Ubuntu Studio’s positive news round-up
Ubuntu Thoughts / 5 Min read
Friday 27th May, 2022
Callum Berry
Content & Media Manager
Content & Media Manager
Hi readers! We hope you’ve had a brilliant week. It’s that time again where we bring you a top up of some of the latest positive eco news—let’s get started!
Fight the power
The world’s largest broker is at the centre of a project that has been shunned by major banks and prompted a backlash from its own staff.
Marsh (based in New York) has found itself in a contentious position after its involvement with the planned $5bn East Africa Crude oil pipeline Eacop, which will run from Uganda to the Tanzanian coast, was revealed. The project will cross multiple nature reserves and the basin of Lake Victoria, displacing households in Uganda and Tanzania across the stretch of the 1450km pipeline.
Describing its involvement as an “unacceptable risk”, staff have questioned whether the group’s clients would “trust us to provide climate risk management if they know we also support projects which worsen these very risks.”
The future of this project is still uncertain at the time of writing, however this is a seemingly rare occurrence of employees holding their employers to account, and standing up to the establishment in defence of the environment. We hope this will spur others to do the same!
Marsh (based in New York) has found itself in a contentious position after its involvement with the planned $5bn East Africa Crude oil pipeline Eacop, which will run from Uganda to the Tanzanian coast, was revealed. The project will cross multiple nature reserves and the basin of Lake Victoria, displacing households in Uganda and Tanzania across the stretch of the 1450km pipeline.
Describing its involvement as an “unacceptable risk”, staff have questioned whether the group’s clients would “trust us to provide climate risk management if they know we also support projects which worsen these very risks.”
The future of this project is still uncertain at the time of writing, however this is a seemingly rare occurrence of employees holding their employers to account, and standing up to the establishment in defence of the environment. We hope this will spur others to do the same!
Pests, urine trouble
Okay hear us out on this one…
French researchers think they may have found a unique natural alternative to chemical fertilisers. Their discovery reduces environmental pollution and helps to feed a growing global population, all thanks to an unexpected ingredient: human urine.
Synthetic nitrogen fertilisers boost agricultural production, but can pollute the environment if used in excess. Their prices are also soaring, especially now with the war in Ukraine, which has left scientists searching for a solution elsewhere to this combination of crises.
*Dusting off our A-level biology textbooks*
To grow, plants need nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. When we eat, we ingest these nutrients before excreting them, mostly through urine.
Not much to say about this one…but it’s well known that pesticides are a huge problem, especially for the bee population. Given it was National Bee day just last week, if this can help save a few of our bumbling friends, then we’re happy!
French researchers think they may have found a unique natural alternative to chemical fertilisers. Their discovery reduces environmental pollution and helps to feed a growing global population, all thanks to an unexpected ingredient: human urine.
Synthetic nitrogen fertilisers boost agricultural production, but can pollute the environment if used in excess. Their prices are also soaring, especially now with the war in Ukraine, which has left scientists searching for a solution elsewhere to this combination of crises.
*Dusting off our A-level biology textbooks*
To grow, plants need nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. When we eat, we ingest these nutrients before excreting them, mostly through urine.
Not much to say about this one…but it’s well known that pesticides are a huge problem, especially for the bee population. Given it was National Bee day just last week, if this can help save a few of our bumbling friends, then we’re happy!
Rightful owners
Some of Australia's world famous national parks have been returned to the hands of Indigenous owners after a deal was negotiated with the government.
The deal signed last month between members of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji community and the government means four national parks were returned to the traditional owners of the land. That area includes the Daintree National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that's estimated to be around 130 million years old.
Under the agreement, Daintree, considered the world's oldest tropical rainforest, as well as Ngalba Bulal, Kalkajaka, and Hope Islands parks will be jointly managed for a time by the Queensland government and the Kuku Yalanji—giving the tribe back management over their land and culture.
We’ve spoken before about how climate justice is inherently tied to indigenous justice, so this is great to see. And although this is just the start, we hope other governments around the world will follow suit.
The deal signed last month between members of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji community and the government means four national parks were returned to the traditional owners of the land. That area includes the Daintree National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that's estimated to be around 130 million years old.
Under the agreement, Daintree, considered the world's oldest tropical rainforest, as well as Ngalba Bulal, Kalkajaka, and Hope Islands parks will be jointly managed for a time by the Queensland government and the Kuku Yalanji—giving the tribe back management over their land and culture.
We’ve spoken before about how climate justice is inherently tied to indigenous justice, so this is great to see. And although this is just the start, we hope other governments around the world will follow suit.
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 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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