Ecotips
5 December 2024 / 5 December 2024 by daveeldervass
Why not give the gift of membership of an eco or wildlife charity to someone this festive season? For example the Woodland Trust, RSPB, or herts wildlife trust. Or a green campaigning organisation, like Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, or the Green Party! Or perhaps buy things from their catalogues to help fund eco projects and […]
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24 November 2024 / 24 November 2024 by daveeldervass
The National Energy Foundation have a project called SuperHomes: Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire, to offer residents free expert advice on home retrofitting. They offer to create a bespoke Home Energy Retrofit Options (HERO) Plan to upgrade the energy efficiency of your home. Their objectives are: 01. Increase Energy Efficiency Promote and achieve higher levels of energy […]
Climate Emergency Ecotips
17 November 2024 by daveeldervass
In the midst of the COP29 United Nations climate talks, why not have your own conversations about climate change? You could talk with someone about how extreme weather events are getting more common and how they are linked to rising temperatures. Those rising temperatures are caused by continued burning of fossil fuels releasing huge amounts […]
27 October 2024 / 27 October 2024 by daveeldervass
If you’re carving pumpkins this week, don’t waste the seeds- they make a nutritious snack when roasted. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-use-pumpkin-seeds Cover photo: “Pumpkins” by Snap Man is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
Ecotips National Campaigns
14 October 2024 / 14 October 2024 by daveeldervass
Unblocktober is a campaign to improve the health of our drains, sewers, watercourses and seas. Millions of us have been putting dangerous liquids and items into our drainage systems and sewers leading to harmful damage to the environment, including the emergence of a giant wet wipe island that’s changing the course of the River Thames. […]
13 October 2024 / 13 October 2024 by daveeldervass
Recycle Week 2024 will take place from the 14 to 20 October 2024. This year’s theme – ‘Rescue Me. Recycle’ will focus on rescuing everyday recyclable items that often end up in the rubbish bin, when they could’ve been recycled. Why not watch the video at https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/webinar/recycle-week-2024 and work out how you could recycle one […]
4 August 2024 by daveeldervass
Try and buy local and seasonal fruit and veg to cut down on the carbon footprint of the food you eat and support the local economy. There’s loads of locally grown food around at this time of year!
23 July 2024 by daveeldervass
The Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment simply by counting the amount and type of butterflies (and some day-flying moths) we see. Just spend 15 minutes sitting calmly and counting the butterflies you see and then contribute to this brilliant citizen science project https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/
13 July 2024 / 13 July 2024 by daveeldervass
Be careful to store fresh fruit and veg in a cool place in the warmer weather otherwise they will go off more quickly and you will have to buy more!
22 May 2024 / 22 May 2024 by daveeldervass
The Guardian asked hundreds of the world’s top climate scientists for their views on the most effective actions individuals can take to tackle the climate crisis. Voting for politicians who pledge strong climate measures came top, with 76% of scientists backing this. You know what you need to do…
20 May 2024 by daveeldervass
Why not take advantage of free sun and wind power to dry your washing now the weather is warmer!
12 May 2024 by daveeldervass
Going flightfree is a really good way to cut down your carbon emissions and help the climate. It often seems much more expensive – but look at this for tips on keeping it cheap!: https://flightfree.co.uk/post/how-to-travel-on-a-budget/
5 May 2024 by daveeldervass
Why not plan a shopping list before you go to the supermarket, so you don’t buy on the spur of the moment? That will cost you more money and you may buy more than you need, with more of it ending up in landfill and recycling as a result.
7 April 2024 / 7 April 2024 by daveeldervass
When candidates for the local elections come canvassing, why not ask what their party is doing to tackle climate change and support renewable energy? We need to let all the parties know that we care what they are doing for the planet. The world desperately needs a greener future more quickly.
24 March 2024 by daveeldervass
Paper carrier bags have a larger carbon footprint than plastic ones, so remember to bring a reusable bag when shopping!
10 March 2024 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
Did you know that 6% of global greenhouse emissions are a result of producing and transporting food that is never eaten? You can reduce that by planning a list before you shop, to stop impulse buying, and by getting creative with leftovers in your fridge to stop food going to waste.
25 February 2024 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
It’s everywhere. From the candy-coloured vapes that litter our streets to the pots and packets our food and drink often comes in. Plastic is harming our health and our environment. Want to do something about it? This year we have a huge opportunity. The UK government could play a leading role at global negotiations about […]
28 January 2024 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
Do you need to replace a fence? Did some panels come down in the recent storms? Consider replacing them with shrubs/ trees such as hawthorn, dogwood, forsythia, rowan or buddleia which will provide food and shelter for birds and insects and not blow down in future. Or you can take out a few slats in […]
21 January 2024 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
“sparrow” by Hitched Hiker is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers like you take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring. Across the UK, over half a million people took part in Big […]
7 January 2024 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
Do take any unwanted gifts to charity shops! That will help with the much needed circular economy and it will help everyone trying to follow “buy nothing new” for January (and longer….). Buy Nothing New Month is all about moving beyond simply recycling, to reducing the amount of new stuff that we buy, and by […]
8 October 2023 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
Help our eco systems and wildlife thrive over winter by leaving at least part of your garden “untidy”- with some long grass, piles of leaves for hibernating hedgehogs and hollow stems for overwintering insects, and encourage your council to do the same! Thank you to Katrina Nice for most of our ecotips!
3 September 2023 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
Try using a bamboo toothbrush instead of one made of plastic. You can go even further by getting your toothpaste in a jar instead of a plastic tube! And if you do get your toothpaste in a plastic tube, try recycling it at the Terracycle facility outside Our Lady Church on Nightingale Road in Hitchin. Terracycle […]
27 August 2023 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
Why not have your say to get eco change? 38 Degrees have lots of environmental petitions at https://home.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/ For example, you could demand that the water companies foot the bill for fixing the sewage problems they have created, instead of customers: https://act.38degrees.org.uk/act/water-bill-hike-sewage-may-2023 Or support campaigns for social justice, like the petition opposing privatization of the […]
13 August 2023 / 27 March 2024 by daveeldervass
Especially in summer, try not to let water go to waste. Why not use your washing up water, including the water you run before hot water comes out of the tap, to water your garden plants? You can also save time and energy by putting a lid on the pan when boiling or steaming your […]
