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Environment, Sustainable Travel

César Manrique: Art, Nature & Sustainability in Lanzarote

I’m back with another travel tale following a dear friend’s prompting, and this time, we’re talking about a true visionary. If you’ve ever been to the stunning island of Lanzarote, you’ll know that it’s unlike anywhere else. There are no high-rise hotels (bar one!), no gaudy billboards, and a beautiful, harmonious blend of white-washed buildings and dramatic volcanic landscapes. This isn’t an accident. It’s all thanks to one man: César Manrique.

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September 23, 2025
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Environment

Nature in Decline: Why Our Gardens Matter More Than Ever

Our recent Transition Streets session for Dove Park was all about biodiversity, and what better place to discuss it than in a neighbour’s truly magnificent garden! While many of us in Dove Park don’t have sprawling plots, this particular neighbour was fortunate enough to acquire some unused land at the back of their property, creating a wonderful blend of formal garden and a wilder, winding area filled with trees. They’ve even got a fantastic nature pond, built soon after they moved in, which has now beautifully softened with aquatic plants and is teeming with pond life and, importantly, provides a vital drink for thirsty bees. Their chickens, add a wonderfully rural and diverse feel of the place – if you remember an earlier post of mine, we donate our green vegetable trimmings to the chickens, which they love!

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July 30, 2025
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

Penguins on the Edge – What the Latest Science Tells Us About Our Icy Friends (and What We Can Do!)

The planet’s magnificent, mysterious, and utterly vital blue heart is brimming with life, regulating climate, and providing immense beauty and wonder. Among its most iconic inhabitants, and top of my list, are penguins; creatures that symbolise the pristine wilderness of the polar regions and capture the imagination of many, not just me! A profound passion for the planet, its incredible wildlife, and particularly the spectacular island of South Georgia inspires my deep appreciation for these remarkable birds.

However, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of environmental challenges facing the planet, with news often painting a grim picture. Even these seemingly resilient creatures are now facing unprecedented threats.

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July 20, 2025
5749
Environment

Finally! A Ray of Hope for Our Underwater Worlds – And Why David Attenborough Would Approve!

You know how passionate I am about our planet, and particularly the incredible, often-unseen wonders beneath the waves. So this is truly uplifting news from the UK, because it seems we might just be on the cusp of a massive win for our precious marine protected areas!

For what feels like eons, we’ve been hearing about “Marine Protected Areas” (MPAs), often with a cynical little voice in the back of our heads whispering, “Protected from what, exactly, if destructive fishing is still allowed?” It’s been a bit like putting a ‘No Parking’ sign up, but then letting double-decker buses drive straight through your prize-winning petunias, hasn’t it?

But now, the UK government has announced proposals to ban the devastating practice of bottom trawling in 41 offshore MPAs. Could this be the game-changer our UK oceans need?

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June 20, 2025
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Environment

Beyond Bricks and Mortar: ‘That Hempcrete Guy’ Reveals the Carbon-Negative Building Solution We Already Have!

Regular readers here know I’m passionate about exploring sustainable solutions, from the food we eat to the energy we use as well as uncovering those unexpected sustainability individuals who are simply doing right by our planet. In the UK, we’re facing a dual challenge: creating warmer, healthier homes and significantly reducing our carbon footprint. The good news? We have the skills, tools and materials readily available to achieve both, particularly through sustainable building practices. The frustrating part? For some reason, we’re still not utilising these incredible resources, especially when it comes to larger-scale housing developments.

I recently had a fascinating conversation that opened my eyes and really brought this home. My guest, Will Stanwix a.k.a. ‘That Hempcrete Guy’, a pioneer in the world of natural building, shared his journey and insights, highlighting just how much potential we’re sitting on. Another unsung hero quietly championing the use of carbon-negative hempcrete to revolutionise eco-friendly construction and reduce humanity’s environmental footprint.

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June 12, 2025
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Environment

Beyond the Tap: Your Hidden Water Footprint

If you’re anything like me, you probably thought you had a handle on your household water usage. Prepare to have your mind blown! That’s how I felt when we kicked off our nearly last Transition Streets module about water.

We all know about the obvious ways we use water at home – showers, toilets, washing up and laundry. But did you know that your personal “water footprint” is likely far greater than the 150 litres per person per day we typically use in our homes? According to the module notes, the average water footprint is a staggering 3,400 litres per day! Here’s why….

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May 29, 2025
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Environment

Love Food, Reduce Footprint: Diving into the Transition Streets Food Module

If you consider that around 25% of global carbon emissions come from food and agriculture it’s an area where we can have considerable impact on our planet… and on our own health too. But there are so many factors to consider when you start a conversation about the food we buy, from our dietary needs, cooking skills and the time we have, through to cost, environmental impact and animal welfare.

We delved deep into the sometimes daunting world of food at our latest Transitions Street meeting and got stuck into some vital conversations about how we nourish ourselves and our planet.

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May 12, 2025
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

World Penguin Day Calls for Action!

Today, April 25th, marks World Penguin Day – a perfect opportunity to celebrate these incredible, tuxedoed inhabitants of our planet. From the icy plains of Antarctica to the sun-drenched shores of the Galápagos, penguins captivate us with their charm and resilience. But beneath the adorable waddle and the impressive dives lies a stark reality … many penguin species are facing a perilous future.

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April 25, 2025
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

An Invitation to Protect Our Oceans: Underwater Gardens

Remember the two coral frames we sponsored through Reefscapers at the Four Seasons in the Maldives? Following my last blog, “Finding our Sustainable Footprints from Local lanes to Distant shores,” where our group discussed ways of ‘offsetting’ our travel abroad, I wanted to revisit these little underwater gardens that we sponsored in 2022 and 2023 putting them uppermost in our minds as a small example of a way to ‘pay back’ for our travel footprint.

Let’s dive into the progress of our adopted reefs.

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April 21, 2025
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

Finding Our Sustainable Footprints, From Local Lanes to Distant Shores

Our little corner of Chorleywood gathered together on a cold March evening, for a thoughtful discussion on something that touches all our lives: travel. With a focus on sustainability, we delved into the nitty-gritty of our local transport options and broadened our horizons to consider the impact of our holidays.

It was an uplifting discussion, with many different opinions and inputs. Here are our outcomes….

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April 14, 2025
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