by Peggy Semler From 9 - 11 May, a successful collaborative effort took place to remove marine litter and debris from seven beaches around Loch Bracadale. Volunteers, along with partner organisations, focused on cleaning remote and inaccessible areas along the...
Does Skye need a Plastic Action group?
by Anne MacLennan Plastic is a problem and there is a lot of it about. Invented (as Bakelite) in 1907, production had reached 2.3m tons annually by 1950, 448 tons in 2015, and is set to at least double by mid-century. The plastic lifecycle aggravates climate change...
Skye Beach Cleans update for May
by Peggy Semler We have been slowly ramping up activities during April, with beach cleans at Harlosh (5th), survey and clean at Ostaig by Sleat Nature Group (6th), clean at Ullinish/Eabost (12th) and Uig (26th) – which means we have now removed in excess of 2.5 tonnes...
Salmon farming reflections
by Anne MacLennan Skye's Scottish Salmon Think-Tank (SST-T) recently joined the Coastal Communities Network, a community-led network of local groups ‘committed to the preservation and safeguarding of Scotland’s coastal and marine environments’. Formed in 2017 with...
Skye Beach Cleans update
by Peggy Semler Our main objective for this year is to get the group properly set up and constituted as a SCIO, so that we can (a) consolidate the odd pots of money we already have squirrelled away, and (b) become eligible to apply for future funding opportunities, as...
International plastics treaty at crunch point
The international negotiations in Busan, South Korea, to set up a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution are due to conclude on 1st December. 102 nations have banded together to demand that a cap on plastic production is included, in order to reduce at source the...
Congratulations to Armadale Community Stores!
Armadale Community Stores has been crowned 2024 Sustainability Champion at the Scottish Grocer & Convenience Retailer Awards, in recognition of its eco-friendly practices, innovative initiatives and dedication to environmental responsibility. With an extensive...
Ostaig marine litter survey
by Dan Milner On 19th October seven people took part in the first quarterly survey at Ostaig beach, carried out by Sleat Nature Group and community members. The survey work is part of a long-term research project on the evolution of, and ongoing issues with, beach...
Campaign for a strong Global Plastics Treaty
A big reduction in plastic production is the only way we can start to tackle the plastic crisis. Last month, the UK took a major step forward in signing the Bridge to Busan declaration. This is a statement signed by 40 countries at the United Nations affirming the...
The hard truth about soft plastic
by Anne MacLennan A fascinating study by Everyday Plastic and the Environmental Investigation Agency tracked 40 bundles of soft plastic packaging deposited at English supermarket recycling collection points. The tracked bundles travelled more than 25,000 km through a...