Ancient technique helps with modern problem

It looks like our forebears knew a thing or two that we seem to have forgotten in modern times.

" Scientists have revealed that an ancient plowing technique can be successfully employed in the fight against global warming and climate change. Burying charred plants into the soil during plowing season virtually stores them indefinitely, while at the same time provides cultures with an abundant source of fertilizers that can maximize production."

The technique buries biochar into the ground, trapping carbon dioxide in the soil for potentially thousands of years; sort of an ancient form of carbon sequestration.

Full story from SoftPediaNews.

My one question is - how much CO2 is released as stuff is partly burnt to produce the biochar?

Support your local (second use) artists

Modern art, not rubbish

Whilst beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and 'awareness' always de rigueur, one can find it in art that also serves a function..

It also tends to send out a more second-useful message on reuse, too.

Built-in obsolescence - the irony years?

General Motors and Chrysler could save the industry with unreliable cars

My Volvo is ten years old and so long as I don't wrap it round a tree and keep up the regular maintenance see no reason for it not to do ten more.

The leather seats have coped with all twins (reason for buying) could throw at them, and aside from a few dings the bodywork has no sign (yet) of the first bubbles of rust that heralded the end of my previous cars.

The only issue is the mpg. So I'm looking at an LPG conversion.

So I'd like to thank the car industry for at last making them to last, though I am sorry how it seems to be working out for them now.

Here's hoping there is not a business lesson being learned (and not in a good way) that may come back to haunt the consumer... and planet... in time to come.

Messengers, messages and media

Green solutions to recession
The environment is more important than ever and its campaigners must ditch those fancy buzzwords

Couldn't agree more with most of the sentiments expressed (by author and posters).

But when dealing with a public whose plate is already quite full, and not that attractive, I'd also advocate (even though in many cases it may not be easy, if indeed possible) less bathing in guilt, scare, threat and nanny, especially from comfortably funded, well-travelled pedestals. Hence quoting the positive, proactive ideas such as the insulation aspect of the Green New Deal is more than welcome.

So long as it's appreciated that a wee bit of pragmatic honesty might also not go amiss, either.

Tough times can indeed require tough talk and maybe tougher solutions, but let's remember that not all that is green can or should be viewed only in black and white, and while much that is green is good, there are many areas where a degree of caution may still serve communications, establishment of trust with the public/consumer, and our kids' futures just as well as a more typical default 'ban this/build that' demand.

Very often the enviROI can be tricky one to assess. But when it's proven - without 'twiddly bits' (subsidies, idealised deliverables, impossible maintenance commitments, wistful international cooperations, etc) included or avoided to 'help' make things seem more attractive, but with clear advantages to planet and (hopefully, in time) pocket clearly spelled out - the sell to the individual facing everything from pay cuts to cost of living hikes might not be so tricky.

Or... keep on with what most have been doing 'til now. I'm sure it can be argued that it's all been good stuff, but I'm not sure that to date many are yet buying what's been tried so far. So maybe a change could indeed be in order. It might still take an impressive shift in mindset in some quarters, though.

"Any GM crops in this?"

"No sir, we don't use GM food sources at all in any of our products!"

Under breath, so as not to be heard - "we only use radiation modified crops".

Now I'd heard about radiation modification, but didn't realise just how widespread and what big business it had become. It seems that the use of mutagens can accelerate natural selection processes dramatically. And many of us have almost certainly being eating radiation modified foodstuffs for quite a while.

Some 30% of the Mekong Delta's one million hectares of rice-growing area is planted with VND95-20, a radiation modified species, which is resistant to saline conditions.

Despite some of the rather worrying terminology used (mutants, induced mutation, Gamma rays!) this technology has been around for donkey's years and yet seems to have eluded the radar of the world's NIMBYs.

Full story from IrinNews - very interesting stuff - looks like it could certainly help in a world with far too many mouths to feed.

CATEGORY - XMAS Fare

Christmas is coming, the geese (well everyone making a green buck) are going to get fat...

I have decided to kick off a festive thread with things that pass my way that can spread the cheer... and lighten the load:

General Tips

Gaurdian - A-Z of tips for a green Christmas

Cards

Send an e-card this Christmas with Envirowise - not reviewed as yet

Campaign aims to recycle 100m Christmas cards - still unsure what's wrong with the weekly kerbside recycle bin. But hey-ho, let's pop off to the supermarket then!

Gift tags - I'm doing/have done a separate blog on this to attempt to address the various other eco considerations. So this is just a home DIY link that does still use power, ink and paper.

Gifts

Guardian - Avoiding unsustainable Christmas gifts - nice in theory. Do they have kids? Kids who do not watch TV? Who do not have friends? But some nice ideas as you 'de-tune'. I must say the poster who suggested they don't use the same paper to flog coffee makers that use individual plastic pots has a point.

Guardian - Should I send a cow this Christmas?

Lights

Guardian - Low-carbon Christmas lights

Online

Recycling website offers free Christmas presents - No URL, but I'm sure it's track-downable

Trees

Recycle your Christmas tree - our falsie has done us 15 years and counting, mind

Guardian - NEW - Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree

As always, if you'd like to share, let me know and I'll add 'em here too.

Ho, ho, ho.

Cars of the future?

An interesting look at vehicles of the future, from CNN.

Hmmmm. I didn't realise that Toyota was losing money on each Prius sold.

Rain stopped play, ironically?

Will you join London's climate march?

Mixed feelings on this one. No, I won't be there, as it's in London. But if any readers are around... I have shared.

Also she rather raises a key point. Versus X-Factor, Strictly Come Dancing and the financial crisis, is calling all to a march, whilst very people power, democratic and all, really going to motivate the masses?

Maybe effort might be better spent emulating these despised icons of modern day life and finding something like them that does get more people to care and enough to join together in making a difference? I also have a slight 'thing' about being 'against' climate change, which really is a rather sloppy rallying call. The climate changes. What is a possible problem is the way 'we' are not helping it do so, in severity and frequency. Such muddled articulations can compromise a lot of goodwill and start pushing into agenda-driven activist territory.

Kinda cute that a poster needs to help a dedicated environmental beat journalist with making more of the whole where and when thing. Almost like she lives in her own little bubble with all her green mates, eh?

Considerations

Commercial schools

Small businesses do face very tough times (letters, 1 December). I am not the owner of a small business but a former teacher, and I strongly object to the large banners hanging on the walls or railings of innumerable junior schools, announcing that the school is collecting vouchers for one supermarket chain or another. Schools are demeaning themselves by allowing themselves to be used as advertising hoardings, and schools should not disadvantage parents who are the owners of small businesses, by giving the impression that supermarkets are the obvious place to shop.

Or, should I say... dilemmas.

Having just, with our Voucher Tree efforts, been complicit in such an effort, This has given me cause to ponder.

I must say that, when we were doing the publicity, we considered using just such a poster on a railing to highlight our collection efforts, and everyone agreed that they did not deserve the publicity. Interesting that such a 'poster site' would usually be subject to a lot of planning, and even more money if not 'in a good cause'. It seems I am not the only one who can be cynical.

Corked

A small piece on BBC Breakfast which typifies why I feel the whole sorry news, and especially science & tech.. er... environment* aspects are now less than worthless.

It was on.. corks.

In the (lightly nutty with a hint of spice) red corner we have a luvvie oenophile, for whom no bottle should cost less than £100 and be 'tainted'.

In the green corner, we have some bloke on about some bit of fauna being eradicated if the cork tree orchards are converted to other uses.

Now, I will leave out the majority of the 'debate', and my feelings on the matter, because my concern was with the conduct of the moderators.

Even when the two 'experts' were accusing each other of being plain wrong and/or being strangers to the truth, the response was 'oh, well, we're running out of time, you two sort it out later'.

No.... I was trying to arrive at a view and was left with an unresolved petty spat. This is supposed to be a news programme; not Jerry Springer.

* (there's been a name change, apparently. Why? While there are cross-overs they are distinct topics)

Greenhouse gas update

All this greenhouse gas argument; is it all a load of hot air?

Well, not according to this from NatureNews, which indicates that levels of greenhouse gases are continuing to rise, and are doing so in line with the IPCC's oft maligned forecasts.

And from the same source, an article on how Methane is released from areas of tundra even after the start of the winter re-freeze.

OK, we simply do not know what the future impacts might be, but does anyone else, like me, find such facts and figures rather disturbing?

Yet another species extinction....

....appears to have occurred. This time the Australian white lemuroid possum. Full story from the Telegraph.

Now (as I sit and freeze in my under-insulated office, with snow lying on the ground outside and a minimum of -4.5C last night) whether you believe in anthropogenic caused [or enhanced] global warming or not, it is clear that something is happening to our little lump of rock, and it don't seem to be too good.

Zero-carbon homes

These don't appear to be doing too well at the moment according to this from EDIE.

Just 15 new homes that meet the Gov's definition of zero-carbon have been built in the last 12 months, despite the backing of £15 Million of taxpayers money.

Hmmm, perhaps they need to think about redefining just what zero-carbon actually means?

Meanwhile, there are those (see this piece from AlterNet.org) who think that total decarbonisation is the only possible way forward. Sounds rather overtly radical to me, but what do I know?

Surprised?

At what?

That the EU has backed down on the CO2 emission targets for new vehicles.

Well, I, for one, am not at all. It just shows what power big automotive industries still have over our Pols, elected or otherwise.

• CO2 goals relaxed
• Car makers now have until 2015 to hit 130g/km
• Niche car makers such as Jaguar Land Rover exempt

Full story from What Car.

One man's myth...

Worth sharing... but I suggest with cranked eyebrows cocked if necessary.

The 10 big energy myths

Especially as there is a book available.

Some are well worth noting. But, as with all things, just becuase there are clear cases of a good enviROI, it does not mean one does not challenge all others to prove themselves first.

Fancy being one of the 3,000?

UK set to trial 'smart fridges' - 3,000 refrigerators, which adapt their power use to the ebb and flow of demand, are to be given away

Me too.

Thing is, there doesn't seem to be any mention of how 'we' apply.

Maybe it's 'in-house'... as in the houses of those sharing the burden along with 'us'?

We have a smart freezer already. It accumulates food way past safety dates, then frosts up and leaves the door ajar so it all spoils and we throw it away.

I can see tough. But why tougher than anyone else?

A first test for the other Miliband

Not sure that the rest of the piece's optimism is justified.

Logic Free?

Or, at least consistency.

As domestic sales are trying to be boosted, and with an in theory commitment to the environment, I am unsure as to why the government and BBC is promoting flying overseas to buy iPods and bring back 16 litres of extra weight, duty free, in a plane.

Indy - Duty-free allowances double, thanks to Brown

Newsnight -

I'm still getting to grips with the logic of trumpeting encouragement to fly overseas to bring back an extra 16 kilos as an assist to economy and environment....

"Bing bong! We will shortly be bringing around the Duty Free bowser. Please have your credit cards ready. An additional irony-free amount may be deducted for lugging all this extra on board to satisfy newly-created demand, and then pad a few carbon credit schemes concocted between Brussels, Westminster and the City. Thank yew! Bing bong"

It must all add up somewhere.

I was an engineer once. Then I became an ad man (sadly no qualifications that get you in or on TV news commenting on 'stuff' in any form).

But I do have an ability to be inspired by substance, and also sniff out when the smoke and mirrors are being deployed (and not to focus the power of illumination).

At the moment... erring on the latter.

My poor kids.

Gaurdian - End of the party
This a brave, bold step and Gordon Brown is to be congratulated for taking it

Well, some might still see it that way.

Much like this glowing report, from another Friend of Gordon:

Duty-free allowances double, thanks to Brown

Now, remind me. How does flying to another country, buying their stuff and lugging an extra 16 kilos back here help our economy and the planet?

Oh Lor, summit all up

Faiths in climate change summit

I guess they have to meet somewhere to discuss and ...er..act (They aim to set a manifesto to encourage..). But really, I'd love to know the carbon consequence of all these 'summits'.

I wonder if Aunty has sent a team, too?

Thinking of boxes... another way

It's been a dodgy week at the end of a dodgy month. Time for some levity.

'Thinking outside the box' is most despised business jargon

Of course, some us spend more time thinking about the box.

Pushing the envelope is evil