News – Tagged "Environment" – Page 3

Blog Menu

We need to change our climate for the better

There’s too much carbon in the air

For the past couple of centuries, innovation and progress powered by fossil fuels have catapulted the human race forward — but not without consequences. It’s time to come up with new solutions, and scale them quickly.

In 1958, a young scientist named Charles Keeling discovered something striking. The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the Earth’s atmosphere was rising by 1.3 parts per million (ppm) every year. The increase almost equalled the amount of CO₂ being emitted by the combustion of fossil fuels globally. This wasn’t a coincidence.

Keeling later created the Keeling Curve, showing the concentration of CO₂ growing steadily.

We’re setting the wrong kind of records

Before the Industrial Revolution, our air contained 280 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide on average. Now, that number sits above 400 ppm for the first time in recorded history.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, representing the work of thousands of scientists around the world, has said, "Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history."

Carbon neutral delivery UK

What does this mean?

The buildup of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases like methane and nitrous oxide is already impacting climate systems across the planet. Continued buildup will trap even more heat, and cause problems like:

Rising sea levels that will likely displace billions of people
Increased drought and flooding that threatens food security
Ocean acidification that puts thousands of aquatic species at risk

Humans are creating this problem. And that means we have to solve it.

How we tackle the problem here at The Hiden Collective:

- Our website is on Google Cloud, a carbon neutral platform, as Google matches 100% of the energy consumed with renewable energy.

- All our deliveries are fulfilled by the courier DPD Carbon Neutral.

- We source only Ethical & Sustainable British Flowers. A locally outdoor grown bouquet of mixed British flowers is estimated to have produce only the 5% of CO2 emissions compared to the a bouquet of flowers grown in Holland or Kenya.

- 100% Eco-wrapping

No single person or business can solve climate change alone.

We are on a sustainability journey and we urge you to join us when you want to send flowers and gifts to your friends and loved ones.

Choose The Hiden Collective and send gifts that don't cost the earth.

How to help butterflies and moths this autumn

Have you got a garden? Doesn't matter if is big or small, you can definitively attract and help butterflies and moths.

Butterflies are wonderful, with their eye catching patterns and bright colours they bring so much joy, but unfortunately they are in decline year on yera and they need our help.

Moths also are in step decline, with some moths falling up to 99%.

Moths are often overlooked in favour of their day-flying cousins, but moths can be just as bright , important and beautiful as their butterfly cousin.

Let’s take a look at how you can give them a helping hand this autumn:

- Feed the butterflies & moths

Many butterflies and moths in autumn they need to feed to build up a reserve for the winter.

This is why you may see many of them when the weather is mild and sunny.

They will feed on fallen fruit such as berries and apples, so don’t clear up all your windfalls just yet.

If you don't have any fallen fruit, put out some of your own, mushy bananas and soft mangos are favourites. If the fruit is fermenting you might even witness a tipsy butterfly!

- Leave untidy areas

Let some areas of you outdoor garden grow wild...less work for you and lots of great helps for butterflies and moths.

Brambles, dandelions, long grass and leaf litter may look as weeds for you but this are crucial for our butterfly and moth friends.

Some butterflies spend winter in a kind of hibernation amongst the leaf litter, while lots of moths spend the winter as pupae, all tucked up in their cocoons.

They do this in the top layer of garden soil or in piles of leaves and plant debris on the ground – what better excuse to save your back and do a little less gardening?

The caterpillars generally hatch after around two weeks and then eat almost constantly until they’re ready to pupate, shedding their skin a few times along the way to accommodate their extra bulk.

Importance of Ivy

Ivy flowers late in the year when other nectar sources are unavailable and is a great source of food for autumnal moths.

- Benefits of Buddleia

Buddleia is a great nectar source for garden butterflies during the summer but they can be encouraged to flower well into October in mild years.

Deadhead to prolong flowering period and then cut back to prevent the seeds spreading ( Buddleia can be invasive)

- Build a bug hotel

Build a unique bug hotel and create a perfect shelter for your garden wildlife.

You don't need a lots, you can use all your garden waste, like sticks, branches and leaves to create the perfect hideout for anything from ladybirds, hedgehogs, woodlice, toads, bumblebees and butterflies.

- Plant bulbs for pollinators

Now is the time to plant bulbs to provide spring colour and a valuable nectar and pollen source for pollinators emerging from their winter hibernation.

Plants such as Snowdrops. Crocuses and English bluebells are all excellent choices and favourites among the first spring butterflies.

- Let the nettles be

Nettles don’t need to be trimmed in the autumn as they will die back over the winter and there may still be some caterpillar activity.

Stinging nettles are vital to some of our most well-known butterflies.