The vernal equinox

Spring has arrived, if you are a weather forecaster, as it starts on March 1st, whether or nor the sun is hot or snow is thick on the ground.  This always comes ahead of the spring (vernal) equinox, which is popularly said to be the 21st March – next week.  This is when we (non-weather…

100 Family Adventures

The Meeks took 2014-2015 as a family year out of formal education and work to travel round Britain in search of adventure. This book of 100 ideas and activities to get you venturing outside and beyond your comfort zone with your nearest and dearest is the result. Fun and motivating, each double page spread boasts…

Walking Meditation

Every Friday, from 1030 to 1200, starting on April 8th, there will be an introduction to walking as a form of meditation and relaxation in Highbury Park, Kings Heath High Street, Birmingham. This will at times be a slow moving activity to help increase personal and environmental awareness. There are two benefits to Hair up.…

Biochar

Biochar was featured in a recent BBC Countryfile programme in the context of the fight against ash dieback, and there is some evidence that is may have some properties which help trees fight back. Here is a link to some key ideas about it. One of these is that it may be able to combat…

Planet Earth magazine

Planet Earth is a free magazine aimed at the public with an interest in the environmental sciences.  It’s available on-line here, and requests for a print version (available for UK subscribers) can be made here. It is a rich source of up to date information and ideas, and the pictures are wonderful.  Every school should have this in their…

Sustainability and the NHS

Here’s a lively, if a little breathless, video from Barts hospital in London about their successful attempts to be more sustainable; that is, to save money and work more effectively for patient health.  The numbers are impressive.  Barts have made savings of £9.2m and 48,511 tonnes of CO2. The video blurb says that sustainability in the NHS is…

Update from LEEF

LEEF training afternoon: Faith and the environment Friday 11 March 2016, 1.30-6pm, Westminister Abbey Education Centre. This training session will explore the links between faith, plants and the environment in several major world faiths. Discover how environmental educators of all faiths and none are using outdoors spaces to teach environmentalism, spirituality and religious education. The…