Catch up on all the latest climate news with Abby Hook.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent on Climate, live on KMTV. I'm Abbey Hook and in this show we
00:14discuss all things related to environmental issues in the county. How is climate change
00:19impacting Kent? What are communities in the county doing to tackle it and how can you
00:24help at home? Each week we take a deep dive into a new environmental issue in the county
00:29and I'm joined by expert guests. But this is something first to watch out for on your
00:34morning walks. A very rare white blackbird has been seen photographed along a path in
00:39hives linking the Royal Military Canal and South Road. The reason for its white appearance
00:44is as experts say a condition called leucism, a genetic one that causes a partial loss of
00:50pigmentation. Not in this case albinism which is much rarer and would cause the complete
00:55loss of pigmentation. The condition accounts for roughly 40% of all plumage variation among
01:00British birds. Now new pods have opened in Canterbury to give stray cats a home more
01:08suited to their characteristics. The Alternative Lifestyle Cattery will house feral or abandoned
01:13pets who can't be rehomed. It's the first of its kind for the RSPCA and they say it's
01:18vital to reducing the number of cats and kittens on the streets. Brandon Knapp volunteers at
01:23the centre and sent us this report from the grand opening. Some cats enjoy the company
01:28of humans. When I come to volunteer at this RSPCA animal shelter Jess always appreciates
01:33a friendly hello. Every cat in care has come from a different walk of life meaning for
01:38some being in a shelter can be a stressful experience. But taking a stride in the right
01:43direction is the Canterbury and District Animal Rehoming Centre who have opened an alternative
01:48lifestyle building, the first of its kind across more than 150 branches in the UK. But
01:55what is an alternative cat? An alternative lifestyle cat is sometimes called a farm cat
02:01or a barn cat, sometimes labelled as a feral cat, a cat that is unsocialised, maybe not
02:08so keen on spending time with humans. The normal kind of cattery is very stressful for
02:13that type of cat. It's a very busy environment, there's lots of people, there's also lots
02:17of other cats. To celebrate this vital step forward for the RSPCA's animal welfare mission,
02:23a community gathered to enjoy the delightful sights and smells of homemade cakes, nibbles
02:28and of course a cup of tea. With a cut of the ribbon by the Mayor of Canterbury the
02:32new cattery is open and can begin to help reduce the number of stray cats on the street.
02:375, 4, 3, 2, 1. As you can see people are taking a look at the new alternative lifestyle
02:48cattery which is the first of its kind for RSPCA. These pods offer a more spacious environment
02:53for the cats during their temporary stay at the centre. It has the luxury of an outdoor
02:58catio on the back of it, so it gives them that extra space, freedom, that natural enrichment
03:04that you would get of sights, sounds, all of those type of things that they would normally
03:09have if they were in a barn or a farm. The facility here kind of mirrors more of a natural
03:15environment for them which makes them more calm, more relaxed and it's more in tune with
03:21what they are used to and it's a very unique opportunity to be able to offer that facility.
03:29The new cattery was built in memory of a dear friend of the centre, an all involved wish
03:33for its success and hope it inspires other branches to follow in the footsteps of Canterbury's.
03:38I believe with the amount of effort and support that has been put in from the team and the
03:43research and the build it will be successful. I think it could be something that could be
03:48replicated in other RSPCA locations subject to them having the facilities to support the
03:56build. Before I left I had to give one of my favourite
03:59felines another visit. Brandon Knapp for KMTV.
04:05Each week we take a look at a creature that can be found here in Kent. This week's feature
04:10can be seen during one of your river sidewalks, either paddling in the water or waddling along
04:15the grass. In the UK alone we have 22 different species. Have you guessed it? Let us know
04:20on social media. If not, let's take a look further with this week's creature feature.
04:27Do you recognise that sound? A noise commonly heard along riverside walks and when you visit
04:34your local pond. They are, of course, ducks. Now, I'm joined here by Dave. Dave, can you
04:43tell us any more about your species? No? Alright, I guess I'll do it then. These aquatic creatures
04:51can be found in rivers, lakes, wherever they want to be really. Distinguished by their
04:56short necks and webbed feet, ducks can live up to 20 years in the right environment. A
05:02common misconception about ducks is that you can feed them bread. Just like how cats shouldn't
05:07be fed cow's milk, do not feed ducks bread. It can cause them illnesses or pollute their
05:13habitat. They usually feed on algae or insects, but if you do want to feed them, frozen peas,
05:19lettuce or birdseed would be much better for them. Mallards, who are the most common type
05:24of duck in the UK, can be told apart from the colour of their feathers. Male mallards have a
05:30green head, whilst females are completely brown. Fun fact, only the female ones can quack. I think
05:39we should have Dave join me. Anyway, next this evening, a primary school in Kent has received
05:45a prestigious Green School Award. They received this after their pupils created a bug hotel from
05:51materials they collected when I spoke to the teacher earlier. Thank you very much for inviting
05:56me on. We are hugely proud of this award. It's an award that's run by Social Enterprise Kent,
06:04and their aim is to recognise pupils and schools who are making a difference with the environment.
06:12Our school is, well, has been working really hard on a variety of different projects,
06:16and we were recognised in building a bug hotel within our church grounds, which are
06:21local to the school. Tell us, why did you opt for a bug hotel? Of course, there are many
06:27sustainability initiatives that young people can get involved in. What drew you to a bug hotel in
06:33particular? Well, that's a good question, because we have been working on a project with our local
06:41church, which is called Eco Church, where the children meet once a term with our reverend and
06:47the church warden. And they have some beautiful grounds within our ancient churchyard. And it's
06:55all been about getting used to nature, looking at the items and nature around us that we can pull
07:02together to encourage wildlife to live with us, essentially. So the children and our reverend
07:10church warden felt that a bug hotel was a great opportunity to utilise our local area,
07:15and to look at all of the things that are around us, and how we can build an ecosystem for those
07:22mini-beasts. And I suppose it's a really good way of getting young people involved, and getting them
07:27actually hands-on in that process too, and sort of at one with nature, it's sort of the best way.
07:32What sort of response do you get from the young people? Are they more climate savvy than we are
07:38as adults? Oh, I think the children are so passionate about the environment, and the climate,
07:46and our local area, and looking after it. They really are excited when we go out to Eco Church,
07:52because it often involves going up to the churchyard, looking at what needs to be rebuilt,
07:57how we can add to it, the wildlife and nature that has already started living within the bug hotel.
08:04They really love it. And only a couple of weeks ago, they went up and saw it in a different season
08:09as well, added to it, just to see what else might be living there, and how it had grown in its size.
08:17We all love winning awards. We all love prizes. I remember at school, it would be all you'd strive
08:22for to be top of the class, and a real teacher's pet over here. But I suppose, does it get more
08:28children who perhaps wouldn't look at the environment, at the climate, and be that
08:32interested? Does it actually get children who perhaps otherwise wouldn't care, winning an award
08:37makes them go, oh, I'm going to get involved in this? Oh, totally. And I think because they've
08:43received this recognition, it's lovely that they know that they can carry on doing such
08:50wonderful things, and hopefully looking after our environment. The children come up with so many
08:56different activities that they would like to do. We do litter picking, we've got some recycling
09:01going on. We've got another project coming up in January, where the children will be working
09:06with Kent Wildlife Trust on some more green-related issues. So I think it's an ongoing
09:13kind of project that the children are loving, and feeling inspired and empowered to carry on
09:20as they get older. Of course, this is something you've opted to do, to create this Bug Hotel.
09:25But in the way of, I suppose, the curriculum, how important is it? And what sort of place,
09:30I suppose, is climate and the environment given within schools? And what are schools who don't
09:35have access to large, vast outside spaces, and the resources to make things like Bug Hotels,
09:41what can they do to enforce that within school and within a lesson?
09:47I think it's a brilliant opportunity. Any space could have a Bug Hotel created in it.
09:52It doesn't have to necessarily be an ancient area, or a place that naturally has trees occurring.
09:58It covers virtually every aspect of our school curriculum, ranging from science,
10:03where the children look at habitats. We obviously look at the places that the
10:09bugs have traveled from, and the suitability of different resources that we can add to the hotel,
10:16too. But it also makes us think about the bigger picture as well. What we can actually do to
10:21preserve and encourage nature, and be the protectors as well of the natural environment.
10:28You've got the Bug Hotel now. What else? Are we making a whole village, a complex?
10:33Is there a whole monopoly of Bug Homes, Houses, and Hotels coming?
10:39Well, it's another good question, because we have got our Bug Hotel. There's another Bug Hotel that's
10:44being worked on within school in a different area, which we're hoping to see develop, and see if
10:50there's anything different that comes and lives there. We often are looking at ways to encourage
10:56birds. So not only will the Bug Hotel encourage different birds, but having bird feeders up,
11:02having bird boxes up, doing all sorts of things. Not just, as I say, we do litter picks as well.
11:09And one of the different projects that we're working on in January, it's all pupil-led,
11:14so it's up to this decision. But we're looking as well at maybe trying to encourage the use of
11:19water, and the rivers, and make use of clean water. So we'll encourage other animals and
11:25creatures as well. Nicholas, it sounds amazing. So a whole, a big estate for all the bugs,
11:31birds, bees, all of them to join. Nicholas, congratulations on the Green School Award,
11:36and thank you so much for joining us. Thank you very much.
11:43Time for a break now. I'll see you in just a few minutes.
14:55Hello, welcome back to Kent on Climate, live on KMTV. Now, the RSPCA has revealed an almost 25%
15:02increase in pet neglect cases across Britain, and a 15% increase in Kent in the past year,
15:09and has expressed concerns that the figure is only going to grow through the festive period.
15:13The charity experienced a staggering 1,471 reports of animal neglect in Kent between
15:19January and September of this year, the fifth highest number in the country. The figures were
15:25released as a part of the charity's Join the Christmas Rescue campaign, which aims to support
15:30their frontline staff during the busy period. A spokesperson for the charity says they expect the
15:35crisis to worsen as families' households struggle with extra food, shopping, and increasing energy
15:42bills. Residents are worried following Storm Darragh after a segment of the newly installed
15:48sea wall fell over under the strong winds and waves. The Darnet District Council spent
15:53£880,000 on the sea defence improvements, but photos show one segment being propped up by a
15:59brick. A spokesman for the council has stated that the improvement work is ongoing, and the
16:04segment that fell had simply not yet been properly secured, and was in a section that was still
16:09inaccessible to the public. Despite this, some residents have declared the coastal zone a death
16:14trap, with concerns being raised over the integrity of the defences should another storm hit.
16:24Christmas is quickly approaching, and here on KMTV we've been discovering sustainable,
16:28festive ideas. Today, James Kerneller has been looking at eco-friendly Christmas wrapping methods
16:34and getting to understand staff's gift-giving habits. He'll also be teaching us an alternative
16:39way to wrap our gifts this year. Christmas is just around the corner, and it's time to start
16:48thinking sustainable. Unwrapping presents on Christmas Day is a large part for families.
16:52However, did you know that enough wrapping paper gets thrown away each year to wrap around the globe
16:57nine times? Wrapping paper and sellotape are commonly mistaken as recyclable materials.
17:02If you wish to use wrapping paper this year, make sure it is FSC certified, as seen as the badge on
17:08the screen now. However, there are many alternatives to use this year that are recyclable and reusable,
17:14such as a gift bag. It's easily reusable by all people, and using alternatives such as old
17:20recycling paper, such as a newspaper, can give you a nice unique aesthetic to your Christmas gift this
17:25year. And now, go to our KMTV colleagues to see their wrapping habits this year, and see if they
17:31know any eco-friendly alternatives.
18:01So now we know what our staff like to use, I'm going to be demonstrating an alternative
18:21Japanese wrapping method called Furushiki. For this, all you'll need is a cloth and your gift.
18:27As you can see, I'm using a scarf for wrapping, meaning I'll be supplying two gifts, whilst also
18:32giving a nice aesthetic too. This is a nice and easy alternative to try this year for yourselves.
18:49This has been James Candler for KMTV.
18:52Look at that! Plenty of different ways to wrap your presents. I'd better get started on mine.
18:56But it's not just wasteful wrapping. When you think about this festive season, there are plenty of ways
19:01we can reduce our impact on the planet during Christmas. Whether you create handmade gifts for
19:05your family and friends, or reduce your food waste this year. Well, joining me now is Bradley Rivers,
19:10who's from King's Rochester and Eco School here in Kent. Well, thank you so much for joining us.
19:16Can you tell me what are some of the ways people can be more sustainable around Christmas this year?
19:22We've heard from James there, how we can do all sorts of different wrapping and some of our
19:26colleagues here at KMTV, their habits when it comes to festivities. But what other advice can
19:31you give people? Hi, Abby. Yeah, thanks for having me. I really like that. It is a challenge at this
19:40time of year. If you're too green at this time of year, it's very easy to be likened to being the
19:46Grinch. But I suppose staying on that kind of Scrooge bar humbug theme, it's important to be
19:55positive with it and to be creative, realistic with the waste that Christmas generates. But being
20:02positive about it and making positive changes will make you feel positive as well. I like to think
20:07that's part of the message I pass on. So Scrooge is less about Christmas future. And ultimately,
20:12this is all about the future being more sustainable, is that it ends up in the ground,
20:20it ends up in the ground, and our waste that we generate ends up in the ground as well,
20:24which, of course, we can Google and find out loads about that. But a few bullet points I made
20:30when you guys reached out earlier was about gifts and this general attitude to wasting gifts. I
20:37personally really think that what we buy should be more clearly labelled so that we know just
20:43what impact it is having. But sometimes, and quite often, if you buy cheap, you're buying twice. Are
20:50you actually buying someone a problem, something to get rid of as well? So Oxfam did a little bit
20:55of research, a little study into people's attitudes towards a gift they received at Christmas. And 40%
21:01of UK adults are unhappy with their gifts. So if just that little bit, perhaps more time or care,
21:10I understand that perhaps some things are bought perhaps as a joke or a disposable present. But
21:17attitudes towards that, where do these things end up really? What is the life cycle of that
21:23that throwaway item? Is there such a thing? So for example, another thing you could perhaps just
21:30give people, if you can't think of anything, is the gift of time. We're all quite busy. I'd really
21:36appreciate some maybe babysitter vouchers this Christmas would be waste-free and yeah, much
21:42appreciated. When we think of those, sorry to interrupt, Brady, when we think of sort of giving
21:48time to young people instead as a gift, sometimes they sort of look to their friends at school and
21:54go, they got a brand new scooter or they got this game for this. And it comes with lots of
22:00plastic and lots of materials that can't be recycled, things like that. But sometimes we
22:05have to give children presents in particular that are going to make sure they don't feel left out,
22:10I suppose. So how can we navigate looking after our children and how they feel around their friends
22:15and getting the presents they want to and the environment? Of course, that's a great question.
22:22The whole babysitting voucher isn't, of course, angled at the gifts that kids want.
22:29That's a tricky one to answer. So I was more thinking about things like food or trees or
22:35decorations. How do we tackle this idea of how much is too much to get kids or our friends at
22:44Christmas? That's not really something I can answer. That's down to the individual.
22:49And if the child wants it, I mean, I'm going to try my best to get my boy everything he wants
22:57this Christmas. That kind of takes it away from this sustainable, that's starting to get towards
23:04a sociopolitical angle of consumerism. It all feeds into each other, doesn't it? I suppose
23:11there could be something to say for getting a child a present that they could make with you.
23:14I suppose that would be a happy medium. I see a lot of wooden toys, things like that,
23:20because then they last longer. Like you said, if you buy something that's cheaper, that's made out
23:24of plastic, perhaps, although it's more affordable, which is a whole other conversation, it then
23:29doesn't last as long. I think you really hit it there. A lot of it is just thinking about where
23:36that product ends at the end of its life. How is it disposed of? Can it be dismantled? Can it be
23:42passed on to the next generation? Can it be regifted? And that dictates all kinds of things.
23:49So my three-year-old at the moment is into Brio. That's a wooden train set. So it will eventually
23:57biodegrade in compost, unlike, say, some plastic products. But then I had a revelation, really,
24:03that there are more LEGO characters on the planet than there are human beings. And there are 62
24:09pieces of LEGO for every person on the planet currently. But I've still got my LEGO. It's
24:15passed on. Is it really ending up in landfill? I've got some friends that have a wonderful
24:22advent calendar idea, where each day the child opens up the next window, and it's another bit
24:26of LEGO for the end assembly. And that, again, is a really nice way of reusing that material.
24:34I love the idea, because then you feel like you're getting a bit of a gift every day,
24:38and you can look forward to building by the end. Thank you very much for joining us, Bradley. Some
24:42really great ideas there, and really important, from an eco school as well, where you're talking
24:47to those young people. Thank you very much for your time today. We'll see if Santa's going to
24:51be more green this Christmas. We'll find out in just two weeks' time. It's so close. Well,
24:56finally, this evening, a bird which has returned to the Kent skies after 200 years is set for its
25:01third release by a local charity, and a farm's new way of diversifying receives the green light.
25:07Here's Kai with this week's Climate Roundup. First up on this week's Climate Roundup,
25:13conservation charities have helped launch an appeal for the third release of birds into Dover,
25:18a species that holds great significance to Kent. The red-billed chuff, with its distinctive red
25:23beak, once reached extinction within the county, but with the launch of the Chuff Reintroduction
25:28Project, the collaborators, Kent Wildlife Trust, Wildwood Trust, and Paradise Park have successfully
25:33brought them back after their 200-year absence. The birds can now be regularly seen around Dover
25:39Castle and the iconic cliffs. Next up, a plan for 30,000 solar panels to be built near Farningham
25:46and Brands Hatch has been proposed. Wessex Solar Energy claims that the new panels could power over
25:515,600 homes with clean, renewable energy, and generate 17.5 megawatts of power. Some residents
26:00are weary of the nearly 38 acres of land being used to build the solar farm, but the firm insists
26:06that with proper aftercare, the land could be successfully transitioned back to quality
26:10agricultural land. And finally, a new micropub and campsite has been approved near Folkestone.
26:16Landred Farm in Acres plans to open these amenities to the public, stating that diversification is key
26:21to success. The Gower family, who have run the farm since 1970, own another successful seasonal
26:28campsite near Dover and hope that their new plan will reach the same triumph. Their plan for the
26:33micropub was approved in August and the campsite plans to open next June, with the owners very
26:38optimistic about the future of their farm. There's Kai with the climate roundup. That's all we've
26:45got time for today. Bye-bye.