Energy

NI Environment Minister Blocks Ad

2009-02-10T09:00:00.000Z

The Northern Ireland Minister for the Environment Sammy Wilson has blocked proposals for an Act On CO2 advertising campaign in Northern Ireland which urges people to reduce their energy consumption and their CO2 emissions, citing them as "insidious propaganda campaign".

Mr Wilson said he had written to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to say that the advertising campaign Act on CO2 "was not welcome". He explained that he did not believe in its message that "man-made greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of climate change" and that the campaign was contrary to his personal views. A belief which he greater explains on his personal website. This is not the first time a DUP member has had their personal beliefs subject their position in office to being fit for purpose. Further more in objecting to the advertisements it is against government, party and public lines, and detracts from the ultimate objective in reducing not only carbon emissions, but emissions of other harmful toxic chemicals. Which surely his tenure should consider a positive benefit to the environment. In addition, by creating his own separate approach and campaign, it also creates a different attitude in different areas of the United Kingdom which does nothing to support the view "together we can make a difference".

He continued on, "I do not wish for climate change messages to be promoted by other Whitehall departments here". This seems unintuitive as the advertising message was not promoted as affecting climate change, it also detracts from a centralised message and does nothing to promote the national campaign identity, the Act On CO2 brand.

In December 2008, he told the Belfast Telegraph while people in the western world were facing spiralling fuel bills as a result of efforts to cut CO2. Which is simply not true, the price of fuel bills are set in accordance with the demand and supply for that fuel. Efforts to cut CO2 other than direct Carbon Credits and ROC on energy generators and suppliers, would not increase this cost. There is also the positive benefits in investing into these technologies such as improved enviornmental conditions, positive health benefits and the other one he does seemed to have grasped is the financial benefits.

"He is a climate change sceptic. We have got to take all measures we can to reduce our carbon footprint. Mr Wilson does not agree with that. This is totally incompatible with him being minister for the environment."
Brian Wilson, Green Party

I would call on the DECC, EST and Carbon Trust, acting under the Act On CO2 brand to overrule or catagorically ignore the request the postcode blackout insisted by Sammy Wilson and publish the adverts, as denying the right to promote their campagin and views is clearly an authoritarian dictator style stance which simple does not allow a free choice. I believe the adverts would be welcomed by the majority of people in Northern Ireland. We should not be subject to the views of one because they believe they are correct and because it is contrary to his personal views. Next week will we see the minister marching Noel WIlliams, Head of EST in Northern Ireland out of his office because the view of his organisation isn't in keeping with the his personal views.

Failing to do so, I would be willing to partly fund or fully fund a 48 sheet ad of said ad in central Belfast, to make a stance on this issue, simply because my ramblings aren't enough.

"It's bad enough that we have an environment minister who doesn't accept that human activity is driving climate change, but trying to block advice to people on how they can help tackle it is completely irresponsible. The reality is that the overwhelming majority of climate scientists believe that our activities are causing global warming and that urgent action is needed to tackle it."
Friends of the Earth, Director for Northern Ireland, John Woods

DECC say their commitment to this campaign was guided by the "best science, the most up-to-date information and the evidence... the only way we can tackle it is by working together". Surely this is the reason that the DECC should simply publish. It's easier to get forgiveness than consent. Lord Stern of Brentford made headlines in 2006 with a report that said countries needed to spend 1% of their GDP to stop greenhouse gases rising to dangerous levels, now increased to 2%. Failure to do this would lead to damage costing much more, the report warned - at least 5% and perhaps more than 20% of global GDP. Surely inaction which the minister seems to promote is a greater evil than the positive benefits of action.

Recycling Scheme Gets Recognition

2009-02-08T21:32:00.004Z

Environment Minister Sammy Wilson this week paid tribute to a Lisburn recycling project which is helping people on low incomes.

During a visit to the Voluntary Service Lisburn’s (VSL) facilities, the Minister saw at first hand how electrical goods and furniture were being recycled for the benefit of the local community.

Voluntary Service Lisburn was established in 1981 to help meet the needs of the disadvantaged, disabled and elderly in the local community. In addition to its furniture refurbishment and white goods recycling, VSL operates a substantial volunteer system, and carries out environmental and community projects.

Financial backing from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s (NIEA) Community Waste Innovation Fund has enabled the project to provide an important service which is recycling goods which would otherwise have gone to landfill and which are sold on to people on low incomes at low costs.

NIEA’s Community Waste Innovation Fund is providing support to VSL until 2009, for its electrical (white) goods recycling project.

VSL Interiors is located in Haslems Lane in the city, just off the main shopping district Bow Street, and is part of the Lisburn Square shopping centre. They collect unwanted domestic white goods such as cookers, washing machines, dryers and small electrical items and repairs and refurbishes them for sale at low cost to those on low incomes.

This project to date has reduced the household appliances going to landfill by 132 tonnes to date, and any that cannot be reused and sold on is recycled in accordance with the latest environmental protection legislation.

Whilst I am impressed with such a service existing and this is a model example of recycle, reduce and reuse. But in the case of appliances, should we be putting old electrical appliances in homes which are less energy efficient than that of new ones.

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My Smart Meter

2009-02-08T17:56:00.004Z

I recently wrote how Northern Ireland Electricity are carrying out a pilot scheme to install smart meters into customers homes in an effort to allow householders greater access to information which could reduce their energy consumption. Having now had my smart meter installed at the end of January I first accessed my account today, having allowed two weeks of energy use without the realisation of being watched, at least not by my family anyway.

The device installed automatically records the information on energy use and sends this daily via phone link to NIE each morning (ie Sunday's usage would be sent Monday at 03:00am). This information is then immediately available via a special website where you can view or export this information. You can view graphical charts, with monthly, daily or half hour readings, which can be viewed in kWh, kW, £ or CO2 emissions.

Other benefits include accurate bills taken from your bank account via direct debit each month on the specific energy used rather than estimated amounts. It allows you to see your attempts to reduced energy immediately rather than from your next quarterly bill; and of course paperless billing.

Canadian research over two-years suggests the overall reduction in consumption was 10%. Other studies have resulted in more conservative reductions of 7%. It will be interesting to see if we can achieve results on a similar scale, and if this will be increased through higher energy costs and economic uncertainty.

Other energy suppliers are also trialling smart meters and if you are interested in getting one installed you should contact your supplier to see if this is available, you can also purchase energy monitors with computer packages that can show you energy consumption real time such as the Wattson Energy Monitor.

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Greenish Undies

2009-02-08T12:20:00.004Z

Leading mens underwear brand C-IN2 has been offering greenish undies for a while now, not just in the colour green, much to my surprise. Who would have thought that you could buy underwear with a conscience that looks and feels so great, but are they truly green? Hence my use of ish with green.

They offer two lines of "eco-undies" in their collection from made from Bamboo and Seacell.

Rayon derived from bamboo is produced from regenerated cellulosic fibers. The Bamboo is broken down, then treated and made into rayon derived from Bamboo. The fabric has natural anti-bacterial functions.

Seacell fibers are manufactured from natural materials only. It is said that the natural elements found in Seacell such as Vitamins and Amino acids are passed on to the body when worn. Cotton is combined with seaweed to make the Seacell fiber.

However in each line cotton is used as a major fabric in the construction of the underwear. Whilst this is from US producers they do not say if this is organic, hence it most likely is not (they have yet to prove me wrong). Which is a shame, considering they have gone to the hassle of calling them "eco-friendly" on their site, but maybe sometime in the future we could see organic cotton in the collection.

Calvin Klein Underwear currently offer their Naturals range which offer 100% organic cotton underwear.

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How Much Energy Does GHD Hair Straighteners Use?

2009-02-04T22:36:00.003Z

Its been a while since we added products to our how much energy does section, and the first product of 2009 is for the fashionista's out there. GHD hair straighteners, are an item many can not live without, where ever they are in the world. Not only are they an essential, its a serious emergency should your bags get lost. But is this little gadget drawing enough energy to cause climate change?

Well we tested standard GHD straighteners (model ghd3) over a five minutes, the typical hair straightening time frame for medium length hair.

Initially, for the first minute of use from cold, the straighteners reached 300W, then as they warmed to temperature, this reduced to 120W, for the remainder of their use during the trial period they drew between 55W and 106W, with an average of approximately 79W.

Over the five minute period that the straighteners were used, they drew an average of 123W. This would equate to 1.6p an hour, or 0.13p per use. This equates to 56.7g of CO2 per hour use and 4.72g of CO2 per use (of five minutes).

But don't forget to switch them off or not only will they burn a hole in your work surface, maybe your pocket and the environment too.

For information on the electricity consumption of other products check out "How Much Electricity Does a ... Use?"

Please Note the energy use figures are taken from an energy monitor and are not scientifically analysed, therefore the range and margin of error is greater. If you would like a specific product tested let us know and we will endeavour to check it out.

Car Sharing Saves Cash

2009-02-04T13:36:00.004Z

Sharing a car with another motorist could save the average commuter £1,500 a year, Travelwise NI has claimed.

The government body, which encourages alternative forms of transport, said more drivers should consider using one of the 21 park-and-ride scheme across the province which are operated by Translink. This option again offers potential savings of £1,609 a year or more in some cases. Translink currently provide 2,000 free parking spaces, with a further 2,000 planned and in development.

"The car-sharers that we have would say they have somebody to talk to on their way to work, socialising. Or they can sleep on the way to work and let somebody else do the driving every other day or every other week."
Michael Lindsay, Car Share Co-ordinator, Travelwise NI

Calculate just how much you could save using the cost calculator on the LiftShare website.

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Support Comic Relief with 100% Organic Fairtrade Tees

2009-02-03T02:15:00.004Z

Stella McCartney has created the most fashionable charity t-shirt around for Red Nose Day 2009. Exclusively available from TK Maxx, the limited edition t-shirts feature iconic images of The Beatles and Morecambe & Wise.

Stella McCartney has come a long way since the launch of her very own label in 2001 with Gucci Group.

Today her name is on everything from luxury women's wear to organic skincare to the performance range she creates for Adidas and her flagship stores are a highlight of high streets around the world. As an ardent vegetarian, she's just as well known for not using leather or fur in any of her collections.

Stella's latest fashion feat is creating the first ever designer Red Nose Day t-shirt for this year's Comic Relief campaign.

The T-shirts have been wholly manufactured in Africa, and for the first time 100% of the cotton has been sourced from organic Fairtrade certified cotton co-operatives in Senegal. Which ensures gorgeous, pesticide and GM free cotton and a fair price for farmers in developing countries.

"It's a real honour to be involved in such a tremendous cause and be a part of the Red Nose Day campaign 2009. The designs of the t-shirts were inspired by iconic images of iconic people by iconic photographers and adding an element of humour to them. I wanted to focus on photographs where people are happy and create a charity t-shirt that would become a staple of a person's wardrobe."
Stella McCartney

Tees are available to buy online, with approximately £5 to £8 going to charity per adult tee.

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Picture: The Snow

2009-02-03T02:02:00.003Z

Severe snow storms, the worst for 18 years, across the UK this week have caused travel chaos.

Which Organisation Emits More CO2 Than 50 Countries?

2009-01-29T08:40:00.006Z

The National Health Service accounts for 3% of UK carbon emissions, which equates to about 18m tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the 50 lowest emitting countries in the World. Considered one of the largest employers in the world, with approximately 1.5m employees the NHS provides free healthcare for all in the UK, across thousands of locations.

Previously these buildings were built with a focus on cost, rather than a concentrating on their overall energy efficiency which over time would have made significant savings on energy consumption. Now they have been shown to be energy hogs - thanks to the introduction of Display Energy Certificates - along with other government buildings.

That was in the past and now the NHS through the NHS Sustainable Development Unit, have created the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy for England, which intends to reduce emissions directly and indirectly caused by the NHS by 26% by 2020, and 80% by 2050, inline with the target set by the UK government for the rest of the UK.

"Professionals working within and for the NHS are amongst the most trusted people in the country. The impact that climate change will have on the health of the people we serve makes standing and saying we are part of the fight against climate change a key component of the day job of the NHS."

Where the CO2 is Emitted?

Energy (22%)
Travel (18%)
Procurement (60%)

As part of the strategy the NHS Sustainable Development Unit has partnered with other organisations to drive the sustainability message with in the organisation. Partner organisations include, the Energy Saving Trust, Unison, Environment Agency, General Medical Council and Health Protection Agency.

Reasons the NHS is Acting?

The New Legally Binding Government Framework & National Targets
The Strength of Scientific Evidence to Act Now on Climate Change
The Health Co-Benefits for Patients and the Health System
The Importance of Cost Reduction
The Willingness of NHS Organisations and Staff to Act
The Need for the NHS to be a Leading Public Sector Exemplar

The NHS are not dragging their heels on the issue and they are certainly aware, the core responsiblity now is putting this plan into action. They can help enact change, but their toughest challenge will be implementing change on others, especially as procurement is such a major contributor to their overall CO2 emissions.

But they are already testing schemes across the UK which have made changes and successful pilot schemes are likely to form part of the plan. Ideas which have proven successful already include increasing use of sustainable, local and organic foods in the 300m meals provided annually by 1200 NHS hospitals. As previously stated in this blog, converting to organic milk over standard milk reduces the carbon footprint by two-thirds, and using alternative packaging can also reduce the waste.

Using and promoting towel nappies over disposable nappies in pilot schemes on maternity wards has also been proven to increase their use in the areas that these schemes exist.

By procuring in this way the carbon footprint of the NHS organisation has been reduced and it has also influenced the behaviour and carbon footprint of the parents who continue to use cloth nappies at home. The introduction of the Stork-eco nappy in to the Jane Crookall Maternity Unit at the Noble’s Hospital has effectively reduced the Unit’s disposable nappy waste for clinical incineration by 99.9% and their total clinical waste by 83% helping to make long-term financial and environmental savings.

Other Measures Being Introduced To Reduce Emissions

Review of Energy & Carbon Management
Development of More Renewable Energy
Reducing Waste at the Buying Stage
Working with Suppliers to Reduce their Carbon Footprint
Providing and Promoting Sustainable Foods
Systematic Review of Transportation for Staff, Patients and Visitors
Incentives for Low Carbon Transport
Promote Care Closer to Home
Removal of Bottled Water
Improve Efficiency in Water Use through Measuring and Recording Usage
Monitoring and Setting Targets for all Waste Streams in all Areas

We will keep tabs on the progress of the NHS over the next few years to let you know how they are doing and to highlight some of the schemes they are implementing to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Envoy for Climate Change

2009-01-29T08:17:00.002Z

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has chosen Todd Stern - who took part in the Kyoto Protocol negotiations on climate change from 1997 to 1999 - as her envoy for climate change, the state department said. Stern, who served under former President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001, will be the Obama administration's principal adviser on international climate policy and strategy as well as its chief climate negotiator.

After leaving the Government, Stern served as an Adjunct Lecturer at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, and as a Resident Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

"Containing climate change will require nothing less than transforming the global economy from a high-carbon to a low-carbon energy base. But done right, this can free us from our dependence on foreign oil and become a driver for economic growth in the 21st Century."
Todd Stern, US Envoy for Climate Change

Articles by Todd Stern

Capturing the Energy Opportunity: Creating a Low-Carbon Economy, November 27, 2007
A Changing Climate: The Road Ahead for the United States, November 26, 2007
A Missed Climate Opportunity, September 26, 2007
Create an E8: Global Warming Requires Global Leadership, June 1, 2007
Creating the E-8, June 1, 2007
Global Warming Goes to the Movies, May 28, 2004

House Pass Economic Package

2009-01-29T06:44:00.003Z

Following hot-on-the-heels of comments from Barack Obama that the US needed to become energy independent the US House has passed the proposed $819 billion economic package 244 votes to 188.

The bill would cut taxes for people and businesses by $275bn, while pumping more than $540bn into a range of initiatives including road and bridge repair, increased unemployment benefits, investment in new technology and renovations to 10,000 schools. But there is also an investment into some carbon reduction measures, including an $11bn cash injection to the creation of a Green Electricity Grid for the US to ensure that the promised doubling of renewable energy over the next three years, with the additional benefit of 460 000 jobs being created.

Measures in the bill to reduce foreign oil dependence include;

Reverse US dependence on foreign energy
Review of decision to block states from setting own emission targets
Orders the transportation department to come up with new short-term rules on how carmakers can improve fuel efficiency
Federal buildings to become more efficient
Double 'green' energy from wind, sun and biofuels over next three years

President Obama also ordered the transportation department to come up with new short-term rules on how carmakers can improve fuel efficiency. A 2007 law required that new cars and trucks produced by 2020 obtain 35 miles per gallon of fuel. However, then-President George W Bush did not put in place the regulations to enable the law to be carried out. The new rules Mr Obama wants to put in place would mean the new standard is reached by 2011. This introduction of a 40% improvement in energy efficiency would see a reduction in oil use of 2m barrels a day, almost equivalent to imports from the persian gulf.

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Picture: Polar Bears on the Thames

2009-01-27T00:59:00.000Z

A sculpture of polar bears floats down the Thames, past the Houses of Parliament, in London, as part of a promotion for natural history TV channel Eden and to remind MPs of global warming.

Keep Recycling!

2009-01-24T22:09:00.005Z

The public should continue recycling as prices for materials have begun to stabilise.

While the downturn in demand began in October, industry surveys conducted by WRAP and the Local Government Association, along with Environment Agency figures on applications to store recyclable materials, indicates prices are stabilising – although the market remains fragile.

WRAP surveyed 200 organisations, including local authorities, waste management companies, reprocessors and exporters, to determine market confidence and prices before Christmas. Although views were mixed, the overall sentiment was that markets are recovering, albeit not to previous price levels.

"Our market intelligence suggests prices for recovered materials are slowly stabilising and more materials are now moving through the export market. A cross cutting theme across all materials is that materials of varying quality are attracting lower prices because more effort and expense has to go into sorting and cleaning them to produce the equivalent of virgin raw material. The positive result of this is that quality material is more valuable. It is moving at good volumes and generally has less trouble finding end markets. The picture is of a fragile but stable market, in which materials are still moving. The overall picture from the survey is that people can still be confident in using the recycling service provided by their local authority, as the materials they put out are still being recycled. Local Authorities will continue to provide guidance to householders on which materials can be recycled in their area.”
Liz Goodwin, Chief Executive Officer, WRAP (Visit her blog)

A snapshot LGA survey, found 95% of local authority services are continuing as normal despite the fall in prices for recyclable materials. Only 5% of local authorities are having to store recyclable materials for any longer than usual.

“Local people deserve great credit for boosting this country’s recycling rates so dramatically in recent years. The economic downturn has presented challenges to local authorities, but the vast majority of recycling services have been completely unaffected. Councils know only too well that the alternative to recycling is to throw waste into landfill, which is damaging to the environment and expensive for the taxpayer. Local people should continue to recycle as much as possible.”
Cllr Paul Bettison, Chairman, LGA Environment Board

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Interest Free Loans For a Low Carbon Economy

2009-01-23T22:31:00.005Z

The government should offer loans to help homes reduce their energy bills and boost their home's efficiency, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).

According to the LGA, there are ten million homes that do not have adequate insulation, a fact which contributes to their carbon emissions and could keep them in fuel poverty. If all these homes were insulated fully the UK could reduce its carbon footprint by up to 12m tonnes, and shave over £1bil off our annual fuel bills.

In anticipation of the LGA's climate change conference next week, chief executive Paul Bettison called on the government to "give councils more powers to unlock the job-creating potential of the low-carbon economy" as they predict in the "Creating green jobs: developing low-carbon economies" publication that investment in this area could create 150 000 jobs in the current economic downturn.

"We want the government to introduce a national loans fund to allow residents to invest in solid-wall insulation – where they have an older home – and install other measures such as solar power."
Paul Bettison, Chief Executive, Local Government Association (LGA)

Last year Gordon Brown launched a plan to offer all homes free or low cost insulation. Grants are also available to households through the Low Carbon Building Phase I scheme.

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Commercial Operations Begin at Stetson Wind

2009-01-23T22:14:00.005Z

First Wind, an independent North American wind power company, today celebrated the achievement of commercial operations for its Stetson Wind project. Situated in Washington County, Maine, Stetson Wind will have the capacity to generate clean, wind energy to power about 23,500 New England homes per year.

At an event hosted by First Wind outside the town of Danforth, Governor John E. Baldacci spoke about the project and the environmental and economic benefits of wind power to the State of Maine.

“The Stetson Wind project continues Maine’s aggressive leadership in pursuing energy independence. We are capitalizing on the clean, renewable sources of energy that exist in our State, like wind, solar and tidal. By harnessing these sources of energy locally, we keep money in our State and we create jobs in our State, all while improving our environment and our national security.”
Governor John E. Baldacci

Stetson Wind, a 57 megawatt (MW) wind project, will surpass First Wind’s Mars Hill facility as the largest wind energy project in operation in the State of Maine and in New England. The project consists of 38 General Electric 1.5 MW wind turbines, and will have the capacity to generate approximately 167 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity every year. The project officially began generating power on a commercial basis and delivering it to the New England electrical grid today.

Construction on the project began in January 2008. The project created 350 development and construction jobs, and First Wind spent about $50 million with Maine-based businesses developing and building the project.

“Today, we are proud to mark the commencement of commercial operations of our Stetson Wind project. With nearly 100 MW of clean, wind energy being generated between Stetson Wind and our Mars Hill project, we’re making renewable wind power in Maine a reality and plan to continue our commitment to the state through a number of other projects already in development.”
Paul Gaynor, President and CEO of First Wind

First Wind plans to build additional projects in Maine, including a proposed 25.5 MW expansion at Stetson Wind, as well as the 60 MW Rollins Wind project near the town of Lincoln. First Wind has submitted permit applications with state agencies for both projects.

“This project represents another big step in Maine’s leadership in generating clean, renewable energy. Each wind power project built in Maine provides us with jobs and helps reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. In Maine, we’re not just talking about the need for clean energy, we’re doing it. The companies and subcontractors who have brought this project to completion are helping to create a new energy future not just for Maine, but for our nation."
Pete Didisheim, Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

Stetson Wind will provide both environmental and economic benefits to the surrounding region. A project of this type can be considered a success for the following reasons:

A traditional fossil fuel facility producing the same amount of electric energy that Stetson Wind will generate, would consume more than 331,000 barrels of oil per year or over 89,000 tons of coal per year.
Wind energy emits no greenhouse gases. Based on data recently published by the U.S. EPA’s Emissions and Generation Resource Integrated Database (E-GRID), traditional New England generation sources producing an equivalent annual amount of electric energy as Stetson Wind would emit greenhouse gases (GHG) consisting of nearly 76,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).
To put this in perspective, the amount of CO2 avoided is the equivalent to the annual emissions of over 13,000 cars or over 9,000 SUVs.
In addition, equivalent energy production from traditional sources would produce 190 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Both SO2 and NOx cause acid rain.
Through the development and construction of Stetson Wind, more than $50 million has been spent with Maine-based businesses and organizations.
In total, $4 million in tax payments will be made to local communities over the next 20 years.
First Wind hires local business services whenever possible, and employed more than 350 people during construction of Stetson Wind. In addition, 6 full time jobs have been created now that the project is in commercial operation.

British Gas Price Cut

2009-01-23T21:50:00.004Z

British Gas has said that more than seven million households will benefit when it cut its standard tariff gas prices by 10% on 19 February. The news will see a reduction of £84 from the average annual gas bill and comes after the "big six" energy companies were urged to pass on lower wholesale gas prices.

British Gas, which is part of the Centrica group and trades as Scottish Gas in Scotland, raised its gas prices by a record 35% in 2008, while other companies lifted prices by more than 20%.

"We are committed to providing the best possible prices for customers. This price cut will go some way to helping customers manage their budgets, and we will continue to do what we can, when we can."
Phil Bentley, Managing Director, British Gas

However, consumer watchdogs and Age Concern said that, unless there were further price cuts from all suppliers across all tariffs, "many of the poorest customers will continue struggle to pay their energy bills" and continue to remain in fuel poverty.

Energy price cuts are likely to be too little and too late to help consumers with this winter's fuel bills. More importantly, it is now looking highly unlikely that price cuts are going to wipe out last year's painful hike in household energy bills. One way to reduce your bills further is to reduce your consumption through energy efficient means.

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Downturn No Reason to Stop Climate Change Fight

2009-01-23T21:28:00.003Z

World leaders must not let the economic downturn get in the way of the fight against climate change, Tony Blair told an energy conference. The former prime minister stressed the importance of acting now and said that a new global agreement was necessary.

"It is now, right now, at the instant when our thoughts are centred on the economic challenge that we must not set to one side the challenge of global warming, but instead resolve to meet it and put the world on a path to sustainable growth for the future."
Tony Blair, Former British Prime Minister

Mr Blair, who said the downturn should not be seen as an obstacle but an opportunity to combat climate change, also set out the terms of a new global agreement. He said interim targets were needed, obligations had to be shared fairly and that people should be ready to make practical simple steps instead of just technological advances.

Energy efficiency, he said could account for a quarter of the reductions necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change. The energy efficiency of existing houses has been highlighted by the Committee on Climate change as something that needs to be improved.

Insulation, double glazing, microgeneration and water saving are among the measures that can help homes become more energy efficient.

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Picture: Protests at Power Cuts

2009-01-15T23:16:00.002Z

Nepalese workers protest against power cuts in Kathmandu - where the government-owned Nepal Electricity Authority blames low water levels at hydroelectric dams.

Boris Tests the Telsa

2009-01-15T22:58:00.004Z

London mayor Boris Johnson has test driven the Tesla Roadster, an all-electric sport car, as part of the Intelligence Squared Green Festival on Climate Change 2009, which runs from 25 January 2009 at the Royal Geographical Society, London.

Mr Johnson, a recent convert to the environmental cause, has said in the past that his next car will be an electric vehicle and made demands of the auto manufacturer.

He said: "What I really want is a people carrier."

The chance to drive the car, which overcomes the accusation that electric cars are boring with its Lotus-inspired design, was given to the mayor by the Intelligence Squared Green Festival.

Four visitors to the festival will also get a chance to hop in the vehicle.

Tesla motors recently introduced the Roadster Sport, which it claims accelerates from nought to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds compared to 3.9 seconds for the model Mr Johnson drove.

The mayor's green transport record has been questioned in the past after funding for bicycle lanes was reduced and he scrapped the western congestion charge zone.

Electric car manufacturer, Telsa, first produced their Roadster model, a historic car as the world’s first fully electric sports car with a Lotus-related design, running from 0 to 60 in less than four seconds, burning no oil and recharging its battery with a 13 amp plug. The car will go on the market in the UK in May 2009 priced at £92,000.

To be in with a chance to test drive the Tesla Roadster, enter the prize draw by booking a ticket.

Tickets for individual sessions cost £10.00 or £15.00 or you can buy a day pass for £50. Tickets for young people aged 18 and under are 75 per cent off, for students, 50 per cent off.

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2008 Fleet Hero Awards

Energy Efficiency Key in Tate Modern Extension

2009-01-15T22:26:00.004Z

In just eight years Tate Modern has changed London and revitalised the South Bank of the Thames.

Tate Modern has transformed a previously underdeveloped area of London and has helped give the city a new image as a leading centre of contemporary culture. It has become a key landmark for London, while its programme and architecture have won international acclaim.

Since 2000, more than 30 million people have visited Tate Modern – it was designed for 1.8 million visitors annually, but has reached an average of 4.6 million visitors over recent years. Understandably, there is huge pressure on public facilities; and more space is needed.

As well as displaying works of modern art, a proposed extension to the Tate Modern will also be a testament to energy saving design.

Plans for the new extension, which will resemble a brick pyramid and will be taller than the existing tower on the power station, will see it emit 44 per cent less carbon dioxide than is required by building regulations.

Due for completion by 2012, the £215 million building will use 54 per cent less energy than regulations require, despite glowing at night.

Architects Herzog and de Meuron have included passive design principles and the building will use heat from nearby electricity transformers.

Earlier this month London mayor Boris Johnson announced plans to retrain unemployed people as energy efficiency advisors to help retrofit buildings.

Retrofitting refers to the practice of making an existing building more energy efficient through measures such as installing insulation, double glazing or better boilers.

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Daily Mail Tw@t$

2009-01-10T23:39:00.003Z

After a long gluttonous and unfortunately carbon intensive Christmas break I am back, and what did I see before me in the Daily Mail this week. None other than a beautiful front cover on the banning on the conventional inefficient light bulb. The government must have done something right to ensure that a "voluntary ban" with the catchy headline "Robbed of their right to buy traditional light bulbs" could out strip column inches from seriously newsworthy stories, like bloodshed in Gaza.

The editors at the the Daily Mail really pushed the boat out to desperate bulb hoarders who had been frantically searching stores for the bulbs to no avail with a 25 000 bulb giveaway, rationing this national supply to just five per reader.

But what is ridiculous is that people are hoarding bulbs in their hundreds or thousands, other than the potential ebayablity in the next few years, to other bulb hoarders wanting to boost their collection of bulbs into the tens of thousands this also shows the lack of real reasoning, that an average light bulb lasts 600hrs.

We have had a few comments on the actual price of the energy saving bulbs, which are "too expensive". I picked some energy saving bulbs up at Tesco for only 8p each, to be truthful, I picked up a few hundred, to give out to friends, family and whoever else wanted them. Not to mention the fact that they last 10 to 12 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Look and you shall find them for cheap or free. Plus you won't have to run to the shops in your car as often to buy them, saving time and fuel, and of course risking life to change the one on the landing.

People are concerned that they require more resources than conventional bulbs, and that must be more carbon intensive. However, a carbon footprint analysis by the Carbon Trust for Tesco own brand CFL bulbs showed that per hour of usage, the energy saving bulb was less carbon intensive in it's production.

Medical charities say they can trigger epileptic fits, migraines and skin rashes. To which I don't doubt that this is an extremely small minority, or as we all went to Tesco to pick up incandescent bulbs we would simply fall to the ground in a fit and burst out into a rash, not to mention the inability to function in life at all, as almost all publicly accessible buildings have CFLs.

How Much Energy Does a Sony PS3 Use?

2008-11-10T11:32:00.007Z

It's a huge powerful machine, with a blue-ray disc player, but just how much of the national grid is this chunk of machine pulling.

Vampire Power: 2W
PS3 Menu: 107W
Scanning Disc: 107 - 119W
In Game;
Grand Theft Auto IV: 125 - 130W

Pretty shocking electricity consumption then, especially to the slimline energy consumption of the Wii, and almost four times the energy consumption of the PS2. But what worries me is that people when they are not using the Playstation 3 will leave the device on, on pause and turn the TV off.

Running your PS3 in paused mode, overnight, for say 10 hours will use 1.25kWh, about 15p, but more worryingly there will be those that leave it on 24/7, over a day using 3kWh (36p), and a year 1,095kWh (£131.40). This is also adding up in CO2 emissions, about 1.65kg of CO2/day and, 602kg of CO2/yr.

It appears the PS3 is the Hummer of the console market, and so much so, leaving it on all year would produce 100 times it's own weight in CO2. For those that already know, the PS2 was such a success it sold over 100m units worldwide. So our advice is to anyone using a Playstation 3, is to switch off, anytime your not using it, or else you will have a chunky electricity bill next time around, especially with the increased electricity costs over the last few months.

For information on the electricity consumption of other products check out "How Much Electricity Does a ... Use?"

Please Note the energy use figures are taken from an energy monitor and are not scientifically analysed, therefore the range and margin of error is greater. If you would like a specific product tested let us know and we will endeavour to check it out.

Northern Ireland's First Carbon Neutral Home

2008-11-10T01:26:00.004Z

Northern Ireland’s first carbon neutral home, has been officially opened by Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie. The five bedroom, 2,500 sq ft property has been built by Sky Developments, a specialist development company working in the field of low carbon and passive status housing. The building was constructed using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) and incorporates the latest state of the art technologies to assist energy efficiency.

“I have been most impressed by what I have seen. This building showcases to stunning effect the innovative, energy saving technologies now available. All involved are to be congratulated for bringing such a challenging project to fruition.”
Margaret Ritchie, Social Development Minister

The minister took the opportunity to highlight a number of initiatives already developed by her own department to further increase the sustainability and energy efficiency of social housing.

The New Housing Agenda gives a high priority to the provision of more energy efficient housing. From April this year, a new higher Code for Sustainable Homes has applied to all new social housing, meaning that in effect homes built now are 25% more energy efficient than ever before.

Stephen McCready and Alan Johnston, directors of Sky Developments, say the 2,300sq ft home is so energy efficient that Northern Ireland Electricity will owe the householder £200 at the end of the year because it will produce so much energy it will feed the surplus back into the grid. The house’s carbon-neutral status means it has been granted an A Energy Performance Certificate. The average home in Northern Ireland are rated E.

The “green house” uses four main methods to keep costs at less than zero:

the roof has been constructed of photovoltaic panels designed to resemble black slate tiles that harness the sun’s rays for electricity;
structural insulated panels (SIPS) make up the shell of the house, with their superior heat-retaining ability cutting down on the need for electricity;
an air source heat pump uses wind energy to pump out water at 37 degrees;
quadruple glazing in each window blocks out the cold.

Sky Developments are about to start building 40 energy-efficient affordable homes in Newtownards using SIPS and the zero-carbon prototype as inspiration.

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Video: NI's First Carbon Neutral House

2008-11-10T01:07:00.000Z

BBC Newsline's coverage of the official opening ceremony

Photo: Subway Please Don't Send Your Toys By Air

2008-10-29T23:19:00.006Z

Subway, the franchised sandwich retailer with the slogan, "Subway, Eat Fresh, Live Green", has come to my attention. Really is there a need to air freight "toys" from Hong Kong (HKG) to the London Heathrow (LHR), via Paris (CDG)? Surely they would be more environmentally sound if they were sent via sea, or not manufactured at all. This isn't the only items that Subway send via air either.

Information from Traxon Europe (Air France Cargo Freight Status Information Service)

Pieces: 1

Airline: AFR
Weight: 2818 K
from: HKG
to: LHR
1 piece(s) 2818 K booked on flight AF6799/01OCT from HKG to CDG
Scheduled Time of Flight-Departure : 07:50
Scheduled Time of Flight-Arrival : 16:45
1 piece(s) 2818 K booked on flight AF932D/02OCT from CDG to LHR
1 piece(s) 2818 K received from shipper in HKG on 01 OCT at 06:08
1 piece(s) 2818 K departed on flight AF6799/01OCT from HKG to CDG
Actual Time of Flight-Departure : 08:06
Actual Time of Flight-Arrival : 16:54
1 piece(s) 2818 K departed on flight AF396D/01OCT from CDG to LHR
1 piece(s) 2818 K arrived in LHR from flight AF396D
Scheduled arrival : 02 OCT
Goods checked in at : 12:02
1 piece(s) 2818 K delivered on 03 OCT at 22:27 in LHR

Government U-Turn on Aviation and Shipping Emissions

2008-10-29T22:20:00.004Z

The Government has made a U-Turn on the exclusion of aviation and shipping carbon emissions after 50 Labour MPs pressed for the sectors to be included in the Climate Change Bill, which sets a target to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, which was announced earlier this month.

The government agreed to redraft its bill, which was given a third reading by 463 votes to three - a majority of 460 - in the Commons. It accepted an amendment requiring ministers to take into account projected emissions from the sectors when setting future budgets that will cap emissions.

The government has resisted calls in the past to include aviation and shipping, saying it would be nearly impossible to allocate responsibility for international emissions to individual countries.

The government's advisory committee on climate change, headed by Lord Turner, recommended last month that the sectors must figure in climate change targets while arguing that they would not be able to meet the 80% target by 2050.

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Mini E To Be On Roads By 2009

2008-10-29T18:10:00.006Z

The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of up to 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox nearly without a sound and entirely free of emissions. Specially engineered for automobile use, the battery technology will have a range of more than 240 kilometers, or 150 miles. The MINI E will initially be made available in the US to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in limited geographical areas in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey. The possibility of offering the MINI E in Europe as well is currently being considered. The MINI E will give its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20, 2008.

The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Newton meters, delivering seamless acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 152 km/h (95 mph). Featuring a suspension system tuned to match its weight distribution, the MINI E sports the brand’s hallmark agility and outstanding handling.

By introducing the MINI E, the BMW Group is underscoring the resolve with which it works towards reducing energy consumption and emissions in road traffic. The BMW Group is drawing on its unique technological expertise in the field of drive systems to develop a vehicle concept enabling zero emissions without renouncing the joy of driving. Putting some 500 cars on the road under real daily traffic conditions will make it possible to gain widely applicable hands-on experience. Evaluating these findings will generate valuable know-how, which will be factored into the engineering of mass- produced vehicles. The BMW Group aims to start series production of all-electric vehicles over the medium term as part of its Number ONE strategy. The development of innovative concepts for mobility in urban areas within the scope of “project i” has a similar thrust, as its objective also includes making use of an all-electric power train.

Based on the current MINI, the car will initially be available as a two-seater. The space taken up by back-seat passengers in the series model has been reserved for the lithium-ion battery. A full recharge draws a maximum of 28 kilowatt hours of electricity from the grid. Based on the car’s range, a kilowatt hour translates into 5.4 miles. Besides the benefit of zero-emissions driving, the MINI E thus offers significant economic advantages over a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine as well.

The MINI E has already gone through the major phases of product development for mass-produced vehicles and passed numerous crash tests on the way. Aspects investigated besides passenger protection were the impact of collision forces on the lithium-ion battery and finding a non-hazardous location for it in the car. The MINI E’s energy storage unit emerged completely unscathed from all of the crash tests mandated by US standards, which are especially high.

Production of the approximately 500 cars will take place at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites and is scheduled for completion before the end of 2008. MINI’s UK plant will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle with the exception of the drive components and the lithium-ion battery, with the brand’s series models rolling off its assembly lines concurrently. The units will then be transferred to a specially equipped manufacturing complex situated on BMW plant premises where the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission will be integrated.

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Video: Alliance for Climate Protection's Repower America Ad

2008-10-29T14:37:00.002Z

The Alliance for Climate Protection's Repower America ad was refused by US television network ABC. Show your support for the ACP, and tell ABC what you think.

Are You in "Green Place Poverty"?

2008-10-29T12:41:00.003Z

A quarter of people living in towns and cities suffer from "green place poverty", with easy access to fewer than three parks or countryside areas, according to the National Trust.

The National Trust said many members of the public were missing out on access to the natural world, despite its importance to people's quality of life. Coastlines and beaches, parks and wild open spaces are all highly valued for fresh air and space, relaxation and to see wildlife.

A poll of 1,000 people by Opinion Leader for the Trust found that across England, Wales and Northern Ireland one in eight said they had access to two or fewer green spaces. In urban areas the number rose to one in four, and among black and ethnic minority groups the figure was one in three.

Online surveys of 1,200 people on the National Trust website found 98% of people thought having green spaces near them was important to their quality of life.

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Green Electricity Suppliers

2008-10-24T00:48:00.006Z

They’re all doing it, draping themselves in images of windmills and claiming green credentials – but how green are the UK’s electricity companies really?

How much of what you see is spin and how much is real? That’s a question we’ve asked ourselves often enough. And lately, with the ‘Big Six’ spending £millions on slick TV ads - this seems a more pressing question than ever. Is there a way to judge who's really green and who’s only saying they are? Actually it’s quite simple.

Just look at how much each electricity company spends building new sources of green electricity each year – New energy. The only green electricity that does anything to reduce CO2 emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels is the new green energy, the stuff that gets built today and tomorrow. If you’re not building you’re not actually achieving anything green at all. It’s just marketing and spin.

Ecotricity produced a measure for spending on New Energy called it ‘pounds per customer’ – it shows how much each electricity company actually spends, for each of it’s customers on the new green stuff. It’s a number that cuts through the fog of marketing and to the heart of the issue, irrespective of company size.

Some energy companies are bigger than others of course, so the total they spend on building new green electricity sources is useful to know, but is not the whole story. For example in 2004, npower spent £40m on new green energy, Ecotricity just £5m. But Ecotricity had just 5000 customers compared to npowers 5m customers.

To get meaningful comparisons you need to simply see how much is spent per customer. This shows you how much of your electricity bill actually gets spent each year, building new sources of green. And how much of a difference you make by being with your supplier. It's that simple - and called pounds per customer. It's the acid test of green commitment. It's simple enough maths too - Just take the total number of customers each supplier has and divide that by their total spend on new green electricity sources in any given year.

These are the figures for 2007. Prepare to be surprised.

Supplier	2007 spend per customer
Ecotricity	£555.36
Powergen	£17.28
Centrica	£7.12
npower	£3.89
EDF Energy	£3.55
Scottish Power	£2.63
Green Energy UK	£0.00
Good Energy	£0.00
Scottish & Southern Energy	£0.00

Ecotricity now offers two types of tariff, these are considered to be the greenest tariffs in the UK;

New Energy

All the Green energy in this tariff comes from Ecotricities own wind turbines, this year it’s just over 30% and rising currently at almost 10% per year. The balance is ’Brown’ electricity bought in the market and that reduces each year as the green increases. But the key part is this - for every £ customers spend through their electricity bills Ecotricity spend another £ building new sources of Green energy. And they price match each regional supplier so New Energy has no premium attached to it - customers get ’Green for the price of Brown’.

No wonder this is considered by people like the Soil Association, WWF and Oxfam to be the best green tariff in the UK, bar none.
New Energy Plus

For those that understand the need to build new sources to actually impact climate change but who want a 100% tariff in the mean time. It’s New Energy (30% Green from Ecotricity turbines this year and rising fast), topped up with green electricity from existing renewable sources (instead of Brown) making this a 100% Green tariff. You get the same total commitment to build, spend one £ on renewables for every one £ customers spend, but it’s 100% green now. It’s a mixture of Old and New green energy in fact (New Energy Plus Old). It isn’t any better than New Energy, but some people just want 100%, so they offer it.

The existing (Old) green energy they top up with is a scarce resource though, so there’s a small premium of 0.5p per unit, which works out at about £20 a year for a typical household - over and above the price of Brown electricity from each regional supplier.

For more information on Energy Suppliers by CO2 emissions and their "energy make up" visit our CO2/kWh table. The Ecologist magazine published an article on this same topic in June 2005 (pdf).

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Should the Government Spend on Renewables to Beat the Recession?

2008-10-22T19:27:00.006Z

Rescuing ailing banks is only one half of the solution to the current global economic turmoil. The other is to keep spending buoyant to prevent a slide into recession.

But how to do that? With worries about ballooning personal debt, falling house prices and rising unemployment, many people are cutting back on spending. Christmas will probably not be enough to revive fortunes on the high street.

One answer lies with the ideas of John Maynard Keynes, the most influential economist of the 20th Century. It was his proposals that helped the world recover from the Great Depression of the 1930s. With unemployment in the UK, the US and many other countries reaching 20% or more in the early 30s, the task was massive. Whole economies were grinding to a halt.

Keynes' solution was simple. Governments needed to spend more. Spending on roads, hospitals and schools would have to offset the lack of private spending.

So should the government start spending on renewable energy?, introducing new grants could be one way to increase consumer spending into renewables, paired with the current high prices of energy, this could be a winner.

Spending further revenue on large scale projects, for schools, hospitals and government buildings to increase their energy efficiency, focusing on those with poor performances, from results of Display Energy Certificates.

Further investment of revenue into macro scale national projects could set the UK on track for energy security for the next few years, and a low carbon economy for the future.

This is pretty much what Chancellor Alistair Darling is arguing. If private spending is slowing, then the government needs to take up the slack by bringing forward billions of pounds of expenditure on construction projects. If government borrowing must rise, then so be it. However, annual borrowing in the UK is one of the highest in the world as a percentage of GDP. And it's rising fast.

One way to increase consumer spending is to use monetary policy. This involves altering interest rates. If recession is looming, central banks could as expected they will cut interest rates - as many did, by half a percentage point, on 8 October.

Even if customer rates are cut, borrowing and spending may hardly increase. With impending recession, people may try to cut back on their debts rather than spend, and businesses may be reluctant to invest.

The alternative to monetary policy is fiscal policy. This involves changes in taxes and/or government expenditure. If taxes fall and/or government expenditure rises, this should stimulate the economy. As long as we are not afraid to spend that is.

Keeping expenditure up is vital and increased government expenditure is probably the best way of achieving this. But another crucial factor is confidence.

If people believe the policy will work, it probably will. Firms will start investing more and consumers will start buying more. The vicious circle of recession could become the virtuous circle of recovery.

But creating confidence depends on politics as much as economics. If people see world leaders mean business and that they won't let recession take hold, then it won't.

If, however, politicians vacillate or there's no international harmonisation of policies, then any remaining confidence may evaporate and we could suffer from prolonged recession similar to that in Japan in the 1990s and early 2000s.

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Lessons for Lunch

2008-10-22T18:53:00.003Z

One of the biggest issues facing us, as well as climate change is obesity and dietary related illness which is grinding our health service to a slow and abrupt stop. In the UK we have Jamie Oliver trying to change the nation. In the US they have Ann Cooper.

Ann Cooper has a frontline view of the daily battle to keep kids healthy -- and of the enemy, the processed-foods industries that, it sometimes seems, want to wrap every single thing that children eat in a fried coating and then a plastic bag. As the director of nutrition services for the Berkeley (California) Unified School District, she's an outspoken activist for serving fresh, sustainable food to kids. Her lively website, Lunch Lessons, rounds up recipes, links, and resources for food activism.

Cooper's influential program in Berkeley involves kids in every stage of the food they eat, from growing to disposing of it. And along the way, eating some delicious cafeteria lunches.

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Keep it Cool!

2008-10-22T18:46:00.002Z

Most clothes will come out of the wash just as clean if you turn down the temperature dial by a few degrees. There are also some washing detergents that are specially designed work more effectively at lower temperatures. Low temperature washes require less energy to heat the water.

CO2/kWh

2008-10-22T16:59:00.000Z

Supplier	Coal	Natural Gas	Nuclear	Renewable	Other	CO2	Nuclear Waste	Disclosure Year
British Gas	18.0	56.0	20.0	4.0	2.0	0.382	0.0022	2007
Ecotricity	23.8	22.8	25.9	24.1	3.3	0.316	0.0029	2007
EDF Energy	47.0	29.0	17.0	5.0	2.0	0.540	0.0018	2007
Good Energy	0.0	0.0	0.0	100.0	0.0	0.000	0.0000	2007
Green Energy	0.0	68.0	0.0	32.0	0.0	0.136	0.0000	2007
npower/RWE	44.0	37.0	13.0	3.0	3.0	0.543	0.0015	2007
Powergen	42.0	36.7	14.2	3.6	3.5	0.530	0.0020	2007
Scottish & Southern Energy	30.6	57.8	0.8	10.2	0.6	0.489	0.0001	2007
ScottishPower	55.2	36.7	1.0	6.8	0.3	0.630	0.0001	2007
Utilita	33.0	39.0	21.0	4.0	3.0	0.460	0.0025	2006
UK average	35.8	38.8	18.6	4.7	2.1	0.461	0.0025	2007

CO2 in Kg/kWh

Energy Saving Week

2008-10-21T12:59:00.003Z

"Before I put my heating on I check that all the windows in the house are closed. Heating a house while its windows are open is like lighting a fire with £5 notes!"

This week is energy saving week, and this year's theme is 'Green/Life Balance' - the fact is we are getting busier, working harder and have less time to do the things we want to do. An EST survey found that half of us say we would be greener if we had more time, and a third of us say our job is the main reason we don't have time to be green.

The aim of Energy Saving Week is simple: to help consumers learn how they can reduce their carbon footprint and show how significant savings can be made in money, energy and time by making a difference.

One of the ways in which you can join in the fun is with the new Energy Saving Trust blog / social network, "Britain Unplugged", where you can throw your ideas into the pot and find new ways to reduce energy, save money and save the planet, in the "What's green and takes 60 seconds? Challenge".

According to the EST, Digital Marketing Manager, Jasper Bell, who is the first editor of BU, the project is a slow burner which hopes to bring people together with a view to sharing ideas and promoting the benefits of reducing energy consumption. You should be seeing and hearing more of the project in the media in the future.

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Video: What's Wrong With What We Eat

2008-10-21T12:16:00.002Z

What's wrong with our Western style diet, in a fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet at risk.

My diet has long perturbed me, and from this excellent Ted Talk, with Mark Bittman, it does put it into perspective how much meat I (and probably the rest of the world) eat. Not only is it beneficial for our bodies and the environment but no doubt for the health service of the nation who as even Jamie Oliver has said is crippling under the pressure of dietary related illness (or something similar to these words.

I'm going to attempt to change my diet, over the next few weeks and months which in itself is pretty difficult, as I work in the food industry, where there is an abundance of meat related products. My attempt is to reduce meat consumption to half a pound a week. Wish me luck.

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Alternative Christmas Presents

2008-10-17T10:23:00.005Z

It's that time of the year again when we are all thinking of Christmas, not least so because of the current financial crisis. I was in town this week and already the operation of installing decorations has begun, with ten weeks til the big day there are some ethical Christmas presents from charitable organisations.

Oxfam and Christain Aid however this year has also launch with this presents for the eco-warrior. These include Bicycles (£30), Solar Panels (£35), Organic Cotton (£29), Baby Buffalos (£93), and Protecting Forest (£45).

If your pondering what to buy your friends, mother, brother, auntie, granny or colleague for Christmas but fear you will be amongst the £2.3 billion spent on unwanted Christmas gifts or the three-quarters of us who spend £50 on tat, you could spare a thought for those less fortunate and give two gifts in one, or three;

A real gift for someone or community in a developing country
This gift can be given as a gift to your friends or family
The gift of not having to find a space for the initial gift to gather dust (38.7% of unwanted presents meet this end) or touted on eBay (27.5%)

Many charities including World Vision, Christain Aid and Oxfam have launched this year their alternative Christmas gift shops, and by asking communities what they want, they really hope to not just help people but improve the lives of many people for the future to come. Asking an 11-year old girl what they want for Christmas would most likely end with a discussion about the High School Musical 3 Dance Mat, ask a child in Bolivia, it might be a birth certificate (£6), or in Sri Lanka, might be 20 chicks (£14).

Whilst World Vision pledge each gift you buy will go towards the scheme involved, however if a gift is oversubscribed funds may be allocated to a different project to ensure that funds are used where appropriate and needed most. Oxfam also suggest that gifts are symbolic and funds are used where appropriate to ensure maximum value for donations. In a small way I feel cheated, that funds from buying 20 chicks may actually buy a goat. Imagine if you asked Santa for 20 chicks but got a goat, you'd be pretty disappointed, not to mention you can't even sell goats on eBay. In reality, each gift was requested by the communities so no matter where the money goes it will benefit the community as a whole, giving chickens to every person in town would do little if no good to a community, in a similar way to giving them all cows or goats.

So if your thinking what to get someone, and feel it may become a tatty mistake, or are really busy and short for time, these gifts provide a one-stop shop for Christmas buying. You don't even have to leave the office to fight amongst 500 other people to end up with another lamp with incandescent bulb that doesn't fit in with their decor.

All in all a feel good Christmas gift. Remember however goats are for life, not just for Christmas. And don't try to do a DIY version by sending 20 chicks Air Mail via Royal Mail to Sri Lanka, the postage is too high, and Royal Mail don't accept chicks (I've already checked), and of course it's just wrong.

Don't forget if you are a UK tax payer you can Gift Aid your gift, so that means you can give an extra 5.6 chicks, 0.28 of a goat or 19.6 meals.

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Reducing Energy Costs The Green Way

2008-10-17T09:41:00.005Z

In recent years householders have seen the cost of energy rise sharply and therefore more and more people have been turning to more energy efficient methods. One such noticeable area for improving home efficiency has been in home heating. Householders are looking to cut heating bills by installing more resistant and efficient wall and roofing insulation. The trend of rising home insulation use is plain to see these days as big companies such as Tesco have entered the market place. The government is also doing its bit by setting up a £3bn fund to help householders insulate their homes. This is part of their much wider green campaign which aims to reduce emissions by 2015.

Although there are many home insulation products on the market there are very few that actually make use of an environmentally friendly product. This is where a company like Sprayseal differentiates itself. Sprayseal is a specialist insulation company that uses a unique brand of spray foam insulation that is completely environmentally friendly. What’s more is that the Sprayseal formula contains no toxic fibres or materials and can be used in almost any environment.

Sprayseal itself feels that offering a green alternative is extremely important in today’s climate because environmental change is very much at the forefront of people’s agenda. Pushing people towards greener products can only be a good thing.

Sprayseal’s commitment to the environment has essentially changed with the times as the family run business started out in 1987 and originally made use of more traditional insulation methods. When the opportunity arose to using a new modern and more efficient product came along the directors jumped at the chance. The pair was initially impressed by the products ability to reduce heat loss by up to 80% but on further use they found it was ideal for installing insulation quickly and easily.

Sprayseal as a company has also been growing as a result of it’s environmentally ways and has recently launched a new website. The interest stemming from the product means that they now operate home insulation services across the country and have a growing workforce. In the future it will be interesting to see how insulation and other energy saving methods will evolve.

Sprayseal also is a unique product in that it can be adaptable to any situation, and must be the sure choice of industry, where large scale projects can be carried out with the minimum of disruption. Their previous clients include some prestigious companies, including Endemol, creators of, Big Brother, who had the house insulated, the Tate Gallery, and many local councils and health authorities.

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Brown Calls for Cut in Petrol Prices

2008-10-16T23:37:00.005Z

Gordon Brown today called on petrol retailers to cut fuel to under £1 a litre, stating that there is too much variation in fuel prices across the country. With prices as low as 99p and as high as £1.20 per litre, with Asda and Morrisons announcing they are dropping the price of unleaded petrol to 99.9p a litre.

Petrol prices have fallen to a twelve month low following sharp falls in the price of oil over the last few months.

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Petrol Consumption Reduction Tips

2008-10-16T23:23:00.004Z

Changing your car to a new environmentally friendly model may not be easy for us all. But there are some ways you can reduce your fuel consumption, save money and help the environment too. The following simple tips could save the average driver £120 a year and reduce your CO2 emissions by 200kg per year. According to the organisers of the 2008 MPG Marathon, if we all were to implement these methods into our driving we could collectively save £8.2 billion per year in fuel costs, and significantly reduce the 91m tonnes of CO2 currently emitted in the UK annually .

Gear Changes
Change up before 2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel).
Plan Ahead
Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This saves fuel and reduces accident rates.
Air Con
Use air conditioning sparingly as it significantly increases fuel consumption.
Kill Your Speed
The most efficient speed depends upon the car in question but is typically around 55 - 65mph. Faster speed will greatly increase your fuel consumption.
Don't Wait Around
Drive away immediately when starting from cold - idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear.
Aerodynamics
Roof racks, bike carriers, and roof boxes significantly affect your car's aerodynamics and reduce fuel efficiency, so remember to remove them when not in use.
Avoid Short Distances
A cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic converters can take five miles to become effective. Walking or bikes can be a great alternative to short journeys.
Plan Your Route
Plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost. Sat Nav and online map services such as Google Maps can help you find the way.
Tyre Pressure
Under-inflated tyres are dangerous and can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.
Switch Off
Stuck in a jam, switch the engine off if you expect to be there for more than a minute or two. Cutting the engine will save fuel and reduce emissions.

MPG Marathon 2008

2008-10-16T22:57:00.005Z

The real benefits of ‘smarter’ motoring came into sharp focus this week when competitors in the 2008 MPG Marathon proved beyond doubt that skilful eco-driving can dramatically reduce the cost of motoring and cut the amount of CO2 emissions produced by Britain's 30 million motorists.

The 40 teams taking part achieved an average improvement of 23 per cent over the manufacturer’s official combined figures and, if replicated by all of Britain’s car and commercial vehicle drivers, would save a total of £8.2 billion per year in fuel costs.

Eighty drivers and navigators took part in this national initiative, a round trip between ALD Automotive’s headquarters in Fishponds, Bristol and Shrigley Hall, Macclesfield to establish whether eco-driving can squeeze more miles per gallon (mpg) out of their vehicles than conventional motoring. The objective was to ‘save pounds and the planet’ as the drivers put the manufacturer’s own estimates of fuel consumption to the test – and won.

The achievement was all the more impressive as the drivers had to deal with the glare of publicity and congested roads during the two-day endurance trial. Twenty two manufacturers agreed to publicly have a variety of their hatchbacks, saloons and commercial vehicles put through their paces by automotive journalists, 'green' organisations and motoring safety bodies, including the AA, over this gruelling 400-mile round trip.

While seven vehicles achieved more than 70 miles per gallon, eight amazingly secured more than 80 miles per gallon, a record for the event which is in its sixth year, but the overall winning position went to the Toyota Yaris driven by Andrew Andersz which achieved a staggering 84.66mpg.

Second place went to Sue and Joanne Cooke in the Mazda2 1.4 Diesel with 84.58mpg. James Sutherland and navigator Richard Hill, who have won the last two MPG Marathons, failed to achieve their ‘hat trick’ in the Toyota Aygo Blue although it came in fifth place with 82.39mpg, a 34.18 per cent improvement over the manufacturer’s combined cycle figures, and using just 22.71 litres of petrol. This was the best figure achieved by a petrol-engined car in the event.

The MPG Marathon also sought out the drivers most capable of improving on the fuel consumption figures claimed by the manufacturer.

A Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with a manufacturer’s combined mpg of 19.2, managed to achieve 30.96mpg, an improvement of 61.26 per cent, despite its massive seven-litre engine. Driver and navigator Richard Hammond and Carla McAlpine proved that even so-called ‘gas guzzler’ sports cars can be driven more economically.

Second place in the percentage improvement class went to Christophe Duprat from ALD Automotive International and French motoring journalist Emilie Eyzat in a Honda Accord, with an MPG of 73.98, an improvement of 49.16 per cent.

Another entry of note was the Ford Focus driven and navigated by Devon and Cornwall police officers Martin Davis and Malcolm Curnow who achieved a fuel consumption of 62.43mpg against the manufacturer’s figure of 54.2mpg, an improvement of 15.18 per cent on the standard Focus, although more significant because the vehicle would be heavier with additional equipment. The force is attempting to cut its £2.3 million annual fuel bill because, with a fleet of 1200 vehicles, officers drive an amazing 29 million miles per year as a result of there being more miles of roads in the two counties than in the whole of Belgium. AA president Edmund King, sharing the driving with BBC Transport correspondent Tom Symonds, achieved 73mpg in a new Fiat 500, an improvement of 9.01 per cent.

It’s not what you drive, but how you drive that makes the difference and once again the combined efforts of all the participants and sponsors delivered a first class, educational event which has proved, if proof was needed, that skilled driving techniques work and can make a dramatic impact upon miles per gallon.

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Troubled German Cyclists

2008-10-16T22:31:00.003Z

A love sick 16-year-old girl was stopped by police in the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg Lower Pomerania after cycling more than 10 kilometres (six miles) on a motorway. The girl claimed to on her way to visit her boyfriend in hospital and she did not know that it was illegal to cycle on the motorway.

In a separate incident in Munich, police intervened when a 32-year-old was seen cycling around the city with her naked 18-month-old baby in the child seat in temperatures of just 11 degrees Celsius. The woman, a lawyer, told police officers the child had refused to let itself be dressed and that she was only respecting the child's wishes.

It's always advisable that you should follow the highway code in your country, always be sensible, use bike lights, a safety helmet and wear warm clothing especially as winter is upon us. I am such a hypocrite, but it's good advice, and I will learn to my consequence some day. (I don't wear a safety helmet as posted in previous posts).

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Picture: Bikes on an SUV

2008-10-16T21:31:00.004Z

My friend has been out in California taking pictures, and so I thought I would show a few of the environmental looking ones here over the next few days. First up some bikes on an SUV.

Carrying items like bikes (roof racks, roof boxes) on your vehicle, decreases your aerodynamics, increases drag, and increases your fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions. Only carry them when absolutely necessary.

2008 Fleet Hero Awards

2008-10-14T00:01:00.002Z

Tonight will see the London Transport Museum host the third annual Fleet Hero Awards, organised by the Energy Saving Trust in association with the Department for Transport, and in partnership with Fleet News, Guardian and The Observer.

The awards ceremony looks to recognise the achievements by organisations large and small in reducing their energy consumption and carbon emission in business travel, through a variety of categories;

Best Large Fleet
Addison Lee
Amey
Ocado
Best Medium Fleet
Centre Parcs
James McNaughton Group
London Borough of Islington
Best Small Fleet
Commercial Group
Green Tomato Cars
The Royal Parks
Grey Fleet Champion
Arval
Inchcape Fleet Solutions
VT Education and Skills
Business Mileage Champion
Addison Lee
Environment Agency
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
Leadership Award
Commercial Group
Government Car & Despatch Agency
Green Tomato Cars
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust
Industry Supplier Award
Arval
BMW
Masternaut Three X
Smarter Driving Award
Arval
Gateshead Council
Government Car & Despatch Agency
Innovation Award
Centre Parcs
GreenRoad Technologies
Modec

Previous winners include BSkyB, Saninsburys Online and London Borough of Islington.

There is a real message to all the glitz and glamour, whether you manage a fleet of over 500 vehicles, or have a small fleet of 10 or 20 cars or vans, the Energy Saving Trust can help turn your transport operations green.

With funding from the Department for Transport, the Energy Saving Trust provides public and private organisations of all sizes with free, expert and tailored advice to help reduce running costs, cut carbon emissions and enhance corporate social responsibility.

If your organisation has a fleet of 50 or more cars and vans under 3.5 tonnes you are eligible for a Green Fleet Review - an independent, environmental review of fleet operations providing a comprehensive report on the following:

Fleet carbon footprint
Vehicle allocation policy
Fuel economy
Mileage reimbursement policy
Driver education
Mileage reduction strategies
Best practice grey fleet (business mileage in private vehicles) principles
Latest health and safety and duty of care issues

Since 2004 over 300 organisations from every industry sector have benefited from this service.

In all cases decreasing environmental impact of your fleet equates directly to cost saving. Your potential savings depend upon your fleet size, the type and size of vehicles you operate and the number of miles travelled.

To find out how much you can potentially save, access the Energy Saving Trust's online Green Fleet calculator.

I'm still awaiting my invite to tonight's proceedings in the post, how could they possibly have failed to send me an invite. Tonight's event however is highlighting how business can and are willing to implement change to reduce their impact on the enviroment and save on costs concurrently. Every penny saved on fuel is a penny more in profit.

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In Search of Clean Power

2008-10-13T23:55:00.006Z

In this, the last of his Big Ideas programmes, James May (of Top Gear fame) tries to find smarter, brighter and bolder ways of powering the planet for future generations. So James sets off on a global search to find people who share his dream. It takes him from Guildford, where he takes a solar powered car to its limit at night, to the US where he joins some aerospace engineers who are trying to build an 'elevator' into space.

In Holland, he meets the first Dutchman in space who has put away his rockets and has swapped them for kites as he tries to harvest the power of the jet-stream. And finally, in the deserts of New Mexico, James seeks out some modern-day alchemists, who offer the promise of allowing him to drive his car on petrol conjured out of thin air.

There will be a few familiar sites in this episode with the Marine Current Turbine in Strangford Lough and the Solar Tower in Saville, which have previously been mentioned in this blog.

You can catch this program on the BBC iPlayer for a few days yet.

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BOGOF Energy Saving Bulbs

2008-10-13T11:58:00.002Z

Tesco currently have a BOGOF promo on energy saving bulbs, from £1.37 a bulb (now you get two). If you haven't already installed them, now is your chance to replace all the bulbs in your home for under £15. With the rising cost of energy this year, this could be one step to ensuring your bills this winter are as low as they can go.

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Bikes on the Train or Bus

2008-10-08T12:09:00.002Z

I was recently on the train and was surprised to see a few people making use of the bike space available on most trains. You can carry your bike on Northern Ireland Railways with the following conditions;

All bicycles will be carried FREE of charge on trains including the cross-border Enterprise service
Bicycles will not be permitted on trains prior to 09:30 hours Monday to Friday
Up to 4 full sized bicycles can be carried at any one time within the designated bicycle area. Space will be allocated on a first come first served basis, in the designated area, and at the discretion of the conductor. There will be NO bicycle reservation system.
There are NO travel restrictions nor limit to the number of folding bicycles we can carry, provided these are completely folded down.
Tandems, tricycles, motorcycles, mopeds, motorized cycles and scooters are not permitted on any train.
Bicycles will not be carried during periods of bus substitution for rail services.
Bicycle parking shelters are available at any main stations throughout the train network

Bikes can also be carried on Northern Ireland Translink operated bus services subject to the following conditions;

All bicycles will be carried FREE of charge on buses.
A maximum of 2 full sized bicycles can be carried at any one time in the luggage boot of Goldline Express Coaches. Space will be allocated on a first come first served basis, and at the discretion of the driver. There will be NO bicycle reservation system.
Bicycles will not be permitted on buses prior to 09:30 hours Monday to Friday
There are NO travel restrictions nor limit to the number of folding bicycles we can carry, provided these are completely folded down.
Tandems, tricycles, motorcycles, mopeds, motorized cycles and scooters are not permitted on any bus.
Bicycle parking shelters are available at any main stations throughout the bus network.
Bicycles cannot be carried on non-Goldliner coaches and seasonal rambler.

Get on your bike and go further with Translink. It's unfortunate that they can not offer the service during peak hours but some stations offer covered bike shelters, these can be found at;

Antrim Bus and Rail Station
Armagh Buscentre
Bangor Bus and Rail Centre
Carrickfergus Rail Station
Central Rail Station
Coleraine Rail Station
Europa Buscentre / Great Victoria Street Rail Station
Holywood Rail Station
Lisburn Rail Station
Lurgan Rail Station
Moira Rail Station
Newcastle Bus Station

Halfords Confident Thanks to Strong Bike Sales

2008-10-04T20:53:00.004Z

Leading car parts and cycle retailer Halford has announced that they are confident of achieving a full-year profit of £94m, despite the sales slow-down. Like for like sales have dropped 1.1% a for the quarter to September. Halfords said it was benefiting as commuters bought more bikes to avoid soaring petrol prices. Their car parts business was also profiting from drivers choosing to save money by maintaining their existing vehicles, rather than buy new ones.

"At times like this when there is pressure on consumers, it is good that a healthy proportion of our sales are needs-driven. If people are not changing their cars for new models they tend to spend more not just on maintenance but on enhancements like satnav or better audio systems. Even the fact that more people are taking holidays in the UK rather than abroad helps because we are the biggest seller of roof boxes in the country."

Nick Wharton, Acting Managing Director, Halfords

Halfords is the UKs leading cycle retailer and sells one in every three bikes in the UK. Based in Redditch in Worcestershire, employing more than 10,500 staff in 455 stores. It specialises in selling car parts, cycles, and outdoor leisure and camping equipment.

Police on Bikes Net Drugs Haul

What the Elle'?

Choosing A Bike

Biking Hype & Car Fuel Reduction Ideas

The Man Who Cycled the World

Police on Bikes Net Drugs Haul

2008-10-04T20:23:00.003Z

If there was ever reason for ensuring more bobbies on bikes, Irish police on a routine bike patrol have netted a drugs haul worth in excess of €200k, about £160k. As a result two individuals are being questioned by Garda in relation to the haul which included 1kg of heroin and a quantity of cannabis resin.

With results like this biking certainly will be a tool for the police for the foreseeable future.

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The Man Who Cycled the World

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HSBC Data Centre Rated 'Excellent' by BRE

2008-09-26T11:55:00.002Z

HSBC has achieved the UK's first 'Excellent' rating for design and procurement of its new North London Data Centre under the Building Research Establishment's BREEAM Certification.

Sustainability was a key driver in the design and equipment procurement process and has been worked into the whole life cycle of the project. The building is due for completion in the first half of 2009 and will be the first of three new HSBC data centres in the UK which will all be designed with the same sustainability principles.

Over the next few years, HSBC has committed to spending some US$40 million to improve the environmental performance of its office buildings around the world. The funds form part of a US$90 million, five year, global environmental efficiency programme to reduce the Group's broader impact on the environment. HSBC has made a commitment that all new data centre builds within its global operations will be designed according to local environmentally accredited standards such as BREEAM and LEED.

Digital Realty Trust was appointed Developer and CHt Data Solutions - part of the Laing O'Rourke Group - as their delivery partner, for the new data centre due to go live in mid 2009. The centre is expected to achieve substantial reductions in annual energy and carbon dioxide emissions, resulting in substantial cost savings to the business.

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Green Jobs Boom

2008-09-26T10:04:00.004Z

A new, landmark study on the impact of an emerging global "green economy" on the world of work says efforts to tackle climate change could result in the creation of millions of new "green jobs" in the coming decades.

The new report entitled Green Jobs: Towards Decent work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World, says changing patterns of employment and investment resulting from efforts to reduce climate change and its effects are already generating new jobs in many sectors and economies, and could create millions more in both developed and developing countries.

However, the report also finds that the process of climate change, already underway, will continue to have negative effects on workers and their families, especially those whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and tourism. Action to tackle climate change as well as to cope with its effects is therefore urgent and should be designed to generate decent jobs.

Though the report is generally optimistic about the creation of new jobs to address climate change, it also warns that many of these new jobs can be "dirty, dangerous and difficult". Sectors of concern, especially but not exclusively in developing economies, include agriculture and recycling where all too often low pay, insecure employment contracts and exposure to health hazardous materials needs to change fast.

What's more, it says too few green jobs are being created for the most vulnerable: the 1.3 billion working poor (43 per cent of the global workforce) in the world with earnings too low to lift them and their dependants above the poverty threshold of US$2 per person, per day, or for the estimated 500 million youth who will be seeking work over the next 10 years.

Green jobs reduce the environmental impact of enterprises and economic sectors, ultimately to levels that are sustainable. The report focuses on "green jobs" in agriculture, industry, services and administration that contribute to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment. It also calls for measures to ensure that they constitute "decent work" that helps reduce poverty while protecting the environment.

The report says that climate change itself, adaptation to it and efforts to arrest it by reducing emissions have far-reaching implications for economic and social development, for production and consumption patterns and thus for employment, incomes and poverty reduction. These implications harbour both major risks and opportunities for working people in all countries, but particularly for the most vulnerable in the least developed countries and in small island States.

The report calls for "just transitions" for those affected by transformation to a green economy and for those who must also adapt to climate change with access to alternative economic and employment opportunities for enterprises and workers. According to the report, meaningful social dialogue between government, workers and employers will be essential not only to ease tensions and support better informed and more coherent environmental, economic and social policies, but for all social partners to be involved in the development of such policies.

Among other key findings in the report:

The global market for environmental products and services is projected to double from US$1,370 billion (1.37 trillion) per year at present to US$2,740 billion (2.74 trillion) by 2020, according to a study cited in the report.
Half of this market is in energy efficiency and the balance in sustainable transport, water supply, sanitation and waste management. In Germany for example, environmental technology is to grow fourfold to 16 per cent of industrial output by 2030, with employment in this sector surpassing that in the country's big machine tool and automotive industries.
Sectors that will be particularly important in terms of their environmental, economic and employment impact are energy supply, in particular renewable energy, buildings and construction, transportation,basic industries, agriculture and forestry.
Clean technologies are already the third largest sector for venture capital after information and biotechnology in the United States, while green venture capital in China more than doubled to 19 per cent of total investment in recent years.
2.3 million people have in recent years found new jobs in the renewable energy sector alone, and the potential for job growth in the sector is huge. Employment in alternative energies may rise to 2.1 million in wind and 6.3 million in solar power by 2030.
Renewable energy generates more jobs than employment in fossil fuels. Projected investments of US$630 billion by 2030 would translate into at least 20 million additional jobs in the renewable energy sector.
In agriculture, 12 million could be employed in biomass for energy and related industries. In a country like Venezuela, an ethanol blend of 10 per cent in fuels might provide one million jobs in the sugar cane sector by 2012.
A worldwide transition to energy-efficient buildings would create millions of jobs, as well as "greening" existing employment for many of the estimated 111 million people already working in the construction sector.
Investments in improved energy efficiency in buildings could generate an additional 2-3.5 million green jobs in Europe and the United States alone, with the potential much higher in developing countries.
Recycling and waste management employs an estimated 10 million in China and 500,000 in Brazil today. This sector is expected to grow rapidly in many countries in the face of escalating commodity prices.

The report provides examples of massive green jobs creation, throughout the world, such as: 600,000 people in China who are already employed in solar thermal making and installing products such as solar water heaters; in Nigeria, a bio fuels industry based on cassava and sugar cane crops might sustain an industry employing 200,000 people; India could generate 900,000 jobs by 2025 in biomass gasification of which 300,000 would be in the manufacturing of stoves and 600,000 in areas such as processing into briquettes and pellets and the fuel supply chain; and in South Africa, 25,000 previously unemployed people are now employed in conservation as part of the 'Working for Water' initiative.

"A sustainable economy can no longer externalize environmental and social costs. The price society pays for the consequences of pollution or ill health for example, must be reflected in the prices paid in the marketplace. Green jobs therefore need to be decent work"
Green Jobs: Towards Decent work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World

The report recommends a number of pathways to a more sustainable future directing investment to low-cost measures that should be taken immediately including: assessing the potential for green jobs and monitoring progress to provide a framework for policy and investment; addressing the current skills bottleneck by meeting skill requirements because available technology and resources for investments can only be deployed effectively with qualified entrepreneurs and skilled workers; and ensuring individual enterprises' and economic sectors' contribution to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases with labour-management initiatives to green workplaces.

The report finds that green markets have thrived and transformation has advanced most where there has been strong and consistent political support at the highest level, including targets, penalties and incentives such as feed-in laws and efficiency standards for buildings and appliances as well as proactive research and development.

The report says that delivery of a deep and decisive new climate agreement when countries meet for the crucial UN climate convention meeting in Copenhagen in late 2009 will be vital for accelerating green job growth.

The report was funded and commissioned by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) under a joint Green Jobs Initiative with the International Labour Office (ILO), and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Organization of Employers (IOE), which together represent millions of workers and employers worldwide. It was produced by the Worldwatch Institute, with technical assistance from the Cornell University Global Labour Institute.

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EU Parliament Won't Be Bullied

2008-09-26T09:37:00.004Z

The EU environmental committee has effectively passed plans (assuming the European Parliament pass it in December) forcing car manufactures to meet a strict average CO2 emission of 130g CO2/km within four years. Car manufactures and their industry allies had lobbied MEPs in a desperate bid to try and get the planned proposals altered to allow them more time to phase the reduction in gradually, these proposals were rejected.

Vehicles in the UK emit 91m tonnes of CO2 each year, and any proposal on reducing the emissions from new vehicles will benefit the environment, however some indiduals are suggesting that it could lead to increased costs for our cars, job cuts and people holding on to their gas guzzlers for longer.

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Marine Current Turbines Voted in Top Ten Clean Tech

2008-09-24T12:39:00.002Z

Bristol based tidal energy company Marine Current Turbines is celebrating being voted in the “top 10” of Europe’s top clean technology companies in The Guardian/Library House “Clean Tech 100 Survey”.

Marine Current Turbines (MCT) was ranked 5th overall by a team of prominent business analysts and venture capitalists who were tasked with identifying Europe’s most innovative clean tech firms. Although a number of wave and tidal energy companies made it to the top 100, MCT was the highest placed in its sector.

This comes in recognition of MCT’s pioneering work as a first mover in the marine renewables sector, and endorses the company’s position as the leading developer in tidal stream technology after installing the world’s first commercial sized tidal stream turbine, the 1.2MW SeaGen, earlier this year in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough.

“We are all very pleased at being voted into Europe’s clean tech top 5. The recognition is very welcome during a year in which we have deployed SeaGen. We are focused on making tidal energy a commercial reality which is exciting for us, our investors as well as governments and the major utilities. We are now completing the commissioning on SeaGen, as well as moving ahead with our plans to develop the world’s first utility scale tidal farm off Anglesey in the Skerries.”
Peter Fraenkel, Technical Director, Marine Current Turbines

MCT’s Skerries project is a joint initiative with npower renewables to develop a 10.5MW tidal farm using seven upgraded SeaGen systems off the coast of Anglesey, north Wales. It is planned that the tidal farm will be commissioned around 2011/2012. The company is also investigating the potential for tidal energy schemes in other parts of the UK, and in North America.

The Guardian/Library House survey was published on September 18th. The Guardian/Library House CleanTech 100 highlights a group of the most promising private companies in Europe focusing on clean technology, with companies selected on the basis of their potential for future growth and beneficial environmental impact. An initial list of 200 was selected from the Library House’s CleanTech Intelligence database of private clean tech companies, using various indicators such as each company's capital history, positive news stories, and size of management team, plus an analyst selection to make sure companies were credible. Expert advisory board members were then invited to nominate further companies to ensure the net was thrown widely enough. The advisory panel consisted of some of Europe's most experienced investors in the growing area of clean technology - a mix of venture capitalists, investment analysts and technology lawyers.

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Bulb Ban = Bulb Hoarders

2008-09-24T11:04:00.004Z

It may seem irrational to us all that in times when energy costs are going up, some individuals would be wanting to keep their incandescents, but in the run up to the voluntary January 2009 bulb ban (which will see 150W and 100W bulbs removed from all major retailers with all incandescents removed by 2011).

There are good reasons why a ban on incandescents are a good thing, both environmentally and politically. Lighting accounts for anywhere from 8 - 19% of our total energy use, and it is expected that the ban will reduce our energy consumption annually by 5.5%, or 9200GWh, in the process reducing CO2 emissions by 5m tonnes, the equivalent of the expected CO2 saving of the Severn barrage. This also begs the question, why build a £10 billion super structure when in reality all you have to do is ban a bulb, costing a few million pounds, with the same positive outcome. Obviously the barrage can still come along later to reduce emissions even further, provide clean energy and help the government meet renewable energy targets.

Reducing the amount of electricity used in real terms through measures like this also reduce the demand on energy, and the materials used to provide that energy, which also reduces the end cost to the consumer across all major fuel sources. By reducing the total energy used nationwide, you also have a higher output in percentage terms from your renewable energy sources, without having to install further capacity.

But why did the government choose not to go for an all out ban, like Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the US. This would have made it illegal to obtain the bulbs even from specialist retailers, however how could this be punished under law, it may make an interesting court case followed by the media, and the crime, threatening national energy security .. maybe. But by default with so many countries implementing a ban, manufactures stop production, importation of bulbs in quantity from Asia regions grind to a halt, introducing new smaller supply changes, thus increasing the cost of bulbs, it is likely however to increase the price of the standard bulb dramatically. Already both the 150W and 100W bulbs are a hard to find item at your local supermarket as supplies dry up.

Hence why some people have turned to stockpiling incandescent bulbs, concerns seem to be more aesthetic than safety-conscious.

"It's a bad idea. They're not only bad for the climate but mean a bigger electricity bill. Incandescent light bulbs were invented in the 1880s and use 80% more electricity than energy saving ones. The time has come to move into the 21st Century."
Ben Stewart, Greenpeace

On 16 & 17 April 2008, the Energy Saving Trust carried out a lightbulb ‘Pepsi’ challenge at Bluewater Shopping Centre to see if the public could tell the difference between traditional and Energy Saving Recommended lightbulbs.

For the experiment two identical booths were specially built each with a lounge – one lit with a traditional light bulb and one lit with an energy saving one.

Members of the public were then asked to enter each of the booths for ten seconds and say whether they could tell which one contained the energy saving lightbulb, and which one they preferred.

Out of 761 shoppers, 53 per cent either got it wrong or could not spot the difference, despite 70 per cent of shoppers being confident that they would be able to spot the energy efficient lightbulb before they did the test. The shoppers were not told whether they had guessed right, but 64 per cent of people claimed to prefer the light produced by the energy efficient light bulb.

"I think the results are extremely encouraging and go to show just how much the quality of light from energy efficient lightbulbs has improved since they were first introduced. Not only that, but there are now a far wider range of energy efficient bulbs available, including dimmers. The days of bulky, ugly looking energy efficient bulbs, which gave poor light quality are long gone. Clearly, the public have had their own ‘lightbulb’ moment too, with sales of energy efficient lightbulbs jumping from 10 million in 2006 to 21 million in 2007."
Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive, Energy Saving Trust

Maybe the solution is bulb amnesties in the streets of Britain where you can get rid of your old 100W bulbs in exchange for a free energy saving bulb, that way the county would be rid of those high wattage bulbs, from of course the people willing to give them up.

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What the Elle'?

2008-09-22T03:20:00.000Z

Elle MacPherson was spotted cycling her five year-old son to school on the handlebars of her bike. "Double riding" can be punished by a fine of up to £2,500 in exceptionally dangerous cases. Accordingly (some would agree), she been hammered by most newspapers this week, "What the Elle are you Doing?" from the Daily Mirror.

Jo Stagg, from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, was aghast. "It is both illegal and dangerous, a child on the front handlebars could affect the cyclist's ability to see, steer and balance, and we would not advise parents to carry children in this way - ever."

However, Simon Jenkins of the Guardian believes "Elle Macpherson deserves a medal for defying the health and safety gods". A really interesting read, and I am somewhere on the fence, I cycle without a helmet, but mainly in urban areas where I often travel faster than the vehicles, my biggest menace is pedestrians, which often find the need to park illegally, open doors, cross the road or generally be somewhere they shouldn't yet still are. I find that the majority of road users coexist without problem.

I have had two dismounts about 5 years ago when I cycled 4-5 miles a day, both whilst wearing no helmet, but not on the road, a car driver stopped to ask if I was ok on one occassion, they are not all bad you know, I was not injured, but I could have been, there was no pedestrian or car at fault, just me.

For that reason, if an accident is going to happen, it probably inevitably will, thus a helmet will reduce your chances of serious or fatal injury. Without a helmet there is evidence to suggest we ride more carefully, we are more alert and less willing to take risks that we otherwise would, cars may give us a wider berth when overtaking, but the person in the parked car will still open the door without looking, and in the real world you come off worse than the door, or at best, the same as the door. I'd like to think I could come off better (as my bike is chunky), but I can only hope. But is Elle irresponsible? I don't think so, maybe a little naive like myself. Would I do it? No, I wouldn't have the confidence to do it, so she clearly must, which helps, and as Simon Jenkins points out she wont be doing any killer corners at speed.

Im surprised no one pointed out JD's poor choice of footwear for riding a bike.

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What's the Best Way to Green With Your Green?

2008-09-22T00:36:00.004Z

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors have released a guide for consumers which offers impartial expert advice regarding the costs, potential energy savings, payback period and disruptiveness of green improvements to a property. The Greener Homes Price Guide was developed by RICS’ Building Cost Information Service to help consumers through the green jargon, and manufacture claims.

Homeowners rocked by the latest rises in energy bills are turning to green solutions to save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

By using the guide, homeowners will be able to target the areas in their homes where green upgrades would have the most impact.

This will enable them to make informed choices on how best to improve their homes, whether this is with a view to solely reduce their carbon footprint or reduce their energy bills.

Often caught between wanting to be more environmentally friendly and needing value for money many consumers are left confused over which green upgrades offer the best energy savings for the best price.

In addition to offering cost advice The Greener Homes Price Guide also includes practical advice on:

what grants are available and how to apply for them
when you need to apply for planning permission
how to obtain builders or specialist contractors

“We all have a role to play in helping to reduce our carbon footprint, be it through changes to our behaviour or by choosing greener alternatives. The reality is, however, that most people struggle with the cost, time, and effort it takes to make these changes. The Greener Homes Price Guide gives consumers a comprehensive heads-up about the costs and effectiveness of green upgrades, whilst protecting them from being duped into changes that won’t save them money or do little to reduce their carbon footprint. Consumers need innovation and enhanced technology to help in the fight against climate change, not just a guilt trip about living in the world we have created. We encourage governments and companies not just here in the UK, but all over the world to continue to invest more in the research and development of green technologies.”
Joe Martin, BCIS, Executive Director

Unfortunately the RICS are out for their green too, and the guide is not available for free, the Greener Homes Price Guide: Organising and Budgeting for Energy Efficiency and Reducing Your Carbon Footprint, is priced £17.99 and can be ordered online or by calling T +44 (0)870 333 1600 (select option 2 for BCIS sales and quote item code 17012). Also available in all good bookshops. Publication date: August 2008. ISBN: 978 1 904829 67 6

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UK Searching For Energy Efficiency

2008-09-20T01:22:00.009Z

Britons are increasingly concerned with making their homes more efficient, if their internet searching habits are anything to go by. According to internet traffic monitor Hitwise, there has been a significant increase in the amount of searches for terms such as 'loft insulation' and 'underfloor heating'.

The growing interest in methods for making a home more energy efficient reflects the fear of rising fuel and electricity gas prices.

According to Energy Saving Trust recommended supplier Anglian Home Improvements, the average energy bill is set to rise to £1,406. The drastic increase from £676 in 2005 is a major reason for the new interest, claimed Hitwise research director Robin Goad, who also noted people were looking to change their energy providers.

"Concern about energy prices has also led to more people visiting utilities websites, presumably to check prices and change suppliers. UK internet traffic to a custom category of electricity and gas suppliers has doubled over the last year."
Robin Goad, Research Director, Hitwise

The Full Blog Post by Robin Goad

As well as an increase in search terms on energy efficiency, the EST website has received a daily Alexa rank decrease to 60k from 80k, and this blog has had a decrease from 820k to 770k in the last week.

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The Sky is the Limit to Find Uninsulated Homes

2008-09-20T01:10:00.004Z

Members of the Coventry Partnership's Environment Theme Group have proposed an innovative aerial thermal survey of the city to be carried out this winter in order to help people insulate their homes.

Coventry Partnership brings together public, private and voluntary sector organisations in the city in order to make Coventry a growing, accessible city where people choose to live, work and be educated and where businesses choose to invest. One of the key themes is tackling climate change and the Environment Theme Group has recently been re-launched to help achieve this goal.

Over 40 delegates met on Friday 12th September at Coventry Transport Museum for a lively event which discussed practical ways in which collaborative working can really begin to make a difference to the city's carbon emissions and deliver the climate change strategy.

The top project idea was to carry out a thermal survey of the city using an advanced infra-red camera to spot areas where buildings are losing heat and require additional thermal insulation.

This will be the first time that such a high resolution camera has been used to survey a whole city from an aircraft.

The results will be more accurate than ever before due to the use of advanced GPS mapping which will mean that a heat source as small as a shoebox can be detected.

The survey will be carried out on a cold night this winter with the results available early in the New Year.

"I am very excited by the idea of being able to actually see heat losses from buildings and provide advice and support to residents to help them keep their fuel bills low and reduce their carbon footprint. We all think we've done enough but this will let us check whether we can do more in a very visible way. Personally I can't wait to see whether the work I've done to insulate my house has paid off!"
Nigel Lee, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Housing and Sustainability

It's envisaged that this will allow the identification of houses that would benefit from additional thermal insulation and ensure that residents make full use of the various grants that are currently on offer from the government and other sources.

This survey should help ensure that Coventry residents take full advantage of the additional funding for insulation announced by the Prime Minister on 11th September.

This new package comprising £910 million from the big energy suppliers intends to help people with soaring gas and electricity bills by providing free or half-price insulation to lofts and cavity walls as well as a freeze on this year's bills for the poorest families.

An earlier but less detailed aerial survey carried out in 2007 has allowed the council to contact hundreds of residents to offer help with insulation and highlighted the need for a detailed survey to pinpoint hotspots.

New Energy Efficient Ad On TV Now

2008-09-20T00:36:00.008Z

Ad Courtesy Of Act On CO2

A £6m TV ad campaign encouraging householders to make steps to make their homes more energy efficient was launched on Wednesday.

Following a rise in the number of people calling energy efficiency advice lines, the adverts, directed by This is England director Shane Meadows, are to air from tonight.

"Apart from the fact that I really liked this campaign because it's funny and well written, I was also interested in making some films that might make a difference to the way people behave. If these films can make a few more people aware of the problem and actually do something, then it's got to be a worthwhile project."
Shane Meadows

The advert shot by Meadows show a father trying to get his family to cut their energy consumption, reducing their gas and electricity bills and reducing their carbon emissions.

ACT ON CO2 advice line from the Energy Saving Trust has reported that the amount of calls it has received has quadrupled since the government announced a £910 million package to help householders become more efficient.

Taking steps such as ensuring all sockets are tuned off, installing insulation and using energy saving appliances are among the recommendations the advice line ACT ON CO2 has been handing out.

"I am encouraged that following last week's announcement, people are looking to take action to cut their fuel bills and save energy at the same time. We now need to build on that enthusiasm."
Hillary Benn, Environment Secretary

The government package aims to make sure all homes have proper insulation by 2020.

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Google & GE - A Powerful Voice

2008-09-19T00:03:00.004Z

Yesterday Google and General Electric (GE), announced plans to join together to develop a "smart" electric power grid, promote clean energy and lobby Washington and persuade politicians to push for major policy changes in energy.

The pairing is the strongest business alliance in support of the renewable energy sector, Google is involved in geothermal, solar and wind-generated electricity, and GE is now one of the biggest players in the wind power industry, developing hybrid locomotives, water reuse solutions and photovoltaic cells.

"There is no such thing as a perfect free market. It is a market that needs a little catalyst from the government and then I think the entrepreneurial dollars will flow to that."
Jeff Immelt, CEO, GE

The benefits of renewable electricity can not be fully realised without updating US power transmission lines into a "smart grid" that lets people track and control what types of power they use and when, both Google and GE believe that they can contribute to implementing this grid.

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Earth: The Climate Wars: Fightback

2008-09-17T22:10:00.004Z

Earth is a new three-part documentary series based on climate change and began on BBC2 on 7th September, all screened episodes are available on BBC iPlayer (UK Only).

In the latest episode, Dr Iain Stewart investigates the counter attack that was launched by the global warming sceptics in the 1990s.

At the start of the 1990s it seemed the world was united. At the Rio Earth summit the world signed up to a programme of action to start tackling climate change. Even George Bush was there. But the consensus didn't last.

Iain examines the scientific arguments that developed as the global warming sceptics took on the climate change consensus. The sceptics attacked almost everything that scientists held to be true. They argued that the planet wasn't warming up, that even if it was it was nothing unusual, and certainly whatever was happening to the climate was nothing to do with human emissions of greenhouse gases.

Iain interviews some of the key global warming sceptics, and discovers how their positions have changed over time.

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Shipping Plastic Bottles to China Produces Less CO2 than Sending Them to UK Landfill

2008-09-17T19:28:00.005Z

A WRAP study has found that selling the UK’s used plastic bottles and paper for recycling in China actually saves carbon emissions. Shipping these materials more than 10,000 miles produces less CO2 than sending them to landfill at home and using brand new materials.

The transport issue is just one factor in assessing the environmental impact of exporting materials for recycling. However, it has become increasingly important to understand, as over the last ten years exports of used paper have risen from 470,000 tonnes to 4.7 million tonnes. Exports of used plastic bottles have gone from less than 40,000 tonnes to half a million tonnes over the same period.

This increase reflects the huge rise in household recycling in the UK from 7% to over 30% during that time.

We collect more paper than we can recycle, but there is strong demand for it from growing economies, such as China, where there are not enough trees to make paper.

Plastic bottles are also much in demand from China’s manufacturing industry and there is currently insufficient capacity in the UK to reprocess them here. This study shows it is environmentally less harmful to send that material to China for reprocessing than sending it to landfill in the UK.

This study sought to answer the specific question of whether the CO2 emissions from the transport outweighed the benefits of the recycling. It quantifies the CO2 emissions from transporting one tonne of recovered mixed paper or recovered plastic (PET/HDPE) bottles to China. It assumes that the carbon savings of recycling in China are similar to those identified in other countries, including the UK.

The study showed that the emissions caused by transporting the material to China account for only a small amount - on average less than a third – of the CO2 saved by recycling. However, due to the imbalance of trade between China and the UK, the majority of container ships head back to China empty and they are producing CO2 emissions whether or not they are carrying cargo. If you take this into account, the transport emissions are even smaller - less than one-tenth of the overall amount of CO2 saved by recycling.

This study is not a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), although it forms a necessary part of the evidence base to demonstrate that exporting the material to China is environmentally sustainable. To answer this question in full, further work on the relative environmental impacts of recycling processes in China and the UK would be required.

“It may seem strange that transporting our unwanted paper and plastic bottles such a distance would actually be better for the environment but that is what the evidence from this study shows. As more and more of this material is being sold to China we wanted to know the impact that was having on the environment, and specifically whether the CO2 emissions from the transport outweighed the benefits of the recycling. Although this study is only part of the environmental impact story, it is clear that there are significant CO2 savings that can be made by shipping our unwanted paper and plastic to China. In some cases, we just aren’t able to reprocess everything we collect or there isn’t enough of it to do so. In these cases, shipping it to China, which has a high demand and need for material, makes sense in CO2 terms. WRAP will continue to build both the environmental and economic case for domestic recycling.”
Liz Goodwin, CEO, WRAP

The study was carried out by Oakdene Hollins and critically reviewed by ERM.

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What is the Carbon Footprint of ...

2008-09-17T14:43:00.000Z

We have compiled a list of the carbon footprint of as many items as we could find we have also included the source of the information. The idea is so that we can make informed decisions about what we eat, purchase and buy. However, it does have to be said that carbon emissions from these items can vary from producer, town, city and thus the information was true for only the time that the production cycle was analyised and therefore should not be taken out of context.

Household

Tesco 60W Pearl Lightbulb - 34g of CO2 per hour use (The Carbon Trust)
Tesco 100W Pearl Lightbulb - 55g of CO2 per hour use (The Carbon Trust)
Tesco 11W CFL Lightbulb - 6.5g of CO2 per hour use (The Carbon Trust)
Tesco 20W CFL Lightbulb - 12g of CO2 per hour use (The Carbon Trust)
Tesco 60W Spotlight Bulb - 34g of CO2 per hour use (The Carbon Trust)

Tesco Non-Biological Liquid Capsules - 700g of CO2 per wash at 40C, 540g of CO2 per wash at 30C (The Carbon Trust)
Tesco Super Concentrated Non-Biological Liquid Wash - 600g of CO2 per wash at 40C, 440g of CO2 per wash at 30C (The Carbon Trust)
Tesco Non-Biological Liquid Wash - 700g of CO2 per wash at 40C, 560g of CO2 per wash at 30C (The Carbon Trust)
Tesco Non-Biological Tablets - 850g of CO2 per wash at 40C, 690g of CO2 per wash at 30C (The Carbon Trust)
Tesco Non-Biological Powder - 750g of CO2 per wash at 40C, 590g of CO2 per wash at 30C (The Carbon Trust)

More Products to Follow ...

If you know of any other research regarding the carbon footprints of products please contact us with the information to add it to our list.

How Much CO2 is in Your Breakfast Cereal This Morning?

2008-09-17T07:17:00.003Z

According to New Scientist (13th September 2008), a bowl of cereal has the same carbon footprint as a 7km journey in a 4x4. According to reporter Bijal Trivedi, our shopping baskets are spewing greenhouse gases, but it's easy to cut out the culprits.

333g of CO2eq is emitted to make one hard-boiled egg. Compared with a bowl of cereal with milk at 1224 grams.

There's lots of other exciting reads in the feature article, for more information, you can check the New Scientist website.

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Food Waste Scheme Hailed Success

2008-09-17T06:03:00.004Z

The Waste & Resource Action Plan (WRAP), has hailed a food waste recycling scheme in which 4,272 tonnes of food waste were diverted from landfill a success. The efforts also averted 1,967 tonnes of CO2.

Nineteen English local authorities experimented with ways of collecting food waste from 94,000 households. In the majority of areas, more than 70% of people agreed to separate their food waste for composting. The average food waste collection was between 0.3 and 2.2 kilos.

"We are delighted by the results of these trials, which show that if consumers are given the right tools and are provided with a good service, they will participate in initiatives to cut waste sent to landfill."
Phillip Ward, Director for Local Government Services, WRAP

The organisers believe that a survey of people in the pilot areas identified a gap between perception and reality.

Of the non-participants interviewed, a common reason for not taking part was that residents felt that they did not produce enough food waste to make it worthwhile.

However, WRAP research in the recent "The Food We Waste" report shows that even households claiming that they generate no food waste at all produce, on average, 2.9kg per week.

Concerns about potential odour, hygiene issues or attracting vermin were the reasons given by 24% of non-participants - but for those who did participate, the majority claimed not to have had a problem with any of these issues.

A highly positive note from this announcement is that these schemes work when implemented, people are willing to carry out the task of waste separation and will do. If similar schemes were implemented across the UK's approximate 21m households, we could see 954 383 tonnes of food diverted from landfill and 439 436 tonnes of CO2 emissions. However even more importantly, by volume, food waste is the largest contributor to methane gas production, and sending this to landfill releases these gases. The EU Landfill Directive and Waste Regulations, like regulations in other countries, encourage diverting organic wastes away from landfill disposal for these reasons.

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Five Spaces Left for the Climate Ride 2008

2008-09-16T23:21:00.003Z

Brita Climate Ride 2008 is the first multi-day bicycle ride where your pedal strokes help raise money and awareness for meaningful climate change and renewable energy legislation! This transformative event is ideal for anyone who believes that change is possible and that America can take the lead in a green economy.

Beginning on September 20th, one hundred and twenty Climate Riders will pedal 300 miles from New York City to the nation’s Capitol in Washington D.C. in five days, departing from the heart of Manhattan and then meandering along country roads through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. On the fifth day, riders will cycle past the iconic Washington Monument to arrive near the marble steps of the Capitol building. Here we will celebrate the riders’ amazing accomplishment and valuable contribution to the advancement of climate change education and renewable energy policies.

Along the way, expert speakers will educate and inspire Climate Riders about the science, the policies and the solutions to the climate crisis. Our riders and the communities we pass through will learn that our government, businesses, and each individual American will benefit from a cleaner, healthier climate. This is a unique event—a fundraiser and climate conference on wheels.

The Aims of the Event are to;

Increase awareness of climate change, renewable energy, and green jobs amongst participants, donors, and the general public.
Advance the movement toward a green energy economy and encourage citizens to call on politicians to legislate meaningful climate change and energy policies.
Inspire individuals to take their share of responsibility for reducing fossil fuel energy consumption.
Showcase the bicycle as a viable, carbon-free, healthy, and fun method of transportation.

For more information on how you can get involved in this amazing event, visit Climate Ride 2008.

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Tesco Ireland Opening First Eco Store Next Month

2008-09-16T00:09:00.005Z

Tesco Ireland will be opening its first environmental store ("eco store") in Tramore next month. When completed the 30,000 sq ft retail outlet will use 45% less energy than a supermarket of a similar size. Setting a new benchmark for green technology and construction in retail in Ireland, Tesco Tramore will save 420 tonnes of CO2, a 30% annual saving. It's all part of a number of steps that Tesco is taking to reduce the environmental impact of its business operations.

Features of the eco store include;

Timber frame shop floor instead of traditional steel
Enhanced insulation to minimize heat loss
Trigeneration Combined Heat and Power Plant producing the majority of all central heating and hot water for the store whilst also contributing to the electricity generation
Double glazing sections in the roof to maximise natural light
Photovoltaic roof cells that generate electricity for use instore
Roof-top rainwater collection for use in toilets
Cold air recycling system which takes cold air from chilled areas to warmer areas - reducing the need for air conditioning
CO2 based refrigeration replacing the more traditional HFC refrigerants.
Energy-saving LED lighting in all fridges with below shelving lips in dairy and milk cabinets to reduce cool air loss
Bakery ovens that are 50% more efficient than similar installations
Photocell lights in loading areas which are triggered by low external light
Light movement sensors to ensure lights in offices and other staff areas are only on when this space is in use
The building as designed will receive an A1 Building Energy Rating (BER) the highest energy efficient rating

Tesco Ireland is taking a number of practical steps to reduce its environmental impact and to help consumers make informed greener choices based on good science. The company is measuring the carbon footprint of 30 Tesco own brand products, measuring the overall CO2 emissions throughout their life cycle.

Since announcing its Strategy for the Environment and Carbon Reduction last year Tesco Ireland has been investing and trialling new technologies throughout its store network, and as a result has developed a more sustainable blueprint for its new buildings. This includes an extensive energy management programme with energy managers appointed locally to all stores. The company commissioned its first Combined Heat and Power unit at Tesco Nutgrove store last year, saving 25% in energy costs. A bio diesel mix has been introduced to the distribution truck fleet along with double deck trailers which will save on road miles.

Pictured is the 50,000sq ft Tesco in Wick, in the north of Scotland. It was designed to be the most environmentally-friendly of its kind in the UK, and it is expected to have a 50 percent smaller carbon footprint than similar sized traditionally built stores. Not only is the building envelope designed to have minimum impact on the environment but construction methods were also as low-carbon as possible, while road freight was replaced with shipping to reduce both emissions and road congestion.

Lifestyle Green at Castle Espie

2008-09-15T23:42:00.004Z

I seem to have taken not many pictures of the show and more of the park, but that's typically me. I shall update you with a full rundown of events of this years jam packed (with visitors, stalls and talks) show.

Picture: Random Hong Kong Energy Pics

2008-09-15T23:19:00.005Z

Some random Hong Kong energy related pics, enjoy steal or do what you like with them. I forgot to take pictures of No Straw Day!

30kW Hydro Electricity Site Reduces CO2 by 100t a Year

2008-09-15T19:05:00.006Z

A new chapter in Northern Ireland’s search for a sustainable future has been opened with the completion of a hydroelectric scheme in Ballycastle.

Local farmer John McCambridge has re-energised a 100 year-old hydro system on his land, installing a new cross flow turbine, the first of its kind in the area. The turbine has been built on the Carey River near the Cushendall Road in Ballycastle.

The project was funded by Interreg IIIA through the Special EU Programmes Body, Northern Ireland Electricity’s Smart Programme and by Mr McCambridge himself. Producing around 200,000 units of renewable electricity every year, the new 30kW hydro generating system will reduce the amount of CO2 emitted into the local atmosphere by up to 100 tonnes each year.

"It has been great to develop this site from the old turbine, which was no longer performing to its full potential. We have replaced it with a modern turbine, which enables us to maximise the hydro power available to us. This allows us as a business to reduce our carbon emissions on the local environment and in turn also reduces our energy costs. We will also be installing a wood chip boiler for domestic purposes, it will be fuelled by willow coppice, which at presently is growing on our farm, thus allowing us to reduce our carbon footprint further. I believe renewable energy will be a vital part of our farming business now and for future generations to come."
Eoin McCambridge, Manager, Hyrdo Electricity Scheme

The existing plant had been in operation for over 100 years, up until 2003. The 30kW German manufactured turbine was installed last year, and Eoin has used the existing weir to drive the new, more efficient turbine and generate electricity. The bulk of the electricity generated will be used in a newly constructed drying facility for willow chips, and the rest will be used on the farm.

“There is enormous potential in Northern Ireland for hydro generated electricity and this project will benefit the local community through the reduction of CO2. There is a number of existing, out of use hydro generating systems in Northern Ireland and many of these could be easily put back into operation. Hydro technology not only has high levels of operational reliability, it also is low maintenance and low in operating costs. NIE is keen to encourage more landowners to invest in hydro projects, which will add to Northern Ireland’s clean, renewable electricity capacity. Any electricity generated, which is not used onsite, can be exported back to the grid and be purchased by NIE Energy.”
Claire Carson, NIE Energy

Picture: Generic 30kW Hydro System

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Delivered Milk is Cleaner, Greener and Easier to Swallow

2008-09-14T00:14:00.013Z

Since the early 90's, milkmen have struggled to remain competitive in the market against the convenience of 24/7 supermarkets with loss leading pricing tactics. This has inevitably saw a decline in the number of milkmen in the UK by over 10 000 in the last ten years, as more people turn to the supermarkets and existing clients (as they were often elderly) pass away. It's a tough life for milkmen rising as early as 2am, to go to the dairy to load their floats with the milk for the day. A job they love, but under the pressure from the supermarkets, one which pays a standard wage. Self-employed, to make a living they need to sell at least 500 gallons a week, they have little time off, even during bereavement and illness.

But as people try to green their lives some are turning back to the milkman as a way of receiving their milk fresh and green daily (or we hope).

The latest figures from WRAP, the Waste and Resources Action Programme, suggest that the UK milk industry is responsible for 130,000 tonnes of plastic waste, every year. To put that into perspective this is the more than the amount of plastic that is required for the total annual use of plastic bags in the UK.

Or ... 19 066 667 600 bags ... to be precise is the milk industry equivalent.

Plastic is a funny substance and can't really be recycled more than once, so there are limitations as to the amount of times it can be reused, and even more limitations on the types of products that they can replace, not to mention the way in which the plastic is collected, sorted and recycled. It takes 1.75 kilograms of petroleum (in terms of energy and raw materials) to make one kilogram of HDPE.

Or ... 228 229 285 litres of petroleum ... enough to power a Peugeot 107 for 3.08 billion miles.

Milkmen use cute clinky glass bottles (not all, best to ask first, avoid shock later), these can be reused twenty times before they need to be recycled. They also are virtually infinitely recyclable, although quality tends to degrade after the seventh time. The added advantage is the milkman collects the empty bottles on his next delivery, this allows the bottles to be effectively removed from all waste streams.

Most milkmen in the UK travel on clean green electric milk floats which emit no CO2 emissions other than those from electricity generation, and the milk floats are exceptionally efficient in terms of energy used, compared to petrol or diesel vehicles. One manufacture of these vehicles is Smith, who have diversified into other electric powered commercial vehicles.

We know know the packaging is greener and the distribution, but what about production, either way it is the same, but should we be consuming diary products at all? They are after-all renowned for the carbon intensive farming. The carbon footprint of 1 pint of milk is 596g of CO2.

1.05g of CO2 / 1ml of Milk

Now comes the real choice in what you consume and how it can affect your carbon footprint, organic milk uses three times less energy to produce because it doesn't require energy-intensive fertiliser. This should in effect reduce CO2 emissions by 55%, assuming 83% of CO2 is from production.

0.47g of CO2 / 1ml of Organic Milk (estimated)

So if you don't have a milkman already, it might be an idea to find one, I went in search, if you live in Northern Ireland, you can contact your local dairy, or visit Dale Farm. For the rest of the UK, you can try Find Me a Milkman or Deliver Milk.

Whilst delivered milk is slightly more expensive, this added cost also means you will likely never run out of milk, it's fresh, it's delivered and when saying I'm just going to the supermarket for milk, you categorically spend twenty times that of what you intended to buy in the first place, half an hour in the store and another 15 minutes driving there and parking in the packed out supermarket, and it doesn't come in a cute clinky glass bottle.

If you have a milkman I'd love to hear your comments and the price you pay for a pint of milk to debunk the ideas that milkmen charge exorbitant prices! I have faith.

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Transport Minister Opens New Bus Centre

2008-09-13T23:55:00.003Z

Transport Minister, Conor Murphy, today opened the new £2.8million Lisburn Bus Centre. During his visit he also launched Translink’s new Passenger Charter.

“This investment in a new bus centre is a major asset for public transport in Lisburn and local passengers will benefit from a modern fully accessible station which provides better and more comfortable facilities for all. I am committed to improving public transport and my key objective in investing in bus services is to encourage more commuters and other travellers out of the car. Substantial investment in bus services between 2003-2007 has resulted in nearly 940 new Translink buses, making it one of the most modern, comfortable and reliable fleets in Europe. In addition between 2008-2011 a further £36million will be invested in buses to ensure these high standards are maintained. I would also like to acknowledge the support of the EU Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme which part funded this new facility for the travelling public.”
Conor Murphy, Transport Minister

The site is close to the city centre and offers quick access to Bow Street Mall and the surrounding commercial area. A bus lane adjoining the station will increase access and shorten journey times.

The Minister also launched the new Translink Passenger’s Charter. The new Passenger’s Charter sets out standards and targets for punctuality and reliability, waiting times, standing on buses and trains, complaints procedures and what passengers can expect from Translink staff.

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Public Inquiry for Rose Energy Incinerator

2008-09-13T22:42:00.003Z

Lisburn City Council have called on the Environment Minister to hold a public inquiry into the construction of the proposed agricultural biomass incinerator by Rose Energy, in Glenavy.

Representives from Rose Energy and Communities Against Lough Neagh Incinerator were at at the Lisburn City Council Planning Commitee meeting on Wednesday evening, held at the council offices headquarters at Lagan Valley Island.

The decision has now been deferred to the Department of the Environment, who should ensure the proposal is rigorously assessed.

Northern Ireland often exports its chicken litter to mainland Britain as a way to efficiently reduce waste and reuse the energy stored in the bedding as no facility exisits in the country. The 1.8m chickens produced each week, create 250 000t of chicken litter annually. Hence the decision by major chicken producers O'Kane Poultry, Glenfarm Holdings and Moy Park, who have been supplying poultry bedding for use as a biofuel to power stations in England and Scotland for a number of years, to join together as a consortium, known as Rose Energy, to propose the first energy plant which will convert agricultural biomass into electricity in Northern Ireland.

The proposed site in Glenavy, near Lisburn, is in an ideal location between the two major poultry processing areas in NI. It is also located next to Ulster Farm By-Products, which will be a major supplier to the plant of one of the fuel sources – meat and bone meal. Furthermore, the plant will serve to reinforce the electricity infrastructure in an area which is currently deficient.

The £100m power plant will have a capacity of 30MW, and could effectively power 25 000 homes, assisting up to a third of the Northern Ireland obligation to source 6.3% of its energy from renewable sources by 2012. The government intends to exceed this figure and achieve 12% and is providing a funding package for suitable green energy initiatives to help develop viable projects.

This development is a viable solution to address the disposal of agricultural biomass, which is now included under an EU directive, whilst also providing an additional source of renewable energy. It will also assist in reducing emissions produced from exporting chicken litter, via road and sea,to mainland Britain.

Northern Ireland Assembly Debate on Issue - 3rd June 2008
Options For Chicken Waste

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NIE Testing Smart Meters

2008-09-13T21:22:00.002Z

Northern Ireland Electricity are to conduct a trial in to Smart Meters, and are looking for willing participants. The system will make use of accurate real time data, which can be viewed online, and tell you exactly how much electricity is being used in your home at any time.

Taking part is free and offers;

Internet based monthly bills
Real-time data on electricity consumption
Accurate (not estimated) bills
Paperless billing
Remote readings of meter
Email based customer support

The trial will last around twelve months. To participate you must be a NIE customer on a Home Energy or Eco Energy Tariff, paying their bills by direct debit, access to the internet, an email address, and individual meter and no arrears on their account. Numbers are limited.

For further information contact Kathryn on 028 9068 5028 or email smartmeter@nieenergy.co.uk

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