HSBC Bank is carbon neutral!

Add.. er (Pre?)endum/Prefix (by Junkk Male): I have reloaded this post, from its original origination date of 6/07/07 (why do Americans insist of flipping the dd/mm? It took some finding), for a few reasons:

1) It has to be the most commented/followed up upon (interestingly). Sorry HSBC.
2) I am impressed it is still being commented upon after all this time, but worry many might miss it in archive (I get a notification; I'm not sure if others do).
3) It has attracted a lot of very thoughtful, considered feedback, which is just how I like things here to proceed. The most recent is typical and most welcome. Check 'em out.

I think not! That's a claim waaaaaaay too far!

Further to the post earlier about 'green banking' (below the Live Earth post), HSBC now claims to be carbon neutral! From Carbon Free news.

"HSBC says it is the world's first major bank to become carbon neutral and has committed a further US$90 million over five years to reduce the bank's impact on the environment through a series of initiatives ...."

That's a hell of a claim, and seeing as there is no clearly agreed definition of carbon neutral - I'd love to see just how they attempt to justify it! Is every branch and office now generating its own renewable energy? Or does every branch and office now only use electricity from renewable sources? Does no-one travel? Are all new branches and offices built to be super energy efficient? Are all existing branches and offices being updated to be super energy efficient? Are all consumables and replacement equipment items that they purchase manufactured to zero carbon emission standards?

I'll bet they can't answer yes to any of them!

The only possible way they can justify this claim is by using considerable carbon offsetting, by paying someone else to recompense for their carbon emissions; which, as we have already pointed out on several occasion on this blog, is akin to ordering a diet coke alongside your double burger and claiming it to be part of your dieting program!

Greenwash, green-bullsh*t, green-veneer, green-smoke and green-mirrors. A veritable green smorgasbord of false, sickly green tosh. What's the betting that they are claiming to be carbon negative within a few years time?

ADDENDUM (via JunkkMale):

HSBC gives key marketer ‘golden handcuff’ offer - may explain something (or not), about the state of ads (especially 'green' ones) these days, if bankers are running the marketing.

ADDENDUM 2 (JunkkMale):

To add a hyperlinked URL to the comment posts

ADDENDUM 3

HSBC on climate change and Stern - well, they are devoting a lot of people and stuff to talking about it!

This sounds sooooo far fetched .........

... that it might just be crazy enough to be another 'free energy' breakthrough.

For the days when the sun simply won't shine and the cats and dogs are falling from the overcast sky in bucket-loads, how about a mechanism for generating electricity from raindrops? As reported in PhysOrg.com, scientists from CEA/Leti-Minatec, Grenoble, France, have "recently developed a system that recovers the vibration energy from a piezoelectric structure impacted by a falling raindrop. The system works with raindrops ranging in diameter from 1 to 5 mm, and simulations show that it’s possible to recover up to 12 milliwatts from one of the larger 'downpour' drops."

What they have to do now is work out a way to store the recovered electrical power in order to provide a steady current for day to day use.

Altogether now - 'I'm generating in the rain, just generating in the rain, what a beautiful feeling ........'

CATEGORY - Media - Industry

Took me long enough. I'll be adding..

Packaging

Packaging International - Online. Free

Spreading the word (and the Junkk lurve)

Someone thinks we publish news on hoovers…

Looking for a product story that doesn't suck? Well, not any more.

As it's Friday and you all are feeling gracious, here's a notion about Hoovers that IS about Eco-tech (and business, if any green minded outfit sees the potential of their audiences finding ways to reuse their products and second use their packaging):

http://www.junkk.com/junkkdetail.asp?slevel=0z622z709&parent_id=709&renleewtsapf=1730

That's the beauty of thinking in rubbish terms. Pretty much anything can be made (and/or) to fit if you try hard enough:)

Have a good weekend!

Friday Fun - Smoking gun

Green Gordon?

Nice one Newsnight (And, may I say, Greenpeace. I don't always endorse what they do or say, but in this they are back to what they do best).

I tried mixing Brown and Green, and it came out a kind of fudge. Seems apt, especially having watched the performance of the only government spokesperson landed with weaseling this one.

Still, as I recall our Dear Leader did throw his full weight behind that other massive eco-concern, and likely mitigation for something as trivial as how we produce our energy.... plastic bags.

When, oh when are we going to get folk in charge who can prioritise and concern themselves with initiatives that may actually help make this planet a bit better for future generations, rather than fussing with hype, spin, targets and cosy agendas.

While I see the constant dilemma of eco(nomic growth) vs. eco(logical harmony) creating headaches, it's not like there are not some targets looming here that this odd hesitancy will certainly not help assuage.

Sticks and stones may break my bones...

...but words may well end up seeing us off.

I have long given up trying to engage the whole MWCC 'debate', on any 'side', especially in a ratings driven media frenzy environment where only the next big extreme gets highlighted, so merely point you (with little comment) at this latest - Just the standard climatic imbalance... - for two reasons.

1) Yes, the media, including most in our national broadcaster, are totally complicit in the past, current and liklely future state of our understanding of, and reaction to climate change, by totally woeful reporting and hysterical, agenda-following editorialising.

2) Just like investments 'can go up as well as down', climate can change to hot and cold. The funky thing is when it does it to a serious degree, not where you'd expect, more often than it should... etc. So pointing at a cold day in summer is silly.

I don't know for certain, but I'm just seeing enough weird sh*t around to think that it is not behaving rationally.

Now, as to whether mankind is causing it, making it worse, or simply about to be a powerless casualty of Nature's whimsy is another matter. For another set of blogs.

Me? For now I am just trying my best to stop making things worse if I can help it. Unlike a lot... for all sides.

ps: 'Course, if you still fancy chatting and have a spare grand, you can always try here.

Talks ..... for the sake of talk?

It looks very much as if the next round of climate change talks has resulted in ......... well, nothing.

As reported by Channel 4, the much hyped Hawaiian negotiations have agreed no deal on targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Lots of hot air, and again no progress. What a waste of time!

Addendum:
But, as ever, it does rather depend on just who is doing the reporting, as this from CNN.com exemplifies - "participants praised what they saw as a new willingness by the United States to discuss possible solutions", and, "Delegates said the U.S. showed a new flexibility since earlier climate change meetings, and that they were able to talk frankly about their differences."

Perhaps our friends over the pond ARE slowly starting to make a slight shift in their stance?