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Insect Numbers Are Plummeting: Here Are Eight Easy Ways to Help

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22 Jun, 2025

This post was originally published on Eco Watch

Insect numbers are plummeting, with the recent The Bugs Matter Citizen Science Survey finding that bug splatters in the United Kingdom have fallen 63 percent since 2021.

There are things you can do to help with the bug crisis, and when you support insects they will help your garden thrive by pollinating your plants and flowers, devouring pests, improving soil health and attracting songbirds.

Here are some easy ways you can help protect beneficial insects around your home and garden.

Turn Off Unnecessary Lights at Night

Artificial light is detrimental to insects, interfering with their navigation, reproduction and feeding. If you’ve ever watched a moth flying around your porch light or lamp in the window, you have witnessed their disorientation while trying to navigate using the moon and stars. Researchers have estimated that a third of insects trapped orbiting artificial light sources will perish, reported The Guardian. Consider what lights you’re using and if they’re really necessary. Turning them off, putting them on a timer or shading windows are options to reduce your share of light pollution.

A spider’s web hangs from a bridge under a neon tube at a fish market in Hamburg, Germany on Sept. 7, 2021. Hamburg participates in ‘Earth Night’ to draw attention to persistent light pollution at night. Bodo Marks / picture alliance via Getty Images

Let the Leaves Lie and the Grass Grow

Decomposing leaves make perfect habitat for beetles, spiders, bees, moths, butterflies and many other insects, so leaving them undisturbed is a great way to help out the beneficial bugs in your garden. On the other hand, raking leaves can reduce spider numbers by as much as 67 percent, butterflies by 45 percent and beetles by 24 percent, according to research.

Allowing fallen branches, logs and dead trees to rot and fungi and microorganisms to move in also provides food and shelter for insects. Likewise, having a shagging lawn of uninterrupted grass, especially one peppered with wildflowers, can boost insect populations with little to no effort.

Plant Pollinator Flowers Using the ‘3 x 3 x 3’ Method

Planting for pollinators can be as easy as one-two-three! Choose three native flowering plant species for each of the three — spring, summer and fall — growing seasons. Then plant three of each in their own area of the garden. They will give pollinating insects the food and habitat they need all year round. Adding some rocks to your garden also makes great habitat for bees.

When choosing which plants to add to your garden, keep in mind that certain plants are keystone species that many pollinators need to survive, particularly when they are in the caterpillar stage. In fact, 90 percent of North American caterpillar species depend upon just 14 percent of native plants. The National Wildlife Federation provides a regional list of keystone plants on its website.

Water Is Life

Soaring global temperatures and drought conditions are tough on insects. Providing water sources — whether it’s a basin, bowl or pond — can help, but be mindful of bees’ inability to swim and make sure they have a rim or an island they can drink from. The water doesn’t have to be absolutely clean, however, as research has shown that “dirty” water containing algae or leaves can provide bees with important nutrients.

Start a Compost Habitat

Creating a compost pile is a great way to help insects while improving soil health. Composting provides food and a safe habitat for garden insects that can help get them through tough times like drought and cold winters by providing moisture and shelter.

A compost pile in a home vegetable garden in the Netherlands. zenaphoto / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Support Organic Regenerative Farming Practices

The collapse of insect populations across the globe has been linked to the use of toxic pesticides and intensive agricultural practices. Buying organic foods supports farmers who are growing fruits and vegetables without synthetic pesticides, giving insects the healthy habitats they need to recover and thrive.

Use Less Plastic

According to a recent report, microplastics are the second biggest emerging threat to insects, reducing their health and lifespan. Synthetic fabrics like nylon, spandex, polyester and acrylic are made of plastics and shed millions of tiny particles as they are worn and washed, contributing to microplastic pollution. On the other hand, natural fibers like wool, linen and organic cotton do not shed these insidious plastics or pesticide and insecticide residue. Reducing the use of plastic bags, bottles and packaging also helps contribute to a plastic free world, protecting insects and other animals, including humans.

Pull Weeds by Hand Instead of Relying on Herbicides

One of the most beneficial things you can do for your health is to get out into nature, even if it’s just working in your own garden. Chemicals like glyphosate — one of the most common herbicides in the world — have been proven to damage the immune systems of insects. Gardening and weeding by hand not only avoids the use of these deadly toxins, but has been shown to lower anxiety and depression while increasing physical health.

Taking a moment to step outside, survey your home and garden and make small changes can have a big impact on the insects who make up the foundation of our ecosystems.

The post Insect Numbers Are Plummeting: Here Are Eight Easy Ways to Help appeared first on EcoWatch.

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Taking the electronic pulse of the circular economy

Taking the electronic pulse of the circular economy

In June, I had the privilege of attending the 2025 E-Waste World, Battery Recycling, Metal Recycling, and ITAD & Circular Electronics Conference & Expo events in Frankfurt, Germany.

Speaking in the ITAD & Circular Electronics track on a panel with global Circular Economy leaders from Foxway Group, ERI and HP, we explored the evolving role of IT asset disposition (ITAD) and opportunities in the circular electronics economy.

The event’s focus on advancing circular economy goals and reducing environmental impact delivered a series of insights and learnings. From this assembly of international expertise across 75+ countries, here are some points from the presentations that stood out for me:

1. Environmental impact of the digital economy

Digitalisation has a heavy material footprint in the production phase, and lifecycle thinking needs to guide every product decision. Consider that 81% of the energy a laptop uses in its lifetime is consumed during manufacture (1 tonne in manufacture is equal to 10,000 tonnes of CO2) and laptops are typically refreshed or replaced by companies every 3–4 years.

From 2018 to 2023, the average number of devices and connections per capita in the world increased by 50% (2.4 to 3.6). In North America (8.2 to 13.4) and Western Europe (5.6 to 9.4), this almost doubled. In 1960, only 10 periodic table elements were used to make phones. In 1990, 27 elements were used and now over 60 elements are used to build the smartphones that we have become so reliant on.

A key challenge is that low-carbon and digital technologies largely compete for the same minerals. Material resource extraction could increase 60% between 2020 and 2060, while demand for lithium, cobalt and graphite is expected to rise by 500% until 2050.

High growth in ICT demand and Internet requires more attention to the environmental footprint of the digital economy. Energy consumption of data centres is expected to more than double by 2026. The electronics industry accounts for over 4% of global GHG — and digitalisation-related waste is growing, with skewed impacts on developing countries.

E-waste is rising five times faster than recycling — 1 tonne of e-waste has a carbon footprint of 2 tonnes. Today’s solution? ‘Bury it or burn it.’ In terms of spent emissions, waste and the costs associated with end-of-life liabilities, PCBAs (printed circuit board assembly) cost us enormously — they generally achieve 3–5% recyclability (75% of CO2 in PCBAs is from components).

2. Regulating circularity in electronics

There is good momentum across jurisdictions in right-to-repair, design and labelling regulations; recycling targets; and voluntary frameworks on circularity and eco-design.

The EU is at the forefront. EU legislation is lifting the ICT aftermarket, providing new opportunities for IT asset disposition (ITAD) businesses. To get a sense, the global market for electronics recycling is estimated to grow from $37 billion to $108 billion (2022–2030). The value of refurbished electronics is estimated to increase from $85.9 billion to $262.2 billion (2022–2032). Strikingly, 40% of companies do not have a formal ITAD strategy in place.

Significantly, the EU is rethinking its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) management targets, aligned with upcoming circularity and WEEE legislation, as part of efforts to foster the circular economy. A more robust and realistic circularity-driven approach to setting collection targets would better reflect various factors including long lifespans of electronic products and market fluctuations.

Australia and New Zealand lag the EU’s comprehensive e-waste mandated frameworks. The lack of a systematic approach results in environmental degradation and missed positioning opportunities for businesses in the circular economy. While Australia’s Senate inquiry into waste reduction and recycling recommended legislating a full circular economy framework — including for imported and local product design, financial incentives and regulatory enforcement, New Zealand remains the only OECD country without a national scheme to manage e-waste.

3. Extending product lifecycles

Along with data security and digital tools, reuse was a key theme in the ITAD & Circular Electronics track of the conference. The sustainable tech company that I lead, Greenbox, recognises that reuse is the simplest circular strategy. Devices that are still functional undergo refurbishment and are reintroduced into the market, reducing new production need and conserving valuable resources.

Conference presenters highlighted how repair over replacement is being legislated as a right in jurisdictions around the world. Resources are saved, costs are lowered, product life is extended, and people and organisations are empowered to support a greener future. It was pointed out that just 43% of countries have recycling policies, 17% of global waste is formally recycled, and less than 1% of global e-waste is formally repaired and reused.

Right to repair is a rising wave in the circular economy, and legislation is one way that civil society is pushing back on programmed obsolescence. Its global momentum continues at different speeds for different product categories — from the recent EU mandates to multiple US state bills (and some laws) through to repair and reuse steps in India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Commission has done a scoping study to identify product groups under the Ecodesign framework that would be most relevant for implementing an EU-wide product reparability scoring system.

Attending this event with the entire electronic waste recycling supply chain — from peers and partners to suppliers and customers — underscored the importance of sharing best practices to address the environmental challenges that increased hardware proliferation and complex related issues are having on the world.

Ross Thompson is Group CEO of sustainability, data management and technology asset lifecycle management market leader Greenbox. With facilities in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, Greenbox Group provides customers all over the world a carbon-neutral supply chain for IT equipment to reduce their carbon footprint by actively managing their environmental, social and governance obligations.

Image credit: iStock.com/Mustafa Ovec

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