The latest research paper from my group’s work designing out plastic waste. Working with the Woodland Trust we analysed the environmental impact of plastic tree guards using a Life Cycle Assessment technique. Our conclusion is that in most cases continuous planting using no tree guards is the best option to reduce plastic waste while still obtaining the benefits of carbon sequestration from increased tree cover. Biodegradable plastic tree guards are not at present a good option. Full paper here, contact me if you need a copy. We discussed the implications of our findings on BBC Radio’s Inside Science listen again here.