Capital Theatres are delighted to announce a new corporate partnership with Brewgooder, a Scottish-based craft beer company whose ‘Brewed on Purpose’ commitment to create waves of people-positive change through their business, chimes with our own brand values of consideration and collaboration alongside our sustainability objectives in our own business practices.
Among their many ethical initiatives, Brewgooder work with impact partner Charity Water to ensure that for every can or pint of their beer enjoyed, they commit to 100 pints or cans being provided in clean water on projects across the world. Similarly, they continue to strive for more ethical business practices and a more diverse and inclusive brewing industry through their Work in Progress scheme.
In July Brewgooder were incredibly proud to be recognised as one of the ‘Best for the World™’ B Corps of 2021. This was awarded for their clean water efforts in the Community area as well as meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
Capital Theatres and Brewgooder began working together last year as part of Brewgooder’s Panto in a Box initiative – a pack of four themed beers, panto snacks and a panto story with a proportion of the profits going to the Theatre Artists Fund, including local schemes which benefited Capital Theatres’ artistic community.
Since the pandemic had put a pause on the King’s Panto we were more than happy to help Brewgooder promote this fun alternative to benefit artists whose income had disappeared overnight.
Building on this relationship, as a Capital Theatres’ Corporate Partner Brewgooder will benefit from a brand match with Scotland’s largest independent theatre charity operating three city-centre venues: the Festival Theatre, the King’s Theatre and the Studio. With a diverse year-round programme of drama, dance, musicals, opera, ballet, children’s theatre and more, our theatres attract audiences from across Edinburgh, the Lothians and beyond.
Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres said: “We’re thrilled to find partners in Brewgooder who share our values and have ethical and environmental policies and practices at the heart of what they do.
“As Scotland’s largest theatre charity, we’re passionate about working alongside local businesses which, as in Brewgooder’s case, have a global reach. It feels good to know that every pint or can of Brewgooder sold in our bars will result in clean water for those who really need it.”
James Hughes, Co-Founder of Brewgooder said:“We’re delighted to see the Capital Theatres venues reopening with performances returning, and are very proud to have our beer stocked across their venues.
“Last Christmas we had dedicated our festive campaign to support the devastated performing arts scene and to raise money for local relief funds set up for venues that included Capital Theatres, so having hopefully come through the worst of these difficult times, we’re keen to create plenty of positive moments and outcomes together via this newly formed partnership.”
Investment to deliver estimated cut of 67,000 tonnes in annual carbon emissions by 2035
Cut is equivalent to reducing the carbon footprint of more than 5,000 Scots to zero New electric bus fleets to be rolled out in Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Perth later this year
Further 40 tonnes of CO2e a year expected to be saved through more energy efficient buildings
Stagecoach sustainability strategy aiming to deliver a greener, healthier and fairer Scotland
Government must show “strong and brave leadership” on transport to incentivise right choices.
Stagecoach, the UK’s biggest bus and coach operator, is marking Scottish Climate Week with a plan to cut tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions a year from its business as it targets a zero emissions bus fleet by 2035.
Investment in clean technologies, including new electric buses, are expected to deliver an estimated annual reduction of around 67,000 tonnes of CO2e from its fleet of more than 1,200 buses in Scotland in less than 15 years.
According to Zero Waste Scotland, the average annual carbon footprint per person in Scotland is 13 tonnes of CO2e. This means Stagecoach’s plans are the equivalent of reducing the environmental impact of more than 5,000 Scots to zero.
Stagecoach services are already helping households across the UK reduce their carbon footprint by offering more sustainable travel. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that without Stagecoach bus services, there would be an annual increase of around 190,000 tonnes of CO2e through people using alternative transport, mainly cars.
The latest Stagecoach targets and commitments are part of the company’s new sustainability strategy Driving Net Zero: Better Places to Live and Work, published in advance of the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow in November. Stagecoach is aiming to decarbonise its business by around 70% by 2035 as well as targeting a zero emissions bus fleet across the UK by that date.
The roadmap to becoming a carbon neutral business will see investment in new zero-emissions fleets and other green technologies over the next 15 years to reduce the impact of the company’s operations on the planet, as well as initiatives to cut waste, boost recycling and conserve water.
A £21.4m fleet of 46 new fully electric buses is being introduced by Stagecoach in Aberdeen, Perth and Kilmarnock this year as part of the Scottish Government’s Scottish Ultra Low Emission Bus scheme. It follows the UK’s first fleet of six fully electric buses serving rural communities which went into service earlier this summer under a partnership between Stagecoach and SP Energy Networks, connecting villages along the Irvine Valley with Kilmarnock town centre.
Stagecoach has already been converting its existing vehicles to make them greener in advance of the transition to electric and other zero emissions technologies.
The clean air retrofit programme has seen over a third of buses in Scotland retrofitted with either Euro VI or new exhaust systems, both of which mean they have 95% less emissions that standard buses. Stagecoach is also working with the manufacturing sector on how to use clean technologies that are applicable to coaches, which operate on longer routes not currently suited to electric vehicles.
Separately, five Scottish Citylink coaches in east Scotland have been fitted with new solar panels which provide clean solar energy to power all on-board electrical equipment. This reduces the requirement to create electric energy via the burning of diesel, a move that is estimated to save up to 7,500 litres of fuel and over 20 tonnes of CO2.
Investment is also being made in Stagecoach buildings and depots across Scotland, with 11 depots around the country fitted with hi-tech energy management systems to control heating and help reduce gas and heating oil consumption.
Under the latest plans, by 2027 Stagecoach energy management systems will meet the international standard ISO 50001 and it will also be procuring all electricity from 100% renewable sources from April 2022. As a result, annual carbon emissions from Stagecoach buildings in Scotland are expected to reduce by 40 tCO2e a year from 2027.
Sam Greer, Regional Director for Stagecoach in Scotland, said: “There has never been a more important time to take action to address the climate emergency and play a part in helping Scotland deliver on its net zero ambitions.
“Our plans start with improving the sustainability of our own business. But we can also leverage the power of public transport focus on our plans to create a greener, smarter, safer, healthier and fairer Scotland.
“Making net zero a reality – and quickly – is about more than just switching technologies. We also need to change how we travel, moving people away from cars to walking, cycling and wheeling, and public transport.
“This needs strong and brave leadership from national and regional governments to create incentives to reward the right choices. We also need to make sure the country’s transport infrastructure is prioritised for people, such as bus passengers, whose are contributing to a cleaner and healthier country.”
The largest ever international trade mission hosted by a British Chambers of Commerce is to take place during COP26, connecting up to 100 businesses worldwide to share best practice in accelerating the transition towards a more sustainable and circular economy.
Hosted by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, the Climate Chamber Mission will bring companies from 10 countries across the globe together to increase international collaborations, export and business growth opportunities.
The two-day hybrid event, hosted between 2 – 3 November 2021, is one of the main international trade missions being held during COP26 and is designed to support businesses in the delivery of circular economy solutions, sustainability and climate targets.
The Mission will see UK companies including Edrington, Scottish Leather Group, Vango, A C Whyte and MacRebur collaborate with businesses from Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Norway, Denmark, France, Australia and Singapore.
Among international businesses, Glasgow will welcome Porsche, ZmartHaus and Bosch Energy Solutions from Germany, and HSBC, Indika Energy and Standard Chartered from Indonesia.
Aiming to create an international business network via an online community, the Mission provides the opportunity for businesses to achieve long term learning, innovation and implementation of both climate and business goals.
The main event will look at how businesses can join the race to net zero, and why bold climate targets are not always enough, while the breakout sessions will cover key sectors such as food and drink, manufacturing, construction, transport, low carbon and renewables, and fashion and retail.
Richard Muir, deputy chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “COP26 brings together a global community of leaders, businesses and climate change activists to focus and act on climate change and how countries and cities are planning to tackle it.’’
“The Climate Chamber Mission will leverage that global platform and utilise the Chamber Network to create lasting partnerships for Scottish and international businesses, while positioning Glasgow as a leading city in the green and circular economy.
“We are delighted to be working with a number of partners, including the British Chambers of Commerce Global Network of oversea Chambers, as well a number of Circular Economy organisations, and we look forward to welcoming our global community to Glasgow.”
Leif Nordhus, CEO of Circular Norway, said: “The transition to a circular economy is essential to fight climate breakdown.
“The Climate Chamber Mission during COP26 provides a unique opportunity for Circular Norway to mobilize a coalition of Norwegian companies to build momentum and accelerate actions towards the goals of the Paris Agreement.”
Ainsley Mann, chairman of British Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia, said: “I have long held the belief that COP26 offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for Scottish businesses to engage with companies from all over the world to meet and discuss collaboration opportunities and to contribute meaningfully to net zero objectives.
“I am very excited about the rapid up take by Indonesian businesses wanting to join this initiative which I believe will serve as a tremendous catalyst for many productive partnerships going forward.”
For more information about how to get involved, please contact:
Diet is at the heart of beef’s race to net zero, according to respected Dr Karen Beauchemin, a federal scientist in Canada and an international authority on Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from livestock farming.
Seaweeds, fat from crushed oilseed rape and feed additives have all been part of a practical research programme she and her colleagues are carrying out, looking at both feeding and breeding to make the economics and environmental commitment stack up for beef producers.
“The goals of economic and environmental sustainability go hand-in-hand in beef farming and are complementary,” she says. “We have discovered multiple methods of reducing methane emissions in beef production, but the number one way is still to improve overall efficiency whether that’s through more kilograms reared per cow or improved grass utilisation.”
The studies have shown that methane is a direct result of the amount and quality of food, and in this week’s QMS podcast, Dr Beauchemin, who has worked in animal nutrition for over 30 years, looks at diet-related strategies that can be used to reduce methane emission patterns, and achieving the balance for producers to make cumulative gains.
“The research shows that methane emissions are highest when diets are higher in fibre, such as grass or silage, but this can be mitigated by cutting silage earlier to minimise the starch levels.
“And, although by feeding concentrates and grains producers can reduce emissions, we don’t want to overfeed these to beef cattle as their unique ability is to digest highly fibrous feeds like grass that cannot be consumed by humans and make use of that energy to produce food that can be.”
In Canada, consumers have been paying a carbon tax since 2019, $20/tonne soon to rise to $170/tonne, but it is not currently applicable on agricultural products.
There is pressure from the retailers, however, and the Canadian beef industry has introduced a low carbon beef framework to allow retailers to source from producers who are working to reduce their environmental impact.
The “badge” on the supermarket shelf is more than GHGs, however, explains Dr Beauchemin. It includes land use, water management, animal welfare and a healthy work environment.
On the challenges of consumer perception of livestock production on the environment, she adds: “Cattle do produce GHGs but they are producing food. With cars we’re talking about fossil fuels that are extracted from the earth and the CO2 emissions emitted are in the atmosphere for a long time.
“Methane from animals is part of a biological cycle. We have energy trapped in plants by photosynthesis, those plants are converted by animals into energy that goes into producing meat and milk for human consumption. The methane emitted in this system is short lived – it is broken down in about 12 years.
“Also, the animals are maintained on pasture and those pastures are sequestering carbon or have sequestered carbon, so they have large reserves. We have to be careful with comparing the emissions from animal production with fossil fuels.”
While there is a lot of interest in using breeding to improve feed efficiency, Dr Beauchemin focuses on diet over genetics. She has been very involved in the commercial-scale study of 3-NOP, a feed additive from manufacturer DSM which inhibits methane in the rumen.
In collaboration with several teams including experts in large-scale methane measurement, feedlot nutrition and health consultants, the results from 15,000 cattle have shown that it can reduce methane in a forage-based diet by up to 25% and by 80% in a feedlot finishing diet.
The podcast series is available through Apple Podcast, Buzzsprout, and Spotify, as well as via the Quality Meat Scotland website and social channels.
71% of residents in Scotland make a conscious effort to recycle
Waste-aware gardeners in and around Edinburgh and Milngavie will now be able to recycle compost packaging thanks to a trial scheme from the country’s biggest garden retailer.
Dobbies Garden Centres and Evergreen Garden Care are partnering on the initiative which will see garden furniture created from the recycled material and donated to Greenfingers, a charity that creates green spaces for terminally-ill children.
Launching this week, trial will run in 10 stores for an initial three months, including Dobbies Garden Centres at Edinburgh and Milngavie.
Most plastic packaging of the sort used for compost bags ends up in landfill because very few local authorities collect polythene sacks as part of kerbside collections or at recycling centres.
In a survey conducted by Dobbies, in collaboration with Censuswide, 71% of respondents in Scotland make a conscious effort to recycle*. Dobbies will also be encouraging more people to recycle with instore and online information to make it as easy as possible for customers.
Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Greenfingers said: “We believe that time outdoors can bring significant benefits to children with life-limiting conditions.
“By supporting our work through their unique initiative, Dobbies and Evergreen will help us provide more children with the valuable opportunity to spend more time outside enjoying the therapeutic benefits of being close to nature.”
Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies, said: “All that people have to do is bring any compost packaging, no matter what brand or where it was purchased, and return it to one of the recycling bins in our plant areas.
“It will then be collected by Veolia for recycling at Berry BPI Recycled Products before used as part of the raw material blend to produce garden furniture becoming a valuable asset for those children’s hospices working with Greenfingers Charity. It’s a great win for the environment, for customers in Edinburgh and Milngavie, and for the community, and an important next stage of our #sustainabledobbies mission.”
Jane Hartley, Sustainability Marketing Manager said: “Evergreen is delighted to be working with Dobbies and their customers. Evidence suggests that consumers want to take the right action when it comes to recycling so our new Miracle-Gro Bring Back Compost Bags bins will create strong visibility in store to encourage people to recycle.
“We want to reduce the amount of single use plastic used within our business and compost bags are key to delivering this, we have already increased the amount of recycled content in our compost bags which for Miracle-Gro, now contains 80% recycled content. However, we have so much more to achieve, this is the first of a number of initiatives we are working on.”
Stores included in the trial are: Edinburgh, Milngavie, Woodcote Green, Altrincham, Morpeth, Cirencester, Milton Keynes, Atherstone, Keston and Brighton.
Also in these stores are pot recycling bins, in collaboration with Elho, as well as a plastic pot and tray return service, which is available in every Dobbies store.
Follow and support Dobbies sustainability campaign using the hashtag #sustainabledobbies
*Statistic obtained through combining ‘strongly agree’ and ‘somewhat agree’ answer options for question: ‘I make a conscious effort / go out of my way to recycle’
The vast majority of consumers are taking steps to reduce their environmental impact, but many can struggle to take action in the areas that cause the greatest harm, a Which? study has found, reinforcing the need for consumers to be supported in making more sustainable choices.
The consumer champion surveyed more than 3,500 members of the public asking them which actions, from a list of 10, they do regularly that reduce their impact on the environment, such as limiting their use of single-use plastic. It found around nine in 10 (87%) take at least one action to explicitly minimize their environmental impact.
Which? found the most common measure consumers take is recycling, with 93 per cent of people regularly recycling household waste such as paper, glass and plastic, and four in five (80%) do it explicitly for sustainability reasons.
Around eight in 10 (81%) said they regularly use home products in energy-efficient ways, for example washing clothes on eco mode or at a lower temperature, with just over half (53%) doing this for sustainability reasons.
Three-quarters said they frequently avoid single-use plastic and non-recyclable products (76%) and switch off appliances at the wall rather than leaving them on standby (74%).
While reducing plastic waste and energy consumption will have a positive impact on the environment, the types of food consumers eat, the way they choose to get around and the types of vehicles they use cause the greatest harm to the environment. However, a lower proportion of people are taking actions that reduce their impact in these areas.
Only around two in five (42%) told Which? they regularly cut down or avoid consuming meat and dairy products, with just one in five (22%) doing this for reasons to do with sustainability. Almost half (46%) said they opt for public transport, walking or cycling, with one in five (22%) indicating they were motivated by sustainability reasons.
This suggests there are barriers preventing more people from adopting sustainable forms of transport and types of food, and perhaps more support is needed to encourage consumers to make these lifestyle changes.
Other common measures consumers take to lower their environmental impact include repairing rather than replacing items (72%) and borrowing or buying second-hand rather than buying new products (52%).
Which? also found more than half (55%) are regularly taking at least four measures to reduce their impact on the environment, while a third (32%) are doing six or more. Consumers aged under 55 more commonly report doing more to support the environment, with over a third regularly doing six or more actions to help the environment, compared to a quarter aged 55 and above.
These findings come as Which? launches a brand new podcast called “Which? Investigates” to mark World Environment Day, exploring consumer-related sustainability issues.
Hosted by science journalist & producer Greg Foot, the 8-episode first season of ‘Which? Investigates’ focuses on putting claims of sustainability under the spotlight. From plant-based food to plastic-free products and electric cars, Greg will find out what genuinely reduces our environmental footprint, and what’s simply green-washing, to give consumers the confidence to make better choices for themselves and the environment.
Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Rights and Food Policy at Which?, said:“Consumers have become increasingly aware of their carbon footprint, and while our research shows many people are doing what they can to support the environment, far fewer people are taking action in areas that cause the greatest harm to the environment.
“Which? is committed to helping consumers to adopt more sustainable behaviour and will continue to work with policymakers and businesses to ensure people get the right amount of support to make choices that are less harmful to the environment.”
Edinburgh Napier is proud to announce that the University has removed all direct investments from fossil fuel companies.
We have a strong history of enhancing environmental sustainability within and beyond Edinburgh Napier. To maintain our achievements and develop our work further, we have set significant commitments within our new University Strategy, including achieving net zero carbon in our operations by 2030 at the latest.
This announcement is in line with our net zero direction of travel and reflects our wider commitment to minimise both our wider and legacy carbon footprint and influence sustainable practices within and beyond our campuses. We are now fully divested from direct investments in fossil fuel companies, including investments through share providers.
Andrea Nolan, Principal and Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “This announcement recognises the dedication and enthusiasm of our University’s students and staff to work together to meet our sustainability goals. We have made the commitment to achieve net zero carbon in our operations by 2030 at the latest, while also seeking to minimise both our wider and legacy carbon footprint and influence sustainable practices within and beyond our campuses.
“By removing all direct investments from fossil fuel companies, we are taking significant steps towards meetings these commitments. We have a strong history of enhancing environmental sustainability within and beyond Edinburgh Napier, and we will continue to work collaboratively to maintain our achievements and develop our work further through the sustainability commitments embedded within our new University Strategy.”
It is important to highlight the vital role our own Edinburgh Napier students had in making this happen. Members from the Edinburgh Napier Sustainable Society and the Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association were instrumental in making their voices heard, taking the issue to the University and advocating for the position of divesting from fossil fuels.
As well as engaging with senior leadership, the students also worked with the Edinburgh Napier University Development Trust to ensure that the Trust itself – a separate legal entity from the University which manages all philanthropic funds on behalf of the University – also removed all direct investments from fossil fuel companies.
The Trust has been working to reducing its exposure to fossil fuel investments over the last few years, and our students played an important part in working with them to make the final push to full divestment.
In February this year, investment management company Brewin Dolphin wrote to the Trust to confirm it had taken action to sell all remaining collective funds in the UK, Europe and the US where there was any indirect exposure to oil and gas companies, reinvesting the proceeds into a range of directly held stocks or into collectives where there is no underlying exposure.
Brewin Dolphin also stated it would continue to work with the Trustees not only to generate investment returns, but also to reflect the values of the University and the wishes of the donors within the investment strategy by favouring companies which contribute positively to society.
George Borthwick, Chair of the Development Trust, said: “Edinburgh Napier University recognises the challenges we all face in living and working more sustainably. Aligned to the University’s strategic priorities, the University Development Trust, which raises funds to provide student scholarships, bursaries and awards, has completed divestment from fossil fuels.
“As a University Development Trust, it is important that our own investments and operational decisions reflect the values that underpin our community. By moving all our investments out of fossil fuels and adopting a position that they should aim to have a positive impact on society and the environment, we are making a commitment to being a part of a sustainable, healthy and positive future.”
The Edinburgh Napier Sustainable Society said: “We at Edinburgh Napier Sustainable Society believe that education plays a vital role in the fight against climate change.
“We are incredibly proud to be a part of a University that actively listens to the student voice, and is leading by example to combat the climate crisis with its fossil fuel divestment. Although we are only at the beginning of our fight, this is a huge milestone that we have been grateful to be part of!”
Achieving this position has been a result of hard work and collaboration across the University, its partners and its students. We are especially proud of the commitment, passion and dedication of our students, who used their voice to ask for change and worked tirelessly to help make the final transition to full divestment happen.
This accomplishment came about as a result of their efforts and pride in their University, and we are grateful for them continuing to challenge us and work alongside us to make these changes.
In addition to divesting from direct investments, the University has recently updated the existing electricity contract to procure 100% renewable electricity throughout all University buildings. From 1 April 2021, all electricity consumed is backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin.
Professor Gary Hutchison, Chair of the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy Group, said: “By removing direct investments from fossil fuel companies, we are underpinning our commitment to reducing our environmental impact and working towards a more sustainable future for Edinburgh Napier University.
“Our students have played a significant part in making this divestment happen, and will continue to have a voice on the University’s sustainable future through their involvement in our Environmental Sustainability Strategy Group.
“We know there is a lot of work still to do but by working together with our staff, students and local communities, we can make sure Edinburgh Napier University plays its part in tackling climate change.”
Meeting our net zero carbon goal will be a culmination of work from across the University, its staff and students, its local communities and partners.
We are committed to collaborative working wherever possible and will continue to explore and identify opportunities to further reduce our carbon emissions and enhance our sustainability practices.
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.
The UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies Garden Centres, demonstrates its support for the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) National Gardening Week (26 April – 2 May) with the launch of new sustainable products in the Edinburgh store and the start of its #sustainabledobbies campaign.
Market leaders in the garden centre sector, Dobbies is committed to educating about the importance of soil health and delivering environmentally-friendly practices and products, and sustainable solutions.
Dobbies supports the RHS’s aim to enrich lives through plants and make the UK a greener place. This year, the RHS is encouraging everyone to get their ‘dose of Vitamin G’ by taking a few minutes each day to connect with nature. Dobbies will share dedicated National Gardening Week content focused on #sustainabledobbies which will build and develop throughout 2021 both online and instore.
A key part of Dobbies’ sustainability pledge is to reduce the use of peat, plastics and pesticides in its product range. The team are on track with the commitment made in 2020 to be 90% peat free in 2021 and 100% peat free in 2022. The retailer has also worked with nursery suppliers to produce a roadmap for an annual reduction in peat use.
Dobbies is launching a number of new sustainable products in the Edinburgh store and online. Landing in store this week are biochar products from Carbon Gold – Carbon Gold Biochar Fertiliser and Biochar Soil Improver – with Dobbies being the first leading garden centre to stock these products.
Carbon Gold’s biochar products are 100% peat and chemical-free, FSC Certified and Soil Association organic approved, and are used by professionals the world over, including conventional and organic crop growers, tree care specialists and even elite sports greenkeepers.
Biochar is so high in carbon that adding it to soil permanently sequesters CO2 from the atmosphere. In fact, biochar acts like natural magic in the garden, with significant and permanent benefits proven to boost the health and vitality of plants.
A garden centre first, in the next month Dobbies will launch compost bag recycling in store, in partnership with Evergreen. This will initially launch in 10 stores, with further roll out planned in 2021. New pot recycling stations will also be installed, building on the success of the pot return scheme, as well as a commitment to increasing recyclable plant pots and single use plastics.
As part of #sustaintabledobbies, there is additional focus on the safer range of pest control products, to reduce the impact on beneficial garden insects and wildlife. The retailer does not stock weedkillers that contain glyphosate or slug killers that contain metaldehyde, and rodenticides have been delisted.
Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “At Dobbies we pride ourselves on providing the best gardening products, services and advice, and it’s also our responsibility to care for our environment.
“Sustainable practices have been a core focus for some time and we are pleased to support National Gardening Week with #sustainabledobbies.
“It’s our duty to raise awareness and promote better sustainability practices among our suppliers, team members and customers, and we look forward to sharing news of new products and services in our Edinburgh store over the course of 2021.
“As well as reducing our use of peat, plastics and pesticides and providing our customers with recycling opportunities, we are also proud supporters of Terra Carta from HRH The Prince of Wales’ Sustainable Market Initiative – helping make the UK a greener place.”
Mike Hartshorn, MD of Carbon Gold, said: “After seeing a massive boom in retail sales last year, we’re absolutely thrilled to have our biochar products on shelves at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store in time for Spring 2021.
“Gardeners, home growers and allotmenteers have always wanted their plots of outdoor space to be healthy, vibrant and disease and pest free, but these days making sure they’re also environmentally friendly is rising up everyone’s lists of priorities.
“Our biochar products, which have always been the professionals’ best kept secret, are the perfect replacement for unsustainable peat-based products because they really work and they’re actually good for the environment. It is the gardening product of the future!”
For National Gardening Week, Dobbies has released a new podcast episode focused on sustainable gardening. Horticulture Director, Marcus Eyles, joins host Louise Midgely to discuss Dobbies’ sustainable aims and new product launches, as well as practical advice on how gardeners can care for the environment at home.
For keen gardeners in Edinburgh there are also two new FREE virtual events, which will support the #sustainabledobbies focus: https://www.dobbies.com/events
· 8 May – Time to Colour Your Garden
· 15 May – Roses – The UK’s Favourite Flower
Follow and support Dobbies sustainability campaign using the hashtag #sustainabledobbies
The UK’s testing capacity for Covid-19 may be helping to avert a further rise in case numbers – but the waste produced means a disposal disaster is looming.
According to Government figures, the UK is now testing over 580,000 people per day – or over 4 million people per week – for the Covid-19 virus which is circulating amongst the population.
This number includes tests taken at Covid testing centres, door-to-door tests, and the quicker lateral flow tests being used in workplaces and schools – but does not include antibody tests, which check if a person has had the virus previously, so the true number of daily test kits used is likely to be much higher.
Rubbish removal experts Divert.co.uk have raised the alarm over the sheer volume of testing kits being used daily and concerns of the accuracy as low as 57.5% making this a very dangerous problem. There is a mounting problem for testing centres and facilities: what to do with hundreds of thousands of used tests daily?
As the Covid-19 testing process involves either nasal or throat swabs (or, for antibody testing, blood samples) the kits must then be disposed of as clinical waste, in incinerators. In the past, individual hospitals often had their own incinerators to dispose of medical waste, but this idea was short-lived as the resulting pollution was a concern, and private contractors have handled the waste since the 1990s.
But these contractors are now raising the alarm that their incinerators are at full capacity, and have been for a while, with medical waste quite literally piling up, as a result, the instantly-recognizable yellow medical waste bins overflowing. In turn, this has angered those in the industry who say they have been warning the government ‘for years’ about the need for increased capacity.
NHS chiefs admitted in 2018 that there was a national capacity issue amid growing backlogs of medical waste and clinical waste management firms being forced to store waste above their permitted allowance as a result. Despite this, waste management firms are once again warning of mounting problems as Covid-19 testing places unexpected stress on the system.
Firms, fearful of repercussions like those seen by waste management businesses who were penalised during the 2018 crisis, are turning away contracts for Covid-19 test centre waste, leading many to call the issue a public health ‘emergency’.
Spokesperson Mark Hall of Divert.co.uk said:“It’s important to note that, of course, the huge scale of Covid-19 testing in the United Kingdom is a good thing – it allows us to track the spread of the virus, which is enormously important in tackling the pandemic and allowing us to return to pre-Covid life.
“However, the sheer number of testing kits being processed each day without adequate disposal capacity to handle the waste generated, combined with the accuracy of some lateral flow tests being as low as 57.5% makes it a serious cause for concern, and we hope it will spark further conversations in the medical manufacturing industry about the way in which we approach the issue of medical waste.
“Hundreds of thousands of pieces of single-use plastic are disposed of daily by the medical industry, from syringes to gloves to the Covid test kits, and many of these seem unavoidable.”
Experts in the field such as Tony Capon, director of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute – speaking to the BBC – are clear that there are long term steps that could be taken to reduce unnecessary medical waste.
He said: “When I was beginning my medical career, it was standard practice for things to be cleaned and autoclaved. Medical equipment was routinely cleaned up, sterilised and reused.”
Others note that changes in practices – such as encouraging handwashing rather than glove use, where appropriate – could help decrease excessive waste.
Mark Hall continues:“We’d like there to be a greater focus on ensuring sustainability in the healthcare field overall. Firstly, by promoting a more sustainably-minded culture where medical workers actively choose to take safe steps to reduce waste, and secondly by minimising waste in the design and manufacturing of single-use items.
“Creating items which can be safely sterilised and re-used could, over time, lead to huge shifts in how we tackle medical waste as a problem – and it is, in its current format, undeniably becoming a problem.”
