Lighting the Darkness?

The Renewable Energy for Refugees (RE4R) initiative seems to be a very sensible/cost-effective move (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/02/green-energy-refugee-camps-rwanda-solar-panels). More than 40,000 refugees, living long-term in three Rwandan camps, have had their lives transformed by the introduction of solar panels (for lighting) and cleaner-burning stoves (for cooking). The RE4R scheme has reduced crime, illuminated the night-time studies of children and facilitated commerce. Improving the cooking equipment has even reduced rapes and beatings of women, who formerly had to leave the camps to gather wood. Best of all, the equipment costs very little to run and reduces the camp's total 'greenhouse gas' emissions. There is bags of scope for doing something similar in lots of locations. For example, it could benefit people, temporarily displaced by natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and hurricanes. It could even benefit punters, camping at music festivals?

Giant Orchids in the UK?

The UK already has an array of wild orchid species (see above). Giant orchids (Himatoglossum robertianum) have now been found flowering 'for the first time' in Oxfordshire (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/01/giant-orchids-found-growing-wild-in-uk-for-first-time). Giant orchids are impressive plants, being about 1 metre in height. Oxfordshire is also hundreds of miles north of the Giant orchid's established Mediterranean range. Although the Giant orchid might well be a viable and welcome addition to the English flora, its presence in Oxfordshire is likely to be the result of 'guerilla gardening' (someone scattering seeds in a 'wild' location or simply throwing out house plants). Very little of the UK's flora is not currently invaded by alien species. Some of these aliens can be very problematical (e.g. Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed and Rhododendron).

Going Against the Grain

The fertile soil of Ukraine has made the country a major exporter of wheat, barley, sunflower seeds and maize. At least one third of Ukraine's normal wheat harvest, from seed planted in Autumn 2021, is now likely to be lost due to war. This February, global cereal prices rose to all time highs (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/02/global-food-price-fears-as-ukraine-farmers-forced-to-reduce-crop-planting). Military activity is never conducive to farming. The war in Ukraine has had impacts on the availability of fertilisers and fuel for operating tractors. The war has also resulted in the closure of ports used to export grains. Much of Ukraine's agricultural produce formerly went to North Africa. The increase in global cereal prices, are going to especially impact on poorer countries/people. Less grain means consistently higher prices and local scarcities. It has been suggested it could be 'several months, after the cessation of the war, before (Ukraine) crop levels return to normal'. This seems unduly optimistic! Unfortunately, everyone is going to have to pay more for their daily bread.

Seeing the Changes 1588

Yellow archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdoion) blooms in Loughor.

Seeing the Changes 1587

In Loughor, Spanish bluebell (Endymion hispanicus) was in flower. At Swansea University's Bay Campus, what looked like Strapwort (Corrigiola litoralis) was blooming and tiny bees flitted around the Dandelions.

For Peat's Sake!

Peatlands hold twice as much carbon as the planet's forests. In spite of peat's importance to climate change, more than one third of all gardening compost sold in the UK is still this material (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/31/third-of-all-compost-sold-in-uk-is-climate-damaging-peat). In the UK, scientists, gardeners and campaigners are all keen to see a total ban on using peat as compost. A ban is being resisted by the Horticultural Trades Association. Why worry about climate change, when you can make good profits out of 'free' peat?

UK Egg Market Cracking Up?

UK egg producers are asking large supermarkets to mark up the prices of their products (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/31/cost-of-farming-crisis-egg-producers-plea-to-uk-supermarkets-to-raise-price). It's indisputable that feed and energy, essential for UK egg producers, have both approximately doubled in price. Costs have been further exaccerbated by the prolonged requirement to keep all chickens indoors, as a consequence of a UK Bird 'flu outbreak (hence the lack of premium 'free-range' eggs in the country). Some producers, claim to be currently losing between 2 and 2.5p on every egg that they sell. Without the ability to recoup (an appropriate word?) their increased costs, there is a fear that many UK egg producers will go out of business. The prices of chicken feed and energy seem set to climb much further. One must hope that the supermarkets pay the UK egg producers more for their product.