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Born in Scotland, lifestyle blogger and eco-warrior, Sheena Brockie moved to Jersey over 20 years ago. She can usually be found walking around the beaches or coastal paths, looking for items of archeologic interest, or writing on her blog, The Good Jersey life.
From trying to live 365 days without waste to fighting single-use plastic, Sheena Brockie has had a busy year so far. In the middle of Plastic Free July, which has seen her campaigning successfully against plastic straws, she has taken time off to tell us about five things she would change about the Island, which she describes as an "awesome little drop in the ocean."
I would love to see a ban on single use plastics, not just in Jersey but globally. I find especially frustrating the amount of food products which come wrapped in non-recyclable packaging, and fail to understand how this is allowed. It's an inconvenient truth but plastics pollute whilst they are being manufactured, during their short-lived use and even after disposal.
Pictured: Sheena loves to travel in Ruby, her trusty camper van who has its own Facebook page, in France, England and Scotland, where she is from.
Our oceans are especially vulnerable and considering that we live in Jersey, a tiny drop in the ocean, we should be more aware than most. According to a recent Greenpeace report, an estimated 12.7 million tonnes of plastic - everything from plastic bottles to bags to microbeads - end up in the worlds oceans each year.
Jersey currently recycles approximately one third of its waste, which is good considering that there are only five parishes, plus some parts of St. Helier, which collect recycling material straight from your doorstep. Many people are already recycling and go out of their way to visit the parish recycling centres or La Collette.
Pictured: The eco-warrior and lifestyle blogger loves to be outdoors and can usually be found walking on the beach.
I believe that many more people would recycle if it was as simple as putting out the bins.
I would love to see more renewable energy being used in Jersey. I visited Orkney a month ago, where more than 10% of the population are self-supporting in their energy use through a mixture of solar and wind power, and the Island is a global leader in terms of wave and tidal energy research.
Pictured: Sheena says the Rock should be ready to embrace solar panels and the sea's energy potential.
Where possible, I would hope to see solar panels being used on new building projects, as standard. And given the tidal ranges around Jersey I hope to see the power of the sea harnessed in future, as a clean energy source for the island.
Pollution has been a hot topic in Jersey in recent weeks, and given the number of vehicles in Jersey this should come as no surprise. As at the end of 2015 there were more that 124,000 vehicles on the Island - more than one car for every person living in Jersey.
Pictured: Sheena camping out with her family and Ruby, the camper van. She is currently planning a trip to Spain.
Given the narrow roads, the maximum speed limit of 40 miles per hour, and the relatively small size of the Island, I would like to see more incentives for the use of electric vehicles. The recent technology advances in electric cars mean than they are quiet and quick, and with no exhaust system there are zero emissions - so good for the environment, and a step towards fighting climate change.
I think that derelict greenhouse sites are a danger and an eyesore. I would love to see derelict greenhouses cleared and turned into small pockets of woodland to re-wild Jersey, funded by carbon offsetting (carbon tax is on the horizon!).
If owners are unable to maintain the greenhouses and they fall derelict, a carbon fund could be set up to purchase them for the cost of the agricultural land they sit on, cleared and then planted. I worry that greenhouses are being allowed to fall into disrepair as there is a hope from the owners that will benefit from a change of use at a later date, so this policy could stop this potential practice.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and not those of Bailiwick Express.
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