Eco Comment – Good News!

Well, we made it, almost. There are only a few more days to go before the big day. There are still some carol services to go and Christingle but I’ve done my last concerts of 2024 and the bass is now in its corner for the holiday. Those of you with small children will no doubt be up early on Wednesday to see if Father Christmas a.k.a. Santa Claus has been. Some of us will be thankful that the late finishes of Christmas Eve present wrapping is a thing of the past and that we can wake up at a reasonable hour and still get to morning service for the 10am start. Luxury! 

So, what’s the good news I hear you say? It’s been a mixed year for the environment but I get regular emails from quite a few publications and organisations so I thought I would share some of them with you. A bit of light reading for the holiday. 

My first site to mention is Positive News. I’ve copied 2 of their stories here:

What went right this week: the good news that matters – Positive News 

Seeing the funny side: 10 striking portraits of nature’s comedians – Positive News  

but possibly a third would be more pertinent for all that extra time over the holiday. This is 10 empowering ways to manage your media diet this Christmas – Positive News  

I have to admit that I find it very easy to spend a lot of time reading things that are interesting to me and suddenly realise that a considerable amount of time has passed, and I haven’t done that which I should have done. Do I feel a New Year Resolution coming on??? 

The second site is One Tree Planted. This is an interesting read not least because it has such a wide remit: Reforestation of the world. Every few months they publish a 3 minute read and this one caught my attention: Good News! 5 Positive Environmental Stories from November 2024 – One Tree Planted. All is not lost in the environmental stakes.  

The third site is euronews.com and their green news article amused me for its title alone. Electric wallpaper and carbon-sequestering cows: Positive environmental stories from 2024 | Euronews 

I know we’ve still got a long way to go on so many fronts, but these stories show that the world and its peoples are working together to effect positive changes. The renewable energy company that supplies my gas and electricity always writes to its customers at the year end. Whilst the message is mixed, it did tell us that ‘2024 looks to be on track for the first full year in which the UK generated more power from renewables than fossil fuels.’  

The final story is that the penguins at Scarborough’s Sea Life Centre can enjoy Christmas in their new, state of the art solar powered penguin enclosure. 

 We might even have some solar news closer to home in the New Year. 

Until then can I, on behalf of the Eco Group wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. 

Susan Morgan
Eco Group