The world’s largest offshore wind farm is to be built off the coast of south-east England.
The wind farm, 12 miles off Kent and Essex, will occupy an area of 90 square miles between Margate and Clacton.
London Array, the consortium behind the £1.5 billion project, says the wind farm will avoid emissions of up to 1.9 million tones of carbon dioxide every year and could make up to 10% of the UK Government’s 2010 renewables targets. Continue Reading »
Last year went to a talk on greener giving. One new thing I learned was that we need to be very careful buying cut flowers. Many are cultivated in places like Kenya and these industries compete with local people and animals for water and scarce resources. Also health and safety and worker protection are poor. Buying from Animal Aid and Dr. Hadwen Trust etc. not only provides ethical purchasing but also helps animals and alternative testing.
Links:
Animal Aid online shop
Dr Hadwen Trust online shop
Editors note: UK company ‘Wiggly Wigglers’ sells bouquets that are hand-picked each day from their own gardens and the local area. As Ann has said, most cut flowers come to the UK via Holland, often from far-away places which isn’t very environmentally friendly. If you really want to buy flowers, try Wiggly Wigglers.
“A mile of new motorway costs £30m - more than twice that with private finance - and causes increased traffic and greenhouse gas emissions. Yet Labour is set on a monster road building programme.”
Guardian article: Roads to ruin
Petition on PM’s Web site
AirportWatch are running a Rethink! campaign, calling for the UK Department for Transport (DfT) to rethink its Aviation White Paper, which planned for massive expansion of aviation. More than 4000 people have emailed the Transport Minister, currentlyDouglas Alexander, through the Rethink! website (http://www.rethink.airportwatch.org.uk/sletter.php) .
The DfT is planning to publish its Progress Report on the White Paper on Thu 14 Dec.
I just came across an audio/visual presentation on the BBC website about foraging for wild food. Whilst not detailed, it gives a nice overview:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5339440.stm
From the FAO (Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations)
Remedies urgently needed
29 November 2006, Rome - Which causes more greenhouse gas emissions, rearing cattle or driving cars?
Surprise!
According to a new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.
Says Henning Steinfeld, Chief of FAO’s Livestock Information and Policy Branch and senior author of the report: “Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems. Urgent action is required to remedy the situation.”
With increased prosperity, people are consuming more meat and dairy products every year. Global meat production is projected to more than double from 229 million tonnes in 1999/2001 to 465 million tonnes in 2050, while milk output is set to climb from 580 to 1043 million tonnes. Continue Reading »
Of course, there is an alternative… ‘Don’t fly unless it is absolutely necessary’ (unless you are a bird, in which case, carry on as normal!)
A £34m investment aimed at developing greener aircraft has been confirmed for the Airbus factory in Flintshire.
The UK government will provide £17m towards the Integrated Wing programme at the plant in Broughton.
Trade and Industry secretary Alistair Darling, First Minister Rhodri Morgan and the chief executive of Airbus Louis Gallois are visiting the plant.
Mr Darling said the research project meant Britain was “leading the drive for greener aerospace technology”.
The factory employs about 7,000 people making wings, including for the world’s largest airliner, the A380.
Mr Darling explained why the UK government was backing the project, calling British excellence in aerospace design, development and delivery “world renowned”.
Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/6166897.stm
Vast tracts of rainforest in Brazil are to get a new protected status.
The segments of land in the northern Para state together cover 16.4 million hectares (63,320 sq miles), an area of land that is bigger than England.
Thousands of wildlife species inhabit the pristine forest, including jaguars, anteaters and colourful macaws.
Campaigners say the decision made by Para Governor Simao Jatene is one of the most important conservation initiatives of recent years.
It will protect the land from the unsustainable logging and agriculture practices that have blighted many parts of the Amazon. Continue Reading »
The mainstream news is reporting that the UK Government, through Environment Secretary David Milliband, are considering personal carbon rationing. The BBC story reports “An annual allowance would be allocated, with [a carbon credit] card being swiped on various items such as travel, energy or food. … people who used less than their allowance could sell any surplus to those who wanted more.”
This kind of carbon rationing scheme was set out in detail by Mayer Hillman in his 2004 book How to Save the Planet - he calls carbon rationing ‘a gift horse’ which will improve our quality of life. The Green Party was the first to adopt carbon rationing as official policy (under the title ‘tradable quotas’). But the Green Party has signed up to the Contract and Converge framework - personal carbon quotas are just one possible element in putting C&C into practice.
Do our elected representatives have the political will to bring in effective climate change emissions controls? (Can they acknowledge past mistakes, and give credit where due?)
I was alerted of this article via an email list. It’s interesting and worrying that the money makers and selfish accumulators in the world are now looking at the possibilities of making serious money from fresh-water supply - not out of the goodness of their hearts, but from the lining it will put in their pockets…
Original article on MSN Money.
Fresh water’s getting scarce, and it has no substitutes. For investors in companies that can supply our increasingly thirsty planet, that spells opportunity. Continue Reading »