We were delighted to welcome Rob, a local resident who is organising a screening in Teesdale of the 'Public Climate Briefing' film. We have not had a opportunity to see the film locally, the nearest screening being in Hexham a while ago. Several members of the group have volunteered to assist at the event and we will publicise the date and venue once they are known.
The trailer can be viewed at: https://www.nebriefing.org/the-film
We discussed the challenging issue of fabric, clothing and textile recycling and were interested to learn that the fashion and textile industries are facing new sustainability regulations. The upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP), will push brands to provide detailed product information throughout the entire lifecycle. Advanced textile mills now weave micro-RFID (radio-frequency identification) chips into smart yarns to enable automated sorting and global tracking of waste materials.
[For a detailed list of local recycling facilities, see our information sheet on the Teesdale u3a website 'This and That' page]
Welcome News:
- A recent Reuters article calculates that the UK clean energy economy generates over £100billion per year, supports 1million jobs and has attracted over £100 billion in private investment since 2024. Unfortunately this June, during the heatwaves, 70% media coverage did not mention climate change at all;
- Plug-in solar panels are to be made available for home use in the UK in the next few months. They can be installed on a balcony, fence, shed or patio, and plugged into a standard domestic socket, provided your existing wiring system is safe;
- Discarded sheets and linens from luxury hotels, including the Ritz-Carlton chain, are being diverted from landfill and made into high-end clothing items including shirts, dresses and jackets;
- England's largest private landscape and habitat restoration project has been launched in Northumberland, on the Emblehope estate. Rewetting around 800 acres of drained peatland will lock up carbon and reduce flooding, with golden eagle, crane and curlew expected to return;
- Sustainable, recyclable paper and cardboard packaging is being used by Amazon to eliminate single-use plastic delivery bags. Their goal is to be net-zero carbon across their operations by 2040.