Thousands of soldiers have stepped forward to take part in The Global Charge – an initiative to secure a better environment for future generations, the British Army say here.

Some 8,000 personnel volunteered their time to participate in tasks such as cleaning riverbeds and beaches, building bridges and tree planting.

“The Global Charge initiative focuses on people’s individual contribution, encouraging them to get involved in making changes to benefit the climate, conservation, and sustainability footprint. In essence, to focus on their personal legacy.”

The military driving force behind the project, Major General Tom Bateman CBE, General Officer Commanding 1(UK) Division said:

“There are plenty of people making substantive contributions to increase the resilience and sustainability of the planet. Their work is inspiring in its energy and impact. However, there are billions of people in the world who remain passive. They acknowledge the problem but fail to enter what Theodore Roosevelt termed ‘the arena’ or are stopped by the sheer enormity of the challenge and their inability to see a pathway to follow. And it is those people we want to encourage to get involved in The Global Charge.”

The Global Charge initiative is rooted in the sad death of Guardsman Mathew Talbot in 2019. The Coldstream Guardsman was tragically killed by an elephant, one of the very animals he was trying to protect; you can read more here.

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Lisa has a degree in Media & Communication from Glasgow Caledonian University and works with industry news, sifting through press releases in addition to moderating website comments.
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Expat
Expat
8 months ago

Very admirable and on local level cleaing up beaches etc will make a big difference locally but as for saving the planet I think thats a bit of a stretch, here’s the fly in the ointment China as of January 2023 had 3092 coal fired power plants in operation, and has more in construction. I do wonder why China thinks coal is cheaper, according to figures banded around in the West its many times more expensive to use coal. Someone somewhere has their maths wrong 😀 Of course from an energy security perspective, coal will guaranttee energy when you need… Read more »

Last edited 8 months ago by Expat
Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Expat

Yes exactly… UK has 3 Coal powered stations China has an 80% reliance on Coal….. This is used to produce EV’s and Solar Panels and Wind Turbines that the rest of the World buy………… not to mention all the other stuff they produce…. and another thing, there are something like 5 major rivers that contribute something like 70% (don’t quote me, I’ll check later !) of all the plastic rubbish found in the Worlds Oceans…. guess where they all are ? Search Google and look at the burning of 42 million old Car Tires in Kuwait ….. Accidental or not,… Read more »

grizzler
grizzler
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Can I just say ‘this’ …oh I think I just have….

Dern
Dern
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

“We’re importing Energy from hostile foreign nations, that don’t understand our freedoms, so what we need to do is build our American Wind Farms we can harness the manly American Wind to power our American homes! And Solar Farms so that gods beautiful sun shining on America can power America! That’s what we need: American Energy for American Freedom from these terrorist nations! Remember the biggest contributor to Carbon emissions IS CHINA, them commie B*stards. We invented The Bomb and we’re can use it now to protect Americas freedom from the Chinese Communists who are producing the Emissions! I don’t… Read more »

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Dern

Who’srant was that ?

Dern
Dern
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

A bloke called Forrest Valkai, when asked to do an impression of what right wing American MAGA Christians would be like if they where opposing climate change.

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Dern

Oh….. thanks…. I’ll go take a look.

Tommo
Tommo
8 months ago
Reply to  Dern

Dern did you see that Great American Solar farm in the Mid West hundreds of acres of Solar panels and then one hell of a Hale Storm reduced it to splinters of broken glass in minutes God’s wrath or the Devils work in MAGA country

barry howe
barry howe
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

wow . interesting read . china especially , and the rest of the world need to deliver , over time to renewables .

grizzler
grizzler
8 months ago
Reply to  Expat

Yes but…but…think of all the environmental damage that would cause- how dare you ! As for Coal being nore expensive-well theres lies damn lies and statistics…just ask Cameron- whose punative taxes helped close many coal fired power stations sacrificed on the alter of the Green agenda. We could always re-open some (one?) of the coal mines in South Wales and nationalise Port Talbot of course ..if we started that project now it could be ready by end of the decade (just not sure which decade). As for offering to clean up a few beaches… that wont make one iota of… Read more »

Last edited 8 months ago by grizzler
Dern
Dern
8 months ago
Reply to  Expat

Doesn’t have to be wrong Maths: If China is burning locally produced coal it may very well be cheaper for them: in the West we long ago raided much of our easily accessible coal deposits so if we want it we need imports.

John Clark
John Clark
8 months ago
Reply to  Dern

That’s interesting Dern, I was always led to believe that the UK (for example) has 400 years worth of relitivly easily minded coal deposits remaining.

I thought coal mining in the UK was stopped, purely on economic grounds??

Dern
Dern
8 months ago
Reply to  John Clark

Do you mean Environmental grounds in that last bit John? Because I’d have thought if we had a lot of coal remaining it would’ve been economic to keep going.

I’m not going to pretend to be an expert, I’m just suggesting a reason why it might (emphasis on might) be cheaper for China to use coal than for us? If their coal is relatively easier to access and mine *shrug*

John Clark
John Clark
8 months ago
Reply to  Dern

Afternoon Dern, Coal was and is still a devisive subject, certainly from about 1970 onwards, it was becoming uneconomical to mine our own coal, as cheap imports from Poland ect, were steadily undermining ( excuse the pun) the whole industry. In reality, governments of both colours had ignored the issue since the war, no one wanted to pull the pin on that hand grenade. Labour started in on it during Callahan’s Government and Mrs Thatcher rolled it up along with all our heavy industrial base and forced it through her Thatcher trickle down economic programme. Less said about that the… Read more »

Last edited 8 months ago by John Clark
Dern
Dern
8 months ago
Reply to  John Clark

Ah fair, in the context of your post it seemed economic was a typo was all.

Dave Petter
Dave Petter
8 months ago
Reply to  Dern

Please will you stop thia ludicrous behaviour of being gracious enough to accept a shortfall in your argument. This can only lead to an outbreak of civility and mutual education. Madness.

Coal miner's son
Coal miner's son
8 months ago
Reply to  John Clark

True

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  John Clark

You’re right…. the UK has at least 300 years of Coal reserves… at least…. I think Coal Mining was stopped more because of the Unions… just like UK Car Production and Ship Building….

Expat
Expat
8 months ago
Reply to  Dern

I think you’d find the maths applies across the West, so even countries like the US and Australia who stoll have access to cheap coal wind is said to be cheaper. The problem is the maths doesn’t include all the factors, cost at the output side of a wind turbine is one thing but cost for batteries, infrastructure etc that are needed to make that power usable aren’t. China is probably using the correct maths model in some respects. But in others perhaps not if you add in the cost of climate change itself. However adding that into our cost… Read more »

Last edited 8 months ago by Expat
Ryan
Ryan
8 months ago
Reply to  Expat

China is holding onto it’s developing nation status. They will harm their own citizens to appear as if they are backwards on the bigger issues. It’s ironic and absurd that they benefit from that status while preparing to attack Taiwan and conducting operations in space.

barry howe
barry howe
8 months ago
Reply to  Expat

its also in their ground . but burning it and selling it around the world doesnt help global warming . there is an agreement to reduce emissions of which china is signed up to .

MRS JC11
MRS JC11
8 months ago
Reply to  Expat

Indeed True,
Too much soot to clean out.
Many congratulations to Each and Everyone of you, who was responsible enough to Think of The Environment.
I did it as an art project, many years ago.

Parv
Parv
8 months ago

This kind of activity may help recruitment

Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
8 months ago

When I was in 16 Para Brigade in the 60’70’s a small band of soldiers every morning did ” area cleaning”.
One of the lads remembered that everywhere we went especially such as Kenya Libya Sudan, first thing was of course area cleaning.
He suggested we change our name to WACO “World Area Cleaning Organisation”
We always left a place cleaner than when we arrived.
Wait for the repartee or others!

Vet1
Vet1
8 months ago

Voluntold!

Cymbeline
Cymbeline
8 months ago

Not wanting to blow China’s horn, but if I’m not mistaken China is the world leader in green energy. I think the problem lies in the fact the coal industry is supported by a huge number of workers and like the UK not so far back a lot of towns/villages dependent on the mining industry. Obviously they do need move away from it but we have seen the anguish and violence here when that happens.

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Cymbeline

But the energy they use to make it is mostly produced by Coal… something like 80%…… that’s the biggest load of bollox ever……

John Clark
John Clark
8 months ago
Reply to  Cymbeline

Not a problem for China, if they wanted to stop mining, they simply would and the miners would just have to lump it…

Any sign of descent and the PLA reach out and say hello!

John
John
8 months ago

“Volunteer”? Well it used to be a dirty word for most of us, so as for eight thousand “volunteering”? Think maybe they were “encouraged” a bit.

Wyn Beynon
Wyn Beynon
8 months ago

Some of you have picked up I’m a Church Of England clergyman. I also love saying things that stir things up on this forum, as one or two others on here might be doing too! Keep it up folks! When I hear people refusing to believe in evolution I inwardly weep. It’s the refusal to listen to the science that is causing many of our ongoing problems. (It’s also one the reasons that the Christian Church is in decline, but that’s for another forum!) And it’s not just conservative religious people. Populist, and the extreme right wing politicians, as well… Read more »

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Wyn Beynon

No one cares mate….. Go preach somewhere else.

Wyn Beynon
Wyn Beynon
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Thanks for your succinct reply …. but your leave me with a question and comment:

  • firstly, what is it you don’t care about? Science, Climate Change, being human, grandchildren? What?
  • secondly, thanks for the advice, but I’ll choose where and when to preach … cheers! You don’t have to listen, course!
Dave Petter
Dave Petter
8 months ago
Reply to  Wyn Beynon

Im not entering into a religious debate here but Wyn hasn’t preached one word. He has had the temerity to offer a reason based opinion. Even criticising his own passionately supported faith and belief sytem. You see I think subtly there is a bigger issue here and I think some responses exemplify this beautifully. We are a global society that is thinking digitally. Right Vs Wrong, Good Vs Bad. There is no grey analogue debate. We saw the anger and division amid the ugliness of this in the B word (Brexit) we seeing it in Populism ..Maga Vs Antifa, Left… Read more »

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Dave Petter

Lol….. You obviously didn’t read what he wrote….. He comes here to wind people up…. And this is your 5th comment ? how odd you chose this ….😆

Ahh the joys of the anonymous cloak.

Wyn Beynon
Wyn Beynon
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

No, I don’t wind up, I stir up, which is very different. Stirring up gets people to say what they really think, winding up is just winding up. Dave kindly read all of what I wrote, not just the first line! Funny you should mention a cloak. I took a funeral this week in the worst rain I can remember in years, Happily I was in my big back Gandalf cloak. We should all go back to wearing them. I once found some youngsters breaking in to a tool shed near my church. It was dark and winter and I… Read more »

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Wyn Beynon

Looking at your FB pic, I think they were probably pissing themselves laughing more like….. Nice stories you tell though, very entertaining… how many profiles do you actually have now ?

Wyn Beynon
Wyn Beynon
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Well if they were I don’t really care, (as long I don’t have to clean the pews) Laughing at oneself is a very important ability. And if others laugh at me, what does it matter? It certainly engaged the congregation … and if you think I look silly, you should have seen them 😉 But steady on, Frank, you’re almost in danger of saying something nice there. I only have one profile on FB but my children hijacked my account years ago and set up a page for our dog.. which I haven’t the heart to delete.. and another page… Read more »

Wyn Beynon
Wyn Beynon
8 months ago
Reply to  Dave Petter

Thank you Dave, for a considered reply. I agree with everything you said. Conversation is a lost art in digital world. I still try to write emails like I’m writing a hand written letter. I suspect it makes a lot of people laugh, but I think it’s important. Sound bites, quick wins, jibes and scoring points is what matters now. Technology is wonderful, but easily misused… and social media is scary. Deepfakes will be a big thing in the next election, and it would be fine if people weren’t fooled, but they will be. In the end I’m on UKDJ… Read more »

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Wyn Beynon

Are you familiar with the Greek Philosopher Herodotus ? lol, of coarse you are…. he was a “Geographer” too and he sure liked to preach on here !!!! ……. nice Elf suit mate…. 🙄

Wyn Beynon
Wyn Beynon
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Heroditus…”You never step into the same river twice”, “all is in flux”, yes my old pal H. We were at school together. He never told me he was geographer though… but then we lost touch. Geography and Theology are the King and Queen of the sciences. You know where you are, and you know why you are. 😂 Oh, sorry, I’m preaching.
So you’ve googled me. Don’t tell the Archbishop of Canterbury about the elf suite, they’ll do me for moonlighting. Not much chance of being anonymous after the very public live I’ve lived!

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Wyn Beynon

“life”……

Wyn Beynon
Wyn Beynon
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Ah, a proof reader – Thanks -I need those all the time!

David Smile
David Smile
8 months ago
Reply to  Wyn Beynon

The same scientists that said in the 1970’s that it was indisputable that we would now be in a mini ice age, the River Thames would be frozen for 9 months of the year,we would have completely exhausted all fossil fuels by the year 2000, and we’d all he traveling around in flying cars.
So I always take what these climate scientists as being undisputed fact, and I’m of In my flying car in to London to do some ice skating past parliament and then a bit of skiing down Crystal Palace hill

AlexS
AlexS
8 months ago
Reply to  David Smile

Climate is too complex to understand. Not even we can split the influence of past climate today.

Wyn Beynon
Wyn Beynon
8 months ago
Reply to  David Smile

It was the 1960s that started talking about a new ice age.. before atmospheric carbon began to go exponential. It was not the 70s which is when we geographers saw the science coming in. None of us wanted to believe it though. That’s the problem. We were all too slow to realise that we needed to act then. Remember there’s always been the Oil lobby bigging up false science…. And people still believe them because it’s easier. Flying cars by the way.. not so far away…

Jay
Jay
8 months ago

Volunteered? or voluntold?

Anyone who’s served knows the answer to that.

John Allan
John Allan
8 months ago
Reply to  Jay

A volunteer is someone who didn’t understand the original question.

Coll
Coll
8 months ago

Brings a whole new meaning to removing PLA from the UK.

Shane Ramshaw
Shane Ramshaw
8 months ago

When you say “volunteered?”

Back To Basics
Back To Basics
8 months ago

Great idea but i suspect not many volunteers if truth be told. This is the sort of activity that really annoys serving personnel when an Army Officer has an idea and they are told to carry it out essentially as cheap labour. The focus should be training these 8000 troops for operations.

Last edited 8 months ago by Back To Basics
John Smith
John Smith
8 months ago

What you meant to say is thousands of military personnel were volunteered!
No one stepped forward, but we’re in fact told they were volunteering! Lol!

Anthony
Anthony
8 months ago

Ah yes. The propaganda to increase sign ups to the armed forces just before we go to war.

Neil
Neil
8 months ago

Is the beach cleaning going to be done before during or after ww3 and if ww3 kicks off are they going to have regular cease fire so that the forces can relocate to a beach for a few days

Joe
Joe
8 months ago

Volunteered or voluntold lol

2bun0t
2bun0t
8 months ago

This has got to be a sick joke????? The UK military are cleaning beaches & planting trees????

Roger Dee
Roger Dee
8 months ago

I think the heading in this case should read, “Soldiers “Ordered” to clean up after civvies.”