Blandan Enviro

05/09/2026

The clean energy transition depends on critical minerals. Copper, lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth are essential for everything from electric vehicles and batteries to wind turbines and energy grids. The good news is a vast, largely untapped resource already exists all around us.

Urban mining refers to recovering critical minerals from existing products, infrastructure, and electronic waste. It offers a powerful opportunity to keep these materials in the economy and reduce our dependence on extracting new ones. Copper, for example, is completely and infinitely recyclable without losing any of its properties. Every wire, pipe, and circuit board collected is a resource recovered, not a resource lost. An estimated two-thirds of all copper produced over the past 100 years is still in use, waiting to be brought back into the cycle.

Urban mining is not just an environmental opportunity, it is an economic and strategic one, reducing supply chain vulnerability, creating local jobs, and supporting the circular economy at scale.

Read the full UN Environment Programme article here, www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/mineral-reserves-dwindle-world-races-secure-materials-we-need-decarbonize

31/08/2026

Global e-waste almost doubled between 2010 and 2022, and is projected to grow by another 32% by 2030, making this a pressing environmental issue, not just a consumer rights one. Extending product lifespans through repair is one of the most effective ways to reduce, waste, resource consumption and emissions embedded in manufacturing new devices.

The EU's Right to Repair Directive came into effect on 31 July 2026, marking a significant shift in how technology is designed and used. From phones and laptops to coffee machines and earbuds, new legislation is making it easier for consumers to fix tech products. This reduces waste and extends product lifespans.

Consumers can now request that manufacturers repair products at a reasonable price and within a reasonable timeframe, favouring repair over replacement. We strongly believe that such regulations push the tech industry towards greater responsibility and sustainability.

Learn more about this here, repair.eu

25/08/2026

"Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries."

- Jimmy Carter

20/08/2026

More than 80% of the world's energy still comes from fossil fuels, while around 650 million people still lack access to electricity. So how do we build an energy system that does more than replace fossil fuels with renewables? One that is cleaner, fairer and more resilient?

A UN Environment Programme expert explains that a truly sustainable transition requires tackling interconnected crises simultaneously, scaling up renewable investments, repurposing fossil fuel subsidies, and implementing strict social and environmental safeguards to ensure vulnerable communities are not left behind.

You can read more here, https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/big-ideas-how-make-global-energy-system-more-sustainable

(Photo by Anders J on Unsplash)

15/08/2026

Every year, the world throws away more than 1 billion tonnes of food. According to UN Environment Programme, food that is ultimately squandered accounts for up to 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, making food waste one of the most significant and underaddressed drivers of climate change. At the same time, consumers discard the equivalent of 1.3 meals per day for every person in the world currently affected by hunger.

This is not a problem that can be solved by individual choices alone, it demands coordinated action across the entire food system, from public policy and agricultural practice to retail decisions and supply chain management. UNEP reports that $1 invested in preventing food waste results in cities saving $8 and households saving $84.

30/07/2026

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity has used more from nature than our planet can renew in an entire year. This year, Earth Overshoot Day fell on July 30, meaning we consumed a full year's worth of the Earth's biological capacity in seven months. As the photo shows, the picture varies significantly by country. Some nations overshoot far earlier in the year, while others live closer to their ecological means.

The first time since 2020, Earth Overshoot Day moved back a few days. Continuing in this direction requires collective action across energy, food, cities, and how we manage our natural resources.

Learn more about the day here, overshoot.footprintnetwork.org

22/07/2026

With the World Cup behind us, attention returns to club football. One Premier League club is making headlines off the pitch as well as on it. Leeds United have launched All Green All Leeds, a comprehensive sustainability campaign built around two clear goals: adapting their business to become net zero by 2040, and engaging fans and the wider community to take action on climate action, resource efficiency, and nature.

From promoting sustainable travel to matches, to hosting kit swap and repair workshops for young supporters, the club is embedding environmental thinking into the everyday matchday experience. Leeds even dedicated a full Green Matchday at Elland Road to celebrate the campaign's launch, integrating sustainability messaging across the entire stadium experience, with compostable cups and green catering options throughout. Behind the scenes, their training ground features an irrigation pond that reuses water from pitches, wildflower areas, a bug hotel, and an on-site herb garden.

Football clubs have enormous reach and influence, and initiatives like All Green All Leeds show how sport can be a powerful platform for driving environmental awareness at scale.

16/07/2026

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."

— Frank Lloyd Wright

The more we understand how natural systems work, the clearer the picture becomes. Environmental science is about observation, evidence, and understanding built over decades by researchers, institutions, and communities around the world.

10/07/2026

New data from the Copernicus Marine Service is raising serious concern. Sea surface temperatures off southern France and western Italy have risen approximately 6°C above the long-term average. Anomalies have also increased markedly in the southern North Sea and the Baltic over the same period. Marine heatwaves develop when prolonged atmospheric heat combines with calm conditions and they can persist for weeks.

The consequences are far-reaching. Rising sea surface temperatures threaten marine biodiversity, disrupt fisheries, and destabilise coastal ecosystems. European Environment Agency's long-term sea surface temperature indicator shows that these events have become more frequent and more intense across European seas in recent decades. This trend that sits firmly within the broader pattern of climate change.

(Photo collected from EEA)

06/07/2026

Family farms produce 80% of the world's food. Yet the rural populations behind them are among the most vulnerable to the very crisis their work helps us navigate. Droughts, floods, and extreme heat threaten livelihoods, food security, and entire ways of life. That is why one of the priority themes of World Rural Development Day this year is Climate-Resilient Livelihoods.

Building the capacity of rural communities to adapt and withstand climate shocks is the foundation for global food security and environmental stability. Learn more on this here, https://www.un.org/en/observances/rural-development-day