• home
  • posts
  • Info, news & debate

    Recent posts

    Using a scythe to cut your lawn, not a lawn-mower: Part 3 – technique

    Michelle Laine of Scythe Cymru | 09-Nov-2021 | 0

    Part 1 was about your lawn; Part 2 about your scythe and blade. Part 3 is about scything techniques for short grass. With a bit of practice, you don’t really need the plastic, resource use, electricity and noise involved with lawn-mowers. Read more

    Building the new economy with mutual credit in Costa Rica

    Emmanuel Savard of ReVive | 07-Nov-2021 | 0

    Here’s a conversation with Emmanuel Savard, co-founder of a group in Costa Rica that’s looking at providing all the essentials of life – food production, housing and energy – for their town via regenerative, non-extractive, sustainable, community-based exchange and investment models. Read more

    Stop greenwashing of aviation: 1. efficiency improvements

    Steve of Stay Grounded | 04-Nov-2021 | 9

    Over the next five weeks we’ll be publishing a range of Stay Grounded factsheets about various kinds of techno-greenwashing provided by the aviation industry. We’d like to help expose the greenwashing of the aviation industry. First up – efficiency improvements: the lie that aviation can become carbon-neutral via ever-greater aircraft efficiency, reducing the need for… Continue reading Stop greenwashing of aviation: 1. efficiency improvements Read more

    Using a scythe to cut your lawn, not a lawn-mower: Part 2 – the scythe

    Michelle Laine of Scythe Cymru | 02-Nov-2021 | 3

    Part 1 was about your lawn; Part 2 is about your scythe and blade; and Part 3 about scything techniques for short grass. With a bit of practice, you don’t really need the plastic, resource use, electricity and noise involved with lawn-mowers. Read more

    The problem with COP26

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 31-Oct-2021 | 10

    The IPCC recently conducted a study into the combined effects of all the agreed targets of the countries taking part in the ongoing COP talks. Tucked away in the report is this: “The available NDCs of all 191 Parties taken together imply a sizable increase in global GHG emissions in 2030 compared to 2010, of… Continue reading The problem with COP26 Read more

    Using a scythe to cut your lawn, not a lawn-mower: Part 1 – the grass

    Michelle Laine of Scythe Cymru | 27-Oct-2021 | 4

    We’re often asked if it is possible to mow a lawn with a scythe. The answer is yes and there are many people in the UK doing just that! Lawn mowing can be a test of a scythers skill, it takes some thought and practice to do well. Here is a summary of the factors… Continue reading Using a scythe to cut your lawn, not a lawn-mower: Part 1 – the grass Read more

    Is it irresponsible or ‘doomism’ to predict societal collapse?

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 24-Oct-2021 | 9

    I was introduced to an interesting academic paper recently, in which Professor Jem Bendell explained that his predictions of societal collapse have been criticised by some in academia because they will engender fear, depression and apathy, which will harm our chances of solving environmental problems. Read more

    Sacred forests of Ethiopia: how they can be recreated anywhere

    In these days of gloom and confusion it is good to remember that our world is not ONE continuous story where everything inexorably gets worse – or better – but that our world is full of many stories that are unfolding in parallel. This weekend I was uplifted by the moving account of the holy… Continue reading Sacred forests of Ethiopia: how they can be recreated anywhere Read more

    Does ‘system change’ advocacy mean ‘anti-capitalism’?

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 17-Oct-2021 | 13

    What I mean by system change is system replacement, rather than system tweaking (aka ‘prolonging the agony’). This raises (not begs – please, not begs) three questions: Read more

    Establishing urban orchards to benefit people, communities and nature

    The Orchard Project are a superb group establishing and maintaining urban community orchards. The are beneficial in so many ways, including biodiversity, community cohesion, local food, carbon storage and human well-being. Here, they explain an approach called ‘nature-based solutions’. Read more

    Craft production, prices and mutual credit: weaving

    Eloise Sentito of These Isles | 10-Oct-2021 | 4

    This is the third and final part of an interview with weaver and mutual credit enthusiast Eloise Sentito of These Isles, in which we talk about the prices of craft produce, and how mutual credit can help. Part 1 contained advice for anyone considering a career as a weaver, and part 2 was about the… Continue reading Craft production, prices and mutual credit: weaving Read more

    Beginners’ guide to firing pottery in a small gas kiln

    We recently interviewed potter Tom Humphries, and he gave advice about making a living from making pottery. Here he gives advice for beginners about firing pottery in a small gas kiln. Read more

    Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 3

    Here’s the third and final part of my interview with Caroline Bennett, founder of ‘Sole of Discretion’ (a community interest company that sells fish caught by a collective of small fishing boats in Devon) about why we should support small fishing boats over giant super-trawlers. We’re talking about how government quotas benefit super-trawlers and disadvantage… Continue reading Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 3 Read more

    Composting: explaining the carbon-nitrogen ratio

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 29-Sep-2021 | 0

    If you read much about composting, you’ll soon come across the terms carbon:nitrogen ratio (often shortened to C:N ratio). Everything you put in your compost has a different C:N ratio. Materials such as grass and manure, known as ‘greens’, have a higher level of nitrogen, and ‘brown’ materials, such as paper, have a higher level… Continue reading Composting: explaining the carbon-nitrogen ratio Read more

    Is craft production sustainable?

    Eloise Sentito of These Isles | 26-Sep-2021 | 4

    At Lowimpact.org we’re interested in helping to bring production back to communities, and so we’re talking with craftspeople, smallholders, natural builders, renewables installers and small business owners in our range of topics. I’ll be asking them about their jobs, and for advice for people who might be interested in doing similar things. Read more

    Introducing the Velojuicer – pedal-powered apple scratter

    Here is an in-depth look at the Velojuicer, our pedal-powered apple juicer. A lightweight, mobile, all-in-one machine that scrats, presses, and juices apples using only human power and a bit of good humour. Read more

    Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 2

    Here’s Part 2 of my interview with Caroline Bennett, founder of ‘Sole of Discretion’, a community interest company that sells fish caught by a collective of small fishing boats in Devon. Here we talk about the life of small fishing boat skippers. Read more

    Support your local green woodworker

    Robin Fawcett of Treewright | 15-Sep-2021 | 2

    Green woodworking – beautuful stools, chairs, tables, bowls, spoons and kitchen utensils. What’s not to like? ‘Price’ is what some of you might be saying, and this is a topic we’re going to be coming back to again and again. Price is the stumbling block that is pushing us towards a world of low-quality goods,… Continue reading Support your local green woodworker Read more

    Career change? Making a living from weaving

    Eloise Sentito of These Isles | 12-Sep-2021 | 1

    Career change? Making a living from weaving. At Lowimpact.org we’re interested in helping to bring production back to communities, and so we’re talking with craftspeople, smallholders, natural builders, renewables installers and small business owners in our range of topics. I’ll be asking them about their jobs, and for advice for people who might be interested… Continue reading Career change? Making a living from weaving Read more

    12 reasons why industrial-scale agriculture is driving environmental destruction

    In this article, the LWA’s Horticulture Campaigns Coordinator Rebecca Laughton explains why we have to produce and trade a greater percentage of food locally. Read more

    Want to contribute?

    Get in touch

    Article Archive

    There’s a crash coming – a slap from Mother Nature. This isn’t pessimistic; it’s realistic.

    The human impact on nature and on each other is accelerating and needs systemic change to reverse.

    We’re not advocating poverty, or a hair-shirt existence. We advocate changes that will mean better lives for almost everyone.

    Latest Comments

    Sign up to our newsletter

    Facebook icon Twitter icon Youtube icon

    All rights reserved © lowimpact 2023