PPE plastic pollution now found in our oceans

Article on PPE Pollution

Micro plastics found in Antarctica Ice

                  Antarctica Plastic

Scientists have found micro plastic in sea ice in Antarctica, showing a disturbing trend towards plastic pollution everywhere on earth. It has been 50 years since plastic was produced industrially supposedly better than glass, when it reached beaches people believed it to be saver than glass as it didn’t cut people’s feet. At the time it was considered save as the majority of plastic produced was assumed to be land filled. Due to it taking centuries to decompose we have a disaster ensuing which needs to be dealt with. Making bio degradable plastics is one why to fix this problem, making it edible for wildlife is also beneficial.

The following link explains what has been found in Antarctica ice.

Antarctica plastic

 

Allotment news

The time is right to start to grow your own veg, having an allotment can make this easier, however growing in home made garden boxes can be just as efficient.

Firstly growing from seed and putting them in little seedling pots and then planting out when they are big enough.

Making paper seedling pots can help prevent climate change, waste can reduce natural landscapes and can in hand effect our environment. A lack of natural resources can effect the planets viable sustainability.

Seedlings of Rainbow chard

Cauliflower seedlings these are needing to be re potted into bigger pots.

Beds have been prepared for seeds and will hopefully become seedlings

Trimming the grass using a trimmer makes live easier and also prevents weeds and green fly. The pond has new frogs in which help prevent insects damaging crops.
Ponds within an Allotment helps prevent insect damage and also helps with pollination, visiting bees can drink from the pond and helps with wildlife.

Repairing Oceans globally

Scientists have confirmed that our oceans can be restored in the future if we change our behaviour.

Click on the link for full article Our Oceans Future

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.