Wilding has started… (Jul20)
Yesterday, the diggers and dumpers arrived, along with the wonderful Andrew George and his fellow wilder, Lesley Malpas (Operation Future Hope). When I’ve mentioned wilding people imagine it means animals like badgers and beavers. Actually, the focus will be on bees, butterflies and birds, along with the wild flowers, hedgerows and trees that will attract […]
ANIMALS TURN HUMAN…(May20)
A role reversal. Imagine humans behaved like animals and vice versa. What would we think about our homes being destroyed, our oceans poisoned and our forests being hacked? This video does the imagining for us. It shows human’s petrified on a shrinking ice block, whilst polar bears sit in offices and wheel trolleys through over-stocked […]
CHASE Africa empowers women through family planning (Nov18)
“I’m not a great supporter of aid in Africa. I’m much keener on getting things done on the ground through small and effective organisations. CHASE Africa is one of those. They have small overheads and a great mission. Tackling family planning, particularly in conservation areas, has a multitude of benefits for individuals, communities and the […]
Was our luxury holiday good or bad for the environment? (Feb17)
A friend of mine argues that the impact of long-distance flying to exotic locations outweighs any possible environmental benefit to the places you might visit…. I’m not so sure. We’ve just come back from the Seychelles. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Apart from the world class beaches – […]
The Environmental Investigation Agency – Fighting Eco-Crime (Mar10)
I’ve been made a lifetime member of the Environmental Investigation Agency or EIA for short. I think this campaigning organisation fighting eco-crime should be getting more attention. Founded in 1984, the EIA is rather unique in its approach to campaigns. Whether it’s illegal logging, smuggling ozone-destroying chemicals or trading in endangered species, they have under-cover […]
How Green is Scarlet – Eco-hotel in Cornwall (Jan10)
My first impression of the building was horrendous. It was sitting on the cliff top surrounded by bungalows and modern seaside houses. Looking at the website for the Scarlet Hotel near Bedruthan Steps in Cornwall, I had thought that it stood on its own in a beautiful bay. The picture of the distinctive red hot […]
Hong Kong was dirty (Dec09)
Photo I took of the smog in Hong Kong – it should have been a sunny day! Air conditioning in Hong Kong is having a huge impact on climate change Kowloon Christmas tat in street market We flew through a brownish smog as we descended into Hong Kong airport. During my four days in […]
Haller transformation (May09)
Below is an article I wrote for Telegraph website about millipedes, hippos and Haller in Kenya. I’m a trustee of Haller – a charity, I co-founded that supports sustainable living in Kenya. In March I spent a week just North of Mombasa looking at how things have progressed since my last visit over four years […]
Washing lines in Dubrovnik (Jun08)
Where bombs and missiles fell in the early 1990s, I stood looking at washing lines and cats. Swallows were diving over the rooftops of Dubrovnik in the evening sun – it was a magical experience, perhaps all the more so because I was there for such a short time. My trip to Croatia was arranged […]
Why do we all hate plastic bags?(Feb08)
“Why do we all hate plastic bags?” I ask in The New Green Consumer Guide. Now, the headlines are screaming about their horrors and the campaign to ban them seems to be endorsed by every living celebrity. You might think the answer is obvious. Plastic bags are produced in their billions, litter the countryside, pollute […]