environment – Page 85 – The NEN

My Beach Your Beach campaign returns to Portobello

Environmental charity joins local communities to urge everyone to take better care of the sand and sea

This week, members of Keep Porty Tidy, who are committed to improving Portobello beach, carried out a litter survey to kick off this summer’s My Beach, Your Beach campaign from environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Over 110 items of litter were recorded on 100m of the beach and prom at Portobello, capturing a snapshot of the local beach litter problem prior to the official bathing season start date of 1 June.

Litter is a key indicator for the My Beach, Your Beach campaign, which encourages beach users to take better care of the sand and sea, supporting efforts to improve bathing water quality, and in turn benefitting the local environment, community, and businesses.

The successful campaign, now in its fourth year, aims to raise awareness of the actions people can take to protect the beach and bathing water – including binning litter or taking it home, ensuring dog poo is picked up and removed, and not feeding the gulls.

Last summer 90% of people visiting Portobello beach said they’d be willing to pick up litter when visiting the beach in order to leave it cleaner than they found it.

This year, during the Year of Coasts and Waters, the campaign focuses on seven of Scotland’s well-loved beaches that have faced challenges with bathing water quality, as measured by SEPA.

These are:

South Beach, Ayr
Troon
Portobello Beach, Edinburgh
Fisherrow Sands, Musselburgh, East Lothian
Kinghorn Harbour Beach, Fife
Irvine
Saltcoats/Ardrossan (new in 2021)

By encouraging better care of the sand and sea, My Beach Your Beach contributes to and supports ongoing works to improve bathing water quality at these sites.

Although last year’s campaign focused mainly on local beach users, this year the campaign will reach out to visitors as well, as lockdown restrictions ease.

In addition to old campaign favourites like the doggy ambassador competition and #LuckyToLiveHere image gallery, this year’s activities will include litter surveys for people to get involved with, business support packs, a Young Reporters for the Environment competition and educational resources that celebrate the beach.

Georgina Massouraki, Campaigns Officer with Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “Natural spaces like beaches are now more precious than ever, as so many of us have discovered over a year of lockdowns.

“We are encouraging and supporting people to take a more active role in protecting these shared spaces and asking them to consider leaving the beach cleaner, rather than dirtier, than they found it.

“Plan ahead to leave no trace, simply taking an extra bag for your waste can help, and if everyone also picked up a few pieces of litter along the way it would make a massive difference.”

Greta Elliott, Volunteer Manager at Keep Porty Tidy said, “We have benefitted from being part of the campaign since it began four years ago, seeing levels of litter drop between the first two years of campaign activity.

“The beach was very much a local haven during lockdown for many of the community, and we work hard to care for it and keep it nice for everyone. But there is still a lot of room for improvement, and together with local businesses, the council and the community we are looking forward to welcoming back visitors and supporting them to do the right thing and enjoy, but also respect us and our beach.

Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Environment Convener, said: “We’re proud of Edinburgh’s beautiful beaches and so we’re supporting this campaign to spread the word – please don’t pollute the sand and sea and help us to keep Porty beach clean.

“Our cleansing teams have worked hard throughout the pandemic to keep Porty and the rest of Edinburgh clean and tidy and we’ve been providing information to make sure people who are #LuckyToLiveHere or visit the beach have a positive experience.

“We’re preparing for a busy summer and would ask everyone visiting the beach to respect our local communities and environment by using the bins provided or by taking your litter home with you.”

The campaign, funded by the Scottish Government and supported by SEPA is being led by Keep Scotland Beautiful to sit alongside its Upstream Battle and Clean Up Scotland campaigns and annual Beach Awards.

Ruth Stidson, Senior Scientist at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said, “Scotland is proud of its stunning coastlines and beautiful beaches. SEPA monitors the water quality across Scotland’s 85 designated bathing waters and supports the MBYB campaign in encouraging people visiting beaches to protect the beach and bathing water.

“Waste from animals or litter isn’t just unsightly but can have a negative impact on the water quality so we encourage the public to follow the advice to take litter home, to clean up after their dogs and to avoid feeding the gulls, ensuring a good beach experience for everyone who visits.”

Find out more about how you can get involved and contribute to the campaign on your local beach at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/mybeachyourbeach

Scotland’s Colleges commit to working together to tackle climate emergency

As Scotland looks forward to hosting the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November, Scottish colleges have come together to support a new and ground-breaking statement of commitment on the Climate Emergency.

The ‘Scottish Colleges’ Statement of Commitment on the Climate Emergency’, which has been produced by CDN’s college Climate Emergency Expert Group, in partnership with Colleges Scotland and Energy Skills Partnership (ESP), highlights how college staff and students are working together to achieve a more sustainable future for Scotland.

The statement of commitment establishes 10 key actions, which colleges have committed to delivering, with the aim of speeding up efforts to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

10 Key Actions

Support Scotland’s efforts to achieve net-zero climate emissions by 2045 or earlier if possible, with Scotland’s colleges aiming to achieve net-zero by 2040 or earlier.

Embed environmental sustainability in our institutional strategies and set measurable targets.Address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in our strategies.

Address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in our strategies.

Share best practice within and beyond the college/ university sector.

Deploy our expertise and experience to combat climate change.

Contribute to public debate on climate change and use the power of our example to encourage others.

Work with Scottish industry, employers, public sector bodies and others to improve working practices and find practical solutions to climate change and to make our planet safe for future generations.

Encourage, where appropriate, colleges to adopt the UK HE/ FE Climate Commission’s ‘Climate Action Roadmap for FE Colleges.’

Each college will publish action plans to address on-campus and supply chain emissions, setting out what steps they will take over a five-year horizon and beyond where possible, and what they aim to achieve to address the climate emergency.

Educate staff, students, employers and communities on the impact their daily lives and working practices have on the environment/ climate. While working with our partners, local employers and communities to ensure everyone is aware of their personal responsibility to our planet.

Come Forth: Treasure Your River!

Scottish communities called on to join UK’s largest ever collaboration to reduce river litter

Keep Scotland Beautiful are delighted to be part of a the new Treasure Your River, campaign, wich launched this week. The campaign will help reduce the huge amount of litter entering the River Forth and subsequently the sea.

We are working with Hubbub to call for businesses, community groups, residents and other organisations situated along the River Forth and its estuary – from Stirling, down to Edinburgh and along the Fife and East Lothian coastline – to get involved.

The campaign will run over the next six months and the programme of activities includes visiting robot boats and a recycled fishing for litter punt, an exciting art installation and litter surveys and clean up activity.

Organisations across the UK, including the Angling Trust, Scottish Canals, Canal & River Trust, Keep Wales Tidy, Mersey Rivers Trust, Sustainable Hive, Thames 21, The Rivers Trust and companies like Coca-Cola and Costa have already pledged to do their bit. Now, in Scotland we are on the look-out for volunteers to support the campaign.

In 2019, Hubbub’s polling¹ found that 75% of UK adults wanted to do more to help tackle marine litter. After a year of lockdown people’s appreciation of nature has risen further and Treasure Your River will provide more opportunities for people around the UK to get involved and help protect our rivers and seas.

Treasure Your River will engage the public on how they can make a difference through simple changes such as taking their rubbish home with them, providing tools and guidance for litter picks and responsible disposal of fishing tackle.

As well as tackling littering behaviour with eye-catching bins and activities, the campaign aims to create a legacy for each river, with an army of regular volunteers and litter-clearing infrastructure.

Barry Fisher, KSB CEO said: “We’re delighted to be working with Hubbub to bring ‘Treasure Your River’ to the communities along the River Forth. This exciting campaign complements our source-to-sea litter activity on other iconic Scottish rivers.

“Our data shows that we are facing a litter emergency in Scotland, and with 80% of marine litter coming from land, often via our waterways, we are looking forward to collaborating with others across the UK to tackle this global issue.

“Increasing awareness of lockdown litter levels have galvanised action across Scotland and we have seen an upsurge in positive activity as people pledge to litter pick the places they love – now we’re eager to build on this by supporting those living and working along the Forth to unite with others to take collective action to stop litter entering the sea via the river and its tributaries.”

Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-founder of Hubbub said: “As lockdown restrictions are lifted there is increased concern about the amount of litter in our public and green spaces. Treasure Your River aims to make the connection between litter in our towns and cities and plastic in the oceans, and to offer people something positive they can do about it.

“The majority of plastics in the oceans are carried there by rivers; the River Mersey for example has proportionately higher levels of microplastic pollution than the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. We invite any individual or organisations along these rivers to come together and help halt the flow of litter into the sea.

“There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a local business, a sailing club, a school, a charity or a resident.”

Treasure Your River aims to be the UK’s largest ever collaborative effort to prevent and reduce the amount of litter in our waterways, tackling six of the UK’s largest river systems: the Avon, Forth, Mersey, Severn, Thames and Trent and their tributaries.

The campaign is being run by environmental charity Hubbub with funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation. It will initially focus on preventing litter from entering the rivers and clean-up activities in seven major cities based on these rivers and the waterways that flow into them – Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Nottingham, which between them are home to 1 in 6 of the UK population.

Check out our Treasure Your River webpage for more details.

Scottish Power confirms major recruitment drive

180 posts to include first ever apprentices in onshore wind business

ScottishPower today announced its highest trainee recruitment drive since 2016 as it welcomed COP26 President Alok Sharma to the UK’s largest onshore wind farm on the outskirts of Glasgow.

Today’s announcement will see 180 separate opportunities for young people to join the company’s operations in Scotland, England and Wales. For the first time in the company’s history, apprenticeships in its ScottishPower Renewables’ onshore wind arm are on offer.

A Principal Partner for the United Nations climate change conference (COP26) to be held in the city later this year, ScottishPower is investing £10billion in the UK over five years – £6 million every working day – to double its renewable generation capacity and drive forward decarbonisation.

Its plans include new solar, wind and battery infrastructure, green hydrogen facilities and undertaking the mammoth task of upgrading parts of the country’s energy network to accommodate the expected rapid increase in demand for electricity.

The posts, which range from renewables to networks; procurement and IT, vary from graduate apprenticeships to pre-apprenticeship programmes for school leavers as well as opportunities for those looking to retrain from other industries.

They include:

· Graduates across Engineering, Procurement & IT

· Apprenticeships across Craft & Project Management

· Trainees programmes for Adult Craft & Engineers

· Graduate Apprenticeships

COP26 President Designate Alok Sharma said: “Growing our economy while becoming greener provides fantastic opportunities and I am pleased to see ScottishPower, a Principal Partner of COP26, will be adding so many new green jobs to its current workforce.

“As we move towards our net zero 2050 target, it shows we don’t need to choose between cleaning up our environment and growing our economy. I look forward to continuing to work with ScottishPower and others as we move towards COP26.”

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of ScottishPower, said: “Roles like these will sit at the very heart of delivering the UK’s net zero ambition as well as the wider green economic recovery. With COP26 coming to the UK this year, there couldn’t be a better time to join us and be part of the green industrial revolution.

“Increasingly people want to work for an organisation that shares their values and strives towards a clear and common purpose they can get behind. Everything we do at ScottishPower is about helping tackle the climate emergency and build a better future, quicker for everyone. It’s a big challenge, but it also makes ScottishPower a hugely inspiring place to work with opportunities to innovate and challenge yourself at every turn.”

Sheila Duncan, ScottishPower HR Director, added: “There are so many opportunities within an energy company that people might not think of, from project managers to quantity surveyors.

“They all share one thing in common, and that’s helping us play our part in decarbonising the UK’s energy. Whether someone is starting out on their career or looking to retrain from elsewhere, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.”

ScottishPower is one of the largest employers in Scotland and currently has around 5,500 staff at sites across the UK, including 1650 at its Glasgow-based HQ. is the first integrated energy company in the UK to switch to 100% clean energy generation and produces all its electricity from offshore and onshore wind. 

Earlier this year, ScottishPower signed up to the new Young Person’s Guarantee and committed to furthering opportunities for young people and those from disadvantaged backgrounds around the UK. This includes grassroots pre-employment schemes in local communities for young people in and around Glasgow.

It is a Principal Partner for the COP26 conference and is developing an energy model that will play a significant role in reaching the UK’s world-leading climate change targets.

Applications open for Woodland Trust’s research programme

With clear evidence that we must act now to protect, create and restore UK woods and trees, the Woodland Trust is inviting applications for research projects that will address its priority areas within the next two years.

The 2021 Spring Research Grant Call will award funding of £5,000 – £20,000 for projects that align to the Trust’s recently published State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report. The report highlighted a barrage of compounding threats that pose catastrophic consequences for the country’s woods and trees. 

Woodland Trust head of conservation outcomes and evidence Dr Hazel Jackson said: “Scientific evidence underpins all the Woodland Trust’s conservation activities. We are constantly looking for effective, credible solutions to deal with the challenges facing trees and woods in the UK.

“The warning signs in our recent State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report are loud and clear. If we don’t tackle the threats facing our woods and trees, we will severely damage the UK’s ability to address the climate and nature crises. Our wildlife havens are suffering, and we are storing up problems for future generations.

“Knowledge is the key to ensuring we can engage people and inspire support, as well as develop and advocate strong, effective conservation techniques and we hope to see a range of strong applications to further enhance the evidence that feeds directly into our practice as well as our policy.”

The Trust particularly encourages applications from minority groups and early career researchers to increase the diversity of scientists in the conservation sector so they can gain experience in leading applied research projects and working with a practitioner non-government organisation.

Themes the Trust is looking for research to address are as follows:

Woodland extent, condition, and wildlife value

Projects are expected to illustrate how new and existing methodologies can be used to monitor the wildlife value of UK trees and woods and assess ecological condition. We are particularly interested in gaining new insights into the extent, condition, and wildlife value of ancient woodland, trees outside of woods, wood pasture and parkland, ancient and veteran trees, urban trees and community woodlands.

Benefits for people

Woods and trees benefit people in a whole host of ways including flood risk management, pollination, carbon sequestration and storage, recreation, public health and the cultural, spiritual and intrinsic values we place on them. Proposals examining how these benefits can be promoted at the site and landscape scale and the relative trade-offs when different objectives are prioritised, are encouraged under this theme.

Threats and drivers of change

Proposals under this theme should aim to inform protection of new and existing woods and trees from the huge array of threats, enhancing resilience and ecological integrity at site and landscape scale.

Restoration, creation and management

This theme aims to improve and refine practical conservation delivery by focusing on the development of novel, efficient and cost-effective approaches. Research topics in this theme may include intervention trials to provide evidence for the effectiveness of management or restoration.

It may include research into innovative techniques and methods for creating new native woodland for different objectives. This includes effectiveness for biodiversity and people but also the economics and cost-effectiveness of different approaches.

Landscape scale research

The Trust is particularly interested in applied, interdisciplinary research projects addressing issues with landscape-scale significance. It will encourage research which integrates woods and trees across other appropriate aspects of conservation, and other land uses that traditionally do not feature trees and integration into society more widely.

Further details about how to apply and topics of interest under each theme can be found at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/grants.

The deadline for applications is Thursday 1 July at 4pm.

Dobbies hosts bee-rilliant virtual event with Neal’s Yard Remedies to celebrate World Bee Day

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, is marking World Bee Day (20 May) for Edinburgh customers with a virtual event hosted by natural and organic health and beauty company, Neal’s Yard Remedies.

Following on from the recent launch of their #sustainabledobbies campaign, the experts at Dobbies Garden Centres are teaming up with Neal’s Yard Remedies in this virtual event, to share top tips on making Edinburgh gardens a bee-friendly haven.

Bees are one of the most vital elements of our eco-system, but with several species now in decline, it’s more important than ever that we all play our part to support these precious pollinators, and World Bee Day serves as a timely reminder to celebrate their significance in our daily lives.

The virtual event will start at 7pm on 20 May, and will be hosted by Tipper Lewis, Brand Ambassador for Neal’s Yard Remedies.

Tipper will provide attendees with top tips on the best blooms for bees, and share advice on how to maximise a garden’s ‘pollen power’, so that everyone can play their part in creating a sanctuary for bees in their gardens this summer.

Tipper will also introduce guests to Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Bee Lovely product range, which is lovingly crafted with ingredients such as honey and beeswax. Every purchase from the Bee Lovely collection helps to support bees across the world, with a percentage of each purchase donated to bee-friendly charities. Lucky attendees will also be given the chance to experience the range for themselves too, with the opportunity to win one of five Bee Lovely ‘Head to Toe’ gift sets during the event.

Alongside this, Tipper will be on hand to answer any questions viewers may have, including advice on the best blooms and bushes to plant to attract bees, and how to ensure that gardening techniques are sustainable and bee-friendly at every turn.

Tipper Lewis, Brand Ambassador for Neal’s Yard Remedies, said: “Bees are hugely vital to so many things in our daily lives, from the food we eat to the flowers in our gardens and even the skincare we use.

“The team at Neal’s Yard Remedies and I are very excited to share our knowledge, passion and love for bees of all kinds with Dobbies’ Edinburgh customers, and we hope they’ll enjoy learning more about them as we celebrate World Bee Day.”

The Neal’s Yard Remedies expert event is part of a series of free virtual events that Dobbies is hosting this Spring. Following a successful programme of Facebook Live sessions in 2020, they provide a virtual alternative to regular events usually hosted instore.

Further events have already been announced for the coming weeks, including a virtual event on roses, Britain’s favourite flower, hosted by Dobbies’ Horticulture Director, Marcus Eyles.

Advance booking is essential for the virtual events, which are hosted on Microsoft Teams, making it quick and simple for viewers to log on and join in the event from the comfort of their homes.

The sessions are free of charge and exclusively available to Dobbies Club members. For those who aren’t yet members of Dobbies Club, membership is free and signing up is quick and simple, giving access to a variety of benefits, special offers and exclusive events. To sign up visit dobbies.com

To sign up for the Dobbies virtual event with Neals Yard Remedies, visit https://www.dobbies.com/content/events.html

Sir David Attenborough named COP26 People’s Advocate

Broadcaster and natural historian to work with the UK as host of COP26 to inspire action in the run up to the summit
Sir David will address world leaders and the public ahead of and at Glasgow in November
This appointment marks the pivotal moment of 6 months to go to COP26.

Sir David Attenborough becomes COP26 People’s Advocate for the UK’s Presidency of the UN climate change summit in Glasgow this November.

With six months to go before the UK brings world leaders together for key climate talks, the renowned natural historian and broadcaster will put forward the compelling case to global leaders, key decision makers and the public for why climate action matters, to evidence the progress underway, and to highlight the actions decision makers will need to take ahead of and at COP26.

He will address world leaders at major international events over the next six months, including the G7 Summit in Cornwall in June, to firmly put climate and the protection of nature at the top of their agenda, and he has also been invited to address world leaders and the public at the Glasgow Summit – the most important climate meeting since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Sir David Attenborough has already inspired millions of people in the UK and around the world with his passion and knowledge to act on climate change and protect the planet for future generations.

“There is no better person to build momentum for further change as we approach the COP26 climate summit in November. I am hugely grateful to Sir David for agreeing to be our People’s Advocate.”

On being appointed COP26 People’s Advocate, Sir David Attenborough said: “I am greatly honoured to be given the role of People’s Advocate. There could not be a more important moment that we should have international agreement.

“The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems. But the problems that await us within the next 5 – 10 years are even greater.

“It is crucial that these meetings in Glasgow, COP26, have success, and that at last the nations will come together to solve the crippling problems that the world now faces.

Sir David has previously stressed the importance of COP26. Addressing the UN Security Council in February, on the invitation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he described COP26 as possibly “our last opportunity to make the necessary step-change” towards protecting the planet.

COP26 President-Designate, Alok Sharma, said: “Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity and the stakes could not be higher for our planet. The next decade will be make, or break, for cutting global emissions sufficiently to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

“That is why I am delighted to be working with Sir David, a hero for our country and our planet, to inspire action ahead of COP26.”

The appointment comes as Alok Sharma is urging governments, international organisations, businesses, and civil society to accelerate bold pledges ahead of the summit, to put the world on a path to net zero emissions by mid-century.

Utilita Hub Manager shares energy-saving tips

After over a year in and out of lockdown, many of us have turned to technology to keep ourselves entertained – from binging on hit Netflix shows such as Tiger King and Bridgerton, to making daily purchases via Amazon Prime.

But as things continue to ease up, and we edge ever closer to the Great British Summertime (and freedom!), we may be planning exciting days out with friends and family – many of whom we haven’t seen in several months, or even a year!

Before you step outside and enjoy the sunshine, take a moment to check around the home for any appliances which may be on standby. Doing could save you £30 a year – not bad!

Debra Clason, Hub Manager at the Utilita Energy Hub in Leith, Edinburgh, has shared her top tips for saving energy during this time:

Dust off the clothes horse

As the days get warmer, pull out the clothes horse from the back of the cupboard and dry freshly washed items quickly in the sun without the need of the tumble-dryer.

Check your heating

When the weather heats up, check your heating and make sure it’s either off because it’s warm enough outside, or that it set lower to save you in the long run.

Stay cool with cross ventilation

Create a cool breeze through the home by opening a window at the font and another at the back, to let air free flow through rooms – and save the fan until things really heat up!

Make the most of the great outdoors

As the weather improves after being cooped up inside for several months, make the most out of the great outdoors. Less time in the home enjoying ourselves means less energy used.

Debra comments: “Our research reveals on average, British homes have 10 unused items plugged in and switched on at any time. Across the UK’s millions of homes, those with at least one TV waste a staggering £432 million on unnecessary energy every year by leaving the set on standby.

“By simply switching your appliances off at the power source after using them, you could save £30 a year.”

“Find other tips on how you could save £163 each year on energy bills with our Energy High 5 movement.”

Funding boost for Edinburgh Napier cycling support

£17,000 will go towards 25 bikes for campus-to-campus travel

Edinburgh Napier students and staff who are interested in taking up cycling are set for increased support thanks to a £17,000 funding boost from Cycling Scotland.

Over the last few years, the University has been working hard to encourage cycling to campus, including offering free bike maintenance sessions and security marking, repair workshops at student accommodation, led rides and more.

Both Sighthill and Merchiston have been awarded Cycle Friendly Campus status from Cycling Scotland, and this latest funding will go towards offering even more support to students and staff who cycle, or want to cycle.

The funding includes £16,496.25 from the Cycling Scotland Campus Development Fund for 25 bikes, locks, helmets, high-visibility jackets and bike marking security kits. This will allow the University to develop its own bike-lending scheme and allow students and staff to borrow the equipment they need to get to and from campus, as well as around Edinburgh itself.

The University has also received £500 from the Cycling Scotland Cycle Friendly Internship Fund for cycle ride leader training and Dr Bike sessions.

The cycle ride training will allow volunteers to host led rides around the city, a great way to encourage new cyclists to get to grips and gain confidence, as well as encouraging sustainable travel and the benefits to both physical and mental wellbeing.

Dr Bike sessions have enjoyed great success over recent years, with students and staff taking the opportunity to get their bikes checked and minor repairs carried out for free.

Ben Standish, Edinburgh Napier Campus Cycling Officer, said: “After a difficult year of being stuck indoors for many of us, this is really fantastic news for the students and staff of Edinburgh Napier.

“Cycling can have a huge range of benefits; it’s affordable, healthy and has been proven to support wellbeing and productivity. We hope the new bikes can benefit some of our students who do not already have access to a bicycle whilst providing a resource for staff and students to run social events.

“Cycling Scotland’s support for bike maintenance sessions and cycle training will add that little bit of extra support which could be the difference of whether someone continues to cycle and cycles safely.

“What’s even more exciting is that we are developing a relationship with VieVelo and the Edinburgh All-Ability Bike Centre who have a range of adapted bikes and ensure that cycling is something everyone can enjoy. If there any Edinburgh Napier students or staff that want to know more about how we are helping our community cycle, I would be more than happy to have a chat.”

Jayne Brown, Development Officer Education, Cycling Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have awarded Edinburgh Napier University funding to increase their current fleet of pool bikes.

“The goal of the Cycling Friendly Campus programme is to make it easier for students and staff to cycle. We achieve this by offering development grant funding for colleges and universities to make improvements to cycling facilities, and support and guidance to achieve a nationally-recognised award.

“Encouraging cycling and improving accessibility to bikes on campus will help to promote cycling as a healthy and sustainable travel option for students and staff.”

The funding news was also welcomed by Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association President, Ankit Duggal. He said: “I am glad to find out about funding from Cycling Scotland, which will provide a great opportunity for students to hire bikes, get some assistance with equipment such as locks, lights, helmets and some Dr Bike sessions to get small repairs.

“As student president, I have tried to promote this project to the university leadership team as well. It will definitely benefit the students to access the active transport which will help them to have some exercise and better physical alongside mental health.

“It is also another way to support climate change by following a greener approach to travelling. Cycling is important for the students and for the University also, to abide by the practice that they advocate to encourage others.”

For more information on cycling to campus, please visit our Cycling page on My Napier.

The housebuilding industry can lead the way on biodiversity

A new guide highlights that biodiversity should be considered at the earliest stages of planning new home developments to encourage wildlife and help reverse habitat decline.

Climate change and the decline of wildlife are the great challenges of our time which, combined with Government demands for greatly increased housing supply, are creating a balancing act which housebuilders and developers must consider in all its aspects. Sustainability must be a key consideration in housing developments ensuring a positive impact on wildlife and the adoption of nature-based solutions.

Much of the focus on sustainable housing in recent years has been in reducing carbon emissions, but the coronavirus pandemic has placed emphasis on caring for local wildlife.

· The majority of house-buyers say the pandemic has highlighted the need for more nature-rich green space.

· The UK Prime Minister recently said he will make “tackling climate change and biodiversity loss” the government’s “number one international priority”.

58% of UK species have declined over the last 50 years, and urbanisation is considered one of the key reasons why.

The National House Building Council (NHBC) Foundation has partnered with the RSPB and Barratt Developments to produce guidance on how the housebuilding industry can incorporate green infrastructure into new build homes and enhance and protect biodiversity within developments to help deliver wider public health benefits.

The new report Biodiversity in new housing developments: creating wildlife-friendly communities has just been launchedproviding guidance on planning for beautiful places, key topics include:

· Implementing Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) which mimic natural processes in managing rainfall through the use of landscape form and vegetation

· Installing roost bricks for bats and designing lighting plans in a bat-friendly way

· Putting in bird nest bricks that provide permanent nest features for declining species such as swifts

· Ensuring boundaries enable hedgehogs to move freely through a housing development.

Beccy Speight, CEO, RSPB said: “The housebuilding industry is uniquely placed in having an opportunity to create not just sustainable houses, but new, sustainable communities, where people thrive alongside wildlife.

“This guide is a great introduction to the principles and practicalities of creating wildlife-friendly communities and a great addition to the sustainable housing toolkit.

“I hope that the industry will embrace it and help to drive positive change. We all have our part to play as we seek to revive our world.”

Richard Smith, NHBC’s Head of Standards, Innovation and Research said: “In a year so focused on health, this report is a timely reminder of the many benefits nature can provide when successfully integrated into new homes and developments.

“As we head towards COP26, we want to support those in the housing and construction sector to think more about how they can better integrate biodiversity and climate resilience into new home developments to help to achieve the country’s climate change goals and improve health and wellbeing in local communities.

“Biodiversity Net Gain will soon become mandatory in England so there’s no excuse not to start looking at these issues now.”