A round-up of this week’s environmental, green and ecofriendly news and updates.
Wow – this is SUCH good news! You know how people say (well, lots of people try to tell me) that we can’t run countries on renewable energy alone, we still need to keep fossil fuels for several more years because renewable energy is not reliable – the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow (which is true).
But they’e just been proved wrong! A major new study looked at exactly that. It showed that when you use solar and wind technologies together, they work in harmony. Solar power generation is highest in the summer and lowest in winter, while wind power is greatest in the spring and fall. Wind turbines work at night when solar panels are dormant. This can help balance out the power generated.
And amazingly, It is possible to supply about 75% to 90% of all US electrical needs with renewables – and that’s with no storage!
If you add storage (for example in batteries, or by pumping water into elevated tanks and then letting the water fall at night and turn a turbine), then 100% of America’s energy needs can be met with renewables. Of course, there are costs involved – but what price is a liveable planet? We have to keep fossil fuels untouched in the ground if we want to have any hope of slowing climate change.
This report is hugely significant. I hope it gets more publicity. It needs to. You can read the full story here.
“Collaborative consumption” – goodness, what a mouthful!
Actually, it’s something that’s really, really simple. We’ve been doing it for ages – but now it’s got a new look that makes it oh-so-easy to use.
My Recommendation of the Week is all about Easter. Please don’t buy those ghastly plastic Easter eggs! Plastic is made from oil, a fossil fuel contributing to climate change. Luckily there are loads of alternatives:
For an Easter Egg Hunt, you can buy wooden eggs which are fun to draw on or paint (using water-based paints of course). They can be re-used.
Or if you’re crafty you may have some left-over felt or bits of silk which can be made into little folders that you stuff sweets and candy into. Or do the same with old sweaters, ties and clothes.
If you’re using real eggs, don’t go crazy, just buy the amount you really need. (There’s a lot of animal cruelty that happens just to supply the Easter egg demand). Don’t use artificial dyes or colourants – just add different spices from your pantry (or beet juice) to add wonderful colours to your hard-boiled eggs!
Personally, I’m not a fan of Easter Grass – it doesn’t do much (and the kids don’t care if it’s there or not) and it’s just more “stuff”, but if you really want some, you can buy eco grass which is made from recycled paper so no new resources were used to make it. Reuse it, then put it in with your normal paper recycling at end-of-life.
Chocolate Easter Eggs are expensive and come with loads of packaging (often plastic). And the chocolate is often of poor quality. Consider treating yourself to some top-quality dark chocolate easter eggs – look for ones with minimal packaging. Or even better, buy dark chocolate in a bar or slab instead, preferably made from shade-grown cacao and Fair Trade. It may not be egg-shaped, but you’ll enjoy the taste more, it’s not as fattening, and it’s much greener as there’s far less packaging and the production is easier.
What are your best options for storing food in your kitchen?
The EcoExpert looks at the choices, and their pros and cons.
Global Green News:
Renewable energy generated more electricity than brown coal during Australia’s summer for the first time in 2017-18, according to a new report. Plus, renewables were generating particularly large amounts of electricity when it was most needed – during summer between 11am and 7pm, when demand peaks. Hooray!
We often hear of the huge amount of plastic in our oceans. But sometimes, it can be difficult to visualise it.
Wonder no longer – a British man went diving in Indonesia (near Bali) and this short video captures what he found.
U.S. Green News:
Well, this is Global AND US Green News! You know Tabasco Sauce? (My husband loves it). Well, it’s made in Louisiana and sold all over the world (even on this tiny tropical island). 🙂
But it’s under threat. The home of Tabasco, Avery Island, is gradually being marooned. Its marshes are retreating as salt water seeps in, thanks to canals dug by the oil and gas industry. The salty brine kills off vegetation, loosens soils and accelerates erosion. Fierce storms and sea level rise from climate change are also contributing.
And as the current head of the company says (he’s the 7th McIlhenny family member), “we could make Tabasco somewhere else. But this is more than a business: this is our home.”
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
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