Anyone want any Elytrigia repens rhizomes? 
don’t miss the opportunity to Comment here https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/uk-and-ireland/view/observation/819415/
Shame on you, dejay, suggesting introducing a non- native Taraxacum mongolicum into our pristine Bristol wilderness.
Speaking of which, ReWilding is in the news.
An approach we would support, “Lowe urged people who came into contact with spiders to exercise empathy, even if they were scared. These are native species trying to do their thing, trying to survive. The last thing that you want to do is get out the insecticide spray.” The spiders would be “doing their best to disperse” as soon as the flood waters went down, she said. “They’re not going to be doing anyone any harm.”
More good news, this time Help Our Kelp makes the news
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Will need to pay attention then, I suspect at quick glance I’d dismiss that as Dolycoris baccarum
Today, 21st April, is World Curlew Day:
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If you scroll down far enough here:
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… you’ll see an Orkney Whaup artwork sold in the cause of the Curlew.
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A good news story…Orkney doing its bit for Earth Day and Earth tomorrow. https://www.orcadian.co.uk/worlds-most-powerful-tidal-turbine-on-route-to-orkney/
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I will try to get sight of this, whilst (if) it is ashore.
One thing I know, is that when they are serviced, after several months in the sea, they are covered with all sorts of fascinating marine life, that DIES when they scrape and blast the surface.
This is tested out of sight of course about 5 miles from Mainland in a small but fierce stream.
Given this is an OU site, and it’s that time in the academic year for asking questions, … “ What are the costs & benefits of this tidal turbine project? Discuss“.
The main thing in its favour is Alternative Power Supply.
It costs the Earth to produce and test the technology but without this sort of quest for perfect engineering or testing to the limits of imagination, then we will die from cold or darkness.
We no longer have the capacity to keep ourselves warm or find our way 'round in darkness. Is it best we stay in familiar surroundings and not be supported or even mastered by Technology?
My view is that we should always push boundaries of sustainability and not spare the cost.
https://nsci.ca/2019/11/19/tidal-energy-and-how-it-works/#:~:text=Advantages%20of%20Tidal%20Energy&text=Reliable%20and%20renewable%20source%20of,and%20have%20less%20environmental%20impact
It will surprise most people to know that in Orkney, spare power (produced when not needed) is used to produce Hydrogen Gas and this is already being used by ferries and modified cars
https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Files/Strategic_Projects/Hydrogen%20projects/Hydrogen%20strategy.pdf
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One to watch
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/15/archipelago-to-explore-potential-of-wave-tidal-floating-wind-power.html
Alternative energy: clearly not really an iSpot topic, though many of us will have views on it.
A quick resume of the hymenoptera currently busy in my headgear:
- The pitifully low rate/processing capacity of lithium battery recycling (no reliable figures, either).
- The interest in hydrogen is ill thought-out. In a previous life I operated a H2-atmosphere kiln, and it is, well, technically challenging. The tiny molecules leak readily from most “gas-tight” installations, and it has a wide flammable (explosive) range in air ( 4 - 74% at least, sources vary). It also embrittles metals by insinuating itself into the crystal structure. Oh, and it is really tightly bound in water - the most obvious source - it takes a lot of energy to electrolyse it out (16 MJ = 4.4 kWh per litre of water).
As I say, not really an iSpot topic, but something to ponder on…
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I cannot think of a printable comment.
My liberal policies go out of the window with crimes like this.
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Cue cello: “I think you’re gonna need a bigger trap…”
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Being there & getting photos like these must be so exhilarating. It was exciting just seeing these online. Thanks .
Our allotments are infested with both red kites and wood pigeons so why don’t the kites eat the chicks of the pigeons so that we have a chance of growing veg without the plants all being consumed by the pigeons?