Ubuntu Studio’s positive news round-up
Ubuntu Thoughts / 5 Min read
Friday 20th May, 2022
Callum Berry
Content & Media Manager
Content & Media Manager
Hello there readers! We return once again to deliver you some joy on this wonderful Friday with positive news about the environment. Let’s go…
Is the future food insects?
It may seem reminiscent of an episode of I’m a Celebrity, but dining on the likes of lab-grown meat or ground-up insects could lead to big savings in carbon emissions and waste—as well as freeing up land for greater biodiversity to flourish.
Scientists in Finland studied the nutritional profile of alternative meat sources and looked at three measures of environmental pressure: the use of water, land and potential carbon emissions.
According to their research, switching meat, dairy and other animal products for alternative foods could reduce the impact on all three of these areas by more than 80%, while providing a more complete range of essential nutrients than a purely vegetarian or vegan diet. If the evangelists for eating insects are to be believed, orthoptera, larvae and any number of the 900+ edible species of insects could form a regular part of his future diet. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has urged that we all make more of this “underutilised” resource. And given the issues of food supply sustainability, it may not be a question of choice.
It feels like a big step from the foods we’re used to consuming in the West, however an insect-supplemented foods are part of a regular diet for many around the world. The response in the Ubuntu Studios office is a mixed one—while we are 100% behind the need to shift away from the current intensive farming practices and find alternative sources of protein, we may need to take some careful steps before we jump head first
Scientists in Finland studied the nutritional profile of alternative meat sources and looked at three measures of environmental pressure: the use of water, land and potential carbon emissions.
According to their research, switching meat, dairy and other animal products for alternative foods could reduce the impact on all three of these areas by more than 80%, while providing a more complete range of essential nutrients than a purely vegetarian or vegan diet. If the evangelists for eating insects are to be believed, orthoptera, larvae and any number of the 900+ edible species of insects could form a regular part of his future diet. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has urged that we all make more of this “underutilised” resource. And given the issues of food supply sustainability, it may not be a question of choice.
It feels like a big step from the foods we’re used to consuming in the West, however an insect-supplemented foods are part of a regular diet for many around the world. The response in the Ubuntu Studios office is a mixed one—while we are 100% behind the need to shift away from the current intensive farming practices and find alternative sources of protein, we may need to take some careful steps before we jump head first
Make your mine-d up
NGO Green Forests Work (GFW) is restoring forests on lands impacted by coal surface mining projects.
Surface mining is a technique used when coal is less than 200 feet underground. Large machines remove the topsoil and layers of rock and expose coal seams, and miners often dynamite the tops of mountains and remove them to access the seams.
To reverse this damage, Green Forests Work set up in 2009 to restore mined lands by planting nearly 4 million native trees across more than 6,000 acres.
“Many mined lands are among the best places to plant trees for the purposes of mitigating climate change. Because the soils of reclaimed mined lands initially have very little organic carbon, they can serve as carbon sinks for decades, if not centuries, as the forests grow and build the soils,” Michael French, GFW Director of Operations explains to UN News.
The recent COP26 report from the IPCC highlighted yet again the need for greater investment in biodiversity to help create more carbon sinks and save the catastrophic dwindling wildlife that are being destroyed due to climate change. Little glimmers like this from GFW show how we can, if we work together, restore lands before it’s too late.
Surface mining is a technique used when coal is less than 200 feet underground. Large machines remove the topsoil and layers of rock and expose coal seams, and miners often dynamite the tops of mountains and remove them to access the seams.
To reverse this damage, Green Forests Work set up in 2009 to restore mined lands by planting nearly 4 million native trees across more than 6,000 acres.
“Many mined lands are among the best places to plant trees for the purposes of mitigating climate change. Because the soils of reclaimed mined lands initially have very little organic carbon, they can serve as carbon sinks for decades, if not centuries, as the forests grow and build the soils,” Michael French, GFW Director of Operations explains to UN News.
The recent COP26 report from the IPCC highlighted yet again the need for greater investment in biodiversity to help create more carbon sinks and save the catastrophic dwindling wildlife that are being destroyed due to climate change. Little glimmers like this from GFW show how we can, if we work together, restore lands before it’s too late.
It’s written in the stars
If there’s one good thing that came out of the recent pandemic, it’s that emissions dropped significantly due to reduced manufacturing and fewer vehicles on our roads. We all remember the countless stories that popped up about wildlife returning to urban areas as we all stayed indoors?
Well, stargazers too have been enjoying the fruits of a changing world, with the best view of the night sky since 2011. Light pollution has dropped sharply during the pandemic lockdowns and the levels continue to fall despite restrictions having been lifted.
Reasons light pollution has fallen, according to the charity, include households being more conscious about wasting energy due to high prices, and councils reducing street lighting. A continued trend of home working has also caused a reduction in light pollution from offices.
Whilst the state of the UK’s cost of living is concerning, at least there is a ‘kind of’ positive coming from it…maybe? Let us know what you think.
Well, stargazers too have been enjoying the fruits of a changing world, with the best view of the night sky since 2011. Light pollution has dropped sharply during the pandemic lockdowns and the levels continue to fall despite restrictions having been lifted.
Reasons light pollution has fallen, according to the charity, include households being more conscious about wasting energy due to high prices, and councils reducing street lighting. A continued trend of home working has also caused a reduction in light pollution from offices.
Whilst the state of the UK’s cost of living is concerning, at least there is a ‘kind of’ positive coming from it…maybe? Let us know what you think.
Well that’s all from us at Ubuntu, we hope that we gave you the lift you needed to power through the last few hours of Friday! Have a great weekend, and be sure to follow our socials so you know when the next PNR comes out (every Friday).
Got an interesting story you’d like us to highlight? Feel free to send in your ideas to callum@ubuntustudio.co.uk and you could be featured in an upcoming PNR!
Got an interesting story you’d like us to highlight? Feel free to send in your ideas to callum@ubuntustudio.co.uk and you could be featured in an upcoming PNR!
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We're not your average, run-of-the-mill creative agency. We were founded and built on a passion for helping companies do better - for themselves, for people, and for the planet.
We appreciate that all life on earth is under threat, so we’re using the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. Reducing the negative impact on people and the planet.
If you're looking to make a change in how you market your business, we'd love to chat. Find out more at ubuntustudio.co.uk.
We appreciate that all life on earth is under threat, so we’re using the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. Reducing the negative impact on people and the planet.
If you're looking to make a change in how you market your business, we'd love to chat. Find out more at ubuntustudio.co.uk.
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