Environment
Environment
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Can We Build A Sustainable Future for Farming
Introduction – A Sustainable Future for Farming The agricultural sector is at a crossroads, faced with the pressing need to adapt to climate change and an increasing demand for food. Sustainable agriculture has emerged as a crucial approach to address these challenges, focusing on methods that promote environmental health, economic viability, and social equity. This article explores a sustainable future for farming by rethinking traditional and modern farming practices, particularly in the context of livestock and crop production. We delve into the implications of chemical fertilisers, the role of innovative plant breeding, and an evaluation of dairy production, ultimately proposing alternatives that align with sustainable principles. Managing our Soil – Understanding the Concept of No Fertiliser In the quest for a sustainable future for farming, the reliance on chemical fertilisers has come under scrutiny. These substances, while effective in boosting crop yields, can lead to long-term degradation of soil health. Chemical fertilisers disrupt the natural balance of soil ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and harming beneficial microorganisms. Over time, soil becomes reliant on these inputs, leading to…
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Net Zero and Carbon Credits Exposed for all to See!
Net Zero and Carbon Credits are both concepts that allow polluters to continue to pollute. Fact. Both ideas have been drawn up to not rock the boat, yet to appear as though governments are doing something about global warming. The glaring problem with Net Zero and Carbon Credits are the words “net” and “credits”. https://www.efeca.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/UK-RTSS-APR-2021.pdf I’m writing this because today I learned that an estate in Leicestershire will earn £120,000 by farming sustainably. Every farmer should be farming sustainably. There’s a dark side to the £120,000 though. The farm in question is selling the carbon credits. Some are being bought by the Mercedes Benz formula one team so that they can claim in time to becoming a net zero racing outfit. In other words Mercedes Benz are buying Net Zero and Carbon Credits to improve their status whilst still producing the same level of CO2. And remember CO2 production is cumulative not annually turned over. Net Zero and Carbon Credits are misleading. Im typing stuff just for the sake of typing the words net zero…
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Is Biomass a Sustainable Fuel?
There is a good biomass case study right on our doorstep here in Yorkshire. Drax power station. Drax was responsible for three per cent of the UKs total carbon emissions last year. Our last coal fired power station at Ratcliffe on Soar was responsible for a quarter of that. This power station closed on Monday 30th September 2024. Frankie Mayo, an analyst at Ember, said: “Burning wood pellets can be as bad for the environment as coal; supporting biomass with subsidies is a costly mistake.” Is Biomass a Sustainable Fuel ? There are some biomass articles in our Document Library relating to Drax: If you want to learn more about what you can do change our world, become a full member at Earth and Leaf Is Biomass a Sustainable Fuel ? – Q and A Question Where do the Drax biomass wood pellets come from? Answer North America and Canada, a little from the UK Conclusion How much Carbon Dioxide does Drax produce each year? Drax directly produces 11.5 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide per…
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Bottom Trawling Destroys the Seabed and Must End Now
3 Unquestionable Reasons Why Trawling is Bad
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Two Rivers and a Water Authority
The Severn and the Trent make up the two rivers and a water authority. No other country in the world has a fully privatised water supply and waste water system. Not one. As a matter of fact even this statement is not entirely true. It is just England and Wales. In Scotland and Northern Ireland it is still in public ownership. The news a few days ago that Severn Trent is to pay out £300 million in dividends is a shock – read here. This on top of making £200 million profit. This money must be reinvested in the infrastructure. Two Rivers and a Water Authority – A Personal Tale from the Riverbank Many years ago I worked on a big dairy farm near the Trent, one of the Two Rivers. Franny, our tractor driver and I worked overtime to try and empty the slurry store one year. It was never ending. One Sunday morning we turned up for work early to be greeted by one of the two brothers who owned the farm. There…
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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 urge takes me to plant companions for them. I would surround each with thickets of Blackthorn and Crab Apple and plant Oak or Sycamore saplings with them.Planting trees is not enough Sometimes you see these isolated trees with remnant bluebells or Dogs Mercury lingering around their roots. These trees need help, fencing out and more cover needs planting. Specifically any areas in grass fields with…
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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, the Hero of Hodbarrow
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Sheep Farming in Wales, Its Time for a Change
Lets 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 Smith. He makes some excellent points about subtle changes that would help farmers. The scheme also needs explaining better to farmers. Lets Revolutionise Sheep Farming in Wales and Benefit its Rural Communities too This mirrors the same structure found in England and Scotland. Hill ewes such as the Welsh Mountain are kept on high ground. Draft ewes are sold at market to farms lower down…
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Time to Take Action on Nature Decline
It is time to take action on nature decline. A report today by the Office for Environmental Protection states; “If action is not taken England risks an irreversible spiral of decline in its nature” Here’s the report from World at One: Government remains largely off track to meet its environmental ambitions, finds OEP in annual progress report. It is time to take action on nature decline. 18.01.2024 Government remains largely off track to meets its environmental ambitions and must speed up and scale up its efforts in order to achieve them, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has found in its annual progress report. The OEP report provides an assessment of government’s progress towards legally-binding environmental targets and the goals of its Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP). It covers the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. It also includes content on selected cross-cutting themes, such as nature-friendly farming, and a more in-depth assessment focused on government’s apex goal of achieving ‘thriving plants and wildlife’. Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the OEP, said: “While some…
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Interesting Stuff Going on at Home
Wickham Fen https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-67933864 Knepp Castle Estate is leading in re-wilding projects in the UK in West Sussex. Here’s a short film on their beaver reintroduction project: Finally, there are also lots of interesting things going on around the world. Click Here!
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Interesting Stuff Going on Around the World
Wow https://orangutan.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e1bedc0d32dbb4e95a8fc9748&id=97a6777442&e=1154216cea Rain at last in North Sumatra Ive re-watched Earth. It really is an important must watch for everyone https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0fpwlny/earth-series-1-2-snowball The Rainforest Alliance protects rainforests and helps farmers and indigenous communities. https://thrive.rainforest-alliance.org/webmail/869601/1096539028/f64e23130a4d13568029d7fc446e97bc4db42c4e819f0835a8a3f0948f49173a This is a great project in Borneo https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/documents/2484428-regrow-borneo-pilot-year-impact-report Finally, there are also lots of interesting things going on at home in the UK. Click Here!
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Time for Another Agricultural Revolution
It is Time for Another Agricultural Revolution
