Gorgeous colours on the pebble beach: Country diary 100 years ago
Originally published in the Manchester Guardian on 25 September 1916 The serpentine stones which form the shingle on the Lizard peninsula are very tempting to collect, and we have had the happy idea of using them in bowls this winter, to grow narcissi in and Roman hyacinths. A child is the pure artist in collection. […]
The whinchat in decline on lowland farms
Forty years ago there were as many as 150 breeding pairs of whinchats on the Somerset Levels. Now there are none Some birds pop up when you least expect it. On August bank holiday I went for a walk to my coastal patch, along with assorted relatives and a very boisterous dog. Bird-wise, apart from […]
'No time to waste': climate changes for films on global warming
Rob Callender, who appeared in Sherlock and Game of Thrones, discusses The Incentive, his environmental call to arms Rob Callender is talking about cheese. “My dad loves cheese, really loves it. So I’ve had to persuade him to cut down. Instead of leaping on every two-for-one in the supermarket, buy one really nice cheese once […]
Glencore court ruling in Zambia may trigger new pollution claims
Mining giant forced to pay damages after high court rules sulphur dioxide emissions at subsidiary copper plant led to death of politician Toxic fumes from one of Glencore’s copper plants in Zambia caused the death of a politician, the African country’s high court said, in a ruling that could trigger fresh claims against the company. […]
The hidden danger in your hand soap | Sarah Ades and Kenneth Keiler
Antibacterial agents in handsoaps have been banned in the US. That’s good news – they seep into urine and breast milk, and can promote bacterial resistance A US Food and Drug Administration ruling this month bans the use of triclosan, triclocarban and 17 other antiseptics from household soaps because they have not been shown to […]
From Dutch hospital to Afghan clinic: new VR app aims to link 8.5m doctors
MDLinking aims to be a WhatsApp, LinkedIn and virtual reality video library rolled into one to allow doctors from Afghanistan to Angola to share skills Imagine you’re a doctor in Swindon and a patient with a chewing tobacco habit turns up with unusual tongue lesions. What if you could, at the press of a few […]
Hinkley must not be taken as a precedent for other nuclear stations
Political reality made it hard for Theresa May to deny the French and Chinese their project. But other new plants still can, and should, be opposed Despite the majority of the British public being opposed to a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C, according to various surveys, Theresa May has approved the £18bn […]
Wildflowers on the verge of disappearing
Roadsides are a haven for rare species, but council mowing is a threat. New schemes offer hope Orchid-spotters have long-known that the best site in the UK to take in a display of pyramidal orchids is a roadside verge in Warwickshire, yet the role verges play in conservation isn’t widely appreciated. There are almost 251,000 […]
The eco guide to noise pollution
Peace and quiet is an increasingly scarce commodity in the modern world Silence is golden – or at least it should be. But according to the Noise Abatement Society (NAS), it’s increasingly rare. “Peace is a precious commodity,” says Poppy Szkiler, of Quiet Mark, part of the NAS. Anti-noise campaigners suggest we have a “sliding […]
Arctic nations square up as clamour for resources grows
With the Danes rebuffing Russia, and Canada laying further claim to the Northwest Passage, rising access to north pole reserves risks flashpoints Kristian Jensen, Denmark’s foreign minister, gave a precise response last week to a request by Russia for the nations to enter bilateral talks over the ownership of the north pole. He flatly rejected […]