The aim of Envirolution is to to increase understanding, connection and engagement with the natural world, helping us transition toward a more sustainable future for us all.
After a long hiatus due to COVID-19, Envirolution Festival is back in person on Saturday 27th May 2023, 1pm-7pm in Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield.
As Manchester’s leading environmental community festival, Envirolution aims to explore creative ways to enrich our lives, communities and environment. The festival has been running since 2010. However, like the rest of the world, it had to stop in person events due to the pandemic, moving the festival online. 2023 will be the first year Envirolution Festival is back live in Platt Fields park and it is shaping up to be the best year yet!
Get ready for a programme packed full of interactive workshops, inclusive talks, world music on our two solar-powered stages, wellbeing activities, children’s games, market stalls, delicious food by GRUB, MUD Kitchen and much much more.
We’re also working with the amazing Platt Fields Market Garden which, with the help of the Envirolution team, who took a fenced off disused bowling green and turned it into a permaculture paradise.
We can’t wait to welcome Manchester’s passionate communities to this inclusive, free celebration of creativity and alternative approaches to reducing our impact on the environment. Everyone is welcome, from the diverse communities that surround Platt Fields park and across Manchester.
Line up so far….
Talks
Cllr Linda Foley – As Deputy Executive Member for Environment and Transport, Linda has made it her mission to provide Carbon Literacy training for 25% of Manchester’s residents, pushing to make Manchester the first carbon literate city in the world.
Dr Chris Jones – Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.
Ardwick Climate Action – Inspiring group and recent finalist at the Be Proud Award, Ardwick Climate Action brings together the community in one of Manchester’s most deprived areas to help people take action on climate change and improve their local area.
Wellbeing Area
The Resonance Centre will be bringing their spirit of connection, community, and social inclusion to this year’s festival with free yoga and meditation workshops all day.
World music
Stepladder Records are bringing an amazing array of world music to our solar stages at this year’s festival.
The Galivantes – Galivantes are an eight-piece rowdy ska band from Manchester whose sound is hard to pin down – not least because they have three lead singers and a range of influences from ska punk, reggae, disco, folk and rock. They are possibly best described as a blend of The Pixies and Sublime, mixing strong driving beats with fiery vocals, crunching guitars, funky bass, and a chaotic cacophony of brass, all wrapped up around a politically charged power-to-the-people message
Get in touch!
With 4 weeks still to go until Envirolution festival arrives, we’re still looking for engaging and interactive stalls and workshops.
On Saturday 20 June INvirolution festival is coming…
This will have all the areas and activities we usually have on at our events plus so much more! This time we have people from all over the globe involved. We will have talks and music, stories and art, campaigns and recipes, and loads more! So make sure you tell everyone you know. INvirolution is coming to a screen near you.
Everything you expect from Envirolution
Envirolution Festival 2020 is not happening, but INvirolution is! Expect music, talks, wellbeing, food, games, art and learning. All the things you expect from a festival embedded into a digital world.
Something new for everyone
Every part of the INvirolution festival is created to provide opportunities to learn something new or share inspiration about things we can do to reduce our impact on the planet. What do we want our society to look like? During the pandemic we have had time to think about the important things, and seen a huge reduction in greenhouse gas emissions! What can we learn from this and what would we like done differently from here on in.
INvirolution is here to offer you a voice in this discussion. What would you like to see happening?
Want to help us put on something amazing?
Envirolution is a festival for all, made by all. If you’d like to volunteer your time to make this years online festival super special, please get in touch! You can find out more here.
How to organise an outdoor, green event might be something not at the forefront of people’s minds right now, the nights are drawing in, and the prospect of cosy evenings tucked up in front of a warm fire is probably more appealing.
However, here at Envirolution we are already looking forward to our 10th Anniversary festival in May next year, and planning is well under way amongst our volunteers and core organising team. So, if like us, you want to host an event where the community gets involved and has an environmental theme, here are our top tips for making it a success!
Choose Your Location
The location is key to hosting a sustainable event. How easy is it for visitors to access using public transport? Is there lots of natural light to cut down on energy consumption? And does the venue already commit to being environmentally friendly, with existing schemes in place such as recycling, or actively looking to make improvements to the environment?
Ban Single Use Plastic
Cutlery, straws, drinks bottles, plates, food containers; all items designed for convenience and to be quickly disposable. Except of course, they are not. On average, plastic takes 1000 years to decompose and 8 million tonnes of the stuff is being dumped in the oceans each year. Is it any wonder our precious marine life is being choked to death with stats like these?
What Will You Offer Visitors?
An outdoor event is big business for food and drink suppliers! People love to try new dishes and sample food they wouldn’t necessarily try at home, so do you go all out for a vegan event? Or do you think this would deter some people from attending? The point to this is whatever you decide to offer visitors, make sure it is ethically sourced and suppliers meet your ‘green expectations’ for YOUR event!
Implement a Recycling scheme
One of the fundamental ways to ensuring your event cares for the environment is to implement a recycling scheme that is highly visible, widely encouraged, and importantly easy to use! Often people give up to recycling because it is not clear what goes where and what can and can’t be recycled! Make sure your recycling bins are EVERYWHERE and that you have plenty of volunteers on hand to sort the waste at the end of the day!
Contact Us!
So, if you are feeling inspired and you now know how to organise an outdoor green event, or if you want to put an green festival in your diary for next year, why not come along and visit the Envirolution Team on 23rd May at Platt Fields in Manchester M14 6LA.
Or, if you feeling inspired to get involved but not quite ready to host your own festival, why not become an Envirolution volunteer? We have loads of opportunities for you to become part of the team, even if it’s just a couple of hours you can give, we are always grateful! We also welcome bands and caterers that share our environmental ethos to get in touch, or if you have something unique to offer with a ‘green theme’ you can contact us here for more information about Envirolution 2020.
It’s going to be really special next year, and the excitement and energy that makes this event happen is already well under way! So make sure you contact us TODAY to find out how you can take part in a fabulous festival and do your bit for the environment!
It’s been a busy weekend in the City of Manchester, Extinction Rebellionhave been out on the streets, bringing their non-violent action climate protest, to a street near you, and what a beautiful Northern Rebellion it has been!
The peaceful protest, which ended yesterday with a ceremony around the big yellow boat situated on Deansgate, has been perfectly executed by the Extinction Rebellion Crew to bring awareness and enjoyment to the citizens of Manchester.
And, happily, thanks to the full cooperation between Greater Manchester Police and the XR organisers, there has been no trouble, and no arrests have been made throughout the duration of the protest.
So, what has this weekend’s activities all been about?
In a rather sobering report from the WWF scientists, who
track the existence of life on earth as we know it, state that humans are
responsible for wiping out around 60% of all birds, mammals, fish and reptiles
since 1970.
Speaking to Jo, one of the XR supporters attending the protest
at the weekend, it was clear that this message from the scientists is having a
profound effect on some, if not all of us, making people like Jo feel compelled
to act.
In an interview for Envirolution and questioned on how environmental
campaigners can continue to get their message out to those who have not yet
woken up to the crisis Jo stated;
“I’m not an activist, I’m a mother of three. I’ve given up my job to do this, because I’m scared and people are scared. Just because they are choosing not to be here, doesn’t mean they are not scared. we need to get more people like me to talk about this as a shared human experience and we need to normalise this and give permission for people to talk about it”.
During the interview, it was clear that Jo was
particularly emotional and impassioned about the climate crisis affecting
humanity.
She went on to say how apologetic she and the rest of XR were
for causing a disruption, and also how she would much rather not have to do
this, preferring to have a night in her own bed and see her husband and
children to spending sleepless nights on Deansgate.
However, and this was the key to Jo’s personal reasons for taking part in Northern Rebellion, it was all about the human connection to the climate crisis and the connection to each other that spurred Jo on.
And the visibility of protesting in such a high-profile
fashion is just one of a series of ways to raise awareness.
Since giving up her job, Jo has also given talks to
groups and taken the XR message to the doorsteps of local communities, and she
was not afraid to admit the whole thing brings tears to her eyes, which is part
of her very appeal, as she engages with you on a very human level.
Over Consumption causing the Climate Crisis
And rather poignantly, as you look around Manchester at the
shoppers encouraged to ‘buy more stuff’ you see the connection between humanity
and the threat to the survival of civilisation are inextricably linked.
‘Bigger, better, cheaper, more, more, more…’ or, ‘buy this
and your life will be improved’ are messages we are openly and subliminally fed;
in shop windows, on our television screens, on our laptops, audibly on the
radio and music streaming services and in magazines and newspapers we read
every day.
Increased human consumption of everything
means more greenhouse gases are being produced, meaning the earth is heating up
which means that ice caps are melting, fires are raging and basically, our
fragile eco-system simply can not cope.
All of these changes to our climate are leading to an
increase in extreme weather events, rising sea levels and the extinction of a
massive range of species as in the WWF report.
What Can Humanity do to Reverse the Impact of Climate Change?
So, what can we, as ordinary human beings, do to reverse the
impact of climate change?
Julia
Steinberger, Professor of Ecological Economics at Leeds University,
studies the fascinating subject of the relationships between the use of
resources and the performance of societies.
In her speech in front of a packed crowd on Sunday afternoon,
she spoke of the importance of teaching our children critical
thinking skills and about questioning the messages we are fed on a
daily basis, designed purely to create manipulated thinking.
She spoke about the what we need to live well, and a need for an opposition to consumerism to drive the climate message.
However, and this is the human connection that people like Julia
and Jo are so very good at, within her address Julia spoke about mass consumption
being the real problem, and rather than expecting us to all give up on our one
holiday a year abroad, it is an introduction of frequent flier levies, opposing
airport expansion and making more towns and cities traffic free that will have a
more wide reaching impact.
She also made reference to the generation of advertisers who
promoted smoking as cool and the candy cigarettes that were popular with kids,
saying ‘Who are we to ever tell people what to do or what to give up? But what
we can do is read the scientific evidence around climate change and try to
change our own habits to make that difference’.
So, for example, if somebody does not want to commit to
giving up meat entirely, that is their choice, but the fact that they are
prepared to reduce their consumption is a step in the right direction and has
to be seen as a good thing.
The Joy of XR
And so, as my time at XR Northern Rebellion came to a close,
and I marvelled at the impact of the absence of traffic in the centre of
Manchester, (no polluted air, the freedom to wander blithely down the middle of
the road, children and dogs playing happily), and I felt the deep joy of
dancing in the middle of Deansgate to the magnificent Drum Machine, I couldn’t
help but think wouldn’t it be wonderful if this atmosphere was replicated on
high streets up and down the U.K.
And with lots more planned events and a growing
support for the movement, it actually could be.
XR are fully committed to their 3 Demands of the U.K
Government, Tell the Truth, Act Now and Citizens Assembly;
all they would really like is for more ordinary people like me and you to join
them, listen to their message and pick up the baton.
Contact us
So if you want to know more about the XR network or Envirolution with regards to direct
non-violent climate action, you can contact us here.
We love to hear your views and ideas, and we are currently
busy planning our 10th Envirolution Festival for May 2020, so if you
want to get involved, we always have a need for volunteers or local action
groups who want to take part!
Contact us TODAY to find out more!
XR as they are also known, received a massive Envirolution welcome to our home city this weekend, as they set up their non-violent action climate protest in the very heart of Manchester.
Deansgate and John Dalton Street became traffic free
zones as Extinction Rebellion Manchesterset
up camp in one of the most polluted parts of the city, usually bumper to bumper
with cars, buses and taxis.
And as afternoon progressed in to evening over the city
centre shoppers were treated to a carnival atmosphere, with DJ’s,
talks and workshops taking place, drawing much attention to their campaign.
But there is so more meaning to their movement than just having a good time.
XR Climate Rebellion John Dalton Street Manchester
Existential Threat to Humanity
Speaking to Envirolution, Zoe from Extinction Rebellion Manchester had this to say;
“It’s about raising awareness of the climate and
ecological crisis”.
And she added that partly as a result of their non-violent action in London in April this year, Parliament passed a motion of climate and ecological environmental emergency.
Which all sounds like great news for the planet.
However, Zoe went on to say that unfortunately, this motion “wasn’t legally binding” and that actually, nothing is happening, humanity is facing an “existential threat to humanity”, so they continue to be fully committed to keeping up pressure on the government by taking direct action and making their demands heard.
Extinction Rebellion 3 Demands
Extinction Rebellion is an international network and consider
themselves to be ‘apolitical’. Their demands are aimed at governments around
the globe, and here in the U.K their 3 demands are as follows:
Tell the Truth
XR want the government to work with the media and other
institutions throughout the country to make sure the actual truth about the
climate and ecological crisis is communicated accurately to all citizens,
because many still don’t realise the extent, or the threat, of the disaster
that we are heading towards.
Act Now
The second demand from XR is for the government to reduce
carbon emissions to Net Zero for 2025. And whilst they acknowledge there is a commitment
to achieve this by 2050 it’s too slow and too far in the future for any
politicians to act upon. Moreover, science dictates this needs to happen sooner
so XR would like politicians to act now and ‘gear up society’ to create the
changes that are needed NOW.
Citizens Assembly
The third demand from XR is for a legally binding Citizens
Assembly. In other words, people chosen at random, representing the population
and similar to a jury, who are able to suggest proposals that the government
has to act upon in everyone’s best interests and with advice taken from independent
experts to help in the decision-making process.
XR Principles and Values
XR Working for All of Us
One thing XR are keen to point out is they really don’t want
to disrupt people’s lives.
In fact, they are particularly apologetic, saying they fully
understand that some people might find the interruptions to their normal
routine frustrating.
However, XR are keen to get the message out there that the
reasons they are taking this direct action is because decades of ‘polite
campaigning’ simply hasn’t worked, and governments are not keeping their
citizens safe.
And with the impact of extreme
weather events such as the floods we have seen this summer in the Peak
District and in Yorkshire, it’s clear their message needs to be heard.
So, if that means turning John Dalton Street into a green
space, and Deansgate into a full-on climate emergency festival site complete with
big Yellow Boat and Yoga sessions for the kids, let’s have more of it we say!
And to be honest, writing about XR Manchester in one blog hardly does justice to the campaigning efforts of these dedicated individuals, many of whom are ordinary people who have never been involved in activism before, yet are turning to XR out of a real fear for the future we face.
People like Jo, a mother of three, (who hadn’t slept very much at all), who described herself as ‘not a hippy’ just an ordinary human being who feels compelled to act for the benefit of her children and her children’s children.
In an impassioned interview, Jo spoke of the connection with
humanity and how these protests and direct non-violent campaigns were vital to
push for change from governments if we are to have any kind of future on this
planet.
So, out of full respect for Jo, we are going to write
another blog very soon for Envirolution, outlining more of what she had to say
and focus on the very real human side of this crisis we all face.
The Greatest Threat To Our Planet
Contact us
In the meantime, if you want to know more about the work XR or Envirolution are involved in with regards to direct non-violent climate action, you can contact us here.
We always love to hear from you, and we are currently busy
planning our 10th Envirolution Festival for May 2020, so if you want
to get involved, we always have a need for volunteers or local action groups
who want to take part!
Watch out for our Second blog dedicated to XR Manchester or
contact us TODAY to find out more!
‘What is fracking and why is it bad for the environment?’ is a rather pertinent subject to be discussing in our blog this week.
For no sooner had the energy company Cuadrilla started
the fracking process again at the plant on Preston New Road in Lancashire, than
they had to stop, due to the largest earth tremor ever to be recorded at the
site taking place earlier this week.
This latest shutdown comes less than a week since work
commenced following the previous earth tremors in 2018, caused due to operations
at the site near to the Fylde Coast in Lancashire.
And figures from the British
Geological Survey website outline the number of recorded seismic
activity events in the area in 2018 alone, to be around 50.
So, if you live in an area where fracking is an issue
that concerns you, or if you want to know more about what the impact of
fracking is on the environment, read on!
What is Fracking?
‘Fracking’ is a term used to represent the process of Hydraulic Fracturing of the earth in order to draw down into the gas and oil minerals beneath the surface, in effect mining for a fossil fuel.
This hydraulic fracturing involves injecting water, sand and
chemicals at high pressure to literally fracture the shale rocks below the
earth’s surface and release the gas.
The process starts off by vertically drilling down into the
rock, then there can be any number of horizontal shoots drilled off from the
original well; these fractures can extend for up to two miles away from the
original well.
Which basically means that fracking could extend under
people’s homes and properties and there is little they can do about it.
Why is Fracking so bad for the environment?
Before answering this it’s worth remembering of course, the
energy companies, and organisations producing reports sponsored by energy
companies, will have you believe that fracking isn’t bad for the environment.
Which, considering the financial gains these companies stand
to make, means their motives are questionable and reports unbalanced.
However, when reading scientific reports, including this
latest paper from the Oxford Research Encyclopaedias on Global
Public Health, researchers Irene Gorski and Brian Schwartz discuss the physical
and social impact on communities as well as the impact on climate change; and
it doesn’t make good reading.
Evidence points towards a particularly negative impact on pregnancy and birth weight, and although studies are still very much underway, health implications from water and air pollution linked to certain types of cancer and neurodegenerative disease, can not be ruled out.
In addition, the United
Nations calls climate change the ‘defining issue of our time’, and the
IPCC state in no uncertain terms, that ‘replacing fossil fuels with renewable
energy sources’ is just one of the measures needed to reduce the impact of climate
change.
What about Fracking Globally?
Although the current U.K Government have given the go ahead
for fracking to take place, there are many countries, including France, Germany,
Bulgaria and Ireland that have banned the drilling for shale gas completely.
China, Poland, Canada, Argentina and the U.S are among some
of the world’s biggest contributors to the fracking industry, however both New
York and Maryland State have banned the practice, and other countries are
examining the impact and building a resistance network.
Here in the U.K there are over 100 licences for fracking to take place, with many being in the North of England, and Preston New Road being at the centre of much of the controversy and news coverage.
Resistance to Fracking
Public support for the anti-fracking movement has always
been strong, particularly at the Lancashire site.
And in one way or another, activists have been defending
the site for over 7 years, as the first earth tremors brought on by
drilling were felt way back in 2011.
Since then, there have been many public votes and protests,
with Greenpeace getting involved and launching a campaign outside the former
chancellor, George
Osborne’s Cheshire home in 2013 by setting up a mock drilling rig in the
leafy constituency.
The campaigners built up a great deal of support, and were victorious in 2015 when Lancashire County Council blocked the applications from Cuadrilla to frack at Preston New Road and another similar site in the region.
Unfortunately, a year later this was overturned by Sajid Javid the then Home Secretary, and fracking was once again very much on the agenda for local communities, as the energy firm started construction of the drilling wells in the early part of 2017.
However, resistance to fracking is in many ways stronger than ever, with many action groups both locally and nationally set up to fight the fracking industry. In Lancashire, where many of the sites are commissioned, activists have been particularly dedicated to the cause, holding regular protests and ensuring there is a presence at the Preston New Road site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In addition, there are national groups such as Frack Off, who offer a wealth of information and useful resources for your local groups to tap in to.
Contact us
So if you are part of a local anti-fracking group or you want
to find out more about the impact of fracking, or you are interested in getting
involved in any Climate Action, why not contact us here?
After all, when fracking for shale gas is banned in many countries and the process is literally fracturing the earth we inhabit, is it not an issue we should all be concerned about?
Why is plastic bad for the environment? It’s long-lasting, durable, cheap to produce and can be manufactured in to almost any shape or size of product on the planet.
Oh, and it’s ridiculously strong. So why is it such a problem
to environmentalists and one of the single biggest contributors to the ever-looming
climate catastrophe?
Where do we begin with this one?
The best place to start is at the beginning, and the beginnings
of plastic come from crude oil.
Then there’s the amount that is produced, in particular, in
single use items such as plastic drinks bottles, carrier bags, drinking straws and
single use, plastic cutlery used in takeaways and containers for toiletries or
cleaning products.
Then, at the end of its use the amount of plastic that is disposed
of, often irresponsibly, that makes its way in to our oceans and animal
feeds.
And, if plastic does finally make its way to a recycling
centre, there’s only a limited amount of plastic that is actually recyclable,
the rest goes to landfill; and this takes hundreds of years to decompose, if at
all.
So, you want to know more about why plastic is bad for the environment? Read on here!
How is plastic made?
Plastic is made from petroleum, or more accurately oil,
which means that for every piece of plastic produced, this is depleting the natural
oil supplies, in fact, around 10% of global oil
supplies goes on producing plastic.
Plastic is also made from natural gases, so considering
there is almost
300 million tonnes of plastic produced globally each year, the amount
of energy used in the extraction of the raw materials, the disruption of local
eco-systems, the energy used to process these materials in to the finished products,
plus finishing techniques including dying and printing, the impact on the
environment is astronomical.
Where do we use plastic?
There are a wide variety of different plastics being
produced, the most common ones are listed here, and
you will find plastic used literally everywhere in our daily lives.
In our homes and the construction industry with items such
as PVC windows and doors, in car manufacturing, in food and drinks packaging,
toiletries, detergents, agriculture, gardening products, even clothing,
accessories and stationery; not to mention the machinery that goes in to
producing all of these items.
The list is endless for where we use plastic, and as we’ve
already mentioned, one of the biggest culprits contributing to the climate
catastrophe is single use plastic.
There has been a fight back in recent years against single
use plastic, including the retail sector introducing a charge for plastic
carrier bags, bars and restaurants switching from plastic straws to paper ones,
(although this is not
always the answer), and the return to the good old fashioned milk man
with reusable glass bottles.
There has also been a significant endorsement from the highly
regarded naturalist David Attenborough in the fight against single use plastic
with what has become known as the ‘Blue
Planet effect’, which brought the effects of single use plastic on our
oceans and animals in to our living rooms earlier this year with the critically
acclaimed T.V show.
Where does plastic end up?
According to the Plastic Free
Challenge, globally only 10% – 13% of all plastics are recycled, and in
the UK, we are just as guilty of not recycling as much as we should. This is
largely down to a lack of provision of recycling centres by local authorities and,
thanks to the confusion over what is ‘good plastic’ for recycling and what is
not, a lack of confidence on behalf of the consumer.
So, what happens to all of our plastic waste?
Well, it may cause shock and dismay, but the reality is that
a large quantity of our plastic waste is shipped overseas.
In fact, almost two thirds of waste plastic in the UK is
sent abroad; one of the main recipients being China. Although in 2018 China effected
a ban on imports of waste products, meaning countries such as Malaysia, Turkey,
Poland, Indonesia and Vietnam increased their capacity.
Of course, all of this waste going overseas is causing a massive
problem for our oceans and marine wildlife. Pictures of turtles and dolphins
swimming amongst huge amounts of illegally dumped waste is commonplace, with
many dying as a result of swallowing plastic bags that are mistaken for food.
And approximately one
million seabirds have died as a result of ingesting plastic, with the
figures continuing to rise.
How can we safely dispose of plastic?
This is a tough one, because there really is no safe way to
dispose of plastic. If it doesn’t end up polluting our oceans and rivers and does
makes its way to landfill, it can take up to 1000 years for it to decompose!
And when somebody next asks you, ‘why is plastic bad for the environment?’ Remind them of the headlines that the UN have reported we have only 12 years left to reverse the unimaginable damage to the planet the human race is creating.
So here at Envirolution HQ we believe the best way to deal with
the plastic crisis is to remember the simple mantra reduce, recycle, reuse and refuse.
If we all commit to reducing our use of single use plastic
by changing our purchasing habits, and doing our best to recycle where we can,
it will make a difference. We can also look at ways of reusing
plasticin creative ways and simply refusing to use companies who are
not committed to the reduction of plastic in their business model.
Contact Us
So, the evidence is pretty clear as to why plastic is bad for the environment and is one of the biggest contributors to climate catastrophe, but there is hope and we can all do something about it.
If you have any fabulous ideas you would like to share about
how to reuse plastic or you would like to know more about our campaigns you can
contact us here we
are always happy to hear from environmental campaigners, whether you are just starting
out or you are a seasoned crusader, there is no time like the present to get
involved!
And if you interested in visiting us at our Festival next year, there
will be loads of great recycling ideas on display and a chance to get involved with
like minded organisations, dedicated to making a difference.
‘How easy is it to go meat free?’ is a question that many meat-eating consumers with a conscience ask themselves on a regular basis.
And it would appear, that’s quite a lot of you. Figures show
that the trend for a lifestyle that is meat and animal product free has grown
rapidly in the last decade, with The
Vegan Society reporting a massive rise to over half a million people
now following a vegan diet.
And with a further 1.4 million people following a slightly
less meticulous vegetarian diet, the trend for a more sustainable and cruelty
free diet shows no signs of slowing down.
Which is all great news for the planet, as the amount of greenhouse
gases produced by agriculture is particularly damaging.
Let’s not be too prim here, we are especially talking about
methane, a highly potent gas that is produced when cows burp or fart. A gas
which over a twenty-year period, traps 84
times more heat than Carbon Dioxide.
And these are the gases which are damaging the ozone layer,
causing temperatures to rise which is effectively leading to extreme weather
conditions that we wrote about here,
last week.
Furthermore, the link between eating meat and the risk
to health is a well-established fact, with certain cancers, stroke and
heart disease being linked to red and processed meats.
So, just how easy is it to be ‘meat free?’ carry on reading
to find out!
Alternatives to meat
Choosing a diet free from meat, fish or poultry, might fill
some people with dread; what do you eat when you want a cooked breakfast for
example, or if you have the family coming around for a good old-fashioned
Sunday roast?
Well, to reassure you straight away, the vegetarian diet has
come a long way since cheese on toast or omelette and chips were the staple
foods for non-meat eaters.
And sincethe wife of a very famous musician started out
almost 30 years ago as one of the original vegetarian food producers for the
mass consumer market, there are a myriad of choices out there for people
looking for a tasty and healthy alternative to eating meat.
High protein substitutes such as Tofu and Quorn
have seen a dramatic rise in their sales figures, and can be used as sausages,
burgers and in stews, casseroles or Bolognese.
And there are new products being developed every day in laboratories
across the globe, as food technology becomes more advanced and scientists
develop more products based on soy or wheat protein.
Vegan diet
For many however, this doesn’t go far enough, opting to eliminate
all animal by products in addition to no longer eating meat.
This includes cutting out dairy, eggs and honey, and for
people who opt to follow a vegan lifestyle,
the wearing of any animal products (for example leather), and using products
that are not tested on animals is also an important factor.
To follow this kind of diet, you have to ensure you get your
vitamins and nutrients from a variety of sources. Eating plenty of fresh fruit
and vegetables especially ones that are rich in iron such as spinach, is a must,
pulses, beans and nuts too, provide proteins and wholemeal rice and pasta
provide the carbs to keep your energy levels and fibre intake at optimum
levels.
Flexitarian diet
People who don’t want to commit to a strict vegan diet yet
still want to eat more healthily and do their bit for the planet can opt for a plant
based or flexitarian diet.
This means cutting down on your meat intake, but not ruling
it out completely.
So, building your diet around plants and vegetables is going
to be better for the planet and your overall health without the rigidity of
cutting out meat, and means you can take the process a little more slowly if
that is your ultimate aim.
A plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables has a much
higher fibre intake than one where meat is the main source of protein.
And a diet that is rich in fibre is better for heart health,
leading to a reduction in heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and hyper-tension.
Additional benefits to having a flexitarian diet means
cutting down on processed foods such as trans fatty acids and unnatural
processed sugars, which can lead to diabetes and different types of cancer.
The importance of nutrients
The most important thing to consider when you are deciding
to change your diet is that you get all the important nutrients and vitamins
that you could leave yourself short of from other sources.
Spinach, kale, dried fruits, peas, beans and other pulses are all rich in iron for example; and to make sure you absorb the iron into your body, you need to take in plenty of foods rich in vitamin C such as fruits and vegetables.
Interestingly, there are certain food and drinks which limit
your iron intake.
Tea, coffee and dairy products can stop your body from absorbing
iron, so do some research first before any massive dietary change and listen to
your own body.
If you start to feel extreme tiredness or you get ‘aching
leg’ syndrome at night, this could be an indication that you are iron
deficient, and you need to up your intake.
Contact Us
So, we asked ‘how easy is it to go meat free’ or simply to cut down on your meat consumption to improve your health and have less impact on the environment, and the answer is, very easy.
There are loads of options and alternatives so why not give
it a try?
And if you are interested in improving your health and doing
your bit for the planet by reducing your meat consumption, then why not contact
us here to discuss
your ideas or even recommend your own delicious meat-free recipes?
We are always looking for new and fresh ideas, and who knows,
the best ones may get published on our website or used at our Festival next year!
In the meantime, enjoy experimenting and trying new meat-free
foods!
The real impact of climate change and how it affects our
towns and cities is a topic that is particularly relevant at the moment.
In the last week, many areas predominantly in the North of England, have experienced devastating flooding, with towns such as Poynton and Bramall in Cheshire receiving a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours.
And all 6500 residents in Whaley Bridge have been advised to
evacuate their homes due to a dam being critically damaged at the Toddbrook
Reservoir, and the River Goyt below, already at bursting point, meaning a
threat to life is a very real danger.
The Yorkshire Dales has also witnessed shocking scenes over
the last few days, with one farmer losing up to 80 sheep, plus silage and
farming land, to the flash
flooding.
So, can this latest bout of flash floods be attributed to Climate Change, or is this just an isolated incident? And what about other areas of the UK, how are they being affected, and more importantly, what can be done about it?
