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Conservation project launches new consumer-focused campaign
7 December 2011 – Last week an alarming report confirmed that Bornean orangutans are being hunted at levels that could bring the species to the brink of extinction. Today an innovative conservation project launches a new consumer-focused campaign to protect the habitat of this threatened primate
A huge majority of England’s bathing waters continue to meet rigorous quality standards, new figures from Defra reveal. Nearly 80% of England’s bathing waters met the tightest guideline standard with close to 98% meeting the European Commission’s minimum water quality threshold in 2011. 414 coastal and freshwater bathing water sites were monitored across England in 2011. Results show that improvements have been maintained over the past decade: 2000 (404 bathing waters) 2010 (413 bathing waters) 2011 Number Per cent Number Per cent Number Per cent Meeting mandatory standards 382 94.3 403 97.6 405 97.8 Meeting EC Guideline standards 216 53.3 354 85.7 365 88.2 Meeting UK Guideline standards 180 44.4 300 72.6 328 79.2
Energy Saving Week (October 24-28) will focus on showing consumers how they can take back control of their spiralling energy bills this winter.With financial experts including Deutsche Bank predicting that electricity and gas bills could rise by as much as 50% in the next four years, homeowners are increasingly keen to hear about ways to make their homes cosier – and save money.Royden Evans, Managing Director of PlumbNation (www.plumbnation.co.uk), the UK’s leading online plumbing and heating supplies website, offers the following top tips to coincide with Energy Saving Week:
The environmental technology and services industry has heavily criticised the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for its lack of clarity, and the threat it poses to environmental protection and standards.
Commenting on the Environmental Industries Commission’s (EIC) response to the draft NPPF consultation, EIC’s Director of Public Affairs and Policy, Michael Lunn, said:
“The Environmental Industries Commission welcomes the Government’s attempt to simplify and streamline planning policy, but we believe that the National Planning Policy Framework as drafted will not achieve the aim of ‘sustainable development’.
New figures released today by UK food charity FareShare show a sharp rise in demand on charities for food as people all over Britain struggle to put dinner on the table. 42% of charities surveyed reported an increase in demand for food in the past year as food prices soar and the recession bites, putting additional strain on families and people on low incomes.
An additional 1 in 3 of the charities surveyed are facing government funding cuts, with 65% of these charities are slashing food budgets in an effort to stay afloat.