A new Gallery opened on 31st January 2014 at the Natural History Museum in London.

Dedicated to Volcanoes and Earthquakes, the  Gallery even has a quake simulator recreating the feel of a shake beneath the ground.

The power and intensity of volcanoes and earthquakes has dominated nature since the beginning of time yet our knowledge of them continues to evolve. In this gallery, you’ll be absorbed in every element of their existence, from the captivating science behind what makes them the most astonishing spectacles of nature, to their ability to transform communities around the world.

Dr Chiara Petrone, Petrology Scientist

Visit the Museum’s website for more information.

Living On One – StFF beneficiary – launched a new project this month ‘Salam Neighbor’. This young organisation was supported in 2012 to take its award winning ‘Living on One Dollar’ film on tour across the US to inspire young people to action.

On its website Living On One explains that it

uses immersive storytelling to create films, television series, and educational content combined with targeted social impact campaigns to inspire action around pressing global issues. By engaging a young and social media savvy audience, we have been able to create unprecedented awareness for important issues ignored by mainstream media. On all our films, we work with the best humanitarian organizations in the sector to provide opportunities for our audience to easily make a difference.

On 19 January 2014, the team left their Los Angeles  homes to spend 4 weeks living alongside recently displaced families in a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan.  Through shared experiences, they hope to understand the greatest needs of refugees, and how they can be supported as they restart their lives.

http://livingonone.org/salamneighbor/

Scientists from the Natural History Museum and Royal Holloway, University of London, collected rubbish over a three-month period at the end of 2012 from seven locations along the river bed of the upper Thames estuary.

The resulting report: ‘Plastic in the Thames: A river runs through it’, reveals the following:

– Sub-surface rubbish items intercepted in fyke-nets in the River Thames

– The trapping of 8490, mainly plastic, items during a three month period

– Over 20% of rubbish items were components of sanitary products

– Most contaminated sites were in the vicinity of sewage treatment works

– Evidence for significant sub-surface transport of rubbish in the Thames Estuary

Dr Paul Clark, a researcher at the Natural History Museum and co-author of the study, said:

“Plastic can have a damaging impact on underwater life. Large pieces can trap animals but smaller pieces can be inadvertently eaten. The toxic chemicals they contain, in high doses, could harm the health of wildlife.”

Read yesterday’s Guardian article.

Earth Hour, the world’s largest mass participation event, is an annual switch off that focuses the world’s attention on the planet.

Do the Green Thing, in partnership with WWF-UK, are running a national competition for young creatives aged 16-25  for Earth Hour on March 29th 2014.

You have until 13th January 2014 to enter the competition at http://wwf.org.uk/ehpostercomp

HighWaterLine was a public artwork on the New York city waterfront that created an immediate visual and local understanding of the affects of climate change.

In 2012/13 the project moved to Miami and, from January 2014, the project will begin to engage London communities and the chalking of the line should begin in April, with the art piece revealed in June 2014.  The London project’s partner in the UK is Invisible Dust and the work is supported by the Arts Council England and LUSH.

If you see the HighWaterLine team out and about in London in 2014, stop and chat.

A video explaining the New York project is available here.

Get the New Yorker’s take on the New York project here.

In September 2013, Fauna & Flora International officially launched the first version of the ‘Good Scrub Guide’ featuring 16 brands and 35 plastic free products, the Guide has been produced following effective engagement with UK cosmetic and personal care companies.