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UK named one of the best places to survive a cataclysmic event by new research
The UK is one of the top five places to ride out a cataclysmic event
We’ve got some good news for you – sort of – in that the UK and Manchester have been named among the best places to survive a cataclysmic event.
According to new research, the UK is actually one of the world’s ‘most resilient’ countries when it comes to future threats, whether that be a complete breakdown of society, a natural disaster or the effects of climate change.
If one of these scenarios were to happen, some countries would be better able to cope than others according to the study.
New Zealand was named the best location to ride out a cataclysmic event, with Iceland, the UK, Australia and Ireland also top places for survival.
Researchers looked at a range of different events, from viral pandemics to extreme flooding or droughts, and only a few countries seemed protected even under such circumstances.
The study, undertaken by the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University, concluded that being surrounded by water was a good protection from climate catastrophes.
On top of that, the amount of farming and housing land, ‘carrying capacity’, energy and manufacturing self-sufficiency, and how far a country is from large populations who might be displaced were taken into account.
The people responsible for the study had a dire warning for us, saying that our planet is currently in a ‘perilous state’ because of ‘large and growing risks in multiple spheres’ – with much of this brought about by climate change.
While Professor Aled Jones – one of the authors of the research paper – said he ‘wasn’t surprised’ at New Zealand coming in top spot, he was by the UK scoring so highly.
Professor Jones told the Guardian: “We were quite surprised the UK came out strongly.
“It is densely populated, has traditionally outsourced manufacturing, hasn’t been the quickest to develop renewable technology, and only produces 50 per cent of its own food at the moment. But it has the potential to withstand shocks.”
The research was published in the journal Sustainability, and concluded that the five most suitable countries to survive societal collapse had certain things in common.
This included high levels of both ‘societal and technological complexity’, lower temperatures to offset the worst excesses of climate change, and the ability to supply their own energy.
New Zealand was easily the most resilient country as it boasts massive geothermal and hydroelectric energy reserves, as well as lots of farmland and low density population – Iceland, Australia and Ireland presented a similar picture.
The reasons for the UK taking a top spot are more complex, with fertile soils and large agricultural variety being a big plus, while the large amount of food we import raised questions about future self-sufficiency.
The researchers didn’t have an exact answer for what might kickstart a collapse of society, they suggested it could either be a sudden incident that happens in less than a year with no warning or a ‘long descent’.
Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay
However, there was some optimism among all the doom and gloom, with the experts saying the very worst consequences of climate change are avoidable if we start making changes.
Professor Jones said: “Significant changes are possible in the coming years and decades.
“The impact of climate change, including increased frequency and intensity of drought and flooding, extreme temperatures, and greater population movement, could dictate the severity of these changes.”
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Heroic school boy clears 18 tonnes of rubbish which had been fly-tipped along country road
Daniel Lewis is on a mission to clean up his home town
A school boy has set the example of all examples after he got to work single-handedly shifting eighteen tonnes of rubbish that had been fly-tipped along a country road.
Sixteen-year-old Daniel Lewis has earned the nickname ‘SuperDan’ by locals after he set out on a mission to clean up the streets around Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales.
As a part of his selfless commitment, Daniel has organised litter picks and a community skip scheme to provide free skips to villages around his home town.
@Daniel Sam Volunteer / Facebook
And, in the last year alone, Daniel has removed over eighteen tonnes of rubbish and litter, most of which had been fly tipped onto country roads. The waste included old furniture, children’s toys and clothes and 130 used tyres.
And, upon hearing of Daniel’s mission, local businesses such as the Bryn Group of Gelligaer, started donating their services to help him dispose of the rubbish for free.
Writing on Facebook, Bryn Group said: “We were only too happy to be able to help Daniel with his quest. 18 tonnes of fly tipped waste is hard to comprehend and yet it was up there. Thanks to him it’s no longer blighting our landscape.”
@Daniel Sam Volunteer / Facebook
And Daniel, who is also an avid nature and wildlife photographer, uses his social media accounts to post reminders about the importance of preserving natural land.
He wrote: “Remember, it is not someone else’s duty to pay to dispose of your waste that you are responsible for.
“Out of respect to Volunteers like myself, companies who have provided the skips and services like Step Up Skip Hire and the beautiful countryside and farmers land, please think twice about fly-tipping and morally remember- YOU purchased the items to begin with, therefore it is YOUR responsibility to dispose of the waste correctly.”
We all need to be a bit more Daniel.
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Kind-hearted Mancunians thanked after charity receives huge donations for Afghan refugees
£40,000 has also been raised for those fleeing Afghanistan
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Americans are baffled at how far people actually walk in the UK
Another day, another American perplexed by British culture…
Here in the UK we love a good jaunt, whether it be in the countryside, around our local park, or on our way to work.
However, it turns out that our love for walking isn’t a global thing because, according to one American this week, our passion for getting out and about on foot is completely bewildering to those on the other side of the pond.
Taking to Reddit, the American user expressed their disbelief after finding out that a ‘thirty minute walk’ is considered a ‘short walk home.’
Brett Jordan / Unsplash
They wrote: “I was listening to an ITV true crime podcast yesterday, and the person said ‘it was a short walk home, about thirty minutes.’ Is that really considered to be a short walk home?
“I can’t fathom walking that far in the US and considering it anything I’d do just to get home. Do people walk that much in the UK?”
They clarified in the comments that they were being serious, explaining that ‘most of the US just isn’t set up for walking.’
“No sidewalks, crazy drivers, plus just distance. Americans don’t walk. Also, where I am in Indiana, there is no mass transit. Indianapolis has it, but it’s scarce and quite unreliable. We drive everywhere. As in, everywhere.”
@areksan / Unsplash
Of course, the post was quickly inundated by amused British users who all couldn’t quite wrap their heads around a world of no regular walking.
One person wrote: “Thirty minutes is only a mile and a half, you’re joking aren’t you? I take my dog longer walks.”
Another noted: “I can’t speak for all people, but I would hate to meet the person to whom a 30-min walk is considered some sort of unusually length trek of incredible proportions. For any normal healthy person it’s about 1.5miles.”
The NHS website states that a brisk ten minute daily walk carries an array of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.
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Americans are baffled at how far people actually walk in the UK
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