Not that it was unexpected but I am truly gobsmacked that the government has given the go ahead for the third runway at Heathrow! When will the government grow a pair and show some leadership on the issue of the environment in general and Climate Change in particular.
I fail to see how this move fits in with the Government's own target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 when the expansion will generate 2.6m more tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and raise the annual number of flights from 480,000 to 702,000. Aviation accounts for nearly 6% of all C02 emissions in the UK and it could, according to the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, endanger the 80% target if it is allowed to grow unchecked. We cannot justify this!
Yet another example of the Fat Cats and Multinationals having more sway with Government than the man on the street!
Amidst this it is heartening to see some people taking some real action - Greenpeace, along with Emma Thompson, Alistair McGowan and Zac Goldsmith have bought a piece of land slap bang in the middle of the proposed site of the expansion aiming to attempt to hold things up. http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/climate/airplot/about-airplot
Showing posts with label Climate change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Climate change. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Sunday, 28 December 2008
The pressure is on!!
Went and bought a pressure cooker yesterday!! I had been planning this for a while and had been doing online research but the crunch came when it was time to make the annual stock from the turkey carcass. Suddenly the thought of boiling away for 4 hours seemed a silly idea when it would take a fraction of the time in a pressure cooker. Add to that the fact that our house does not like condensation at all (a wall was blistering on Christmas day despite having windows open and the dehumidifier on!) So an emergency trip to Argos later and one new pressure cooker was mine. A quick read of the instructions and hey presto the carcass was in and 1 hour later perfect stock resulted! The wife was/is a bit dubious re the new cooker - scared it will explode but having seen the stock and now boiled spuds in it today is coming around to it!
So why bother? For me it is all about reducing further our fossil fuel reliance - using the Pressure cooker reduces cooking times by about 2/3 so that is an amazing reduction in gas usage also and so less CO2 production. That can only be a good thing! And in an age of increasing fuel bills hopefully the savings will pay back the outlay on the pressure cooker pretty soon(ish!)
It's funny -having read lots over the last few years about reducing your carbon footprint I have no recollection of anyone recommending using a pressure cooker - but I think they are the way forwards. Many folks see them as a thing granny used to use - but that's not a good reason for not using them - we so often disparage traditional things but our ancestors knew a thing or two we need to get to grips with!! And modern pressure cookers are much safer than the ones granny used!! So get out and get one!!
So why bother? For me it is all about reducing further our fossil fuel reliance - using the Pressure cooker reduces cooking times by about 2/3 so that is an amazing reduction in gas usage also and so less CO2 production. That can only be a good thing! And in an age of increasing fuel bills hopefully the savings will pay back the outlay on the pressure cooker pretty soon(ish!)
It's funny -having read lots over the last few years about reducing your carbon footprint I have no recollection of anyone recommending using a pressure cooker - but I think they are the way forwards. Many folks see them as a thing granny used to use - but that's not a good reason for not using them - we so often disparage traditional things but our ancestors knew a thing or two we need to get to grips with!! And modern pressure cookers are much safer than the ones granny used!! So get out and get one!!
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Too little too late?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/09/poznan-copenhagen-global-warming-targets-climate-change
It seems that the science on climate change is moving fast and last years reports are already out of date - it may be that we are committed to run away climate change as we have debated and delayed too long!
I am sad - sad that my generation didn't do enough and yet we have a government who jump fast to save the banking sector and now it would seem the motor vehicle sector too but dillydallyed over climate change until it was too late. I am sad that my kids will grow up into a hugely different world and life will be harder, possibly much harder than when I grew up.
But, depressed and pessimistic as I feel I will keep on going in making my lifestyle as green as I can and in campaigning and educating - why? In 30 years time if and when my kids ask me if I did anything to help I want to say yes, I did my part, I tried!
It seems that the science on climate change is moving fast and last years reports are already out of date - it may be that we are committed to run away climate change as we have debated and delayed too long!
I am sad - sad that my generation didn't do enough and yet we have a government who jump fast to save the banking sector and now it would seem the motor vehicle sector too but dillydallyed over climate change until it was too late. I am sad that my kids will grow up into a hugely different world and life will be harder, possibly much harder than when I grew up.
But, depressed and pessimistic as I feel I will keep on going in making my lifestyle as green as I can and in campaigning and educating - why? In 30 years time if and when my kids ask me if I did anything to help I want to say yes, I did my part, I tried!
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