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‘Pristine’ landscapes haven’t existed for thousands of years

What is natural? What is artificial? It is often assumed that natural is better than artificial. Getting back to nature is something we should aspire to, with kids in particular not spending enough time in nature. But if you want to escape civilisation and head into the unaltered wilderness you may be in for a shock: it doesn’t exist. New research now suggests that there are practically no areas that have escaped human impacts. Continue reading →

People with learning disabilities build their own support amid cuts

A recent report by Mencap has revealed that due to cuts to day centres, nearly a third of local authorities have closed day services to adults with learning disabilities in the last three years. This has resulted in 1 in 4 of these adults now being stuck at home. While not a panacea, day centres were important sites for meeting friends and learning new things, albeit in often restrictive, inflexible settings. Local authorities cite the use of personal budgets as an alternative. Continue reading →