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Writer's pictureConscious Change

The Times They Are A Changin!

Updated: May 4, 2020

Theme:

The theme this week is on positivity. I often feel when searching through environmental news that it is predominantly negative stories that prevail. However, amongst this array of depressing stories there are plenty of successes. These stories combined with some information on the current Extinction Rebellion protest is what we would like to focus on today.


1) Ocean clean-up device successfully collects plastic for first time

This is hugely exciting, finally we have a functioning device that can begin to tackle the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Haven’t heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?……. Well you should have by now, as it is an ever-growing island of rubbish in the Pacific Ocean that is currently three times the size of France. 


Boyan Slat, the creator of the “Ocean clean-up project”, has announced that they have created a functioning device which can successfully pick up plastic from the high seas. He is ready to use this device to tackle the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, with the determined aim of collecting 50% of the plastic debris in the next 5 years.


The device is a 600-metre-long free-floating boom (Pictures below will help), that collects plastic and microplastics using the wind and the waves, without disturbing marine life below. Slat states that his device is a much more efficient option then the alternative of using a trawler to collect plastics.



Slat is aiming to have a full-scale fleet in operation in the near future. His forecasts predict that the operational costs of the clean-up will be covered through the sale of the plastic harvested. 


This is a hugely positive story and one that I hope to hear much more about when the mission to tackle the Great Pacific Garbage Patch gets underway. 



2) Extinction Rebellion Protests: Where Are They And What Roads Are They Blocking?

This article on Extinction Rebellion (also known as XR) by Leading Britain’s Conversation (LBC) explains who they are and what the protests taking place in London over the next fortnight are actually about.



The aim for the next two weeks is for the 30,000 expected rebels to “shut down London” as the rebels feel that not one of their demands has been met by the government. Since their protest in April government action has amounted to symbolic gestures and non-binding promises, so the group has decided to ramp up its actions. I agree with the rebels that empty promises are not good enough. The scientific facts are there for the government to see, and with the UK being a developed country they need to commit to more advanced proposals and lead the transformation. 


Extinction Rebellion has three demands of the UK government:


A) TELL THE TRUTH, by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 


B) ACT NOW, to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025


C) Create and be led by a NATIONAL CITIZENS ASSEMBLY on climate and ecological justice. 


Extinction Rebellion are aware of certain negative public perceptions of the group. Due to this they are taking the protest to the seat of power at Westminster, as they don’t want to be seen as disrupting ordinary people’s lives. However, with 4000 rebels having willingly agreed to be arrested, only time will tell what the general public’s view towards this activist group will be post protest. 


I know a few fellow colleagues from the university who are traveling south to support the protests in London and we wish them well. If you would like to do your part to stand up and join XR a little closer to home, why don’t you attend one of XR Introductory talks in Edinburgh. Head along this Friday at 18:30 in room G.159, Old Collage on South Bridge (More info on their Facebook page!)



2B) Extinction Rebellion: 280 arrested in central London protests

UPDATE Article – below is a snapshot update on Day 1 of the protests:



By the close of play on Monday 8th October there were 280 arrests, with 2 of these rebels being over the age of 80. In comparison with the first day of the April protest, this number is much higher than the 122 people who were detained by midnight. In part, this is due to the much-increased police presence this time around. 



The main message from the protestors was that we need to radically reduce the use of fossil fuels, as currently we as a society consume too much. One protestor stated that “We need change if we want a bright future for our children!” It will be interesting to see what other key messages come out of the protest over the next two weeks, and how much of a struggle there is between the peaceful protestors and the police force. Keep tuned in. 




3) How a 500-year-old German brewery started an eco-friendly beer trend

Who would have thought it, through the conscious consumption of your post Uni pint you could help push breweries towards joining the eco-friendly beer trend!




The Hofmuhl Brewery in Germany which was founded in 1492, has become the leader in the eco-friendly beer making movement. It has achieved this accolade through the reduction of its carbon footprint by over 40% in the past two decades. They have accomplished this via the installation of solar panels (which cover a surface of nearly 9,300 square feet), efficient water filtration also making use of excess grains and waste. 


The eco-friendly beer trend has kicked off (in Germany in particular), due to the actions of three actors; the government, businesses and consumers:


A) Germany’s renewable energy transition (also known as Germany’s “Energiwende”) has been championed by Merkle’s government, encouraging businesses to go green by offering tax credits, subsidies and favourable loans.


B) Certain businesses such as Hofmuhl and a few other bigger names such as Heineken, the world’s second largest beer maker, have been willing to make changes and act in more sustainable ways, with 34% of its agriculture being sourced sustainably.  


C) Consumers according to a brewery a little closer to home in the UK, Bedlam Brewery, are caring more about purchasing eco-friendly products than they did before, including what they drink at the local pub. 


The cooperation of all three of these actors are vital in making businesses act in a more sustainable manner.


So, on that positive note I will leave you with this challenge, next time you’re out having a drink with friends have a snoop around and see if you can find an eco-friendly beer to sip on.

 


By Josh Morley-Fletcher, 4th-year International Relations student

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