CATEGORY - ACRONYMS EXPLAINED

Bit of catching up on the archive required one day.

Addendum: Also decided to add new words/terms as they come up.

AWARENAFF - I have got to the point that if too many more people get on this bandwagon, travlling here and there to show us the damage we're doing... travelling here and there... the end of the world my be more nigh than even they are trying to scare up. See also 'MESSAGE+MESSENGER'.

CoRMLESS - Could, Researchers May, Latest Enviromental Studies Show (or Scientists Say) - pretty much any headline in the MSM regarding climate issues that uses all sorts of one-off science, often by dubiously-qualified 'scientists', or researchers, to whack out a totally alarmist headline, but with the convenient get-out of it actually only being 'may', 'could', etc...

E&EO - Edited (for space and/or often rampant, redundant client-laden unnecessary verbiage) & Eyebrow-cranked (if I think some claims may be a tad over-egged:) Often.

DDAIDDAIS - Don't Do As I Do, Do As I Say - Basically hypocrisy by the establishment, usually political, media, celebrity or, worst of all, green finger-waggers, where there often seems to be a disconnect between what the public is told how to behave and how those doing the telling seem to manage, usually with the only... poor... excuse, of raising 'awareness'. See AWARENAFF.

enviROI - It stands for 'environmental ROI (Return On Investment)', and can be deemed positive or negative.

Essentially is a measure of some environmental product, service or initiative that is applied to try and get to the actual positive result claimed and/or tangibly, provably delivered/deliverable in terms of our kids' futures upon this planet.

It's not always simple, as no one here needs reminding, but with a bit of knowledge, a few pertinent questions and a well cranked eye-brow it is surprising how many PR guys can end up failing to convince. And already I am finding I am in danger of running into conflicting subsets, for instance such as between the immediate and superficially obvious 'good' of a plastic bag ban vs. the possible down sides that are now emerging, at least into the public domain. The spat between the Soil Association and Fairtrade over airmiles is another example. 'Ecology' now in some cases at odds with 'environment', sadly. And both with economy almost inevitably and always, even more so.

Simply put (and I do not intend to get into any debates about global warming, climate change and or the human race's part in it, or not) it tends to be based on what the ground to ground (dig it up, make it, ship it, sell it, use it, maintain it, dispose of it) consequence is in terms of emissions (carbon or otherwise) 'it' will impose. Will it add (bad), mitigate (better than nothing... usually) reduce or prevent any more (good, I hope, almost invariably). Much smarter folk paid a lot more are doing much more complex things with food miles/carbon footprints and all sorts at this very moment I know, but often I don't quite understand or trust them as they can often be rather selective in the parameters, and the provenance of the authors/supporters can also raise an eyebrow too.

It is related, but different to ROI, as it is perfectly possibly to have a good enviROI yet deliver no financial reward. So long as the costs and benefits are understood, and accepted, someone can choose to lose money but do better by the future.

That said, there is of course a lower limit, where one has to wonder if the money is being spent on something seemingly with a good enviROI when it could in fact be invested in something 'better'. This is less serious in the case of the individual, but can apply when deciding between systems, say solar vs. wind or ground heat. However, when one gets to national initiatives such as windfarms, the balance does need to be more carefully weighed. Hence while I am a huge supporter of the principle of renewables, and accept that they will impose extra costs (though not always.. a win-win!), I can remain to be convinced on the enviROI of some. Just because it is green...er, may not mean it's the most sensible choice, even to holding fire a wee while longer.

I seek not to impose this on anyone. I simply am guided by it and share as something to ponder in discussions and debates. As here.

examplist - A more favoured term for 'activist'

FATWa... 'First Against The Wall.. when the revolution comes!'

GOATs - Government Of All Talents - A self-describing description that one feels may be coming to haunt the nanny state that came up with it.

Inspirist - A more favoured term for 'activist'

IYANWUYAU - 'If You Are Not With Us...' - And sadly, I can mostly apply it to those who should be courting such as me, not driving us away by being incestuous, arrogant, know-all numpties.

hectorvists - Especially on social media. Folk who, once they have your email or @name, etc, seem to think a barrage of bans, days, etc will swing you to their way of thinking. Without enough doing in complement... it won't.

MESSAGE + MESSENGER - Simply put, I am off the view that often good messages can be neutered or indeed bigger issues badly compromised by various messengers (usually self-appointed, but there is a large and dishonourable roll call of pols in there) saying, or worse doing something that pretty much shows them to be false prophets. The danger of one small negative tainting many positives cannot be underestimated. I expect green campaigners to be consistent, honest and sincere. And, preferably, lead by example. See 'DDIDDAIS'. That said, I am not perfect, but then I do not claim to be. But I hope I can inspire by waht I do, and only critique when I feel others are leading the cause of sensible environmental practice astray.

Nagvocacy Groups - NEW - Those who are pushing a cause but erring too much on the nag, fine, guilt, scare aspects at the expense of more motivating methods.

NiWiYCGI - 'Niwikki' - 'Nice Work if You Can Get It'




ORFTARFU (one rule for them; another rule for us)
 
Polishing a Terminally Unpopular/Unpleasant Rationale, Reprobate or Device - Trying to paint a lost cause in glowing terms, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Ptoo! - Pull the other one!

RE:GOOD packaging... Reuse Executions: Great Opportunities Offered Designers

SOSO - Same Old, Same Old

TMTOTH (prn: 'Tumtoth") - Too Much Time On Their Hands

TOCOTA - Two Opposing Corners of the Apocalypse

VRP - Voltaire Revolution Power - The power that can be generated by hooking up M. Voltaire (he of 'I may not agree..' fame, probably) in his grave to a generator to harness the revolutions he turns when so-called libertarians get a tad irony-free in word and/or deed when it comes to others not agreeing with them.

WPD - WooPeeDoo - mainly for press releases or GO3 written diarrhea that tries to create a lot more out of something than it deserves.

Save planet.. and pocket. Pass it on.

Eco gadgets for the home

Caution: some are silly money, literally.

For instance, whilst stylish, at £99.95 for an energy monitor, right away in this household, it is easy to ignore. And it may be we get forced to install one by the 'leccy companies anyway soon.

As a user I'll endorse Bye Bye Standbye.*

There's also buying something new to 'save', though sometimes the ROI and enviROI numbers can work out.

* A tad dubious about the ad next to it, mind...

IRONY ALERT - Ways to save planet; with FREE plastic bag

Better yet, you get points if you stick it in your hemp jobbie at the checkout.

I was tempted, but £1.99 just to find out what was within the wrapper was a step too far.

RE:tie - another evolution

Well, things progress on RE:tie.

Working with JIIC at BCU, we now have the CAD rendering of its latest incarnation.

This solves some moulding issues, but at the same time enabled us mentor Mark Sheahan's input to incorporate what we hope will be a design aid for those who might have trouble gripping and tearing off tamper evident closures.

Oh, and it looks like it also uses just the same amount, and possible even less plastic to do the same job.

The prototype is en route as I type.

packaging news - Prototypes: Giving design an extra dimension - good piece to note!

I don't like Monday... so far

The new site feature evolution is still a roller-coaster.

One the the real scores with a glitch is knowing what is causing it it, so you can then solve it.

And we seem to have figured that the new site doesn't like the old splash page: the one that you see with a video of me and the latest blogs, ideas etc. So we have disconnected this for now and it defaults to the home page instead.

Yay! At least it works.

However...

In trying to add some new pictures and URLs using our spiffy new Ideas upload features, I got a brand new, and not exactly welcome error message.

Guess how my day is shaping up. And not, as intended, on the newsletter.

One step forward.... :(((((((((

WRAP rage!

No, not my favourite quango.

A term I have heard before, but thanks to My Zero Waste have not before seen it articulated as well.

Other than nodding along, I also see opportunity for the RE:tie, as we are working on evolving the design to make it not only reusable, but easier for those who may have trouble 'unzipping' tamper-evidents, through such as arthritis.