Nearly 60 years after the Thames River was claimed to be ‘biologically dead’, new environmental research show the river is now a hive of activity for underwater life.

The river still suffers from some pollution due to the Victorian designed sewer system overflowing into the Thames through heavy rainfall. But with over a 100 species of fish recently being spotted in the Thames, the water is so clean that the National Environment Agency claim Salmon can now be bred in the river.

Thames Salmon died out over 150 years ago due to pollution, but due to a stricter sewage policy the river is now fit for the fish to be re-introduced. Over 5,000 Salmon eggs were recently incubated and released into the Thames tributary at Welford in Berkshire.

Along with the Salmon farming, the Environment Agency was ‘astonished’ to find Snout Nosed Seahorses now living in the Thames for over 18 months. Along with the seahorses, dolphins, seals and even whales have been spotted in the Thames, along with Bass, Flounder and Dover Sole.

It’s easy to see why Ken Livingstone’s office is now touting the Thames as the :-

‘cleanest urban river in Europe’.

> > click here to help Greenpeace protect the UK’s waterways

> > click here to help protect marine life

Why not help provide a better future for children across the country and join the NSPCC’s annual ‘Big Bike Ride’?

On the weekend of June 27th-29th, thousands of people around the UK will be cycling to help raise funds for the children’s charity. The Big Bike Ride is now into its 3rd year, and last year alone more than £175,000 was raised. To put that figure into perspective, this funding helped answer an extra 50,000 calls from children in need of advice on any number of issues, ranging from parental abuse to bullying.

The 3 main rides are taking place in Cardiff, Newcastle and Sussex, whilst another 30 local rides are planned across the length and breadth of the country. From Aberdeen to Ireland, from Coventry to Kimmel Bay, people will be riding bikes of all shapes and sizes to help stop cruelty to children.

If you’re unavailable for that weekend, or just fancy doing something different, why not organise your own Big Bike Ride? Grab some friends or work colleagues, plan your route, get sponsored, and help raise funds for the NSPCC in your own unique way. If you’re feeling competitive you could organise a race, or maybe a fancy dress cycle, it’s up to you.

So why not get on your bike and have some fun whilst raising funds, your ride WILL make a difference.

> > click here to make a donation to the NSPCC

> > click here to organise your own Big Bike Ride

The first purpose built enviromentally friendly ‘Eco School‘ in the UK has just opened its doors. With its part flower, part windmill emblem, believe me this educational facility is doing slightly more than a bit of recycling!

The Howe Dell Primary School in Hatfield, Hertfordshire has been built on the grounds of a former airfield, with recycled glass panels leading up to the entrance like a runway. Once inside the building, the reception desk is made entirely from recycled mobile phones, whilst the flooring for both the dining room and main hall are created from sustainably-sourced bamboo and timber. All the carpeted areas within the classrooms consist of recycled tiles, which in the event of damage can be repaired per square, instead of removing the whole carpet. Recycled materials are the theme throughout the school, with yoghurt pots being used for sink tops and drainpipes doubling as the library counter, and even desks!

Lighting for the school is provided by solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity, and skylights, which allow natural light to take the place of electric bulbs. Plus, plans are already under way to build a wind turbine to take the place of all the electricity that is currently used.
 
The school is warmed by a number of different, environmentally friendly methods. Firstly, the radiators are heated by a brand new system called the Interseasonal Heat Transfer. This involves a network of pipes under the playground absorbing heat from the sun, which is then stored in thermal banks beneath the concrete play area. This heat is saved until the winter months, then released into the building’s radiators. Along with this revolutionary system are solar panels that are used to pre-heat the water used in the kitchens and bathrooms. Even the flushing toilets are maintained with recycled rainwater.

The planning and construction of an environmentally friendly school such as Howe Dell does not come cheaply, with the price running to over £10million. But what price can be put on the environmental awareness this kind of project creates not only for its pupils, but also for the surrounding community?

> > click here to make a donation to help save our planet

> > click here to help save half an acre of rainforest