Ecology
‘Rubbish Police’ Check Bin Bags to Drive Up Recycling Rates
A pair of council officers in hi-vis jackets scrutinise a clipboard before approaching a bungalow on a windswept estate on the western outskirts of Swansea. They are looking for residents who have sneaked recyclables into black bin bags destined for…
Lidl Trials Removal of 9p Plastic Bags in Wales
Lidl is trialling the removal of 9p plastic bags from 54 of its shops in Wales. The brand says it discovered the cheap reusable bags were frequently being used just once before being thrown away – to combat this, it…
‘More Frequent Rainfall Is Speeding Up Greenland’s Ice-Melt’
More frequent rainfall in Greenland is accelerating the melting of ice formations. That’s according to a new study published in scientific journal The Cryosphere, which suggests warmer temperatures mean precipitation is increasingly falling in the form of rain rather than…
Growing Meat in the Lab Isn’t Such a Good Idea – Yet
People love meat. The trouble is that meat production, especially red meat production, is a major driver of climate change and environmental destruction. Red meat requires 28 times more land to produce than pork or chicken as well as 11…
EU Plastic Packaging Recycling Almost Doubled Since 2005
The recycling rate of plastic packaging in the EU stood at more than 42% in 2016, almost double the figure seen in 2005. That’s according to latest figures from Eurostat, which also reveal the recycling rate for packaging waste exceeded…
Are Companies Feeling the Pressure from Sustainable Consumers?
The world’s leading suppliers of groceries, personal care products, household goods and consumer electronics are racing to adapt to sustainably-minded consumers. That’s the verdict from environmental non-profit CDP, which has published a new report showing the ‘Fast Moving Consumer Goods’…
Wonder-Material Graphene Could Prove a Splash for Clean Water
Wonder-material graphene could be used to cheaply and effectively make dirty water clean. That’s the verdict from the National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester and the UK-based filter manufacturer LifeSaver, which have embarked on an 18-month research…