🌱 The Grumpy Optimists #132

🌱 The Grumpy Optimists #132

Happy Monday. 👋

Welcome back to your bi-weekly newsletter that makes you feel better about the state of the planet. In a fortnight where Labour won the UK election, and the Green Party came second in tens of seats, there is a lot to be optimistic about; especially now the UK has a government that recognises the opportunity of reaching net zero. As a quick summary, let’s look at what Labour plans to do for the planet with its Green Prosperity Plan.

  • Launch a publicly owned clean energy company called GB Energy
  • Cut emissions by two-thirds by 2030
  • Mandate corporate transition plans
  • Build offshore wind and remove the effective ban on on-shore wind farms
  • End new fossil fuel drilling projects
  • Create 650,000 new jobs

That’s a lot of things to be optimistic about. Now, it’s time for them to happen. As always, I’ve found plenty of other reasons to be optimistic this week. I have a great song recommendation and a very accurate meme. Let’s dig in. 👇


👀 Articles to read

🛢️ Arctic ban on dirty fossil fuel comes into place. A new regulation banning the dirtiest ship fuel in the Arctic was enacted this week. Heavy-fuel oil (HFO), an inexpensive, thick fuel that emits soot contributing to ice melt, has been prohibited in Antarctica since 2011. Campaigners have long sought to implement a similar ban in the Arctic. Despite achieving this goal, the new law contains notable exemptions. Arctic-bordering nations can exempt their vessels from the ban until 2029.

✌🏻 Supreme court ruling could transform UK oil projects. The UK’s Supreme Court has ruled that local councils must consider the full climate impact, including downstream emissions, of burning oil from new wells, a decision that could affect future UK oil and gas projects. Historically, planning laws only considered the impacts of constructing wells, not the use of the final oil products, which I hope you agree is mental? This new law is a result of the incredible work of campaigner Sarah Finch against the Surrey County Council. Hats off to you Sarah.w

👕 Marks and Spencer launched a clothing repair and alteration service with UK-based startup SOJO. Starting in August, customers can book repairs through an online hub and have their items returned within seven to ten days, with prices starting at £5. SOJO, founded by Josephine Philips in 2021, aims to make clothing repairs more mainstream. Over in France, there are increasing regulations pressuring retailers to adopt practices. Consumers can be offered rebates when repairing their items, for example, €7 for reheeling shoes. With the fashion industry responsible for around 10% of global emissions, this is a positive trend to see more brands shift towards offering repair services.

🥚 AI-powered MRI scanning for eggs. This is a slightly odd one to include, but I thought it was pretty cool and shows the power of technology in tackling broader planetary problems. Did you know that billions of day-old male chicks are culled yearly because they lay no eggs and are of little use to the poultry industry? That’s a lot of dead chicks. Orbem has created an AI-powered MRI scanner for chicken eggs that can detect the sex of an embryo. That’s a pretty mental bit of technology solving a very real issue.

🔨 50% of Kingfisher sales come from sustainable products. DIY giant Kingfisher reports over £6.4bn in sales from Sustainable Home Products, nearly 50% of its total revenue. Kingfisher collaborates with vendors like B&Q and Screwfix on new Scope 3 emission targets and formed a global task force for further reductions. As somebody in the comments rightly pointed out, this does mean that 50% of their sales come from products that aren’t sustainable, but progress is progress.

🚜 Regenerative farming to cut hospitality emissions. Switching to regenerative flour and barley could save 3.6 million tonnes of carbon by 2030, equivalent to over 5.5 million one-way London-New York flights. Flour and barley account for around 2.5% of the hospitality industry's emissions. From my work with Zevero, we found some of our brewing clients have up to 20% of their impact come from malted barley. Regenerative farms have a massive opportunity to change the way we grow and consume food. Companies like Wildfarmed are leading the way. Companies like Gipsy Hill are leading the way by using regen ag in their beers, too.

🪧 Global consensus for climate action - 4 in 5 support more of it. A survey by UNDP, Oxford University, and GeoPoll found 80% of respondents across 77 countries want stronger climate action. Expectedly, support is highest in poorer countries (89%) and significant in G20 nations (76%), China (73%), and the US (66%). The transition to clean energy is supported by 80% of people in China but only 52% in the US, a country that produces the most oil in the world. It’s great to see more people want action, but we need more from politicians and leaders too.


🤝 Climates X Memes

It doesn’t need to be like that. Just speak with me about the work we do with Zevero. 😉


That’s all for this week folks. This episode was written after some fantastic bangers and mash (sausages for the non-brits) and tiramisu. What a Sunday. I’ve enjoyed Olivia Dean’s latest song this week and suggest you listen.

For now, I’ll see you in two weeks.

George, the Grumpy Optimist 💚


P.S. I bloody love getting messages like this from random people on the internet who read the newsletter, so thank you, you wonderful humans.


Awesome read George Wade feels good right now doesn't it?

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Reply
Yee Chow

Net Zero • Climate Tech/ Software • Carbon Markets • Sustainable Fuels

5mo

Indeed. I think Ed Milliband would be great spearheading the plan.

Like
Reply
Felix Edge-Partington

I help you to measure, reduce and communicate your carbon footprint.

5mo

Particularly enjoyed the meme this week! Don't know whether to laugh or cry 😂

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