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Biodiversity is linked to people’s diversity, and nature lends itself to people who are different, says author Joe Harkness
When Joe Harkness received a message from a friend about macerating moth abdomens to check their genitalia to identify the species, it sparked an idea for a new book about wildlife obsessions. But over time, this developed into a completely different book: a clarion call to embrace neurodiversity in the fight against the extinction crisis.
Across Britain, 15% of people are thought to be neurodivergent. In the process of writing Neurodivergent, By Nature, Harkness discovered that an estimated 30% of conservation employees were neurodivergent. Why?
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Alga from south-east Asia is major threat to biodiversity, say experts as they warn of environmental catastrophe
Thousands of tonnes of an aggressive invasive seaweed from south-east Asia are piling up on the beaches of the strait of Gibraltar and Spain’s southern coast in what local environmentalists say is a major threat to the region’s biodiversity.
Since May, the local authority in Cádiz has removed 1,200 tonnes of the alga Rugulopteryx okamuraefrom La Caleta, the city’s most popular beach, including 78 tonnes in a single day.
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First sighting in Cardigan Bay since 2021 of the species, which is under threat from human activities
One of the world’s rarest sharks has been filmed off the Welsh coast, offering a fleeting glimpse into the life of a species teetering on the brink of extinction.
Underwater footage shows a critically endangered angel shark swimming through the waters of Cardigan Bay – the first time it has been recorded on film in the area since 2021.
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The public-spirited sport of spogomi is catching on across Britain, which boasts its world champion team
Armed with gloves, metal tongs and plastic rubbish sacks, hordes of determined litter-pickers will descend on Hackney Marshes in east London this weekend.
Spogomi, a Japanese litter-picking sport, has come to the UK. Invented in 2008, it was intended as a competition to encourage people to clean up public spaces. It is now played in schools across the country as people gamify collecting rubbish.
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Stamford, Lincolnshire:In our club we learn about plants and animals so that we can help save them. So far we’ve found out about moths, snails, caterpillars and lots more
We have been trying to save nature in different ways. At home we have been planting seeds and picking up litter. At school we have started a new nature club. It’s called the Nature Goddesses. We go into the bushes and teach the other children about different creatures and plants, with the adults helping too. Every time a new child comes, it’s like another new beautiful plant has been saved! We learn about the spectacular gifts of Mother Nature. Any time we see any plants on our wide and majestic field or in the nature area, we explore them and learn about them.
Things we have found at our nature club: garden tiger moth, common blue butterfly, a shield bug, snails, garden spiders, caterpillars, ladybirds and dragonflies, and last but not least four bumblebees. While we investigate these gifts, our minds fill with wonder! Questions float in the air yet to be answered.
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Water firms claim wet wipes, which shed microplastics and cause blockages, are main source of sewage pollution
Wet wipe producers should be charged to remove their pollution from England’s waterways, the author of a government review into reforming the sector has said.
Sewage has been a critical factor in the devastating pollution of our waterways, but other sources of pollution include microplastics, consumer products such as wet wipes, and the byproducts of modern manufacturing, such asPfas (“forever chemicals”), as well as fertiliser and pesticides from farming. Many of these have been linked to harmful effects on human health and the natural environment.
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Chris Hinchliff says language used is indicative of ‘private schoolboy drinking club’ culture within government
Chris Hinchliff was surprised when he was called into the whip’s office at short notice to be told he was no longer a Labour MP because of his campaign to enshrine chalk stream protections in law.
Hinchliff, 31, who last summer became the new MP for North East Hertfordshire, was suspended from the parliamentary Labour party, along with three other MPs, because of a small rebellion he organised over the planning and infrastructure bill.
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The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts
Are there too many pets? Pet ownership goes up and up, particularly dogs and cats. But how many is too many? Gene Leonard, London
Send new questions tonq@theguardian.com.
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Simon Griffiths on how the ethical Australian brand hopes to grow further after getting into the UK’s Tesco
It has been ubiquitous in middle class British bathrooms since a flush of growth during the Covid pandemic. Now Who Gives a Crap is aiming to wipe out the Andrex puppy, Cushelle’s koala and Little Duck’s little duck with a more ethical version of toilet roll.
Its product, made from recycled paper or bamboo and wrapped in colourful paper, has risen rapidly to become the UK’s third biggest non-supermarket brand. Now, the company – which claims to be the first ever online specialist loo roll maker – is aiming for “world domination” with a rollout into Tesco supermarkets, and beyond.
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Thousands of properties going up without access to playgrounds, community infrastructure and even doctors
Thousands of homes across England are being built without urgently needed community infrastructure, say councillors and campaigners, leaving families without access to playgrounds, schools, shops, and even doctors.
Even where provision is built, it can take years to come into use, the Guardian has been told.
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pub. Bowtie Press, UK, 2005
pub. Souvenir Press, London, 2002
First published by Henston Ltd, 1988, new edition 1994. Later edition published by Interpret Publishing, Dorking, Surrey UK.
pub. Henston, Guildford UK, 1985, revised 1987, 1988, 1994.
pub. Crossing Press CA 1994
