Green debate caught in an icy grip
I feel so much happier in the knowledge that my kids and their kids'
futures are in such able and sincere hands, whichever one of the
whole sorry bunch gets to play with the keys to the kingdom.
Not.
I was going to add a bit about the media's role in reporting it all.
But they do own the playground and the ball.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Ready, aim... assess, monitor, report...
Re-cycle of Life
Most councils can only 'see' things like targets.
I wouldn't mind so much but this is usually to the exclusion of all else, or ever getting round to doing anything commonsensical to try and hit them (assuming they actually have an enviROI in the first place).
ps; try getting the kids reusing and repairing. It's way more fun than acting as an unpaid sorter for a £200k local authority boss' bonus chances, and the profits of the recycling contractors.
Junkk.com - Rubbish needn't be a dirty word
Wonder if she'll post it?
Most councils can only 'see' things like targets.
I wouldn't mind so much but this is usually to the exclusion of all else, or ever getting round to doing anything commonsensical to try and hit them (assuming they actually have an enviROI in the first place).
ps; try getting the kids reusing and repairing. It's way more fun than acting as an unpaid sorter for a £200k local authority boss' bonus chances, and the profits of the recycling contractors.
Junkk.com - Rubbish needn't be a dirty word
Wonder if she'll post it?
Buy now, while stocks last
Gadget overload
We had a stand (one of about six out several hundred, and ours was next to a patio heater vendor) there last year because we were told its theme was 'the environment'.
But as I say, that was soooo 'last year'.
We had a stand (one of about six out several hundred, and ours was next to a patio heater vendor) there last year because we were told its theme was 'the environment'.
But as I say, that was soooo 'last year'.
Well, they asked
A road map for originality
We can't move for things that aren't 'fit for purpose'. What other overused phrases are you, on the ground, fed up with?
That's a good question...
We'll need to look into this....
It's obviously not acceptable...
etc...
All closely followed by doing nothing at all to address the issue.
We can't move for things that aren't 'fit for purpose'. What other overused phrases are you, on the ground, fed up with?
That's a good question...
We'll need to look into this....
It's obviously not acceptable...
etc...
All closely followed by doing nothing at all to address the issue.
Last Rights
Against Nature - Channel 4
I’m going to break a firmly held principle and comment on something I have not... yet... seen. Again.
In a certain irony, last night as I expounded to a group at Aston Science Park on how we can harness consumer power to effect positive environmental behavior changes through incentive and reward, my twins had decided that some Japanese cartoon was a better bet on Sky than what I had programmed to record. Let’s hope I am as successful in helping save the planet as the spiky doe-eyed dude and his posse of mutant mates.
What struck me at the event was the enthusiasm of all those present for tangible DOING, as opposed to endless debate on esoteric issues, jockeying to be smarter and righter. And while these were folk from the SME’s prepared to stay from early to late evening, I hope it would not be unfair to say many present were representative of the average, working, Previa and not Prius person general public.
So I wonder what they would have made of this? Doubtless there will be great debate in the eco-media, including such as the Indy and Guardian (no chance to scope the onlines yet, and BBC Breakfast doesn’t seem concerned), but I’m pretty sure it will all pass last night’s group by. Unless an editor scents some headlines from contention, and blows it up for a quick ratings fix. Unlikely with X Factor looking like it was rigged.
A lot of my audience confessed to be dubious about what I was pitching as all they knew beforehand was that I was what Jeremy Clarkson has dubbed a ‘mentalist. I am glad to say I left with some converts inspired.
And here is my main point. We still very much seem to be in a ‘media rules of engagement-controlled’ era of green being only viewed in black and white.
In the dark green corner are ‘activists’, empowered eco Nazi book-authors, Al Gore, IPCC scientists, certain government ministers (even a newly converted, if confusingly mixed message PM)... and a largely compliant ‘left’ media ready to publish or broadcast relatively unchallenged global warming propaganda.
In the black gold corner are ‘deniers’, empowered ex eco fascist traitor book-authors, a few government ministers (at least out loud, including a confusingly mixed word vs. deed PM)... and a largely compliant ‘right’ media ready to publish or broadcast relatively unchallenged big-oil lobby-funded propaganda.
And all this lot have very lucrative careers already, and ahead, exchanging artillery exchanges of claim and counter claim, accusation and counter accusation at each other. Facts go out the window, as for every one pro, there are a score cons. And one Prof’s howler is another think-tank PhD’s thesis.
Meanwhile, sod all seems to get done.
And stuck in no person’s land, I believe, are the vast majority of folk like those I was with last night, keen to understand the issues and act rationally on them based on halfway decent information and reasoned debate with some objective outcomes.
To me the issue is simple. In ten years time, if one set are right, we can all breathe easier and a few folk are a bit red faced. The down side is that some economically driven development may not take place and... if you subscribe to the views of such as Mr. Durkin or Bjorn Lomborg, there will be serious consequences to the state of health and lives in the Third World.
If the other set are right, breathing at all may be a tad tricky in some parts, and faces will possibly be redder still, now for exterior reasons as well. Those in the Third World, if they are around, may find the rest of us have our own issues to worry about.
So which side should we err on? I’m voting caution. Especially when there are quite a few credible science guys around who seem to be getting us to quite high percent levels of probability. I’m prepared to move before we are 100% sure global warming WAS catastrophic.
I’ll need to dig it from my blog verbatim, but a long time ago I read a good analogy. If you are in a plane full of journalists and aero engineers flying across the Atlantic, and a problem with it’s structure is raised, do you side with the majority of them who think it best to turn back to check, or do you go with the journalists sitting with the guys in Club class who are just getting comfy, and would prefer to stay on course in case it’s nothing?
It would be wrong to say I don’t care about these esoteric debates, but I find them essentially irrelevant. Natural or man made, serious or not, I simply believe that, for the sake of my kids’ kids, every effort needs to be made to reduce pollution and waste and improve efficiencies. Plus match this all with a reasoned downturn in our aspirations and demands for expansion of consumption as they may be leading us on a downward spiral.
And one thing is key. What I call the EnviROI – the return on investment has to help the planet recover, and not just be to sell books, get ratings, secure salaries, careers or pensions, meet targets or make those who think they are more worthy feel warm and fuzzy. So I have all sorts of doubts that get me offside with a lot of folk. I’m not sure about wind turbines. I think the Government has totally screwed up road pricing, which is necessary but I petitioned against on their terms, And anything with the words ‘carbon’ and ‘trading’ bring me out in cold sweat as all I see is vast hordes of even richer City folk going with Guardian journalists and Mr. Miliband to meet other green elites in Bali to discuss it all.
Sadly, like you Ben, in trying to arrive at conclusions, information I can trust is in short supply, and looks like remaining so for a while.
And from the evidence of this blog (with a few notable, and noble opinions and links, for which I am grateful – though oddly the follow up posts by those who saw the show almost all left me none the wiser to those preceding it), I guess I, and most of the population will need to hunker down in our bunkers a while longer as those who claim know better than us argue over who is right.
Me, I’ll just get back to my shed and keep on doing anything I can to improve matters.
I just had a gander at a few of the follow ups, and they kinda prove my point. Death-match, winner takes the first iceberg shuffleboard on the Titanic.
God spare us from those who would tell us what to think... to the death. All of ours.
ADD:
QED.
Just back from my shed. Cripes.
At least a very few have tried to see a middle ground, work within it and understand it enough to work out a positive solution.
But as to the rest.... 'ding'... Round [pick a number]!
Shame.
Guardian - Noxious emissions
For what it's worth (not much, I'd hazard, looking at the comments here), Bad Science has, is and doubtless will be providing a complementary venue for a not dissimilar cock-fighting tournament.
So I'll just cut 'n paste my 2p here.
Indy - Global warming gurus set a bad example
Dear Mr. Lawson,
We're guessing that would make you a 'no' then?
Times - The global warming debate overheats
I’m going to break a firmly held principle and comment on something I have not... yet... seen. Again.
In a certain irony, last night as I expounded to a group at Aston Science Park on how we can harness consumer power to effect positive environmental behavior changes through incentive and reward, my twins had decided that some Japanese cartoon was a better bet on Sky than what I had programmed to record. Let’s hope I am as successful in helping save the planet as the spiky doe-eyed dude and his posse of mutant mates.
What struck me at the event was the enthusiasm of all those present for tangible DOING, as opposed to endless debate on esoteric issues, jockeying to be smarter and righter. And while these were folk from the SME’s prepared to stay from early to late evening, I hope it would not be unfair to say many present were representative of the average, working, Previa and not Prius person general public.
So I wonder what they would have made of this? Doubtless there will be great debate in the eco-media, including such as the Indy and Guardian (no chance to scope the onlines yet, and BBC Breakfast doesn’t seem concerned), but I’m pretty sure it will all pass last night’s group by. Unless an editor scents some headlines from contention, and blows it up for a quick ratings fix. Unlikely with X Factor looking like it was rigged.
A lot of my audience confessed to be dubious about what I was pitching as all they knew beforehand was that I was what Jeremy Clarkson has dubbed a ‘mentalist. I am glad to say I left with some converts inspired.
And here is my main point. We still very much seem to be in a ‘media rules of engagement-controlled’ era of green being only viewed in black and white.
In the dark green corner are ‘activists’, empowered eco Nazi book-authors, Al Gore, IPCC scientists, certain government ministers (even a newly converted, if confusingly mixed message PM)... and a largely compliant ‘left’ media ready to publish or broadcast relatively unchallenged global warming propaganda.
In the black gold corner are ‘deniers’, empowered ex eco fascist traitor book-authors, a few government ministers (at least out loud, including a confusingly mixed word vs. deed PM)... and a largely compliant ‘right’ media ready to publish or broadcast relatively unchallenged big-oil lobby-funded propaganda.
And all this lot have very lucrative careers already, and ahead, exchanging artillery exchanges of claim and counter claim, accusation and counter accusation at each other. Facts go out the window, as for every one pro, there are a score cons. And one Prof’s howler is another think-tank PhD’s thesis.
Meanwhile, sod all seems to get done.
And stuck in no person’s land, I believe, are the vast majority of folk like those I was with last night, keen to understand the issues and act rationally on them based on halfway decent information and reasoned debate with some objective outcomes.
To me the issue is simple. In ten years time, if one set are right, we can all breathe easier and a few folk are a bit red faced. The down side is that some economically driven development may not take place and... if you subscribe to the views of such as Mr. Durkin or Bjorn Lomborg, there will be serious consequences to the state of health and lives in the Third World.
If the other set are right, breathing at all may be a tad tricky in some parts, and faces will possibly be redder still, now for exterior reasons as well. Those in the Third World, if they are around, may find the rest of us have our own issues to worry about.
So which side should we err on? I’m voting caution. Especially when there are quite a few credible science guys around who seem to be getting us to quite high percent levels of probability. I’m prepared to move before we are 100% sure global warming WAS catastrophic.
I’ll need to dig it from my blog verbatim, but a long time ago I read a good analogy. If you are in a plane full of journalists and aero engineers flying across the Atlantic, and a problem with it’s structure is raised, do you side with the majority of them who think it best to turn back to check, or do you go with the journalists sitting with the guys in Club class who are just getting comfy, and would prefer to stay on course in case it’s nothing?
It would be wrong to say I don’t care about these esoteric debates, but I find them essentially irrelevant. Natural or man made, serious or not, I simply believe that, for the sake of my kids’ kids, every effort needs to be made to reduce pollution and waste and improve efficiencies. Plus match this all with a reasoned downturn in our aspirations and demands for expansion of consumption as they may be leading us on a downward spiral.
And one thing is key. What I call the EnviROI – the return on investment has to help the planet recover, and not just be to sell books, get ratings, secure salaries, careers or pensions, meet targets or make those who think they are more worthy feel warm and fuzzy. So I have all sorts of doubts that get me offside with a lot of folk. I’m not sure about wind turbines. I think the Government has totally screwed up road pricing, which is necessary but I petitioned against on their terms, And anything with the words ‘carbon’ and ‘trading’ bring me out in cold sweat as all I see is vast hordes of even richer City folk going with Guardian journalists and Mr. Miliband to meet other green elites in Bali to discuss it all.
Sadly, like you Ben, in trying to arrive at conclusions, information I can trust is in short supply, and looks like remaining so for a while.
And from the evidence of this blog (with a few notable, and noble opinions and links, for which I am grateful – though oddly the follow up posts by those who saw the show almost all left me none the wiser to those preceding it), I guess I, and most of the population will need to hunker down in our bunkers a while longer as those who claim know better than us argue over who is right.
Me, I’ll just get back to my shed and keep on doing anything I can to improve matters.
I just had a gander at a few of the follow ups, and they kinda prove my point. Death-match, winner takes the first iceberg shuffleboard on the Titanic.
God spare us from those who would tell us what to think... to the death. All of ours.
ADD:
QED.
Just back from my shed. Cripes.
At least a very few have tried to see a middle ground, work within it and understand it enough to work out a positive solution.
But as to the rest.... 'ding'... Round [pick a number]!
Shame.
Guardian - Noxious emissions
For what it's worth (not much, I'd hazard, looking at the comments here), Bad Science has, is and doubtless will be providing a complementary venue for a not dissimilar cock-fighting tournament.
So I'll just cut 'n paste my 2p here.
Indy - Global warming gurus set a bad example
Dear Mr. Lawson,
We're guessing that would make you a 'no' then?
Times - The global warming debate overheats
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Call for help
I just came across this:
An eco-chic bag won’ t stop bulging landfill sites
And as I had a ready retort: it will if it is made out of reused materials (Vac:Sac anyone?), I saw a Junkk.com promo at hand.
Thing is, even though the associated eco-worrier panel has a thingie that says 'Post a Comment', I can't seem to locate how, via my Mac or any PC.
Any ideas?
I'd write to them, but as these 'ladies who do green' are on a fairly narrow path - I must have written a score of times to point out that there are others in addition to Freecycle, all equally free and hence worth mentioning (like our JunkkYard... oh, maybe that's why).
Consumer resistance? I’m all for it
It depends where you look, or are looking from
'...cost me less than £100. It doesn’t have a brand and I don’t know
(or care) who made it... But it doesn’t have to be an expensive
thing of beauty.'
You have a slightly different view to me of 'doesn't have to be expensive'.
However I laud your consumer resistance.
You may pop over a few blogs to a colleague who you may enjoy
debating these pressing issues with.
She is not so sure about buying an eco-bag as a fashion or green
choice. I was moved to point out that many very nice things are now
made (often helping the makers) out of reused materials, and look
nice taboot.
But such things can still be reassuringly priced to get into you gels'
zone of interest.
Bless.
An eco-chic bag won’ t stop bulging landfill sites
And as I had a ready retort: it will if it is made out of reused materials (Vac:Sac anyone?), I saw a Junkk.com promo at hand.
Thing is, even though the associated eco-worrier panel has a thingie that says 'Post a Comment', I can't seem to locate how, via my Mac or any PC.
Any ideas?
I'd write to them, but as these 'ladies who do green' are on a fairly narrow path - I must have written a score of times to point out that there are others in addition to Freecycle, all equally free and hence worth mentioning (like our JunkkYard... oh, maybe that's why).
Consumer resistance? I’m all for it
It depends where you look, or are looking from
'...cost me less than £100. It doesn’t have a brand and I don’t know
(or care) who made it... But it doesn’t have to be an expensive
thing of beauty.'
You have a slightly different view to me of 'doesn't have to be expensive'.
However I laud your consumer resistance.
You may pop over a few blogs to a colleague who you may enjoy
debating these pressing issues with.
She is not so sure about buying an eco-bag as a fashion or green
choice. I was moved to point out that many very nice things are now
made (often helping the makers) out of reused materials, and look
nice taboot.
But such things can still be reassuringly priced to get into you gels'
zone of interest.
Bless.
Careful what you wish for
Channel 4 wants to turn your television into a tip
'Should they locate the parts for, and then manage to assemble a working PC , internet connection and power supply (why not? I saw it done on McGyver), they could do worse than log on to Junkk.com daily to see what they can make and how to make it.
And of course share their own innovations with/for others.
That way we can not just anaylse how we live, but improve it too.
A plan?'
'Should they locate the parts for, and then manage to assemble a working PC , internet connection and power supply (why not? I saw it done on McGyver), they could do worse than log on to Junkk.com daily to see what they can make and how to make it.
And of course share their own innovations with/for others.
That way we can not just anaylse how we live, but improve it too.
A plan?'
The door was opened a crack...
Pathetic MPs fail to test newspapers over ethics
There's a headline I thought I'd never see: MPs, newspapers and ethics all in the same sentence, when they are mutually exclusive, jointly and severally.
At least there was 'pathetic' and 'fail to test'.
I am currently running a test with our national broadcaster, who I co-fund with 59,999,999 (or so) others, and which is in fact responsible to us, but seemingly totally unaccountable for their fine-backed, mandatory-fee-supported media monopoly across all broadcast and some print categories.
Having just listened to a radio talk show create the stage, and then go on to provoke a bar-room brawl first over UK/US relations and then, for good measure, the vehicles 'we' feel should be 'banned' (stirred up with to taste - very bad taste - rants by z-list celebrities), I have popped off the latest in a series of complaints.
I'm guessing two weeks before one of the legions of fob-off-and-forget munchkins gets back with a form 'We had a look/listen. No, there wasn't a problem in our view. If there was we don't care. And anyway, what are you going to do about it? But we do appreciate your feedback and will bear it in mind. Don't bother arguing or asking to go higher because the system doesn't allow for that... for obvious reasons'.
Guardian - Kicking the habit
Celebrities are checking into rehab like there's no tomorrow. Why can't they just buy a self-help book like the rest of us?
Not sure, but I do believe the purchase of self-help books, unless conducted, Britney Hair-styly, does not get you top slot on the nation's broadcaster, or indeed an 'any PR is...' mention here, paying quite a few remora.. sorry.. reporter's, salaries en route .
There's a headline I thought I'd never see: MPs, newspapers and ethics all in the same sentence, when they are mutually exclusive, jointly and severally.
At least there was 'pathetic' and 'fail to test'.
I am currently running a test with our national broadcaster, who I co-fund with 59,999,999 (or so) others, and which is in fact responsible to us, but seemingly totally unaccountable for their fine-backed, mandatory-fee-supported media monopoly across all broadcast and some print categories.
Having just listened to a radio talk show create the stage, and then go on to provoke a bar-room brawl first over UK/US relations and then, for good measure, the vehicles 'we' feel should be 'banned' (stirred up with to taste - very bad taste - rants by z-list celebrities), I have popped off the latest in a series of complaints.
I'm guessing two weeks before one of the legions of fob-off-and-forget munchkins gets back with a form 'We had a look/listen. No, there wasn't a problem in our view. If there was we don't care. And anyway, what are you going to do about it? But we do appreciate your feedback and will bear it in mind. Don't bother arguing or asking to go higher because the system doesn't allow for that... for obvious reasons'.
Guardian - Kicking the habit
Celebrities are checking into rehab like there's no tomorrow. Why can't they just buy a self-help book like the rest of us?
Not sure, but I do believe the purchase of self-help books, unless conducted, Britney Hair-styly, does not get you top slot on the nation's broadcaster, or indeed an 'any PR is...' mention here, paying quite a few remora.. sorry.. reporter's, salaries en route .
Nothing like a nice bit of PR support for the media
The final frontier for travel insurance
You may also wish to include cover for flight delays in case any Guardian readers (and reporters) who don't see the irony of supporting rich folk having a Kodak moment atop a column of greenhouse gasses, whilst thinking Greenpeace chaining themselves to a Land Rover production line was a neat idea, suddenly see the value of single standards.
You may also wish to include cover for flight delays in case any Guardian readers (and reporters) who don't see the irony of supporting rich folk having a Kodak moment atop a column of greenhouse gasses, whilst thinking Greenpeace chaining themselves to a Land Rover production line was a neat idea, suddenly see the value of single standards.
You know where I am going with this, of course
To: BBC West Midlands
I just caught a piece on Breakfast News about a new, non-polluting delivery truck that is 'responsible for no CO2 emissions'.
This is fantastic.
Is there any more information on this, and how it does it?
I just caught a piece on Breakfast News about a new, non-polluting delivery truck that is 'responsible for no CO2 emissions'.
This is fantastic.
Is there any more information on this, and how it does it?
...Or, as more than a minor issue, the Environment?
The Big Question: Would transatlantic 'open skies' be good for UK airlines and passengers?
Just askin', 's all. I think it should be in the headline.
Indy - Letters: Open skies
Just askin', 's all. I think it should be in the headline.
Indy - Letters: Open skies
Tough with words. Tough on the causes of words. Or just 'tough'?
Miliband to make new emissions pledge
Don't you just love a good Pledge? One simply swipe and a manky bit of dead wood can be made to look and smell nice... for a wee while, until it wears off.
"David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, will try to restore Britain's place as world leader in the battle against climate change next week, with undertakings to cut the country's carbon output by the year 2020."
"He will promise..."
"That way, he hopes to get the UK back on track.."
Repeat after me, 'The Gloucester Old Spot now leaving Terminal 3, again....
"Tony Blair will fly to Brussels today..." Sorry. Not fair. Just... in context, it scanned amusingly.
"The initiative has been applauded by the former US vice president Al Gore, co-author of a film on climate change, and by Mr Miliband." And where, exactly, did that come from? Is Al 'flying in' too? What is this? The Axis of mutual backslappers?
Times - Britain puts climate change on UN agenda - Way-hay! It's on an agenda!
Don't you just love a good Pledge? One simply swipe and a manky bit of dead wood can be made to look and smell nice... for a wee while, until it wears off.
"David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, will try to restore Britain's place as world leader in the battle against climate change next week, with undertakings to cut the country's carbon output by the year 2020."
"He will promise..."
"That way, he hopes to get the UK back on track.."
Repeat after me, 'The Gloucester Old Spot now leaving Terminal 3, again....
"Tony Blair will fly to Brussels today..." Sorry. Not fair. Just... in context, it scanned amusingly.
"The initiative has been applauded by the former US vice president Al Gore, co-author of a film on climate change, and by Mr Miliband." And where, exactly, did that come from? Is Al 'flying in' too? What is this? The Axis of mutual backslappers?
Times - Britain puts climate change on UN agenda - Way-hay! It's on an agenda!
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Just made for a Pol's Porkie!
‘Do as I say, not as I do’ is Barroso’s green message
Thing is, if you stick yourself on the pedestal of telling folk what to
do, you really need to figure that a) it's not such a bad idea to do it
yourself, and b) try to have been doing it at least a while or c) at
least before so telling, and d)really don't go to near anything that
might smack of 'imposing'.
Failure to do one or indeed all lends you to being labelled
a) hypocrite ( “This is an opportunity for European leaders to match
intentions with deeds, to turn words into actions.”... Bless), b) a total
plonker and c) totally undeserving of your authority, salary and
pension by , well everyone, really.
Including any colleagues whose last vestiges of credibility
and authority you have just evaporated in the eyes of a cynical
world media and utterly frustrated voting, cash-cow-no-longer,
public.
And frankly, whacking a fir in the firmament is not much better if we
are trying to offset the problem within the 10 year window indicated
by the IPCC. While it looks good to ones mates in the City, the things
don't grow that fast and not all schemes even work on a viable
EnviROI basis anyway.
Meanwhile, those figures are interesting. May I ask if they are for
urban use (as favoured by those in power who don't get out much),
an average cycle or for country/motorway travel?
I just ask because from my country home to anywhere with 2 hrs by
Fiat Panda seemed to me a better bet than Prius. It's hard to see how
a higher capacity petrol engine in the latter, lugging a big, unused
battery, would deliver better emissions performance.
And if so, may I presume this is just the first in further attempts to get
all of 'us' to conform to an ideal that works in the corridors of
'power', and really has little to making the world better for our kids.
ps: while toe-rag is not a bad moniker for the beast (I believe used,
with some irony in smoke-black form by a 'Have you cut your 20%?'
TV commercial not so long ago, I do concern myself that the noble
tribespersons may not fancy the spelling used here.
Thing is, if you stick yourself on the pedestal of telling folk what to
do, you really need to figure that a) it's not such a bad idea to do it
yourself, and b) try to have been doing it at least a while or c) at
least before so telling, and d)really don't go to near anything that
might smack of 'imposing'.
Failure to do one or indeed all lends you to being labelled
a) hypocrite ( “This is an opportunity for European leaders to match
intentions with deeds, to turn words into actions.”... Bless), b) a total
plonker and c) totally undeserving of your authority, salary and
pension by , well everyone, really.
Including any colleagues whose last vestiges of credibility
and authority you have just evaporated in the eyes of a cynical
world media and utterly frustrated voting, cash-cow-no-longer,
public.
And frankly, whacking a fir in the firmament is not much better if we
are trying to offset the problem within the 10 year window indicated
by the IPCC. While it looks good to ones mates in the City, the things
don't grow that fast and not all schemes even work on a viable
EnviROI basis anyway.
Meanwhile, those figures are interesting. May I ask if they are for
urban use (as favoured by those in power who don't get out much),
an average cycle or for country/motorway travel?
I just ask because from my country home to anywhere with 2 hrs by
Fiat Panda seemed to me a better bet than Prius. It's hard to see how
a higher capacity petrol engine in the latter, lugging a big, unused
battery, would deliver better emissions performance.
And if so, may I presume this is just the first in further attempts to get
all of 'us' to conform to an ideal that works in the corridors of
'power', and really has little to making the world better for our kids.
ps: while toe-rag is not a bad moniker for the beast (I believe used,
with some irony in smoke-black form by a 'Have you cut your 20%?'
TV commercial not so long ago, I do concern myself that the noble
tribespersons may not fancy the spelling used here.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
The journey of a thousand steps...
Want to save the planet? It’s your little changes that mean the most
Agreed.
And to all the other reader who sees this and feels enough to get motivated to do something at home and peronal...ly re:warding, try re:use at junkk.com.
That way you can save the planet, and some time, and some money.
Kinda win-win. Which is nice. If rare.
Agreed.
And to all the other reader who sees this and feels enough to get motivated to do something at home and peronal...ly re:warding, try re:use at junkk.com.
That way you can save the planet, and some time, and some money.
Kinda win-win. Which is nice. If rare.
Speaks for itself, unspeakably
Plane beats train on cost and speed as discount fares prove elusive
You know what we need... another 'initiative'. With a charge on it.
That'll help.
You know what we need... another 'initiative'. With a charge on it.
That'll help.
Divide and Fools
This is going to the BBC right now.
Following an interesting and touching piece on Alzheimer's (ironic, since I only heard it having had to drive to Gloucester to collect the card I left in the chip 'n pin doo-dad on Sunday. Oddly Sainsbury's have no policy on letting you, or your bank know. They just keep it a while and then bin it), the Jeremy Vine show descended into the worst example of the sorry state of ratings-driven media I have ever heard.
I think this will be cited as one of the nails in the coffins of our public broadcaster being accorded any credence as an objective news organisation, and certainly raises questions as to why it is allowed a fine-supported, non-opt-out monopoly to collect funds to create and broadcast such trash.
First up we get a 'piece' 'inspired' by some Yuppie Hooray with contacts in PR, who makes a kids' level version of Why the US Is Lovely, condensing several decades into a few tens of seconds of 'what if?' nonsense. Maybe it got 1/4M 'hits' on YouTube. So what? But it was enough to get him in to boost his ad banner rates by sticking him up against some bonkers ex-Guardianista US-phobic who could barely string a sentence together, let alone allowing any form of reasoned debate get in the way of her single-minded prejudices. Then it gets thrown open to 'us', the listening public, so after the break for music we get a bunch of raving pro and antis selected especially by researchers to vent their ill-informed spleens over a completely staged, specious premise. And so it spirals down...
That was bad enough. Then, in the era of discredited phones-ins, to follow we have an 0900 'vote' to see which vehicles should be banned, with another set of twofers from each extreme venting spleens and spewing half-considered, factually irresponsible bile at each other, and us, as Mr. Vine and his producers wet themselves over their soaring ratings.
What public service was served by any of this claptrap? And with this complaint how do I get past the low-level munchkins in the 'file and fob-off' department who will a) sit on this for a week, b) claim they have looked into it thoroughly, then c) find no issue to answer so d) they won't.
This is not a valid process of sincere self-improvement, from a public-service and public-funded entity that has done little lately beyond losing the plot.
I demand to be put in coherent contact with some form of decision maker who can explain these decisions from a position of responsibility and accountability.
The world's a bad enough place without our national broadcaster dividing us all in warring camps for cheap media points. It must be stopped before it is too late. Or... I want my money back.
9 April - It took a while (doesn't it always?) but they have come back as, of course, they have to. What do you think? A fair reply? one deserving of file & forget?
Thank you for your e-mail regarding 'Jeremy Vine' transmitted on the 6
March 2007.
Firstly, please accept our apologies for the delay in replying. We know
our correspondents appreciate a quick response and we are sorry you have
had to wait on this occasion.
I understand you have some concerns about the above programme.
I must explain that this was a week-long poll giving the British Public the
chance to select the vehicle they would most like to vote off our roads, if
they could.
It is hoped the programme team can raise the findings of this poll on the 9
March edition [I got this a month later] with those in Government who make/influence transport policy.
Ultimate aim to tackle some big, important questions about road traffic and
the positive measures that could be taken by those in power to alleviate
the anger that so many road users feel: i.e.: How can speed limits be
enforced? Should there be compulsory road tests for cyclists and
horse-riders? Who should pay for the upkeep of the roads and how should
that tax be collected? Does the driving test need to change or be repeated?
Nevertheless, I appreciate you may continue to have some concerns about the
two items you have specified as a whole. Please be assured that I have
registered your complaint and concerns on the daily log, this is an
internal document which will be made available to the 'Jeremy Vine'
production team as well as the senior management of the BBC.
May I take this opportunity to thank you again for taking time to contact
the BBC.
Regards
Katherine Tsang
BBC Information
__________________________________________
The BBC Trust wants to know what's important to you about your BBC. Want to
help it set the BBC's strategic priorities? To get involved just click on
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust.
Following an interesting and touching piece on Alzheimer's (ironic, since I only heard it having had to drive to Gloucester to collect the card I left in the chip 'n pin doo-dad on Sunday. Oddly Sainsbury's have no policy on letting you, or your bank know. They just keep it a while and then bin it), the Jeremy Vine show descended into the worst example of the sorry state of ratings-driven media I have ever heard.
I think this will be cited as one of the nails in the coffins of our public broadcaster being accorded any credence as an objective news organisation, and certainly raises questions as to why it is allowed a fine-supported, non-opt-out monopoly to collect funds to create and broadcast such trash.
First up we get a 'piece' 'inspired' by some Yuppie Hooray with contacts in PR, who makes a kids' level version of Why the US Is Lovely, condensing several decades into a few tens of seconds of 'what if?' nonsense. Maybe it got 1/4M 'hits' on YouTube. So what? But it was enough to get him in to boost his ad banner rates by sticking him up against some bonkers ex-Guardianista US-phobic who could barely string a sentence together, let alone allowing any form of reasoned debate get in the way of her single-minded prejudices. Then it gets thrown open to 'us', the listening public, so after the break for music we get a bunch of raving pro and antis selected especially by researchers to vent their ill-informed spleens over a completely staged, specious premise. And so it spirals down...
That was bad enough. Then, in the era of discredited phones-ins, to follow we have an 0900 'vote' to see which vehicles should be banned, with another set of twofers from each extreme venting spleens and spewing half-considered, factually irresponsible bile at each other, and us, as Mr. Vine and his producers wet themselves over their soaring ratings.
What public service was served by any of this claptrap? And with this complaint how do I get past the low-level munchkins in the 'file and fob-off' department who will a) sit on this for a week, b) claim they have looked into it thoroughly, then c) find no issue to answer so d) they won't.
This is not a valid process of sincere self-improvement, from a public-service and public-funded entity that has done little lately beyond losing the plot.
I demand to be put in coherent contact with some form of decision maker who can explain these decisions from a position of responsibility and accountability.
The world's a bad enough place without our national broadcaster dividing us all in warring camps for cheap media points. It must be stopped before it is too late. Or... I want my money back.
9 April - It took a while (doesn't it always?) but they have come back as, of course, they have to. What do you think? A fair reply? one deserving of file & forget?
Thank you for your e-mail regarding 'Jeremy Vine' transmitted on the 6
March 2007.
Firstly, please accept our apologies for the delay in replying. We know
our correspondents appreciate a quick response and we are sorry you have
had to wait on this occasion.
I understand you have some concerns about the above programme.
I must explain that this was a week-long poll giving the British Public the
chance to select the vehicle they would most like to vote off our roads, if
they could.
It is hoped the programme team can raise the findings of this poll on the 9
March edition [I got this a month later] with those in Government who make/influence transport policy.
Ultimate aim to tackle some big, important questions about road traffic and
the positive measures that could be taken by those in power to alleviate
the anger that so many road users feel: i.e.: How can speed limits be
enforced? Should there be compulsory road tests for cyclists and
horse-riders? Who should pay for the upkeep of the roads and how should
that tax be collected? Does the driving test need to change or be repeated?
Nevertheless, I appreciate you may continue to have some concerns about the
two items you have specified as a whole. Please be assured that I have
registered your complaint and concerns on the daily log, this is an
internal document which will be made available to the 'Jeremy Vine'
production team as well as the senior management of the BBC.
May I take this opportunity to thank you again for taking time to contact
the BBC.
Regards
Katherine Tsang
BBC Information
__________________________________________
The BBC Trust wants to know what's important to you about your BBC. Want to
help it set the BBC's strategic priorities? To get involved just click on
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust.
What ever floats their boat. Which it will, eventually
I just glanced this:
Scientists from 63 countries to investigate polar melting
And without reading it, I just pray it will not involve hordes of them going up to snowy bits in planes and copters to figure out why it's all melting.
Scientists from 63 countries to investigate polar melting
And without reading it, I just pray it will not involve hordes of them going up to snowy bits in planes and copters to figure out why it's all melting.
Carb-con gestion?
They keep popping up, don't they?
'Carbon allowance' plan for drivers
Motorists could find themselves facing a ceiling on the amount of carbon they are allowed to emit...
This would be 'motorists' where, doing what exactly and when?
I look forward to how they spin this one. Can't be any worse than the road pricing effort.... can it?
Indy - Miliband: 'Time for a green industrial revolution'
Times - 'Make car drivers pay for their pollution'
'Carbon allowance' plan for drivers
Motorists could find themselves facing a ceiling on the amount of carbon they are allowed to emit...
This would be 'motorists' where, doing what exactly and when?
I look forward to how they spin this one. Can't be any worse than the road pricing effort.... can it?
Indy - Miliband: 'Time for a green industrial revolution'
Times - 'Make car drivers pay for their pollution'
Patents and le absurd?
We, the Patent Office
In a month's time I'm off to Geneva as part of the UK stand at an International Invention Expo.
I will have in my clutches a small prototype of a big idea that I hope will a) save planet and b) make dosh, not necessarily in that order.
For either to happen, and for there to be a happy ending on b), I have ventured into the mysterious world of Patent applications, assessments and agents and god knows what.
So far it has been like a stag night in 70's SoHo, looking for the naked ladies in strip clubs but going through endless velvet red curtains and being relived of cash at every turn with a promise that 'soon you will be there'. About halfway you know you have been conned, but are too far in to not keep on going.
So I know diddly squat about this process.
However, in the great 'protection of your idea' scheme of things, is such an open season on its intimate details wise, or even desirable?
BusinessWeek - Inside Nathan Myhrvold's Mysterious New Idea Machine
Times - Patents 2.0 comes to Britain
In a month's time I'm off to Geneva as part of the UK stand at an International Invention Expo.
I will have in my clutches a small prototype of a big idea that I hope will a) save planet and b) make dosh, not necessarily in that order.
For either to happen, and for there to be a happy ending on b), I have ventured into the mysterious world of Patent applications, assessments and agents and god knows what.
So far it has been like a stag night in 70's SoHo, looking for the naked ladies in strip clubs but going through endless velvet red curtains and being relived of cash at every turn with a promise that 'soon you will be there'. About halfway you know you have been conned, but are too far in to not keep on going.
So I know diddly squat about this process.
However, in the great 'protection of your idea' scheme of things, is such an open season on its intimate details wise, or even desirable?
BusinessWeek - Inside Nathan Myhrvold's Mysterious New Idea Machine
Times - Patents 2.0 comes to Britain
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