Bioplastics offer more sustainable solution for tree planting
It is widely recognised that reforestation is a crucial aspect of tackling climate change and addressing CO2 balance, but less is understood about the hidden carbon footprint and environmental impact of planting new trees. Tree planting conventionally requires the use of a wooden stake as a growth support. Not only are mature trees felled to […]
Can’t wait, won’t wait
Without a dramatic change in stance from key global political players, prospects for a sustainable future are bleak as the environment sinks down the political agenda and the green movement struggles to provide solutions and leverage appropriate with the scale of the challenges faced by humanity. After expectations for the Copenhagen climate talks in 2009 […]
Innovative new product in agricultural flood protection
Currently, over one tenth of land in England and Wales is at risk of flooding. However, until now, the only option for flood defence on farms has been to use heavy sandbags, which are ineffective, labour intensive and a potential health hazard. In contrast, the HydroSack is an easy to use, lightweight and environmentally-friendly invention, […]
Investing in solar still makes excellent sense for householders
There has been a significant tail-off in installations since the introduction of energy efficiency requirements on 1st April. However, this need not be the case as investing in solar still makes very good sense for householders. That’s the message the STA wants to get out far and wide. STA Chief Executive Paul Barwell said: “Despite […]
ADAS announces two new Welsh sites
The two Aberystwyth based sites include an office headquarters, and a research and on-site storage area in addition to the Cardiff based office. Several of the technical staff have been relocated from ADAS’s previous research facility, Pwllpeiran, following its closure early last month.. They join other colleagues who will continue to deliver environmental and farm […]
Five renewable sources of energy for farmers in developing countries
According to the United Nations, access to reliable and sufficient sources of energy will be critical to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of reducing poverty and hunger by 2015. Many of the world’s poorest people are rural farmers with no connections to power grids or large-scale energy sources. Most of their day-to-day energy currently […]
Report reveals how much timber there is in Britain’s forests
Coniferous timber is timber produced by conifer trees such as pine, spruce, larch and fir species, and is also known as ‘softwood’. The ‘Great Britain 2011 Standing Coniferous Timber Volume’ report, which contains important information for planning a range of forest-related developments, reveals that: publicly owned forests managed by the Forestry Commission contain just more […]
Making REDD+ work
The international community needs to help developing countries increase their ability to measure and monitor the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that they save by safeguarding their forests if a UN-backed climate change mechanism known as REDD+ is to attain its objective of cutting emissions, according to a new study that reveals major capacity gaps […]
Innovative ways to feed an ever expanding urban population
By 2050 it has been estimated that the global population will top the 9 billion mark, with an estimated 70% of the world’s people predicted to be living in cities. In the fourth episode of the series, with increasing pressure on available agricultural land and the logistical issues of transporting food over large distances, […]
