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)

Oddities in Alexandra Park Hastings 2. Fruit of Foxglove tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Oddities in Alexandra Park, Hastings 1. Roach (Rutilus rutilius)

Seeing the Changes 2182

Michaelmas daisy (Aster novi-belgii) is blooming in Hastings.

Seeing the Changes 2181

In Hastings,  Common mallow (Malva sylvestris) was blooming.

Gullible

One certainly shouldn't call Herring gulls 'seagulls'. Gulls are not restricted to the sea. These birds are opportunistic scavengers, just as much at home on an inland landfill site as in a fishing harbour. Reports in newspapers about ‘gull muggings’ in locations like Scarborough (Yorkshire), are basically misinterpretations. Gulls have no concept of ownership. Food items are there to be competed for. They are not stealing your chip or pastie. They are just getting their beaks on it first.

Collapse of the Plastics Talks

 Plastics are major threats to the environment and human health. In spite of this, the major oil producers have blocked the signing of a binding treaty to limit their production. They were only interested in cleaning up plastics dumped in the oceans and on land. Any agreement had to be approved by all the parties and it was decided that no agreement was better than a flawed treaty.

'Stone age' Food Production?

 

Michael Grunwald's book, Are We Eating the Earth? points out that around one third of 'greenhouse gases' are generated by processes used in food production. Areas that would have been effective carbon stores, are converted into land to grow crops/feed domesticated animals. Richer parts of the world want more and more protein. It's suggested that, in terms of reducing emissions, food production is currently in the Stone age (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/14/we-are-eating-the-earth-book-climate). Grunwald also reiterates that adding carbon to soil is not a solution and that growing biofuels is just silly. Clearly, we need to put at least as much effort into reducing emissions from food production, as we do for electricity generation and transport. 

Wiping It From the Face of the Earth?

An 'island' of wet-wipes , the size of 2 tennis courts (circa 522 square metres), has accumulated by London's Hammersmith bridge over the Thames (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/14/wet-wipe-island-london-river-thames-pollution-hammersmith-bridge). This rotting, putrid mass consequently has to be cleaned up at great expense. It presumably originates from untreated sewage discharged into the river. This island is yet more evidence of the inappropriate behaviour of Thames Water. Telling folk not to flush wet-wipes isn't the answer.

Scandi Noir?

 

July's Nordic heatwave resulted in parts of Scandinavia experiencing 22 consecutive days of temperatures above 30 degrees Centigrade. There were 'tropical' nights, at this time, when temperatures failed to fall to below 20 degrees C. The over-heated hospitals of Finland, Norway and Sweden rapidly became over-populated. More than 60 people drowned, as folk engaged in outdoor swimming. Toxic algal blooms festooned lakes and rivers, making this activity more dangerous  (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/14/nordic-heatwave-climate-crisis-sweden-norway-finland). This just proves that there will be no places on the planet that are immune from the effects of  climate change.

The Flame in Spain

Temperatures of up to 44 degrees Centigrade are currently predicted in Spain. There are now wide-spread wild fires in Northern, Central and Southern Spain. In some places, thousands of people have had to be evacuated from their homes (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/12/thousands-evacuated-in-spain-amid-deadly-wildfires-and-new-heatwave). Summer wild fires are becoming a feature of Southern Europe. Their intensities and frequencies are only likely to increase. There's a possibility that some areas will become unliveable. 

A Green and Pleasant Land but With Dirty Windows?

 

England is expecting wide-spread water shortages in this current dry summer. Shortages could last until mid-Autumn (Fall). Some rivers are currently at their lowest recorded levels and even rare chalk streams are now threatened with 'essential' extraction. The National Drought Group is currently meeting to discuss actions to conserve water across the country. One considered option, is to stop people using water to clean their windows (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/12/experts-discuss-plans-save-water-dry-conditions-worsen-across-england-national-drought-group). This seems to be classic example of 'bolting the stable doors, after the horse has fled'. People have known for decades that summer water shortages will become progressively more likely in England. A combination of climate change and population growth accounts for the currently difficulties. None of the privatised water companies did very much to reduce leakages or even to make themselves future proof by improving their infrastructure. Their priorities were always to increase rewards for shareholders and give inflated bonuses to their CEOs!

Avian 'Flu Safety Net Cut?

 

'Operation Warp Speed' was one of the clear successes of attempts to counter the Covid19 pandemic. It basically directed finance to the development of the novel mRNA vaccines, facilitating the rapid production of treatments for the new viral infection. The recent US halting of $500m to research contracts on mRNA research, consequently seems a very retrograde step. It not only blocks new vaccine production, it also reduces the cohort of researchers likely to be important in attempting to contain further pandemics  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/11/rfk-jr-trump-vaccine-research-avian-flu). Devi Sridhar (Edinburgh University) notes that the H5N1 avian 'flu virus variant is probably only one mutation away from facilitating human to human transmission. Human Avian 'flu might well be more difficult to contain and deadly than Covid19. Now, is not a good time to weaken our medical defences.

A Better Year For Some Butterflies?

 

It's only an impression, but it seems to have been a much better year for the above species of butterflies in and around Swansea.

Seeing the Changes 2180

 

More flowers in bloom in Loughor. Noted Welsh poppy (Meconopsis cambrica); Great bindweed (Calystegia sylvatica); Pineapple mayweed (Chamomilia suaveolus) and Redshank (Persicaria maculosa).

Seeing the Changes 2179

 

Enchanter's nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) was blooming in Loughor.

One Thing After Another?

 

Deep Science Ventures has compiled a report on chemical pollution's effect on human health and the environment. It's claimed that its threat level is of a similar order to that of climate change. The general public, however, are relatively 'in the dark' about the dangers posed by chemicals in the air they breath, the water they drink, the foods they eat and the products and furnishings in their homes. (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/06/chemical-pollution-threat-comparable-climate-change-scientists-warn-novel-entities). The report points out that more than 100 million 'novel entities' (chemicals not found in nature) have been created by industrial economies. They include gases from exhaust systems, pesticides, synthetic chemicals (some 3600) derived from materials used in food preparation and packaging, as well as the now ubiquitous PFASs ('the so-called 'forever chemicals'). Many have been linked (correlationally or causally) with impacts on human reproduction, immune, neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, liver, kidney and metabolic systems. The human health consequences can range from ADHD, infertility to cancers. The report advocates paying at least as much attention to chemical pollution, as is currently given to climate change. 

Seeing the Changes 2178

Around Bynea, spotted yet another flowering of Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus), whilst Common hemp nettle (Galeopsis tetrahit); Water mint (Mentha aquatica); Marsh woundwort (Stachys palustris) and Ribbed melilot (Melilotus officinalis) were also in bloom. Alien Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus); Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and Lords and ladies (Arum maculatum) were in fruit.

Seeing the Changes 2177

On the Loughor-Gorseinon border, noted Sneezewort (Achilla ptarmica) in flower as well as Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Dog rose (Rosa canina) in fruit. Also spotted many Large white (Pieris brassicae) and Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) butterflies as well as wild bees.

The Cost of Plastics

Since 1950, the world's production of plastics has escalated 200 times. Production is set to triple again, to more than a billion tonnes per year by 2060. The most rapid increase, of course, has been in the production of single-use plastics for drinks bottles and fast food containers. Currently, 8bn tonnes of plastics pollute our entire planet. A new Lancet  review notes that plastics hit human health at every stage of life from infancy to old age. In deed, that review concludes that the current 'plastics crisis' is responsible for at least $1.5tn a year in health-related damages. Although microplastics are becoming recognised to be a ubiquitous health threat, plastics have detrimental environmental effects at every processing stage. This is from the obtaining of petrochemicals for their manufacture, to their disposal. Less than 10% of plastic is actually recycled (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/03/world-in-15tn-plastics-crisis-hitting-health-from-infancy-to-old-age-report-warns). It's been noted that petrochemical producers and plastic industry lobbyists are attempting to derail negotiations on a legally binding global plastics treaty to tackle the plastics crisis. One suspects they are not at all keen to be held responsible for any part of the $1.5tn health damage costs. Polluters, however, should pay. 

Priorities?

 

It's difficult, even for folk with vested interests in oil and gas, to deny that global heating and climate change are occurring. Extreme weather events, like heatwaves, droughts, floods and violent storms, are globally increasing in frequency and intensity. One current line of argument is that climate change worries have been 'overblown' and that 'fuel poverty' must be a greater concern. There's certainly an increased demand for electricity, to power many aspects of modern life (including data centres for AI). If there's any merit in this apparent reversal of priorities, however, it can't logically follow that increasing the extraction of oil and gas provides an answer. That would inevitably exacerbate the problems caused by global heating by 'greenhouse gases'. Surely, a more rapid replacement, where possible, of gas, oil and coal usage (already very finite resources) by solar, wind, hydroelectric and wave power (much less limited in terms of availability and longevity) makes more sense?

Heathrow Row

Amidst all the fuss about another runway for London's Heathrow airport is the real concern that the extra carbon dioxide emissions it would produce will prevent the country from achieving its nett zero targets. The UK government seems to be relying on improbable  'technofixes' such as 'green fuels' and electric planes. They don't appear keen to charge the airlines for carbon capture and storage (an also, perhaps unrealistic solution). (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/01/labour-plans-offset-heathrow-expansion-emissions). They could, however, try to get short haul flights within the UK or to EU locations in France and Belgium replaced by trains journeys. This would, of course, require either making a) train journeys much cheaper and/or b) the heavily subsidised flights more expensive. The former would require more taxpayer's money and the latter would annoy middle-class voters. Neither appears to be likely to happen.