CATEGORY - DDAIDDAIS

This acronym (for 'Don't do as I do; do as I say') has lurked around on this blog* for a while.

Time to pull the threads together. Until I do, let's start here:

Times - Atticus - Defra

Times - Atticus - HMG/Plastic Bags

BBC - Tony the climate tiger: Roaring success?

Indy - 'Jet-setting' government clocked up 300 million air miles last year - 'Well, y'know, like, it's not really practical for THEM not to fly'.

Indy - Ministers keep their gas-guzzling cars despite CO2 targets - Again, there is a need for common sense. The leader of our country out-running a terrorist in an armoured Prius? However, as to the rest...

Guardian - Public servants clocked up 306m air miles last year, Conservatives say - Of course, the key is not the total, but what was/is avoidable.

BBC - BBC staff Olympic details missing - 'The BBC fears the files have been stolen, possibly for identity theft or an attempt to embarrass the BBC over the number of staff going to the Games'. Now, who would think such a thing? They seem immune to most things. I am sure they a sharing the same A380 over, too.

Telegraph - HMRC is accused of double standards over staff expenses - It's not strictly (well, at all) enviro. I don't care.

Times - NEW - Hotshot greens caught wasting home heat - Let he who waves the first finger....

*Might be worth also cross-indexing with 'Quangos Jolly Good Fellows' (see link in baseline)

CATEGORY - Coal

It's baaaaack! And hence warrants its own category.

Indy - Back to black: return to coal power

Indy - Coal-fired power: 'Clean coal' technology

BBC - Clean deadline call on coal power

Guardian - Coal isn't the climate enemy, Mr Monbiot. It's the solution - Now there's an odd couple squaring off.

Times - The burning question ...

Guardian - Coal-fired power stations are death factories. Close them

Times - NEW - PM stokes row with ‘clean’ coal plan

Think Big, Start Small. And then... stop?

Is this another example of economy vs. environment?

I have had my issues with their business model, but as it was there have always felt BBC Green to represent a perfectly good source of complementary info (though some have been concerned about the stances taken on various issues, which were, unsurprisingly, reflective of the overall corporate agenda). Shame they ignored all my efforts to raise reuse as a worthy topic.

But it was odd, and a little sad, to get this in my inbox just now.

Hello JunkkMan,

After nine months of brightening your inbox with weekly green news and advice, I am sorry to announce that this will be our last newsletter. From today, we won't be adding any more stories or features to BBC Green.

I hope you have enjoyed reading, using and interacting with the site. Building an environmental and sustainable living website from scratch was an ambitious project, and I would like to thank all of the BBC Green team who helped to make it happen.

I am also very grateful for the many kind and supportive messages we have received since our launch in March. We even enjoyed the few critical emails from die-hard climate change sceptics.

On a personal note, I have been amazed by just how many of you are looking for positive and practical ways to lead a greener life. We have really enjoyed hearing about and following your experiences, especially those of you who have used our Action Plan.

I hope that we have helped in some small way to inform and inspire you, and that BBC Green will continue to help you to make the right choices for you and the environment.

Very best wishes,

Paul Allen,
Editor, BBC Green

The one thing not explained is why*, and having a quick scope on the website I remain none the wiser. Maybe it just there will be no more email updates, but it's hard to see how that would make much difference.

It seems to be saying that what's up is all there is, and will be, and that will remain. However there will be no more need for additions, or interactivity, and hence staff.

Anyway, as I rush to try and get off the latest Junkk newsletter, packed with all manner of useful tidbits, I guess this is one less complementitor (my main beef was that when you are competing for ad revenue, having a funded entity courtesy of the licence fee was a bit frustrating), though the field is still pretty packed already.

I guess we just have to make sure we keep being useful, second useful, and entertaining enough to always find new stuff to share and offer plenty of reasons for folk to keep on coming back.
10/12/08

*Guardian - BBC Worldwide drops environment site - '..the corporation's commercial arm, has quietly ditched a controversial website ... following criticism from commercial competitors that it is overstepping its remit and distorting the markets in which it operates.'

Press Gazette - NEW - Rivals welcome closure of BBC Green 'passion site'

Message and messengers

Or, equally, another from 'not all that is green can be viewed in black and white'.

The breaking news the BBC wouldn't tell

I do confess that I am finding science, and logic, take rather lower fiddle ranks to agenda and ratings-driven hype.

By any measure I would rather this job was done in an accredited yard for good money, rather than by a bunch of kids cheap on a distant beach.

As to this... 'In 2004 Liam Sheahan of Ready Creek, Victoria, famously lost $100,000 when he was prosecuted for felling 247 trees to protect his property. Last week his house was the only one in the area left standing.' Head-shaking is not enough. I guess he got a form of refund in that he still has a home. In this era of sorry folk left right and centre, I'm betting even an apology will be hard to screw out of those responsible.

In the frame of mind to wonder what else I am told, or not, just watching the Breakfast News, this cranked an eyebrow:

BBC - Global warming 'underestimated'

I dread to think what lies behind such stuff any more (This is 'a' scientist, and a few other blogs I read have pointed out that his area of expertise is not really in this area, yet I am sure he was introduced as 'a leading climate change expert'). Especially as, irony-free, it was followed by this spot, with the teleprompter readers and their guest pretty much agreeing it was awful, and people better fly now or lose out:

BBC - Flyers face losing their Airmiles

And in closing, here's one from the other day, just to put what the world faces in some kind of context:

Telegraph - China's rescue plan a load of spin?

Addendum:

The Register - Thermageddon, the BBC and a giant snake

Addendum :

Guardian - Scientists must rein in misleading climate change claims - Read beyond the headline (which rather neatly makes a point in its framing). Indeed, read beyond the article. Woah! I'm glad I just try and help reduce waste.

Guardian - The tropics on fire: scientist's grim vision of global warming - Same paper; same day.

Happy Valentines!

OK, so it's a recycled, reused idea... what do you expect!:)

It's long, but worth it...

No, missus, oo-er, trust me.

You know how 'they' are 'listening' to 'us'.

I followed, and even ended up sharing in an exchange from some guys who do seem to know stuff...

Stakeholder Engagement: The Big Energy Shift

Government intend these to be active and open consultation processes,
and are keen to hear from the households, businesses and communities who
will be affected by the proposals. Government also needs to hear from
local government, community groups, NGOs and the supply chain and
installation companies that will support delivery on the ground.

Government is launching the 'Big Energy Shift' - a series of 40+
road-show events in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland,
involving citizens, businesses, local authorities, community and fuel
poverty groups and the supply chain. Participants will discuss options
for heat and energy savings in homes and communities. These events
will provide the opportunity to discuss the consultations before
formally responding.

Events include:

* Stakeholder workshops on the detail of CESP on the 24 March, and
CERT on the 25 March, hosted by the Energy Efficiency Partnership for
Homes. These events are by invitation only, and these will be issued in
late February;

* Stakeholder workshops in Scotland and Wales on the
consultations, working with the Welsh and Scottish Governments. Further
details will follow, but you can also register your interest by
emailing: cesp.consultation@decc.gsi.gov.uk;
* English Regional "Road-show" events on the consultations, with a
particular focus on CESP. Further details will follow. Spaces will be
limited, however you can register your interest by emailing:
cesp.consultation@decc.gsi.gov.uk;
* A HES workshop on community and renewable heat in local
communities with local authorities - details are to be made available
shortly. For further information contact
hes.consultation@decc.gsi.gov.uk;
* Citizens forums for households and communities - an innovative
programme with 9 separate citizens' forums - involving 250 people - in
neighbourhoods in England, Wales and N Ireland. These will include
peer-to-peer interviews in the community, site visits to see different
technologies in practice, and home visits as well as interactive web
forum. The events will take place throughout February and March;
* Small and medium enterprises - events run in conjunction with
Business in the Community and the Small Business Consortium, to discuss
policy and delivery options;
* Public sector - an event run with the Sustainable Development
Commission to bring together public sector procurers, facility managers
etc, to explore their role in delivering changes in relation to heat,
energy saving, and renewable energy.

The latter three events are invitation only. The findings will be
published by DECC.

> The first sentence in this press release is totally negated by the actual
> details of the "consultation" events, which are all, apparently, labelled
> as "by invitation" or "limited places" - must be some meaning of the word
> "open" that I haven't heard before. This carries on from a fine tradition
> of the government that brought us "Do you want a dozen nuclear power
> stations or only twelve?" and "Sipson village is being dangerously polluted
> by aircraft from Heathrow Airport, don't you think we ought to move it?"
>
> I suppose it's not possible to boycott all such government charades
> totally? Is this what they want? How could we ensure that no one broke the
> picket line?

It gets even better; the HES workshop email address doesn't work.I've tried to ask for further information, from two different email addresses and they both were rejected. The message:

Action: failed
Status: 5.1.1

seems to refer back to an old Elvis number,

"Return to sender, address unknown.

No such number, no such zone."

Rather than a picket line, we need a powerful can opener.

Genius!

Getting with the 'game', I'll leave it open as to which bits - the semantic jiggery-pokery, the Hitch-hikers Guidian 'directions'... or the incisive mockery - I am referring in that statement.

I have a feeling, as with some West End Theatres, I how the authorities' PR machine would plaster that statement on any post(er).

It was about another issue, but I am minded to share a comment by a chap in the Newsnight blog today that I thought would make a great URL: 'itwasntme.gov'

It also goes a long way to why I consider almost an 'research' that leads to a 'poll' that most, and especially HMG and the BBC, carry out to be pretty suspect.

As some around here have been saying...

'Apocalyptic climate predictions' mislead the public, say experts

Met Office scientists fear distorted climate change claims could undermine efforts to tackle carbon emissions

I am no expert, but... D'uh.

New Scientist - NEW - Scientists losing war of words over climate change - the posts in reply rather make a few points.. sadly.

ADDENDUM - 13/03/07

It seems to be sinking in that there is a problem. This just in from The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM - who are not going to get many visitors from the URL they offer)

The UK’s recent cold weather has highlighted that the often interchangeable use of the terms ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’ leads to public misunderstanding.

Misinterpretation of the suggestive term ‘global warming’ has resulted in some people to propose that cold weather events disproves climate change is happening. Therefore CIWEM is calling for greater clarity in the use of these terms by scientists, environmentalists, other professionals and the media so that the general public is able to distinguish between climate change, global warming and localised, short-term weather events.

Global warming describes the increase in average global temperatures due to rising levels of greenhouse gases, whilst climate change refers to regional conditions such as rain, drought and storm events that relate to a long-term change in the Earth’s climate.

Although the UK is suffering from the coldest winter in 30 years, the current weather is entirely consistent with climate change predictions. In pre-industrial days such extreme cold weather occurred every five years but, with climate change, global temperatures have risen, meaning that we now experience it only every 20 years. And in contrast, China’s drought has left more than four million people without drinking water and 24 million acres of crops damaged; parts of Australia are suffering massive flooding, whilst the south’s drought has aggravated the terrible bush fires that have killed over 130 people; Argentina is suffering the worst drought for 50 years; and Israel suffered the driest January since records began.

CIWEM asks whether the term ‘climate change’ is significantly descriptive of the predicted extreme global weather patterns that we will experience. CIWEM puts forward that more dramatic and resonant terms such as ‘climate churn’ or ‘climate convulsion’ may help people to understand that this will not be a gentle transition which can be ignored.

Nick Reeves, Executive Director of CIWEM, says:

“To apply the term ‘global warming’ to explain all extreme weather events including freezing temperatures, snow and heavy rainfall is careless and will only feed the scepticism of the public and some sections of the media that average temperatures aren’t rising and that the climate isn’t changing. As scientists have predicted we are experiencing, simultaneously, extreme weather events around the world, which are causing unprecedented drought conditions, water scarcity, melting of the polar ice caps, rising sea levels, coastal erosion and flooding. Not only is this evidence of climate change but a more serious problem that should be more accurately described as climate convulsion.”

While I have some sympathy with the dilemma, and applaud the attempt, I have to say that after 'Global warming' and then 'climate change', moving to ‘climate churn’ or ‘climate convulsion’ might not quite suffice. There is a lot of baggage to undo, and a few too many who will be trotting out such new buzz words are those who loaded that baggage on the cart in the first place. Message vs. messengers again.

Can Can.... er... 't?

The internet can be useful. Especially at putting you right quickly.

Just now I shared a reuse 'tip' from the site, which has proven quite popular, on another site seeking such.

It's a lid from a cream pot that clips on larger food cans, as a substitute for the bought variety.

Seems I may have committed a boo-boo.

Here I was interested in reuse, when 'elf & safety might trump that.

Here's the Food Standards view on it.

I think, for our purposes, we'll stick with the 1/2 day window in the can. We've done a lot worse.

The real cost of the TWO E dilemma

Millions face 'stealth tax' on heating bills to subsidise green energy

Not an easy one at all.

However, I do concern myself that, with almost painful inevitably, a lot of the costs are biting earlier and harder where they can least be afforded.

I wish I'd logged it, but I was also surprised to find that energy costs are front-end loaded, so smaller homes using less pay proportionately more. Even though I guess my family home (with heating all day - even the gilet I wear needs a bit of help - as I work here) is a beneficiary, this can't be right.

Keep that eyebrow cocked

Some are genuine efforts, and to be applauded.

Many, still, are not.

A while ago I noticed, and still commend, the Greenwash column in the Guardian authored by Fred Pearce.

I'm not sure he's always fair, but he certainly sets out the cases pretty clearly, and if he does push his case there is usually a commenter who can put the other side.

And there still seems to be some debate as to whether things are getting better or worse.

Certainly, such as the ASA have and still are clamping down on blatant factual falsehoods and even excessive claims. But there are still an awful lot where you really have to cock that eyebrow.

I guess, with my ongoing efforts to 'sell' the RE:tie, which I really believe to be a no-brainer positive enviROI idea for all involved - business, consumer & planet - I am quite sensitive to measures that seem more designed to save the company money than anything else.

Which of course IS good, especially if it is through reduced waste which one presumes may get passed to the consumer, but too often there seems really little end-benefit involved where it matters. And then just has to wonder what all the money on the comms efforts could have been spent on rather than making the business seem to be green.

In passing, I noted this little video by MTV Switch advertised. Kinda cute, but then I hark back to a certain song by Dire Straits (!) that celebrated the conspicuous consumption era of the 80's... 'I want my MTV'. Pretty sure most of us still watching think getting a 50" plasma is still a nifty ambition.

The 'Great British Refurb'

News of this announcement was leaked last week so most of the content, as summarised in The Guardian, is not overtly surprising.

"All (anyone want to bet that that's not true?) UK households will have a green makeover by 2030 under government plans to reduce carbon emissions and cut energy bills.

Cavity wall and loft insulation will be available for all suitable homes, with plans to retrofit 400,000 homes a year by 2015. Financial incentives for householders will also be available for low-carbon technologies such as solar panels, biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps, paid for by a levy on utility companies."

So is this all new? There seems to me to be little difference from any of the previous initiatives, none of which have proved to be particularly successful. There are a couple of points worth noting though:-

Firstly, yet again, these are seen only as targets. Another all process initiative with little productive output other than the favoured box-ticking exercises?

Secondly, if you read it carefully, you will see that the funding is to be provided via a levy on the utility providers, which, as previous attempts at similar initiatives have shown, simply means that, in the end, we pay for it out of our own pockets anyway!

As my Granddad used to say years ago - 'You get nowt for nowt in this life'.

Let's hope that we genuinely get some real 'doing' this time, rather than the usual hot air, spin and target playing. I'll keep my fingers crossed, though I'm not particularly hopeful.

Well, they asked

Tomorrow I head off to ECOpack at the NEC to try to get more support for the RE:tie.

This was timely.

Should packs promote social causes?

So long as the enviROI is positive, it's hard to fault any design for working towards a greater good.

Certainly we at Junkk.com try and advocate reuse at every turn, and facilitate it even if not intended.

But our greatest hope is for second uses that can be built-in, especially if they can be re-evolutionary to existing designs and hence impose little or no capital or material impositions, such as the RE:tie tamper evident security closure for example.

In addition to CSR, PR and marketing opportunities in their own right, such components can surely also provide many of the functions described and discussed above!?

At last, a glimmer

Of hope in common sense, if not much faith in delivery

Quarter of UK homes to be offered a green makeover

In my view, improving home efficiencies to a decent level of enviROI has to be the priority, otherwise any energy generated, no matter how 'greenly', is still being wasted unnecessarily.

Plus there's the small matter of costs, too.

But speaking of money, there is as mentioned that small matter of what is promised vs. what transpires.

Summit up?

Scientists plan emergency summit on climate change

I am a bit torn on this one.

Fora while I have been banging on that IF it is a serious as is made out then why on earth are the powers that be not making more a an issue of it?

So this looks like a worthy effort to kick-start this.

However, another part of me wonders, post Kyoto, Bali, IPCC, etc, what exactly new they are going to come up with that hasn't worked... obviously... to now, and hence runs the risk of being another high-carbon talk-fest. The word 'summit' gets me right offside immediately, after all the other nonsense events I've been to with the same name.

On past evidence, I honestly don't look forward to how this will get reported, and who these reports will impact and reach. It's the first I have heard of it (didn't look like there was even a website) , and a month is not a long time to prepare, so who is going, why and what are they hoping to achieve?

IRONY ALERT - speak softly, but carry a big budget

I don't know if I'd go as far as accusing it of greenwashing (they are trying to DO something, well, by 2025), but this banner made me giggle.

I don't know if it is complemented by equally large, and expensive print ads, but the TV commercial is certainly pervasive.

So I am a little unclear as to the definition of 'not shouting about it' being used.

And how all that money could be better applied... more tangibly, reducing some more.

Civil unrest

Let engineers make Britain great again

In a quick scan through I think I saw the name 'Dilbert' there; one could do worse than sign up to Mr. Adams' daily bit of genius on the plight of engineers stateside.

I graduated with a Civ. Eng back in the lat 70's, but only on the strict understanding I didn't try and build anything people's lives depended on. Fair enough, and advertising has been mostly kind to me.

Of my graduating class, even back then I doubt more than 10% stayed in the profession for long, and those mostly the guys from the Far East. Almost all my mates ended up as Masters of the Universe in the City; not sure how that is working out now, mind.

I now busy myself with things of a planetary-positive nature, combining my science/engineering education with my media experiences to try and make the world a better place based on a principle I have dubbed the enviROI, basically a measure of how products or initiatives perform in a way that will actually make a positive difference to my kids' futures.

And I have to say that the lack of many... any with even a basic understanding of practical realities in senior government is a worry. And if they do have 'qualified' advisers, these guys don't seem very competent or vocal at setting them straight on what can... and can't work. And that often also includes saving money.

I seem to recall the 'unofficial' motto of either my college (Kings) or the profession was 'An engineer can do for a shilling what any other darn fool can do for a pound'.

Looking at the vast black holes being spun in the the world of green, all I see are targets, box-ticking and lobbyist-fueled agendas that would make any true engineer weep.

We're now in an era of process over product, and being seen to do rather than actually doing anything.

It's a house of cards on near zero foundations. I may not have been the best engineer, but I can see the result a mile off.

And that... really sucks.

CATEGORY - Noise Pollution

Noise Mapping England website -

Don't know if there's one for North of the border or over the water. Maybe they are not noisy?

Shanzai!

The name is reason enough to share.

More Shanzhai madness!

Now the piece itself is not exactly complimentary, but in principle I am on board with (some of)the positive aspects inherent in making stuff out of other stuff.

Also a good opportunity for a punt, not that many others seem to have picked up on it.

Firefox Surprises

I just upgraded my Firefox browser (Mac only) and a lot of new stuff has popped up.

Oddly (or not, I think they are all Google-linked) this seems to have 'affected' my blog too; I hope in a good way.

A bunch more functionality has appeared.

Now I am all for toys, but having been put off Facebook by all the walls and pokes and what have you I must proceed with caution here.

As building a community is obviously something I am keen to encourage, there is one that strikes a chord immediately, though the name sucks.

It's called 'Followers'. I know this is literally correct, and pretty much says what is on the tin, but I am not sure I like the connotations. Maybe it is just me. Not sure what I would post, but it seems just 'off-putting' in those terms. I guess all who have an interest in my blog and click on a thing to be informed are 'following' it, but for this journey I simply seek to share with 'Fellow Travellers'.

I wonder if Mozilla will be open to the suggestion?

I also need to check out what the other consequences are of adding this, but it may be a worthy option.

Addendum - Let's try. I can 'rename' the title, but it still has those sharing my journey as 'followers' and I can't seem to delete it. Plus there is an option to be 'secret' follower so that allows folk to track without being seen.

CATEGORY - enviROI

Definition is here

As 'it's not always as clear as you might think', time to start logging instances to demonstrate this.... starting now:

Consumer

Consumer/Industry

Fox News - NEW - The Futility of Hybrid Cars - Now this comes from a certain angle (doesn't everything?), but as this is about enviROI there are legitimate questions if not conclusions.

Industry

packaging news - CPI hits back at Linpac Allibert carbon footprint

CATEGORY - GREEN ROOFS

ARTICLES

Indy - Grass ceiling: How corporate culture is going green

NYT (via Junkk) - NEW - Praise the Lord and Green the Roof

INFORMATION

livingroofs.org -

Hey, this could be habit forming

Hey, if it's fun, relevant and somone's kind enough to care and send it in... I'll share:

Praise the Lord and Green the Roof

It actually covers more than green roofs, which is a category already broken out here (and I'll add this to), but is another worthy journey by individuals (in this case a convent) as they try and decide what's best for them... and the enviROI.

Thanks to Junketeer Joseph from, I'm guessing, over the pond. Nice to know this litle blog gets read far and wide.

MAJOR MEDIA E-LINKS

I have done it mentally for so long, but more are springing up daily here's a growing list of where to find stuff out online, and often get to comment upon. When I get time I'll also 'review'.

UK

BBC (B)

iplayer - in theory (!) you can access archive stuff via this. There might be a 7 day window limit on some/most/all

Andrew Marr Show - Has a reply/blog
BBC Green -
cbeebies/ecobeebies -
Green Room - Has a HYS
The Editor's Blog
Newsnight -
Ethical Man - now over. I wonder how much he has stayed with his ethics and how much was just for the duration?

Guardian/Observer (PT)
Ask Leo - Like Prof's Posers, only with answers ready supplied
Climate Change
Climate Change
Conservation
Energy
Environment Weekly - no clue what it is, who is doing or why. Or watching. But here it is. -
Ethical Living
Recycling
Transport
Tread Lightly
What Can I Do?

Independent & Sunday (PT)
Blog
Environment
Ethics Girl
Green Living (inc Green Goddess)
The Environment Channel

Observer (PT)
The Green Gauge
Magazine - has a thing called Ethical that can lead to a Dilemma

Reuters - Environment

SKY
Eden - NEW -

Telegraph (PT)
Earth - leads to more, which I'll look at soon

The Economist

The Times (PT)
Battle of Ideas
Eco-worrier Blog
Environment
Green Central - With Blog

Yahoo -


I've just realised that by trying to compartmentalise I have in fact scattered similar resources across a few category headings. I'll try and bring most under here, including news in the future and others already posted when I get a moment.

One thing seems silly and that's my country separation. This is the net and all things are global. But where necessary I'll break out a place of origin.

Wikipedia - just remember it is not always served by well by those dedicated to objectivity, especially in areas of contention.

Green-err (as in erring on green) Media

ivillage/igo green - US based

responsibility.tv - online


Not a definitive list, so feel free to suggest and I'll add them here.

Put a lid on it. Or... not?

Credit where due...

What should we do about plastic milk bottle tops?

A good post from a useful site on a worthy topic, and the journey to get there. I have replied as there may be a decent dialogue to follow on some issues raised.

Ah, conflicting 'advice' from the authorities. Where we would be without various box-tickers contradicting each other, he asks, rhetorically.

John's final para is bang on, though I fear a vain hope.

I have long since given up trying to get my head around the logic of the stated instructions. The request to collapse surely makes sense to improve the weight:volume ratio lugged by a dirty great truck, but squashing these devils is easier said than done. And having done so, as a matter of physics, without screwing the cap back on I rather suspect they may spring back out.

Thank you for the link to GHS. I have some concerns about logistics, enviROI+ wise, but it's great that there are folk thinking around this. The solution is perhaps in that 500kgs payment threshold.

Now, what if local communities could be coordinated (as you suggest, but on a bigger scale) to drop-off sufficient quantities of any recylate material or reusable item such that it was worth the while of a business to come and get it... and pay. It's possible paying individuals may be a problem, but injecting benefits into the community is still a powerful motivator... and reward.

I have given up on government and LAs, and businesses can be a a tad short-term bottom line (especially at the moment), but am working on it using the postcode location facilities of such as my site, Junkk.com

Thanks also for the associated ideas on reuses. Readers may wish to share any they have on Junkk.com too.

Interestingly, I am still in the thick of promoting my RE:tie re:evolution second use design of the little tamper-evident strap that links the cap to the neck piece (which can be retained on bottle with some closure designs, though not milks) of usually higher end organic milks.

In today's climate, it still amazes me that many high-ups in departments theoretically devoted to reducing unnecessary waste still cannot get their heads round how people might very easily be directed to keep things, reuse things or at least donate in a useful, segregated manner... if well directed, helped and encouraged or, better yet... rewarded.

The time has yet to come. But it will.

Big issue. Small minds?

Now is the time to think big about man-made climate change

I found this tucked away in the Telegraph today.

That's significant.

Because while I have done, and do most of what I do because of concerns about the possibility of 'our' impact on climate change, albeit in what I consider the more tackleable if possibly minor area (energy consumption and emissions dwarfing all else) of reducing waste, I have noted rather piecemeal, and often contradictory levels of approach and attention paid by 'The Establishment' (Government and media) to date.

If we are about to be toast, the messages we get, and when we get them, and the examples set, don't really... at least to me as one of Joe Public... quite convey the magnitude or urgency that often gets claimed when the topic is 'hot'.

So I have sympathy with Mr. Clover's basic premise. At least the headline and intro.

Not quite so sure on some of the solutions he is advocating.

In fact it is a pity that he gets diverted quickly to these details, when the big one he has raised remains unanswered. Frankly, like too many, and especially those in power, it comes across more as if he is too busy just playing in a lucrative field that he is in, rather than looking more ahead at the main goals.

I think I'll call it, for want of a better word, 'Envirodabbling'. Not sure it's that helpful when pondering the bigger picture.

CATEGORY - RE:pair

There is already a 'REPAIR' label at the end, but this is to try and start pulling things together under a category.

Articles

Observer - NEW - Sack the builder, do it yourself

Website

AUTO

breakerlink.com - Ta to Dave of Solarventi for the tip
carsparefinder.co.uk - ditto

Observer - NEW - Don't be a dipstick: Get your spanner out

Repairpal - US-based

CLOTHES

Observer - NEW - Pretty darn good -

HOME

fixya.com -
letsfixit.co.uk - Niiiice
safemanuals.com -

IT

applemacrepair.com
ask rick -
A worthy specific one on PC maintenance: BOOT CAMP 554 – Make Do and Mend, part 6
crucial - Mac upgrade advocacy as greener option. O...k, I'll bite.
e-repair.co.uk - Monitors
fixya.com -
ifixit - OK, it's a tad niche. But I use a Mac and it's in for me!
macfixcentre.com -
safemanuals.com -

ROADS

fixmystreet.com - A little off our patch, but hey, it's repair and nifty, so why not?

enviROI anyone?

Stressing this 'a' story about 'a' comment, I share it as it does highlight my preference to being really green as opposed to just ticking boxes.

Which I bang on about enough.

Recycling 'could be adding to global warming'

In passing, I also sense a move towards a related 'eco' issue, namely energy from waste, and wonder if there is some coordination at play.

Whichever way, I simply hope that the enviROI of the 'next big thing' is factored in.

WRAP - WRAP responds to current debate on recycling - 'It is still a better option both financially and environmentally [my highlight] for councils and their council tax payers to recycle rather than send to landfill, even if councils face higher storage charges temporarily.'

Wrap - Recycling continues to be the best option - 'Reports in today’s media suggesting that recycling adds to global warming, rather than tackling it, are misleading and factually incorrect, said WRAP'

Telegraph - Is recycling just an evil ploy?

MRW - Recycling operations could be adding to global warming, says former Biffa director - In posting the ebbs and flows to this story, I am struck by how important 'knowing' is, and yet how little the wiser I still am in all this. Plus the various agendas at play. Some have a vested interest in getting away from recycling, some in slagging it off, and some, conscious of their target-driven bonuses, love collecting the stuff and the heck with whether it makes any sense.

Packaging News - NEW - Waste adviser Peter Jones defends position on recycling - I think I have learned more about the state of our media than the actual issue.

More doom and gloom

These reports seem to be coming so thick and fast at the moment it is becoming quite easy to, well, simply avoid reading them, but this, from the New Scientist, is short and quite illuminating.

The essence of the piece? Even if we stopped all fossil fuel burning right now, the planet could take over a thousand years to recover from the excess CO2 in the atmosphere.

Uh-oh

Now, bear in mind that for the last several years, or family (well, me) has not thrown anything away.

Well, that's not quite true. Between five of us we can still fill a bin liner in a week.

Don't quite know how, as there's an awful lot not in there that I think would be from most households. And of course a fair amount of paper and glass goes off with the RE-Box kerbside collection.

And so the collected bits and bobs that didn't make it are all around the house and grounds in one way or another.

I have this odd notion that I will one day find a use for it all.

However, with the recent flurry of activity from councils on bins, plus the downturn in interest in separated recylates, my wife asked me if we'd end up being lumbered with a stonking bill if we had to get rid of it all.

I assured her not, as those who collect such things appreciate clearly sorted, clean recylables, and other than a few days with a wheelbarrow to the various local skips, we'd be fine.

Or... perhaps not.

Rubbish hoarder ordered to pay £38,000 clean-up bill

Now, my first thought was... 'so this is how you get a feature in the major papers!'

Closely followed by ... 'Uh-oh'.

I was going to also query the cost involved, but now note that most of the sum in question was not for the actual clearing, but to my favourite profession to 'handle' it all.

Not rats here, but ~I might have to review the collection and storage policy soon.

Telegraph - The thin line between junk and treasure -

You have addressed a serious topic with sensitivity.

And I don't wish to hijack what is essentially a piece on mental health and the authorities' reaction to it, but the topic of 'hoarding' has come up and it is one I am both personally and professionally engaged with.

Like your mother, my clutter habit is still within manageable limits. And my marriage still firm, if tested on occasion by my acquisitive tendencies. This is, I suspect, due to the various end of garden composters and cones, a weekly kerbside collection system (soon to be 'improved' away from segregated items back to mixed waste wheelies!), but mostly thanks to a big garden, some sheds, a cellar and a few lofts.

Hence, with a few nasty exceptions, 'we' have thrown nothing away for several years (all washed, dried and stored). This is partly because I am interested in what a family can generate, and seeing scores of the same thing can be eye-opening, but also because I am fascinated by what may be done by way of money-making, planet-saving reuse.

Hence, I use this opportunity to suggest that 'dealing with' some hoarders might be worth redirecting, and for the benefit of the community.

Such as Messrs Cockerham and Stewart are unfortunate extremes, but could there be others - who might be erring on the compulsive - but also offer some value?

Wouldn't it be great to locate such folk and connect them with others?

Yes, most of what I collect is for own use, and I feel the odd tug when even a couple of things are whisked away, but equally I can't use all and space is an issue, so if the local Scouts ask and I can help then handing over a few score cardboard loo rolls or a couple of hundred red bottle caps, it is actually quite rewarding, emotionally for me and, for them, financially.

Hence may I commend sites such as Freecycle and Junkk.com to those who do see value in not throwing all away, as they can offer ways and means to redirect 'waste' into perhaps more productive areas than the bin or landfill. Plus possible valuable social interaction components, too.

Try googling 'Oops'

In so many mirror gazing ways it's hard to know where to start.

By not sharing this, for one, probably:(

Revealed: the environmental impact of Google searches

Kind of puts' do no harm' under the spotlight.

Frankly I figure we need to get back to priorities, and with luck this may make those a tad to quick to invoke a ban or point a finger look a bit closer to home before they get all selective of what 'they' want 'others' to not do.

I don't see googling being off most folks menus any time soon.

I wonder if there's any irony now in using the Google Carbon Calculator?

Indy - Giant plasma TVs face ban in battle to green Britain

Interesting, as I read this on my PC.

I must google further...

Oh, rats.

BBC - 'Carbon cost' of Google revealed

The Register - Forget Google rationing: Only lighting farts can save the planet

Addendum...

Guardian - Sunday Times clarifies figures in Google carbon emissions debate - The MSM. What's not to like? Or trust. Or respect? Or pay attention to...

One wonders how they'd organise a party in a brewery

It's not often I am on the side of authorities.

Bin taxes rejected by councils

Oh heck, why change now? Not impressed.

I merely mourn, in passing, aspects that did appeal, such as this.. 'Under the plans local authorities were being offered the chance to give rebates to households producing the least waste', that were lost thanks, IMHO, to the other punitive (especially fine revenue generating) ideas floated, and the way they were shared.

Telegraph - NEW - Bin taxes: councils, for once, seemed to listen

We do science, we do

As an ex-scientist/engineer I have a firm belief in the value of this country's support of same.

Hence I was attracted to this article in the Newsnight blog:

Restoring science to its rightful place

Sadly, as the comments in reply (the first is a doozy, especially the end piece. I speak as one trying to forge a commercial model new media entity dealing in the environment, and one day found myself competing with BBC Green) would suggest, it has been found rather wanting.

Science deals in fact, as does... should... reporting. It is hard not to feel this piece was more opinion dressed up. And I do wonder how appropriate it is for a 'reporter' for the BBC to be quite so definitive in her critiques on an outgoing administration when much is still unknown. The optimism for an agent of 'change', whatever that is, is perhaps understandable given the degree of uncritical analysis of the new President's plans to date, but surely should be couched in terms, dare I say science-based ones, that accept it's hard to predict based on what we don't yet know.

Shame the vast majority subjected to the broadcast are unlikely to be exposed to such worthy and relevant debate to appreciate the critical underpinnings of 'science', and not the fluffy, agenda-driven versions too often trotted out by our national broadcaster and its often less than qualified, or if so (Ms. Watts' resume is a lot more relevant than most), barely competent and/or objective cabal of 'analysts'.

I happen to think there is much worth considering seriously in the environmental arena, but as a fact-based environmentalist shudder at each grotesque, rushed-out bit of spin from the BBC that seems designed to push an 'ideal' (at least in their eyes), but when found wanting simply sets back the worthy, public-influencing, patient, test and confirm methodologies that can lead to genuine insights we can act on with confidence.

Harmless Sky - BBC Newsnight - Warming up President Obama’s inaugural speech? - Hmnn

The Newsnight editor has now responded:

Hello All,

Re the opening of Susan's piece. We did edit sections of the speech to reflect the elements in it that referred to Science. The aim was to give people an impression or montage of what Obama said about science in his inauguration speech. This was signposted to audiences with fades between each point. It in no way altered the meaning or misrepresented what the
President was saying. You can look for yourself above.

Apologies for not responding sooner. I thought I had. BBC Editors find this blogging software frustrating at times too.

Peter Rippon
Editor, Newsnight

I am afraid I found his reply wanting:

Hello back. Thank you for at last replying, on behalf of Ms. Watts and all involved in this. And the apology... if only for the delay in reply. I can see how, being the editor of a news programme caught in a sticky situation brought to one's attention in places, such as your own blog, one could forget doing so before now. I wonder what aspect of the blogging software let you down? It seems to have been working fine for quite a while now (or was your first effort 'moderated', which I agree can be 'frustrating'?).

It's a pity how often a BBC reply can often seem more like bringing in some Kimberly diamond miners when it comes to digging a deeper hole.

I don't propose to address the 'techniques' and what they were intended to facilitate, as others have clearly explained how well it went down. Nor do I intend to get into any discussion of climate, 'optimist' or 'pessimist', save to say as one environmentally concerned erring on caution, 'helping the cause along' by rigging things makes me groan as it makes my efforts at factual persuasion all the harder.

However, I do now unfortunately have yet more words and phrases to add to along, growing and rather ignoble list of 'journalistic'/reportage'/'editorial' doublespeak being used in weak post justification, that does the cause of conveying objective news little credit.

So to such as 'interpreting events' I can now, sadly, add...

'... reflect the elements...'

'... give people an impression or montage of what [was] said... about [topic]..]

' This was signposted...'

The first two seem barely more than excuses for changing things to suit. The third simply a weasel for very stealthily enabling/excusing very stealthy editing.

Sorry, not convinced, and it would seem I am not alone. Nil points.

Gaurdian - Newsnight in fakery row over Obama report - The quantity, and quality of the replies show a worrying inisght into the midsets at play.

Telegraph - BBC accused of fakery over Barack Obama inauguration speech

Telegraph - Obama can afford to lay off press officers now the BBC is working for him free of charge

A campaign to get behind (and then close)

I very much doubt I was the first to think of it. Or highlight it. But I was... am at least ahead of the Guardian: Open door policy

Anyway, as they have more readers (for now), I'll just say it's a good idea for a campaign. And one that is less ban and more save. So it's hard to see a downside.

Guardian - Shut that door!

Telegraph - NEW - Close the door and save energy - Another door opens?

Home is where the hearth is...

We need warmer homes

Passes on a link to these guys...

The Home Heat Helpline - 0800 33 66 99

Tony Hart, RIP

TV presenter Tony Hart dies

I don't think that headline does him, and the influence he had, justice.

He was a 'doer', not just a talker, and though very restrained in style, a more eloquent communicator and, as a consequence, inspiration to many than the current crop of talking heads we have today.

He was ahead of his time, AND I am still in envy of his getting a bunch of us to see the value of making things, and better yet making them often out of junk.

I consider him one of the influences that lead me to create Junkk.

http://www.tonyhart.co.uk/gallery/tony_hart_gallery_2005.htm

The age of oil is ending

When I saw that headline, I thought this article from the Vancouver Sun was going to be another of those sensational headline, eco-warrior, crazy rants ('we're all doomed') about the end of the world being nigh; but this is a largely considered and well structured comment, and is full of factual information, on the subject of Peak Oil.

The strange thing is, even though it is not written as a 'rant' story, it still leaves you feeling, well, rather concerned and worried about the future.

Hmmm .... perhaps time to clean up and re-grease my old bicycle?

President 'has four years to save Earth' - now that's what you call a 'sensational' headline. And from The Observer, no less.

I wonder if Obama will ask for Ol' Golden's help in saving the world?

Box tickers rule?

The Daily Mail has a bit if a reputation for the.. 'sensational'.

However, I believe that most are able to separate the wheat from the chaff and, at the end of the day, a fact is a fact.

Woman, 91, dies 'after becoming stressed over £16,000 council bill to make her home eco-friendly'

No one seems to be disputing what happened. Indeed why seems pretty clear.

How is another matter.

Presuming the reporting to be accurate, this story, and quote, suggests that we are in an era embodied by such as the notorious Baby P cases' Sharon Shoesmith, who has a fellow mindset that is hard to swallow:

Councillor Zita Wiltshire, the local housing chief, said leaseholders were consulted on charges in 2006 and made aware of how much they would have to pay.

Cllr Wiltshire said: 'We are sympathetic to the concerns of our leaseholders but the council does spell out the detail of the financial obligations imposed upon a lessee in the terms of each right-to-buy lease.'

I presume her index-linked will easily cover all such demands on her once in retirement.

This is not the way to save the planet, or indeed sell the wisdom of all necessary measures to help do so.

DDAIDDAIS

That's one of Peter's favourite acronyms - 'don't do as I do, do as I say'.

And it is highly applicable here as this from BusinessGreen.com highlights what appears to be yet another rather large ooooops! from our Gov.

The building that houses the Committee on Climate Change and the Department of Energy and Climate Control (hmmmm, I wasn't even aware we had a department for climate control?) has been graded with 'with the lowest possible energy score, which was described as "one of the worst ratings yet recorded"'

"For years, ministers have promised to ensure that all buildings under central government control are within the top quartile of energy performance. At present, qualifying could mean getting as low a rating as a C. Yet the building that houses the Committee on Climate Change has one of the very worst of the G ratings so far recorded."

And it gets worse - 15 Gov. departments are actually less energy efficient now than they were in 2000!

Twas ever thus.

Sometimes you just have to sit back and appreciate the show

This is indeed a class war, and the campaign against the Aga starts here

Actually, some pretty good points being made, but I rather suspect this may get all rather lost as some whipping up a lasagne en route to the next protest won't see it that way.

And, as I now notice the sidebar, it just has to get more... 'interesting'....

This is something worse than class war

One I think I will observe, discretely from a distance. Whilst many Fiesta-driving, tabloid-buying MoPs (Members of the Public Striving) might well know nothing about the battle raging aroun.. above them.

First Self Trumpet Blow of the New Year (sorry)

I know green blogs are a bit of a bore when they talk about themselves all the time.

But I like to think we're pretty well balanced, and when something complimentary happens it does make you proud and feel like sharing.

This was a welcome surprise, and spin-off from our little Voucher Tree initiative from late last year, which did pretty well locally.

Well, it has spun off and gone a bit further, which is nice, all thanks to my Vac:Sac catching the eye of the Hereford Journal photographer.

It was also worth noting that in chatting with the reporter when she was researching the story, the link we now have with Poundland piqued her interest mote than a little, and cropped up more than once in the piece.

I think a New Resolution might be to get back in touch and a) do something jointly to help their customers 'green up' even more with Junkk.com, and b) PR the heck out of it!

Scary!

That was my reaction to this piece on CO2 absorption by the world's oceans in yesterday's Telegraph.

Evidence suggests that our warming oceans are no longer absorbing Carbon at the rates they used to, which just might point to the fact that climate change could well accelerate.

Buy pass

Of all the activist groups, I have found Greenpeace to be the most erratic to follow and/or support consistently.

Protest is very much the bedrock of a free society, and they have dealt in this for decades, pretty much always effectively but not, IMHO, always wisely.

As a rule of thumb, I am not in favour of anything that creates risk, breaks laws, incites violence or, and especially, efforts that selectively target and inconvenience poor schmoes just trying to get on with their lives.

With this latter at least, I usually wonder how the perpetrators would feel if their chance and a holiday or somesuch was ruined by a bunch of others who are often a tad selective about what they do and what they aim to stop.

However, smart ways of raising profile that hit the pockets evenly by being more targeted at corporates and governments (it all ends up back in our wallets no matter what, let's not forget) are, when done well, to be admired.

Hence I think the purchase of a parcel of land in the way of the proposed 3rd runway, to be divided into mini-plots, to be very smart.

Not quite so sure on some of the justifications being used (the spokesperson was very inarticulate and hence less than persuasive in soliciting public support on SKY news just now), and again the choice of celebrity messengers (a few of the luvvies being against this seem quite well travelled, and indeed seem more concerned with what was going on over their West London homes than sea levels in the Maldives), but this is one worth following to see how the various protagonists handle it all (I see Mr. Brown in a dithering funk, the business community tying itself in contradictory 'good for the community' knots and the activists getting more radical and losing public sympathy pretty quickly... all per usual).

BBC - Protesters buy up Heathrow land

Irony Alert - A picture is worth a 1,000 words

Peter in Greenland

A silent prayer from the media scrum covered the religious group paying for climate action.

Check the picture captioned 'At the end of the trip, Peter flies home...'

I can't believe it wasn't staged. Very subtle if so. Or maybe he just got on the, er, plane first or off last.

21 today

20 big green ideas

Personally, I think reuse is a neat extra one to consider:)

It has emerged...

This is less about wind power than media reporting, though it is obviously the topic featured too...

A small complaint

I am still prepared to be convinced on the enviROI of the whole national endeavour, but when I don't trust government and can't reply on the MSM, I have to say that when the latter get nailed like this my scepticism level has to creep up a notch higher.

To 'er'...divine. Well, better than nothing.

CES 2009: Greenpeace says gadgets could be greener

Not exactly the best start to the year

Why waste authorities are a lot of rubbish

Sadly, the commenters so far are a wee bit more concerned about the misuse of mobiles, than our seeing yet more decision-making, and accountability, hived off to yet another quango.

Is this really what is taking place?

No point asking my MP as he's out to lunch having decided a year ago to quit next election, which has resulted in 'interesting' representation.

Fly me to the moon

I think it's one venue as yet unexplored.

UN Climate Conference: The countdown to Copenhagen

I'm sorry, I got as far as '15,000 officials from 200 countries (officials, advisers, diplomats, campaigners and media personnel)' to start losing faith.

When I saw the rallying cry is back to 'global warming' I pretty much gave up.

Value judgements

Regular readers know I often bang on about enviROI of projects.

Well, now there's another one in the mix:

Chance for social enterprise to be more enterprising

I wish them well.

But I can see it being a lot trickier than enviROI which, despite allowing for the option of a person to be content with losing money for an environmental benefit, still is pretty grounded in numbers plus and minus.

I don't envy trying to put a figure that means much on many possibly socially beneficial projects.

Beating the crunch

Sadly, not the credit crunch this time:(

However, in the spirit of 'it's good to share', and my last car-borne outing had a relatively happy outcome (our re-engined Golf doing sterling work as we speak... long may it continue to do so), let's try again.

Monday was, according to the Daily Telegraph, 'the most stressful day of the year.' Well, yes, I could get around to accepting that.

For this was the day my tropics-trained missus met black ice for the first time, and that's one postbox that won't be taking mail for a wee while.

Now it was an incredibly slow impact, as even the airbags didn't go off.

And, though it really... really looks worse in the picture, after a quick gander my hopes were raised.

Sure, all the crumple zones had done what they were meant to, but as far as I could gather, beyond the front, bonnet and a few important bits of engine that bore the brunt, it was all in one piece. And nothing major bent any further back.

Sadly, this seems not enough to be worth saving to the counters of beans at my insurers. I guess the cost of mending came in above the cost of slipping us the road value and, well, money talks.

So again I am presented with a series of dilemmas that span the whole gamut from enviro to eco.. nomic.

Take the money and get a replacement? If so, maybe an existing LPG? Or try and 'save' it. I am not sure what one can do, but assuming they give me the write-off value I can still 'buy' it from them and then try and fix it. But... is it worth it?

Another journey is embraked upon which I'll share....

UPDATE

The plot thick... well, goes further downhill.

It really is not worth trying to save. It can be fixed, but to do so would take something like £5k, and that's to end up with a car 'worth' £1300 (according to the nice man from Norwich Union - I then had to spend all day yesterday 'proving' it was worth more, and ended up in some bizarre Marrakesh-market haggle. Not what I expected from a top insurer).

I am now on the trail of some dual/bifuels, and they do seem to be like hen's teeth. Especially at the budget I have set. A further 'complication' is that having chatted with a few garages they seem to think getting a factory-fitted option is much safer to a retro-fitted kit version, and that reduces things a lot more. So far all I am seeing is a few Volvos.

The hunt continues....

ET, recycle that phone...

Wind turbine destroyed after 'octopus UFO' seen in sky

Interesting possible explanation from the media to this incident.

I wonder if advanced cultures have no knowledge of wind turbines; hence the unfamiliarity leading to the impact (though after a few billion miles dodgy asteroids I'd have thought a turbine blade might be easily dodged).

Maybe they looked at the enviROI? Not sure being unable to cope with ice is too encouraging, what with the climate change we're experiencing.

I wonder if the actual reason will be shared? If it is mundane I doubt it.

Gaurdian - UFOs crashing into wind farms: has the Guardian solved the mystery? - QED

Telegraph - 'UFO' turbine debris sent to German forensic scientists

Times - We just can’t get enough of those little green men - best explataion yet as 1st comment to this