Peppermint enjoys the ecological benefits of green infrastructure

The benefits of green infrastructure for humans are clear but its not just us who feel their benefits. Any bit of green infrastructure acts as an island or corridor to many species who with the introduction or enlargement of a city would ordinarily be cut of from other areas of habitats and wider species populations. They provide habitats in which species can reside permanently or temporarily whilst on route to new territory i.e. when young birds leave the nest. Not only this but green infrastructure can act as a sanctuary during bad weather such as an exceptionally cold winter.

Peppermint helps at a community garden

Green rooves and vertical gardens are excellent ways to slip greenery into a city (or town) where space is limited. However, it’s not easy to stand in a vertical wall or green roof unless on a large building which you have easy access to. Therefore, parks are often the best place to go to and the only other option. Parks though do not provide an opportunity to get hands on and plant your own flowers or fruit and veg. This where community gardens/ allotments really come into their own. There are many across the country with most towns and cities having at least one. For some just being in the outdoors is sufficient, for others a hands-on approach is required to fully relax and unwind (adults and children). A hands-on approach is also helpful in teaching children where their food comes from and the importance of bees and other insects in pollinating not only wild flowers but also food crops. Enabling people from all backgrounds a chance to grow their own food and flowers or help others to do so, provides communities with a healthier, happier more respectful. Growing more of our own food locally also helps combat climate change by reducing stress on land and transport miles.

Peppermint looks to descend a vertical garden

It’s not just rooves which can be made green. Many new buildings are being designed with green walls already part of their infrastructure. The benefits of green walls also called vertical gardens, are similar to those of green rooves. Unlike green rooves however, green walls provide most of the benefits at our level (though shed rooves are not far off). As well as taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere closer to where we breathe they are also more visible as we go through our day than green/ garden rooves. Standing in a roof garden is far easier than standing in a vertical one though.

Peppermint explores a roof jungle

Last week we looked at the broad  topic of green infrastructure, today is a closer look at green rooves. No these are not rooves which have been painted green, they’re rooves which have what is effectively a raised bed on the top (in small scale cases) or a full garden i.e. on skyscrapers. Small scale green rooves are great for a little cheer but also reducing rain runoff into drains and so helps to reduce flooding. Larger scale projects provide people with an escape from work and other daily stresses. As well as mental health benefits larger green rooves i.e. those with trees and shrubs, also help to reduce carbon dioxide and other small particle levels.

Peppermint enjoys green infrastructure

Daily life is becoming more stressful with very few being able to go through their week without stress levels reaching critical levels at least once. As well as work becoming more stressful, it is also becoming harder for many to switch off from the work mindset. It has been proven in many [peer reviewed] studies that getting into nature can reduce stress levels and aid concentration. So, urban planners are starting to incorporate more green infrastructure into their models. Green infrastructure refers to anything from street trees to parks. Not only can it help improve mental health but physical health will also be improved. Trees in particular but also hedges and shrubs help reduce carbon dioxide levels as well as other pm2.5 -10 (particulate matter). These are microscopic particles which enter the lungs and given their size can get very deep influencing lung function. For us to live healthy happy lives, these particles must be kept at or below safe recommended levels. This is why green infrastructure is so important.

Peppermint looks at climate lag

Though climate is continuously recorded the changes created by various factors is often negligible for a long time, such as the effects of increased greenhouse gases. The time it takes for changes to occur to a measurable state is called climate lag. This lag is normally caused by feedback and adjustments in complex environmental systems (some we still don't fully understand). Climate lag can mean that despite our best efforts the things we do to reverse/reduce climate change, appear not to work. Similarly, we also do not know if something we are doing is harmful and so exacerbating climate change.

Peppermint helps with habitat restoration

Following a look at seed banks Peppermint is looking at habitat restoration. Also called rewilding, habitat restoration is an important way to combat climate change and its impacts. By returning an area of land to its original state species numbers can be increased, reducing extinction risk. Afforestation will also help to reduce carbon dioxide levels, clean the air and stabilize slopes, among other benefits.

Peppermint makes a deposit to the seed bank

Climate change means that many species are struggling. So, whilst Peppermint isn’t quite doing it correctly, he is on the right lines. A seed bank means storage and preservation of seeds, a gene bank of plants. It is one of the best ways of ex situ (off site) conservation of plants as the seeds take much less space and do not need the same sort of care as a full plant. They still need care to ensure viable seeds but not the watering and feeding like growing plants. Loss of plant species does not just mean loss of potential medical breakthroughs but also loss of whole ecosystems.

#climate #blogging #environment #environmintleaf #peppermintthecandycanezebra

Peppermint and climate change

It is time now to look at climate change and whether you are a firm believer or a skeptic, Peppermint and I believe some important facts and factors are being missed out. One fact in particular is not covered much for the public. That is that climate change would happen anyway. It is often used as a climate change skeptic excuse. However, what they generally forget to say is that natural climate change takes 1000’s of years if not 100, 000’s. What we are experiencing now and why we are to blame is anthropogenic (human) climate change. As in the unnatural levels of carbon dioxide, deforestation and other pollution types are all caused by humans. Otherwise the planet is in a balanced state that gradually changes allowing evolution and adaptation to occur. So yes, climate change is a natural cycle but current climate change is anything but natural and that is the problem.

#climate #blogging #environment #environmintleaf #peppermintthecandycanezebra

Peppermint and climate modifiers

Having last looked at species communities influenced by climate, Peppermint is now having a look at climate modifiers and climate modification. Climate modification can have both natural and human (anthropogenic) causes. Natural causes include volcanic eruptions, sun spot activity or El Niño Southern Oscillation event. El Niño for example has been linked to colder, wetter winters in areas of the USA whilst Africa has seen droughts. Human influences predominantly refer to pollution and deforestation. These changes can also be referred to as climate change however, most natural changes such as El Niño are only temporary, lasting in El Niño’s case for up to 18 months. Human influences though are likely to be more long term unless something is done to reverse it i.e. afforestation.

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Peppermint investigates climates past and present

Vegetation changes over time and so does the climate just a lot more slowly. So that we can attempt to predict what will happen in the future scientists must understand the past. So, they look to places which will contain elements from the past. Soil and ice preserve both organic and inorganic samples so well scientist are able to use them for climate analysis. Pollen is an excellent example of an organic element which survives and can be used in climate reconstructions. Pollen shows what species were in the surrounding area where the sample was taken, as you go down (or up) the core profile species composition will alter. The level of change varies form place to place, in some the change is rapid i.e. over 100’s of years whilst in others it’s closer to 1000’s or 10,000 years. Ice cores are best for atmospheric analysis, bubbles of gas get trapped in the ice as snow falls, These bubbles contain the gasses in the atmosphere at time of deposition thus, the atmosphere composition and so the climate can be extrapolated.

Peppermint investigates climax communities

So climate is the average weather over many years, this means that the species found there have to be well adapted to them. For most climates the vegetation goes through stages, starting with colonisers. For example, in a temperate region on bare rocks the colonisers will consist of lichens and some mosses, when they die and breakdown soil starts to accumulate. As the soil deepens larger more complicated plant species, such as flowering plants. Once deep enough shrubs and trees can grow, when species such as but not limited to, Oak grow this is considered the climax community (also called the climatic climax community). For most temperate regions woodland is the climax though it varies with altitude (i.e. higher up mountains will be limited to small alpine plants). The substrate will influence the start of the succession but as long as soil can accumulate then the climax community will be the same. Sand dunes for example start with small plants but as they push inland soil depth increases until trees can grown.

#climate #climaxcommunity #blogging #environment #environmintleaf #peppermintthecandycanezebra

Peppermint is looking at climate’s past

Peppermint has shown us the difference between weather and climate so now you can have a go looking into your own local climate. Remembering that climate is over many years the best way to find out what it was like (unless you fancy surfing climate records) is to ask a family member such as a parent or grandparent. The bigger the age gap between you and them the better as this will give you an idea of changes or similarities. If you are curious or no longer live near family, ask people from other countries. You will see that climate varies greatly across the globe, whilst weather types are globally similar but vary when they occur (i.e. time of year), how intense the event and how often. #climate #blogging #environment #environmintleaf #peppermintthecandycanezebra

Peppermint begins a journey looking at climate

Before touching on climate change next month Peppermint wanted to look at some aspects of climate. Whilst many will know and understand the difference between climate and weather it is important to recognize that some will not. As the base for understanding climate change it is important to comprehend the basics, which is why for some todays post may seem simple and unnecessary, for others though it is not. Peppermint wants everyone to understand environmental issues including the youngest people you know so share this with them and see if knowing the difference between climate and weather is as common knowledge as you think.

Beyond having a basic understanding for what we are being told on the news. Knowing how our climate has changed in our own lifetime can teach us about the potential problems of the future. Problems such as ecosystem migration could alter many lifestyles across the globe and create many problems for industry sectors such as agriculture. Whilst the measurement of climate is not strictly over 30 years it should not be any less otherwise the data gathered could be skewed by abnormal events. For example, this year the UK has experienced one of the hottest Februarys on record. So many factors have influenced this and it may or may not happen again for many years. Therefore, it cannot be considered part of the UK climate until it is an occurrence in most years. This may happen, natural events such as spring bulbs breaking through, are beginning to happen up to four weeks earlier.

 #climate #blogging #environment #environmintleaf #peppermintthecandycanezebra

Peppermint defines Sustainable Use

We’ve looked at having a sustainable diet and making our own activities and choices more sustainable. Now its time to look at the resources we use to make other products. Sustainable use means protecting the resource for the future, just like last week the best example to explain this is forestry. Tree products have so many uses, if a forest (a renewable resource) is not utilised in a sustainable way it will soon disappear leaving companies high and dry. Sustainable use of a forest means that the number of trees felled are already being replaced with new planting whether in the same area or elsewhere on the plantation. Ecosystems and organisms are also renewable resources and must be used sustainably so that species do not become extinct. #sustainable #sustainability #blogging #sustainableuse #ecofriendly #shoplocal #environment #environmintleaf #peppermintthecandycanezebra

Peppermint demonstrates a circular economy

It’s not just food which can be sustainable, the products we use whether electrical, furniture or something else can all be broken down to their base elements. This doesn’t mean elements like steel or turning plastic back into oil, it’s more about taking from an item what can be used again such as wires or circuit boards. Some things we can do or reuse ourselves, such as recycling plastic and paper or upcycling an old t-shirt into a bag or something. Other parts or item types we cannot all safely disassemble, such as a computer or TV but they still contain parts even actual elements which can still be used again. Items such as this can be sometimes be sent back to the manufacturer, this along with using fewer materials in the manufacturing process is known as a ‘Circular economy’. Businesses with circular economies are much more sustainable as they need fewer resources and so have more for the future. If more businesses implemented a circular economy the planets resources would be less stretched. #blogging #pepperminthtecandycanezebra #environment #environmintleaf #sustainability #lessisbest #circulareconomy

Peppermint goes sustainable

Last week we saw that Peppermint had a sustainable diet. He isn’t the only one who can live sustainably, there are many ways to make our own day to day activities more sustainable and less harmful to the planet. Eating local produce means it has far fewer travel miles and no air miles, similarly eating seasonally requires less input such as fertiliser or water. With paper or other wood based products responsible sources mean the ecology of a forest can be maintained, it may just migrate around the plantation. There are other aspects of our daily lives which can be made more sustainable; clothing, utensils and wash products are just some of the areas which can be made eco-friendly and more sustainable. #sustainable #sustainability #ecofriendly #shoplocal #environment #environmintleaf #peppermintthecandycanezebra

Peppermint and the sustainable diet

Last month was all about food waste, February sees Peppermint delving into the chasm which is sustainability. A quick look at sustainable diets and the ever-present question of can we produce enough when global population is growing exponentially? Being so small, less than 3in, Peppermint requires very little to be full. But with humans we need far more and that’s before pets and farm animals. Apart from having a plant-based diet or at least eating less meat the best thing for us to do is simply eat less over all. What do you think? Would you be satisfied with having less on your plate? #blogging #pepperminthtecandycanezebra #environment #environmintleaf #sustainability #lessisbest

Peppermint and ‘The Three R’s’

Whilst the three R’s are not often associated with food waste maybe they should be. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle-buy only what you need, use leftovers in or as future meals, compost what you can or see if it can be used for animal feed. With all the different environmental words being thrown at us on the news Peppermint thought it would be nice to define some and hopefully ease the confusion. #blogging #environment #environmintleaf #pepperminthecandycanezebra #foodwaste #reduce #reuse #recycle

Peppermint in ‘Food or Fuel?’

After looking at some of the biofuel benefits Peppermint thought it wise to also show the down side. Food waste may not be sufficient, so some may have to be deliberately grown. Population growth means farm land is needed for food but our need for fuel which is less harmful to the planet is also important. What do you think? Food or fuel? Or could we find a balance? Could eating less be the answer? Remember don’t just talk to the adults in your life, it is important that children also consider the impacts we have on the planet. #foodorfuel #foodwaste #environment #environmintleaf #peppermintthecandycanezebra