And Continues....

Thursday Continued....

Nice to have Emma here, as it gave me the chance to attend a bit of a ‘do’ held by fellow exhibitor (and longstanding Junkk.com diRE:ctory partner) ecover.

Met a lot of nice folk, and am hopeful of developing some good synergies. Reminded Lucy Siegle of the Observer that we existed, and bumped into Janey Lee Grace again. Ever-charming, she told us she’d mentioned us on Radio 2 yesterday… and we were not around to hear it!

One thing it did remind me of again… somewhat ruefully… is that our lovely rural location puts us very far from the heart of the vital networking one must do for business and PR. All the guys I met knew each other and a company rep was able to prompt a journo on a weekly basis of their news, keeping them top of mind. I probably got more done in those few hours than all the money and time we have blown in the last few months pounding out emails and sending out DM pieces. A glass of juice, a canapé and a ‘what to you do’ face to face works wonders.

Friday

Well, you can tell I’m not Irish, as I know St. Patrick’s day is around here somewhere, but I’m just a Guinness shy of knowing exactly when. The reason I know is I was reading about the celebrations, and it got me to thinking about how the e-consequences of anything fun can suddenly loom large. I was watching the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, which had a mighty firework display, and fell down on the ‘ok, why not?’ side, despite the extra airborne gunk. However, I think I must be turning into the Grinch (or at least a selective hypocrite) because I must confess that I find the practice of dyeing water (entire rivers in Chicago and our London fountains by all accounts) green to be a real waste. Not just in the making, but especially in the subsequent clearing up.

Though shaping up to be busy, I doubt today will throw up much ‘blogworthy’, so I’ll ponder instead a few things from my trawl of my two freebies: Metro & The Daily Mail. Passing quickly over the obligatory Prince Charles mixed messages “Climate Change is more serious than terrorism (well, Duh. It’s hard to terrorise a dead planet)’ vs. £3000 per month to fly a hairdresser around to keep the missus’ barnet bulletproof.

Keeping the vague link of things in the media being more based on celebrity these days than actual news value, I was reading an interesting interview with Steve Martin (ok, so he is a celebrity, but also a relative). This is a massive talent and star with a lot worth listening to, and he referred to another massive talent and sta also worth listening to: Kevin Kline. Intelligent celebrities. Sadly, he did refer to the fcat that another co-star, and massive talent (who does not have much worth listening to outside her records), Beyonce, was the only one the press really wanted to feature. So it’s a small consolation that we’re not the only ones with problems cutting through with a message. Still frustrating though. With luck PJ will soon be hitting Heat magazine.

Good news! It seems that my idea for a week long ‘collection’ from all the booths of their bottle caps has found merit and will be instituted. A round-robin is being issued by the organisers tonight.

Glad they were up for it.

Even though the show seems to be getting busier each day, I took an hour away from the gallery (more accurate a description than ‘stand’) to see Penney Poyzer’s masterclass demo. Very interesting, and even a few tips I (can’t speak for Emma, who always tells me ‘we’ve contacted them but no reply’ when I bounce back with another new product or service we can upload) for the site. It was also a relief to see her looking a lot better than last week, when she was taken poorly and rushed off.

Saturday

A nice surprise to arrive and find Clare of Moondaizy (www.moondaizy.co.uk) waiting at the stand. She’d come in to help on the stand, which will mean a nice break for me to have a scope around the show. Especially with the arrival of my co-presenters in the form of the family. <>

Clare was more than up to the task, and I did manage a few ‘breaks’, out and about. Popped down the PR dept. to find they’d forgotten about my PR idea, so we drafted it up on the spot. With luck, it may actually happen! I have found that words and deeds in the world of media (from PR to journalism) can often stray apart in practice.

Sunday

A glorious day, at least outside. In the show you may as well be in a submarine. But I did get a nasty surprise. Having bought a few more ‘knick-knacks’, not just at show prices but at extra special exhibitor prices, I opened my Sunday paper to find a mail order brochure with three items I’d bought a few pounds less! I must confess to feeling slightly cheated. I can only imagine how someone feels who has paid £15 for the privilege of paying more than if they’d stayed in bed and used the internet to do their shopping.

And so the IDEAL journal continues...

Saturday 11th March

Not a bad day. A very different crowd, but still the main aim has been to buy ‘stuff’ at a show discount and not get one’s head too much around the concept of saving via a free site. So it has been more case of quality than quantity, which is really not what was planned, as the whole aim was to get the numbers. But the quality has been very high, and potentially useful. A lot of teachers who see Junkk.com as a great resource to bring to the attention of their schools and classes. Ditto some local authority employees who have said they’ll mention us to their colleagues in the environment sections. Plus a very nice chap from a media company who liked our idea so much he was going to see how he could help.

Could have been a lot worse. But by heavens I don’t know how I’m going to stay on my feet 10-12 hrs a day for another 3 weeks!

Sunday

Nothing like a family affair! The kids came with First Lady PJ and helped all day handing out our unique flyers, which ‘turn’ into picture frames. Bless ‘em, no one could resist. And in their rest periods they happily played in the kids’ zone with all the ‘junk’ items from the bins, making all sorts of robots and tanks, etc. Not exactly Junkk.com ideas, but certainly enough to make the show visitors stop and walk through our gallery having seen what kids can be inspired to do when their imaginations are fed with the right resources.

Monday

Surprisingly busy, but again we were visited more by quality guests than quantity (both would be nice, really:0). Of course we need to drive up the numbers, but I’m hopeful that the many teachers passing through on an off-day break will be true to their enthusiasm for the concept and inspire their charges when they return to the class.

What was a bit frustrating was the Daily Mail (show sponsors and whose reporter had come by to interview us and take pictures on Press Day) had a major article in today’s edition entitled ‘What a load of rubbish’, which basically was pointing out the sheer volume of ‘waste’ packaging we produce as households. Was there any mention of us? Nope. I know there are going to be a lot of different journos covering differing beats, but this did smack a tad of ‘left hand, right hand’. Anyway, we are on the hunt of the journalist who wrote this to point out that there is already something in place to at least mitigate, if not solve this issue… Junkk.com!

Tuesday

Not such a busy day. But again those that did turn up were well worth it. Had a morning visit from a radio station based in Huddersfield, and was interviewed by their enthusiastic host live. I wish I’d known that at the time! I think our Northern user base may have had a few frank comments too many on the state of reuse/cycling in this country.

Also had a few of the young designers being featured at the show pass by, and all were truly inspired by what we are trying to do. We’ll be happy to put their works on the site, as I think people will enjoy a ‘Tomorrow’s World’-style insight into what ‘can’ be done, and this will serve everyone’s interests well. How Junkk.com is that?

Now desperately searching for some kind of foot insert as standing from 10am-8pm is really starting to hurt. Now, what in the Junkk.com repertoire could do the job???

Going home on the tube I picked up a copy of the Evening Standard, and happened across a commentary piece by one Nirpal Dhaliwal, entitled ‘What’s green, white and caring and makes me sick?’. It was interesting in as much as this was another extreme, and a sad one, that can be added to the ‘mentalists vs. Clarksons that I already see as an unfortunate diversion. This time it’s those who are either a) genuinely put off or b) see column inches in claiming to be put off by ‘reacting’ against, as the title suggests, ‘green, white caring’ bastions of how we should conduct our futures, though without silly things like mortgages and non-nanny families to get to & from the local Tesco Metro in Notting Hill. There were some fairish points in there, but it is not fair to hold someone accountable for their birth and circumstances, and in most cases these guys are trying to do something when their personal situations really don’t require them to be too concerned. However, I see a clash coming if the average Joe (or Nirpal) sees themselves being patronised with impractical or selective assaults in the media by such elites, who do tend to hog the column inches. And it’s a shame that the only other message that will be featured is a counter-tirade like this. Again, I have to hope (vainly, if you look at what happened or rather didn’t, to us on Monday) that there is a voice for those more concerned with positive action than negative hot air.

Wednesday

Joined again by Emma, who made it in from Great Malvern by train by 10am, which is proof that public transport is a great option (when it works) because driving back last week took her 6 hrs!

Getting into my eye-twitching stride again, I picked up my free Metro paper for my tube ride, and the front page was ‘CO₂ levels ‘hit 30m year high’’, and, um.. that was about it. Yet another ‘doom & gloom’ with no solution. And yet again our Tone (Jupiter) from FoE saying how the Gov wasn’t doing enough and Sir Dave of the Gov helpfully providing some stats that support the headline. More soddin’ hot air from all concerned, though I have to wonder if the media decided to forget the useful stuff the might have added in favour of a ratings-grabber.

Because… interesting, last night I watch a programme about climate change on the BBC, and amongst more useless guff debating global warming, with no actual ‘dos’, the self-same Metro was singled out for a front page that took a report out of context for a cheap headline. I so need the media to get Junkk.com into the mass public domain, but am beginning to despair that any practitioner of the journalistic art actually cares about genuine, accurate, campaigning stories any more.

Which brings me to a snippet from the Mail on Sunday which I only just got around to, which shows our Environment Secretary, Ms. M. Beckett, and her new biodiesel Jag. Biodiesel: good. Jag… Hmn. Apparently it is favoured over a Prius for escaping from terrorists. An interesting dilemma on all sides should Greenpeace decide to chase her around, I guess.

On a very positive side, I today met Matt & Rat (don’t ask), who are working at other stands, but are now committed Junketeers. Matt has many connections in the green world, so hopefully some useful, mutually-beneficial synergies can be developed.

Thursday

Speaking of campaigns, The Evening Standard is running one currently to save local shops in London. It wil remain to be seen how genuine they are in this, or whether it’s just a quick dabble to shift a few copies over a month. But it is valid, and speaking personally throws up some points of debate. I get out of the show at 8pm. The tube gets me to Richmond at 8.45pm. The only place I can buy anything is the Tesco Metro. And yes, it probably did kill off the local shop to get the slot. But would that shop have been open to 11pm, and offer me a couscous salad, Innocent smoothie and organic apple? Hmn. Dilemmas abound.

IDEAL HOME JOURNAL

Well, that started well. It had been my intention to do a daily blog outlining the highlights of each day of the Ideal Home Show. Suffice to say it started Wednesday, it’s now Friday, and the plan was to include the actual last stages, which essentially was the point at which we had possession of all our ‘bits’ and loaded in the van to come to London. This was almost a week ago, and it has been 5am starts and midnight stops… shattered… ever since.

The Weekend - Sat 4 - Sun 5 March

Picked up the van Saturday Evening. All day Sunday filling it. I can’t believe at once stage I thought we’d get away with the Volvo, a roofrack and a trailer.

Monday

Emma arrived crack of dawn and after squeezing a few more items in we set off for London. We had figured that 3 hrs would get there in time for a nice 9 am arrival. Sadly the M4 delivered us there at 11am, throwing our schedule well and truly to the wind.

After a fevered unloading, stand construction and ‘dressing’ with Junkk.com items, we left at 3pm. Sadly the M4 worked its malevolent magic again and we did not get back to Ross until gone 6pm, which meant we had to fork out for an extra day’s rental. I really do not like motorways.

For me the day had just begun, as I swung back to PR/promo mode, catching up on emails and preparing materials to send off the next day.

Tuesday

Grabbed forty winks, and then back on getting signage sorted, etc. Plus sending off the newsletter, press releases. Another late day, but did hit the sack fairly early in anticipation of the ‘big’ day to follow.

Wednesday

Having had a nasty lesson Monday, and with the Green Catwalk event at 8.45am to get to Earls Court for, we were up at 5am. Well, we almost blew it… again. Despite the hour, the M4 was again a zoo. No guarantee a train would have been better, but we were 3 in number and carrying a load of last minute ‘stuff’, so the car was really our only option. Yet it was another horror story. I nearly lost it. But somehow we managed to run up the steps to be rushed to the Press show with about 5 minutes to spare.

And boy did we score. With Zoe Ball as MC, there was a select band of about 10 exhibitors who had a slot being exposed to the glare of the country’s press. Well, PJ did us proud, bouncing on stage and wowing the audience with her exuberant presentation. But the clincher was the Vac:Sac, with my design made gloriously real by Mel and Jim of innotec, who again managed to get our ‘star idea’ into the hands of our star First Lady with moments to spare.

Then it was a mad dash to the stand to do the final ‘dressing’ we’d intended to do before the show, but now had to do even with folk coming in. We were helped in this by several Junkketeers from various businesses already on the site, and by OLOV Pat.

Then… nothing. It went very quiet. The much vaunted Press pack did not appear, until thankfully a reporter and photographer from the Daily Mail appeared to interview me and take a lot of shots of PJ sporting the Vac:Sac. At least there is a chance of some major national coverage, though at time of writing none has transpired. Frankly I’m hoping for a mention in a Sunday supplement. Fingers crossed.

Sadly the rest of the day was a bit of a disappointment. And though we could obviously not predict the tastes and interests of the media, I was sorry for those who had turned up to support us in the hope of some coverage and saw little of anything that day. But at least they have stuff on the stand for the month and may get a sale or two

We also had a dubious taste of what is like to be on call, and on our feet, all day. It did not bode well for the next few weeks that I was exhausted and in a lot of back pain by day’s end.

Thursday

Well, the day before was a long day, but at least it ended at 6pm. Today was until 10pm. Not much to say, other than a promising interview with a Radio station called Passion for the Planet. Sadly , the public audience was meagre (not just for us, but the show), even into the evening cheap zone.

Friday

I must say by now I was getting a bit dubious about the way things were going, as we’d gone from ‘Press Day is always slow’ to ‘Thursday’s can be quiet’ to ‘Just wait ‘til the weekend’.

Actually it was quite perky. So I was glad Emma was still with me. We had a call from BBC Hereford & Worcester, and carried out a phone interview, which was a nice boost. Then we were visited by Penney Poyzer, and her support was a welcome additional lift. Sadly she was taken poorly later on before her show, and had to be rushed away. She has weekly ‘masterclasses’ at the show, but is only 8 weeks off having a baby, so perhaps this was a bit too much for now. Selfishly I hope not as well for our sake, as she was most impressed with Junkk.com’s evolution and keen to help us using her influence. But for now we’ll just have to wish her a fully and speedy recovery.

Emma left mid-pm, so I was on sole duty. Depending on one’s view, it was a blessing that it was relatively quiet again, though I did have taste of just how tricky ‘manning’ a stand solus can be. Plus I rather suspect I will be buying the back massager from the stand over the way very soon.

Those who are about to exhibit salute you!

You may have noticed a relative paucity of blogs of late.

There's something about the imminence of one's own exhibition that
concentrates the amount of time one has to prepare exponentially.

I may have time, and access to the resources, to post the odd musing
during this period, but experience has shown that things do not
always work out as one had planned. With luck in a good way. Rather
than idly staring at the carpet it may be that the next month is a
blur of activity. If so, it can only mean people inspired to head for
Junkk.com, sign up and particpate.

I hope so. We have all put a great deal into this adventure. Heres'
hoping we get a lot out in return.

Until the next time...

A Funny Thing Happened... Again... At The Forum

I have mixed feelings on Forums. Both using them as an individual, and facilitating their use on Junkk.com.

First the down side. Yet again, I have just left a Forum after a flame war started escalating into a global conflagration, with the original protagonists long forgotten as opposing camps launched ever more vitriolic assaults against each others' views and then, leaving even the original topic or anything remotely of relevance behind, each other. There were a few pleas for moderation in there, but it was just... nasty.

And the irony was that it was started by a a fairly innocuous post about some eco-issue, that somehow got hijacked by those with more pressing agendas and louder keyboards.

I really intend to stay on top of this with Junkk.com's Forums, as I truly believe that this minority drive away the majority who can use a Forum as a tool to do a lot of good in sharing information, offering advice, etc. Not sure how we do this, but I think we need some serious rules, very effective moderation and ruthless interception of abuse. And perhaps we also need to have a 'Smoking Room', where those who do wish to debate with passion can go to debate, but those simply wanting to play nice and interact in more factual matters can enjoy posting in peace without risking a sarky or nasty reply.

It's a vain hope in many ways. I recently tapped into a Mac forum to find out if anyone could help with why my Mini had suddenly started going to sleep and the first reply demanded why I hadn't referred to a similar post (and answer, which didn't help) some several months, and a couple of hundred posts, earlier. There is nothing wrong with being a newbie, dude!

Sadly such people create cliques and assume the rest of us should live by their lifestyles, which would appear to mean one is plugged into an online connection 24/7. I have better things to do. And while we can have frustrating repeats of questions already addressed on our FAQs, we will always reply with patience and good humour. Often it is something worth revisiting.

So let me end on an upbeat note. As a result of my participation in a recent Forum, ironically inspired by a Telegraph correspondent's frustration with some Greenpeace activities, instead of a major flame war I ended up as part of a very civilised discussion and exchange of views. Better yet, I am now in touch with Greenpeace in India, and looking forward to developing a relationship where we may be of help to each other in pushing forward new, positive, ethical initiatives between our two countries.

Electricity vs Gas

Last weekend and the earlier part of this week I was ill (sorry boss). So I took to my bed. My little flat sometimes feels like the coldest part in the UK. As a consequence I use ALOT of electricity as I use two electric heaters. There are storage heaters, but they are worse, so I never use them. I use a pre-pay meter and am going through at least £20 a week in electricity despite trying all the usual energy saving tips. When I was ill, I was at home all day, so obviously using more as I had my two little heaters on the go. I never realised how cold my flat is during the day until falling ill. Luckily a good friend of mine came to the rescue and popped round with a gas heater. My flat was as warm as toast within minutes of this little heater being fired up. Fantastic I thought. I warmed up a treat, and was saving some electricity. Which got me thinking about the environmental impact of this. In theory I think I am saving money. It costs about £12 for a bottle of gas. I don't know how long this will last. But which is better on the environment as a whole? Gas (what is released into the atmosphere?) or electricity? If anyone has any opinions I would love to know. Perhaps it will be an experiment that we will do on Junkk.com one day.

Out of the mouths of babes...

This morning at the breakfast table we were discussing how the rest
of the year would be panning out, and the subject of holidays came
up. Or rather, why we were not too likely to be having one anywhere
exotic.

I'd like to say this was down to a major commitment to eco-empathy,
but it was mainly a matter of financing, which being a trendy new age
Dad I felt the need to explain to the boys so they understood the
reasons for.

'So Daddy,' asked Kipp, 'what kind of job is it when don't you make
enough money?'.

This being my chance to secure the support of future generations, I
explained that while I certainly was hoping to make a living soon, my
job was to help save the planet, and what good would money be if
there was no planet left to spend it on.

'Still,' said Cody, 'it would be nice to have some to enjoy while it
lasts'.

Maybe he knows more than I do.

Mixed Feelings

In the run-up to the Ideal Home Show, one of the more significant tasks we're engaged upon, with the help of Junkk.com dirRE:ctory partner innotec, is the creation of the Vac:Sac.

This is a 'Junkk' idea I had a while ago, when passing a discarded vacuum cleaner in a rubbish pile, that evolved into what seems a quite promising concept turning such items into clamshell fashion rucksacks. What with one thing and another, it looks like the idea has captured the imaginations of a few media folk, so we are working hard on making it up. For instance, there is an event on launch day to the show called the 'Green Catwalk', at which we hope to make an impression.

Just to cover bases, we thought it best if we and innotec (who have the tools and skills to make a much more professional, press-pleasing effort than anything I'll be able to knock up, especially in the time) made one each.

Trouble is, try as she might, Mel of innotec couldn't find one, and so I have sent our 'makings' off to her.

The interesting part is that she tried her best at her local area reycling site, and though they didn't have any, she would have been able to take one away if they had. Apparently the guys who run that facility permit it.

However, today when I went to our local site to see if I could get another, our local site guys said they had several, but I couldn't touch them. In fact they couldn't touch them. It seems that now they get searched at the end of the day to make sure they are not sneaking out any rubbish. Which seems... odd. I'm sure there's a H&S reason in there, but it obviously does not apply nationwide.

Which is where my mixed feelings come in. I think what happened to me locally is daft, as anything removed from the skip for reuse is something not in the landfill. However, such a policy does throw more people at Junkk.com, because we can matchmake disposers and restorers beforehand. Individuals... and businesses. I simply popped to my local Electric Shop and they gave me a broken one from the back and will look out for more if I want to make it into a cottage industry. 

Plus I bought a battery recharger while I was in there. Check out the on-site POS (Partner Opportunity Sheet) 'Open Door Policies'.

Bad Cop; Good Cop

As we prefer that Junkk.com extols all that is positive and proactive, it is often this blog that gets used to excise the eye-twitching demons that often beset us. 

I am also aware that the %age of my blogs may drift into areas of a... critical nature.

And of these, more than a few do seem to get targeted at the activities of a certain organisation. Hence it is a rare and welcome opportunity to leap to their defence having read Why don't Greenpeace make things happen?

So here you go: Greenpeace do make lots of things happen. And, what's more, a lot of them have been, are and doubtless will be pretty spiffy.

However, as this blog does outline, they can drift off the path of wonderfulness on occasion, and by my reading of this one I'd have to say the correspondent has a point... or two. As he writes (jn case the link drops): 'The back-story is too complicated to go into here, but the question at the heart of this debate is whether developing world countries like India should become the 'dustbin of the world'.

How I get Greenpeace into this is  because they are 'cock-a-hoop that the Clemenceau (a big carrier packed with asbestos en route to an indian ship-breakers) has been stopped - largely thanks to the publicity campaign that they waged against it. They say that stopping the Clemenceau will force Western countries to face up to their responsibilities regarding waste.' Good point.

But... 'The workers of the Alang shipyards in Gujarat, who were depending on the Clemenceau contract for their livelihoods, are less sure. They'd rather feed their families than be sacrificed on the altar of Greenpeace's environmental principles..' Indeed, though there is the not insignificant caveat: '... even if that means the risk of cancer down the line.' Whoops, compromise time. But this has cropped up recently on our own fair shores with 'Ghost ships' from the US, and countless other fair-trade stuff which is great in, and on, principle, but avoids certain 'here-and-now' facts of life... or survival.

It's the conclusion that hit home, and I have to quote it here even though it inspired the title which I felt I had to clarify: "But then I guess penniless, illiterate villagers are low-emitters of carbon. And that's the problem with Greenpeace and much of environmentalism - it's all about STOPPING things happening." Of course its not, but by golly an awful lot certainly is. And it's causing a no small frustration all round, as I have blogged often before.

But as I'm being a good cop today, let's end where the writer does, on a positive note, well... plea: "If only all that campaigning energy  could be funnelled into making things happen - i.e balancing environmental concerns with those of people who need to feed their families." 

To which I say "Oh, yeah!". And that applies nearer to home, too.

Let me though, I have a hypothesis!

I miss Tomorrow's World. It was on prime time, and it made nerdy science-stuff interesting, not to mention inspiring (a bit like Junkk.com I hear you say, no?). And as I can't think of anything that has since replaced it (and while I do confess to the odd peek and snigger, Sky's 'Brainiac' ain't even close), I think I can trace the fact that Universities are closing down Physics and Chemistry Departments left and right to this sad fact.

Which is why I quite perked up when I saw this: Science Comes to the Masses (You Want Fries With That?)

And I quote: "A scientist walks into a bar. More than 100 people are there, eager to hear all that she has to say and ask a lot of questions. No joke. Science is not cold and remote in this setting. It's live, interactive, free and informal, with a drink or two. The purpose is to make science accessible and even fun to anyone with the time to stop by." Amen. Not to mention... coooooool!

At first I thought it was one of those dashed clever ideas from our cousins over the pond, but it turns out they copied it from... us! It all started with an article in Nature by one Duncan Dallas, now a retired television producer, who started Café Scientifique in 1998 with a note posted in a bar in Leeds: "Where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to discuss the scientific ideas and developments which are changing our lives."

Café Scientifiques in Britain received public financing to get started, and dozens are now held around the country.

Now, a plan forms in my head....

Volt-face

Well, we do say that we do the trawlin' to spare you all the crawlin'...(around).  

Because it's one thing to have access to a wide world of web at your key and return, but it's quite another thing to get to grips with it all.  We sure can't, and it's our day job! But we do our best, and our antennae are always sensitive to obscure little snippets out in the ether.

One such was this: A Meeting Of The Mindless, from a pretty useful blog I came across. Useful for sure in terms of content, and also in terms of opinion, though I have to say I was not really with the author on this one. Not so much the facts (and who can argue with them?), but the 'tude inferred.

As (I hope I'm right in saying) Voltaire once declared: 'I may disagree with what you say, but I'll give my life for your right to say it'. Personally I'm iffy on the life-giving stuff (so no cartoons in Junkk.com about our good chums Mid-East of here), but pretty up on the rest. So I have to say that I am a little less than impressed with the way things are going in this area worldwide, what with Mr. Irving getting banged up and all for being nothing more than a self-delusional raving nutter who should have been ignored rather than martyred with a multi-year prison sentence that is in excess of what some folk get for much more physically violent assaults than writing offensive dross.

What we seem to have here is more 'I may not agree with what you have to say, and I also don't think you should have a mind of your own and listen to anyone else our group don't happen to agree with', which I'm not sure is quite what Mr. V was going for, concept-wise.

Now, I haven't read (the missus has, and said it was a cracking yarn) Mr. Crichton's book yet, but I'm read a lot of his other ones. And whatever else you may wish to lay at his door, mindless is not one of them. Nor is he too shy on scientific training. Or, for that matter, imagination (Jurassic Park, anyone?). So if he has arrived at a view, I'd say he's entitled to it simply by being a a person, and worth respecting (if not agreeing with) as a resource by virtue of the points he has on the board.

I just find it sad that anyone who does not toe a certain line (Jeremy Clarkson, David Bellamy, Michael Crichton, etc) ends up on the receiving end of some rather extreme vilification and name-calling, which only drives a wedge between folk like me and the messages and actions we would wish to support. What I need is objective information, reasoned debate, humour and courtesy. Not name calling and throwing of toys out of prams when things don't go 100% the desired way.

It was telling that in a recent interview Zac Goldsmith (of the Ecologist) was put on the defensive by his joining Mr. Cameron's Tory Eco-committee. But as he robustly countered, the best way to effect change is from within (a view Junkk.com certainly subscribes to in word and deed). 

Constantly harping and demanding that people only listen to one side is just plain silly.

Here is the noose

I was reading an interesting piece on responsibility (in the guy at the top sense) in today's Guardian, snappily titled:

Dick Cheney's sense of responsiblity to his friends is admirable. But what about to the US public?  

 

Basically it discussed how the word has been devalued by the deeds that (don't) surround it; a view with which I can only concur.

It has rapidly become something of a confessional 'get out of jail free' card, in some cases literally as figuratively.

Although in this case the big issue surrounds the attempt to delay and/or conceal, waaaaay too many in public life, with tremendous public, er, responsibility, have figured out that a quick, insincere 'it was on my watch' mea culpa works wonders to make the past and present go away, and the future look a whole load rosier a lot more quickly.

But what is amazing is how many still try to bend things to the maximum weasel level, and still get away with it. A certain cigar-chomping, trousers-round-his-ankles-in-the-Oval-Office ex-Prez springs to mind here.

What they have managed to arrange is that magnificent nirvana of public life (and/or in many cases paid service): authority with responsibility... but no accountability or consequences. They may be 'responsible' by being at the head of the chain (or simply being caught with their trousers down), but they are not to blame. Neat.

In some cases I have a certain sympathy. In many organisational structures, and certainly government, there is no way the guy at the top can be aware of every action by subordinates, even though they are carried out in their/government's (or business')/people's (or shareholder's/customer's) name. So it is often hard to direct one's ire fully at such an individual if they really were not part of the whatever it was that has blown up. Unless of course they have been complicit in the setting up, maintenance, preservation of or failure to address a system that allows such things to happen, and keep on doing so. I have a real problem with ministers 'taking responsibility', blaming juniors and then no one is ever brought to book at any level. Such status quo is unacceptable, because it is being successfully abused so much these days. And the media must share some blame. How many cases are tenaciously followed-up to a genuine conclusion beyond the first furore in favour of new pickings.? Not many.

Even with Junkk.com's minute structure, there are many things I am not aware of, and many things I have noted that may yet to be addressed. But I really do my best to stay on top of them and follow up. Especially if it is brought to my attention. And boy to I get grumpy if it's something  I have seen as a problem and asked for it to be  dealt with and it hasn't.

I think some slack does need to be cut. But when you get to the end of that rope ,and if you still haven't handled the problem,  it should be allowed to do what it was meant to do, so that another can come in and sort things out.

"I'm listening"

The following has caught my attention: 'Taxes aren't how Tories will save the world'  . 

And it brought to mind several scenes from the Simpsons when a clearly skeptical, but greedy for promised riches Homer encourages further explanation to be convinced... if not seduced.

It seems a Tory government would not come out with a huge increase in taxes,” according to Zac Goldsmith, he of Ecologist and Tory eco-committee fame. “The Conservative Party doesn’t like forcing people to do anything and I don’t think we have to - most of the obstacles are from bad governance.” With him so far, I have to say. "The best way to reduce the country’s dependence on oil and decrease greenhouse gas emissions is to make people aware of the importance of buying local food and introducing energy-efficiency savings in the home,“ he goes on: “No one thinks they’re going to change the world by switching their light bulbs, but if they knew you could push a button and make all houses change, everyone would push it. The Government has to make that button.”

Well, so far, I'm listening... I'm listening. If there's a chance of making such notions work, I know just the website to try to help make it happen:)

Driving Mother Earth Crazy

Well, they had to know it was going to be a rich source, didn't they? And I don't see why the major media (a few links below) should have all the fun with Mr. 2-Jags and his fellow Cab(inet) members.

And I quote: "All members of the Cabinet have been told by the government car pool that when their car is up for renewal they can swap it either for an XL Jaguar or a Toyota Prius."

Er, why just these?

I actually fully accept that for some selected pols (assuming Ma Beckett can be seduced from her helicopters and RAF flights), trying to escape a bunch of terrorists in a Prius (that's the minister, not the terrorists; one presumes the latter may not have the environment high on their agendas) may not quite make sense. But my R-reg Volvo & Golf fall between the two (and more Prius-wards when I can figure out the right option and how to afford it, LPG, Hydrogen, etc-wise) and would certainly do the necessary, even in converted modes.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that a recent Sunday Times had a selection of well interesting rides that could meet the requirements of all. I really fancied the Volvo myself, and it's not like The House of Commons couldn't sport a filler-station.

But if we're buying British (Toyota's excepted) I believe Morgan, a good British brand, has had a nice bit of grant-wedge to look at alternative fuel versions. Surely there are other options too?

But c'mon guys, is this not just pulling the other one a tad far when trying to persuade the rest of us to act responsibly?

Read more in the: Sunday Times

And in the Indy: Ministers choose between Jags and eco-friendly cars

What's black and white a green all over? Well.. for a day or two at least.

As part of my weekend routine, I jogged, change in hand, to the local newsagents to buy my Sunday Times. But this day it was a double trip (good job I was using Shank's pony) as the change I had was not sufficient. Because the price has gone up... again. In fact I don't know why I was so foolish as to take the exact money as it has steadily raised, by arbritary inflation-busting amounts, almost incessantly.

The lady at the counter sympathised: 'A lot of people have complained,' she said, 'especially as most of it is stuff they just get home and throw away'.

So it's ironic that I am just about to chew now on an insert from the ST's sister publication, The Times, from the previous day, entitled 'How to be Green'.

And even more ironic that when I looked at the online version, the ad that popped up was for a Land Rover 4x4:)

I guess I'd have to say it was another BTN (better than nothing). At least there was a fair bit of positive, proactive content, and even some information and links that added to the value and extent of my knowledge.

The supplement itself was carbon neutral. But without looking into too deeply, I rather got the impression that it was just for this section, of this paper, for this day. Hmn.

Letting that pass, there was also this slight sense that it was being treated as a 'one-off' topic, with issues being cherry-picked. And in tone I felt ever so-slightly talked-down to.

For instance, in another of the multitudinous (un-carbon neutral?) sections called Style (I await with eager anticipation a future feature on eco-fashion, which will probably be between one on fur and flying to Asia to buy fabrics) there is an article about our yoof, titled 'teen queens', billed as a report on what today's teenagers think, including matters such as the environment. Now I am sure a lot of teens' views are shaped by those they are given by those they would wish to be (rich & famous & covered in the media), but I do wonder just how representative of most teenagers are 'Peaches and Pixie Geldof’s gang... gathered togther to help launch the Miss Selfridge spring/summer collection.

Peaches has views on the environment: “... rising sea levels, pollution ... Even if we don’t do anything about them, they are still a worry.”

“The hole in the ozone layer gives me nightmares,” adds Holly Gore, the 16-year-old daughter of the chef Skye Gyngell, who is rummaging through the studio fridge. Then her face lights up. “Oh. My. God. Purdeys. Is. My. Life. Mumalwayshastheminthefridge”.

And... er... that's it. The cure for the ozone layer is opening the fridge (small smile here, as I'm pretty sure ours is still packed with CFCs, being 15 yeasr old 'n all. I'm sure this is not the case Chez Gore) and grabbing a brace of Purdeys.

The article concludes by suggesting these lovely lasses 'are role models for their peers and an inspiration to the majority of inert British teens whose favourite sport is watching cheap telly.' O......k, then.

Moving up an age-bracket, though I suspect not too many postcodes away, by counterpoint we then had 'So you want to be a yummy-mummy', which advises that you don't need to live in a sprawling house in Notting Hill, driving a Mercedes SUV, or employing a full-time au pair.

But I'm sure it helps if you do. Especially when it comes top popping round to do a quick interview.

By way of left/right balance, media-wise, let me end with this, from today's Independent: 'Why I'm seriously cheesed off with my skiing holiday.'

Sadly the bulk of the text was part of the 'paid-for' sub section, so I was denied why the lady in question was unhappy with her lot, but I'm sure the trip was conducted to the highest standards of environmental responsibility.

Which is what role models are for.

Grace and favours

Today, Emma and I were on the way back from a JunkkYard mission for our own benefit, and we are now the proud owners (well, as these things seem to work out, custodians) of a perfectly good 3 drawer filing cabinet that was destined for the skip until we got wind of it. The system works!

Anyway, on our way back through Ross High Street we noticed a book signing event at one of our local organic food stores, and decided to drop by in our capacity as journalists. The author in question was Janey Lee Grace (who, amongst many other things, graces R2's Steve Wright show) and she was there to promote her book, 'imperfectly natural woman'.

It was a more than worthwhile stopover, in many ways, as she proved to be a lovely, approachable woman, and it was a pleasure to spend a few moments in her company. We'll certainly be happy to give her a slot on our diRE:ctory, and having succumbed to her charms I bought a copy which we will be reviewing soon for a news feature.

We were also pleased to find that she was very interested in Junkk.com, and thought it was a great idea! Hopefully something she will share with her colleagues back at the radio station. We have been trying to break into the London PR/media club with a notable lack of success to date, and this could well be the break that we were looking for.

She also was kind enough to write some nice things in the cover, which we'll add to our collection of testimonials.

So, all in all, it was a a most rewarding exchange, and I'd like to think mutually. And with our Ideal Home Show fast approaching, the timing could not have been much better to make the most of such a nice opportunity.

Speaking of which, there are a few more rather wonderful developments to report on when I can grab the time.

Building Blocks

I've never been quite sure of the actual value of memberships of business bodies. The benefits have always seemed a little less than those promised, especially when weighed against the costs of participation, which can run from free to a few hundred £ a year. There is also the small matter of time commitments (getting to events, etc), but you can get out a lot if you put in some well-directed efforts.

Being part of the Chamber of Commerce certainly didn't hurt in our being helped by Business Link to initiate Junkk.com. But I have to say I have ceased to go to many of their breakfast meetings any more, as there are only so many life coaches, bank managers and teenage web developers I can face paying £15 and getting up at 6am to drive 20 miles to meet.

But there is no subsitute at our stage for networking (and what could be a more tangible example than our fortcoming exhibitions stands). And one organisation that is bearing fruit is by our being a member of the FPB. And as what goes around comes around, I happily promote them here.

Making it happen took a lot of persistence and work on both sides, but it has resulted in the following feature. Not bad, even if we do say so ourselves.

And it has kinda of snowballed, bringing in many other stands. For instance, we were immediately contacted by another member, Melanie Murrell of Innotec, and as a result a truly delightful and ever-evolving synergy has developed.

Her company have a product which essentially enables the repair of pretty much any plastics. And with a vast number of items made from plastic being discarded unnecessarily due to relatively minor, repairable damage, you can imagine how excited we were simply to feature them as a re:source on Junkk.com.

And now it has already developed much further. For the one month duration of the show we have been keen to 'feature' Junkk.com diRE:ctory clients, and we're pleased that Melanie is keen to come on board and arrange some demos.

The show organisers are very keen on our message of re:pair and re:use (even higher up the re:tree than re:cycling), and have already expressed an interest in our 'product' range for some PR events, including their Green Catwalk show on press day.

Hence Melanie is teaming up with us to try and make a gob-smacking demo model of one of my latest ideas, the Vac:Sac, which is a clamshell rucksack made out of an an old vacuum.

I'm pleased to say we are also getting many other businesses keen to be a part of our roadshow. Hopefully we'll hear from more like Melanie via the FPB. 

It's just what we'd hoped for; acting as a matchmaker between those with ways to re-something away from the landfill, and those who are looking for ideas to help the environment ... and their pockets. Better yet if we can come up with ways via the site to link complementary enterprises together.

Sticks and Stones

So the whole Danish cartoon issue ferments ever more onerously. Meanwhile fingers are being pointed. Intellects engaged and ranged in all directions. Pronouncements made. Actions taken. So much fuss... and on the part of those claiming to try and make sense of it all and/or resolve matters, so far all I can see is a bubbling pot.

It's one to which I have contributed (by submitting the wrods below to a few letters pages and blogs), but only to try and point out that most exchanges I have been exposed make it feel like being caught in the middle of artillery exchanges between those who can only see things in black and white. 

That this issue creeps into this blog is twofold. One is that so much in the world of environmental debate these days also seems to be conducted on similar lines. You are either 'for' or 'against', 'believe' or 'don't believe'. Middle ground does not exist, perhaps because it does not make for such good ratings. Which is my second concern. Those that control the media have the power to shape debate by selecting what they share or omit, not that I can see much that can be done about it.

Spoken or written words and/or images of potential offence will inevitably exist so long is there is one with lips to speak and hands to write, and another with whom they may come into contact who has ears to hear or eyes to read. Plus...

There's an important piece of context that can often be ignored when 'giving, or taking, offence' is referred to. It’s always there ready and waiting, and will be delivered freely and immediately (p&p inc.)... the minute anyone opts to seek it out and collect it. 

Failing to recognize, accept and cope with this is one thing, but to wring hands, deny or, most incredulously, try to prevent it happening (again) is up there with Canute’s tide-restraining demo. 

The threat of physical violence is another matter entirely. Words (or, in this case images) cannot harm us. But allowing even the hint of validation that they may be used as an excuse (and hence somehow should be restricted) is a far more dangerous route to opt for. Hence my disquiet at the tacit approval given in some quarters to 4x4 tyre deflation pranks. Where can this lead but further downwards?

While one could wish they had not existed, the cartoons are therefore essentially irrelevant. 

There will always be tinder available for those with a match and who seek to light a fire. So all the well-meaning efforts being expended on explanation and mitigation are simply helping fan the flames in support of those whose interests are served by this 'event' taking its course. Starve it of the oxygen it feeds upon, in the form of credibility, and it will extinguish. Until the next time. But feed it straw, and it will flare once more.

Pretty Much Ideal

As a subject/title line, that looks pretty positive, doesn't it? Well, let's hope it proves to be the case. But it's also a bit like the sword of Damocles as we at Junkk Towers are currently working like little Beavers to get ready for our being an exhibitor at... The Daily Mail Ideal Home Show 2006!

It really seemed too good an opportunity to miss when it was presented...oh.. all of a week ago. And it has pretty much been a blur ever since. 

Normally one would have months to prepare for such a thing. The small matter of the stand, the logistics of designing it, building it, decorating it, getting it there, staffing it, etc. And we're talking almost a solid month here... or, rather there. And when I think of how much is waiting back at the ranch when we did the 3-day events. Sheesh.

It almost didn't happen. The costs of the stand was bad enough, but the accommodation alone was going to write us off. But then some very good chums rallied round, and that has come off the budget red-zone.

With just a few weeks more things are starting to take shape. But beyond all this design and construction we're also trying to build a coherent campaign around it all. Inviting businesses from Junkk.com to join in with ideas, items and even a spell to help out just 'being there'. Plus PR, marekting to soem of our target fmcg guys. Flyers. The list is as long as time is short.

It has bee... interesting, so far. But no complaints. We could have said no. But with the theme being recycling and sustainable living it was really too good to miss. 400,000 consumers walking past. Lots of press and TV, too.

If we can't make an impression then I don't know what else we can do.

It's shaping up. Watch this space. Or rather, make sure you visit this one.

Cartridge (Nut) Cases

With all our current adventures the blogging is a bit thin on the ground lately, so here's an opportunity to pop one in a quickie in the form of a cut & paste of the text of a letter to our chums at Materials Recycling World, following their carrying a story about Canon winning a court case against a cartridge reseller in Japan. As you'll gather, I was not best pleased.

What I am trying to get my head around is how such a huge, not to mention worthwhile, industry has developed over such a long period when a threat like this was on the cards. How many people now depend (in so many ways) on it? Were those who decided to get into this taking a gamble, or are we again looking at grey areas being made black retroactively by clever lawyers supported by well-funded lobby groups?

Notwithstanding the legal implications to the firms in question, as a member of the confused consumer world, I am meanwhile still trying to get to grips with all the various issues that surround this topic, from the technical, to the financial to the ecological.

I remember having an interesting debate recently with a representative of Brother, who was doing a fair job of presenting the case for the manufacturer, but I'm afraid he just couldn't sway me. We take our old cartridges to Cartridge World, we get given new ones in exchange that work just fine (if we do high end work we may opt for quality if there is a difference that doesn't require a microscope to judge), is guaranteed anyway (so the clogging thing doesn't seem to apply) and costs a whole lot less. Pretty much a win-win unless I'm missing something, with the obvious exception of the manufacturer.

It's hard to feel too sympathetic when you read stories such as the one we noted in our own info category for this topic with an addendum about a BBC report. We run our printers 'til the streaks show, for sure.

On a personal note I'm still steaming about a new Dell cartridge I put in today that required 'aligning', and printed two 1" full width bars of ink. Was that really necessary?

In the spirit of positivity, if such test pages are a valid function, why not design them to produce a page that could be reused? My starter for one would be as a picture frame. I'm sure others may have better suggestions that would still provide the technical function and find a use around the home or office rather than being binned.