February’s Snow Moon marks the dawn of spring

It’s also time for a visit from Jack Valentine

14 February 2023, 1:03pm

February is the month of the Snow Moon

The full moon this month is called a Snow Moon because of the ice and cold that make it treacherous for wildlife; since storms made hunting difficult, Native Americans call it the Hunger Moon. It is also known as the Storm Moon, and many storms can pass by at this time, including in Britain.

Spring is the real gift on our doorstep, so let’s relish in new beginnings as we leave winter behind

But spring can also make a spectacular visit that lifts our spirits, with daffodils and snowdrops spreading like wild streams across the verges. Listen out for birds such as chaffinches, wrens, robins, great tits and song thrushes, which can all be heard singing throughout the day. If a warm spell lingers for a few days you’ll even see bumblebees venturing out in search of nectar.

If you have a garden this is a time of hope, with much to delight in: irises, crocuses and camellias are all flowering and the days are getting longer. Gather in sunbeams where you can and add cloches over early vegetables to help them sprout. For an early crop of tomatoes, sow them in small pots indoors and make sure they have at least 22°C degrees warmth for reliable germination.

Culturally we have Valentine’s Day, which in Norfolk is celebrated on the Eve – 13 February – when Jack Valentine traditionally knocks on doors and leaves gifts for all the family, not just for lovers. Something of a tease, he might leave coal instead of luxuries, or tie his present to a string that he yanks away when the recipient eagerly reaches for it.

Spring is the real gift on our doorstep, so let’s relish in new beginnings as we leave behind the coldest part of winter.

Positive Eco News

Argentina’s robo-cop
Argentina’s La Plata National University (UNLP) has partnered with the waste management company Recyclamar Pampa Argentina to clean up the country’s heavily polluted harbours, rivers, ports and lagoons. The university’s Institute for Research in Electronics, Control and Signal Processing (LEICI) has successfully managed to create solar-powered robots which will do all the dirty work. Similar in concept to robot vacuum cleaners for swimming pools, they’re designed to clean surface waste, which often includes bottles, microplastics and hydrocarbons. Alan D ́Alfonso Peral, president and founder of the waste company, said: “We Argentines are very decisive: with few resources we can do a lot.”

USA is wet wet wet
The Biden administration has finalised regulations to protect thousands of streams, wetlands and waterways in the US, especially wetlands that are “relatively permanent”. This welcome decision comes after the Obama government’s bid to expand federal protections was pushed back by the Trump regime. “Today, the Biden administration restored needed clean water protections so that our nation’s waters are guarded against pollution for fishing, swimming and as sources of drinking water,” said Kelly Moser, a senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center Clean Water Defense Initiative.

UK fork lift
All single-use cutlery, plates and polystyrene cups will be outlawed in England from October. A Defra spokesperson said: “We are determined to go further and faster to reduce, reuse, and recycle more of our resources in order to transform our waste industry and deliver on our commitments in the ambitious 25-year environment plan. Cutting our reliance on single-use plastics is crucial.” The Financial Times reports that Thérèse Coffey, the environment secretary, will soon advise on biodegradable replacements.

Full petal jacket
Billions of cows are slaughtered each year for leather by-products. Now, sustainable alternatives including cacti, pineapple leaves and mycelium are starting to reduce the environmental impact of leather production; clothing companies such as Hugo Boss, H&M, Paul Smith and Nike have started using pineapple leaves to create their garments. The World Economic Forum reports: “leather made from cacti saves 164,650% of water compared to animal leather and 190% in comparison to polyurethane-based vegan leather. Leather made from apple scraps emits 85% less carbon dioxide than traditional leather production.”

Sky Events

The full Snow Moon rises on 5 February. The new moon will occur on 20 February, starting at 07:08 UTC and this is the best time to observe both Venus and Jupiter as there is no light pollution. They will both be visible on the 22nd during dusk hour: look 24 degrees to the south-west. A rare comet will visit Earth this month, the C/2022 E3 (ZTF) – the first time it’s been seen in 50,000 years. As in Neanderthal times, it can be seen by the naked eye, or grab some modern binoculars as it passes closest to Earth on 2 February.