Certified Wood Furniture – How To Shop Wisely

Blue garden bench by Monsterkoi on Pixabay

Have you ever thought about where the wood used to make the bench that we sit upon comes from?  Have you ever felt insecure while buying wood furniture, not knowing if it is a product of deforestation or not?  Have you ever wondered whether wood is cut just because there is a market of consumers […]

How Chocolate Can Save Rainforest

Cacao farmers - Peru Puro

We’re delighted to feature this guest post by Dr Frauke Fischer.  While chocolate is a sweet – and easily satisfying – temptation for everyone in Western industrialised countries, massive environmental damage and social injustice are associated with the conventional cultivation of cocoa in the tropical countries of origin.  Can it be done differently?  Yes! Find […]

What Can Chemists Bring to the Party?

A group of chemists in a laboratory by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

At COP26 there were all sorts of companies, NGOs and groups trying to share their point of view. Whilst in the Green Zone, I got chatting with a couple of chemists. Edwin Silvester of the Royal Society of Chemistry was happy to talk about the role chemists are playing in the fight against climate chaos. […]

International Trade and Deforestation: Is ‘Green’ Trade the Solution?

world map in green by diema on Pixabay

The relationship between trade and deforestation Numerous studies have documented and confirmed that global trade, in its existing form, causes deforestation and other associated environmental damage, with 80% of deforestation occurring due to trade and agriculture. [1] This is primarily due to the exchange of products, known as ‘forest-risk’ commodities, that require the stripping of […]

Billy, Bone And The Treekeeper – A Timely Tale For Children

Billy and Bone book illustration

We’re thrilled to be able to introduce you to Billy and Bone!  This newly published book for children comes from the talented pen of author Keith Trayling. It’s written in poetry form and has a gentle yet important environmental message. When Billy, a young boy, and his dog Bone look inside an intriguing hole in […]

Smart Solar – Could It Help Save Our Forests?

Solar panels/photovotaic cells on roof by Colin McKay on Pixabay

Deforestation has become an increasingly prevalent problem in a global context. In fact, the World Research Institute notes that only 30% of the world’s land area is still forest. They also mention that 23% of all deforestation is caused by wildfires and the loss of forests is happening at an alarming rate.  A guest post by […]

Where is the Urgency?

Protestor holding a banner saying Act now or swim later by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

One of our hopes from the visit to COP26 was the chance to call decision makers out when they gave weak or misleading answers. Jo Smith got one such opportunity with a panel who were talking about the impacts of consumer behaviour on our climate. Watch Jo’s question and the answers she received: Jo Smith […]