to restore and expand this precious ecosystem. We owe it to the world to restore Scotland’s rainforest.”

Director of RSPB Scotland Anne McCall said: “Given the scale and urgency of the nature and climate crisis it is great to see this funding announcement from Scottish Government.

“Support for work that is focused on species and the restoration of Scotland’s rainforest highlights the importance of addressing nature loss across Scotland; there is so much more to be done, by all sectors, if we are to realise a future where nature and people can thrive.”

Details of all the projects to receive additional funding are contained in the table below:

ProjectWhat it will doAllocation
Species on the Edge5 year partnership programme with NatureScot, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and nature conservation charities improving the fortunes of 37 priority species.£50,000 allocation this year.  A total Scottish Government contribution of £500,000 to £6.7 million total cost.
Scottish Biodiversity Information Forum – Better Biodiversity Data ProjectPartnership project co-funded with NatureScot to develop first steps in a strategic approach to the collection, collation and sharing of biological data across Scotland, supporting the transition to net zero and helping halt and reverse biodiversity loss. £31,000 this year – total of £290,000 over 3 years.
Scotland’s rainforest RestorationSupport for a programme of work initially enabling Forestry and Land Scotland to control invasive non-native species on 60 ha of priority rainforest sites, moving on to new priority sites and developing opportunities for collaboration with the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest and development of deer management plans for key sites.£555,000 capital and £750,000 resource.
Nature NetworksTo support the Green Action Trust’s work on local nature networks. Green Action Trust will work with local communities to create and restore woodlands and wetlands.£200,000 top up capital to their core grant.
Nature Restoration FundTop up funding to the Transforming Nature multiyear project window, and additional capital to the National Parks to support their nature plans.£453,000
The Conservation VolunteersSupport for the delivery of environmental volunteering, getting people engaged with nature, particularly in urban and socially deprived areas, each year TCV organise over 17,000 workdays planting over 15,000 trees, 26,000 wildflower bulbs and repairing 21km of paths.£170,000

Founders of Newbridge caravan park win sustainable business award 

The founders of a caravan park in Newbridge have won a UK-wide Sustainable Small Business award. 

Katie and Alastair Guinan, who set up Linwater Caravan Park on Clifton Road in 1999, have been recognised with the Sustainable Business Transition Award. 

The business sets itself apart by offering value for money whilst ensuring the business is fair on staff, the community and the planet. 

Katie said: “As owners of a family business, it is really important that we operate responsibly so that it, and the planet, is still here for the next generation. We have worked hard over the last few years to improve our green credentials and will continue on this path. 

“There is always room to improve no matter how many awards and certificates you get for being sustainable.

“We are so grateful for the recognition which is proof that you can do it and hope that it will inspire other businesses to follow suit.” 

The awards are part of the Plan it with Purpose initiative run by small business support platform, Enterprise Nation, in partnership with Aviva and TSB with the aim of shining a spotlight on businesses that focus on sustainability and purpose. 

Emma Jones, CBE, founder of Enterprise Nation, said: “It’s wonderful to see the progress these small climate-friendly businesses have made and continue to make in their purpose-driven businesses.

“The reality is, in the fight against the cost-of-living crisis, businesses that are leading the way in sustainability and energy efficiency, while making a meaningful contribution to society, must become an increasingly important feature of the small business community and we must do everything we can to support them. 

“Building a business around the circular economy is compelling, and our awards recognise the vital contribution these founders are making.” 

Fiona Hyde, Head of Sustainability at TSB said: “We know that reducing our own environmental impact matters to customers and colleagues.

“We’re proud to support Enterprise Nation’s ‘Plan It with Purpose‘ program, helping small businesses make a positive impact and recognising the success of the five brilliant businesses that have won today.”  

Plan it with Purpose has been designed to support small and medium businesses and business owners by increasing their understanding of environmental and social issues, showcasing relatable role models, and helping to build sustainable ventures while encouraging change through tailored resources, action plans and recommendations. 

Animal Rebellion protest in Edinburgh

  • At around midday yesterday, supporters of Animal Rebellion entered Waitrose in Morningside, took milk from the shelves, and emptied it on the floor of the shop.
  • This follows two high-profile milk spills in Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges in London where two individuals were arrested and charged with £100,000 in damages

SIX Animal Rebellion supporters disrupted Waitrose on Morningside Road yesterday as they continue their call for a plant-based future.

Two protesters took bottles of milk from the shelves and emptied them over the store’s floor to highlight the need to support farmers in a transition to a sustainable, plant-based food system. 

Similar actions occurred simultaneously in London, Norwich, Manchester and Leeds.

Hannah, one of the activists, said: “Milk isn’t a viable product, it’s unsuitable for human consumption, it becomes unsuitable as soon as we exploit animals, deforest massive sways of land for unsustainable animal agriculture, polluting our groundwater and contributing more Greenhouse Gas Emissions than Exon, Shell and BP.”

The action comes as part of Animal Rebellion’s demands for a plant-based future, which were announced on 23/05/22.

The animal and climate group is calling for wholesale governmental support for farmers and fishing communities to transition to a plant-based food system and a programme of rewilding that will secure a future for generations to come by drawing down carbon from the atmosphere and restoring vital habitat to native wildlife.

Other recent actions taken by the group include disrupting the Queen’s Jubilee, running onto the track at Epsom Derby, and blockading multiple dairy distribution centres day-after-day at the beginning of September.

Animal Rebellion is a mass movement using nonviolent civil disobedience to call for a just, sustainable plant-based food system.

Families encouraged to take greener days out

Campaign to explore Britain’s hidden gems by train launches

A national awareness campaign, uniting communities across Britain to showcase the delights and benefits of ‘Days Out by Rail’, launches next week. 

The three-week initiative is raising awareness about rail as one of the greenest ways to travel with the family – especially when combined with walking, cycling and buses – avoiding traffic jams, parking and pollution, while enabling exploration of lesser-known spots as part of a day out, short break or staycation.

Days Out by Rail, developed by Community Rail Network, draws on local insights and ideas from community rail, a grassroots movement spanning Britain, which involves communities and volunteers with their local railways and stations. 

The campaign is being delivered through Community Rail Network’s tourism initiative, ScenicRailBritain.com, and aims to provide inspiration for families looking for days out during the October half term and throughout autumn. 

The campaign will include tips on how to have a low-cost railway-themed day out, ideas for things to do with the kids as well as highlighting some of Britain’s fascinating hidden gems off the beaten track, all accessible by train. 

And it’s not all about the destination, whether families decide to play travel games, enjoy a packed lunch or play I-spy from the window, taking the train can be so much more than just a journey.

Most of the lines featured in the campaign are supported by community rail partnerships and station volunteer groups working at grassroots level to engage local communities and promote rail as a key part of sustainable, healthy travel. 

The movement works to improve rail connections, advising railway partners on local needs to help more people be able to access rail. 

Community Rail Network, the non-profit organisation that operates Scenic Rail Britain, supports, connects and champions those working and volunteering in community rail across Britain.

Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “Many people don’t realise the scope for seeing Britain’s stunning landscapes, pretty villages and historic sites by rail – and making use of our wonderful, often little-known, community rail lines and stations is a great way to do this.

We’re excited to launch our Days Out By Rail campaign with help from community rail partnerships and station volunteers across the country. This campaign is all about drawing on the local knowledge and insights from the community rail movement, and sharing that with families, day-trippers and holidaymakers.

“We hope to inspire more people to explore our beautiful countryside and fascinating heritage through green and scenic journeys by rail, avoiding the stress and pollution of driving and parking.”