The carbon capturing car?

Here's yet another twist on hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles as reported by Channel4.

"The Georgia Tech car can run on conventional petrol or diesel, but has an on-board processor to separate out the hydrogen in the fuel. The hydrogen is used to run the car, as in a fuel cell vehicle, giving zero-emissions operation (the only waste product is water) and the carbon is stored in a liquid solution."

The idea is that the remaining hydrocarbon liquid contains all the carbon, which is then reprocessed to create yet more fuel. Sounds like an interesting concept. Let's see how it develops.

3 degrees of separation

I just missed the opportunity to get all kultur'd up thanks to Homie Brown and his boys 'n girls from da Westminster hood's new plan, so I think I'm mixing a few literary icons.

I know there's something about 6 degrees of separation and how we're all just a few links off being Royal, but that'll teach me for giving up at O level.

Anyhoo, it's a snappy title, which I have hijacked to describe the fine art of talking about something, mainly to stir it up a bit, but in ways that isolate me from the consequences. A bit like when a reporter says 'some say...', and you just wish the interviewee won't budge 'til they 'fess up that it's actually them and no one else has said a thing.

But here I quote a blog that quotes others, so I'm pretty golden. Well, other than now, when I say that these two pieces make pretty clear that my concerns on enviROI of so-called 'green' initiatives and the associated (lack of) joined up thinking around them. Plus some 'solutions' not actaully, as such, doing much more than make a few folk rich and a few others feel better about themselves. Oh, and a few media keeping occupied talking things up and then down, which is a win-win. I just need one win: what works.

Greenbang.com - The £50 million wave fund that no one wants - whack up a windmill (with a few issues pending), no problem. Daily, regular, reliable tides.... hmnnn.

Greenbang.com - Hybrid cars: a misinformed craze? OK, it has a question mark. Good question mind.

I have an acronym coming... O, DTTTI.. Only delaying tactics 'til the inevitable?

They're out there

For my forthcoming speeches at ECOPACK '08, I put out a call via the IoM website to ask for examples of second use design.

Here's the first to come in.

From Clifford Packaging.

My car currently has three purpose built efforts from Morrisons, whilst my desktop filing systems uses 6xwine boxes I collect separately to support the cereal box dividers within.

So I'd say this was a pretty good plan.

It's academic... apparently. Still

Close the loop on plastic, says leading academic

Couldn't agree more with Dr. Thompson. Though why it is an academic issue... still... now... rather defeats me.

But then, I'm only a consumer.

And that, 'scuse the pun, seems to make me just... fine.

Taking the wrap

I just wanted to share this morning's mail delivery. And (left/top) the week's so far.

In it were three magazines, two of an eco bent.

Now I understand all the issues faced in safe delivery, so I am not going there.

What is more of interest to me is the disconnect between all those who should be dealing with this, from the suppliers to publishers to consumers to waste disposal entities, commercial and public, for profit and legislative.

Two of my haul claim to be safely disposable in landfill. Rather confusingly (well, to this consumer) one is oxy-degradable and the other biodegradable. Same thing?

The other is 'recyclable'.

Now I know enough to wonder whether the landfill-friendly efforts are only going to work if processed properly. And that by being mixed with the other the whole thing is probably a mess anyway.

I doubt many would be even so troubled. And in the absence of any information to the contrary, or mechanisms to deal with it properly anyway, it's all going in the same basket, and I'll then let the supermarket decide this weekend when I stick it in the bag box, or the swimming pool carpark skip's plastic bag binliner.

Not, I imagine, the best enviROI, really.

Tilting Windmills

My ad agency had a motto: Quick. Cheap. Good: pick any two (and whatever happens one will always have to be good)

It came to mind as I read this: Backlogs threaten Government targets for renewable energy

So we have a target or two. That means the timing is not negotiable. So... I'm guessing the price will be going up even more than antcipated, which makes my enviROI concerns even more presssing.

Or, of course, quality might suffer. Hope not. But in meeting a target today there is a dubious history already of leaving the mess of tomorrow for others to clear up.

News, Views and what you lose

I share this for a variety of reasons: Boris's manifesto? He'll teach Ken how to ride a bike

It's actually about the debates between London's mayoral candidates. I almost didn't click on as that's not what the headline link seemed to indicate. Interesting choice from a paper accusing others of not taking issues, such as Darfur/Olympics, seriously enough.

And having read on, unless it was the reporting, I have to say just how thin the whole 'enviro' claims came across, especially when set against the demands of running and funding a city of several millions.

I'm not sure that, and this is as quoted in the Indy remember, 'Vote Liberal Democrat for lower fuel bills –and feeling cold', is the way to win hearts, minds... or votes.

Addendum;

Gaurdian - Green talk - It's cheap, too

All nature's creatures

I was tempted recently to get a biosphere.

It's one of those do-dads that is a sealed globe that mimics the earth's eco-system. Though I suspect without a few complicating factors, such as animals... and especially the human variety.

It set me to thinking a bit about some of the ideals put about, especially by those who see nature as the best architect and homo sapiens as the fly in the ointment, rather forgetting that we are merely part of Gaia's grand design.

So I just pondered an arbitrary, isolated area sustaining 'life'. Ignoring more global factors, the sun shines, it rains, the seasons change. The plants grow. Herbivores graze, and the availability of food and water regulates their numbers. And, just for good measure, predator carnivores do that job too, with a bit of Darwinian culling going on to on the herbivores and between themselves. On balance, that seems to work. In times of plenty, numbers go up. And in times of hardship they go down. And whatever happens there is an upper limit the land can, and hence will sustain.

Then along comes man. Well, the first to go will be the predators. For a start they are dangerous, and then for another they are competition. Next to go will be the herbivores, at least if they need the land man requires to live upon and grow crops (though we may keep some for burger purposes). And then we do what we do best. And as our numbers grow we occupy this finite space more and more, and cleverly squeeze more and more out of whatever remains to sustain ourselves.

But... and here's the rub... there still has to be a limit. It seems odd that so few seem to have admitted, much less addressed this notion.

Anything else, from plastic bag bans to renewable energy subsidies, seem more tinkering (albeit profitable, at least short term and just to some) simply to buy some more time.

ONLINE E-INFO SITES

Yup, another 'e-volver'

UK

Ad/Greenwash

climatedenial.org - mainly for it's pick-up on daft car ads

Food Waste

lovefoodhatewaste.com

General

carboncommentary.com
repak - NEW - for Eire
The Green Guide - UK based - via Junkk RE:view

Transport
Auto

cleangreencars.co.uk


There'll be more ('specially if you tell me!)

The new London gaz guzzler charges.....

..... that we commented upon the other day may not have quite the effect that TFL actually wants. This article from AutoWired argues that the "new emission-based London congestion charge rules are likely to increase CO2 emissions, increase pollution and increase congestion."

Given that the new charging system will target individual vehicle emissions, they suggest that "While encouraging the sales of low emission models is to be applauded, the framing of the new rules is likely to encourage greater use of cars within the capital". The consequences may be "significant numbers of charge-exempt models on the roads, potentially leading to higher carbon dioxide emissions, and more congestion"

Looks like repositioning a scaled congestion charge against individual vehicle emissions may not be quite as well thought out as TFL intended.

REVIEW - The Green Guide

greenguide.co.uk

Bit of a quickie, and a shortie, to make a bit of a point about how those in the business of green can help each other, and the cause, by doing very little that can make such a big difference.

The other day I got a call from a nice lady checking my details for Junkk.com. Well, one thing lead to another, and The Green Guide has kindly put a link up on their site.

And so, just for the purposes of mutual back massage, I have returned the compliment. Happy to.

Thing is, I can only do it, and then write about it here, and add it in the next newsletter (don't ask), because they took the 5 minutes to upload their stuff.

Odd how few do, even after I have invited them, and especially if they have mentioned us!

Anyway, back to the 'review'.

It's hard to do a better summary than their own:

There are currently more than 12,400 entries in the Green Guide Directory which makes it probably the largest and most comprehensive resource of green, sustainable and planet-friendly goods, services and organisations in the UK.

It's a very simple, clean design, mainly aiming to 'do what it says on the tin', with about a dozen main headings in a taskbar that lead you where you might wish to go.

No obvious search, but probably not needed. And maybe just as well, as Junkk.com's can often be a tad too 'inspired' to be of use!

But they are a more than welcome addition to the growing sources of info out there to help us all... and benefit without the dead hand of offcial agenda. Oh, and are, of course, free, to both use and add your buiness to.

Ask not what gets done for the planet, but what the planet gets from our meeting targets.

Addendum: Top and bottom. I just thought I'd post this grab of the chat page. When it says 'let yourself go', bearing in mind the topic and context, I wonder if this is what Expedia and the Gaurdian had in mind?

Gaurdian - Join our web chat on renewable energy

'...how we are going to reach that 15% target and whether 2008 will be a key year for the renewables market.'

Is there not a danger in all this that, as this sentence suggests, the the aim becomes more the meeting of a target and/or the creation of lucrative business models, at the expense of actually achieving a result? Too often I see the product delivery hijacked by the process and those with careers involved in it.

If, to put things simplistically, it is believed that it is the carbon dioxide and other 'pollutant' greenhouse gasses going into the atmosphere that are responsible for PMWCC (Probably man-worsened climate change), should not the reduction of these be viewed more in totality?

Once we break things out into convenient, isolated chunks it for sure makes things awfully easy to measure, tick boxes and/or reward, but perhaps does not adequately challenge the overall worth to our kids' futures on this planet.

I can live with a poor ROI in many cases. And hence have a concept of enviROI that allows for not 'making' money as an option for doing something if it has an environmental benefit.

But it does have a lower limit, as it can be argued that ploughing funds into something when they may be used more productively elsewhere might be equally flawed.

Hence my concern at having a set number of 'renewables' laid out in this manner, with still no clear idea as to how they get there, what they do, how well they do it and what their relative contributions to mitigation of our energy demands are.

The last such webchat - in the country's top online forum, and arguably most 'green', too - attracted a few dozen. Let's see how this pans out.

Addendum:

Wow. I was first up. And got an answer, too:

This raises some interesting issues. I’d say that having attractive business models is actually essential to achieving the targets, rather than a distraction. Even though governments play an essential role in the move to a low carbon economy, most of the required investment needs to come from the private sector. Fortunately, there are already very strong commercial opportunities in renewable and other low carbon technologies, and these are growing rapidly. As for breaking down the target into ‘chunks’, I agree there’s some sense in this and actually, it’s a necessary next step for the UK. Currently under debate is how much of the 15% should come from electricity, heat and transport, with one scenario being around 45%, 10% and 10% of the total usage of each. Since renewable electricity currently supplies about 4.5% and heat and transport around 1% each, this represents a tenfold increase on all fronts.

Was it was the one I was seeking? Not really. One has to question the value of these efforts as they inevitably (have to) deal in generalities, but I really din't quiet get to where I wanted on enviROI's, especially with thinsg getting stonkking subsidies just to exist and tick a box, without worrying too much on what they might do to help.

So who do you believe?

Our chancellor, yesterday on the radio - "It will be a difficult year right across the world, but the fundamentals of the British economy are strong because of what we have done over the last 10 years. They will remain strong."

The Governor of the Bank of England - "The higher level of energy and food prices is a genuine reduction in our standard of living relative to where it would otherwise have been. ..... This is because of the higher prices that all of us are having to pay." And "Looking several years ahead, there’s no reason to expect house prices to be markedly above where they are now. It’s conceivable there might be falls in house prices."

Full story from The Telegraph.

So there you have it. Everything's fine, the economy is robust and will remain strong. That's the message from our Gov. But the boss of the Bank of England issues a strong warning that all is not well and we had all better tighten our belts.

Also interesting to note that whilst inflation reaches an official 2.2% (I think that was what they said yesterday) the real cost of living increase is some 6-7%, and that excludes any forthcoming council tax increases.

I guess who you believe the most rather depends on how thin you wallet is feeling. I know mine is beginning to feel that it's been put on rations. And my dilemma? All this is happening just when I was considering what I could spare in terms of putting in extra insulation in order to mitigate the ever increasing heating bills somewhat.

Ho hum! Spend now to Save later, or, Save now to Spend later? Now that's a predicament under these circumstances. What do you recommend?

CATEGORY - SHIPPING

I think this deserves a category of its own.

For previous posts just search the 'Shipping' label below. One day I'll find time to archive 'em here.

This is shaping up to be a major issue, especially to one, such as me, who professes to be most concerned about enviROI. I have in the past given a pass to various activities that took place by boat (such as Dave's kite-towed post recently) on the notion that it must be oodles 'better'. Maybe we need to rethink. As with so much that involves an emission, maybe it's just the fact that we want something that is more the issue, rather than how it gets to us.

It's worth considering, and talking about, but let us not forget there is other stuff going on too. Some worse, and/or more pressing maybe.

Gaurdian - True scale of C02 emissions from shipping revealed

Guardian - NEW - No more plain sailing - A view from a side. Some interesting comments in reply.

CATEGORY - VALENTINE'S DAY

Ok, so others have been/are banging on about this for an age. Best I can do at short notice!

I now they (the packaging) are the antichrist, but maybe as they exist we can share the love in some small effort at mitigation.



Left/top. Right/bottom.

About.com - quick, cheap ideas
Guardian - Keep Valentine's day green - some are not exchaging cards, apparently
Reuters - Valentine's Day - it's not so much about love - no, it should be about re:love and presents from the heart!

I'll add more if I find 'em or get told.

Who knows, Cupid may approve?

I belive I recall posting once that green-friendly folk now appeal more to the opposite sex:)

One for the plot

In a month I stand in a lonely box at the NEC trying to persuade FMCG brands and retailers to buy into RE:tie. So this pigued my interest: Tesco back Dragons' Den-style show to reward unknown brands

Sadly, while there are clues to pursue, at the moment it remains more tantalising than tangible.

Especially as it is probably shot and in the can already. Anyway, nothing ventured...

Well, they did ask.

Green bling - Can luxury mean more than excess consumption?

It's all a matter of what your definitions are, and where you set the bars (and the link to the article didn't work for me so I can't reflect the detail).

That said, it is hard to reconcile the words with consequent actions, especially 'environmental and ethical messages' followed, almost inevitably, with 'excess consumption' in the next sentence.

It's why I find a Sunday supp special on 'recycled fashion' hilarious when by the following Friday it's all 'so early this week' and they've all scooted off in the Lear to Tokyo to gush on making barstool covers out of Willy's, er... well...

Take that as a no. And all trying to jump on board the bandwagon should feel deep shame. Well, if they had any shame. Or the ability to feel.

Smiling because you don't drive a chelsea tractor?

Well, you may have to drive that smile off your face if you have cause to stray into the London congestion zone on occasion, as Ken's new £25 'gas-guzzler' charge is going to catch an awful lot of ordinary family cars out too.

This from BBC News reports that non 4x4's, but still categorised as members of the chelsea tractor club, such as the Peugeot 407 SW and several models of the Vauxhall Zafira range will also fall into the £25 bracket because their emissions exceed the 225g/km emissions limit.

As they say, if you don't catch enough fish, spread the net further.

Darfur - is the deafening silence broken at last?

The genocide in Darfur has been going on for what seems years now. Ostensibly, at least according to the current Sudanese government, this dispute between local farmers started over water (the shortage thereof), has caused the deaths of over 200,000 people and created the displacement of an even greater number to refugee camps within Sudan and in its neighbours. The fighting has even spread over the border into Chad and supposedly into Ethiopia too.

Yet the world's major media seems to have generally ignored the entire issue, until now. So what appears to have made the media realise that there is actually an important story behind Darfur?

Ahhhhh, I see, an internationally renowned member of the big screen fraternity, Stephen Spielberg, no less, has made the media luvvies sit up and take notice by stepping down from his role as artistic adviser to the Beijing Olympics opening and closing ceremonies. Now that's something really worth getting worked up about.

Isn't it amazing how a bit of celebrity can raise the media image of an issue whilst the deaths of hundreds of thousands can't?

Yet still not a peep about the fact that Darfur lies right across what is probably the largest potential oilfield in Sudan. Is it me?

Sticks and.. well just sticks may warm my bones

Of late, and with some justification, anything involving 'bio' and 'fuel' seesm enough to get the Council excorcists out. So it's nice to stumble on something that seems a bit more enviROI+ in this regard.

FT.com - Green shoots from dead wood

At least, I'm hoping it is from the 'dead wood' aspect. But just looking at the money flying about... it's eye-watering!