A Holiday From Holidays?

 

Some folk predict that traditional 'western' tourism will be dramatically altered by climate change. Current 'hot-spots' may well be rendered less attractive by climbing temperatures and wildfires. Increased incidences of extreme weather events, might also make holiday insurance excessively costly. People may choose different locations or elect not to travel   (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/28/down-to-earth-wildfires-holiday-tourism). If this happens, it could have severe consequences for tourism-dependent locations like Hawaii.

Eutrophication-Across the Nation

Eutrophication occurs when waterbodies are contaminated by phosphates and nitrogen. These chemicals are generally from runoff from farming activities. These pollutants are either derived from fertilisers, excessively applied to crops, or in the faeces/urine of factory-farmed animals. These contaminants cause blooms of toxic cyanobacteria. The blooms remove oxygen from the water, decimating populations of fish and other aquatic organisms. Lough Neagh is the UK's largest lake, draining around 50% of Northern Ireland's land. This lake has seen big increases in toxic algal blooms and a consequent collapse of fishery incomes (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/30/uk-largest-lake-lough-neagh-faces-environmental-crisis-as-rescue-plans-stall). Eutrophication of lakes and rivers is a serious problem in many parts of the world. The usual solution is to reduce farming-related runoff of phosphates and nitrogen. It requires investment in water treatment and cooperation from farming interests. 

Why Does the UK Stack Things Against Heat Pumps?

 

UK electricity prices are currently geared to 'natural' gas prices, rather than simply reflecting the actual costs of solar and wind power. The thinktank E3G is advocating changing regulations to allow the country's electricity prices to be markedly cheaper. It calculates that, if that was done, each UK home could save more than £500 per annum on heating bills by having a heat pump rather than a gas boiler (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/28/heat-pumps-could-halve-heating-bills-with-energy-system-reform-study-finds). This seems a 'no-brainer' as switching to heat pumps would also greatly reduce the UK's 'greenhouse gas' emissions.

Worm-Friendly Wines?

 Earthworms are important for the health of soils. They aerate the soil and recycle organic material. These organisms have, however, greatly declined in many UK locations. Climate change has resulted in more UK areas being converted into vineyards for wine making. This activity is normally detrimental to earthworm populations, as soil is compacted by machinery as well as being sprayed with chemicals. Vegetation is also cleared between the rows of grapevines (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/29/vineyards-winemakers-urged-help-save-earthworms).It's been suggested that vineyards can easily be remodelled to make them earthworm havens. This could benefit wine production as well as invertebrate populations.

Current Tipping Point?

 

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) currently controls much of the global climate system. It basically brings warm tropical water to Europe and the Arctic. Here, the water cools, sinking to form a deep return current. In the past, the AMOC, has collapsed. It's currently in its weakest state for 1,600 years. That loss of strength appears to be linked to release of 'greenhouse gases'. Climate models had suggested the AMOC was unlikely to collapse before 2100. However, running such models for longer (until 2300 or 2050), indicates that a tipping point (a situation that can't be reversed) may be reached within 1-2 decades. AMOC shutdown would become inevitable but wouldn't actually occur until 50 to 100 years later  (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/28/collapse-critical-atlantic-current-amoc-no-longer-low-likelihood-study). AMOC collapse would shift the tropical rainfall belt as well as producing extreme cold winters and summer droughts throughout Western Europe. It could also add 50cm to currently rising sea levels. These changes would have devastating effects on local human populations. Scientists have said  AMOC collapse should be avoided at 'all costs'. A substantial and fast reduction in 'greenhouse gas' emissions is the only way to achieve this.. 

Seeing the Changes 2183

Early ripening fruit may seem convenient but some folk think it confirms environmental stress. There's also a possibility that the change desynchronises the plants and their dependent animal populations.

Oddities in Alexandra Park, Hastings 3. Fig tree (Ficus spp)