CATEGORY - ORGANIC

Has to start somewhere..

ARTICLES

INFORMATION

Indy - The great organic myths rebutted - Still 'a view' mind

Indy - The great organic myths: Why organic foods are an indulgence the world can't afford - and another. At leasy we have baalnced argument! No clue still, mind.

BBC - Organic 'has no health benefits' - Frankly it surprised me. So the decisions are now on matters of taste (personal ROI) and environment (enviROI)? Sadly, the costs usually mitigate against this option in our household. Of course, we are talking 'research' and the inevitable to-ing and fro'ing that follows. So take with a pinch of (organic) salt.

Telegraph - Organic food has no added nutritional benefit, says Food Standards Agency

Just watched a 'discussion' on BBC news, with a classic twofer trading research and what was and was not included in the study. I suspect the only winners will be the media and not the cause of informed choice. Lumme, proving my point, it has now descended into a row about poison levels and how it gets defined.

Indy - NEW - Letters - More reasoned counters

Guardian - NEW - Organic food: the natural choice - Ditto - We try to buy local more than organic, but often cost is a counter-factor. I rather fear that, in our modern world, the word 'natural' has little practical meaning. 'We' as a race have surely over-run any 'natural' systems of checks and balances buy now.

QUOTE OF THE DAY - Weasels 'R Them

In my new guise as an 'entrepreneur' (not quite right: that's a guy with an idea that has made money), I keep slamming into new and ever more painful business realities.

One is that the words 'fixed price' don't actually need to mean what you are told is how what you are expected to pay works out.

Especially with some lawyers (though I have met a few goods ones, if not enough to balance out the blood-sucking, firstborn-taking, ethical black holes that are most).

Which is why I turn to Dilbert. Not for restitution, for even he knows this is not possible, but simply for empathy.

Ch 7. Negotiating Like a Weasel

When you are planning to buy anything expensive, you probably call around to compare prices. Companies have wised up to that strategy and counter it with the weasel tactic known as the accidental misquote...

He goes on:

Why are there no accidental misquotes in the too high direction?

Green tech I can get behind

Thermal images make a home's heat loss easy to plug

Like it.

As opposed to blowing bazillions on 'campaigns' or 'officers' to raise 'awareness' on intangibles.

Use the dosh on stuff like this and promoting it sensibly.

I can't think of a home-owner who couldn't see the merits, the benefits and engage.

You might even find few boxes actually get ticked and targets get met that may mean something.

Facts are sacred. Use them with care.

I have highlighted a few polls, etc, today.

And not in a good way.

But here's some stuff that looks well worth treating wiv' respect.

Interesting uses of the Data Store

Data, Gosh-darned data, and 'it's how you ask' data

I share it, but would have no clue how to answer the question, if asked:

Which countries believe in climate change?

To be fair, drilling down the questions are more specific. Then we get to methodology.

Good hacks from hacks

Hack the environment

Well, I found it interesting.

What's (possibly) wrong with this picture?

From a train travel article in the Guardian.

Answers on a postcard.

QUOTE OF THE DAY 2 - Silly season

Does divorce cause global warming?

Of course, I then read on.

QUOTE OF THE DAY - Smart for whom?

Smart meters in every home will cost each household more than £300

"We don't see how the Government can justify asking consumers to pay for something that will save energy companies hundreds of millions a year, while the average household will make only minimal savings."

I don't think this mob 'do' justifying to the public.

And I can think of a few things I could direct that dosh to that might help the planet more.

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

This struck a chord

I just like the idea of making things.

How To Make A Rain Barrel (DIY Video)

Especially when they go on to save others.

Some useful links, too.

IDEA - Composter

I have not been 'down the shed' for a while. Pity. That's where I do my best... er... better work.

But I thought this was an idea en route to the shed worth sharing.

Well, Barnes Wallis may have liked it.

POOH CORNER - Flushed with inspiration

Over at My Zero Waste: How to reuse your toilet

So, there are reuses for the hardware as well as the ...ahem.. software.

Funnily enough, in her post Rae mentions washing machine drums, and I have a new idea coming up on these soon. Watch this (well, Junkk.com's) space.

Well...

I must take this opportunity to blog on the trails and tribulations of making changes to a system that seems more finely tuned and jittery than an Arab stallion on speed driving a 60's Ferrari.

For a start, when we uploaded the new upgrades, it all also got moved to a new server, and that's just where the 'fun' started, and looks like it continues.

Because for a magic period the system seems to have posted to an ancient test page which, ironically, uploaded in a heartbeat. And then buried itself in the cache of some who logged on while it was up.

However, in sorting that out, it looks like we are currently bouncing off Mars via Uranus, and if the site loads at all , it is coming by man with cleft stick being towed by a three-legged tortoise.

Not. A. Good. Day!

Playing Chicken Little

Today there was a classic example of how rushing out notions in support of your beliefs can end up doing more harm than good.

It cannot have escaped most folks' notice that of late, the weather has been less than clement. As I write a cold drizzle decorates my window. I can only imagine how those in the campsite opposite are feeling.

And this has been picked up by the 'news'. So we have the odd spectacle of the BBC reporting crew exchanging barbed commentary with the weather guys. 'How did you get it so wrong', was about the most polite interrogation.

To which, reasonably, the reply was that such things were almost impossible to predict.

Trouble is, a lot of folk seem to make a lot of noise based on predictions. And this summer was going to be long, hot, and non-stop BBQ. It may yet get there, and I am hoping for something nicer for our camping trip in a few weeks' time. It's hard to keep kids entertained under wet canvas for long.

But for now, there is quite a lot of egg on faces, and I rather fear more sober cautions on climate will get rather swamped by overly enthusiastic folk - using what they think will 'prove' their case - getting a bit of a hammering from those equally keen to 'prove' the exact opposite.

Frankly, from floods to heatwaves to hurricanes to even melting Greenland glaciers (some have used a piece on this to enquire as to how this country acquired its name, pre-Humvee), I think those advocating caution, moderation and even reduction might be better tasked looking at ways to motivate other than 'the sky is falling'. Especially when they put quantitative data on it all which proves unsound.

Telegraph - NEW - Start with the Met Office, Dave - It seems others have noticed, and views

BBC - NEW - Met Office cools summer forecast - Ten ways to beat the heat

Indy - NEW - The Big Question: Why did the Met Office get it so wrong?

Guardian - NEW - Rain puts dampers on 'barbecue summer' - the inevitable exchanges have rather made my point

QUOTE OF THE DAY - Keep taking the blue pills

Worth sharing: Human activity is driving Earth's 'sixth great extinction event'

If only for this quote post which at the time I thought was curiously sympathetic to the 'baddies' in the Matrix:

"I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You're a plague and we are the cure".

Agent Smith

(worth also checking out Titan AE to feel the Drej might have had a point):

New bins for old

In November, my area swaps recycling systems.

Out goes the RE:box, a two-container system that I helped name, design and market, and in comes the now ubiquitous green wheelie.

I have mixed feelings on this. So, following an invitation in the local paper, I trooped off t'other day 'to get all my questions answered'.

Well, I got a leaflet (Polish and Portuguese also available) and a free pencil, so it was not a complete waste, but sadly the questions I had (about recyclcate quality at the MRF (materials Reclamation Facility), etc) were not on the list. Nor what these 'new products' might be.

Still, I did learn a few things.

By virtue of having a house on the street, I may not be issued with one. I think I will manage by virtue of having off road space, but the issue is me getting it out for collection without blocking the footpath. Even a few minutes if I get up and get it out early might be a hazard.

So that's pretty much our whole road out, then. Strikes me as already a step backwards as the alternative is to lob out black binliners.

I am also 'required' to rinse and clean everything... apparently. No bin liners in the wheelie means that in the two hot weeks of summer between collections... 'I would want to anyway'. Hmnnn. Oddly, we get to retain our bin liners for 'other waste'.

There's also a leaflet on what they will take and what they won't. I could not get much feedback on what steps would be taken in the event of incorrect placement, either by self or 3d parties. Hmnnn 2.

What is good is they will now take plastics, but again we are in label territory. The lady said 'if it's a bottle we'll take it'. Not sure she, or consumers, will be getting their heads round this one any time soon. They also don't want biodegradables. Good luck with that.

We'll see. But even after what I am sure will be an inevitably troubled settling in period, I remain to be convinced that this has been thought through.

And as one who helped deliver them, I wonder what will become of 20,000 heavy duty blue plastic RE:tie containers after just a few years. Landfill?

Descendants of King Tut?

Or should that be 'tat'?

I am naturally drawn to any piece that mentions 'junk', even if in less than glowing terms.

Like the Pharaohs, we’re getting buried by our own possessions

However, in my case, several years' worth of old packaging secreted around house, garden and shed might stretch to qualify as 'possessions'.

My name is URL... and Mud

You know that bowl of petunias in the HitchHiker's Guide?

'Oh, no; not again'

Last week the upgrades to the site went live. Tested every which way and looking well spiffy.

However, behind the scenes, there were 'consequences' brewing.

Because along with the change there was a change of server and, it turns out, that meant links elsewhere got lost.

So I noticed that Junkk.com was no longer getting emails.

However, in solving that, it then seems that the site was linking to an ancient incarnation held in the cache.

And now, in solving that in turn, I now no longer have access to the back end admin. There is something about a scrolling page headed 'Error Code...' that can really spoil a day.

Just needs sharing

Building a windmill in Africa from scrap

No reason why one can't do it here too.

Well, there's planning, of course.

Then there's 'elfinsaftee...

But Afrigadget is a find:)

Ponderings

Don't recall signing up, but I thought this that just came in was interesting:

WHY WE STILL DON’T BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE

What I liked was the relatively measured way it was argued.

Having shared it, I'll still keep quiet on the bits I agreed with, and, possibly, do not.