Depleting biodiversity and global viruses

In these challenging times its important to find out why we are having a global pandemic, our natural world is depleting and humans and wildlife are becoming entwined in desperate environments.
I have found a number of articles relating to serious viruses jumping from animals to humans.

The Backstory of Covid 19

Biodiversity loses the real costs

I look at how wet markets run in China, the government has since banned these markets. The problem off cause is due to poverty people have been taking wild animals from the natural world and keeping them in poor conditions creating the new virus covid-19.

“We invade tropical forests and other wild landscapes, which harbour so many species of animals and plants – and within those creatures, so many unknown viruses,” David Quammen, author of Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Pandemic, recently wrote in the New York Times. “We cut the trees; we kill the animals or cage them and send them to markets. We disrupt ecosystems, and we shake viruses loose from their natural hosts. When that happens, they need a new host. Often, we are it.”

The reasons for why wet markets are creating new viruses can be explained in the short documentary below.

Single use Plastic Bans

Single use plastic is currently being banned in various forms to reduce plastic waste in our oceans. 

The EU are currently creating future bans to help reduce ocean plastic pollution which is effecting our natural world drawing down oxygen levels and killing millions of living creatures. 

Reducing individual plastic use can have an impact when you consider multiple amounts of people all doing the same choices.

Using your on biodegradable shopping bags, using your own drinks flasks all helps.

Considering products that do not contain plastic is also a better choice.

Up Cycling in Design

Up Cycling :Sustainable Design

Decorating an old Fashion Mannequin with buttons saved from a previous fashion business, more buttons to add using dress makers pins with pearl and diamanté tips. 

Added more buttons to up cycled project button adornment on mannequin.

Completed Homage to Fashion Mannequin using buttons and studs from my previous fashion business. I have attached them using pins with pearl ends and therefore can use the buttons if needed and can enjoy looking at them all embellishing my old fashion mannequin. 







Upcycling and using up things that you already own into new exciting fashion items to wear or for the home is the new genre. Fashion products are encompassing this new look which can be described as Steam Punk, shabby chic.

To reduce carbon emissions reducing waste is a key factor in sustainable living, currently their are a number of ways that people can link to this age old way of renewing and re using. one of which is crafting your own artifacts, interior pieces and clothing. As a designer and a teacher encouraging and nurturing peoples desires to be more eco conscious and to reduce waste, creatives are offering small craft projects in local areas in church halls, schools and clubs.

Creative works shops and current TV programmes including finding project ideas at local tips and re using by customizing old furniture and pieces of vintage fabrics into new art concepts from old warn out products is helping reduce climate change.
As I am currently working as a supply teacher covering art lessons, DT and textiles I am looking into developing my own areas of interest including jewellery projects in which I would access a short jewellery course in Nottingham to help me with my craft practice in this area.
Other areas of interest would be to develop a small courses myself within Art printing and design development, possible Photoshop for textiles including repeat pattern developments for art and craft enthusiasts and current crafters.

I have recently attended a number of Christmas craft fairs were I have viewed a number of upcycled craft stalls created some lovely ideas. Within my MA I have created processes to eliminate chemical dyes and printing inks, developing my own inks for writing and inks for printing. using natures colours within my local area i.e nettle dyes and blackberry, avocado pips and other natural colours has inspired me to consider sharing this with other craft people and artisans.

Hand made Rare Rabbits photographed by Terry Williams for Lofthandmade.

Loft Handmade are a local group who work out of Edingley  Church hall who currently run small workshops, knit and natter groups and have crafts for sale in their studio space. Also their is a large collection of fabrics , buttons and haberdashery. They also over a knit and natter group were all age groups are welcome.

Climate Change Debate

Climate Change Emergency.

25 years ago there was another young activist.

climate Change Debate

This week many people across the globe have been demonstrating for climate change through actively grouping together and marching.Collectively requesting that governments create more opportunity to encourage and create more green environments, more sustainable energy.The removal of plastic waste, the need to save the destruction of our natural habitats and to stop the current tipping points of our climate change future. Protecting current species and prevent the extinction of our wildlife and bio diversity.

In order to do this we all need to change our habits, consider what we are buying and what effect our purchases are doing to the environment. Considering greener products, removing unnecessary plastics from our individual shopping bags us one way of achieving this. Using our own re usable water bottles, buying glass bottled milk, shopping locally at farm.shops and local stores that don’t use single use plastics is one simple yet important aspect if every day life. If we all make current changes we can help maintain a greener environment and reduce climate change.
The following manifesto has been created by the Marine Conservation society to lay down what is needed to improve Oceans and marine life.

Allotments : A new trend for Sustainable living

New fresh greens from the Allotment.

Outdoor Tomato growing.

Organic growing doesn’t take too much work, a bit more weeding but the benefits are greater. Organic veg is proven to be better for you.

A pond can add natures ability to create a biodiversity environment reducing greenfly and slugs using small pond creatures like frogs and dragonfly.

Fruit trees apples, pears, damsons, rosehips, elderflowers and blackberries ideal for juicing.Ideal to transfers your diet to a more veg based menu.

The Great British Allotment
The link above is a great article on the ever developing desire for people to become self sufficient.

What to do with all your courgettes?

Courgettes are very easy to grow and you don’t need to many plants. Grating then and adding corn and spices fritters are a great alternative to animal meat burgers.

Allotment courgette and corn.

Courgette and corn fritter ideal veggie alternative to meat burgers.

Ingredients: a couple of grated courgette, small tin of sweet corn or fresh, couple of eggs, milk and flour approx 50 grams. Spice smoked paprika,chilli, garlic.

Mix together and fry. Make sure you don’t make them too big and add milk and flour to create a consistency that works. Should look like a batter mix.

Farming within our Oceans

Farming seaweed for sustainable use and to reduce climate change is developing across the globe including coral growing to replenish depleting reefs to sea weed development to replenish seaweed forests, sea grass and other important oxygen creating forna via the sea Seaweed is fast growing and it also obsorbs carbon reducing carbon emissions.

Plastic Waste bans on single use plastics

A number of single use plastic bans have been introduced across the globe including the well known Glastonbury Festival who currently ban single use plastic from their festival. A number of cities have also introduced the ban, plastic straws have also been banned in the Uk.

The clip above shows how much damage can be caused to our natural world from single use plastic use.

Penzance has gone plastic free, the first city in England to do so. Due to the devistation that single use plastic is doing to our wildlife.

Sainsbury’s reducing plastic waste

Ikea to use decomposable foam for packaging.

  

Ikea Sustainable packaging

Airline creates air meals without single use plastic 

airline packaging non plastic