Words and deeds

India's middle class must cut its hot air emissions

30-plus degree heat, 74 per cent humidity
Inside, their air-conditioners run 24/7
India's middle class must cut its hot air emissions

Just juggled those 3 sentences around a bit, whilst reflecting on how lucky we are here to have the ability to use almost no energy on adjusting our surrounding room temperatures for more than half the year.

And then considering how, if means and money are available, being told one must not use them will go down.

So the notion of our Ministers flying hither and thither in the attempt seems, at best, quaint.

In writing the above and posting it on the blog, I was of course pondering my own experiences in Singapore (32 degrees, 99% humidity, 24/7), and the odds of me not using a/c whenever possible (actually, we did only use fans in our home). And on our recent camping trip round Southern Europe (40 degrees, if low humidity) I was the first to concede that, without it, we'd have died in the car (plus reducing the mpg by having the windows open, he hopes, guilt-stricken).

But I have been moved to coin another descriptive phrase; that of the the Monotonous Meddlers. These guys seem not only to have an addiction to sticking their oars in everywhere and all the time, but also do it with little appreciation for actual realities, consequences or, most tellingingly, the rampant hypocrisies of their often selective and too often arrogantly stated positions.

And if they are p*ssing me off, when I agree with the basic premise they are promoting if not the manner, then lord knows how their pronouncements go down with their targets and/or those not quite so enamoured with the rightness of their causes as they are.

China sin dumb?

What can China do about climate change?

I must say I am wondering when China does get to qualify as a first world country, with all the joys we have to offer, and share in.

Maybe we could send back our GOATs (Guv of all talents) in a couple of containers to help work the same magic on their economy that has been conjured here?

Meanwhile...

Guardian - NEW - India gets serious on climate change

The rise of the rest

I actually don't think of other countries as 'the rest', but this is an interesting set of stats, especially if you consider the enviro-impacts.

Rise of the Rest - Futuresgroup.wordpress.com

Mind you, it's good our PM is concerned about Mrs. Tweed, nee Goody, as a matter of priority.

It's a view, certainly

Over on my other blog, there is reference to a BBC Editor who is 'helping' the government on some political options.

There is a small storm however, based on the fact that he essentially outlines an either/or for them, and by association the reader, that sort of throws the imposition or sparing of pain ultimately back on the public. Basically tax more or provide fewer services.

What he has been caught doing, and held to account for, is ignoring another option which, while equally unpalatable, should at least be in the mix. And that is trim the fat within the machine of government itself first. No real surprise of course, bearing in mind the unique way the BBC is funded, and the way this government has conducted itself over the last decade. How many more packaged and pensioned civ. servs and quango-getters on the public payroll now...1 million?

Which is what struck me reading this, for obvious reasons that will become clear, if horrible to be thinking about:

The natural consequence of human greed

There is no excuse not to do what one can, but it certainly makes me even more determined not to get on the sanctimonious route of many of the greenerati who may do all sorts of stuff, and doubtless rush to print to tell us they are, and we should, but for whom the actual back to basics suggested in this piece would not be part of the programme so long as the economy, nice job and/or trust fund delivers.