Rewilded Running / Trail Running

A story about rewilding, wolves, whisky and a spot of running at the Great Glen Ultra 70miler.

Currently published in Trail Running magazine. Photos by the wickedly talented Jimmy Hyland JHParchive.com.

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Power of the Dark Side / Outdoor Fitness

I wrote this fun story for Outdoor Fitness magazine about how to run at night with a headtorch. 

They must like me after quite a few years working together: they let me sneak in a whole lot of kooky Star Wars and Darth Vader references.

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Juliana vs US / Geographical

PH. Robin Loznak/Our Children’s Trust

For the last year I have been following the story of 21 youths who are suing the US government.

Despite 50 years of awareness about the dangerous effects of green house gas emissions, the plaintiffs claim the government have affirmatively supported the fossil fuel industry and compromised their Constitutional rights to life, liberty and property.

On Oct 29th they were finally due to have their day in court. The court spectacle of diverse youths including musicians, indigenous communities and climate ambassadors who have marched across the nation and spoke in the UN was billed to be the “trial of the century.” A last minute intervention from the recently restructured Supreme Court delayed the trial – but the plaintiffs, their pro bono lawyers and citizens concerned about the impending climate crisis rallied outside court houses across the country.

In this article for Geographical magazine I interviewed other youth climate activists involved in direct action and litigation. I discovered that young people have an uncompromising vision for the drastic action needed to ensure intergenerational climate justice. And not just not their own long remaining lives, but for future generations too.

Read the article here

 

Electric Cool / Geographical

 

For the October issue of Geographical magazine I investigated the proclaimed environmental and climate mitigating benefits of the electric racing series Formula E. 

The article includes interviews and comment from Paul Day from Aquafuel Research, Stephen Skippon from the Transport Research Laboratory and Julia Palle the sport’s Senior Sustainability Consultant .

The electric revolution that Formula E are showcasing will ameliorate inner city air pollution. In tackling climate change, however, I discovered the series have pinned their hopes for now on unabated, albeit-greener consumption. Instead, I argue that deep cuts in carbon emissions will require a deeper societal shift-of-gear towards more sustainable consumer as well as industry behaviour.

Click here to read it full page. 

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Into the Wild, Chile / the Guardian

On January 11th 2011, I set off on a bicycle ride from the bottom of South America.

On Chilean Independence Day 2018, the The Guardian shared some of the marvellous things I have found so far.

It was a testing job to pick the pit-stops for a one month trip that stretches from the Atacama Desert to the Pacific Ocean. The diversity in between mountains and ocean; culture and cuisine and wildlife and wilderness can send you into a spin when taking it all in on a first trip.

I didn’t want anyone to feel though that they would miss out. And the final suggested route gives you enough time to poke into the curious corners of the country whilst carving out your own largely self-guided experience.

All the transport choices deliberately avoid air travel. Partly it was an attempt to keep visitors’ carbon footprint low once in the country. Also, (and this part didn’t make my final draft) by travelling slowly through the country – sharing a bunk room on a steamer through the fiords, or gliding overnight into the desert on the 180degree reclining bed bus – you meet the people. This is where the real stories begin.

If you do get to travel to Chile, I hope you return with a rucksack full of adventures to last you a lifetime.

I’m still packing mine…

Read at the Guardian here.