To the Earth, I am sorry for all of the damage we have done to you. How we have fought against each other over things like control and land, and in doing so have harmed not only ourselves but also you and cost so many innocent lives. I truly hope we will be able to solve the problem we are going through together right now, … Continue reading LetterS to THE Earth – Aimee
Dear Glasgow The eyes of the world will be on your summit for 12 days in November, but the consequences of any decisions taken in Glasgow will last for decades to come. This crucial UN summit is due to take place six years after over 190 governments signed the Paris Agreement. This accord bound signatories into policies to work towards keeping global temperature rises to below … Continue reading Dear Glasgow COP26 …. John bynorth
When one of you is sick you take them to the hospital or you care, and love them and look after them. I am sick and you have not done this for me. I have been sick for a long time coming and I’ve shown you for ages. I give and I give and I get nothing back. That’s okay, I love giving. But just … Continue reading I don’t understand: A letter to humans by Martha Rowe
Dear Glasgow We must understand that we are all responsible for one another. It’s not enough to cling to outdated and disproven ideas that if we act in our own self-interest that the world’s problems will fix themselves. We don’t feel the impact of our individual actions when we buy a diesel-hungry car, eat that bit of steak or buy single-use plastics. The impact is … Continue reading DEAR GLASGOW COP 26 …. NAYSUN ALAE-CAREW
Dear Glasgow Calls for action on tackling climate change tends to focus on the active – commuting, how we travel, what cars we use, what carbon footprint we leave. But what type of homes we live in and whether they help or hinder our efforts to reach net-zero carbon emissions receive much less attention and debate. That is why COP26 must devote as much time … Continue reading DEAR GLASGOW COP26 …. DEREK MacDONALD
Dear Glasgow It is safe to say rather a lot has happened in the 12 months since it was announced you’d be hosting COP26. When the climate summit does eventually take place, it will be in a world irrevocably altered and a global economy dramatically reshaped by COVID-19. While the pandemic has battered the international marketplace, not all of its effects have been negative. The … Continue reading DEAR GLASGOW COP26 – CHARLES QUINN
Dear Glasgow We know the Earth’s recovery is achievable but unless we implement legal and financial measures for businesses, their operations are unlikely to harmonise with environmental goals. We need to see a serious shift from purely profit-driven models, to businesses that inspire positive impact and change, and that are financially incentivised to do so. Zara Janjua, London Zara Janjua is an award-winning TV, Radio & Podcast … Continue reading DEAR GLASGOW COP26 …. ZARA JANJUA
By Harold R. Wanless The climate emergency is bigger than many experts, elected officials, and activists realise. Humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions have overheated the Earth’s atmosphere, unleashing punishing heat waves, hurricanes, and other extreme weather—that much is widely understood. The larger problem is that the overheated atmosphere has in turn overheated the oceans, assuring a catastrophic amount of future sea level rise. As oceans heat … Continue reading Warming Oceans Are Making the Climate Crisis Significantly Worse
Scotland’s voting age is lower than the rest of the UK. They are terrified by climate change and the Earth they shall inherit. Old wise heads and all may do well to remember that. Continue reading Forget IndyRef … Holyrood campaign is really becoming the climate election for all
Whatever the new hue of the Scottish Parliament looks come next session, it is clear climate ahead of COP26 in November will take centre stage, and renewables will be at the heart of it. Continue reading Scotland’s renewable energy ambition is within touching distance … but the real journey is only just beginning
Although many family cycling shops stayed open during the latest lockdown, the Scottish Government should ensure funding is available for small cycle firms to be set up easily and cycle training courses reskill people who have lost their jobs as the pandemic obliterated our high streets. Continue reading OPINION: Unless drastic action is taken over the next nine years melting Arctic and Antarctic ice caps will be more than a newspaper front page
“We’re in a climate emergency, the world is literally burning, and Scotland unfortunately is part of the problem.
“The Scottish Government’s commitment to ending Scotland’s contribution to the crisis is a strong, welcome and necessary goal.
“It means reducing all our emissions to zero. Continue reading “OPINION: World is burning and we’re part of the problem”
The queen of fashion herself, Anna Wintour, has made her views known about fashion and sustainability. It’s a welcome influential voice in a sector that is using up global raw materials at an alarming rate.
According to a new report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) global fashion production has doubled in the last 15 years but we are wearing 40% less clothing. This has led to a global figure of over 92 million tonnes of post-consumer clothing landfilled annually.
The planet is in crisis and you probably bought more clothes for the Christmas season – 12 million of us will have bought a novelty jumper with flashing lights and sequins. Research by environmental charity, Hubbub, said that this purchase was one of the worst examples of fast fashion, a sector now recognised as hugely damaging to the environment. Continue reading “OPINION: Clothing industry needs ‘moon shot’ to end fast fashion”
On Thursday, the 16th of January, Extinction Rebellion Scotland activists blocked all of the entrances to Shell HQ with the aim of shutting down the building and disrupting business as usual.
This action was the culmination of Rig Rebellion 2.0 – a ten day long campaign that began when three women occupied a gas rig in Dundee harbour. The rig is leased by Shell and was due to depart to drill two gas wells in the North Sea. Continue reading “OPINION: What role has Shell played in moving to a lower-carbon future?”
Ian Findlay is Chief Officer of Paths for All, Scotland’s walking charity which partners with 30 national organisations and aims to significantly increase the number of people who choose to walk in Scotland. Here he argues the case for Clean Air Day’s success.
EDINBURGH’S The Mound was closed off in the biggest show yet of the city’s support for Clean Air Day.
The day itself serves as a timely annual reminder that the vital air around us carries harmful chemicals that can be hugely damaging to our health.
Continue reading “OPINION: Clean Air Day has potential to go further, says Paths for All chief”
Here Claire Mack, the chief executive of Scottish Renewables, previews the Low Carbon Cities conference happening in Edinburgh on February 20.
“Almost a quarter of the world’s population lives in cities, and that figure is growing.
The interactions between people, transport and the built environment are enormously powerful, and we’re only just starting to get to grips with the impacts of urbanisation.
On Manhattan Island, in the average January, the amount of heat produced from combustion alone is greater than the amount of energy from the sun by a factor of 2.5. Continue reading “OPINION: ‘We haven’t even scratched the surface of decarbonising’”
We’re Plastic Free Scotland. We’re a group of volunteers who have one mission – ending the use of single use plastic in Scotland.
We want to make Scotland a greener place, and that’s why working to encouraging businesses to change their way and stop using single use plastics.
Single use plastic is everywhere you look and there’s no getting away from it. You only have to step inside your local supermarket and straight away you’ll be confronted by fruit and vegetables wrapped in plastic that you cannot recycle. If you want a ready meal for dinner then that’s wrapped in plastic too, and so are the crisps and chocolate you might pick up for a snack too. Continue reading “OPINION: So what exactly is the problem with single use plastics?”
In their New Year message, Scottish Green Party co-conveners Maggie Chapman and Patrick Harvie MSP said 2018 can be a year of progress on human rights and public services.
They pledged to continue to fight for what they called “justice, solidarity and our shared environment.”
And they hailed what they said was Scotland’s “willingness” to act for change. Read their messages in full below. Continue reading “‘2018 can be a year of progress, from equality and human rights, to environmental protection’”
FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled ambitious plans for a Scottish National Investment Bank in September as a key plank of her programme for government.
With it, she turned to trusted industry heads and promised a Just Transition Commission, identifying the potential it has to create real change.
But today – as consultation on the bank’s make-up ends at Midnight – five organisations covering a cross section of society have their say too. Continue reading “Scottish National Investment Bank: How can it make for a fairer Scotland?”
PLANET SCOTLAND 