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200 species at risk of extinction, UK study finds
Earth and Leaf Editorial – Title The Merlin could disappear in worst-case scenario, with British isles facing ecological ‘point of no return’ This is the very bleak picture the UK faces. Agriculture must change. This starts at the top in two distinct ways; With our moorlands and uplands and our politicians. The way our uplands are managed is one of the last remaining examples of feudal heritage. Large estates with tenant farmers scraping a living, whilst the land is managed for sport privilege for a few wealthy individuals. Grouse shooting must end and our politicians must drive this. Researchers warn of 20-year window for decisions on climate and land use,…
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Earth Being Pushed Beyond it’s Limits
Is Earth being pushed beyond it's limits? WE need a thorough understanding of climate science to understand what is going on.
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Flawed Economic Models will Lead to Global Crash
Earth and Leaf Editorial – Flawed Economic Models will Lead to Global Crash About time someone else realised that we use flawed economic models. Our current Economic teaching includes externalities. These are costs for someone else to bear. The theory only needs a tweak, the consequences of that tweak are unimaginably serious. Economists have always recognised these climate costs, but until now they haven’t been able to include them in their thinking. So they were called Externalities. They are now measurable costs. So the polluter must pay. Climate models assume the future will behave like the past, despite the burning of fossil fuels pushing the Earth into uncharted territory.…
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The Guardian view on risks from biodiversity collapse: warnings must be heeded before it’s too late
Earth and Leaf Editorial – Risks from Biodiversity Collapse Inadequate food supplies and biodiversity collapse in rainforests must be recognised as national security threats – not pigeonholed as green issues. This bears repeating from the full text. One of our biggest hurdles is getting past politicians that dismiss the disasters we are trying to address as “green issues” or “Con Jobs”. Biodiversity collapse is a far bigger global problem than the war in Ukraine or any perceived threat from Iran. Read on, absorb the stark conclusions and join Earth and Leaf if you want to help. ‘Global progress on nature restoration is nowhere near where it needs to be,…
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Eating Less Beef
Earth and Leaf Editorial – Eating Less Beef At Earth and Leaf we are absolutely passionate about the world population eating less beef. For example McDonalds uses 35000 cattle a day worldwide. We are fighting to educate everyone on this issue, so this article is a joy to read: Enjoy ! A rare treat … followers want to counteract the overconsumption of meat without giving it up. Photograph: Zoonar GmbH/Alamy Extract “I love beef,” says Vlad Luca, 25. But unlike most other self-proclaimed steak lovers, Vlad eats it only four times a year, on designated “beef days”. The “beef days” phenomenon has been popularised by the brothers John…
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First Climate Tipping Point Reached
First Climate Tipping Point Reached – A Catastrophe for Coral Reefs Earth and Leaf Editorial This is the inevitable news that the first climate tipping point reached. It has come sooner than I perhaps hoped. We now have to change our behaviour. Unless global heating is reduced to 1.2C ‘as fast as possible’, warm water coral reefs will not remain ‘at any meaningful scale’, a report by 160 scientists from 23 countries warns. This means we must cool the planet starting now which is a phenomenal task. Links to Other Relevant Stories Bottom Trawling Destroys the Seabed 1.5 Degrees Climate Target is Dead 3 Coral reefs face long-term decline now…
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The Argyll Street Ash
A Dazzling Victory – Argyle Street Ash in Glasgow wins tree of the year competition Earth and Leaf Editorial This is the story of the Argyll Street Ash. It is interesting to note that noone is complaining about subsidence or damage to foundations in this case, yet the tree could not be closer to the buildings. Too often we see homeowners complaining that a tree is damaging their property and an often mature tree unnecessarily loses its life. The Argyll Street Ash appears to be causing no such problems. This surprises me a little as Ash trees are shallow rooted. Having said that most trees are shallow rooted, constrained by…
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Japan has opened its first osmotic power plant
Japan has opened its first osmotic power plant – so what is it and how does it work? Earth and Leaf Editorial This is the story of Japan’s first osmotic power plant. It is, it appears, a net supplier of electricity and uses the brine from a desalination plant that provides fresh water to Fukuoka. The plant uses treated wastewater and concentrated brine from a desalination plant, making it a sustainable method that produces constant, carbon-free energy. This one technology we will follow closely and post updates whenever we can. Links to Other Relevant Stories How does the Fukuoka plant work? Japan’s first osmotic power plant uses the process of…
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The Appalling Effects of Bottom Trawling
The Appalling Effects of Bottom Trawling Bycatch Up to 75% of the total catch, known as by-catch is discarded, dumped back at sea, dead for the most part. This might even include sharks, certainly the smaller ones such as young Tope or Dogfish, mammals, dolphins and turtles. Vegetation destruction Coral destruction Coral is found all around the world, much is still undiscovered. All coral is already under threat from global warming. The “white sand” beaches of Western Scotland are coral. It takes tens of years to grow and is smashed and destroyed in seconds by bottom trawling. Carbon release Watch the video again. Sediment disturbance is one of the appalling…
