Category Archives: Environment

How a hybrid heating system could lower your bills and shrink your carbon footprint

Hybrid systems combine two or more technologies to heat a house. ThomsonD/Shutterstock Jovana Radulovic, University of Portsmouth To heat your home without damaging the climate, you will need to replace your gas boiler. UK government advisers recommend switching to appliances … Continue reading

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Sails and satellite navigation could cut shipping industry’s emissions by up to a third

A cargo vessel with Flettner rotors – a modern equivalent to sails. Norsepower, Author provided James Mason, University of Manchester; Alice Larkin, University of Manchester, and Simon Bullock, University of Manchester In the vast expanse of the world’s oceans, a … Continue reading

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Lough Neagh: UK and Ireland’s largest lake is being suffocated by business and agricultural interests

Calum McGeown, Queen’s University Belfast; John Barry, Queen’s University Belfast, and Louise Taylor, Queen’s University Belfast Lough Neagh is the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland. It is a protected area of special scientific interest and the source … Continue reading

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One in six UK species threatened with extinction – here’s what we could lose (plus how to save them)

Richard Gregory, UCL The UK is considered one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. This is not surprising given its history of early industrialisation and agricultural intensification. These islands have lost species and unique habitats have shrunk to … Continue reading

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People who grow their own fruit and veg waste less food and eat more healthily, says research

Households that produced their own fruit and veg wasted 95% less than the average UK household. Air Images/Shutterstock Boglarka Zilla Gulyas, University of Sheffield and Jill Edmondson, University of Sheffield The rising cost of living is making it harder for … Continue reading

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Trees, rivers and mountains are gaining legal status – but it’s not been a quick fix for environmental problems

The Whanganui River, New Zealand. Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock Rónán Kennedy, University of Galway As the scale and severity of environmental issues become more obvious, lawmakers are experimenting with new ways to protect nature. One approach that has gone from blue-sky debate … Continue reading

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Ivy, dandelions and other common wildflowers are often seen as weeds – but they’re a crucial resource for pollinating insects

A bumblebee flying over a blooming bramble bush. Legonkov Vladimir Francis Ratnieks, University of Sussex and Nick Balfour, University of Sussex Since the end of the second world war, factors such as more intensive farming and urbanisation have reduced the … Continue reading

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Rishi Sunak’s green backtracking contrasts strongly with previous prime ministers’ efforts

Marc Hudson, University of Sussex UK prime minister Rishi Sunak appears to be wavering on “net zero by 2050” that Theresa May successfully passed through parliament with barely a cough of disapproval in 2019. Sunak is now talking about more … Continue reading

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Did the Anthropocene start in 1950 – or much earlier? Here’s why debate over our world-changing impact matters

Shutterstock Noel Castree, University of Technology Sydney It made world news last week when a small lake in Canada was chosen as the “Golden Spike” – the location where the emergence of the Anthropocene is most clear. The Anthropocene is … Continue reading

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Existing technology can reduce 50% of built environment emissions by 2030

June 13, 2023 ©tttuna | iStock A recent report from McKinsey & Company titled ‘Building value by decarbonising the built environment’ highlighted how existing technology can reduce emissions by more than 50% by 2030 The report pointed out how various … Continue reading

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