The idea that planting trees is the wrong way to tackle our depleted woodlands is quite controversial. Expressing this opinion out loud at a Tree Conference is downright dangerous – but Isabella Tree, author of the book Wilding, was so persuasive that she’d convinced most of the audience by the end of her talk. 

Tree challenged the wisdom of the accepted concept and argued that letting trees seed naturally and grow up through brambles and scrub, which provides natural protection, is a more successful way to develop woodlands long term – and her book provides the compelling supporting evidence. 

In it, she tracks the inspirational story of how she and her husband Charlie Burrell undertook a daring experiment to rewild their Knepp Estate in West Sussex. After decades of intensive but unprofitable farming had left their 3,500 acres denuded, the land is now bursting with life – from critically endangered nightingales, turtle doves and purple emperor butterflies to rocketing populations of many other struggling species. 

Stark warnings

Tree explained: “Dynamic open wood pasture systems are vital for our native wildlife. At Knepp, we are achieving tree regeneration with a minimum of human intervention.”

Her talk was thought-provoking and hopeful, and encouraged the idea of getting more trees in our landscape through this cheaper, more efficient and less polluting way. She backing up her argument with data accumulated since starting her project in 2000.

The conference also highlighted a worryingly under-researched area: the negative impact of human society on the fungi that plays a vital role in the health of our forests.

Dr Martin Bidartondo and his pan-European team have spent ten years investigating the often-overlooked relationship of the plant-fungal system.

Their work so far has shown excess man-made CO2 and nitrogen is overloading our woodlands and adversely affecting the delicate underground network that links tree roots. He had a stark warning that we continue to ignore this vital symbiosis at our peril.

It was not all doom and gloom, however. It was heartwarming to hear the uplifting enthusiasm of a group of school children from Hampshire. They eloquently represented Andover Trees United, which was founded by Wendy Davis to work closely with 25 schools and the community as part of a ten-year plan to create a woodland on a 44-acre patch of land.

Information corridor

Now at the half-way point, 5,000 trees have been planted in the Harmony Wood. Granted, against the scale of our arboreal deficiencies it’s a little acorn – only 10 percent of England is covered in woodland compared with an average 37 percent across the rest of Europe. But the youngsters’ interest has spread to their family and friends and forged a strong bond between these trees and their community.

The subject matter of environmental conferences tends to keep the mood sober and downbeat but Suzi Martineau and her team heading up the Frome meeting for the second year, maintained a flow of positive news that left the audience enthused about how communities can drive the change we need.

The idea of a wildlife corridor – linking habitats so that animals can move freely – is well known. The Tree Conference organisers have an ambitious aim to create an information corridor, offering training to support others in establishing Tree Conferences in the UK and beyond that can work together for maximum results.

The plan reflects the conference’s optimistic message that there are many routes to the over-arching aim: to encourage a love of and desire to protect our trees. There’s even a place for digging holes and planting them.

This Author 

Gary Cook is an environmental painter who was the senior artist for The Sunday Times for twenty six years. He exhibits regularly in the south west and London including with the Society of Graphic Fine Art, the RI, the RWA and The Arborealists. Gary tweets from @cookthepainter. 

The idea that planting trees is the wrong way to tackle our depleted woodlands is quite controversial. Expressing this opinion out loud at a Tree Conference is downright dangerous – but Isabella Tree, author of the book Wilding, was so persuasive that she’d convinced most of the audience by the end of her talk. 

Tree challenged the wisdom of the accepted concept and argued that letting trees seed naturally and grow up through brambles and scrub, which provides natural protection, is a more successful way to develop woodlands long term – and her book provides the compelling supporting evidence. 

In it, she tracks the inspirational story of how she and her husband Charlie Burrell undertook a daring experiment to rewild their Knepp Estate in West Sussex. After decades of intensive but unprofitable farming had left their 3,500 acres denuded, the land is now bursting with life – from critically endangered nightingales, turtle doves and purple emperor butterflies to rocketing populations of many other struggling species. 

Stark warnings

Tree explained: “Dynamic open wood pasture systems are vital for our native wildlife. At Knepp, we are achieving tree regeneration with a minimum of human intervention.”

Her talk was thought-provoking and hopeful, and encouraged the idea of getting more trees in our landscape through this cheaper, more efficient and less polluting way. She backing up her argument with data accumulated since starting her project in 2000.

The conference also highlighted a worryingly under-researched area: the negative impact of human society on the fungi that plays a vital role in the health of our forests.

Dr Martin Bidartondo and his pan-European team have spent ten years investigating the often-overlooked relationship of the plant-fungal system.

Their work so far has shown excess man-made CO2 and nitrogen is overloading our woodlands and adversely affecting the delicate underground network that links tree roots. He had a stark warning that we continue to ignore this vital symbiosis at our peril.

It was not all doom and gloom, however. It was heartwarming to hear the uplifting enthusiasm of a group of school children from Hampshire. They eloquently represented Andover Trees United, which was founded by Wendy Davis to work closely with 25 schools and the community as part of a ten-year plan to create a woodland on a 44-acre patch of land.

Information corridor

Now at the half-way point, 5,000 trees have been planted in the Harmony Wood. Granted, against the scale of our arboreal deficiencies it’s a little acorn – only 10 percent of England is covered in woodland compared with an average 37 percent across the rest of Europe. But the youngsters’ interest has spread to their family and friends and forged a strong bond between these trees and their community.

The subject matter of environmental conferences tends to keep the mood sober and downbeat but Suzi Martineau and her team heading up the Frome meeting for the second year, maintained a flow of positive news that left the audience enthused about how communities can drive the change we need.

The idea of a wildlife corridor – linking habitats so that animals can move freely – is well known. The Tree Conference organisers have an ambitious aim to create an information corridor, offering training to support others in establishing Tree Conferences in the UK and beyond that can work together for maximum results.

The plan reflects the conference’s optimistic message that there are many routes to the over-arching aim: to encourage a love of and desire to protect our trees. There’s even a place for digging holes and planting them.

This Author 

Gary Cook is an environmental painter who was the senior artist for The Sunday Times for twenty six years. He exhibits regularly in the south west and London including with the Society of Graphic Fine Art, the RI, the RWA and The Arborealists. Gary tweets from @cookthepainter. 

The idea that planting trees is the wrong way to tackle our depleted woodlands is quite controversial. Expressing this opinion out loud at a Tree Conference is downright dangerous – but Isabella Tree, author of the book Wilding, was so persuasive that she’d convinced most of the audience by the end of her talk. 

Tree challenged the wisdom of the accepted concept and argued that letting trees seed naturally and grow up through brambles and scrub, which provides natural protection, is a more successful way to develop woodlands long term – and her book provides the compelling supporting evidence. 

In it, she tracks the inspirational story of how she and her husband Charlie Burrell undertook a daring experiment to rewild their Knepp Estate in West Sussex. After decades of intensive but unprofitable farming had left their 3,500 acres denuded, the land is now bursting with life – from critically endangered nightingales, turtle doves and purple emperor butterflies to rocketing populations of many other struggling species. 

Stark warnings

Tree explained: “Dynamic open wood pasture systems are vital for our native wildlife. At Knepp, we are achieving tree regeneration with a minimum of human intervention.”

Her talk was thought-provoking and hopeful, and encouraged the idea of getting more trees in our landscape through this cheaper, more efficient and less polluting way. She backing up her argument with data accumulated since starting her project in 2000.

The conference also highlighted a worryingly under-researched area: the negative impact of human society on the fungi that plays a vital role in the health of our forests.

Dr Martin Bidartondo and his pan-European team have spent ten years investigating the often-overlooked relationship of the plant-fungal system.

Their work so far has shown excess man-made CO2 and nitrogen is overloading our woodlands and adversely affecting the delicate underground network that links tree roots. He had a stark warning that we continue to ignore this vital symbiosis at our peril.

It was not all doom and gloom, however. It was heartwarming to hear the uplifting enthusiasm of a group of school children from Hampshire. They eloquently represented Andover Trees United, which was founded by Wendy Davis to work closely with 25 schools and the community as part of a ten-year plan to create a woodland on a 44-acre patch of land.

Information corridor

Now at the half-way point, 5,000 trees have been planted in the Harmony Wood. Granted, against the scale of our arboreal deficiencies it’s a little acorn – only 10 percent of England is covered in woodland compared with an average 37 percent across the rest of Europe. But the youngsters’ interest has spread to their family and friends and forged a strong bond between these trees and their community.

The subject matter of environmental conferences tends to keep the mood sober and downbeat but Suzi Martineau and her team heading up the Frome meeting for the second year, maintained a flow of positive news that left the audience enthused about how communities can drive the change we need.

The idea of a wildlife corridor – linking habitats so that animals can move freely – is well known. The Tree Conference organisers have an ambitious aim to create an information corridor, offering training to support others in establishing Tree Conferences in the UK and beyond that can work together for maximum results.

The plan reflects the conference’s optimistic message that there are many routes to the over-arching aim: to encourage a love of and desire to protect our trees. There’s even a place for digging holes and planting them.

This Author 

Gary Cook is an environmental painter who was the senior artist for The Sunday Times for twenty six years. He exhibits regularly in the south west and London including with the Society of Graphic Fine Art, the RI, the RWA and The Arborealists. Gary tweets from @cookthepainter. 

The idea that planting trees is the wrong way to tackle our depleted woodlands is quite controversial. Expressing this opinion out loud at a Tree Conference is downright dangerous – but Isabella Tree, author of the book Wilding, was so persuasive that she’d convinced most of the audience by the end of her talk. 

Tree challenged the wisdom of the accepted concept and argued that letting trees seed naturally and grow up through brambles and scrub, which provides natural protection, is a more successful way to develop woodlands long term – and her book provides the compelling supporting evidence. 

In it, she tracks the inspirational story of how she and her husband Charlie Burrell undertook a daring experiment to rewild their Knepp Estate in West Sussex. After decades of intensive but unprofitable farming had left their 3,500 acres denuded, the land is now bursting with life – from critically endangered nightingales, turtle doves and purple emperor butterflies to rocketing populations of many other struggling species. 

Stark warnings

Tree explained: “Dynamic open wood pasture systems are vital for our native wildlife. At Knepp, we are achieving tree regeneration with a minimum of human intervention.”

Her talk was thought-provoking and hopeful, and encouraged the idea of getting more trees in our landscape through this cheaper, more efficient and less polluting way. She backing up her argument with data accumulated since starting her project in 2000.

The conference also highlighted a worryingly under-researched area: the negative impact of human society on the fungi that plays a vital role in the health of our forests.

Dr Martin Bidartondo and his pan-European team have spent ten years investigating the often-overlooked relationship of the plant-fungal system.

Their work so far has shown excess man-made CO2 and nitrogen is overloading our woodlands and adversely affecting the delicate underground network that links tree roots. He had a stark warning that we continue to ignore this vital symbiosis at our peril.

It was not all doom and gloom, however. It was heartwarming to hear the uplifting enthusiasm of a group of school children from Hampshire. They eloquently represented Andover Trees United, which was founded by Wendy Davis to work closely with 25 schools and the community as part of a ten-year plan to create a woodland on a 44-acre patch of land.

Information corridor

Now at the half-way point, 5,000 trees have been planted in the Harmony Wood. Granted, against the scale of our arboreal deficiencies it’s a little acorn – only 10 percent of England is covered in woodland compared with an average 37 percent across the rest of Europe. But the youngsters’ interest has spread to their family and friends and forged a strong bond between these trees and their community.

The subject matter of environmental conferences tends to keep the mood sober and downbeat but Suzi Martineau and her team heading up the Frome meeting for the second year, maintained a flow of positive news that left the audience enthused about how communities can drive the change we need.

The idea of a wildlife corridor – linking habitats so that animals can move freely – is well known. The Tree Conference organisers have an ambitious aim to create an information corridor, offering training to support others in establishing Tree Conferences in the UK and beyond that can work together for maximum results.

The plan reflects the conference’s optimistic message that there are many routes to the over-arching aim: to encourage a love of and desire to protect our trees. There’s even a place for digging holes and planting them.

This Author 

Gary Cook is an environmental painter who was the senior artist for The Sunday Times for twenty six years. He exhibits regularly in the south west and London including with the Society of Graphic Fine Art, the RI, the RWA and The Arborealists. Gary tweets from @cookthepainter. 

The idea that planting trees is the wrong way to tackle our depleted woodlands is quite controversial. Expressing this opinion out loud at a Tree Conference is downright dangerous – but Isabella Tree, author of the book Wilding, was so persuasive that she’d convinced most of the audience by the end of her talk. 

Tree challenged the wisdom of the accepted concept and argued that letting trees seed naturally and grow up through brambles and scrub, which provides natural protection, is a more successful way to develop woodlands long term – and her book provides the compelling supporting evidence. 

In it, she tracks the inspirational story of how she and her husband Charlie Burrell undertook a daring experiment to rewild their Knepp Estate in West Sussex. After decades of intensive but unprofitable farming had left their 3,500 acres denuded, the land is now bursting with life – from critically endangered nightingales, turtle doves and purple emperor butterflies to rocketing populations of many other struggling species. 

Stark warnings

Tree explained: “Dynamic open wood pasture systems are vital for our native wildlife. At Knepp, we are achieving tree regeneration with a minimum of human intervention.”

Her talk was thought-provoking and hopeful, and encouraged the idea of getting more trees in our landscape through this cheaper, more efficient and less polluting way. She backing up her argument with data accumulated since starting her project in 2000.

The conference also highlighted a worryingly under-researched area: the negative impact of human society on the fungi that plays a vital role in the health of our forests.

Dr Martin Bidartondo and his pan-European team have spent ten years investigating the often-overlooked relationship of the plant-fungal system.

Their work so far has shown excess man-made CO2 and nitrogen is overloading our woodlands and adversely affecting the delicate underground network that links tree roots. He had a stark warning that we continue to ignore this vital symbiosis at our peril.

It was not all doom and gloom, however. It was heartwarming to hear the uplifting enthusiasm of a group of school children from Hampshire. They eloquently represented Andover Trees United, which was founded by Wendy Davis to work closely with 25 schools and the community as part of a ten-year plan to create a woodland on a 44-acre patch of land.

Information corridor

Now at the half-way point, 5,000 trees have been planted in the Harmony Wood. Granted, against the scale of our arboreal deficiencies it’s a little acorn – only 10 percent of England is covered in woodland compared with an average 37 percent across the rest of Europe. But the youngsters’ interest has spread to their family and friends and forged a strong bond between these trees and their community.

The subject matter of environmental conferences tends to keep the mood sober and downbeat but Suzi Martineau and her team heading up the Frome meeting for the second year, maintained a flow of positive news that left the audience enthused about how communities can drive the change we need.

The idea of a wildlife corridor – linking habitats so that animals can move freely – is well known. The Tree Conference organisers have an ambitious aim to create an information corridor, offering training to support others in establishing Tree Conferences in the UK and beyond that can work together for maximum results.

The plan reflects the conference’s optimistic message that there are many routes to the over-arching aim: to encourage a love of and desire to protect our trees. There’s even a place for digging holes and planting them.

This Author 

Gary Cook is an environmental painter who was the senior artist for The Sunday Times for twenty six years. He exhibits regularly in the south west and London including with the Society of Graphic Fine Art, the RI, the RWA and The Arborealists. Gary tweets from @cookthepainter. 

The idea that planting trees is the wrong way to tackle our depleted woodlands is quite controversial. Expressing this opinion out loud at a Tree Conference is downright dangerous – but Isabella Tree, author of the book Wilding, was so persuasive that she’d convinced most of the audience by the end of her talk. 

Tree challenged the wisdom of the accepted concept and argued that letting trees seed naturally and grow up through brambles and scrub, which provides natural protection, is a more successful way to develop woodlands long term – and her book provides the compelling supporting evidence. 

In it, she tracks the inspirational story of how she and her husband Charlie Burrell undertook a daring experiment to rewild their Knepp Estate in West Sussex. After decades of intensive but unprofitable farming had left their 3,500 acres denuded, the land is now bursting with life – from critically endangered nightingales, turtle doves and purple emperor butterflies to rocketing populations of many other struggling species. 

Stark warnings

Tree explained: “Dynamic open wood pasture systems are vital for our native wildlife. At Knepp, we are achieving tree regeneration with a minimum of human intervention.”

Her talk was thought-provoking and hopeful, and encouraged the idea of getting more trees in our landscape through this cheaper, more efficient and less polluting way. She backing up her argument with data accumulated since starting her project in 2000.

The conference also highlighted a worryingly under-researched area: the negative impact of human society on the fungi that plays a vital role in the health of our forests.

Dr Martin Bidartondo and his pan-European team have spent ten years investigating the often-overlooked relationship of the plant-fungal system.

Their work so far has shown excess man-made CO2 and nitrogen is overloading our woodlands and adversely affecting the delicate underground network that links tree roots. He had a stark warning that we continue to ignore this vital symbiosis at our peril.

It was not all doom and gloom, however. It was heartwarming to hear the uplifting enthusiasm of a group of school children from Hampshire. They eloquently represented Andover Trees United, which was founded by Wendy Davis to work closely with 25 schools and the community as part of a ten-year plan to create a woodland on a 44-acre patch of land.

Information corridor

Now at the half-way point, 5,000 trees have been planted in the Harmony Wood. Granted, against the scale of our arboreal deficiencies it’s a little acorn – only 10 percent of England is covered in woodland compared with an average 37 percent across the rest of Europe. But the youngsters’ interest has spread to their family and friends and forged a strong bond between these trees and their community.

The subject matter of environmental conferences tends to keep the mood sober and downbeat but Suzi Martineau and her team heading up the Frome meeting for the second year, maintained a flow of positive news that left the audience enthused about how communities can drive the change we need.

The idea of a wildlife corridor – linking habitats so that animals can move freely – is well known. The Tree Conference organisers have an ambitious aim to create an information corridor, offering training to support others in establishing Tree Conferences in the UK and beyond that can work together for maximum results.

The plan reflects the conference’s optimistic message that there are many routes to the over-arching aim: to encourage a love of and desire to protect our trees. There’s even a place for digging holes and planting them.

This Author 

Gary Cook is an environmental painter who was the senior artist for The Sunday Times for twenty six years. He exhibits regularly in the south west and London including with the Society of Graphic Fine Art, the RI, the RWA and The Arborealists. Gary tweets from @cookthepainter. 

The idea that planting trees is the wrong way to tackle our depleted woodlands is quite controversial. Expressing this opinion out loud at a Tree Conference is downright dangerous – but Isabella Tree, author of the book Wilding, was so persuasive that she’d convinced most of the audience by the end of her talk. 

Tree challenged the wisdom of the accepted concept and argued that letting trees seed naturally and grow up through brambles and scrub, which provides natural protection, is a more successful way to develop woodlands long term – and her book provides the compelling supporting evidence. 

In it, she tracks the inspirational story of how she and her husband Charlie Burrell undertook a daring experiment to rewild their Knepp Estate in West Sussex. After decades of intensive but unprofitable farming had left their 3,500 acres denuded, the land is now bursting with life – from critically endangered nightingales, turtle doves and purple emperor butterflies to rocketing populations of many other struggling species. 

Stark warnings

Tree explained: “Dynamic open wood pasture systems are vital for our native wildlife. At Knepp, we are achieving tree regeneration with a minimum of human intervention.”

Her talk was thought-provoking and hopeful, and encouraged the idea of getting more trees in our landscape through this cheaper, more efficient and less polluting way. She backing up her argument with data accumulated since starting her project in 2000.

The conference also highlighted a worryingly under-researched area: the negative impact of human society on the fungi that plays a vital role in the health of our forests.

Dr Martin Bidartondo and his pan-European team have spent ten years investigating the often-overlooked relationship of the plant-fungal system.

Their work so far has shown excess man-made CO2 and nitrogen is overloading our woodlands and adversely affecting the delicate underground network that links tree roots. He had a stark warning that we continue to ignore this vital symbiosis at our peril.

It was not all doom and gloom, however. It was heartwarming to hear the uplifting enthusiasm of a group of school children from Hampshire. They eloquently represented Andover Trees United, which was founded by Wendy Davis to work closely with 25 schools and the community as part of a ten-year plan to create a woodland on a 44-acre patch of land.

Information corridor

Now at the half-way point, 5,000 trees have been planted in the Harmony Wood. Granted, against the scale of our arboreal deficiencies it’s a little acorn – only 10 percent of England is covered in woodland compared with an average 37 percent across the rest of Europe. But the youngsters’ interest has spread to their family and friends and forged a strong bond between these trees and their community.

The subject matter of environmental conferences tends to keep the mood sober and downbeat but Suzi Martineau and her team heading up the Frome meeting for the second year, maintained a flow of positive news that left the audience enthused about how communities can drive the change we need.

The idea of a wildlife corridor – linking habitats so that animals can move freely – is well known. The Tree Conference organisers have an ambitious aim to create an information corridor, offering training to support others in establishing Tree Conferences in the UK and beyond that can work together for maximum results.

The plan reflects the conference’s optimistic message that there are many routes to the over-arching aim: to encourage a love of and desire to protect our trees. There’s even a place for digging holes and planting them.

This Author 

Gary Cook is an environmental painter who was the senior artist for The Sunday Times for twenty six years. He exhibits regularly in the south west and London including with the Society of Graphic Fine Art, the RI, the RWA and The Arborealists. Gary tweets from @cookthepainter. 

Nuclear lobbyists have jumped on the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to promote nuclear power. In so doing they misrepresent the IPCC report.

World Nuclear Association Director General Agneta Rising said the IPCC report “makes clear … the necessity of nuclear energy as an important part of an effective global response” to climate change.

He argues that it “highlights the proven qualities of nuclear energy as a highly effective method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as providing secure, reliable and scalable electricity supplies.”

In a separate statement, the association falsely claimed that nuclear power increases under all of the IPCC scenarios compatible with limiting warming to 1.5˚C.

The IPCC report does indeed have some nice things to say about nuclear power. For example it argues that, “comparative risk assessment shows health risks are low per unit of electricity production and land requirement is lower than that of other power sources”.

But the report also raises numerous concerns. It states that historically high rates of scalability and speed of scaling of nuclear plants “are not achieved anymore” and “the current time-lag between the decision date and the commissioning of plants is observed to be 10-19 years.”

The IPCC report states that the deployment of nuclear energy is “constrained by social acceptability in many countries” due to concerns over risks of accidents and radioactive waste management.

It states that: “The long-term storage of nuclear waste is a politically fraught subject, with no large-scale long-term storage operational worldwide.”

It mentions studies finding an increased incidence of childhood leukaemia in populations living within five kilometres of nuclear power plants – the evidence of a link is actually stronger than the IPCC suggests.

The IPCC report notes that the costs of nuclear power have increased over time in some developed nations “principally due to market conditions where increased investment risks of high-capital expenditure technologies have become significant”.

It notes that nuclear power provides an example of “where real-world costs have been higher than anticipated … while solar PV is an example where real-world costs have been lower”.

Weapons proliferation

The IPCC report states that “continued use of nuclear power poses a constant risk of proliferation.” Michael Shellenberger, a nuclear lobbyist in the US, calls this “unsubstantiated fear-mongering“.

But Shellenberger himself has recently written at length about the manifold and repeatedly-demonstrated connections between nuclear power and weapons.

“[N]ational security, having a weapons option, is often the most important factor in a state pursuing peaceful nuclear energy,” Shellenberger said in August.

A recent analysis by Shellenberger’s nuclear lobby group ‘Environmental Progress’ found that of the 26 nations that are building or are committed to build nuclear power plants, 23 have nuclear weapons, had weapons, or have shown interest in acquiring weapons.

“While those 23 nations clearly have motives other than national security for pursuing nuclear energy,” Shellenberger wrote, “gaining weapons latency appears to be the difference-maker.”

Walking back his earlier statements linking nuclear power and weapons, Shellenberger writes in his response to the IPCC report that: “No nation has used its civilian nuclear plants to create a weapon.”

That claim is garbage: nuclear power reactors have been used directly for weapons production, as have technologies association with nuclear power ‒ enrichment and reprocessing plants, and research and training reactors.

Nuclear power’s decline

On October 16, The Australian newspaper published an opinion piece by Tony Grey headlined ‘Turns out that even the Greens see nuclear sense’. The ‘Greens’ in this case are the climate scientists who contributed to the IPCC report.

According to Grey, the IPCC report “offers a refreshing view on nuclear power’s role in helping to mitigate global warming. It’s refreshing because the green lobby has been such a closed-minded opponent.”

Grey continues: “The inescapable inference from the report is that without its contribution, there would be no possibility of achieving the objective the IPCC calls for.”

Grey misrepresents the IPCC report. The report states: “Nuclear power increases its share in most 1.5°C pathways by 2050, but in some pathways both the absolute capacity and share of power from nuclear generators declines.

“There are large differences in nuclear power between models and across pathways … Some 1.5°C pathways no longer see a role for nuclear fission by the end of the century, while others project over 200 EJ / yr of nuclear power in 2100.”

Marginal contributor

Nearly all of the scenarios presented in the IPCC report envisage a decline in nuclear power generation to 2030 followed by an upswing. No logical rationale ‒ or any rationale at all ‒ is provided to support the upswing from 2030 to 2050.

All we know for sure is that an overwhelming majority of the world’s ageing fleet of nuclear power reactors will be shut down by 2050, and it seems increasingly unlikely that the number of reactor start-ups will match shut-downs.

But even if nuclear power does enjoy an upswing, it will still be a marginal contributor to energy supply and to climate change abatement. The points that jump out from most the IPCC’s low-carbon 1.5°C scenarios are that nuclear accounts for only a small fraction of energy/electricity supply (even if nuclear output increases) whereas renewables do the heavy lifting.

For example, in one 1.5°C scenario highlighted in the report, nuclear power more than doubles by 2050 but only accounts for 4.2 percent of primary energy whereas renewables account for 60.8 percent. In another 1.5°C scenario, nuclear nearly doubles by 2050 but its contribution to total electricity supply falls to 8.9 percent (from 10.3 percent in 2017), compared to 77.5 percent for renewables.

This Author

Dr. Jim Green is the national nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia and editor of the Nuclear Monitor newsletter, where a version of this article was originally published.

Most women use pads and tampons during their period and are reasonably happy with them. They work quite well at doing what they’re designed to do: preventing leaks. They’re also very easy to dispose of by just throwing them in the rubbish.

But, is there a better way? One that doesn’t require throwing little bits of plastic away every single month for decades? Or wasting money on period products?  

Let’s find out more about eco-friendly period products, including menstrual cups, reusable cloth pads and organic disposables.

Menstrual cups

You may have heard of the Diva Cup, Moon Cup, or Lunette Cup before. They’re the most popular brands of menstrual cups in the world and have been around for about 20 years now.

In case you haven’t, they’re cups made mostly from medical grade silicone that are designed to collect menstrual fluid. Although some companies recommend replacing them every year or two (the Diva Cup for example), most people find that the top-quality ones last for 5-10 years.

Making the switch early in your life means 4-8 cups during your lifetime instead of 10,000+ tampons. That’s a big difference for our the plant. Besides being great for the environment, menstrual cups will save you a ton of money, and are about 10 times cheaper than tampons over the long-term.

The only real problem with period cups is that it can be difficult to choose the best one because there are so many of them on the market today. Each brand also comes in a range of sizes and styles.

You can check out reviews of some of the top brands here: Menstrual Cup Reviews.

Reusable pads

Disposable pads – out of all the period products – are the worst for the environment. They contain large amounts of non-biodegradable plastic that’ll still be hanging around the landfill hundreds of years from now.

What’s the better way? Cloth pads. They’re made from natural materials like cotton, bamboo or charcoal – and like menstrual cups they can last for years. Most people find that they need 5-6 of them to make it through their period in style.

They’re similar to disposable pads, except that they stay in place with snaps instead of a sticky backing. Cloth pads come in a wide range of absorbency levels so you’re sure to find one that’s right for your needs.

One cloth pad can last for 5-10 years and can potentially replace hundreds of plastic-filled disposables. That’s a serious win in my books, and probably is for you too. Some of my favourite brands include Hesta Organic, Blushing Bluebirds, Lunapads, and Party in My Pants. There are some very cheap cloth pads on Amazon but they often don’t work that well as preventing leaks.

Cloth pads are one of those things that it’s definitely worth spending a bit more money on up-front for quality. Remember, it’s not such a big deal because they’ll last for years.

Organic tampons

Rather than sticking to conventional pads and tampons you can buy disposable products made with organic cotton. Almost all of them are also plastic-free, including the packaging as well.

This is a serious win for your body as you’ll be reducing your exposure to toxic chemicals during your period. These organic products are also a serious win for the environment because they’ll break down in just a few years as opposed to hundreds.

Quick tip: Organic feminine hygiene products can be expensive if you buy them at your local health food shop, or natural health store. Instead, check them out online and you’ll potentially save about 50 percent, especially if you buy them in a package of three boxes for example.

While you’re there, check out customer reviews for the products you’re considering. Quality and effectiveness varies widely for organic pads and tampons.

Ready to make the switch to green period products? Welcome to the club! You’ll be joining an enlightened group of people who are serious about helping the environment, saving money, and making a better choice for their health.

This Author 

Jackie Bolen is a tree-hugging friend of the Earth who can usually be found on top of a mountain, or drinking coffee around Vancouver, Canada.

“You have only thought of earning profits from the Ganges,” wrote GD Agarwal to the Indian government. His protest against a failure to prevent industrial pollution into the river eventually led to his death – 111 days into a hunger strike.

GD Agarwal, a former professor of environmental engineering at one of India’s top universities, died from a heart attack caused by his fast, according to doctors.

The 2,525km Ganges is considered holy by Hindus, but for is heavily polluted by untreated sewage and industrial waste.

Weak action

Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has said that cleaning the river was one of his government’s top priorities, but Agarwal said that action taken by the government so far had not been nearly effective enough.

He wanted hydropower and sand mining projects along the river to be stopped. In a letter to Modi, he said that businesses had been the only ones to gain from government action along the river.

The Indian government claimed that it was preparing tougher environmental regulations, but Agarwal did not believe that these would be strong enough, and gave up all liquids, leading to his death.

Agarwal had undertaken several fasts before against development in the river and in 2009 managed to stop the damming of the Bhagirathi river, a source stream for the Ganges, after fasting for 38 days.

This Author

Catherine Early is a freelance environmental journalist and chief reporter for the Ecologist. She was formerly the deputy editor of the Environmentalist. She can be found tweeting at @Cat_Early76.