Plaid Cymru over performing and Reform underperforming in Wales. Delightful and reassuring 😮💨
Dr Ben 🏴
@burfordben.bsky.social
Associate Professor, Air pollution, airborne microplastics, airborne DNA, environmental forensics, running and mountains. Cymro o Gwmtawe
Why are R*form sending me letters about their passion for Wales and their invisible “DeTaiLeD plAnS” for our NHS when the return address is in London? Cant even be bothered to hold a Welsh mailing address. It’s going to be a sad day in a few weeks time when they get many seats in the Senedd.
11th section of the #WalesCoastPath done over a couple of hours this weekend. A beautiful stroll between Swansea Marina and Caswell Bay on the Gower Peninsula. Swansea has changed so much for the better over the last couple of decades. I wonder what the future will bring
Dr Ben 🏴@burfordben.bsky.social · 8mo ago10th section of the #WalesCoastPath done today, between Port Talbot and Swansea. A proper tarmac slog apart from an interesting flooded canal-side stroll between Jersey Marine and Port Tenant. Just over 1/8th of the entire coastal path completed in 2025 (Chepstow to Swansea). Here’s to more in 2026!
Incredible to find ourselves economically hamstrung by the whims of global charlatans and narcissists thousands of miles away when we’ve had decades to transition away from fossil fuels. To still find our domestic energy prices pegged to gas is equally mind blowing. Stop pandering to the right.
Apart from the ones we’ve won, and despite us ending up at the bottom of the pile (again), this is one of my favourite Six Nations for a very long time #FRAvENG
Unbelievable turnaround in performances over the last month and a half. Suddenly a joy to watch 😍 #WALvITA
Was in a black hole after last week’s performance and didn’t see a way out, but this is better. #WALvSCO
Being outplayed and battered by France was always on the cards, but what’s more telling about the state of Welsh rugby is that we’re being out-sung by the French in Cardiff 😭 Clear the suits out, sack off the regions and let’s enjoy some club rugby again. #WALvFRA
🥳 At least it’s not going to be South Africa bad! #silverlinings #WALvFRA
Happy birthday to one of my favourite haters, Charles Darwin
Expected a pasting here but the performance is an absolute shambles. Going to take years and years to recover from this level. Feel like regional rugby combined with Gatland’s law has locked out much of the quality that might have emerged naturally over the years. More pastings ahead #ENGvWAL
The worst thing about this performance so far is that England haven’t had to do anything, other than field a team. We’re so poor on the basics and with discipline that I can’t see a team inside the top 20 losing to us today.
Dr Ben 🏴@burfordben.bsky.social · 6mo agoIf 👏 we 👏 give 👏 stupid 👏 penalties 👏 away 👏 constantly 👏this 👏 will 👏 be 👏 70+ 👏 #ENGvWAL
If 👏 we 👏 give 👏 stupid 👏 penalties 👏 away 👏 constantly 👏this 👏 will 👏 be 👏 70+ 👏 #ENGvWAL
As the year comes to a close, my only wish for 2026 is that flat pack furniture instruction makers face some sort of inquisition, with the punishment being that they have to assemble their own product following their own instructions.
10th section of the #WalesCoastPath done today, between Port Talbot and Swansea. A proper tarmac slog apart from an interesting flooded canal-side stroll between Jersey Marine and Port Tenant. Just over 1/8th of the entire coastal path completed in 2025 (Chepstow to Swansea). Here’s to more in 2026!
Dr Ben 🏴@burfordben.bsky.social · 9mo agoAn annoying day on the 9th section of the #Walescoastpath between Porthcawl and Port Talbot this weekend. 22km but a really poorly signposted diversion to an established route meant a near 4 mile detour, major backtracking and far too much time spent alongside busy roads. Not the most pleasant walk.
New paper out! 🎉 Our team published “A Quality-Assured Global Database and Multidimensional Analysis of #Microplastic #Toxicity Studies” in STOTEN. We evaluated 286 microplastic ecotoxicity studies using quality criteria developed to support #California’s regulatory needs under SB 1263.
An annoying day on the 9th section of the #Walescoastpath between Porthcawl and Port Talbot this weekend. 22km but a really poorly signposted diversion to an established route meant a near 4 mile detour, major backtracking and far too much time spent alongside busy roads. Not the most pleasant walk.
Incredibly heartening to see @plaidcymru.bsky.social win in Caerffili, particularly when so much talk was about our valleys communities swinging significantly to the right. 47% of the vote in a record turnout is a real achievement. Da Iawn 👏
Great to see this assessment of evidence on the health effects of nano- and microplastic particles and fibres in the environment published by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP), and an important comparison with traffic related air pollution 🧪: www.gov.uk/government/p...
COMEAP: Statement on airborne nano- and microplastic particles and fibres
An assessment of evidence on the health effects of nano- and microplastic particles and fibres in the environment.
gov.uk
Not sure it’s a great idea to live in a world that ignores due process, particularly when so-called democracies ignore it.
Cracking day on the 7th section of the #Walescoastalpath between Llantwit Major and Ogmore. Generally beautiful weather apart from a brutal squall a mile from the end. Incredible scenery, throughout though definitely the bumpiest stretch, with some steep quad burning climbs. On to Porthcawl next!
Dr Ben 🏴@burfordben.bsky.social · last yr.Proper Welsh weather today between Barry and Llantwit Major on the 6th section of the #Walescoastalpath, today. Absolutely hoofed it down for two hours then so hot that I’m very sunburnt. Lovely scenery when the sun came out and lots of industrial heritage on show too. Up to Ogmore next!
Proper Welsh weather today between Barry and Llantwit Major on the 6th section of the #Walescoastalpath, today. Absolutely hoofed it down for two hours then so hot that I’m very sunburnt. Lovely scenery when the sun came out and lots of industrial heritage on show too. Up to Ogmore next!
"To coincide with #PlasticFreeJuly, the @bma.org.uk is launching a survey to learn about the NHS’s contribution to reducing plastics through initiatives such as increasing reusable equipment." 👉 www.research.net/r/NZbluesky www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opi...
BMA seeks doctors’ views on sustainability efforts
Survey launched to gauge how far NHS is going to meet net zero
bma.org.uk
Genuinely don’t hear enough noise, pardon the pun, about this topic considering its implications on health. It’s visceral, we’re able to feel and experience sound in a way that isn’t so easy with other pollutants. Maybe because we’re exposed to sounds daily we don’t note its value or its harm?
Damian Carrington@dpcarrington.bsky.social · last yr.Noise pollution harms health of millions across Europe, report by @eea.europa.eu finds - The stress and sleep disturbance from noise results early deaths and disease, with children especially vulnerable Story by me www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Very pleasant stroll between Penarth and Ynys y Barri (Barry Island) on Section 5 of #WalesCoastalPath. First bit was beautiful and found a plaque on Marconi’s first wireless transmission. Second half was tarmac into Barri but the front there is lush 😍 Can’t forget the Gavin and Stacey link, either!
Dr Ben 🏴@burfordben.bsky.social · last yr.A super warm 20k largely through Cardiff suburbs on section 4 of the #Walescoastalpath from Llanbedr Gwynllŵg to Penarth. Cardiff Bay is stunning, but that was a tarmacced slog, coupled with getting lost around a landfill site 🤦♂️ Hoping the next section is less urbanised (and cooler)!
How about no? Do they think we’re in the environmental version of the purge or something ? www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Bidders demand Thames Water granted immunity over environmental crimes
Exclusive: ‘Ransom note’ requests would leave Environment Agency unable to prosecute company or management
theguardian.com
Will never understand how this is a ladybird, but nature is weird and wonderful 😲
@inaturalist.bsky.social Hi! I’ve been using the old app for years and have just installed the new one. I love the language choice option for the app. Could you enable a Welsh language option please? It would be brilliant if so, so I can use it in my first language 🤗