Environment
World’s botanic gardens contain a third of all known plants
The world's botanic gardens contain a third of all known plants - housing almost half those in danger of being wiped out, according to new research. At least 30 per cent are conserved outside their original ecosystem in these floral paradises. And they include 41 per cent of all those classed as "threatened." Scientist warn a fifth of the earth's plant diversity is threatened with extinction but the gardens could provide a safe refuge to help reestablish lost species in...
Homeowner stunned when she spotted an ‘extinct’ bird – in her back garden
A Cotswold homeowner was stunned when she spotted an 'extinct' bird - in her back garden. The Lady Amherst pheasant was introduced to the UK from China in the 19th Century but there have been no reported sightings since March 2015. But Angela King was amazed to spot one of the birds strolling across her lawn in Crudwell, Wilts. She said: "When I saw it, I called for my husband to come and look too as I knew no one...
Ugly fish in Plymouth’s waters that’s sparked a multi-million ‘black gold rush’
British fishermen are enjoying a 'black gold rush' as demand for cuttlefish hits all time high thanks to soaring demand from abroad - while it is virtually ignored as 'too ugly' to eat here. Fishermen from across the UK are flocking to the South West to land the inky mollusc - which is related to the squid - in record numbers. They are taking advantage of the lack of quotas with 100 tonnes being landed by just five or six...
Greenpeace activists have taken over a ship full of VW cars & won’t leave until cars sent back to Germany
Greenpeace activists have boarded a 24,000-tonne ship carrying Volkswagen diesel cars to the UK – and say they won’t leave until the vehicles are returned to Germany. The campaigners used kayaks and boats to approach the boat in the Thames Estuary, before climbing on-board at 8.30am this morning. Greenpeace volunteers in kayaks and boats board a 23,498-tonne ship on a major import route bringing Volkswagen diesel cars into the UK. The clean air campaigners draw up alongside the huge car...
What is albedo and why is it so important?
Climate change is a divisive issue. The US’ stance on the Paris Agreement of 2015 is just one example of that. And while disagreements over the extent of the threat posed by climate change are all too common, the world’s countries are even more divided on how best to address that threat. From reforestation to electric cars, the potential solutions are many and diverse in nature. One mooted remedy is altering the surface albedo of the earth. For the unfamiliar,...
Shocking! Dads’ Army town evoking Blitz Spirit because so many are relying on food banks
Poverty-stricken residents near the Dad's Army town are evoking the Blitz Spirit by donating tins of food to help their neighbours - because so many rely on food banks. Demand for food bank provisions on the south coast where the fictional town of Walmington-on-sea was set has seen a massive rise since last year. Food banks along the south coast have seen an 82 per cent increase in needy people coming through the doors since December. Charity Hastings Foodbank in...
African farmers send giant message to world leaders – invest in agriculture
African farmers from a remote village in northern Zambia have teamed up with the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to send a giant message to world leaders gathering in New York this week – invest more in agriculture if you want to end poverty and hunger by 2030. And to get their message the attention it deserves, the 16 farmers from Kasama, Zambia carved their case for investment into the very soil they farm, producing a giant “Field...
Global warming? Scotland’s longest lasting patch of snow to melt this weekend…only happened six times in 300 years!
Scotland is set to lose its longest-lasting patch of snow this weekend for the first time in over a decade -- an event which has happened only six times in the past 300 years. The patch at Garbh Choire Mor on Braeriach in the Cairngorms, nicknamed the Sphinx, may be gone as soon as this weekend. Iain Cameron, 44, monitors snow patches across Britain as a hobby and his findings are published by the Royal Meteorological Society. The last snow...
Britain’s biggest fatberg will be turned into biofuel – to power 350 BUSES
Britain's biggest fatberg weighing a whopping 130-tonnes is to be transformed into eco-friendly fuel - powering 350 double-decker buses for a entire day. The 250 metre-long congealed mass of fat, oil, gress wet wipes and nappies has been slowly been plugging Victorian sewers for years. Britain's biggest fatberg, which is more than twice the length of two football pitches, took an eight-strong crew using high-powered jet hoses to break up and dislodge the mass. The team has now transferred the...