Offshore wind boom is transforming U.K.’s coastal town economy
Growth in the U.K. offshore wind industry is transforming the U.K.’s coastal towns from empty ports to bustling industry with thousands of skilled job opportunities.
United Kingdom
11 million new trees to be planted in England by water companies
The firms will be planting trees on around 15,000 acres of land across England, as well as supporting work to restore original woodland and improving habitats that store carbon.
Plastic bag sales in England halved in past year
Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, the Co-op, Tesco and Waitrose sold 549 million single-use plastic bags in 2018-19, down from one billion in the previous year.
Virgin Media commits to 100% renewable energy goal
The telephone and internet service provider has signed up to The Climate Group’s RE100 initiative, joining a group of leading businesses committed to increasing the consumption of renewable energy worldwide.
Holiday Inn dropping personal shampoo bottles to cut waste
Instead of using mini shampoo bottles, all of its more than 840,000 guest rooms will use bulk-size bathroom amenities.
Alan Turing – prosecuted for gay acts in 1952 – to be the new face of the U.K.’s £50 banknote
Despite his tremendous contributions to society, Turing was ultimately convicted for being gay and chemically castrated in 1952.
British boys will receive HPV vaccine to prevent ‘thousands of cancers’
In total, the HPV vaccine program could prevent over 100,000 cases of cancer by 2058, officials said.
E.ON transitions all of its 3.3 million U.K. customers to 100% renewable electricity
German electric utility E.ON has transitioned all of its 3.3 million residential customers in Britain to 100% renewable electricity at no extra cost.
The Co-op Group commits to reducing GHG emissions 50% by 2025
The U.K. retail company’s Annual General Meeting 2019 saw 98% of Co-op Members vote in favor to take action against the climate crisis.
U.K. businesses commit to remove eight problem plastics by 2020
The Pact, originally launched in 2018, represents 127 members, accounting for 85% of plastic packaging in U.K. supermarkets including Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.