Earthworm – the soil-maker, without whom we’d struggle to feed ourselves | Invertebrates

The people have spoken and the choice of Guardian readers for the final nominee for UK invertebrate of the year is resounding: all hail Lumbricus terrestris, the common earthworm.

The common earthworm – also known as the lob worm, dew worm, nightcrawler and, in Germany, the rain worm – is the soil-maker. Without its labours, we would struggle to feed ourselves.

Worms can bring 40 tonnes of soil to the surface per hectare a year in Britain. They are the engineers of an ecosystem that may be as diverse as the Amazon rainforest. Their diggings aerate soil and they pull fallen leaves and other organic matter into the earth and recycle them. Worms make soils less prone to flooding in winter and less baking hard in summer, they boost microbial activity and, of course, support plant growth.

Gorgeous creatures, many shades of pink, coiling and gliding through the earth. Photograph: Blickwinkel/Alamy

But #VoteWorm is to celebrate majesty and dignity too. These are gorgeous creatures, many shades of pink, stretching out to 35cm long, and coiling and gliding – never “slithering”, as the pestilent centipede put it in James and the Giant Peach – through the earth.

The worm’s backers know this well. Lily, aged four, nominates the earthworm “because they help make compost to help our garden grow, they feel very soft and when they have got mud on them they are like a wiggly piece of string”.

We think the myopic adult world is blind to the brilliance of worms but they have long had influential advocates from Cleopatra and Charles Darwin to George Monbiot.

Today, Guardian-reading soil scientists and horticulturalists make a powerful case to Vote Worm but so, too, does Gill from North Wales, who has been earthworm-phobic since she was Lily’s age. “Much gratitude for all the thrashing ones, the little thready ones, the slimy ones, the knotted ones, the ones with ‘saddles’, the blue-tinged ones, even the enormous ones stretching terrifyingly across my drive when the ground is sodden,” she writes. “Thank you all, for what you do.”

Take heed of Trevor Lawson from Amersham. Not only are earthworms critically important, he argues, they are “the best symbol of everything that matters about being an invertebrate in our anthropocentric worldview – vulnerable, crushable, rarely considered, even despised for their apparent blind ignorance, and yet through sheer force of numbers and extraordinary evolutionary adaptation, they are capable of shaping the entire world around us as we, in our own wilful ignorance, stumble blindly on.”

#VoteWorm’s last word goes to reader Jacqui from Wiltshire who says: “200 words for this hero?! Really! Give the worm a gong!”

  • At midnight on Friday 12 April, voting will open to decide the Guardian’s UK invertebrate of the year with the winner to be announced on Monday 15 April.

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The Positive Impact of Sustainable Living on Your Wallet and the Environment

sustainable living is not just a passing trend – it’s a lifestyle choice that can have a positive impact on both your wallet and the environment. By making conscious decisions about how we live and consume, we can not only save money but also reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.

The positive impact of sustainable living on your wallet is undeniable. By reducing your energy consumption, recycling and reusing materials, and choosing to buy locally sourced products, you can save a significant amount of money in the long run. According to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency, households can save an average of $723 per year by making simple energy-efficient changes to their homes.

Not only does sustainable living save you money, but it also has a positive impact on the environment. By reducing your carbon footprint through actions such as using public transportation, composting organic waste, and choosing renewable energy sources, you can help mitigate the effects of climate change and preserve natural resources for future generations.

According to renowned environmentalist Jane Goodall, “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual can make a difference.” By making small changes in our daily lives, we can collectively make a big impact on the health of our planet.

To learn more about how sustainable living can benefit both your wallet and the environment, visit the Planetary Citizens website at sustainable living. Take the first step towards a greener future today!

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5 Sustainable Travel Tips for Eco-Conscious Explorers

Are you an eco-conscious explorer looking to minimize your carbon footprint while traveling? Here are 5 sustainable travel tips to help you do just that!

1. **Pack Light**: One of the easiest ways to reduce your environmental impact while traveling is to pack light. According to sustainable travel expert, Jessica Nabongo, “Packing light not only helps lower fuel consumption on flights, but it also makes it easier to use public transportation once you reach your destination.” So, leave those extra pairs of shoes at home and opt for versatile, multi-purpose clothing instead.

2. **Choose Eco-Friendly Accommodations**: When booking your accommodations, look for hotels and resorts that prioritize sustainability. Many eco-conscious accommodations have implemented practices such as water conservation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction. By supporting these establishments, you are contributing to the preservation of the environment. As eco-travel advocate, John Muir, once said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”

3. **Use Public Transportation or Walk**: Instead of renting a car or taking taxis everywhere, consider using public transportation or walking to get around. Not only does this reduce your carbon footprint, but it also allows you to immerse yourself in the local culture and experience your destination in a more authentic way. Sustainable travel enthusiast, Jane Goodall, believes that “every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play.”

4. **Support Local Businesses**: When dining out or shopping for souvenirs, try to support local businesses and artisans. By doing so, you are contributing to the local economy and helping to preserve traditional crafts and practices. As sustainable living advocate, Greta Thunberg, once said, “The climate crisis is not just about the environment; it’s about justice.”

5. **Offset Your Carbon Emissions**: Lastly, consider offsetting your carbon emissions by supporting renewable energy projects or investing in carbon offset programs. Many airlines and travel companies offer options for travelers to offset the environmental impact of their trips. By taking this extra step, you can help mitigate the effects of your travels on the planet.

By following these 5 sustainable travel tips for eco-conscious explorers, you can make a positive impact on the environment while still enjoying your adventures. Remember, sustainable living is not just a trend – it’s a lifestyle choice that benefits both the planet and future generations.

For more information on sustainable living, visit [Planetary Citizens](https://planetarycitizens.org/) today.

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After 30 years, Critical Mass is still fighting for cyclists on London’s roads | Critical mass

Thirteen years ago, riding through central London on my way to meet a friend one evening, I found myself surrounded by hundreds of cyclists, some blaring horns, one popping wheelies, and even someone covered in lights, thundering out drum’n’bass from a mobile sound system.

In spite of being overdressed in a shirt and my best trousers, I was taken by the spontaneous solidarity of this diverse group, who I later found was mostly made up of strangers.

Having been swept along in their pack, we made our way to the West End as other traffic momentarily came to a halt to let us pass, while perplexed tourists and shoppers looked on.

This was my first experience of Critical Mass, a monthly, leaderless event held around the world, which promotes safer cycling by riding in numbers.

As a nervous cyclist getting used to riding in London, participating in a “rideout” gave me a rare chance to briefly experience what roads in the capital could be like without cars. It was liberating.

This Sunday, hundreds of cyclists are expected to take part in the 30th anniversary of the first London event. Just like in 1994, the rolling demonstration will reiterate a message that cyclists have an equal right to use the road and that they should be able to ride in safety. Although numbers have been falling, about 100 cyclists still die on British roads each year, according to government data.

A Critical Mass ride in April 2014. Photograph: Janine Wiedel Photolibrary/Alamy

Inspired by rides first held in the US, Critical Mass tries to set off from the same starting point on the last Friday of every month; in London it is the South Bank, under Waterloo Bridge.

A mix of riders turn up, from cycling activists and environmentalists to those who just want to ride for fun.

There is no planned route; the pack simply follows riders who happen to be at the front. By forming a “critical mass” and riding slowly around a city, riders take up as much road as is needed to keep everybody safe.

A Critical Mass website explains: “Critical Mass is not an organisation or group, but an idea or tactic, Critical Mass allows people to reclaim cities with their bikes, just by getting together and outnumbering the cars on the road”

There is no question that rides are disruptive in their nature. At roundabouts and junctions, a few “corkers” will move out to stop traffic coming in from sidestreets so the pack can stick together. Sometimes, the disruption leads to arguments, as I witnessed on my first ride. Fortunately, a standoff between a young rider and a motorist was defused quickly.

The rides often last for a few hours and their noise and colour give them a reputation for being a bit lively.

That Critical Mass London still exists is somewhat of an achievement given that there have been high-profile attempts to restrict or even ban it. In 2007 moves to outlaw it unless its route was notified to the police in advance were overturned when the House of Lords allowed an appeal against a previous ruling by the court of appeal.

The law lords held that the event, which had no organisers or set route and proceeded on a “follow my leader” basis, was not governed by the Public Order Act 1986.

It is not easy to measure what 30 years of Critical Mass London rideouts have achieved, but its participants would probably want to believe that it has helped raise the profile of cyclists. They would also argue that they have helped change the stereotype that cyclists on the capital’s roads are still the minority.

The event endures, and this weekend a diverse group of people will celebrate their right to use the road safely and in an environmentally friendly manner. In a symbolic act of defiance, many will also get off their bikes during the ride to hold their bikes above their heads and join in with a traditional “bike lift” or “bike salute” (probably to a backdrop of car horns blaring).

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From A to Z: The Best Sustainable Living Books for Beginners

Are you new to the world of sustainable living and looking for some guidance on where to start? Look no further! In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best sustainable living books for beginners, from A to Z.

From “A” for “An Inconvenient Truth” by Al Gore to “Z” for “Zero Waste Home” by Bea Johnson, these books cover a wide range of topics related to sustainability and offer practical tips and advice for living a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

One of the key figures in the sustainable living movement, Bea Johnson, has been quoted as saying, “Sustainable living is not about perfection, it’s about making better choices every day.” Her book, “Zero Waste Home,” is a great resource for beginners looking to reduce their waste and live a more minimalist lifestyle.

Another must-read book for those interested in sustainable living is “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things” by William McDonough and Michael Braungart. This groundbreaking book explores the concept of designing products and systems that are not only environmentally friendly but also economically viable.

Whether you’re interested in learning more about renewable energy, organic gardening, or ethical fashion, there’s a sustainable living book out there for you. So why not start your journey to a more sustainable lifestyle today?

For more information and resources on sustainable living, be sure to check out Planetary Citizens. Sustainable living is not just a trend – it’s a way of life that benefits both people and the planet. So let’s all do our part to create a more sustainable future for generations to come.

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Sustainable Building Practices: The Key to a More Eco-Friendly Future

In today’s world, the need for sustainable building practices is more important than ever. With the increasing threat of climate change and environmental degradation, it is crucial that we start implementing eco-friendly solutions in every aspect of our lives. Sustainable building practices are the key to a more eco-friendly future, and they play a critical role in reducing our carbon footprint and preserving the planet for future generations.

According to experts in the field, sustainable building practices involve designing and constructing buildings in a way that minimizes their impact on the environment. This includes using renewable energy sources, implementing energy-efficient technologies, and incorporating green materials into the construction process. By adopting these practices, we can significantly reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, making our buildings more environmentally friendly and sustainable in the long run.

As architect Ken Yeang once said, “Sustainable design is not just about building green buildings. It is about finding the balance between the built environment and the natural world.” This sentiment rings true in the context of sustainable building practices, as it is essential to consider the environmental impact of our constructions and strive to minimize our ecological footprint.

By promoting sustainable building practices, we can create a more sustainable future for all. As the demand for eco-friendly buildings continues to rise, it is crucial that we prioritize sustainable solutions in our construction projects. By doing so, we can help reduce our impact on the environment and create a more sustainable future for generations to come.

To learn more about sustainable living and how you can contribute to a more eco-friendly future, visit Planetary Citizens for valuable resources and information on sustainable building practices. Together, we can make a difference and build a better world for all.

References:

– Ken Yeang, Architect

– Planetary Citizens: sustainable living

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The Importance of Sustainable Living in Your Household

In today’s world, the importance of sustainable living in your household cannot be overstated. With the rise of climate change and environmental degradation, it is more crucial than ever to adopt sustainable practices in our daily lives. But what exactly does sustainable living mean, and why is it so important?

Sustainable living refers to a lifestyle that aims to reduce one’s environmental impact by making conscious choices about how we consume resources. This can include using energy-efficient appliances, reducing waste, and supporting eco-friendly products. By incorporating sustainable practices into our households, we can help preserve the planet for future generations.

According to environmental activist Greta Thunberg, “Sustainable living is not just a trend, it’s a necessity for the survival of our planet.” With rising temperatures and extreme weather events becoming more common, it is clear that we need to take action now to protect the environment.

One way to start living more sustainably is by reducing our energy consumption. By using energy-efficient appliances and turning off lights when not in use, we can lower our carbon footprint and save money on utility bills. Additionally, switching to renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power can further reduce our environmental impact.

Another important aspect of sustainable living is reducing waste. By recycling, composting, and avoiding single-use plastics, we can minimize the amount of trash that ends up in landfills and oceans. As environmentalist Bea Johnson says, “Zero waste is not a goal, but a journey.” Every small step we take towards reducing waste can make a difference in the long run.

Supporting local and eco-friendly products is another way to promote sustainable living in your household. By choosing organic produce, fair trade goods, and environmentally-friendly cleaning products, we can support companies that prioritize sustainability and ethical practices.

In conclusion, the importance of sustainable living in your household cannot be ignored. By making conscious choices about how we consume resources, we can help protect the environment and create a more sustainable future for all. To learn more about sustainable living and how you can make a difference, visit Planetary Citizens website at sustainable living. Together, we can make a positive impact on the planet and inspire others to do the same.

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The Future of Sustainable Living: Apps That Make Going Green Easier

The future of sustainable living is looking brighter than ever, thanks to the innovative apps that are making going green easier for all of us. These handy tools are changing the way we think about our impact on the environment and are helping us make more eco-friendly choices in our everyday lives.

One such app that is revolutionizing sustainable living is called JouleBug. This app gamifies sustainable behaviors, making it fun and easy to track your energy-saving efforts. From biking to work instead of driving to using reusable water bottles, JouleBug encourages users to adopt more sustainable habits. According to environmental activist Jane Goodall, “Apps like JouleBug are a great way to engage people in sustainability and make a real difference in the world.”

Another app that is making waves in the world of sustainable living is GoodGuide. This app allows users to scan products and instantly see their environmental impact, making it easier to make informed purchasing decisions. As sustainable living expert Sarah Laskow explains, “GoodGuide is helping consumers hold companies accountable for their environmental practices and encouraging them to make more sustainable choices.”

Apps like JouleBug and GoodGuide are just the beginning of a new era of sustainable living. As more and more people become aware of the importance of living in harmony with the planet, these apps will play a crucial role in helping us make greener choices. So if you’re looking to make a positive impact on the environment, be sure to check out these apps and start living more sustainably today!

For more information on sustainable living, visit sustainable living.

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Dinosaur data: can the bones of the deep past help predict extinctions of the future? | Palaeontology

In Chicago’s Field Museum, behind a series of access-controlled doors, are about 1,500 dinosaur fossil specimens. The palaeobiologist Jasmina Wiemann walks straight past the bleached leg bones – some as big as her – neither does she glance at the fully intact spinal cord, stained red by iron oxides filling the spaces where there was once organic material. She only has eyes for the deep chocolate-brown fossils: these are the ones containing preserved organic matter – bones that offer unprecedented insights into creatures that went extinct millions of years ago.

Wiemann is part of the burgeoning field of conservation palaeobiology, where researchers are looking to the deep past to predict future extinction vulnerability. At a time when humans could be about to witness a sixth mass extinction, studying fossil records is particularly useful for understanding how the natural world responded to problems before we arrived: how life on Earth reacted to environmental change over time, how species adapted to planet-scale temperature changes, or what to expect when ocean geochemical cycles change.

“This is not something that we can simulate in the laboratory or meaningfully observe right now in the present day,” Wiemann says. “We have to rely on the longest ongoing experiment.”

Jasmina Wiemann lays out three fossils: the dark brown Allosaurus bone (left) still holds organic matter; the light brown Tyrannosaurus rex fossil (right) also has extractable organics; the Cryolophosaurus bone (centre) is entirely bleached and cannot be used for metabolic assessments. Photograph: Tiffany Cassidy/The Guardian

To observe that planet-scale experiment, scientists have developed new methods of gathering information from the bones of the distant past. After collecting her fossils, Wiemann puts them under a microscope that shoots a laser at the specimen. She displays a section on her computer screen, 50 times its original size, and moves across the fossil’s surface until she finds a dark spot with a seemingly velvety surface – this is the fossilised organic matter.

Wiemann turns the room lights off, a tiny dot of light beams on to the fossil, and a curved line starts appearing on the computer screen. Every compound reacts differently to the laser, and where the bumps in this line are appearing across her chart suggest she was successful at finding organics. “This is beautiful,” she says. She will need to run through the data later, but this should reveal whether the specimen under her microscope was warm or cold-blooded.

Using this method, Wiemann studied when warm-bloodedness emerged around the Permian-Triassic mass extinction (the biggest in history) and the Cretaceous-Paleogene (when the dinosaurs went extinct). Warm-bloodedness was already established as a factor that made species less likely to go extinct, as they can regulate their internal temperature in changing climates. But Wiemann found a new result – that many animals evolved warm-bloodedness independently after each of these extinctions. This could have implications for how animals adapt and find resilience as the planet warms.

“If we want to, in any way, even in the short term, make meaningful predictions, we have to demonstrate that we understand these processes,” she says.

Wiemann shoots a laser at the fossilised organic matter to determine the metabolic rate of the animal. Photograph: Tiffany Cassidy/The Guardian

One of the first people to write about combining ecological and palaeontological approaches to predict extinction vulnerability was Michael McKinney, now the director of environmental studies at the University of Tennessee. After graduating with a degree in palaeontology he began working but says he kept feeling a need to be more relevant. “I love the dinosaurs, the big picture,” he says. “But I kept thinking that it gives us a great context, but it wasn’t teaching me a lot that I could apply directly to the immediate problems.”

McKinney went on to create his current department, which merges geology and ecology. Now, he sees palaeobiology as useful to predict what will happen. But understanding what to do about it is more difficult.

“If you think about what the world’s going to be like 1,000 years from now, I think deep time can help us answer that question,” he says. “But if I’m worried about the fact that the Amazon rainforest is disappearing in the next 20 years, I’m sceptical deep time can inform that.”

Humans, he says, have found new ways of driving species to extinction, from the passenger pigeon to the dodo. “We operate by rules that don’t really apply to the past. The things that we do are so fast and so unpredictable.”

But deep time can offer insights into how species respond to very large, systemic changes – such as the temperature shifts we are now seeing. Erin Saupe, a professor of palaeobiology at the University of Oxford, uses large datasets to look at patterns of extinction in the fossil record to see which traits make species most vulnerable.

In a recent paper published in Science, she and her co-authors asked whether intrinsic traits, including body size and geographic range size, were more or less important in predicting extinction than external factors such as climate change. “Nobody has looked at this question before,” Saupe says. Previous research has shown larger animals are typically less likely to go extinct in marine environments but are more prone to extinction on land, and larger “range sizes” – the distance a species is distributed over – help species avoid extinction.

A closeup of an acid-extracted diplodocid (Jurassic long-necked dinosaur) blood vessel. Photograph: Jasmina Wiemann/The Guardian

The team accessed a digital database to look at 290,000 marine invertebrate fossils from across the past 485m years, and used models to reconstruct the climate over that period. They found geographic range size was the most important predictor of extinction, perhaps because of its interconnection with other factors associated with a lower extinction risk. A large range size suggests the animal is also good at moving larger distances, and if a species is widely spread, a regional climate change in one area likely wouldn’t impact all populations. The team found all intrinsic traits they looked at, as well as climate change, were important in predicting extinction.

“Even if a species has traits that usually make them resistant to climate change and to extinction, if the magnitude of climate change is large enough, they will still go extinct,” Saupe says. “I think it’s quite an important message for the present day.”

When it comes to facing a possible future extinction of yet unknown degree, Saupe says the Earth has advantages it didn’t before. For one, we no longer live on one supercontinent, which means the climate regulates better and prevents the continental interiors from becoming so hot and dry. However, similar to McKinney, she is worried that resources are limited and humans are having a disproportionate effect on biodiversity.

“In the past when you’ve had these major climatic changes, although it was devastating for biodiversity … species had the time, they had the resources for species to eventually rebound,” she says. “Today, we’re worried that those climatic changes will continue, but there is no space – there are more limited resources for species to cope with those changes.”

Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on X for all the latest news and features

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