It's been a week of doom and gloom on the environmental front, what with the news that Obama will have to put some of his most important green projects on hold and that sea levels may now be on an unstoppable mission to wiping out several British cities.
Read enough stories like this, and it's quite possible to wonder why you're bothering to turn down your thermostat, forego cheap flights or shell out for organic food, so in the name of boosting morale, I've rounded up some of the more positive stories that are lurking out there, reminding us exactly why we do make those efforts and how they can be worthwhile.
Follow the jump for five good bits of green news!
Being in the red is making us all greener
Initial fears that the recession would lead to a return to the bad old days of cheap, mass-produced inethical consumerism now appear to be unfounded. According to this story, our attitude to motoring in particular has turned significantly greener since the credit crunch started to bite, with over half of all drivers planning on a new car purchase expressing a preference for an eco-friendly model, while many opt to ditch the car altogether to save on fuel and taxes.
Naturally, a decrease in consumerism means less waste, and our collective move towards more frugal living is necessarily a step towards a greener lifestyle. We are now more likely to make or repair our own clothes, throw away less food and and the internet is buzzing with creative ideas for re-use and repair.
The anti plastic bag movement IS making a difference
If you're one of millions of shoppers who have ditched the plastic bag, you'll be pleased to know that an article in the Times reported that the UK's biggest supermarket chain, Tesco, has cut the number of plastic bags it gives away at checkouts by a huge 1.3 billion since August 2006; a figure I have waited for with some eagerness and trepidation, since I had my doubts as to whether all this bluster over bags could really make the difference that had een projected. The message: let's keep at it guys. And if your old bag for life has seen better days, it's time to buy a new one!
Sales of bottled water are going down the drain...
There is really no excuse to be buying bottled water in a country where we've got clean, safe water on tap - and it seems that finally, this message is starting to hit home. The consumer backlash against expensive, bottled water is gathering momentum, according to two related studies this week, which reveal that more of us are content with that plain old, dirt cheap stuff that comes straight out of a tap.
If you want to be cynical about it, you might argue that the credit crunch may be the cause of this 'backlash' but the impact is the same: less C02 from transporting the stuff and far less packaging waste.
Recycling levels are on the up
Householders recycle almost three times more rubbish than they did six years ago, according to figures published yesterday. And the amount of refuse sent to landfill sites dropped to the lowest level in more than 20 years. That represents a whole lot of trash that would otherwise be poisoning our planet, which has got to be worth celebrating.
Free range sales still booming
One reason to believe that our greener ways are not due to the recession alone is nicely illustrated by the recent success of 'welfare' poultry. If our actions were based on poverty alone, it would be impossible to explain how more expensive, free range chicken, turkey and eggs are among the few products said to be 'beating the recession'.
Leave a comment