Environmental destruction is prominent in the media at present, but often we can associate being environmentally friendly with certain actions and products, for example, the combustion engine has been targeted for producing high emissions. What if you considered the fact that almost every lifestyle-related action we take has a carbon footprint attached to it? Meaning, it is almost impossible to live a modern lifestyle with a zero carbon footprint. However, if we can lessen our impact every little helps and small changes are a positive step in the right direction. What is a carbon footprint? This phrase refers to the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the environment…
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The Use of Zoning in Environmental Law
A few weeks back you might have seen on the news the introduction of the UK’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London. This got me thinking about areas of environmental law where zoning is used. The designation of a ‘zone’ where the law is different or stricter is a relatively common occurrence in environmental law. Notably, we see it a lot in the UK and beyond, for other areas of environmental management as well as air pollution. Firstly, let’s first take a look at the ULEZ. The ULEZ is a geographical area, roughly in the centre of London that has placed restrictions on the use of vehicles. It…
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Buying a ‘Stairway to Heaven’ – Or Another ‘Tragedy’?
Buying a ‘Stairway to Heaven’ – or another ‘Tragedy’? I’ve never been a fan of the idea of environmental “offsetting”. The concept is most frequently applied to greenhouse gas emissions – with which NEBOSH Environmental Certificate students who have studied Element 1 will be familiar – where an organisation (or individual) seeks to compensate for the carbon emissions they cause (usually through using energy) by paying for improvements elsewhere. Carbon offsetting has become institutionalised through regulated schemes such as the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, and there is also a host of commercial ‘carbon offsets’ that are available for purchase from specialist companies. Carbon offsets are usually sold as tonnes of…
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The World is Not Enough When it Comes to Environmental Awareness
The eponymous quote is a free translation of James Bond’s family motto Orbis non sufficit (yes, I know he’s a fictional character and I know a better translation is ‘the world is insufficient’). James Bond was right though because, in environmental sustainability terms at least, the world is not enough. The planet does not need saving; it can adapt and look after itself. Instead, it’s us that need saving; saving from a potentially very hostile climate, overpopulation, food shortages, and civil unrest. Optimistically, we try to do the right thing but our natural avarice is stoked by the prod of marketing messages. We may be driven by technology – we…
