When glaciers cry 🧊
abandoned Christmas trees
Evening eco-nnectors,
Below two stories inspired by our recent holiday experiences.
*friendly reminder: take care of your thoughts when you’re alone, and take care of your words when you’re with people.
🗞️ In Climate News
🏦HSBC under fire for $340m loan to energy firm involved in coal mine expansion.
🐐 More than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest provider are worthless, analysis shows.
✊ Activists removed from coal mine site in Lützerath, Germany after two years of campaigning.
🇨🇴 Colombia announces halt on fossil fuel exploration for a greener economy
.📈 Cool Trends
💸 taking VAT off sustainable products: Portugal from bicycles, Germany from fruits and veggies.
♾️ eco-stories
🧊 When glaciers cry
These winter holidays I stayed in Saanen, Switzerland at a family home I’ve been going to my entire life. This year a bizarre heatwave sweeped most of northern Europe, it was the warmest December with record-breaking temperatures in almost every country. I hiked under the balmy sun and could feel wildlife confused by the seemingly early Spring weather. Should they emerge from hibernation, what happened to winter?
There’s a glacier near the town that has been receding in front of our eyes at a not-so glacial speed. As I hiked, I looked up at it and wondered how it’s fairing under the sun. Switzerland is the country with the highest number of glaciers in the Alps, over 1,400. The Swiss have been known to cover them in blankets in the summer in a desperate attempt to slow down the rapid melting. Should they start covering them in winter too? I hope it’s just an abnormal heatwave.
Usually, during the day we’re out skiing, but this year it rained most days. Daily temperatures reached 8°C, nowhere near snow levels. So when the forecast started to change in January and a friend invited me to higher altitudes, it seemed like a good time to take the skis out of retirement.
I met Gilbert on a wonderful snowy day in Verbier, my friend had hired him to show us the area. We woke up early to hit the slopes first. It was the first big dump, so we were elated to have come up just in time for the first big snowfall. Gilbert is exactly the ski guide you want, trustworthy, upbeat and knowledgeable, a true local that knows every nook and cranny like the palm of his hands.
🎄Christmas trees
I visited London during the first two weeks of January. It had been six years since my last visit and I was quickly reminded of the city’s famous grey skies and drizzly rain. On a Thursday, when the grim weather passed and the sun emerged through the clouds, I went for an afternoon walk in the neighbourhood near the flat I was staying. I walked through Islington up to Newington Green, where I ordered a coffee in a bakery that doubled as a cafe. When my mug was empty I returned to the cold air, walking along the streets of Stoke Newington. I turned a corner and was greeted by two Christmas trees taking up most of the footpath, I laughed, judging whoever dumped these trees, appreciating the consumptive behaviour of Christmas consumerism. I walked another thirty metres when I noticed another tree lying on the pavement, parallel to the fence. Around another corner I walked by a house where a tree was laid across a brick fence and two metal trash cans. I went to cross the street and noticed another smaller tree, conveniently stuffed under a hedge.
I retraced my steps and took photos with my phone of what I had seen. I posted the photos to my Instagram profile and was greeted with many responses, the most common was a sad face emoji with a single tear. One friend said “So bizarre, to me this summarises the climactic expression of consumerism, kill a tree to stick a bunch of mostly oil based shit wrapped in other trees to then rip off, throw out. And then forget about the ‘gifts’ and throw out the tree. Humans are insane hey?”
💩 WTF? news
🌏 The Culture Club
📺 What we’re watching: Cow
📸 Profile of the week: @compost.club
📚What we’re reading: Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology, by David Abram
🤯 Scary fact we learnt this week: In the UK alone 7 million Christmas trees are end up in a landfill each year.