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The latest sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews from the Green Elephant for 20th January 2020. Top stories: 01:10 – Hundreds of Pacific Islands are getting bigger despite global warming 03:10 – Can the “Great Green Wall” carry out Sankara’s ecological, pan-African dream? 05:29 – Climate change pushed ocean temperatures to record high in 2020, study finds 07:23 – Insects are vanishing at an alarming rate – but we can save them 16:43 – ‘The numbers don’t lie’: The green movement remains overwhelmingly white, report finds 11:02 Challenge update IEEE recommendation for recycling electricals: https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/ So after all of this we made some decisions on what we’re going to do with our old tech: Apple 5S phone – donate Bush TV sound bar – recycling Sony microphone – sell USB soundcard – sell Loads of leads – recycle If you’d like the old iPhone – drop us a note on why we should give it to you. Company News: 21:37 – 8000Kicks: The World’s First Ethically-Made Waterproof Cannabis Sneakers 22:47 – Bridgestone Uses Big Data to Ensure Sustainable Supply of Rubber 24:01  – ButcherBox Becomes Largest Meat Brand to Earn B Corp Certification 25:09 – Nonprofit Washed Ashore crafts art and jewellery from ocean plastic 26:26 – Beyond Meat shares soar after inking deal with Taco Bell on new menu items 27:06 – Toyota to Pay a Record Fine for a Decade of Clean Air Act Violations 28:42 – US regulators ask Tesla to recall 158,000 Model S and Model X vehicles over media control unit failures Sustainable Technology News: 30:09 – Construction to Begin on France’s Largest Renewable Hydrogen Production Site 31:17 – An ambitious new system will track scores of species from space 33:08 – Water networks need to get smart, says report Other Sustainability News: 34:35 – 2 gorillas at the San Diego Zoo test positive for COVID-19 35:08 – Brazil environmental fines fall 20% as deforestation soars 36:55 – Light pollution: The dangers of bright skies at night 39:12 – United States Air Force Begins Construction on $403 Million Energy Savings Performance Contract 40:37 Interview with Fouremme We welcome Lara and Katia from Fouremme  onto the show to tells us about their London and Italy based sustainable fashion brand. We discuss slower fashion, quality, finding suppliers and more. Find Fouremme: Instagram | Facebook | Website 01:02:13 Feedback @sammycudds pointed us at a story about Scottish cycling brand Enduro who are planting a million trees a year. @aalokrai1 nudged us to think more about chemicals saying: Humans also emit more than 250 billion tons of chemical compounds a year. This poisonous avalanche is hurting our world. 01:05:03 Behind the Scenes Apologies for lack of video show as promised. But we are making a Planet Plug video ahead of our crowdfund. You can signup for updates at greenelephant.show Sharing our big ambitious goals: Biggest sustainability show online 1M on insta in 2021 Can you help us achieve either of these? What suggestions do you have? Let us know. 01:07:46 Recommendation Films for the planet a fantastic resource of online movies and documentaries about sustainability issues. 01:09:17 Fact or Fake? Sea level themed: If temperatures rise by 1.5degress C by 2100 as expected, this will mean a sea level rise of 30cm If all the ice that currently exists on Earth melted it would raise sea level by 216 feet. If sea levels rise as predicted approximately 200 million people can expect to see their homes submerged by 2100 The country with the biggest percentage of its population at risk from rising sea levels is Vietnam If the ice in Greenland melts then Miami, Manhattan, London, Shanghai & Bombay would disappear under water And finally: 01: 14:19 – Pablo Escobar’s Cocaine Hippos Threaten to Take Over Colombia Thanks for listening to this weeks sustainability show!. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

The latest sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews from the Green Elephant for 13th January 2020. Top stories: 01:10 – 2020 Ties 2016 as Hottest Yet 14:32 – Top cities and countries for vegans 05:59 Challenge update We asked our audience what they would do with an old iPhone. Some of the suggestions were: Give it to someone else. . . Take it to an electronics store that recycles old devices (apparently common/mandatory in Italy for devices 25cm or less @evidentlychickentown @terramove) Donate to a child for homeschooling – @sustainably_k Make apple take it back for Urban Mining – @lianne_bell Return it to Apple – @wecandobetter Use fellow BCorp @recono.me to recycle – @angelasmonaghan One of the items we need to resolve is leads & cables – loads of them Take it to local household recycling centre Strip the plastic off and recycle the metal Apparently schools need it for science projects. . . . If we were in the US then Best Buy would take it Ask if someone else needs them? eRecycling companies will pay you for your waste. . . Government News 20:40 – Trump administration reverses migratory bird protections 21:55 – Greta Thunberg criticises Boris Johnson’s green revolution 18:55 – Trump administration’s sale of Arctic refuge drilling rights labeled an “epic failure” Company News: 23:26 – By 2035, all new cars sold in Massachusetts must be electric 24:36 – Dove Launches its First Refillable Deodorant in Effort to Cut Plastic Use 26:07 – World’s Largest Utility-Scale Battery Energy Storage System Now Online 27:25 – Bloomberg and Rockefeller Asset Management Launch ESG Improvers Index Sustainable Technology News: 28:23 – Rolloe is a bike wheel that filters outdoor air while you cycle 29:40 – Stored Energy from a Nissan Leaf Powers Historic Denver Building 30:52 – Mapping coral reefs from space 32:07 – Gene editing of crops and livestock may soon be permitted in England 33:42 – Saudi Arabian City to Include Zero Cars, Zero Streets, Zero Carbon Emissions Other Sustainability News: 35:40 – Most Europeans plan to curb flying, eat less meat for climate, EU poll says 36:35 – UK allows emergency use of bee-harming pesticide 38:21 Interview with Steve Haskew from Circular Computing We welcome Steve Haskew from Circular Computing onto the show to discuss laptop recycling, ewaste, sustainability, education, vaccination and more. Find Steve: LinkedIn | Website 01:03:45 – Book Recommendation –  Catherine Wheetman A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business 01:07:26 Eco-tips 3 Technology tips you can do today: Unsubscribe for newsletters and mailing lists Use technology to reduce the amount of paper you use – go digital Delete old files and emails – less storage and less cloud energy If you would like to come on the show and share some eco tips, please get in touch. 01:11:14 Recommendation Go watch The BBC Horizon documentary: Feast to Save the Planet. 01:14:08 Fact or Fake? Tech recycling themed with guest Steve Haskew. Just 10% of e-waste is actually recycled If all e-waste was laptops, worldwide, we would be throwing out 650 per second It’s the LCD TV & computer screens along with the good old cathode ray tubes which are the most hazardous of ewaste 67% of the worlds population have a mobile device (Smartphone and cell phones) There are 362 chemicals in and LCD screen – nearly 100 of them are potentially toxic And finally: 01: 19:39 – Woman has worn same dress for 100 days – and vows never to buy clothes again Thanks for listening to this weeks sustainability show!. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

The latest sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews from the Green Elephant for 16th December 2020. Top stories: 01:10 – Confronting carbon inequality 16:35 – Massachusetts city to post climate change warning stickers at gas stations Carbon Warning Sticker 10:12 Challenge update Technology recycling Lots of us will have received new technology over the festive period or may have just upgraded our old tech in recent months. That means there is an awful lot of old tech out there! The question is what do you do with it? Some of the things we found: Apple 5S phone Bush TV sound bar Sony microphone USB soundcard Loads of leads Old macbook pro Old xbox We’ll be bringing you interviews and tips and telling you what we’ve done with the above equipment. Company News: 21:55 – Cornwall ‘hot rocks’ firm claims breakthrough deal 23:00 – Discover Bruvi, a single-serve coffee machine with biodegradable pods Sustainable Technology News: 24:40 – Bamboo Compression Socks offer support via natural and recycled materials 26:00 – Trash-monitoring cameras help McDonald’s clean up its waste stream 27:28 – British wind farms have a record-breaking day 28:10 – Japan to develop wooden satellite in bid to curb space junk 29:45 – New-sprung: the project turning PPE offcuts into Covid patient mattresses 30:50 – A moo-ving target: fenceless grazing widens possibilities for cows and wildlife Other Sustainability News: 33:08 – World could lose coral reefs by end of century, UN environment report warns 33:40 – Scientists find a female of the world’s most endangered turtle 34:38 – 400,000 Participated in Veganuary Last Year. Will 2021 Be Bigger? 35:17 – Scientists discover 503 new species in 2020 36:20 Recommendation You can help monitor Amazon deforestation from your couch 39:50 Interview with Lianne Bell We welcome Lianne Bell, author of How on earth Can I Be Eco Friendly onto the show to discuss he passion, her travels, fast fashion and guilt free sustainability. Find Lianne: Instagram | Website Lianne recommends Thousand Fell Recyclable Shoes 01:03:45 – Book Recommendation – To die for by Lucy Siegle 01:04:48 Fact or Fake? Fast fashion themed with guest Lianne Bell. Eighty billion pieces of clothing are consumed around the world every year Only 10% of the clothes people donate to charity shops get sold – the rest goes to landfill 7 out of 10 textile workers in Bangladesh cannot afford enough food for themselves and their families Paying a living wage to garment workers would add just 5% to the retail price of a piece of clothing 85% of the plastic pollution in the ocean is due to microfibres from synthetic clothing And finally: 00:00 – UK beach clean: disco ball and pink pants among oddest items found Thanks for listening to this weeks sustainability news. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

We’ve covered a lot of sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews during 2020. 2021 is set to be an even more challenging year. In this episode we preview some of the trends, challenges and events that will be prevalent in 2021. 01:12 Top story in 2021 It has to be COVID Vaccine Wars? Attention distraction Green recovery?????? (Unlikely) Another year of missed targets? World focus will only turn to Climate change in Nov (COP26) 10:25 Upcoming Challenges January – Technology re-use & recycling February – Basic Sustainability Education March – Food Waste Got suggestions for other challenges in 20201? Let us know! 14:20 Upcoming Events Jan – National Climate Change Conference in UK, Climate Adaption Summit – Holland – Of course Veganuary Feb – Fairtrade fortnight, Sustainability Leaders forum Mar – Food Waste Action Week, Economist Sustainability Week Apr – Earth Day, World Future Energy Summit May – Mental Health Awareness Week Jun – Volunteer Week, Bike Week, World Environment Day, World Oceans Day, Deforestation Day, Rainforest Day Jul – Plastic Free July Aug – National Allotments Week Sep – Euro-Global Climate Change Conference, World Climate Change Conference Oct – World Mental Health Day Nov – COP26 Glasgow – UN Climate Change conference, WHO Conference on Health & Climate Change 19:32 Trends to watch Green investment Slower fashion On demand as a means of waste reduction Survival over sustainability Reuse, recycling, renewable – by individuals and by brands Sharing/renting economy More White elephants. . . A trickle of transparency Storage over generation 31:15 Spotlight We will be featuring many more products, services and organisations in 2021. Are you are BCorp or do you provide sustainable products or services? Get in touch as we’d love to have you on the show. 33:22 Behind the Scenes We’ll be running more competitions in 2021. If you’d like to sponsor a competition or offer a prize let us know. The Green Elephant Show is going visual. Early in 2021 we’ll be releasing our video show and continuing to bring you  the best sustainability information and entertainment. Our energy saving Planet Device will be coming to market. Look out for our Crowdfunder coming early in the new year. Our holding company, Gydeline Ltd, will continue to provide sustainability policy, progress, governance and technology consulting services. Please visit for more information. 35:55 Fact or Fake We put 43 of our Fact or Fakes into the wild for listeners to take part in. 21 of these they got correct, 22 were wrong. On the whole wins were finely balanced whereas losses were hugely in favour of the loss. Also important stuff was more likely to be got wrong – Paris Agreement, Plastics, Emissions etc Whereas Car Sales, Animals, Dates were those that were more successful. Some small changes to Fact or Fake in 2021. We’re opening up the contest to Host Vs Guests Vs Listeners. If you want to enter then please get in touch for a change to win a Fact or Fake T-shirt! See you in 2021   If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

We’ve covered a lot of sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews during 2020. In this episode we look back over some of the highlights. 01:03  stories from the year: January – WHO declares a public health emergency with the emergence of a deadly coronavirus. (hidden story?) Worst outbreak of locusts to hit Africa in 70 years February – Australian wildfires which devastated the south of the country (over 33 people and 1 billions animals dead) are finally doused with rain March – Global recession triggered by the first lock down April – (missed in the mess?) Unusually dry weather (+arsonist) led to forest fires around and into the exclusion zone of Chernobyl, potentially spreading radiation. Socially distanced citizens took to the streets of Israel protesting against Prime Minister Netanyahu and government corruption. May – George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis bolstering the Black Lives Matter social movement and leading to demonstrations. June – US withdraws from the 2015 Paris Agreement because “it will undermine the US economy” – Making America Grate July – Green Elephant Podcast launched! Captain (Hon Col) Tom Moore got a Knight Bachelor for raising £32.8m (£39m with rebates) – now has the Captain Tom Foundation! August – Whilst we celebrated becoming a B Corp, here’s is a list of some of the worst disasters: Floods and Land slides in India Hurricanes hit US in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, then Iowa, then storms in the Caribbean and and Southern states State of disaster in California due to wildfires Flash flooding in Afghanistan September – China pledges to become carbon neutral by 2060. COVID-19 crosses the 1 million deaths mark, worldwide October – A nest of Murder Hornets found in the US which contained about 500 live specimens, including about 200 queens. November – Joe Biden becomes US President Elect and pledges $2trillion to tackle Climate Change, whilst Storm Gati dumps a year of rain on Somalia in 24 hours and Russia rules out cutting fossil fuel usage December – Worldwide second lockdowns set to ruin family plans. Big retail and hospitality companies call in the administrators 13:19 Prize winning review Congratulations to Geraldine for leaving the review that we considered the “best”. Amongst her review she said: The Green Elephant podcast is the chats I wish I could have with my mates at the pub. A selection of Eco-prizes will be on their way to her shortly. Keep listening for more competitions in 20201! 14:45 Challenge checkup We set some challenges for our listeners and ourselves over the past 3 months – let’s recap what we discovered October – Mental Health Awareness – #DoOneThing (Mental Health) November – Vevember and World Vegan month December – Sustainable Seasonal Shopping Next weeks show will hint at future challenges as we look forward to 2021 18:45 Recommendations Recap We provided a stack of recommendations this year, let’s have a quick look back at four very different books: SDG Goals How bad are Banana’s – The Carbon footprint of everything by Mike Berners-Lee David Attenborough Documentary – Extinction the facts Rob Woolfs – The Man who planted trees by Jean Giono (french it up) Look back through previous show pages for more recommendations. 24:15 Best Advice Chart rundown Welcome to the Green Elephant Best Sustainability advice of the year, 2020 and in at… 15. Everyone thinks of changing the world, but not everyone thinks of changing themselves 14. Washing your car with bucket and sponge will save up to 200 litres of water per wash 13. Waste isn’t waste, until we waste it 12. Just discussing sustainability with someone else is the simplest form of activism 11. Use the ECOSIA search engine and plant trees as you browse the internet 10. Being an imperfect vegan is still better than doing nothing at all 9. If you’re going vegan, don’t think about food replacement but new recipes 8. Glass is permanently recyclable… if you recycle it of course 7. Volunteers have a 27% better chance of getting employed 6. Reduce your carbon footprint by unsubscribing from email lists 5. Shop locally, find ethical products, avoid packaging and only buy what you need 4. Simply Reduce what you Use, then Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle 3. Grow your own food and get healthier in the process 2. Take time for yourself, in nature, away from tech, doing nothing 1. Ask not what your planet can do for you, ask what you can do for your planet 27:43 Fact or Fake? Christmas themed. 27,000 miles of wrapping paper is used each year in the UK alone Only 5% of consumer goods are still in use 6 months later One billion Christmas cards enf up in the bin each year The equivalent of 1 million turkeys end up in the bin each year One in 10 unwanted Christmas presents ends up in landfill 35:45 And finally, let’s end the year on a positive note: Carbon emissions Lockdown reduced carbon emissions by 17% worldwide Sales of Eco-friendly cars overtook diesel for the first time Shopping Lab grown meat now on sale There are shops leading the way on pricing based on carbon footprint There are new packaging solutions made out of sugar cane National commitment China has introduced a new law on single use plastic reporting for companies and have pledged to go carbon neutral (as above) US are rejoining the Paris agreement and looking to spend $2trillon on climate change Businesses The B Corporation certifications are growing worldwide with 3600 companies in 75 countries – all working as a force for good Prestige launched plant based pans – reducing the use of metals Bentley motors are going for all electric lineup by 2030 Briv launched an air filter which uses renewables to clean indoor air Ikea will be buying back our old furniture Asos is launching a circular fashion collection Brew dog are the first carbon Negative beer brand in the world Animals 30% rise in Pink dolphins 30 new marine species found in the Galapogos The highly endangered Orange bellied parrot is growing in population Lost Chameleon found after 100 years, in Madagascar Tazmanian Devils released into Australian mainland after 3000 years! Pigmy Possum found on Kangaroo Island (Oz) having been fear wiped out by bushfires Thanks for listening to this years sustainability news. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

The latest sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews from the Green Elephant for 16th December 2020. Top stories: 01:15 – EU Leaders Boost Climate Reduction Targets a Day before UN Summit 02:04 – Biden promises US-led climate summit in 2021 02:22 – Paris climate agreement: 54 cities on track to meet targets 18:10 – Sizewell C: government reignites £20bn nuclear power station row 08:30 Leave a review Your chance to win some eco goodies! Simply subscribe and leave a review on either Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts before December 22nd and we will pick the best review to win some eco-based prizes in our show on December 23rd. Reviewing couldn’t be easier – open up your podcast app and leave us a rating and a few words. For the really lazy listener just giving us a rating will help! 09:33 Challenge update Sustainable Seasonal Shopping: Buy locally Buy from BCorps or FairTrade Go Second Hand Buy less Furoshiki – sustainable wrapping 13:25 Top 10 Tips for a sustainable Christmas: Buy from sustainable organisations if you can (BCorps, fairtrade especially) Buy a present for the planet – donate/contribute on behalf of someone Rent a tree. Or use an artificial one forever. Reduce or ditch the meat – buy organic/local if possible Stop sending cards! Decorate using nature – rather than tinsel Check the provenance of anything you buy Recycle or reuse the waste Moderation in everything Use the time for people and to get out in nature 16:48 Recommendation: New Book by Lianne Bell – How on earth Can I Be Eco Friendly. Company News: 23:14 – Former employees say Apple stood by while suppliers violated Chinese labor laws 25:14 – Climate crisis: FTSE giants fail to disclose their carbon footprint 26:25 – Unilever, Microsoft, 11 More Companies Join the Climate Pledge 27:16 – Cisco Achieves 100% Renewable Energy in US 29:04 – Apple’s old 29W chargers aren’t good enough for MagSafe Duo Sustainable Technology News: 30:30 – Fossil-free liquid fuel trial 31:32 – A palm oil alternative could help save rainforests 32:34 – London-based Recycleye raises £1.2 million to turn rubbish back into resources Other Sustainability News: 34:05 – The pandemic turned the volume down on ocean noise pollution 34:53 – Human-produced mass now outweighs the Earth’s biomass 36:22 – Court issues largest fine for wildlife crime ever for a demolished bat habitat 37:29 – The end of dairy’s “dirty secret”? Farms have a year to stop killing male calves 38:45 – Bison recovering but 31 other species now extinct, says red list 40 :24 – Monkeys could be banned as pets, says government 42:18 Coming Shows 23rd December – sustainability review of 2020 30th December – preview of what’s happening in the world of sustainability in 2021 43:49 Fact or Fake? Christmas themed. 27,000 miles of wrapping paper is used each year in the UK alone Only 5% of consumer goods are still in use 6 months later One billion Christmas cards enf up in the bin each year The equivalent of 1 million turkeys end up in the bin each year One in 10 unwanted Christmas presents ends up in landfill And finally: 48:31 – Mummified man died of extreme constipation after eating only grasshoppers 49:55 – M&S customer’s slipper review after losing leg brings people to tears 51:01 – Teaching assistant mortified after missing rude detail on Christmas cardigan Thanks for listening to this weeks sustainability news. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

The latest sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews from the Green Elephant for 9th December 2020. Top stories: 01:07 – Top 3 plastic polluters are CocaCola, PepsiCo and Nestle. Again. 14:38 – New Report Finds 57% of Global Economy to Face Flooding Risk by 2040 07:40 Leave a review Your chance to win some eco goodies! Simply subscribe and leave a review on either Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts before December 22nd and we will pick the best review to win some eco-based prizes in our show on December 23rd. Reviewing couldn’t be easier – open up your podcast app and leave us a rating and a few words. For the really lazy listener just giving us a rating will help! 08:52 Challenge update Sustainable Seasonal Shopping: Second Hand Digital Furoshiki Where are you shopping – tell us as we will give a mention next week to some of the most interesting. Next week is our Christmas special and so we’ll be bringing you our Top 10 Tips for a sustainable Christmas 12:27 Recommendation: New Book by First Dog on the Moon: Carbon-Neutral Adventures of the Indefatigable EnviroTeens by First Dog on the Moon. See the book | See the cartoons Company News: 19:23 – Poland Spring Factories in Maine Achieve Highest Level of Water Stewardship Certification 21:27 – Mercedes-Benz Hoping to Offer CO2-Neutral Car Fleet in Under 20 Years 23:28 – Tesco removes 20m items of plastic from Christmas range Sustainable Technology News: 24:51 – Scotland to become first country to test 100% green hydrogen 26:26 – Eco-conscious car subscription platform finn.auto raises $24.2M, 27:50 – UK’s first electric-only car charging station opens for business 29:41 – Lizards and snakes bring halt to work on Tesla plant near Berlin 32:19 – Lab-grown chicken tastes like chicken – but the feeling when eating it is more complicated Other Sustainability News: 34:14 – Sexy beasts: animals with ‘charisma’ get lion’s share of EU conservation funds 36:33 – China plans rapid expansion of ‘weather modification’ efforts 38:00 – Coronavirus: Four lions test positive for Covid-19 at Barcelona Zoo 38:54 – Deposit return scheme: Conwy to take part in Wales pilot 40:00 – Beer and crisps used to help tackle climate change 41:34 BCorp Spotlight The newest local BCorp in Cornwall, UK: Wild West. Congratulations to them. 42:53 – Listener Feedback We discussed the new law in China on reporting single use plastic. Many people including @love_earth_go_green @nomorewaste.in @evolvcreative and others thoughts as we did that this was a great first step Lots of feedback on some simple shopping checks we sent out. @saltysurf_co reports that their products pass all the checks. @sustain.ably_g also adds, which I think we mentioned elsewhere. Do I really need it? Speaking of sustain.ably_g or Geraldine which is her name. She told us she was making a vegetable lasagne (I think whilst listening to the show) I suggested she try baked beans instead but apparently they are not big on baked beans in France??? @authenticallygrounded offered a good sustainable shopping tip – the most sustainable choice is the one you already have. A couple of things on meat and farming this week on the back of the show last week. Lots of people went route one on this and kinda took the vegan “Meat is bad” option. However @cigcarw_llyn_venison made some really interesting points about the connection to the meat. If you know where it’s been farmed and that it has been treated with respect, used at home and not mass/factory produced then perhaps it is much better than say, soy or other mass produced crops? As ever always open to alternative opinions. 46:37 Behind the scenes 47:50 Fact or Fake? Plastic pollution themed. On average there are 150 plastic bottles on every mile of UK beach If you are caught producing, using or selling plastic bags in Kenya you can be imprisoned for 4 years In its entire life the average plastic bag is used for just 22 minutes Each and every US resident uses 1200 plastic bags a year For each plankton particle in the Ocean there are 10 plastic ones And finally: 52:14 – Family in South Australia find live koala in their Christmas tree Thanks for listening to this weeks sustainability news. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

The latest sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews from the Green Elephant for 2nd December 2020. Top stories: 01:05 – US greenhouse gas emissions see historic plummet 01:05 – Greenhouse gases hit record levels despite COVID-19 lockdowns 22:05 – China gets tough on firms over single-use plastics 06:10 Leave a review Your chance to win some eco goodies! Simply subscribe and leave a review on either Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts before December 22nd and we will pick the best review to win some eco-based prizes in our show on December 23rd. Reviewing couldn’t be easier – open up your podcast app and leave us a rating and a few words. For the really lazy listener just giving us a rating will help! 07:58 Challenge update Vevember our vegan challenge for November comes to and end and we review our thoughts. Sustainable shopping season is here as we announce our new challenge for December. Be sure to share your sustainable shopping tips and retailers for a mention on the show. Email us or contact us across social @greenelepod. 18:36 Recommendation: Climate Change Performance Index – Annual independant monitoring of countries climate performance since 2005. Company News: 26:48 – Diageo to Use 100% Recycled Content in Packaging by 2030 27:40 – Hasbro Participates in The Chemical Footprint Project 29:05 – Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas Will Now Use Recyclable Aluminum Cups 30:40 – Crest and Oral-B to be Packaged in Recyclable Toothpaste Tubes Sustainable Technology News: 32:00 – Eat Just to sell lab-grown meat in Singapore after gaining world first regulatory approval 33:04 – New eco-friendly, decomposing construction foam unveiled 35:23 – Can new lithium recovery technology meet EV demand? 36:20 – GoSun releases solar-powered travel mug to brew coffee or tea anywhere Other Sustainability News: 38:52 – Plastic waste incineration skyrockets carbon emission rates 39:39 – Blue whales have ‘rediscovered’ South Georgia 40:29 – 1% of farms operate 70% of world’s farmland 42:07 – Barcelona to transform Eixample streets into car-free zones 43:15 – Ecocide could soon be punishable by law 43:36 – Listener Feedback @ecoforlife @thesimplebug @mayee_water agreed with Attenborough quote – don’t waste anything Last weeks email based fact or fake @sustain.ably_g @caramelo_delight thought is was more than 50%. @pastyman got it right as being a fact We posted a map from the CCPI mniej_plastiku was disappointed to see that their country (Poland) was red – among the worst. @thesimplebug points out what many of us are thinking – we need to do better! Strangely – a lot of discussion on something we discussed/posted a couple of months back asking which is more important – Seas, Trees or Bees. The majority view from folks such as @trevpunkt @the.haloeffect @peachauto @greenredeem @vegan_san @da_kyadarus @acron.marketing @seapigs7 @ecofeminine and lots of others was that it’s impossible to pick one. 47:03 Behind the scenes 48:42 Fact or Fake? Confusing news headlines. Banning Petrol and Diesel Cars from 2030 will create 30,000 new jobs Michael Cain records safety broadcasts on ship named after David Attenborough Plastic recycling in South Korea in Crisis Chinese fishing fleets threaten Galapagos Musk to announce 100,000 mile battery And finally: 52:31 – Sri Lanka digs trench to deter scavenging elephants Thanks for listening to this weeks sustainability news. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

The latest sustainability news, fun, facts and reviews from the Green Elephant for 18th November 2020. Top stories: 01:00 – UK 10 point climate action plan 13:38 – Launching the search for the Gretas of the future 06:20 Vevember update 11:43 Recommendation: Find and support BCorps in your area/industry. Search the BCorps directory. Company News: 18:03 – Food tech startup Zero Egg raises $5 million in Series A funding to offer plant-based eggs to consumers 19:40 – Logitech to Include Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic in 50% of Mice and Keyboards 21:00 – High carbon emissions predicted for Black Friday Sustainable Technology News: 23:07 – Coles soft plastics recycled in carpark concrete 24:04 – This waterproof outerwear is made with fishing nets and nylon waste 25:08 – Smelly but smart: ships to use ammonia as “zero-carbon” fuel Other Sustainability News: 26:37 – 1% of people cause half of global aviation emissions – study 27:30 – First murder hornet nest found to have 200 queens capable of spawning new nests 28:44 – Pet flea treatments poisoning rivers across England, scientists find 30:23 – Covid in Scotland: Social distancing ‘could wreck mountain footpaths’ 31:20 Action Alley: Work our your cost per wear or cost per use. Cost per wear of a classic denim jacket 34:13 BCorp Spotlight Patagonia Patagonia Action Works For almost 40 years, Patagonia has supported grassroots groups working to find solutions to the environmental crisis. But in this time of unprecedented threats, it’s often hard to know the best way to get involved. That’s why they’re connecting individuals with grantees, in order to take action on the most pressing issues facing the world today. 1% for the planet Since 1985, Patagonia has pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. They’ve awarded over $89 million in cash and in-kind donations to domestic and international grassroots environmental groups making a difference in their local communities. In 2002, founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, and Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, created a non-profit corporation to encourage other businesses to do the same. Worn Wear Drop it in the mail not landfill! One of the most responsible things they do as a company is make high-quality stuff that lasts for years, so you don’t have to buy more of it. Buying a used garment extends its life on average by 2.2 years, which reduces its carbon, waste and water footprint by 73%. Visit Patagonia 37:14 – Listener Feedback We discussed being an imperfect vegan on the show last week. Loads of people have been in touch, including @ecofriendlystufff.co.uk @_.george._athanasiou @eco_vibess and @blending2vegan. Especially liked @eco_dinos who apparently went vegan overnight! And @compostablestuff who gave us the term “freegan” – vegan unless it’s free!! We posted a story to social about scientists wanting to induce global warming on Mars to make it habitable! This was met with universal derision, @walk_the_amazon suggested we should just make the earth work, while @alex.ludlow4 and @cigcarw_llyn_venison had a lively debate about the madness and whether it was up to Bezos, Musk and others to resolve! 41:09 Fact or Fake? Electric vehicle themed. There are more electric car charging points than petrol stations in the UK The first electric car was invented in 1832 Electric cars are cheaper to insure than petrol, diesel or gas Half a Million Plug-In Electric Cars Were Sold In China In 2019 In 2019 China accounted for 50% of all electric vehicle sales And finally: 45:14 – Urban gulls target school break times for food, says report 45:55 – Orange-bellied parrot: best year in a decade for critically endangered bird Thanks for listening to this weeks sustainability news. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

Overview It is strange times in which we’re all living. None of us has ever experienced anything like this “Coronavirus normality”. This time we discuss the things that have changed, what will continue to be different and what we can learn from this new normal. Take away actions Think smarter about power usage, travel and all forms of consumption Do you need it (gadget, clothes, etc)? Better life planning – reduce Continue with the regular exercise Continue (or start) growing your own food – apply for an allotment – the government is bound by law to meet the demand “Use, Reuse, Recycle” could change to “Refuse (to buy), Reduce, Use, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle” Net Zero is best achieved by not using electricity in the first place, not by masking excessive use with offsetting projects Grow/make/do it yourself rules – learn by doing Timings 03:10 – Short term impact of Coronavirus normality 04:55 – Traffic reduction 08:00 – Food 12:05 – Online shopping 15:00 – New normal 21:29 – Actions to take Fact Bucket The UK went 18 days and 6 hours without burning coal for electricity – longest period since 1882 British cities have lost 65 per cent of allotment land since the mid-twentieth century Amazon has hired 175,000 additional people during the COVID Crisis U.K. cut emissions by 31% during lockdown, compared to a global average of 17%. Useful Info Drax Electric Insights – energy use reports & dashboards. And the confusing article about power demand reduction. Contact us if you have any views on Coronavirus normality or want to be on the show – we’d love to have you.   Acknowledgements Special thanks as always to Harriet Teagle for her Green Elephant artwork. Watch 005 Coronavirus Normality

The latest sustainability news from the Green Elephant for 31st July 2020. Top stories: Climate stories on social media – can they be believed? Nepals plans to turn fog into filtered water Plastic waste flows into the ocean set to triple by 2040 – is this as bad as it sounds or can something be done and Methane gas emissions don’t just come form cows. . . .there’s another leak. Company news: Microsoft Signs Company’s Single Largest Renewable Energy Agreement The Home Depot Reports US stores Reduced Electricity by 35% Mastercard Launches Sustainable Materials Program for Card Issuers How Consulting Firm Capgemini Plans to Become Net Zero by 2030 HSBC Launches Environmental, Social, and Governance Group for Clients Other sustainability news: Climate emergency ‘a danger to peace’, UN Security Council hears Plastic pollution to weigh 1.3 billion tonnes by 2040 UK government planning new green investment bank Scientists Discover New Material That Could Capture 90% of CO2 Emitted from Industrial Sources World off track in meeting 2030 Agenda, UN deputy chief warns Dump fuel-hungry AC units to cut years of emissions and save trillions: UN report UK Local authorities encouraged to align with the SDGs in their planning And finally: Gucci Will Only Have Two Fashion Shows Per Year   Thanks for listening. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

Overview The last 50 years have seen a fundamental shift in the way we all shop for groceries. We used to go to the bakers, the butchers, the grocers, the chemists and the newsagents but instead we now go to Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Sainbury’s Walmart, Carrefour and Yonghui! In this episode Mike and Russell discuss the good and bad side of how supermarket sustainability affects all of us in our everyday lives. Take away actions Buy local (in country), seasonal products If you can afford it, buy organic Look for fairtrade and sustainability labels Re-use bags Buy loose produce instead of pre-packaged If you can, walk there – or go to a local shop – you’ll save money on petrol! Timings 01:40 – Integration to daily life 09:10 – Areas affected by supermarket sustainability 15:05 – Community aspects 19:25 – Striking a balance 23:15 – Actions to take Fact Bucket A million plastic bottles are bought every single minute Supermarkets in the UK sell 59 billion pieces of single-use plastic every year On average supermarkets and retailers pay £18 per tonne towards recycling, whereas in other European countries, businesses pay up to £133 per tonne for recycling 46% of food and drink advertising goes on confectionery, sweet and savoury snacks and soft drinks; while only 2.5% goes on fruit and vegetables 800,000 tonnes of waste from food and beverage products would fill enough large 10-yard skips to extend from London to Sydney, or cover the whole of Greater London to a depth of 2.5cm Palm oil is found in 50% of supermarket products, from food to cleaners to cosmetics Unhealthy foods tend to be three times cheaper than healthy food The poorest 10% of UK households would need to spend 74% of their disposable income on food to meet the Eatwell Guide costs – the Government’s official healthy eating guide 10 million tonnes of food goes to waste in the UK every year. That’s as weighty as about 790,000 double-decker buses. Useful Info Send us your home working tips to @greenelepod on social   Acknowledgements Special thanks as always to Harriet Teagle for her Green Elephant artwork. Watch 004 Supermarket Sustainability

The latest sustainability news from the Green Elephant for 24th July 2020. Top stories: The entire world’s carbon emissions will finally be trackable in real time Reviews of hundreds of studies show that a growing number of chemicals—in pesticides, flame retardants, and certain plastics—are linked to widespread health problems, including infertility, diabetes, and impaired brain development. Apple Devices to Have Net Zero Climate Impact by 2030 Sustainable Development Report 2020 Company news: IBM Reduces CO2 Emissions Almost 40% since 2005 P&G Says Global Operations to Be Carbon Neutral within the Decade Nestlé Waters North America Converts 3 More Water Brands to 100% Recycled Plastic CapGem Research: Sustainability rising up consumer agenda Microsoft targets diesel backup power to reduce emissions LA startup turns spoiled milk into biodegradable T-shirts Other sustainability news: Polar Bears could be lost by 2100 Tree planting ‘not always’ the best strategy to combat climate change Deforestation has slowed down but still remains a concern, new UN report reveals Unbalanced diets in G20 countries make 75% of global food carbon budget Homes of wealthy Americans spew 25% more emissions and can be as much as 15 times higher than in nearby lower-income neighborhoods Biden’s $2 trillion climate plan: create millions of jobs, reverse climate change And finally: IKEA debuts plant-based meatballs   Thanks for listening. If you have any stories we should be discussing get in touch @greenelepod or studio@greenelephant.show

Overview Nearly everyone has their own or uses a website. But are these green websites? In this episode we delve into the world of internet and websites, discuss a little of what makes the internet function (and consume so much energy) before finally diving into individual websites. Sit back, listen and learn with us and don’t forget to let us know if you have any facts you think we should discuss. Take away actions Switch to a green web host Do they talk about sustainability, renewable energy, offsetting? Make your site more efficient Optimise and reduce images/videos – could you use text instead? Use standard fonts – don’t download additional Nice clean code – remove features and functions you don’t need Use AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) – strips out unnecessary content Use caching so users don’t need to download everything every time Be clear and transparent with internal and external users about the impact Timings 02:00 – Why the internet uses so much energy – even though you can’t see it 08:50 – Impact of email, messaging and streaming 13:20 – What impact does your content have? 17:20 – Suggested actions to improve the impact of your website Email Carbon 0.3g CO2e: A spam email 4g CO2e: A proper email 50g CO2e: An email with long attachment Fact Bucket If the internet was a country, it would rank sixth for electricity usage The emissions generated by watching 30 minutes of Netflix (1.6 kg of CO2) is the same as driving almost four miles The communications industry could use 20% of all the world’s electricity by 2025 Single Youtube video burns energy equal to 40,000 homes The carbon footprint of our gadgets, the internet and the systems supporting them account for about 3.7% of global greenhouse emissions If every adult in the UK sent one less “thank you” email, it could save 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year – the equivalent to taking 3,334 diesel cars off the road A single Google search could power a low-energy light bulb for an hour Useful Info Send us your fact or fake news, both good and bad! We’re @greenelepod on social Some useful links about green websites from today’s episode: https://www.wholegraindigital.com/blog/choose-a-green-web-host/ https://www.wholegraindigital.com/blog/website-energy-efficiency/ https://sustainablewebdesign.org/   Acknowledgements Special thanks as always to Harriet Teagle for her Green Elephant artwork.

Overview Which facts and figures can you believe? Russell and Mike dissect some “facts” which are not as they seem at first sight. As a show all about facts it’s important that we and our listeners understand the pitfalls in the facts that are out in the wild. Thinking for ourselves, considering others peoples agendas and the way in which the same fact can be portrayed in different ways are all part of the story. Sit back, listen and learn with us and don’t forget to let us know if you have any facts you think we should discuss. Claims discussed Claim: 82% of birds on earth are chickens. (Brian Cox (the actor), This Morning, 24 February 2020) Reality: Around 4-12% of birds are chickens and other poultry, but, by mass, they account for around 70%. Claim: 21 million people in China have died of coronavirus. (Twitter feed) Reality: This claim is based on the fall in the number of Chinese mobile phone subscriptions and shouldn’t be trusted. Claim: The minimum wage should be £18 an hour, because in 1999 one hour’s pay at minimum wage could buy you 72 Freddos, but in 2017 it could only buy you 30 Freddos. Reality: Actually, you could have got 36 Freddos in 1999. More broadly, Freddos are not a good measure of inflation. The price of Freddos rose about five times faster than inflation from 1999 to 2017, but the minimum wage also rose above inflation in that period. Take away actions Check your facts before using them – perhaps use a service such as fullfact.org to check Don’t try and ram overlapping facts together to get a new fact – the devil is in the detail, percentages do not add together! Don’t believe everything you read – scepticism is your friend, look at both sides without prejudging the argument Timings 02:25 – The problem with statistics 14:30 – Solutions to fact or fake news 15:15 – Striking a balance between paranoia and blind acceptance 16:25 – Actions to help ensure accurate facts   Useful Info Send us your fact or fake news, both good and bad! We’re @greenelepod on social   Acknowledgements Special thanks as always to Harriet Teagle for her Green Elephant artwork.

Green Elephant Overview Your hosts Russell and Mike discuss the new sustainability podcast. What to expect and a little flavour of the fun that can be had with environmental and sustainability issues. Make sure to subscribe via your favourite podcast provider and of course, we’re always delighted to hear your feedback. We’re on: iTunes Spotify Google Podcasts Stitcher TuneIn RSS