03 Oct 2025
By Carl Dodd

Government targets to restore our native forests could be delivered 81 years late!

2025, air pollution, biodiversity, Carl Dodd, decarbonisation, ecosystem, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, forest bathing, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, mindfulness, Nature, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, organic, peat restoration, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, rewilding, Shinrin-yoku, sustainability, sustainable living
Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge (13th July 2025). CREDIT: Wild Card Wild Card: their powerful petition A huge show of public support is continuing after it was revealed that Government targets to restore native forest could well be delivered 81 years late... unless urgent action is taken now. A petition calling on Forestry England to fulfil its commitment to bring back the nation's "ghost woods" - ancient woodland sites felled and replaced by timber plantations in the 20th century - has been signed by over 120,000 members of the public. The milestone was reached less than three weeks after the launch of the petition,…
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19 Sep 2025
By Carl Dodd

Celebrating PRL’s 18 years of green innovation and sustainability

2025, affordable warmth, air pollution, Carl Dodd, decarbonisation, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, green sector, hospitals, housing, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, schools, sustainability, tiny homes, tiny houses, water neutrality
The PRL Pioneers This autumn, PRL marks a significant milestone: 18 years of pioneering in both the public and private sectors. Since its inception, PRL has been an innovator, creating retrofit solutions that address the evolving needs of buildings, large and small. Its mission: to provide solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and support sustainability goals. PRL and the Public Sector: Innovation for the greater good The ambition was always to work within the public sector for the greater good. The projects are always challenging, and are designed to help society as a whole have options that are more…
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05 Sep 2025
By Carl Dodd

Richest look set to produce 13x more transport emissions by 2035

15-minute cities, 2025, air pollution, air quality, bangernomics, Carl Dodd, decarbonisation, electric vehicle, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, EV, EVs, housing, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, motorhomes, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, petrol, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, sustainable living, transport, van life
Photo Credit: Kyle Bushnell Calls for policies that tackle flying and private car use Transport emissions in the UK are not just an environmental issue - they are a question of fairness. A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) reveals a stark inequality: by 2035, under current government policies, the richest Britons will be producing 13 times more domestic transport emissions than the poorest. And, when international travel is included, the gap grows to 22 times. This isn't simply about carbon footprint - it's about who can access the benefits of mobility, and who bears the…
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15 Aug 2025
By Carl Dodd

Why the UK’s new-build towers are becoming summer ovens

2025, air quality, Carl Dodd, climate resilience, climate whips, draught-proofing, floor insulation, heat pumps, Heatwave, housing, humidity, London Climate Resilience Review, low impact, low carbon living, new homes, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., Retrofit PRL, shading, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, Urban Heat Island, ventilation, weatherproof
Life inside a heat trap As we discussed in a previous Blog Post, groups of tall buildings are prone to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect - which happens because materials like concrete and asphalt absorb and retain heat. A recent headline caught our eye. It refers to what happened last June when a warning was stuck to the window of a flat in Leaside Lock, East London, reading: "DO NOT BUY THESE FLATS. TOO HOT." The photo has been shared over half a million times: Picture Credit: Aidan Sheehan Twelve months later, after the UK recorded its second-warmest June and…
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04 Jul 2025
By Carl Dodd

On the brink: why climate resilience can’t wait

2025, affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, Carl Dodd, climate resilience, climate whips, damp, decarbonisation, draught-proofing, Droughts, ecosystem, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, Floods, green sector, heat pumps, Heatwave, housing, humidity, hydroelectricity, KLB – Scottish NZC, lifestyle transformation, London Climate Resilience Review, Nature, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rainwater harvesting, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, rewilding, shading, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, Urban Heat Island, ventilation, weatherproof, wind power, wind turbine
The UK's weather is no longer just 'unpredictable' The UK's relationship with weather has long been one of mild fascination, but the days of gentle unpredictability are fading fast. We are now firmly in the age of climate disruption - and it's getting worse. From overheating cities to flash floods, droughts, wildfires, and infrastructure failures, the UK is no longer insulated from extreme weather. These events aren't 'one-off's' either - they're part of a volatile new normal. What we are seeing are climate 'whips' (hydroclimate whiplash) - sudden swings between extremes, such as torrential downpours following long dry spells, or…
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20 Jun 2025
By Carl Dodd

Bangernomics: putting the older car economy in the driving seat

2025, banger economics, bangernomics, bangers, Carl Dodd, diesel, electric bike, electric vehicle, emissions, energy sufficiency, Environment, EV, EVs, green sector, hydroelectricity, KLB – Scottish NZC, lifestyle transformation, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, petrol, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rechargeable, reduce carbon footprint, sustainability, sustainable living
Become part of the practical transport philosophy 'Bangernomics' - the art of running inexpensive older cars, is for some a lifestyle decision that balances cost, practicality and even nostalgia. For others, it's simply the most viable financial option. The term, coined in the early 1990s by motoring journalist James Ruppert, reflects a growing counterculture within the automotive world. A key criticism of Bangernomics is the carbon cost of running older petrol or diesel cars. While EVs are designed with emissions standards and tech that reduce pollution, older vehicles may have failing or outdated systems. Pre-2001 cars, in particular, can struggle…
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06 Jun 2025
By Carl Dodd

The UK is helping oil and gas workers switch to green energy careers

2025, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, green sector, heat pumps, housing, hydroelectricity, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., solar array, solar panel, sustainability
The winds of change Around 90 per cent of fossil fuel workers have skills that are relevant to the clean energy transition. The winds of change are indeed blowing across the UK, as it embarks on an energy transition that is both good for the economy and essential to curbing climate change. Homegrown wind and solar are taking over from fossil fuels, but it's important that workers aren't left behind. Job losses are occurring in the oil and gas industry at an astonishing rate, with some reports indicating potentially significant reductions in the workforce. A report by Robert Gordon University suggests that the UK could lose…
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21 Mar 2025
By Carl Dodd

£180m solar investment for school and hospitals

2025, affordable warmth, Carl Dodd, circular economy, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, hospitals, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., recycling, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, schools, solar array, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living
Massive solar investment Hundreds of schools and hospitals across the UK are set to receive £180 million for solar panels from the government's new state-owned energy company. The first major investment from Great British Energy was recently announced as part of government efforts to reduce the country's planet-warming emissions. The move was welcomed by the school leader's union and NHS providers who said it would also help to manage the "enormous financial pressure" of energy bills. The government also hopes that the project, to provide solar panels for 200 schools and 200 hospitals, will reduce the use of fossil fuels…
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07 Mar 2025
By Carl Dodd

Green sector growth: three times faster than the UK economy

2025, Carl Dodd, circular economy, ecosystem, electric vehicle, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, EV, green sector, heat pumps, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rainwater harvesting, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, solar array, sustainability, tenants, tiny homes, up-cycling, wind power, wind turbine
The Net Zero factor New analysis from the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit found that the net zero sector is growing at triple the rate of the UK's economy. This is creating high-paying jobs across the country, while cutting emissions and increasing energy security. Green sectors such as clean energy, EVs, green finance and railways are growing expandingly, with a growth of 10% in 2024 and 9% in 2023. These sectors employ almost a million people in full-time jobs. Green sectors also help balance job distribution, which is often concentrated in London and the South East. Net zero jobs are…
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21 Feb 2025
By Carl Dodd

A turning point in the global climate story?

2025, air pollution, air quality, Carl Dodd, circular economy, ecosystem, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, mindfulness, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, organic, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, sustainability, sustainable living, waste less food
EU emissions plummet... and China's may have peaked As the world battled the intensifying impacts of the climate crisis in 2024 - from record-breaking heatwaves to devastating floods - an important, and perhaps underappreciated, trend emerged from the data: emissions in some parts of the world have not only slowed but dropped sharply. This signals that, despite the gravity of our environmental challenges, change is not only possible - it is already underway. In October 2024, new data revealed that greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU) fell by a remarkable 8% in 2023. The drop places emissions across…
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