Latest news with #OneHome
Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mirror
UK has sunniest spring on record - the implications dry spell has on environment
Met Office scientist Emily Carlisle said seven of the top 10 sunniest springs on record for the UK have occurred since the year 2000. Alongside a dry spell it puts food production and the natural environment under increasing pressure. The UK has already recorded its sunniest spring on record with four days of the season still remaining, the Met Office said. The country recorded 630 hours of sunshine from March 1 until May 27, beating the previous sunniest spring in 2020 by four hours, according to provisional Met Office figures. Records began in 1910. The Met Office already confirmed both Scotland and Northern Ireland had seen their respective sunniest springs on record this year, beating the previous records set in 2020. Met Office Scientist, Emily Carlisle said: "The UK has now, provisionally, recorded its sunniest spring on record, with still a few days of the season to all remember the exceptionally sunny spring of 2020, but that title has now been surpassed by the spring of 2025. Now, seven of the top ten sunniest springs on records for the UK since 1910, have occurred since the year 2000." She added: "It has indeed been an extremely sunny and dry spring for the majority, but with a few days left of the season and more unsettled weather this week, it's too early to say what will happen with other records. We will bring more updates as we have them this week, and will be releasing the full May and Spring 2025 statistics on Monday June 2." But what lasting effects will this have on Britain's environment? What impact does this have? Figures for rainfall are due to be published by the Met Office later this week and likely to show the UK has had one of its driest ever springs, despite heavy downpours in some areas in recent days The sunny conditions mean that some farms have seen as little as 20ml of rain over March and April which is putting crops under strain and limiting grass growth for livestock. As the dry weather continues, British food production and the natural environment are once again under pressure with exceptionally low river flows predicted across the UK this summer as a drought becomes more likely. Coupled with dwindling reservoir levels this puts waterways at risk, as farmers and water companies abstract from rivers when other water sources run low. Environmental scientist Angela Terry, CEO of One Home said: 'We need to wake up to what is going on and not sleepwalk into a crisis. There are predictions that London and the South East will run out of drinking water by 2050 but no new reservoirs have opened in 30 years." She added: 'Our rivers are drying up, crops are withering and wildlife which is dependent on water is put at risk. Food prices are already escalating and we have already seen how extreme weather has impacted food production in places like Spain. If we don't take this issue seriously, food shortages will become more frequent. Climate change is making our weather far more unpredictable and we must be prepared.' An update from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology says dry, warm weather is expected over the next three months, putting further pressure on water resources. Rachel Hallos, vice president of the National Farmers' Union, said: 'To think a country like ours, fortunate to have a temperate climate, hasn't invested in all-important water storage. The last major reservoir completed was more than 30 years ago, in 1992, at Carsington in Derbyshire. The impact of climate change is clear for all to see and it's why we need to take water seriously.' She explained how crops are becoming stressed from the lack of water, while some have already started to irrigate at huge cost – some spending as much as £10,000 a day. She urged the government to invest in the nation's water infrastructure adding: 'We have to if we are to ensure that the food you enjoy is on the supermarket shelves. 'Central to this must be investment in the nation's water infrastructure. Not just at a big scale but locally too. It will allow us to look at innovative ways of growing more fruit and veg and other crops here while reducing the amount we import from more water scarce countries.' No reservoirs have been built in England for more than 30 years, which leaves the country particularly vulnerable to levels are also lower than they should be after parts of the country had their driest spring on record, and if the dry weather continues as predicted there may be water shortages leading to hosepipe bans and potentially other forms of rationing. To avert a drought there would need to be rainfall at levels last seen in 2012, when record-breaking deluges caused floods across the country. This does not look likely, with hot, dry weather ahead.
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Red tape keeps government storm grant from reaching flood victims, warn experts
New figures reveal the Government's £5,000 Property Flood Resilience grant scheme is comprehensively failing to reach those who need it most after Storm Babet and Henk caused damage Thousands of flood victims are missing out on government support to protect their homes from future storms, experts warn. Data obtained by climate education charity One Home, via a Freedom of Information request, shows the £5,000 Property Flood Resilience grant scheme is not reaching those in need. Introduced in 2013, the PFR can fund improvements to make properties more resilient, including the installation of tiled flooring, plastic skirting boards and plinths, and raising electrical points. But environmental scientist and One Home chief executive Angela Terry said: "The PFR grant scheme is not supporting flood victims in their most desperate time. There is a huge disconnect between the number of homeowners who are eligible to apply and those who are actually doing so." For example, following Storms Babet and Henk in 2023 and 2024 there were 94 homeowners eligible for a grant in Norfolk but only seven of those applied. And even those whose application is approved may also face a year-long wait for the money to hit their accounts. Ms Terry added: "Local authorities ask homeowners to pay out for hefty survey costs before they can even apply for the grant, so it's not surprising that so many are put off by the red tape, low success rates and long wait times." She added that the value of the grant had not increased since its launch a decade ago, despite high inflation since then. Ms Terry also said an estimated one in four houses would be at risk of flooding by 2050, due to more frequent severe storms caused by climate change. Siobhan Connor founded the Shrewsbury Flood Action Group after her home flooded at least 20 times since 1998. She has applied for the Property Flood Resilience scheme but said: "There is so much red tape to go through and you also have to pay up-front for a £500 survey, which in my opinion is nothing more than a Google map search." Campaigner Mary Long-Dhonau said: "Due to the bureaucracy involved, I'm not surprised that so few are able to actually follow the complicated application process through. However, I encourage everyone eligible to apply." Ms Terry added that the Government should invest in flood prevention to ensure the 1.5 million homes it wants to build by 2030 are prepared for global warming. She added: added: 'I implore the Government to take more decisive action in investing in flood prevention and resilience measures and in increasing public awareness of both the risks and the support available" Defra said: "This government inherited flood defences in their worst condition on record. "That's why we are investing a record £2.65billion to build and maintain flood defences, protecting homes, lives and businesses across the country." Defra added that under the Government's Plan for Change they would investing £2.65 billion to build and maintain flood defences to protect lives, homes and businesses across the country. This will be used to build or maintain 1,000 flood defences, protecting more than 66,000 properties.
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Brits' favourite shopping app Temu 'makes a fortune from wrecking our planet'
Experts claim Chinese firm Temu is causing a toxic carbon footprint by flying in cheap products to the UK in under a week - as well as adding to our throwaway culture Experts have issued a warning over the huge environmental cost of cut-price goods sold by one of the world 's fastest growing websites. Temu (pronounced tee-moo) is an online marketplace and app - dubbed Amazon on steroids - that stocks millions of products at rock-bottom prices and claims it can help you 'shop like a billionaire'. It connects shoppers with third party sellers mainly based in China. But experts say it is creating a toxic carbon footprint by flying in cheap clothes, toys, make-up and other goods from its warehouses in China. Environmental scientist and founder of One Home, Angela Terry, said: "Flying is the worst way we can transport goods. If you do need to buy new products it is important to use sustainable firms that are as local as possible. Firms like Temu are making a fortune from wrecking our planet." A Mirror investigation has found how items can be at your door in less than a week. I ordered 10 items for £25.34, including two dresses, a lipstick, five pairs of socks and a dust pan and brush with no delivery fee. You can also buy a banana slicer and a lavatory roll holder that looks like a Polaroid camera. But each 5,500-mile flight from China to London pumps out 175 tonnes of carbon emissions - the same as driving a car more than 560,000 miles. Dr Patsy Perry from the Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University said: 'We have seen a greater shift to air freight in fashion as speed is so important for retailers to be competitive in meeting consumer expectations for fast delivery of on-trend items. Flights are much more carbon-intensive than shipping, but that also contributes a lot to our carbon footprint overall.' She added: 'If we buy cheap fast fashion items from such websites but then decide they are then not suitable, it is also unlikely they will be returned due to the cost. Once disposed of the environmental damage of that freight journey was unnecessary, as well adding to our increasing problem of textile waste. 'Cheaply-made plastic household goods may not last long so are more likely to be disposed of, encouraging a throwaway culture and adding to our plastic waste crisis.' Last year Temu was the most popular mobile shopping app in the UK, amassing more than 16 million downloads that year. Chinese rival SHEIN - the ultra fast-fashion firm - was second at around eight million downloads. A relentless social media advertising blitz has helped Temu amass this vast customer base by selling T-shirts for just 68p on Black Friday. Many items can be up to 80 per cent cheaper than comparable goods on Amazon. Last year we imported £65bn worth of goods from China, with clothing making up nearly £3.5bn. Founded in 2022, Temu is owned by conglomerate PDD Holding and keeps shoppers hooked on its app with games as well as a constant cycle of flash sales. There are now more than twice as many UK consumers regularly using Temu's app than there are using those of Amazon or eBay, according to data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. Consumer group Which? Said: 'Temu has exploded in popularity thanks to its prices but also its marketing strategy, which focuses on encouraging users to promote the app and its products. It has created a huge buzz by combining referrals, social media and a gamified way of shopping. Users can also share their referral links or codes on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.' This appears to have made its way to reviews of the platform itself. When Which? checked reviews of Temu on Trustpilot in September 2023, a large number of those giving it five stars shared referral codes that allowed them to earn credits. Another advantage Temu has is that, as an ecommerce firm delivering to the West, it's exempt from export duties in China. Products, which are also incredibly cheap, nearly always escapes UK import duty, which only applies to orders worth £135 or more. China-founded fast-fashion retailer Shein operates a similar business model by shipping low-value, individually packaged consignments directly to customers' homes. The firm is currently lobbying Chancellor Rachel Reeves to float on the stock market this year. Online shopping giant Temu has also come under fire after a controversial advert showing cats being roughly handled during grooming sparked outrage among animal experts and celebrities. The now-deleted Instagram clip showed cats being vigorously brushed with a rubber grooming mitt, with one feline clearly flinching as the tool was aggressively dragged through its fur at speed. In another scene, a tabby cat appeared visibly uncomfortable as clumps of fur were piled on its head for comedic effect. Katie Gwilt, who runs the Kat Lady holistic grooming business, slammed the video and said: 'This advert is completely inappropriate. It could encourage people to be rough with their pets, causing them unnecessary stress and discomfort.' Last year Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the foreign affairs committee, said there was a risk some items were made with Uighur slave labour. Temu said the claims were 'unfounded.' US lawmakers have warned 'there is an extremely high risk that Temu's supply chains are contaminated with forced labour' in a Congressional report published in June 2023. Since 2017, Chinese authorities in Xinjiang have detained an estimated one million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in 're-education camps', and it's believed hundreds of thousands of ex-detainees are living in forced labour camps. Temu told the US Congress that it conducts no audits and reports no compliance system but says it has a zero-tolerance policy for the use of forced, indentured or penal labour. A spokesperson for Temu told the Daily Mirror: "Good value doesn't have to mean poor, throwaway quality. We help UK shoppers save money by removing the middlemen—without cutting corners on quality. Our model lowers costs without lowering standards. "We're moving more fulfilment closer to customers, with a target for 80% of European sales to be shipped from within the region. That means faster delivery and fewer emissions from long-haul transport." In relation to the cat grooming, a spokesperson for Temu said: "We take all feedback seriously, and the ad has been taken down so we can review it internally."
