by Jonathan Starling

In 2015 the UN agreed on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity ‘for people and the planet, now and into the future’. At the heart of this 2030 Agenda are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), each with various targets, which, taken together, serve as a roadmap for every nation and the world as a whole. 

With this being the month of ‘back to school’ the focus of this article is on the fourth SDG – Quality Education, and in particular target 4.7 of this SDG, which refers to education for sustainable development (ESD). Here I will discuss what ESD is, why it matters, and how it applies in Bermuda.

The SDG 4 is ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’. There is a total of seven targets under this goal, of which the relevant one for ESD is number 7:

“By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and culture’s contribution to sustainable development.”

For this target, there are two indicators:

• Percentage of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy; and (b) numeracy skills; by sex.
• Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development, including gender equality and human rights, are mainstreamed at all levels in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.

What It Is & Why It Matters

Now what this means is that ESD is focused on empowering learners to take informed decisions and actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society, for present and future generations, while respecting cultural diversity. Furthermore, it is not restricted solely to the formal education system but is about lifelong learning (and equipping citizens with the skills needed for that) and is fundamental to quality education (the 4th SDG itself). 

It is also a holistic approach to education – every subject is relevant to ESD, not just biology or science classes generally, as is all too often the perception. ESD and the principles involved are as relevant for subjects such as economics, civics, art, history and mathematics as they are for biology and science classes. Nor is it supposed to be restricted solely to the classroom – ESD envisions a whole school approach, as well as involving the wider community. The point of ESD is not simply that of achieving quality education but the goal of transforming society.

Education for sustainable development is crucial for developing citizens who are able to cope with the challenge of sustainability and the various crises of climate change and biodiversity that are expected to dominate the 21st Century, with particular consequences for small island states like Bermuda. 

And of course, there are transferable skills that arise from ESD (although the intention is that citizens apply sustainability thinking in all things, so that isn’t exactly surprising). In 2017 UNESCO released an outline of the eight competencies that define ESD:

1. Systems Thinking: The ability to recognise and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; to deal with uncertainty.
2. Anticipatory: The ability to understand and evaluate multiple futures – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes.
3. Normative: The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate sustainability values, principles, goals and targets in a context of conflicts of interests and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions.
4. Strategic: The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and beyond. 
5. Collaboration: The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others; to deal with conflicts in a group, and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem-solving.
6. Critical Thinking: The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s values, perceptions and actions; and to take a position in the sustainability discourse.
7. Self-Awareness: The ability to reflect on one’s role in the local community and global society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires.
8. Integrated Problem Solving: The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development.

As you can see from the above, ESD is not simply about learning about Bermuda’s natural history, as important as that is (and is part of it). Nor is it simply a school creating an environmental mural or growing vegetables in a school garden (although that can be part of it).

Eco-Schools

In Bermuda the SDG’s, and SDG 4 do inform our educational policies. While schools can incorporate education for sustainable development in various ways, one of the most popular approaches is the Eco-Schools Programme, formerly operated by Greenrock and now by the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI).

As an overview, the Eco-Schools Programme is part of the Foundation for Environmental Education, which works with UNESCO to achieve ESD through its various programmes, of which Eco-Schools is their flagship. 

The process involves a seven-step method, which begins anew with each school year, involving:

1. Establishing the Eco-Schools Committee – which also selects the theme focused on for the year.
2. Doing an audit relevant to the theme – such as energy, this would involve reviewing the school’s energy use and what is using the energy at the school.
3. Developing an action plan – if energy, how to reduce energy usage?
4. Monitoring and evaluation – is the action plan working? If not, why not? 
5. Curriculum linking – Eco-Schools isn’t supposed to be limited to just the committee or just one class. The theme is supposed to link with the entire curricula of the school. The data from the audits, for example, can provide relational knowledge for maths class, or economics. English class can involve literature or poetry themed around the chosen theme. Same for art class. The theme also can be applied in history (history of electricity, of greenhouse gas emissions, etc.) and of course in the science (what is electricity; what are fossil fuels; how do renewable energy sources work, etc.).
6. Informing and involving the wider community – community outreach and involvement, first through a whole school approach and then to the wider community.
7. Developing an Eco-Code – to reinforce the lessons from the theme.

Of the different themes available, there are twelve to choose from, and schools are encouraged to select one per year – but to maintain past themes each year too. The twelve available themes are:

1. Biodiversity & Nature
2. Climate Change
3. Energy
4. Food
5. Global Citizenship
6. Health & Wellbeing
7. Litter
8. Marine & Coast
9. School Grounds
10. Transport
11. Waste
12. Water

For more information about Eco-Schools and how you or your school can get involved, contact BUEI at [email protected] 

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by Jonathan Starling

It’s hot.

It’s very hot.

And not just here in Bermuda; at a global level, June was the warmest every June on record, and this July is on track to not simply be the hottest July ever, but the hottest month ever recorded to date. And this isn’t exactly an aberration – of the ten hottest years on record, nine of them have occurred since the year 2000 – and based on the data from the first six months of 2019, this year is on course to join not just that top ten, but the top five (the current probability of this is 99.9% in case you were wondering…). 

What’s causing this uptick in hot years? Well, climate change. In general climate change is causing global warming, however it needs to be stressed that part of it also means uneven warming as well as increases in seasonal extremes – so global warming doesn’t mean you won’t have extremely cold winters (in fact, some models indicate that some areas will have more and more extreme cold winters), it just means that at the global average temperature is increasing. And it also means that heatwaves are more and more likely and more and more extreme.

So far this year we have already seen significant heatwaves in the USA, Europe, the Canadian Arctic, India and Pakistan. I don’t know if we in Bermuda are experiencing atypical heat for this time of the year, but it certainly does seem warmer this year.

It’s all very well knowing that the heatwaves and record temperatures of global warming are due to climate change. I’m sure the number one question on most people’s mind, however, is that of how best to deal with the heat. And, if climate change is the cause, and that’s largely due to our collective unsustainability, how can one best deal with the heat while also being environmentally minded? Or to put it another way, how can one be both as a cool and as ‘green’ as a cucumber in this heat?

1. The AC is not your friend…

The temptation, of course, is to turn on the AC. However, the AC not only drives up your electricity bill a lot, but it also increases the heat outside with its exhaust, but the fossil fuel that is most likely used to power it also contributes further to the problem of climate change. It becomes a bit of a vicious cycle. This is perhaps more acute in cities with large concentrations of ACs, however, it still applies here. If you want to be green (and keep your cash), the AC isn’t your friend.

Now, if you do need to use the AC, use it strategically. You don’t need it on when you’re not at home. When you get home, and you really need to use it, try to limit it to no more than an hour. That will cool your home in the short term and last long enough while you use other tricks. And, of course, once your current AC has died its death of age, replace it with a more energy-efficient AC.

2. The fan is your friend…

Ceiling fans are cost-effective and efficient. And the smaller standing fans are also cost-effective and cooling. Certainly, the better option compared to the AC – environmentally friendly and friendly to your bank account too. And if you want a cost-effective AC alternative, putting some ice in front of the standing fan, so that it is blowing icy air at you, really does work. And you can keep recycling this ice back to the freezer and the fan as needed. 

And remember, you can use fans to both create a breeze for you AND to push hot air out by pointing them towards open windows. And cross-breezes from more than one fan is even cooler.

3. Shade is your friend…

It is probably not much of a surprise that the sun is hot. It’s cooler in the shade. So, use your blinds, curtains and shutters to keep your indoors cool and shady. And you can even extend this to the garden too. A good idea is to try growing some container friendly potted trees – ideally fruit trees. These will provide moveable shade that you can move to windows as needed and provide you with some fruit! I’d recommend a citrus, like limes, or a pomegranate – in general, they do well in our climate and in pots (of course, the bigger the pot, the bigger and happier the tree).

And this applies to personal shade too. Wear a hat. Wear long-sleeved but light cotton clothing. Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing – a dress or a kilt even! This personal shade, keeping the sun off your skin will help keep you cool as well as reducing the risk of sunburns and skin cancer.

4. Chill out while you sleep!

There are a few things you can do that will help you sleep in comfort. The first one is to sleep in your birthday suit. It’s simple, less clothing, more cooling. The second is to use your hot water bottle – it’s not just for cold winter nights! Except this time, fill it up and freeze it during the day, and then use it when you go to bed. Just don’t fill it up as water expands when it freezes, and you don’t want a burst frozen hot water bottle leaking as you sleep… And finally, while it takes a bit more work, freeze your bedsheets and put them on your bed just as you’re going to bed. You’ll be amazed at how chilled out you’ll be as you fall asleep! Even a few minutes before bed will make a huge difference.

5. Keep hydrated!

And by hydrated, I mean water, nice cold water. When it’s hot, you sweat. Which means you’re losing water. So, keep hydrated, and the best thing for that is simply water. And the cooler the water is, the cooler it will make you feel. Even when you’re out and about, keep a reusable bottle with you, which you can fill up with cold water and drink to keep you cool and hydrated.

6. Make a splash!

It’s summer. We live on an island with some of the best beaches in the world. Go to the beach. Swim. Rejoice in the beauty of our island waters. Enjoy life. The water is going to be cooler, and you’re going to be cooler in it, so go enjoy it. Of course, wear sunscreen protection – sunburns are not going to make you feel cool. 

And if you have enough water in the tank, a very quick cold shower will cool you down quickly. And a cold-water foot bath is effective at cooling one down quickly (and less water than a shower!).

So, this summer, it’s hot. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be as green and as cool as a cucumber!

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As an operator of Bermudian restaurants, Take Five Ltd takes seriously its environmental responsibilities.

From deterring the use of single-use plastic bags to helping to clean up island beauty spots and raising environmental awareness, the company is playing its part as an environmentally-conscious corporate citizen. 

Jason Berwick, general manager of Take Five, said: “One of Take Five’s core values is respecting the environment, especially Bermuda, which is why we decided to turn this one-day event of Earth Day on April 22 into an ‘Earth Week’. 

“As a company including Devil’s Isle, Village Pantry and Buzz outlets across island, Take Five has the ability to connect with Bermuda’s community in hope to create a movement towards ending plastic dependency, educate those about their impact on the environment and to inspire change.”

One of the week’s initiatives was to raise an appreciation among the public of the damaging impact of plastic trash on the marine environment. Take Five charged five cents for each single-use plastic bag used at Buzz outlets during the week in order to donate the proceeds and more to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo.

Dr Ian Walker, the principal curator of the Aquarium, said: “I think one of the nice things about Buzz and Take Five is that they really take protecting the environment seriously. I see a huge move towards moving away from single-use plastics. 

“The initial discussions are all ‘yes, let’s make this happen and let’s make sure we put our best foot forward in terms of protecting our environment’. It’s wonderful to see a corporate group working in that way.”

By the end of the week around 2,000 plastic bags were used at Buzz outlets. For every dollar made from the plastic-bag charge, Take Five added $9 more. This added up to an overall donation of $1,000 to the Aquarium. The money will lend support to the Aquarium’s education programmes, which help children to learn more about conservation. 

Mr Berwick, together with Holger Eiselt, managing director of Take Five, presented the donation to Dr Walker.

Also during the company’s self-styled “Earth Week”, both Devil’s Isle and Village Pantry invited customers and employees to write down what they do to protect our planet and our species. One comment from Devil’s Isle was: “Let’s end single-use plastics.” 

Another comment from Village Pantry was: “I throw my garbage in designated areas. Reduce, reuse, recycle what you throw.” 

Take Five’s eateries source a significant proportion of the produce they use to prepare meals from local farmers, including carrots, romaine hearts, tomatoes, cilantro and more. Buying locally not only benefits Bermuda’s community through supporting local farmers but also reduces the company’s carbon footprint, when compared to importing from overseas.

The group said it hoped to inspire residents to buy products from Bermudian farmers such as J&J Produce, Amaral Farms, Pacheco, Wadson’s Farms and Windy Bank Farm. 

The group also collaborated with Keep Bermuda Beautiful for a clean-up of Warwick Long Bay and Jobson’s Cove on the morning of April 14. In the space of two hours, the team of volunteers collected 19 bags of trash, weighing around 340lbs. 

A Take Five spokesperson said: “Although it was not obvious that this beautiful Bermuda beach had litter hidden in the sand and its surroundings, it definitely created awareness for all those that contributed to this day of how much of a difference can be made in just a couple of hours.”

Keep Bermuda Beautiful is the island’s oldest environmental charity and has been taking care of Bermuda since 1960 through its message of litter awareness. KBB’s mission is “to engage individuals to take greater responsibility in reducing waste and eliminating litter through action and education”. 

Reusable KeepCups were also introduced at Buzz outlets in another joint initiative with KBB. The aim was to inspire the community to stop using single-use cups by encouraging them to buy KeepCups instead, with part of the proceeds donated to KBB. 

Anne Hyde, of KBB, said: “It fits in your hand and is easy to drink from — just like a disposable cup — but this you get to keep. Getting a hot beverage to go? Why not reach for a KeepCup, help the environment and KBB at the same time.”

Although new to Buzz, Devil’s Isle has been offering KeepCups to customers since last year. KeepCup was founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 2009 by Jamie and Abigail Forsyth who had the simple idea to “keep it and use it again”. KeepCup is now being used in over 65 countries worldwide and Take Five is proud to involve Bermuda in this movement. 

Take Five’s green initiative has also involved saying goodbye to single-use plastic straws and replacing them with biodegradable straws throughout the group. Other multi-use products include travel cutlery, reusable straws and reusable bags in collaboration with Greenrock. 

Mr Berwick said: “Although the overall aim is to move towards reusable products, using biodegradable straws will break down in a reasonable amount of time compared to one use plastics and it is a good step towards reducing the amount of plastic pollution within Bermuda.” 

Take Five said it has been committed to changing single-use plastics for several years. It started with the company looking for a plant-based material for containers. However, this has evolved into driving initiatives with reusable products to avoid the excessive carbon footprint created by single-use plastics. 

A spokesperson added: “Take Five are focused on the community that we live, work and employ in and making sure Bermuda and the planet can be enjoyed for many generations to come. We’d like to give special thanks to all those that contributed towards this donation, and we look forward to deploying more green initiatives in the future.”

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by Jonathan Starling

May 22^nd is the International Day for Biological Diversity that commemorates the 1992 UN Earth Summit which sought to launch international cooperation to address global sustainability issues – outcomes of this summit were the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Climate Change Convention, the Convention to Combat Desertification, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Agenda 21 (an action plan for sustainable development) and the Forest Principles (for sustainable forestry).

Each year there is a different theme for the day that helps to raise awareness and coordinate activities and policy focus. The theme for 2019 is: ‘Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health’.

What’s biodiversity got to do with food and health?

Biodiversity is crucial for our food security and overall health. Our agriculture is dependent on a diversity of plants, insects, habitats such as seagrasses, mangroves and coral reefs as well as the soil microorganisms and the genetic diversity of crop and livestock species.

Healthy seagrass meadows, mangroves and coral reefs are key for our local fisheries, providing not just habitats for shellfish and fish, but also key breeding grounds and nurseries for important seafood species. And just as importantly is the need for ensuring a healthy and diverse population of other animals that play key supporting roles in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems – the parrotfish for example help graze the reef to ensure healthy coral populations, healthy stocks of groupers (rockfish) and other predatory fish keep prey populations in balance, and their loss cause trophic (nutritional) cascades through the food web with unexpected consequences, often leading to a collapse of fisheries in the long-term. Which means a loss of local food security (local seafood) and jobs. Not to mention other problems such as erosion and storm damage increasing from the loss of healthy reefs, seagrasses and mangroves.

While our grocery stores may have more food options than even a few decades ago, over the last 100 years more than 90 percent of crop varieties have disappeared from global agriculture. Half of all breeds of many domestic animals have been lost, and all of Earth’s seventeen main fishing grounds are assessed as being overfished, beyond their sustainable limits. At the same time, the loss of local food production in Bermuda – in 1921 3,000 acres of farmland; in 1977 the number was just 600 acres; in 2010 only 360 acres of land was being actively used – has meant a loss of traditional and local knowledge of medicine, foods and skills, as well as radically changing the landscape of our island and increasing our dependence on food imports – undermining our national food security.

From an economic perspective, dependence on food imports translates into a loss of hard currency (economic leakages) from Bermuda and increasing our vulnerability to threats to our supply lines. A natural disaster affecting the USA’s eastern seaboard, or a shipping accident to our main cargo ship, or even international tensions could quickly lead to extreme food shortages for Bermudians. Our current agriculture cannot provide for all our needs. This is not new. In the 1981 book Bermuda’s Delicate Balance it was calculated we could at best produce enough food for a quarter of our needs – and that was with twice the amount of farmland than we have today, as well as healthier fish-stocks.

We know though that a greater genetic diversity of crops and livestock acts as a sort of insurance against disease – as well as giving more variety of taste and nutrition and preserving traditional knowledge. We also know that a healthy agricultural industry that promotes agrobiodiversity (so not mass plantation crops and dependence on artificial fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides), as well as a healthy marine environment, increases our welfare, improving our food security and Bermuda’s overall protection against hurricanes and climate change.

Okay, but what can I do about it?

There are quite a few things you can do!

To protect our marine fisheries, help look after our mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs. This could be something as simple as helping clean up a beach or reducing your consumption of plastic – trash can cause detrimental effects to these habitats, so removing the threat benefits them. Support local fisheries, however I would ask that you help reduce the pressure on our rockfish population and choose alternative local fish instead.

Buy local produce. This ensures that we maintain a land bank of agricultural land and keeps people employed in the industry, helping reduce the further erosion of our agricultural land and skills. The famers market is an excellent opportunity to do this, including supporting small farmers. Not only does the agricultural land ensure our food security, but it also provides important habitats for our wildlife and helps maintain the Bermuda image.

Grow your own food. And grow different varieties of it at that! Why stick to your usual tomato when you can grow tastier ones? Much of the produce we import are varieties that hold up well for export. That doesn’t necessarily translate into taste and variety. But produce you grow yourself only needs to go from the garden to the kitchen – so you can expand your taste buds!

And beyond that, gardening is a healthy (physical and mental) exercise, can involve the whole family (better than Netflix!), helps reduce your grocery bills, provides healthy fresh vegetables and develops mindfulness and appreciation of nature.

It’s true that the summer isn’t necessarily the best season for growing veggies in Bermuda (the fall is actually the better planting time). However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t options!

For May, the best plants to start growing are beans, cucumber, okra, pumpkin, squash, sweet potato and tomato.

For June, it’s beans, cucumber, squash and tomato.

For July, go for beans, carrots and tomato.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of space. Even a container or two is better than nothing. Herbs like parsley, cilantro and mint are all great options.

So, this year, buy local. Grow your own veggies – even if it’s just some potted herbs. And remember, our biodiversity, our food, our health.

Get growing!

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A sustainable alternative?

Resolutions. And there’s nothing wrong with taking this opportunity to tweak our goals or how we’ve been approaching them.

I gave up making New Years Resolutions some years ago. I swapped them for New Years Challenges. Where I select a bunch of skills or activities or targets, I want to meet. So not ‘lose weight’ in a generic sense, but simply ‘increase my bench press/deadlift/squats by five pounds a week’, for example. For me this works to lose more weight than I ever did when setting a target of ‘lost five kilograms’ – and it achieves it because of the ‘form is a function of fitness’ and it gives me a clear, measurable and achievable target. And if I don’t achieve five pounds added each week, it’s fine – I usually achieve at least five pounds a week even when on a fitness plateau and it gets me to the gym regularly.

So, what’s this got to do with active commuting?

Well, often New Years Resolutions boil down to three general hopes:

• Lose weight
• Save money
• Be happier

And active commuting is a way that we can achieve all three with one activity. Work smart, not harder.

First off, what is active commuting? Well, it’s commuting (going from home to work and back again) in an ‘active’ manner, in terms of physical activity as opposed to sitting in a vehicle. Examples of active commuting can be walking, jogging and cycling. Or even swimming and rowing!

It’s true that Bermuda’s roadways, built to accommodate horse and carriages, are not ideal for introducing bicycle lanes. However, the Railway Trail does provide an excellent corridor for active commuting for walkers, joggers and cyclists. What’s more, it also provides some amazing scenery. And with the fantastic work by the Friends of the Bermuda Railway the trail is even more connected than ever and provides almost an uninterrupted transport corridor the length of the island.

2017 research[1]found that active commuting correlates directly with lower risks of early death, with cycling coming on top with 40% reductions of early death from cardiovascular, cancer and all cause mortality. We know that physical activity reduces health issues related to obesity, type two diabetes and various cancers, so it makes sense that adding active commuting is going to equate to a healthier populace. And – from a New Year’s Resolution focus this covers the triad of losing weight, saving money (reduced health costs) and being happier (being healthy in general but also stress reduction). And beyond the benefits for the individual, it also leads to cost savings for the island’s healthcare costs, while increasing overall productivity. And some more info about being happier comes from 2015 research[2] that showed that cycling was the least stressful way to commute to work (compared to car or public transit).

Not every workplace of course has showers or places to store one’s cycles safely, however that doesn’t mean you have to rule out active cycling. It’s in employers’ best interests to have healthy and non-stressed employees, so speak with your workplace and see what arrangements can be made. And lobby the City of Hamilton and the Government to improve infrastructure to support this too.

And don’t worry about launching straight into active commuting five days a week. Ease into it. Remember what I said about aiming to just add five pounds to my lifts a week? That’s called ‘progressive overload’ and it works as well for active commuting as it does for weight lifting. Indeed, when I started hitting the weights the first few weeks was just me going to the gym and having a coffee and reading the paper – I did that for a full month before I even picked up a weight. It was about getting into the habit. And you can apply that to active commuting too.

Instead of walking to work from day one, consider simply walking to the bus stop first. And then to the next bus stop. And getting off at an earlier bus stop. So, you’re gradually increasing the amount of active commuting. You can do the same with parking your vehicle. Build up to it – small changes done consistently are key, and eventually you’ll be able to do your entire commute actively.

Worried about being late to work, or sweaty on arrival? That’s fine. Focus on an active commute home then instead. Just pack your stuff in a bag to carry home or leave what you can in the office.

Of course, this is going to be easier the closer you live to work – someone living in St David’s will have a harder time commuting to the office in the city than someone on Harbour Road (westerners have it easier by pairing active commuting with the ferry of course).

You can also add active commuting to other things. Going to visit a friend or get small purchases at the store? Why take the car when you can walk?

All of these provide health benefits, will save you money and make you happier. They also will save the island money, reduce overall air pollution (further healthcare cost savings), reduce congestion on the roads (making public transport more efficient; and produce cost savings from reduced wear and tear to the roads) and reduce our overall carbon footprint (less fossil fuel use, plus healthier lifestyles have a smaller carbon footprint in general).

So, how’s your New Year Resolutions coming along? It’s not too late to reboot them by incorporating active commuting into your daily life! Active commuting – it’s more sustainable, it’ll make you happier, it’ll save you money and it’ll make you healthier. It’s a winner.

[1]https://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1456Celis-Morales, et al (2017) Association between active commuting and incident cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal, 357:j1456

[1]https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/IJWHM-10-2015-0059?journalCode=ijwhm&Brutus, et al (2015) Cycling, car or public transit: a study of stress and mood upon arrival at work. International Journal of Workplace Health Management. Vol 10, Issue 1

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Provide Shelter for Backyard Wildlife 

You can leave the tree right in its stand, and set it out in the yard for the rest of the winter. It can fill in a bare spot, giving you something pretty to look at, but, more importantly, it can provide shelter for birds. If you have plenty of trees around consider laying your tree on its side to provide shelter for animals.

Start a New Compost Pile 

The best base for a new compost pile is a layer of thin branches — including evergreen branches. This allows a bit of airflow at the bottom of the pile, and the branches will break down over time. Just trim them down so they fit in your bin, then stack them four to six inches high. After you’ve got them in, go ahead and start adding your kitchen scraps and other compostables as usual.

Make It into Mulch 

And, no, you don’t need a fancy chipper/shredder to do this if you don’t have one. Consider getting into the habit of cutting the thinner Christmas tree branches into little pieces and adding them to the mulched paths between my vegetable garden beds. Simply snip them into one to two-inch pieces and toss them on the path. It’s a cheap way to mulch a pathway, and, as a bonus, this path smells absolutely wonderful when you walk on it!

Use the tree as a stake

Rather than reducing your tree to mulch or compost, you can strip it bare to create a fantastic frame for flowers or beans to grow up. You can use the unwanted pine needles in compost or sprinkle them on a muddy path to provide grip.

Replant it

Environmental Charity Greenpeace encourages people to pot their Christmas trees after use. Many of the trees you buy over Christmas are incredibly resilient, even those that have had their roots chopped off. Although the branches may already be dropping, you’ll be surprised at their ability to recover if planted in a pot of soil and left to establish. You could decorate the tree with food for birds (see below), giving it use in the garden even if the roots fail to take.

After all is said and done, you can also just leave your tree to be picked up by the Government. Find out your collection days here. 

The post 5 Ways to Recycle Your Christmas Tree and Stretch That Dollar appeared first on RG Magazines.

Happy New Year! As the seasonal festivities draw to a close, the last of the Christmas dinner spread is heated, and life returns to normal, the question of when to take your Christmas tree down is one that draws debate.

Tradition vs practicality, real tree vs fake are all factors that weigh in on the argument, but there is no one opinion that crosses all boundaries – it’s really up to you.

Some people can be found packing it away on Boxing Day, others say definitely the 1st of January as we ring in the new year. Some observe the tradition of waiting twelve days after Christmas or the twelfth night which takes us to the 5th of January and ends with the Feast of the Epiphany. This, for many the definitive date and any time beyond signals bad luck to come.

Some of us simply can’t face the task so it changes every year, depending on motivation levels. Others leave their Christmas decorations up year-round for the sheer joy of them.

One of the loveliest things about Christmas is the keeping of traditions that involve your whole family, however customary. Pulling down your Christmas tree may be part of the pleasant rituals you undertake together at this time of year, carefully packing away your decorations for next year’s festivities.

What Happens to It?

You’ve spent many a good time next to a plant that now feels like family. Where is it carted off to once the tear-down ceremony is finished? Once you remove the tinsel, nails, and ornaments and place it outside on your scheduled day (see below), it is then composted to make fertilizer, according to gov.bm.

Your Christmas tree collection days:

EAST END: Collection Day

Wednesday, 17 January, 2019

Wednesday, 23 January, 2019

WEST END: Collection Day

Wednesday, 24 January, 2019

Wednesday 30 January, 2019

Can I compost my Christmas Tree?

Yes! Because the needles are slightly “rubbery” and tough, they’re quite resilient to the usual composting bacteria so take ages to break down, and the trunk can take even longer: cutting up the tree or, ideally, shredding it will help a lot. Otherwise, it could easily be next Christmas or the one after that before you start seeing any progress.

Myth buster: There is a misconception that composting pine needles will result in acidic compost. It’s not true, by the time the needles are composted they will have lost most of their acidic potency.

Composting your tree is great, but there are plenty of other creative ideas to keep that tree around for longer, get more use out of it and more for your money.

Wanna do your part for the environment this year or even just stretch your dollar on that ridiculously expensive sapling? Here are some other ways to recycle your Christmas tree.

The post When to Take Your Christmas Tree Down, and What To Do With It appeared first on RG Magazines.

Gifting

Purchase locally made gifts

Support your community and our economy by shopping at local retailers that sell locally made items — BermuniTees, Bermuda Candle Company, Della Valle Sandals or Davidrose Jewelry to name a few.

Sustainable giving

• Consider gifting all natural, organic items made from renewable materials. Some notable local retailers are Salt + Cedar, Cassine and Naked Zero.
• Gift with value, purpose or meaning to avoid accumulating unnecessary items that will go unused. For example, give money to a local charity in your loved ones name or give them money to put towards something they truly need, like starting a new business, groceries or even a utility bill.

Secret santa or “Gift-go-round”

To decrease spending, stress and waste, have each person in your family write down their name and a three item Christmas list (price limit optional) then have them pick a name out of a bowl or hat at random. The name you pick is who you buy for!

Re-gifting

Instead of throwing away unwanted presents, re-gift them to people you know will love them. Take off the gift tag, rewrap it and avoid re-gifting within the same circle of family members or friends.

Use environmentally friendly wrapping paper

Instead of buying rolls of glossy or metallic gift wrap, choose fabric, newspaper, old maps, blueprints, books, posters and other reusable, recyclable materials.

Decorating

Live potted tree

Avoid purchasing artificial trees that are made from plastics, toxins and other non-recyclables and opt for a live one instead. Support local gardens and re-pot for longer use.

Low impact holiday lighting

Reduce your carbon footprint by using energy-efficient LED lighting for outdoor displays, mini LED lights indoor for house & tree lighting. Make sure turn lights off at bedtime!

Homemade and Handmade

Create your own ornaments, decorations and holiday cards from scrap paper and materials saved throughout the year — you can even get the kids to help for a fun arts and crafts project!

Holiday dinner

 Choose organic, local and free-range

Take advantage of your local farms and markets for fresh, locally grown and raised ingredients for a sustainable, delicious and healthy meal.

Avoid single beverages

Cut down on waste by using pitchers to prepare homemade drinks in large quantities instead of soda bottles or cans.

No disposables

Leave the paper, plastic and Styrofoam utensils alone and bring out the fine china and cloth napkins for dinner. Have guests bring reusable containers for leftovers.

Activities

Follow Gombeys for exercise

A Bermudian tradition – Stay active, take your family outside to follow and dance with the Gombeys when they visit your neighborhoods on Christmas and Boxing Day.

Put down and turn off the technology

Instead of gathering around the tv, computer and hacking away on your mobile phones, pull out the board games and playing cards to save energy and be sociable!

What does your family do during the holidays to help the environment?

The post 13 Ways to Go Green this Christmas appeared first on RG Magazines.

Bing Crosby may have famously sung about a white Christmas, however for Bermuda we’re unlikely to ever see such a phenomenon. Ours is a green Christmas – however, how many of us go a step further and aim for a “green” Christmas in the sense of environmental sustainability?

There are many options that the environmentally conscious can chose to aim for a greener Christmas, such as focusing on experiential gifts rather than wanton consumerism with packaging and pretty paper; focusing on recycled wrapping – even newspaper (pro-tip, use this article for bonus points!) – or reusable gift bags, or even giving two gifts in one, such as using clothing (scarves?) as wrapping instead!

And of course, you can give a gift back to the Earth and give green gifts like a composter, a donation to an environmental charity. Or focus on recycled or upcycled gifts, energy saving technology (just think save money and it’s the gift that keeps on giving throughout the year!), homemade gifts, gifts to support outdoor activities or growable gifts such as seedlings or trees.

And on that last note, have you considered the environmental impact of your Christmas tree and what is the most environmentally friendly option?

From a “green” perspective the best option is to get a living Christmas tree. That is, quite frankly, a live tree, in a container, that will grow and thrive in Bermuda which you can plant out after Christmas. In Bermuda we’re quite lucky that the endemic Bermuda Cedar resembles, in its juvenile stage, a traditional Christmas tree. It may not be quite as large as a traditional Christmas tree, however it makes up for it by not leaving needles all over the floor (less clean-up, score!); enhances biodiversity (it’s berries provide food for many native and endemic species); aids in carbon sequestration (helps offset your carbon footprint); protects the soil; drought resistant; and hurricane resistant.

It can also be part of a family tradition – planting a “Christmas” forest over time, as a family. Of course, not everyone has the land to plant a tree in. That’s okay. Reach out to schools, the Bermuda Audubon Society or the Bermuda National Trust and see if they might welcome such trees and later the whole family can go and picnic at such a Christmas forest.

Of course, you don’t have to go for a Cedar or even a tree resembling a traditional Christmas tree. Why not go for a palmetto, an olivewood, a bay grape, a pomegranate or a citrus?

Still want a traditional tree and you’re wondering if you should get a real tree or an artificial one, and wondering which is the greener option?

Good question.

If you already have an artificial tree, use it. You already have it, so keep using it. The carbon footprint of artificial trees reduces the longer they’re used. So, keep at it.

Now it’s an interesting question whether to buy an artificial tree or a cut tree. It’s not clear cut. Yes, the artificial one is likely made of plastic, however it’s not single-use and you can use it for decades. The real tree looks bad – it’s a tree that’s been cut down, and then there’s the carbon footprint of transporting it here. Surely we want to keep trees growing rather than cutting them down, right? Well, yes and no.

Christmas tree plantations can provide habitats for other plants and animals if managed properly, which can be a good thing for ecological resilience. And trees tend to sequester carbon (that is, absorb carbon from the air and “lock” it into the soil and the tree itself) at greater rates when young (so from growing until harvesting). And the carbon can be returned to the Earth through composting, or if used in the incinerator, offsets the importation of fossil fuels for power generation in Bermuda.

In general, with all things being equal in terms of transport carbon footprint (both artificial trees and real trees available in Bermuda come from the US northeast and Canada), the available literature on carbon footprint seems to indicate that an artificial tree has a lower carbon footprint if used consistently for at least nine years versus an annual real tree purchase. This of course doesn’t consider the biodiversity impact.

My own personal leaning based on the literature and factoring in biodiversity, would be that an annual real tree is the greener option. Additionally, some charities benefit from selling Christmas trees, so if you do decide on the real tree route, support a charity in doing so.

However, due to the carbon footprint of importing to Bermuda (including transport from harvesting or manufacturing, then from port to port), neither option is ideal from a ‘green’ perspective.

The gold standard really is a living tree that you can plant after.

Transport costs are minimized, it enhances our island in terms of biodiversity, hurricane resistance (if using a cedar) and keeps on giving throughout its life time, as well as sequestering carbon. Perhaps this could be a national drive going forward, with annual ‘Christmas forests’ being planted (in national parks and elsewhere) – and charities can benefit from this too by selling living cedars instead of imported pine trees. It’s a win-win for all.

What do you think?

The post Artificial vs. Real: How Green is your Christmas Tree, Really? appeared first on RG Magazines.

Costumes

• Host a costume swap

Make it into a party. Your digs won’t be new, but they’ll be new to you.

• Thrift store

Visit The Barn or another local thrift store to find costumes or recycled clothing that can help you to create your own.

• Make your own costumes

Why not be a soda bottle, spider web or snapchat filter? Use items you already have to make the perfect costume. Here are some ideas.

• Fake blood

Instead of buying fake blood with unknown ingredients, make your own at home.

• Use non-toxic face paint or make your own

If you plan on painting a face this year, know that many products out there contain small amounts of heavy metals arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead or mercury. Exposure to these products has been linked to developmental delays, hormonal imbalances and cancer. Here are some safe alternatives and a diy face paint recipe.

The Halloween party

• Email invites

To avoid using unnecessary paper, send out party invitations through email. Try Paperless Post or Punchbowl for some amazing options.

• Avoid plastic plates, cups, utensils

Even though there will be extra clean-up, use regular dishes and ask guests to bring reusable containers for takeaways.

• Buy local, organic food

Head to the markets and farms to buy fresh ingredients for party meals.

• Make your own treats

Instead of store bought cookies, cakes and treats, bake your own. Here are a few fun recipes.

Trick-or-treating

• Organic candy

Who knew that Airheads were vegan? Try to be more conscious and purchase candy that has less of an impact on the environment (and your body!) Click here for a list of vegan and organic candy options.

• Avoid cheap plastic toys

You know the ones we’re talking about that come in the variety pack at the dollar store.

• Walk, bike, carpool or take public transportation to hot-spot neighborhoods

Get your candy fix and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.

• Bring a trash bag to avoid littering

Eating candy on the way to the next house is a given, just make sure you dispose of wrappers properly and even pick up a few that may have been dropped!

• Use reusable bags

In that same vein, avoid using plastic by bringing extra shopping bags, canvas totes or a pillowcases. (Pack more to share with friends!)

Pumpkins

• Light with beeswax candles

Use beeswax, a renewable all-natural wax produced by honey bees, instead of soy or paraffin-based wax, which is a non-renewable byproduct of petroleum, coal or oil shale. Not to mention it’s not hypoallergenic, so terribe for people with allergies, asthma or chemical sensitivities.

• Eat the seeds

Clean, salt and roast the pumpkin seeds for a yummy fall snack instead of throwing them out. Not only do they contain lots of antioxidants, but they are low calorie and delicious.

• Save the pulp

The slimy insides can be used to make delicious pies, muffins and soup that are perfect for the season. Recipes here.

• Compost, Compost, Compost

Throw jack-o-lanterns and any food scraps in the compost for great soil. If you don’t have one, check out the Earth Machine from the Ministry of Public Works for a compost bin.

• Grow your own

A great post-Halloween activity is to plant your own pumpkins and watch them grow!

This article was originally published in the October 2018 edition of the RG Green Pages supplement.

The post Go Green this Halloween appeared first on RG Magazines.