Iain Dunn
Author, blogger, conservationist and sustainability campaigner. Founder of Earth and Leaf Community Interest Company. Lifelong experience and career as a livestock farming expert backed by excellent qualifications in agricultural sciences and economics.
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Global Warming in 3 Bites – 3 Effective Answers
Here is the survey in full – Perceptions of Global Warming. It is the basis for this page, global warming in 3 bites. Available online at https://www.ipsos.com/en/ipsos-perils-perception-climate-change “Around the world people say they understand what actions they need to take to combat climate change, but do they really? The latest Perils of Perception study by Ipsos looks at how the general public in 30 markets around the world perceive environmental action. We ask them what they might do in their own lives to tackle climate change, and compare the answers to the (sometimes confusing) scientific truth” Global warming in 3 bites – where do we go from here?
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Understanding Climate Change – Exclusive Insights
This topic “Understanding Climate Change” is all good solid science. Predictions indicating what might happen in the future vary. We are now absolutely certain the 1.5 degree target has already been breached. Climate change is disrupting stable and ancient weather patterns. There are some striking things happening in our UK environment. For example Ospreys nationally have had an appalling season, unable to feed young as fishing very difficult and beset by bad weather. Many nests have completely failed. Bats this year are starving and will suffer a population crash. They are unable to feed due to lack of insects. This is partly bad weather, but significantly river pollution with sewage…
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Bottom Trawling Destroys the Seabed and Must End Now
3 Unquestionable Reasons Why Trawling is Bad
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Ghost Bats
Ghost Bats are under serious threat. This highlights a huge issue that the human race has in the fight against climate change. Entitlement. We must change our attitudes on land ownership. We must challenge the big five world agribusinesses. Five large multinationals dominate the agricultural value chain: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Bunge, Cargill, China Oil and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO) and Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC). The article below tells you all you need to know about how self interested land owners think they an do what they like with the land. Not Another Ghost – Surely This Has To Stop . . . https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/14/out-of-sight-and-out-of-mind-conservationists-alarmed-as-nt-land-clearing-threatens-endangered-ghost-bat-habitat When are the human race going to…
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Don’t buy a Sports Utility Vehicle – They do the Most Damage
If I am told “Don’t buy a Sports Utility Vehicle” what should my reply be? The answer is that it is good to ask the question. We don’t believe that anyone is “entitled” to do this. SUVs are a major contributor to global warming. SUVs around the world contribute more to global CO2 emissions than Japan. https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/suvs-drive-20-of-emissions-growth-6036196 Don’t buy a Sports Utility Vehicle Electric vehicles still generate CO2 in large quantities from their manufacture and electricity generation – don’t be fooled. They are not the answer. The answer is don’t buy a car. A family in a city only needs one car or at least buy an efficient car…
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Crofting is the Ultimate Sustainable Farming
This post explains why Crofting is Sustainable Farming, particularly on farming with beef and sheep. Why? Firstly it is important to state that crofting is a developed traditional farming system that makes best use of it’s local environment for farming. The fact it is relatively not harmful for wildlife is coincidental and crucial. The only fertiliser used traditionally is seaweed. That’s fine within reason. It is also coincidental because support of crofting is national policy in Scotland. How is it that Crofting is sustainable farming?
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A Farmers Perspective, where do we go from here
From a farmers perspective times are hard. Not least, the weather has been awful for the last two years, one too wet, one too dry. This will keep happening. However that is not the only issue. We live in changing times where the guaranteed subsidies available under the European Union are being removed. Alternative programs are being put in place such as the ……………………………. and the Welsh …………………………… This is why we are developing the Shepherds of the Trees project. A Farmers Perspective Times are changing. The weather is more challenging. Our relationship with the EU has changed. Meat consumption is falling. Certain industries, namely sheep, beef and dairy are…
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Planting trees is not enough
Why is it that simply planting trees is not enough. Firstly, a farmer is the right person to be planting trees on a farm. Secondly, the right person to look after those newly planted trees is, wait for it, the farmer. Frequently we see ranks of trees planted on farms in narrow bands and straight lines, the same distance apart and all the same age. They are always too close together. Additionally there are just trees, no shrubs like Gorse, Broom, Blackthorn, Brambles and Dog Rose to name just a few. Finally there are no open spaces. I wander through fields that often contain a lonely Oak or Sycamore. The…
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Why we Farm Cows and not Goats (and why we should change that)
The reason why we farm cows and not goats for dairy products is quite simple with sound historical reasoning. Cows are easy to control and can live on just grass, they are grazers. Goats are browsers and are very difficult to fence in and control. In the UK our farmland is owned and boundaries are jealously guarded. However that does not mean that it should stay that way. Modern dairy cows live an average of just under three lactations, about 6 years. Yet these animals used to be able to have a stress free lifespan of 12 to 15 or more years. They have been bred to a fine type…
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Direct Messages on Climate Change
We are being inundated with messages on climate change. The perceptions survey asked a question about our food. “Is it better to eat locally produced food including meat and dairy or to have a vegetarian diet where some of the food is imported from around the world.” The correct answer is the vegetarian diet even if some or all the food is imported. Why is this the case? Producing red meat and dairy products from cows is an incredibly inefficient use of resources. Our farmers are very good at doing this as efficiently as possible. Indeed the agricultural support policies of the European Union subsidised beef production very heavily indeed.…
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Inspiring People and Awesome Organisations
These inspiring people and awesome organisations have encouraged us to form the Earth and Leaf Community Interest Company and do something positive in the environment and farming sector. Number One The inspiring Sally Phillips from Buy Land Plant Trees There is an article in our document library highlighting her work. Sally Phillips bought Low Fell in the Lake District three years ago through her company Buy Land Plant Trees. Read on here … about the first of our inspiring people and awesome organisations. Number Two Wicton Farm are doing dairy differently, its refreshing Number Three Matt Staniek. The article in our document library highlights Sally’s work. Number Four Dave Blackledge,…
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4 Immediate Actions that will Save our Planet
Here are the best ways to save our planet with 4 radical actions. What can we do to protect our planet and slow or reverse global warming? Save our Planet – Have 1 fewer children ! What can we do to protect our planet really? This is the most controversial. However, of the best actions you can take, this is number one by a huge distance. Do think about what sort of world you may be bringing children into please! It might be your motivation for change! Save our Planet – Don’t drive ! The very best action is not to have a car at all. Think about why you…
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Revealing Factors: Why is it raining so much ?
Why is it raining so much ? It’s very simple. Global warming! Warmer air holds more water vapour. As a result there is more water up there and eventually it has to leave the atmosphere! So it ends up down here. Also where has the snow gone. We don’t have hard winters any more. Rising temperatures are to blame. Its also typical to complain about the weather. It does have to rain otherwise we wouldn’t be here. Why is it raining so much? South East Wales today 25/11/24 South Wales has experienced some of the worst impacts – Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan says the floods are “absolutely devastating” But…
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Lets Make Earth and Leaf the Very Best in Sustainability
Growing the Earth and Leaf Project starts with little acorns – native tree seeds. We want to encourage communities and individuals to join us on our journey from very early on. It starts now (1st April 2026) and we have set our initial individual membership fee at £2 per month. We are publishing “To Leave Something Behind” (Iain’s first book) in 2026. Our monthly fee will then likely increase to £5 a month. It will be available in due course at www.shepherdsofthetrees.org. If you are a community group or organisation that would like to sign up then contact us at info@earthandleaf.org for a discussion and we can set about…
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Sheep Farming in Wales, Time for Profound Change
Let’s Revolutionise Sheep Farming in Wales and continue to shape the character of the nations environment. A lot of upland Wales is unsuitable for any other type of farming. I have spent quite a bit of time in Wales over the years, working in the farming sector. I always found our Welsh farmer customers open to new ideas and far more interested in marketing and new tech than others in the UK. So here we are. Farmer protests at the Senedd. Earth and Leaf wants to work with farmers. The Sustainable Farming Scheme is a great move towards restoring habitat across Wales. This is a great article by Dr Malcolm…
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Cows Milk in our Diet – the Future
The future of cows milk in our diet is up for discussion. It is the most consumed dairy product in the world by volume and in the UK is cheaper than bottled water. By an accident of genetics, Caucasian peoples are able to digest cows milk, but many are intolerant to some degree. In contrast Asian origin people are, post infancy, unable to digest cows milk effectively. About The Founder of Earth and Leaf – Iain Dunn I think its important here to say a little about me, my apologies… “My career is founded on milk. Early on this was through the family farm. We milked about 36 cows to…
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The Power of Genomics – Improve Farm Sustainability
We must grasp the power of genomics firmly to help agriculture, but not simply to raise yields. We need to be smarter than that. LINK
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Mushrooms are the Future of Our Diet and of our World
Mushrooms are the Future. I grew up on a farm that had fields full of Field Mushrooms and Puffballs every autumn. We also had Shaggy Inkcaps and a large number of others fungi too. The Inkcaps grew in a straight line across a large field next to an ancient bridleway. I always wondered why. Now I know – there used to be a hedge there, an ancient hedge. I have never worked on another farm since with a huge variety of fungi out there. They were always near the edge of the wood or a hedge. Sometimes they would appear where a hedge used to be! Key to this is…
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The Sahara was Once Green and it Can be Again with Your Help
The Sahara was Once Green Did goats cause the desertification of the Sahara? We don’t think so, but it is possible. What we do know is that the Sahara is growing. This is because of global warming and environmental pressures. If we can prevent that we must! Goats and Cattle are the huge threat in Africa that will turn the Savannah into desert over time. There is strong evidence that the Sahara was smaller historically. We know it is expanding now, particularly with global warming. https://www.popsci.com/sahara-desert-drought-humans/ You can also view this in our document library – https://earthandleaf.org/document/reforesting-senegals-deserts/ The Sahara was Once Green Internal Link I need to type lots more…
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Green-washing at Drax Uncovered by Panorama
Last year Ofgem committed to investigating apparent Green-washing Drax: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/31/ofgem-investigation-drax-compliance-biomass-renewable-energy-subsidy-scheme Here is a little of the detail from the BBC Panorama investigation, Green-washing at Drax. Once the program becomes available it will feature on here. Meanwhile global warming continues and so does green-washing. In response to the latest findings by the BBC, Drax admitted it has taken wood from old-growth forests. But it told Panorama that 77% of the material for its Canadian wood pellets came from sawdust and sawmill residues, with the rest coming from forestry residues and low-grade logs. A spokesman for the company says that it keeps its sourcing policy and practices under regular review so that…
