March 5th, 2010
A 60 mile long iceberg, known as B9B, has smashed into the Mertz Glacier tongue in Antarctica. The Mertz Glacier is a 100-mile long tongue of ice which the B9B iceberg broke away from in 1987.
Over a period of nearly 8 weeks, the B9B iceberg approached the glacier and with tide and current slowly hammered into the tongue of ice.
On the 26th February, the Mertz Glacier tongue broke off creating a new iceberg measuring 50 miles by 25 miles. This iceberg could now disrupt weather patterns for years to come.
Both icebergs are now floating 90 miles off the northern coast in the Antarctic Continental Shelf and combined, they are weighing in at over 1000 billion tons. The Mertz Tongue Iceberg contains a year’s supply of fresh water for 1/5 of the world’s population and could potentially block the ‘bottom water’ which powers the oceans circulation system. ‘Bottom water’ is the lowest layer of ocean, cold-salt water and Antarctica produces bottom water for the South Pacific, Southern Indian Ocean, South Atlantic and portions of the North Atlantic.
Changes in these waters and currents could influence weather patterns around the world and would make Britain colder as we would not have the mild sea temperatures brought in by the Atlantic drift.
With such a mass floating in the ocean it could also reduce the amount of oxygen in the oceans jeopardising marine wildlife. Emperor penguins, bird life and seals could be under threat.
Experts say that ‘iceberg calving’- which occurs when these icebergs break off, does happen from time to time and that this occurrance is by no means a record large iceberg.
The icebergs are expected to head west along the Antarctic coastline.
Tags: Antarctic, Atlantic drift, Icebergs, Weather, weather change, weather patterns | Posted in News, Wildlife, environment, rising sea levels
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February 8th, 2010
Two years after the container ship Naopli grounded off the shores of Lyme Bay, debris continues to cause havoc to wildlife.
Small plastic pellets, known as nurdles are still to be found floating on the water. Birds interpret these as fish eggs, eat them, putting themselves in danger as obviously they are potentially fatal.
If you would like to help prevent this, come along and join the Great Dorset Beach Clean on Sunday, April 18th at 1.30pm at Kimmeridge Bay.
Tags: Great Dorset Beach Clean, Lyme Bay, Naopli wreck, Wildlife | Posted in Events, Wildlife, environment
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February 5th, 2010
If you are local to Poole, Dorset and would like to help the environment, Leisure Services are looking for volunteers to help tidy up the expansive areas of heathland.
A variety of tasks are planned for this winter including; clearing trees and plants that are taking over the nature reserves.
Families are welcome, but most of the activities are suited to those over 16. Tasks can be customised to suit adults of all ages and abilities.
If you are interested, please call Leisure Services on 01202 265265.
Tags: Dorset, Heathland, nature reserves, Poole, volunteers | Posted in Wildlife, environment
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January 31st, 2010
Chew Magna, the beautiful, traditional village in Somerset, has been labelled ‘Britain’s Greenest Village’.
Following a parish council survey, it became clear that the biggest concern of the community was the environment and as a result the Go-Zero project was initiated.
Villagers now strive towards zero-waste and buy local produce including; fruit, vegetables, venison, ice-cream, medicinal herbs and trout from Chew Valley Lake. Action groups are discussing and encouraging the inhabitants to recycle more, change their transport methods and reduce their home energy consumption. Local energy companies have even donated light bulbs which the villagers can pick up for free. Approximately 85 percent of the village now recycles, that is almost 4 times the national average.
Chew Magna have also set up a ‘carbon-offset fund’; when someone books a flight with the local travel agent, the distance travelled determines their donation to the fund, even their journey to the airport will be eco-friendly, as the village has plans to run it’s own bio-fuelled coach shuttle service.
This community have many other plans in the pipe-line including becoming a Fairtrade village, following their support for African charities. What is truly inspirational is that all this came about because the community consolidated and discussed their concerns for the environment and together they were motivated to make changes – perhaps this small idyllic rural village will be responsible for providing a template for other towns and villages in the country.
Tags: Britain’s Greenest Village, carbon off-setting, Chew Magna, environment, go-zero, Recycling | Posted in Life Change, Recycling, Sustainability, Transport, carbon emissions, environment
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January 25th, 2010
The University of Bath is undergoing a project to find environmentally friendly building materials that can be used as an alternative to the current products used within the construction industry.
A straw house came up as a viable option. Straw is not only a renewable resource, but also a farming by-product, which made it a popular choice for the researchers. It can be locally grown and absorbs carbon monoxide, therefore buildings made from straw have zero or even a negative carbon footprint. It can potentially provide such good insulation that normal heating may not be necessary, keeping running costs low and minimising environmental impact.
The construction itself has been built using prefabricated panels, consisting of wooden frames filled with straw or hemp, then rendered with a breathable lime based system.
Research into alternative building materials is important as cement contributes up to 10% of all carbon dioxide emissions. Hopefully this project, which over the year is to be monitored, will prove that straw is a sustainable building material. Let’s just hope it can withstand all the wolves huffing and puffing and trying to blow the house down!
Tags: Balehouse, Carbon Footprint, Construction, farming, renewable resource, Straw | Posted in Climate Change, Recycling, Self sufficiency, Sustainability, environment, renewable energy
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January 19th, 2010
The pretty, little Hazel Dormouse has found a new home in Backwell (Somerset), after the local community pulled together to buy a neglected piece of land called Jubilee Stone Wood and restore it to its former glory.
This small British mammal can be distinguished by its big black eyes and bushy tail. It is almost entirely nocturnal, so spotting one is a real treat.
Due to the decline in woodland habitats throughout the country, the dormouse has been under threat of extinction. But Backwell Environment Trust, a local voluntary group have now provided the Dormouse with a well-deserved and long overdue habitat.
Jubilee Stone Wood, was purchased by the group with the sole intention of turning it into a nature reserve. Once these mammals were spotted, 30 dormice boxes were provided to offer secure shelter and a place to breed and raise their young.
Backwell Environment Trust was set up by the locals when they realised that Jubilee Stone was up for sale, with painstaking commitment they have turned it into a beautiful nature reserve and are now enjoying the return of many different types of wildlife.
Tags: Backwell, Hazel Dormouse, Jubilee Stone Wood, local community, Somerset | Posted in Wildlife, environment
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January 14th, 2010
Irresponsible and unacceptable – this was how environmentalist Rebecca Lush described the building of the Weymouth Relief Road which got underway last year. The views of thousands of environmental protestors and locals were ignored, irrevocably scarring an area of natural beauty and dramatically increasing traffic, congestion and Co2 levels in the area. Even the incredible discovery of an ancient Roman burial site during clearance work, did nothing to slow the destruction process…
For more pictures and information visit the Bypass The Bypass website where you can also register your support and/or make a donation.
Tags: 2012 Olympics, Bypass the Bypass, carbon emissions, Green Olympics, Weymouth Relief Road | Posted in 2012, New Road Protests, carbon emissions, environment
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January 12th, 2010
Hard as it is to imagine, in these freezing temperatures, but the Met Office have forecast that 2010 will be a warmer year globally than 2009. Last year is being anticipated (once statistics are finalised) to be the fifth warmest on record.
Each December and January the Met Office issues a forecast of the global surface temperature for the coming year. It takes into account contributing factors such as increasing gas concentrations, the cooling influences of industrial particles, solar effects, volcanic changes and natural variations of the oceans.
Obviously, this forecast is open to change, but within the last 10 years the Met Office predictions have only had a 0.06c margin of error.
Tags: 2009, Met Office, Rising Temperatures, Weather | Posted in Climate Change, Rising Temperatures, environment
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January 6th, 2010
Dorset County Council have won their bid for government funding to help protect the Jurassic Coast from the ravages of climate change.
The main concerns for the area (15 sections of coastline between Devon and Dorset) are storm damage, erosion and rising sea levels. In fact, only last year a huge landslide destroyed 400 metres of the world heritage coastline near Lime Regis. Clearly, the councils realised it was time to act.
£376,500 is now available to Devon and Dorset in order for them to assist the most venerable communities in the area. However, the money will not, as you would imagine, be going to improve sea defences, but to help the inhabitants gain a better understanding and ability to adapt to the impact of inevitable coastal changes. Debates will be held at local level, contingency plans devised and there will be the introduction and development of training programmes for conservationists.
Is this a case of forearmed is forewarned? Although it’s a positive nod by the government, towards recognising the dangers facing an island nation from the ravages of global warming, perhaps more should be being done to slow erosion and raising sea levels in the first place.
Tags: Climate Change, Global Warming, government, Jurassic Coast, rising sea levels | Posted in Climate Change, Local Councils, education, environment, rising sea levels
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December 9th, 2009
What could be more environmentally friendly than renting a Christmas tree? Yes, I know just leaving it in its natural habitat and buying a recyclable fake one! But many of us insist on sticking with tradition and having a real tree over the festive period.
Well, if that sounds like you, Christmas Tree Man could be the answer to your prayers. The tree of your choice is delivered to your door (oh, joy!) in its own pot, where it will stay over the holidays. When you have finished with it, it will be collected (even deeper joy!) and returned to its rightful place in the ground.
If you are a real stickler for tradition, you can even have your own tree labelled and reserved for your use every year, that is until, it gets too big for your home.
Christmas Tree Man delivers throughout England and Wales, check it out at www.christmastreeman.co.uk
Tags: Christmas, Christmas Tree Man, environmentally friendly, recycled, tree | Posted in Recycling, environment
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