I have some long out of date baking powder. Searched and found these uses.

Household Uses for Baking Powder:

• A gentle scouring powder for kitchen countertops.

• A paste (mixed with a little water) to shine stainless steel.

• A vinyl floor cleaner (1/2 cup mixed with a quart of water).

• A way to soften water so you can use less soap. You can add in a half cup to your laundry, for example.

• An air freshener: Set some out in a bowl, place some in your cat's litter box, or leave an open box in your refrigerator.


Step 1: Put the DRY baking soda down the drain. Use about 3/4 of a cup.

Step 2: Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain after the baking soda. Be sure to cover the drain immediately afterwards with a rag or plug, filling the hole completely so nothing can escape. This is because the interaction of the two will cause a "mini volcano" that will want to come up and out of the drain ... you want to keep it down there.

Step 3: Leave this concoction in the drain for about 30 minutes. While you are waiting, boil a tea kettle full of water.

Step 4: After 30 minutes, remove the plug and slowly pour the HOT water down the drain.

And there you have it, a science fair project turned into a do-it-yourself unclogger.

Will try the drain cleaner just hope there will be no report in Newspaper about house explosion.

On the recycling theme, this map shows where to take used medicine blister packs if you so felt inclined -

https://www.terracycle.com/en-GB/brigades/medicine-packet-uk

(No, I didn't recognise that term either. Probably better termed 'production emissions', I reckon - but maybe that one's already been allocated to something else.)

The Restart Project has a good article about this, introducing the podcast episode at https://therestartproject.org/podcast/consumption-emissions/ .

For those of you who want to delve deeper into the climate crisis here are some titles.

https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/books/non-fiction-books/best-climate-change-book-reviews-earth-day-b1835624.html?

Quite a few people have joined Save the Planet in the last week or two. Welcome to you all. It would be lovely to see some new people posting. Though I appreciate all the regulars that keep this loop active and interesting. I learn a lot from you.

Do take a look at this amusing tweet from Talk Radio host Mike Graham. He tries to interview a very sensible chap from Insulate Britain and makes a compete prat of himself - and then publishes it on Twitter!

The replies are wonderful, especially the 'giraffe'.

(It's only a minute long.)

https://twitter.com/talkRADIO/status/1452892180301889538?t=y1NKbBXV_g1iIT8hMr_Cwg&s=19

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/

The World Bank has reported that a rise of 4C is likely if we don’t take action. Even with mitigation there’s still a 20% chance of this happening.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/what-is-a-4c-world?

Read what some owners have found. There are grants available but the total amount the Governmenet have alloted isn`t great! https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/aug/14/at-home-with-a-heat-pump-it-makes-hot-water-when-its-freezing-outside?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0nTHRZdvm5G79X95m0YCM_gp1UyaYMivE2r

Rather than the American 'trick or treat' approach, North London is asking people to replace the sweet treats for participants with donations to the local food bank. See
https://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2021/10/12/trick-or-eat-halloween-hackney-foodbank/ .

The Ethical Consumer has produced a new report on the gap between aspiration and necessary action in relation to climate change, which makes useful reading.
I've looked at various parts of it but the most useful is the section on heating, which is explained at https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/energy/climate-gap-report-heating?utm_source=ECRA+Monthly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=f8669e674d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_10_14_nonsub&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9856040c29-f8669e674d-321357508
Other sections can be found by searching their website for 'climate gap report'.

This is encouraging https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/oct/14/skelleftea-swedish-plywood-eco-town-20-storey-wooden-skyscraper-worlds-tallest#comment-152514241

https://www.scooploop.com/thread/saw-this-and-thought-it-was-a-lovely-idea-green-job-fair

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58724710?xtor=ES-211-[47658_PANUK_SOT_40_OPN_TheEarthshotPrize_RET]-20211013-[bbcnews_arcticsunknownvirusesandnuclearwasteourplanetnow_factualenvironment]

I completely understand why people have doubts and fears about XR and their tactics, and I’m only too aware that they can be counter-productive, but I also find that they bring me hope.

I feel encouraged and a bit empowered when I read their various emails etc. I find their website inspires me so that is why I’m posting the link. I’m not courageous enough to take part in their more extreme actions but have been to enough of their more ordinary ‘rebellions’ to know that XR is supported by thousands of people just like me - people floundering around, fearful of the future, scared for their grandchildren, but uncertain about what to do. I think mass protests are inevitable and I hope I can find a bit more courage in days and years to come.

https://extinctionrebellion.uk/the-truth/about-us/?

Another depressing read I’m afraid. I sometimes feel guilty for sharing such a lot of depressing stuff. https://apple.news/AN356-EQKRmmjOqQriNlUXg

https://www.onlondon.co.uk/rob-whitehead-regardless-of-party-london-and-other-cities-need-green-politicians-in-power/?

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/17/are-we-eating-ourselves-to-extinction?

See the newsletter at https://therestartproject.org/news/repair-lowers-emissions/ .

The new Community Repair Network should become extremely useful in time but its list of local repair groups is far from complete - so do re-check it in future.

I do wish that we heard more about plans for this kind of demonstration in advance, rather than only getting the local press view on what's just happened. I'm forever playing catchup with this evolving story....
https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/protesters-demand-end-to-edmonton-incinerator-rebuild-8366360?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=DM47129

2nd attempt at posting this short film re plastic which I found to be a useful prod in the ribs to remind me not to be so lazy re plastics - if this link doesn’t work I give up!
https://youtu.be/iO3SA4YyEYU

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2021/sep/23/boris-johnsons-climate-speech-annotated-what-he-said-and-what-he-meant

I've just seen this poster for the upcoming Green Jobs Fair in the London Wildlife Trust newsletter. There's also a website with further details at https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/green-jobs-fair . Great resources for interested young people, so do please share them widely.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/18/want-to-save-the-earth-then-dont-buy-that-shiny-new-iphone?utm
Generally I’m all-Apple as I had to get a Mac in the 1990s when publishers started working digitally, but I like the sound of the phone mentioned here.

I know not everyone supports XR and the group that have again been blocking the M25, but this article in The Independent raises some key questions. https://apple.news/ASCxq6zG3Q7CYh0XJVRKPug

Together we’re stronger! Have just signed their letter to the Prime Minister. Please share the link and spread the word.
https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/

The insect apocalypse keeps unfolding -- silently, billions of bees, butterflies, and other extraordinary tiny creatures are dying off, and the consequences may soon be catastrophic for our crops and fragile ecosystems worldwide.

Agricultural pesticides are among the key culprits. But now the European Union is considering an ambitious proposal to radically cut pesticide use by 2030 that could pave the way for a total phase out across Europe in 15 years. As a trading superpower, the EU has enormous influence on setting global standards -- and a win here could have ripple effects globally.

But first we must prevent the powerful chemical lobby from wrecking the plan. This is why we are joining an incredible coalition of environmental groups, farmers, beekeepers, and scientists to bring the 1 million citizen voices needed and ensure EU institutions address our demands.

And if we all join now, we will also empower key parliamentarians and officials with a massive boost of global public support so they resist the pressure, and help save our bees, butterflies, and farmers from deadly pesticides. We've done it in the past, let's do it again!
Click now to stop the insect apocalypse

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/save_bees_and_farmers_global_43/?tfLKjlb&v=501952365&cl=18611592513&_checksum=c804fc6c5d659bdde5c564ec1e86d346642e95b25bd202fdf2143e1783961762

This is a long article and I haven’t read it yet but, skimming it, it looks interesting and, I think, addresses something that I struggle with in this group - how to balance hope and despair. https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/can-we-find-a-new-way-to-tell-the-story-of-climate-change?

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/climate-change-protesters-clash-with-drivers-at-junction-off-m25/?fbclid=IwAR3n5FzF2Mew9Bn3FMiXLHC4sAV8GAkhJgQX-I8rvzvsgIupXLBD97QWDqs

Brilliant new technology, hopefully will be rolled out worldwide!

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/worlds-largest-plant-capturing-carbon-air-starts-iceland-2021-09-08/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook

(The contents of this post has been removed by its author)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/01/opec-member-urges-oil-producers-to-focus-more-on-renewable-energy

I can't think of any practical way to reuse this bulky rubber item, so I need to dispose of it as sustainably as possible.
Can they be recycled, does anyone know?

This is an inspirational model, which UK cities would do well to emulate. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/19/ithaca-new-york-raised-100m-climate-proof-buildings?fbclid=IwAR1QTYoavBZX1G5xxBysppQM1rMTPuZ1633QDbyvMNvSQLwh3_WYSt2kCu8

I'm useless at science but almost everyone knows the chemical formula for water. And, with global warming leading to rising sea levels, there's increasingly too much seawater. So I wondered what progress was being made towards making hydrogen from seawater - and there have been encouraging studies, although whether the methods they've developed can be scaled up to industrial production levels is another matter. It sounds like a better approach than making 'blue hydrogen' from gas, though.
See what you think of these ideas:
https://news.stanford.edu/2019/03/18/new-way-generate-hydrogen-fuel-seawater/
https://phys.org/news/2020-07-material-hydrogen-salt-polluted.html
https://www.fastcompany.com/1781495/making-unlimited-hydrogen-salt-water-and-wastewater

https://phys.org/news/2021-08-pesticide-threat-bees-underestimated.html

Is everybody aware of the recyling at the Co-op new (selected stores)? They are collecting all those pesky pieces of plastic that couldn't be put in the general recyling bags collected by the council. We only have a small Co-op where we live, but they do have a collecting bin. This is from the Co-op website -
https://www.coop.co.uk/environment/soft-plastics/packaging-list

I hadn't heard of the proposed Clean Heat grant scheme (opening next spring) until it was mentioned on the radio this morning, nor had I really been aware of the Renewable Heat Initiative which it's apparently replacing.
As I have natural gas heating and a rather good (if ageing) boiler, no-one had ever tried to sell me a ground or air source heat pump. But it makes sense to focus now on how to replace that boiler with something that uses renewable fuel and how best to finance that, when that becomes necessary.
The most useful articles that I found were a bit dated but a good introduction to the idea of what may become essential for us all to consider soon:
https://www.homeheatingguide.co.uk/grants-schemes/clean-heat-grants
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/ground-and-air-source-heat-pumps/article/air-source-heat-pumps-explained-al5MC4f773Zq

Those of you who buy from Riverford will know about their newsletter, Wicked Leeks. It’s full of interesting facts, figures, tips and more and available online
https://wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk/

I remember posting this a couple of years back but they seem to have expanded their remit.
https://www.refill.org.uk/

This report is just out and am sure will make very grim reading. Here’s BBC summary.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58130705

Did you know that you can post any you find back into any Royal Mail postbox? Better than leaving them to strangle any passing hedgehog.

This book is interesting. Input from dozens of different people on lots of topics, tips, recommendations and so on. It’s a bit ‘lifestyley’ if I may invent a word but I ignore those bits!

I signed a petition recently about Amazon destroying returned goods and surplus stock so this appears to be good news.
https://metro.co.uk/2021/08/04/amazon-unveils-new-measures-to-stop-unsold-stock-being-destroyed-15036487/

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/100_indigenous_land_rights_loc/?tfLKjlb&v=501821498&cl=18510614572&_checksum=1d4c0c4ccbb2406802f59eef327c6ab143585758c8de25c1788447a96fd20731

Tips from Friends of the Earth on saving the planet. I realise that many of you are already aware but I find them a useful reminder and a prod in the ribs.
https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/saving-planet-top-tips-help-climate-and-nature

https://www.scooploop.com/thread/this-3

Sky News 18.30 short programme about “climate change” and what is happening now. Can not recollect if it is only weekdays.

This guide to how many hectares of trees have been planted in recent decades looks encouraging. Obviously the planet still needs massively more to be planted, but it's a start....
https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-where-afforestation-is-taking-place-around-the-world

Yesterday's rainstorms looked more like a deluge but the effects were very temporary around here.
Other parts of London suffered much worse, however. Not only were there two flood warnings but 14 other flood alerts were issued, supposedly covering most of the capital. But such detail as the BBC reported suggests that the worst affected areas were in either SW London or out to the east, around Walthamstow; see https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57963856.

Parts of London's old sewer system evidently can't cope but I suspect that those which can benefit from much better local surface drainage, so that less rainwater floods into the sewers.
Some of the worst-affected areas are hotspots for massive redevelopment of old houses, where vast basements have been excavated and tanked to make them waterproof. All that excluded groundwater has to go somewhere, after all. Flood risk should be a serious consideration when planners assess such selfish planning applications.