2023 is the tenth anniversary of Veganuary, a month during which people don’t fast entirely, but simply commit to just eating plants.
The vegan organisation GenV was started by Matthew Glover who also came up with the increasingly popular idea of Veganuary. GenV doesn’t take donations from the public but has a number of celebrity supporters, notably Joanna Lumley and Paul McCartney whose wife Linda famously pioneered the vegetarian food market in the UK. GenV currently has a poster campaign in Westminster to encourage MPs to consider more compassion in farming as currently almost three-quarters of the animals we grow here for eating are actually confined in factory farms. An anonymous donor gave them a million pounds for this London poster campaign.
In contrast to GenV hoping to persuade the government to legislate, the Vegan Land Movement are making changes out in the fields. A Horsham friend explained to me that this community interest company has several goals, one of which is to reverse the incredible biodiversity loss in the UK. It raises money through its public Crowdfunding website and has just been able to buy its fourth plot of land in an already polluted area. The Government Food Report says, “Domestic production faces a number of risks, including soil degradation, drought and flooding.” Last year the Vegan Land Movement helped mitigate this by planting hundreds of native trees including willow, maple, wild cherry, oak and birch to help restore the soils and therefore the wildlife.
Some larger land owners are paid to re-wild parts of their land, but sadly there are no checks in place to see if this actually occurs. Would it be better for us to support our small organic farmers instead and crunch on local carrots, caulis and cabbages?
Naomi Hallum, the chief executive of GenV, explains that millions of acres could be freed up for nature corridors as although over 70% of UK land area is used for agriculture, the majority of it is grassland for grazing rather than crops. Because plants grow quickly, we would only need about 16% of this land to grow our food if we became plant-based eaters. The UK has lost more of its wildlife than most countries, (we’re now in the worst 10%) and the main reason for this is land use change from wild land to fields.
So enjoy your veg to do your bit for the planet this month! To find out more about Veganuary or trying some vegan recipes, go to https://veganuary.com/
By Morag Warrack
![Morag](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2080%2080'%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Local Elections – Who is supporting Climate and Nature Pledge?
/in Biodiversity & Nature, Climate change, Eco News, Take Action/by Eve DelvesIntroducing North Horsham Community Land Trust
/in Eco News/by Eve DelvesNHCLT was formed following an initiative by North Horsham Parish Council in January 2020. We are a community led, not-for-profit organisation, run by local people for local people with the aim of providing local homes to rent for people who live and/or work in North Horsham Parish and its environs. As a co-operative and Community Benefit Society we operate under the guidance of Action in rural Sussex (AirS) and the National Community Land Trust Network.
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How we can help nature
/in Biodiversity & Nature, Children & nature/by Eve DelvesBiodiversity and climate are inextricably linked, you can’t fix one without the other. There are lots of things you can do to help wildlife to thrive that don’t cost a lot but can help nature and create a lovely space for you to watch and experience all the life in your garden.
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The Importance of Nature
/in Biodiversity & Nature, Children & nature, Climate change, Ecology, Take Action/by Eve DelvesUnless we change things, we are on track to breach the 1.5°C temperature increase limit set by the Paris Agreement by 2030. The breach risks irreversible environmental degradation and runaway climate change that will affect all our societies and economies.
An essential ally against the climate crisis is nature. We are losing nature at an alarming and unprecedented rate. For anyone who has been watching David Attenborough’s latest BBC programme, Wild Isles, you will know that Britain is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
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Recycling Plastics
/in Recycling, Single use plastic/by Eve DelvesSussex Green Living volunteers sorting the single-use plastic recycling
These Earth’s natural resources are key to our Western lives: water, air, oil, gas, coal and minerals. Perhaps we could be thinking about recycling as another resource that is about reusing these over and over again? Here are some tips as to how and where we can recycle.
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Sussex Green Hub welcomes wider community
/in Climate Hub, Sussex Green Hub/by Eve DelvesThis month our busy volunteers refilled 140 bottles with personal hygiene and cleaning products, repaired 43 items, answered all manner of recycling queries and gave advice on energy, green books to read, eco-garden and generally how help the planet and save money at the same time.
We are also now running creative drop in sessions of afternoon workshops from 1pm till 3pm. These will usually be free although voluntary donations are always welcomed.
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Plastic Free Coronation Celebrations
/in Events, Recycling, Refill, Seasonal celebrations, Single use plastic/by Eve DelvesRead more
How to Store Food to Prevent Waste
/in Food Waste/by Eve DelvesHere are some ideas to get you started…
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Improving Soil Health with biochar
/in Biodiversity & Nature, Ecology/by Eve DelvesIt was the first experience I’ve had of using a retort kiln. Normally I use a ring type.
The ice crystals were glistening on the metal door as I pulled hard. It creaked with resistance as the morning sun shone upon what was left of the wood. It had been reduced by half through a process called pyrolysis, (heating wood in the absence of oxygen). The fire turns volatile oils into gases which heat the wood.
I always love that first encounter when I open a kiln, picking up a handful of charcoal and dropping it gently; listening to the tinkle as pure carbon cascades down while sunlight and left over heat create peacock blues or rainbow patterns over the blackness.
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Pollinator Highway
/in Biodiversity & Nature, Climate change, Ecology/by Eve DelvesI went to buy a thermal T-shirt, my current one sadly threadbare, but there were none to be had. The assistant told me they had ‘overperformed’, because fuel prices are high and people are dressing up warmly at home rather than putting the heating on. Result! I know people who, when working on the computer at home, take a break for a few minutes and go for a run, simply to warm up. Loved ones are switching off the TV earlier than their usual habit and instead snuggling up in bed with a good book. Result! People are jumping on their bikes or walking rather than taking the car for short journeys, and we’re driving more carefully because the roads are full of potholes. Result!
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Horsham Cape of Good Hopes
/in Green art & games, Sussex Green Hub, Sustainable Fashion/by Eve DelvesWhat is the Cape of Good Hopes?
The Cape of Good Hopes is a collaborative community project. It consists of the construction of mini artworks created by individuals and groups to bring the community together with the common cause of celebrating nature in all its wonderous forms and acknowledge that we can’t survive without a healthy planet to support us.
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The Impact of Flying
/in Climate change, Education/by Eve DelvesRead more
SECA Annual Event – Meeting of Hope
/in Climate change, Events, Take Action/by Eve DelvesWe arrived in Brighton in an electric car, (my first time in such a conveyance), for the annual South East Climate Alliance or SECA meeting, the aim being to bring councils and communities together to address the issues related to climate breakdown and share successes and suggestions.
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Philanthropists and business heroes needed
/in Climate Hub/by Eve DelvesFor 2023 we want to build on the success of our monthly pop-up Sussex Green Hub by establishing a Community Climate Hub ‘on the high street’ in Horsham. The purpose of the hub is to offer initiatives and education that allow everyone to make changes to their life that have a positive impact on the planet AND save them money!
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Veganuary 10th Anniversary
/in Biodiversity & Nature, Ecology, Food Waste/by Eve DelvesThe vegan organisation GenV was started by Matthew Glover who also came up with the increasingly popular idea of Veganuary. GenV doesn’t take donations from the public but has a number of celebrity supporters, notably Joanna Lumley and Paul McCartney whose wife Linda famously pioneered the vegetarian food market in the UK. GenV currently has a poster campaign in Westminster to encourage MPs to consider more compassion in farming as currently almost three-quarters of the animals we grow here for eating are actually confined in factory farms. An anonymous donor gave them a million pounds for this London poster campaign.
In contrast to GenV hoping to persuade the government to legislate, the Vegan Land Movement are making changes out in the fields. A Horsham friend explained to me that this community interest company has several goals, one of which is to reverse the incredible biodiversity loss in the UK. It raises money through its public Crowdfunding website and has just been able to buy its fourth plot of land in an already polluted area. The Government Food Report says, “Domestic production faces a number of risks, including soil degradation, drought and flooding.” Last year the Vegan Land Movement helped mitigate this by planting hundreds of native trees including willow, maple, wild cherry, oak and birch to help restore the soils and therefore the wildlife.
Some larger land owners are paid to re-wild parts of their land, but sadly there are no checks in place to see if this actually occurs. Would it be better for us to support our small organic farmers instead and crunch on local carrots, caulis and cabbages?
Naomi Hallum, the chief executive of GenV, explains that millions of acres could be freed up for nature corridors as although over 70% of UK land area is used for agriculture, the majority of it is grassland for grazing rather than crops. Because plants grow quickly, we would only need about 16% of this land to grow our food if we became plant-based eaters. The UK has lost more of its wildlife than most countries, (we’re now in the worst 10%) and the main reason for this is land use change from wild land to fields.
So enjoy your veg to do your bit for the planet this month! To find out more about Veganuary or trying some vegan recipes, go to https://veganuary.com/
By Morag Warrack
Sussex Green Living Achievements 2022
/in Children & nature, Climate change, Eco News, Education, Events, Recycling, Refill, Repair Cafe, Sussex Green Hub, Youth Eco Forum/by Eve DelvesAshington Youth Club
Well what a year 2022 was for Sussex Green Living. As we reflect on the last year and plan for the future and 2023, we thought it was worth taking a moment to share some of our achievements…
Demand for Sussex Green Living environmental education services in schools and public events has never been higher, so much so that requests for our help vastly outstripped the grants we had been awarded to be able to deliver the work in schools.
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Eastbourne’s first Climate Emergency Centre
/in Climate Hub/by Eve DelvesRead more
Students create inspiring art in Repair Cafe Challenge
/in Children & nature, Education, Repair Cafe/by Eve DelvesOur school challenge for Horsham District Schools was supported by a Horsham District Community Lottery Grant, a donation from a Horsham councillor and kindly judged by Horsham artist, Morag Warrack.
The challenge invited students to learn about repair cafés, what they do and how they help reduce waste on our planet. There are items that could be repaired but often people don’t have the skillset to make repairs. Repair Cafés are run by volunteers who have both a passion and the expertise to repair electrical, mechanical and textile items. The premise is that you can take along your items and for a small donation, they will try to fix them while you stay, watch and hopefully learn a new skill at the same time.
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New Year New Green Resolutions
/in Money saving ideas, Seasonal celebrations/by Eve Delves© Marekuliasz from Getty Images via Canva.com
New year is often a time for reflection and making resolutions. I always start the year with good intentions but find it’s hard to keep them up when things get busy. This year I’m looking to put in place some changes that are easy wins. If you too are in that frame of mind right now, here are some ideas I found for making 2023 a little greener for you and your family.
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Restoring kelp, eliminating single use plastic
/in Biodiversity & Nature, Ecology/by Eve DelvesThe winner in the Building a Waste-Free World category was a London based company founded in 2014 called Notpla (i.e. not plastic!) They have come up with a unique product made from seaweed – or kelp (to use the more scientific term employed by Sussex Wildlife Trust and local universities involved in the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project).
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Protecting the Battery Life
/in Recycling, Repair Cafe/by Eve DelvesRead more
Birds of a Feather
/in Biodiversity & Nature, Climate change, Ecology/by Eve DelvesGeorge Frederic Watts, The Wounded Heron, 1837, oil on canvas (Watts Gallery Trust)
On a guided tour of the George Watts Gallery, near Guildford recently, I was surprised to learn about the Victorian artist’s ‘protest pictures’.
Born when our own Percy Shelley was at the height of his powers writing his controversial poems of protest, I felt the two would have got on well, with their artistic commentaries on the ruthlessness of the governments of their day.
One painting which felt particularly poignant was called, ‘A Dedication (to all those who love the beautiful and mourn over the senseless and cruel destruction of bird life and beauty)’. It depicts an angel weeping over an altar littered with kingfishers and other small birds.
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Christmas Money Saving Ideas
/in Green art & games, Money saving ideas/by Eve DelvesCharity Gift Ideas
/in Fundraising/by Eve DelvesYou all know the person that has everything and are probably struggling to know want to buy them for Christmas. Well, how about buying them a ‘giving back gift’? We’ve all heard about gifting a goat but many charities have now expanded this idea and you can buy everything from toys for vulnerable children to medical care and adopting animals to even twinning your rubbish bin.
Think about a cause or interest that the person has and try and link the gift.
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Never too Small to Make a Difference
/in Children & nature, Eco News, Education/by Eve DelvesRead more