I first met Thomas Berry at a talk in 1996 and immediately recognised him as an elder with a rare far-sightedness about our past, present and future. 

He pulled no punches during his talk: “The industrial process is now in its terminal phase. This is the inevitable consequence of civilisations that destroy their life support system. The difference now is that the dominant civilisation has colonised the farthest reaches of the Earth.”

At that time, Thomas was thinking about his next book, The Great Work. Published over twenty years ago, it proposed the kinds of change we now hear discussed by UN experts on climate change and biodiversity, and demanded by a groundswell of popular movements around our planet. 

Earth jurisprudence 

The Great Work calls for the transformation of the western industrial institutions of religion, education, governance and politics from anthropocentrism to an Earth-centred understanding of our role and responsibilities as humans, embedded in the larger Earth community.

More and more of us know now, as Thomas did then, that this is where we need to go. That this transformation – the philosophy, ways of being and practices it entails – is essential to the survival and thriving of our own species as well as the wider community of life.

Thomas called this way of living in right-relation with the planet ‘Earth Jurisprudence’. 

Jurisprudence as a term goes beyond narrow conceptions of the law. It is about how we live and govern our lives in their totality and, most importantly, in relation to Nature. 

In his writings, Thomas emphasised that, having been successfully imposed around the planet, our western, human-centred legal system is being used to legitimise the destruction of Nature and the violation of human and other species’ rights, in the interests of economic elites and the drive for endless growth on a finite planet. 

Dynamic equilibrium

This dominant legal system is rooted in a profound misconception of law as something humans can invent from scratch. Whereas, for most of human history we have understood that we are born into a lawful, self-regulating and living system we call Earth, Mother Earth, Pachamana, Gaia.

We are inextricably part of a web of life and as such the laws we must comply with, that we must live by, are the laws that govern life on Earth. 

By complying with Nature’s laws and codifying them in the institutions through which we govern our lives and societies, we contribute to the dynamic equilibrium upon which the health and the wellbeing of all depends.

This way of being and organising society, and the Earth-centred institutions it gives rise to, is what we call Earth Jurisprudence. 

Earth jurisprudence recognises that we are born into a lawful Universe, of which our planet is a part; that Earth is the ‘Primary Text’, the source of the laws that govern all of life, including our own. This is the reality of life on Earth, whether we recognise it or not. 

Indigenous lifeways

The great work ahead for those of us living in industrialised nations is to re-align ourselves and our societies with Earth’s laws and limits; to re-develop ways of complying with Earth Jurisprudence.  Thomas went to great lengths to impress on his friends, readers and followers that living in this way is not new. 

Indigenous societies who never left the path of Earth Jurisprudence can offer inspiration for understanding what Earth Jurisprudence means in practice. They continue to derive their customary laws from the laws embedded in their ancestral lands, with which they have an intimate, intergenerational relationship. 

As, Ailton Krenak, an indigenous leader from Brazil, said: “We hold the memory of what it means to be human … I think people should pay close attention to this. Even if we had all the white people’s technology and money, we would be worth nothing if we did not hold the memory of the creation of the world, our planet.”

In order to comply with Earth’s laws, Indigenous communities have developed sophisticated ways of ensuring each generation understands the lawfulness of the world they are born into. The consequences of breaking these laws is, ultimately, the destruction of our source of life and thereby ourselves and the rest of the Earth community.

This destruction is what we are faced with now, on a planetary scale. As we self-examine and try to transform our own societies it is essential to stand in solidarity with those indigenous communities on the frontlines of pitched battles to protect Mother Earth.  

Emerging movements

The emergence of Extinction Rebellion, school climate strikes and Rights of Nature precedents from Uganda to New Zealand shows us that there is an awakening happening. 

People of all ages and walks of life are willing to take action, to call the alert, to break through the silence of our media-dominated world and demand better for Nature, future generations of all species and those on the frontlines of climate breakdown. 

A more generous, Earth-centred consciousness is emerging, recognising the interconnectivity of climate change and ecological breakdown and that these crises are a consequence of the rampant industrial growth economy.  

Climate change and the unravelling of our ecological life support system is the inevitable consequence of systematically breaking the laws that govern life – of taking more than Nature can replenish, of digging up what Earth has buried, manufacturing products she cannot re-integrate and dumping the ‘waste’ where it does not belong.

Thomas Berry and Earth Jurisprudence offer us powerful medicine for this crisis – to be rigorous in complying with Earth’s laws in all walks of life and to make this compliance our primary societal concern, so that we begin to contribute to the vital task of regenerating life at all levels. 

Reviving connection 

To comply by Earth’s laws, we must first know them, and this requires us to revive our connection with Nature and our eco-literacy, re-learning Nature’s laws after generations of alienation.

This re-learning involves nurturing our relationship with nature. This could be through planting a window box, developing our relationship with a tree in a park, tuning in to the cycles of the moon, or more elaborate, wild ways, depending on our circumstances. This practice roots us in the reality of being a cell in the body of our living Earth and helps us to see the world through this lens. 

Reconnection with our greater nature and learning the laws by which we must re-order society are not intended to replace protest and contestation, but instead to inform and root this resistance more deeply in the realities of a world that brutally others nature and abounds with shallow, false solutions to our crises.

As young leader Greta Thunberg has said, we need to listen to the Earth, and the science telling us about her ailments, first and foremost. What is pragmatic and realistic for Earth, not for politics or economics, must be our ultimate guide to action.  

When we see life from an Earth-centred perspective, as Thomas Berry did, we are compelled to take responsibility for protecting life, following Earth’s laws in whatever we do and collectively re-shaping the institutions we encounter with these laws as our guiding principle.

As Thomas wrote: “Peace is the result of this recognition of the Earth and the common sense of togetherness that she creates among us all. She underpins and unites all regions, economics, education and the laws, which govern our lives. The challenge is to change our thinking from a humanistic perspective to an Earth-centred perspective. Through this change we can recover a mutually enhancing relationship with the wider Earth community.”

This Author 

Liz Hosken is Director of The Gaia Foundation, where she works alongside communities to revive their indigenous knowledge and practices. Liz teaches the philosophy and practice of Earth Jurisprudence as part of a course for budding Earth Jurisprudence Practitioners working to revive Earth-centred governance systems in sub-Saharan Africa. 

This article is part of a week of celebration marking the tenth anniversary of cultural historian and philosopher Thomas Berry and Earth Jurisprudence.  Find out more about Earth Jurisprudence on The Gaia Foundation’s website and sign up to their newsletter for news of Earth Jurisprudence from the Amazon to Africa.

About 2.5 million people across Britain are more than a 10-minute walk from a park or green space, a charity has claimed.

Fields in Trust has developed a “green space index” using new ordnance survey data to map the availability of parks and recreation grounds for communities across the country.

It is warning large numbers of people who do not have easy access to parks nearby could miss out on the benefits they can provide for health and wellbeing, and it said the situation could get worse with public sector cuts.

Parks

Although Britain has some 216,160 hectares (534,000 acres) of publicly-accessible local parks and green spaces, Fields in Trust said just six percent of this is legally protected through the organisation.

With austerity leading to pressure on parks and green space provision, it said there is a risk that a lack of legal protection could lead to more areas being sold off or developed.

Disadvantaged communities are likely to be most affected by any future losses, it warned.

Fields in Trust, which was set up more than 90 years ago to champion open spaces and playing fields, is urging local authorities and landowners to take steps to legally protect the green areas they own.

The green space index also ranks regions and nations of Britain against its standard of what should be the minimum provision of parks, play facilities and outdoor sport per 1,000 people.

Protected

Scotland tops the index for green space provision and the largest amount that is protected, while London, Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West and North East of England all fall below the minimum level, Fields in Trust said.

The average amount of green space per person in Britain is just over 35 square metres, less than half the size of a six-yard box on a football pitch.

Angela Lewis, head of programmes at Fields in Trust, said: “Parks and green spaces are much-loved by people and provide many benefits to society.

“But our new green space index shows, for the first time, that there is insufficient access to parks and green spaces and that far too few are legally protected, leaving those unprotected vulnerable to loss or development.

Policy

“These findings show that there is an urgent need to ensure the current level of park and green space provision is maintained and review what more can be done to legally protect them for future generations to enjoy.”

Fields in Trust plans to update the index on a regular basis to track changes in green space provision.

An Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: “Parks and green spaces are vital public assets that boost our health and wellbeing with natural spaces everyone can enjoy.

“That’s why this government continues to work with experts in the Parks Action Group, including Fields in Trust, to help maximise the rewards they bring, and our revised national planning policy framework lets communities protect parks in their area.”

The Author

Emily Beament is the Press Association environment correspondent. 

The klaxon call has gone out, the climate emergency is here, so why are we still beating around the bush? Let’s seize this moment to take on the fossil fuel companies, their acolytes and financiers.

When I took my first foray into climate activism, I wasn’t sure where to start. How to engage with something so large and complex? Making lifestyle changes is great if you are able, but it isn’t nearly enough.

What’s needed is systemic change, and when it comes to the climate that means targeting fossil fuel companies.

Unprecedented organising 

These corporations continue to burn oil, coal and gas with impunity. Just 100 fossil fuel companies are responsible for 70 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions since the mid-1980s.

Their core business model is at the very heart of the climate crisis. They know they’re on the wrong side of history – so they try to hide it.

Exxon Mobil and Shell have a history of misleading the public about climate science and since the Paris Agreement have spent millions directly lobbying to stop the development of clean energy.

But their time is up. We are experiencing an unprecedented wave of grassroots organising and citizen engagement with climate action. From millions of students holding school strikes around the world, to peaceful civil disobedience in our cities, to David Attenborough’s much talked about new documentary. 

Climate breakdown has received more media coverage in the UK recently than at any other time in the past five years. This public pressure is working, resulting in the Welsh and Scottish governments as well as UK and Irish parliaments all declaring a climate emergency.

Divestment movement 

But if we want these declarations to mean anything then the same decision-makers who are readily jumping on the bandwagon of public opinion need to address the elephant in the room: fossil fuels.

For too long, the rhetoric around climate breakdown from politicians has avoided the simple, undeniable fact that we must prevent new fossil fuel infrastructure and keep existing reserves in the ground, while delivering a just transition to a zero-carbon economy.

Yet our politicians continue to support the obscenely rich fossil fuel industry who in turn continue to search for new reserves. They are on track to increase new oil reserves by 30 percent in 2019 alone.

So we have Goliath in our sights, but where can we find David?

Enter the many thousands of people, from all across the world, who are pushing their public institutions to divest from fossil fuel companies. From university common rooms, to village church halls, to town councils, and finally this week to the heart of Westminster itself; the divestment movement has come a long way.

Divest Parliament 

By directly and strategically targeting the culprits behind climate breakdown, divestment offers us a chance to strike at the heart of the problem in a way that is approachable, scalable, and effective.

It is a potent, hopeful antidote to the paralyzing despair that the climate crisis has wrought on so many of us. It’s just what we need to hone our focus in the midst of a climate emergency.

Now our MPs must pick up the baton and tackle the fossil fuel industry head on. The MPs’ Pension Fund has millions of pounds invested in fossil fuel companies, including BP and Royal Dutch Shell.

Divesting this fund offers our MPs the chance to put their money where their mouths are when it comes to climate action.

Following the dedicated efforts of hundreds of constituents and organisers from across the UK, a third of all current MPs (and 29 former MPs) from all parties have signed the Divest Parliament Pledge, calling for their pension savings to be taken out of fossil fuels.

Climate emergency 

With growing pressure from so many MPs, the fund’s trustees have been forced to listen and reconsider their rules of investment, to account for climate risk.

But this is just one campaign of many. We also need to end fossil fuel subsidies, ban fracking, and stop airport expansion. We need to plant millions of trees, rewild and restore ecosystems, and invest in zero-carbon infrastructure including affordable, reliable public transport.

We must do all this taking into account the UK’s massive historical carbon debt and legacy of colonialism and exploitation in the global South by providing international financial support to enable a truly just transition for everyone.

This is a climate emergency so let’s start treating it like one. We need a Green New Deal – and we can use the money divested from fossil fuels to fund it.

This Author 

Karn Bianco is a Divest Parliament campaigner. 

Climate change tops the agenda of the European election campaign in many countries for the first time. The hundreds of thousands of young people protesting across Europe and the world have put pressure on more conservative politicians to take up climate issues in their election campaigns.

The European elections are taking place across the EU between May 23 and 26, and UK citizens can cast their vote today (Thursday 23 May 2019) from 7am to 10pm.

The elections, which are held every five years, will see 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) elected. Voters in the UK elect 73 MEPs to represent Britain in the parliament, based on proportional representation.

Candidates

The European Parliament consists of eight political groups. The two largest are the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP), currently with 219 MEPs, and the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament (S&D), with 189 MEPs.

Besides the 8 groups, there are 20 independent MEPs.

The newly elected European parliament will run for the next five years, from 2019 to 2024. It will influence lawmaking on far-ranging issues such as the EU single market, data protection, migration, farming, fisheries, energy, the environment, and other areas.

When voting in European Elections in the UK, you can vote for national parties or individual candidates who stand nominated for election, and divided into 12 regions: East Midlands, Eastern, London, North East, North West, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South East, South West, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber.

Climate crisis

In the past, the European parliament has played a key role for many decisions related to the environment, including the clean energy transition, the reform of the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), the future emissions from transport, buildings, agriculture and forests, or the EU funding for fossil fuels.

The European parliament has also proven it can play an important role in increasing climate action, both at the EU and at the national level, for example by putting in place higher targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The new European parliament, and European Commission, will be shaping European policies for the next five years, including policies to rapidly phase out greenhouse gas emissions in order to keep temperature rise below 1.5oC.

Priorities

Yet, many of the political groups running in the European parliament lack substantive priorities on climate action.

An analysis by the civil society group Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, ranking EU political groups and national parties on climate change, concluded the majority of EU political groups scores badly on climate policy.

In particular, the conservative and right-leaning Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF), the European People’s Party (EPP) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) show a complete lack of ambition on climate change action.

The far-right ENF group consistently votes against EU climate policies, and undermines international cooperation, the report said.

“In the last five years conservative and centre parties in the European Parliament have not done enough to stand up for European citizens and protect them from the climate crisis,“ said Wendel Trio, director of CAN Europe.

Political groups showing a progressive approach to climate policy include the Greens/European Free Alliance, the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), according to the analysis.

Things are not always as clear-cut, however. European parties are also internally divided on climate, with most European political group having climate champions, either in the form of national parties or MEPs.

Climate champions

In the UK, the three national parties who are member of the European Greens/EFA group score best on climate, according to CAN Europe its analysis: the Plaid Cymru – Party of Wales, the Green Party, and the Scottish National Party.

Scoring moderate on climate policy are the Labour Party, which is member of the EU S&D coalition and currently has by far the highest number of MEPs, as well as Sinn Fein, which is a member of the GUE/NGL.

The Liberal Democrats, which are part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) have shown only limited interest, believing in the need for climate action, but not acting with the required urgency.

All other national parties represent insufficient climate policies or outright oppose climate action: the Conservative Party, the United Kingdom Independence Party, Libertarian Party, Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Unionist Party.

The Conservative Party is split, with the majority of its members who are part of the European ECR group scoring much worse than their party fellows that affiliate to the EPP group.

”The youth climate strikes created the momentum for all politicians to acknowledge that climate change is a topic they can no longer ignore, ” said Wendel Trio.

”After the European elections we will hold MEPs accountable and make sure that their promises are followed by concrete measures to tackle the climate emergency. ”

This Author

Arthur Wyns is a biologist and science journalist. He is a climate change researcher at the World Health Organization and tweets from @ArthurWyns.

By the time you’ve finished reading this paragraph, the world will have lost another football pitch of soil. At current rates of erosion, 90 percent of our planet’s soil could be gone by 2050, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Natural soil erosion is being accelerated by deforestation, mining, urban sprawl and – ironically – the intensive agriculture that simply couldn’t function without it.

The increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts, floods and storms that come with climate breakdown only make matters worse – damaging crops, ruining livelihoods and sending food prices soaring around the world.

Radical solution

At the same time, our population is growing – estimated to reach 10 billion people by 2050, when the UN fears we’ll be eking an existence out of just 10 percent of the soil we have now. Without soil, we face starvation.

At the University of Sheffield, we’re pioneering a radical solution that could buy us some time. Our new Institute for Sustainable Food has launched a soil-free urban farm, where scientists are growing food from foam.

Harry Wright – a PhD student at the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures – has developed specialist foams that chemically, physically and biologically resemble soil.

Together with Jacob Nickles, N8 Knowledge Exchange Associate at the University of Sheffield Institute for Sustainable Food, Harry has used a network of pipes, nutrient solutions and controlled growing environments, scientists are growing everything from salad to tomatoes in an abandoned school in Sheffield.

Community participation

We’ve found that crops planted in the polyurethane foams grow two to ten times faster than plants grown in soil.

The potential of this low-cost system has already been demonstrated with an initiative – led by Grantham Centre Director Professor Tony Ryan in collaboration with Professor Duncan Cameron – to install hydroponics systems made from used mattresses at a refugee camp in Jordan, where planting straight into the soil isn’t allowed.

In Sheffield, we’re putting our research into practice again to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for our local community, as well as training for local unemployed or low-skilled workers and an educational environment for schools.

Our hope is to replicate this model across the globe and optimise it for local conditions to produce cheap, healthy food using fewer resources.

These soil-free farms could help take some of the pressure off traditional agricultural systems – but they’re no excuse to carry on as usual. Foam alone will never feed the world.

We urgently need a new approach to farming that protects and restores our soils, eliminates waste, enhances the natural world and gives everyone their fair share of nutritious food.

Policy changes

To get there requires science and innovation – but, most importantly, a step-change in policy and public attitudes.

The Institute for Sustainable Food will produce groundbreaking research to form an evidence base for a better agricultural system, bringing together experts across every discipline, from politics and computer science, to geography and medicine.

But with a crisis unfolding beneath our feet, it’s not enough to publish academic papers and discuss theories with our peers.

Opening our urban farm to the public sets the tone for our new institute. We’ll be learning from our community about what food they want to see us grow and asking how they’d like to be involved.

It’s time for scientists like me to step out of the lab and work with farmers, politicians and local people to put our research into practice. We won’t solve the soil crisis without getting our hands dirty.

This Author 

Professor Duncan Cameron is director of the University of Sheffield’s new Institute for Sustainable Food. 

One thing really sticks out for me among all the inspiring climate actions we’ve seen over the last few months: Greta Thunberg arriving by train to speak to UK politicians, as part of an epic Spring trip to European cities.

It’s safe to say the social silence around ‘talking climate’ has been temporarily if not permanently broken for many Brits. A recent opinion poll showed that two thirds of us would be willing to make a personal sacrifice for the climate if we knew others were doing the same.

But there’s still one area of carbon cutting behaviour that even some people within the climate movement struggle to talk about: not flying. 

Frequent flyers

Flying is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases globally and reducing the amount we fly is one of the most impactful behaviour changes frequent flyers can take to cut carbon.

At 10:10 Climate Action we’re working to make carbon conscious travel easier with a new scheme; Climate Perks.

It’s important to note one crucial fact about flying before I get into how much carbon is saved by choosing to stay grounded when travelling. Only a small proportion of us are responsible for the majority of the problem.

Estimates suggest only five percent of the world’s population have ever flown. Government data shows that even within the UK 70 percent of all flights are taken by just 15 percent of Brits.

These ‘frequent flyers’ are more likely to be professionals with disposable income who can afford to take multiple flights a year. 

Taking responsibility 

Those who fly the least if at all are generally from poorer communities who are also most vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis.

The disproportionate number of people flying is just another example of how those most vulnerable to climate change are generally least responsible for it.

It also means that those most responsible must be most empowered to take action and change their behaviour.

When it comes to taking personal action on climate change, for frequent flyers, there is scarcely any other single act more effective at cutting carbon than avoiding a flight.

Defying gravity through air travel produces a huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions. So much so that taking eight return trips from London to Berlin on the train produces the same amount of carbon as a single flight from the UK to the German capital.

Greenhouse gasses

Worse still, the impact of releasing emissions higher in the atmosphere is much worse than emitting it on the ground. Other than carbon, planes also emit other kinds of gases and particles, which have both a cooling or warming effect.

High in the atmosphere where most planes fly, the hot, moist air released from the engine exhaust mixes with cold air. The moisture condenses, forming ice crystals which reflect the sun’s heat into space but also trap it in the atmosphere.

Despite the cooling effect, scientists calculated the total impact of a plane on raising global temperatures, is twice as high as its carbon emissions alone. 

Despite this, aviation is rapidly expanding in the UK and is currently on track to account for a quarter of all UK carbon emissions by 2050. 

The good news is however that attitudes are beginning to move in the right direction on flying.

Slower travel

In research 10:10 commissioned late last year, we found 50 percent of people are ready to reduce the amount they fly in order to protect the environment, but only three percent of us do.

Clean travel is already mainstream in Sweden as climate superstar Greta Thunberg kickstarted a “flygskam” (flight shame) movement with her train-trips around Europe.

And with the launch of the new Caledonian Sleeper and the London to Amsterdam Eurostar in the last year, slow travel with an emphasis on the journey as well as the destination, is set to become easier.

Europe is blessed with some of the best transport networks in the world, with several world-class high speed rail networks and a host of organisations, like Seat 61, dedicated to helping plan and book your journeys. 

For many however time is a huge barrier to choosing flight free holidays. Generally, travelling on holiday by train, coach or boat instead flying, takes a lot longer. That’s exactly why we’re developing our new scheme, Climate Perks. 

Journey days

Climate Perks enables employers to offer paid ‘journey days’ to empower staff to choose low-carbon holiday travel. The perfect solution for those who love to travel the world and protect it too. 

Working for a Climate Perks employer means you can choose clean travel without losing out on hard-earned leisure time, by being offered at least two paid ‘journey days’ annually to use for holiday travel without heading to the airport.

By coming on board to Climate Perks as an employer, you’ll be a part of getting climate conscious travel off (or rather on) the ground in the UK and be recognised as leading the way on climate action. 

Our research found that 50 percent of 18-44 year olds would prefer to work for an employer that helps them to take clean travel on holiday.

Climate Perks employers can meet this rising demand from staff, and potential recruits, assisting them in making lifestyle choices that reflect their values – strengthening staff well-being, satisfaction and loyalty.

Travel habits

Helping to shift these travel habits is the quickest and smartest way to keep carbon emissions from planes in check, whilst ensuring those most responsible are most empowered to take action.

For me, clean travel is a chance to rediscover the magic of the journey – whether that’s winding through stunning scenery in the alps or waking up after a night journey in the heart of a new city.

Travelling slowly gives me valuable time for reflection and has helped re-evaluate what I really cherish when I go on holiday, making me appreciate it so much more.

After all taking action on climate change isn’t about having less of what you want, but rather more of what you need. Staying grounded really is the best way to stay grounded. 

This Author 

Sarah Barfield Marks is press and PR office at 10:10 Climate Action, a charity that runs positive, practical projects at the community level, and turns these local actions into a force for bigger changes.

Environmental campaigners are aiming to involve one billion people worldwide in a “visual survey” of plastic pollution as part of the second annual One Plastic Free Day.

Set to coincide with World Environment Day on June 5, campaign group A Plastic Planet is asking people to photograph a plastic item they wish to switch to an environmentally friendly item, and post it on social media using the hashtag #OnePlasticFreeDay.

Following the survey on June 5, the results will form the basis of an interactive world map where global plastic pollution hot-spots can be identified.

Tourists

The campaign comes as the Government announced that plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds are to be banned from April 2020 in a bid to reduce plastic pollution.

In 2018, a quarter of a billion people joined in on what was the first annual One Plastic Free Day. A Plastic Planet co-founder Sian Sutherland said: “So far there have been too many words and not enough action.

“I’m incredibly excited about the prospect of mobilising one billion people for the brighter plastic-free future we all know is possible.”

To mark the campaign, the One Plastic Free Day logo will be projected at tourist sights including Times Square in New York.

Speaking about the Government’s move to ban plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds, Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “Urgent and decisive action is needed to tackle plastic pollution and protect our environment.

Emergency

“Today I am taking action to turn the tide on plastic pollution, and ensure we leave our environment in a better state for future generations.”

A Plastic Planet’s campaign comes after months of campaigning for action on pollution and plastic waste by environmental activists.

In April 2019, climate group Extinction Rebellion occupied four prominent sites in central London over a period of 11 days in order to provoke government action on climate change.

Since then, the UK Parliament has become the first in the world to recognise a “climate change emergency”.

“We don’t want to be part of the plastic pollution problem any longer. Every time we shop we feel guilty. Why is it taking so long for change to happen?” Ms Sutherland said.

This Author

Emily Chudy is a reporter for the Press Association.

Environmental campaigners are aiming to involve one billion people worldwide in a “visual survey” of plastic pollution as part of the second annual One Plastic Free Day.

Set to coincide with World Environment Day on June 5, campaign group A Plastic Planet is asking people to photograph a plastic item they wish to switch to an environmentally friendly item, and post it on social media using the hashtag #OnePlasticFreeDay.

Following the survey on June 5, the results will form the basis of an interactive world map where global plastic pollution hot-spots can be identified.

Tourists

The campaign comes as the Government announced that plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds are to be banned from April 2020 in a bid to reduce plastic pollution.

In 2018, a quarter of a billion people joined in on what was the first annual One Plastic Free Day. A Plastic Planet co-founder Sian Sutherland said: “So far there have been too many words and not enough action.

“I’m incredibly excited about the prospect of mobilising one billion people for the brighter plastic-free future we all know is possible.”

To mark the campaign, the One Plastic Free Day logo will be projected at tourist sights including Times Square in New York.

Speaking about the Government’s move to ban plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds, Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “Urgent and decisive action is needed to tackle plastic pollution and protect our environment.

Emergency

“Today I am taking action to turn the tide on plastic pollution, and ensure we leave our environment in a better state for future generations.”

A Plastic Planet’s campaign comes after months of campaigning for action on pollution and plastic waste by environmental activists.

In April 2019, climate group Extinction Rebellion occupied four prominent sites in central London over a period of 11 days in order to provoke government action on climate change.

Since then, the UK Parliament has become the first in the world to recognise a “climate change emergency”.

“We don’t want to be part of the plastic pollution problem any longer. Every time we shop we feel guilty. Why is it taking so long for change to happen?” Ms Sutherland said.

This Author

Emily Chudy is a reporter for the Press Association.

Environmental campaigners are aiming to involve one billion people worldwide in a “visual survey” of plastic pollution as part of the second annual One Plastic Free Day.

Set to coincide with World Environment Day on June 5, campaign group A Plastic Planet is asking people to photograph a plastic item they wish to switch to an environmentally friendly item, and post it on social media using the hashtag #OnePlasticFreeDay.

Following the survey on June 5, the results will form the basis of an interactive world map where global plastic pollution hot-spots can be identified.

Tourists

The campaign comes as the Government announced that plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds are to be banned from April 2020 in a bid to reduce plastic pollution.

In 2018, a quarter of a billion people joined in on what was the first annual One Plastic Free Day. A Plastic Planet co-founder Sian Sutherland said: “So far there have been too many words and not enough action.

“I’m incredibly excited about the prospect of mobilising one billion people for the brighter plastic-free future we all know is possible.”

To mark the campaign, the One Plastic Free Day logo will be projected at tourist sights including Times Square in New York.

Speaking about the Government’s move to ban plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds, Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “Urgent and decisive action is needed to tackle plastic pollution and protect our environment.

Emergency

“Today I am taking action to turn the tide on plastic pollution, and ensure we leave our environment in a better state for future generations.”

A Plastic Planet’s campaign comes after months of campaigning for action on pollution and plastic waste by environmental activists.

In April 2019, climate group Extinction Rebellion occupied four prominent sites in central London over a period of 11 days in order to provoke government action on climate change.

Since then, the UK Parliament has become the first in the world to recognise a “climate change emergency”.

“We don’t want to be part of the plastic pollution problem any longer. Every time we shop we feel guilty. Why is it taking so long for change to happen?” Ms Sutherland said.

This Author

Emily Chudy is a reporter for the Press Association.

Environmental campaigners are aiming to involve one billion people worldwide in a “visual survey” of plastic pollution as part of the second annual One Plastic Free Day.

Set to coincide with World Environment Day on June 5, campaign group A Plastic Planet is asking people to photograph a plastic item they wish to switch to an environmentally friendly item, and post it on social media using the hashtag #OnePlasticFreeDay.

Following the survey on June 5, the results will form the basis of an interactive world map where global plastic pollution hot-spots can be identified.

Tourists

The campaign comes as the Government announced that plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds are to be banned from April 2020 in a bid to reduce plastic pollution.

In 2018, a quarter of a billion people joined in on what was the first annual One Plastic Free Day. A Plastic Planet co-founder Sian Sutherland said: “So far there have been too many words and not enough action.

“I’m incredibly excited about the prospect of mobilising one billion people for the brighter plastic-free future we all know is possible.”

To mark the campaign, the One Plastic Free Day logo will be projected at tourist sights including Times Square in New York.

Speaking about the Government’s move to ban plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds, Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “Urgent and decisive action is needed to tackle plastic pollution and protect our environment.

Emergency

“Today I am taking action to turn the tide on plastic pollution, and ensure we leave our environment in a better state for future generations.”

A Plastic Planet’s campaign comes after months of campaigning for action on pollution and plastic waste by environmental activists.

In April 2019, climate group Extinction Rebellion occupied four prominent sites in central London over a period of 11 days in order to provoke government action on climate change.

Since then, the UK Parliament has become the first in the world to recognise a “climate change emergency”.

“We don’t want to be part of the plastic pollution problem any longer. Every time we shop we feel guilty. Why is it taking so long for change to happen?” Ms Sutherland said.

This Author

Emily Chudy is a reporter for the Press Association.