Going Green Podcast, Video blog and Daily News

  Seven Out of Nine Planetary Boundaries Breached – Should We Be Worried?  A growing number of scientists are warning that seven of the nine planetary boundaries have now been crossed. The concept, developed by researchers at the Stockholm Resilience Centre , defines the environmental limits within which humanity can safely operate. Cross too many of them, and we risk destabilising the Earth systems that support civilisation. 🔎 What Are the Planetary Boundaries? The nine boundaries are: Climate change Biosphere integrity (biodiversity loss) Land-system change Freshwater change Biogeochemical flows (nitrogen & phosphorus cycles) Ocean acidification Atmospheric aerosol loading Stratospheric ozone depletion Novel entities (chemical pollution, plastics, PFAS, etc.) ⚠️ Which Ones Have Been Breached? Current assessments suggest that seven are now beyond the safe operating space: 🌡️ Climate change 🐝 Biodiversity loss 🌳 Land-use cha...

  Shorter Days + Heavy Rain = Solar Squeeze? Looking at the current spell of rain and cloud across where I live, it’s clear why winter can feel like a double whammy for solar panels: Fewer daylight hours Thick cloud reducing light intensity Rain limiting peak generation periods But here’s the interesting bit… ☁️ Solar Panels Don’t Need Direct Sunshine Even on overcast days, panels still generate electricity. They work from daylight , not just bright sunshine. Output may drop to 10–30% of peak summer levels, but it rarely drops to zero during daylight hours. And rain? Rain actually cleans panels , washing away dust and bird droppings — improving efficiency when the sun does reappear. ⚡ Winter Solar Reality (UK Perspective) In the UK: June can produce 4–6 times more solar energy than December. But winter demand is higher (heating, lighting, appliances). That’s where battery storage really earns its keep. In your case, with your substantial battery s...

  A Greener Way of Improving Your Home (Saving money, cutting carbon, and adding real comfort) If you’re going to improve your home, why not make it greener at the same time? Many renovations look good on Instagram — but the real win is when improvements reduce energy bills, increase comfort, and shrink your carbon footprint . As someone living in a solar-powered home with battery storage and a heat pump, I can honestly say the changes that make the biggest difference aren’t always the flashy ones. Here’s a smarter, greener approach to home improvement. 1️⃣ Insulate First – Because Heating the Garden Is Not a Hobby Before buying shiny tech, deal with heat loss. Loft insulation (cheap, huge impact) Cavity wall insulation Draught proofing doors and windows Thick curtains and thermal blinds In the UK climate, insulation often gives a faster return on investment than solar panels. It also makes your house feel warmer — not just theoretically efficient. 💡 Rule of ...

  How Battery Storage Systems Can Deliver a Strong Return on Investment (ROI) If you’ve already invested in solar panels — or you’re thinking about it — the next logical question is: “Are batteries worth it?” As someone running a home with 26 solar panels and 50kWh of battery storage , plus charging an electric boat from it, I’ve had plenty of time to look at this properly — not just from a green perspective, but from a financial one too. Let’s break it down. 1️⃣ Time-Shifting: Buy Low, Use High In the UK, electricity prices vary dramatically depending on the time of day. With tariffs like those from Octopus Energy , you can: Charge batteries overnight at very low rates Use stored energy during peak daytime hours Avoid expensive early evening tariffs If you buy electricity at 7p/kWh overnight and avoid paying 28–35p/kWh at peak times, the maths becomes compelling. That difference — multiplied over thousands of kWh per year — adds up fast. 2️⃣ Maximise Your Sol...

  Homemade Food vs Ready Meals – Which Really Wins? We live in a world of convenience. Pop it in the oven. Ding the microwave. Eat. Done. But is that convenience costing us more than just a few pounds? Let’s look at homemade food vs ready meals — through the lenses of health, cost, sustainability, and long-term thinking. 🍳 Homemade Food ✅ The Advantages 1. You control the ingredients Salt, sugar, fats, portion size — all in your hands. No hidden additives. 2. Lower cost per portion A homemade chilli or pasta bake often costs half the price per serving compared to premium ready meals. 3. Less packaging waste Fewer plastic trays, sleeves and films heading to landfill. 4. Better for your health Many ready meals fall into the category of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Cooking from scratch generally means fewer emulsifiers, stabilisers and preservatives. 5. Teaches skills Cooking is a life skill. Like sailing or repairing a boat cover, once learned, it serves you for de...

 The Big Plastic Count – The UK’s Biggest People-Powered Plastic Investigation Every crisp packet. Every yoghurt pot. Every bit of cling film. What if we actually counted how much plastic we throw away in a week? That’s exactly what The Big Plastic Count is asking households across the UK to do. It’s the UK’s largest people-powered investigation into plastic waste — and it’s coming soon. 🔍 What Is The Big Plastic Count? The Big Plastic Count is a nationwide citizen-science project where households: Collect and record all plastic waste for one week Categorise it (soft plastics, hard plastics, food packaging, etc.) Submit their data Help build a national picture of where plastic is really coming from Instead of guessing, we get real household evidence . And that evidence matters. 📊 Why This Is Important We’re often told: “Just recycle it.” “It’s being taken care of.” “We’re making progress.” But how much plastic are we actually producing at ...