I have had cause to be less than impressed with this 'writer' before.
Let by this 'A cab driver's blog has criticised the Public Carriage Office for allowing tourist rickshaws on the capital's streets' I got to:
Against rickshaws
An interestingly economical form of written communication, but we've established before where the 'journalism' aspect figures.
And obviously remuneration is not by the word (at time of writing they were: 'Cabbies are' ... or is it?
Wonder where Ken or, more relevantly I suppose Boris would stand on this eco vs. econo. vs. safety issue.
Guess we'll never know.
Showing posts with label LONDON. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LONDON. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Stocks and scares
And I don't mean the trendy Big City variety!
No, it seems to be time to get medieval on our a**es.
This from Dave at Solarventi:
Definitely one for you.
Bit scary though as in the ultimate sanction that Bromley uses…. “residents who don't recycle face not having their rubbish collected”. Now that’s a big stick but it just might make people recycle more readily! Wonder how they enforce it?
Somewhat tied to this was my eyebrow cranking on the subject of cost when there seem to be hordes of waste officers running about. Is this solving a problem or creating a self-funding new empire? I have a rather jaundiced view that those who are not of a cooperative bent may find others ways to deal with their waste.
It is a problem, but there seem to be a lot of well-funded sticks around and not many equally well funded solutions or benefits in complement.
No, it seems to be time to get medieval on our a**es.
This from Dave at Solarventi:
Definitely one for you.
Bit scary though as in the ultimate sanction that Bromley uses…. “residents who don't recycle face not having their rubbish collected”. Now that’s a big stick but it just might make people recycle more readily! Wonder how they enforce it?
Somewhat tied to this was my eyebrow cranking on the subject of cost when there seem to be hordes of waste officers running about. Is this solving a problem or creating a self-funding new empire? I have a rather jaundiced view that those who are not of a cooperative bent may find others ways to deal with their waste.
It is a problem, but there seem to be a lot of well-funded sticks around and not many equally well funded solutions or benefits in complement.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
On yer bike!
That seems to be the message from Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, as reported by NaturalChoices today.
Can't argue with any of the ideas at all; it all looks very sensible and would be for any major urban conurbation. But just look at that cost, £1 Billion! That seems an awful lot of bucks for a few cycle ways!
And I'll be interested to see what any 'out of city' local equivalents might be. An express cycleway from Shrewsbury to Ludlow? I can't quite see it happening somehow.
Can't argue with any of the ideas at all; it all looks very sensible and would be for any major urban conurbation. But just look at that cost, £1 Billion! That seems an awful lot of bucks for a few cycle ways!
And I'll be interested to see what any 'out of city' local equivalents might be. An express cycleway from Shrewsbury to Ludlow? I can't quite see it happening somehow.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
SITE - greenprocurementcode.co.uk
I'm sure there's a default to change, but it's a pity this posts at the point it was drafted and not published.
I have not reviewed this site yet but feel the urge to share as this is a definite 'why not?'. It didn't start well as I tried to sign up (may be a Mac/Safari thing) and it wouldn't work. I've told them and no word yet.
Here's the PR blurb that went with:
Mayor of London launches extended service to help London businesses buy greener
The Mayor of London has nnounced that his Green Procurement Code is being updated and extended. It will now offer businesses specialist procurement advice to buy low carbon products in addition to the traditional focus on buying recycled products.
Previously, the Mayor of London's Green Procurement Code, focused on stimulating demand and creating markets for recycled products. Since its launch in 2001, members of the programme have spent £548.7 million on recycled products and diverted 1.8 million tonnes of waste from landfill. Using recycled materials in new products prevents the disposal of that material to landfill, which reduces emission of carbon dioxide. Over the last two years, 391,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions have been saved through the purchase of recycled products.
To build on this success, the free support service, funded by the London Development Agency will now provide businesses with procurement advice on an extended range of green products including low carbon, water saving and sustainable technologies.
Part of the new service will be interactive to reach the greatest possible number of businesses, including London's small and medium enterprises (SMEs). There is now a dedicated green procurement website www.greenprocurementcode.co.uk and organisations delivering the biggest environmental impact through their purchases can also receive five to seven days of dedicated one-to-one support.
Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: "I have updated my [oo, get you - for once I'd feel the 3rd person my have scanned better] Green Procurement Code so that more businesses can get specialist support to buy green products. In order to tackle climate change we have to take decisive action right now to cut our emissions of greenhouse gases. My new Green Procurement Code will help businesses to become energy efficient and use their resources more efficiently ultimately helping them to cut their carbon emissions."
The Mayor of London's new Green Procurement Code is the only service of its kind in Europe. The launch of the new service enables London to retain its leadership in the UK on green procurement.
London Remade will continue to deliver the service with new partners, Action Sustainability and Mouchel Parkman.
I have not reviewed this site yet but feel the urge to share as this is a definite 'why not?'. It didn't start well as I tried to sign up (may be a Mac/Safari thing) and it wouldn't work. I've told them and no word yet.
Here's the PR blurb that went with:
Mayor of London launches extended service to help London businesses buy greener
The Mayor of London has nnounced that his Green Procurement Code is being updated and extended. It will now offer businesses specialist procurement advice to buy low carbon products in addition to the traditional focus on buying recycled products.
Previously, the Mayor of London's Green Procurement Code, focused on stimulating demand and creating markets for recycled products. Since its launch in 2001, members of the programme have spent £548.7 million on recycled products and diverted 1.8 million tonnes of waste from landfill. Using recycled materials in new products prevents the disposal of that material to landfill, which reduces emission of carbon dioxide. Over the last two years, 391,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions have been saved through the purchase of recycled products.
To build on this success, the free support service, funded by the London Development Agency will now provide businesses with procurement advice on an extended range of green products including low carbon, water saving and sustainable technologies.
Part of the new service will be interactive to reach the greatest possible number of businesses, including London's small and medium enterprises (SMEs). There is now a dedicated green procurement website www.greenprocurementcode.co.uk and organisations delivering the biggest environmental impact through their purchases can also receive five to seven days of dedicated one-to-one support.
Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: "I have updated my [oo, get you - for once I'd feel the 3rd person my have scanned better] Green Procurement Code so that more businesses can get specialist support to buy green products. In order to tackle climate change we have to take decisive action right now to cut our emissions of greenhouse gases. My new Green Procurement Code will help businesses to become energy efficient and use their resources more efficiently ultimately helping them to cut their carbon emissions."
The Mayor of London's new Green Procurement Code is the only service of its kind in Europe. The launch of the new service enables London to retain its leadership in the UK on green procurement.
London Remade will continue to deliver the service with new partners, Action Sustainability and Mouchel Parkman.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Now That's Radical !!
But by my reckoning, has about as much chance as the the proverbial snowball's in hell.
This little snippet from NewCarNet suggests that the only way that the Greater London Authority could achieve its intended aim of a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025, is to ban all private cars from the city!
This little snippet from NewCarNet suggests that the only way that the Greater London Authority could achieve its intended aim of a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025, is to ban all private cars from the city!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Ken and Me
I cringe that this is the best that he could come up with at this stage, but: It won't cost the earth
It is a pleasure to focus, for once, on a fairly unequivocal and positive set (though there are some interesting, if inevitable re-run pros, cons, defences and accusations to be found in subsequent posts) of ideas, and with few politically or class-hued bolt-ons to sour the soup.
‘We don't have to reduce our quality of life to tackle climate change, but we do need to change the way we live.’
Bang on! Shame to see this popped in though: ‘...hear from rightwing commentators’. Creates camps, see. We need to bring folk together in the common cause of reducing waste without having to choose what colour flag they fight under.
‘It is ironic that...’
Well, yes. In fact the words and deeds of those who would claim to act on our behalves can often seem at odds with actuality. And hence weaken their cases and authority to even pass comment. Let alone expect any to follow.
‘Put the other way, we actually have a moral responsibility to lead.’
No argument.
‘...a new one-stop-shop Green Homes advice service.’
I await with interest and anticipation on the details. But some dread that it will be another over-funded, over-staffed and under-utilised box-ticking quango with a vast comms budget that delivers a poor ROI to rate-payers pockets and the environment. Fingers crossed!
‘It will also be important to offer financial incentives for change.’
Amen. You could also try and swing some cooperation from your mates in the City, too:
http://www.globalideasbank.org/site/bank/idea.php?ideaId=6038
Speaking of folk who live in your ‘hood, try this one as well on your good buddies in Westminster (that even the guys in the £xM flats overlooking your office may see merit in):
http://junkk.blogspot.com/2007/02/carbon-legacy-its-alive-i-tell-you.html
It’s a compromise IHT solution to the deadlock caused by ‘us not being able to take it with us’, ‘you not wanting to let go of it’ and ‘them not trusting you to make good use of it if and when you get it’.
What’s not to like?
‘...we have to introduce a comprehensive carbon-pricing system across the UK - so that people's economic decisions take account of the carbon impact.‘
Yup. But... who runs it? Where is the money taken from and sent to? How efficient will the logistics of management, assessment, monitoring, imposing, policing, IT-support, etc , be?
Just so long as 99% of all excess monies taken in the name of green do not get split between City brokers and public service and quango empires before any goes to reducing our planetary impact. A guy has to hope:)
‘Now is the time for action.’
How many times have I heard that? But yes, the time for talking is over, so long as we can trust the motivations and abilities of those who would lay claim to the reins.
Now, let’s check the form book...
BBC - Mayor unveils climate change plan
Yahoo - Livingstone to announce climate change strategy
Reuters - London plans to be world's greenest city
It is a pleasure to focus, for once, on a fairly unequivocal and positive set (though there are some interesting, if inevitable re-run pros, cons, defences and accusations to be found in subsequent posts) of ideas, and with few politically or class-hued bolt-ons to sour the soup.
‘We don't have to reduce our quality of life to tackle climate change, but we do need to change the way we live.’
Bang on! Shame to see this popped in though: ‘...hear from rightwing commentators’. Creates camps, see. We need to bring folk together in the common cause of reducing waste without having to choose what colour flag they fight under.
‘It is ironic that...’
Well, yes. In fact the words and deeds of those who would claim to act on our behalves can often seem at odds with actuality. And hence weaken their cases and authority to even pass comment. Let alone expect any to follow.
‘Put the other way, we actually have a moral responsibility to lead.’
No argument.
‘...a new one-stop-shop Green Homes advice service.’
I await with interest and anticipation on the details. But some dread that it will be another over-funded, over-staffed and under-utilised box-ticking quango with a vast comms budget that delivers a poor ROI to rate-payers pockets and the environment. Fingers crossed!
‘It will also be important to offer financial incentives for change.’
Amen. You could also try and swing some cooperation from your mates in the City, too:
http://www.globalideasbank.org/site/bank/idea.php?ideaId=6038
Speaking of folk who live in your ‘hood, try this one as well on your good buddies in Westminster (that even the guys in the £xM flats overlooking your office may see merit in):
http://junkk.blogspot.com/2007/02/carbon-legacy-its-alive-i-tell-you.html
It’s a compromise IHT solution to the deadlock caused by ‘us not being able to take it with us’, ‘you not wanting to let go of it’ and ‘them not trusting you to make good use of it if and when you get it’.
What’s not to like?
‘...we have to introduce a comprehensive carbon-pricing system across the UK - so that people's economic decisions take account of the carbon impact.‘
Yup. But... who runs it? Where is the money taken from and sent to? How efficient will the logistics of management, assessment, monitoring, imposing, policing, IT-support, etc , be?
Just so long as 99% of all excess monies taken in the name of green do not get split between City brokers and public service and quango empires before any goes to reducing our planetary impact. A guy has to hope:)
‘Now is the time for action.’
How many times have I heard that? But yes, the time for talking is over, so long as we can trust the motivations and abilities of those who would lay claim to the reins.
Now, let’s check the form book...
BBC - Mayor unveils climate change plan
Yahoo - Livingstone to announce climate change strategy
Reuters - London plans to be world's greenest city
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