Cycles

Most people that know me well know that I care deeply for the environment. I recycle, I donate to environmental charities, I've massively reduced my carbon footprint by not having a car, I do as much as I can.

And in the past I've been rather vocal about it too - but you might have noticed that I've gone quiet.  It's not that I don't care, I do passionately, but my thinking has changed.

It was a conversation the other night with a friend that made me realise that I've come to a slow dawning that actually it's too late.

We've got to the point where it's unlikely we can reverse the damage we've done, that we are slowly and surely heading towards extinction.

And when I say that I mean extinction of the human race - or at the very least a massive reduction. Which is fine, because the other thing I've realised is that the planet (and most other creatures on it) will survive, that when we've destroyed most of the land and polluted most of the water, and the result of these things mean that the world human population has settled to a level that is sustainable - then the planet WILL recover and continue.

It's doesn't mean I'll stop recycling and doing my bit - but it does mean that I'm not going to worry about others not doing so.

And just to top it all off, I read that the Government curriculum reform just announced has all but removed climate change from being taught in schools! So, those who are likely to be most affected by our stupidity won't even have a working knowledge of why things are happening, or be capable of making informed decisions.

Canada should be ashamed

What was the point of signing the Kyoto agreement if countries could just leave the minute they fall behind and it looks like they may have to pay a fine!?

It was bad enough that China and the United States didn't sign it in the first place, but now Canada have withdrawn after realising that they were going to miss their targets.

It's a joke, but it's not funny, and it's the poor and those who often haven't contributed to the problem, who suffer.

As I'm sure I predicted, the terrible economy climate means that the actual climate is being ignored.

backwards

We seem to be going backwards, governments are going back on their promises where the environment is concerned and the general public seem to have forgotten about the planet - I put this partly down to the focus changing to individualism again (blame the Conservatives), and the fears of the economic crisis.

News outlets haven't been reporting much on environmental stuff, or if they have it's been buried by news of shootings, celebrities, phone hacking and job losses.

Today I heard on the BBC radio (6music), and read on The Guardian website that plastic bag use is on the rise again - I'm astounded!

It seems that in the last year usage has gone up by 5% - which is terrible since in 2009 it had gone down by 40%.

Retailers are still resisting charging for them, and the government are not even considering legislation (although they have in Wales).

So, my plea to those I know, please take a bag with you when you go shopping - and if you forget it don't use bags at all!  It's a pain in the arse transferring everything from the trolley to the car boot, but when you get home you can pop in and get the bags - I've had to do this a few times recently.

If you do have plastic bags, reuse them - even take them back to the supermarket, as far as I know all the big four have a place you can put bags for recycling.  If you are feeling crafty there are lots of things you can do with bags.

Is it too late?

The front page of the current Weekly Guardian claims that "World climate now 'on the brink'".  The story highlights the recent IEA (International Energy Agency) report that shows that despite the global recession carbon emissions have gone up in the last year across the world, and we are at the point of no return - where whatever we do we will be unable to reverse the affects of global warming - it will be a self replicating cycle which we created (and missed the chance to stop).

Two things struck me on reading the article.  Firstly, the feeling that such headlines instead of scaring people into action are actually very likely to paralyse them into in-activity - 'it's too late, so why bother to deny myself if the world is going to hell anyway and nothing I do will change that'.

The second thing is something I've been considering for sometime - that is that it's now too late for me to oppose nuclear power.  That in order to lessen carbon emissions we need to ditch fossil fuels and increase nuclear power stations (since there seems to be so much resistance to wind power, and a lack of action on wave power) - the biggest problem now is that after what happened in Japan after the earthquake it's unlikely that many countries are going to go with nuclear at all.

The honest and easiest answer, as always, is complex - but it needs governments to legislate to FORCE individuals to use use and companies to make less........oh look a flying pig.    

Recently one of my facebook contacts (someone I went to school with and haven't seen for over 25 year) called me a 'tree hugger' and he didn't mean it as a compliment - although I did take it as one.

But it got me thinking, am I a true 'tree hugger' and anyway what does the term mean?

Urban Dictionary defines the phrase as

someone who loves the environment and believes it needs to be protected for the benefit of ourselves and future generations to come. Typically described as hippies. Often characterized by eating organic goods, natural fibre clothing, not consumption of meat, a general liking and respect for the environment.

Well, I'm not a veggie, I don't wear all natural clothes (although that's because I think recycling is better and therefore 98% of my clothes are second hand), and I rarely eat organic - but I do love the environment and believe it needs protecting.

But do I do enough? The answer has to be 'no' as I sit here typing this on my iPad, in a centrally heated house with a car in the drive.  But I probably do more than the majority of the population.

I walk or get public transport when I can, I recycle everything I can (and try to buy items with less packaging), I shop local when possible, don't turn the heating on when I'm at home alone (if it's cold I use a small heater in the room I'm in), all light bulbs in the house are energy saving, I usually shower instead of bath, have a water saver in the toilet cistern, and try to use grey water for watering plants in the garden. 

I have to have a car to allow me to work, but when I next buy my own (I currently have a company diesel car) I hope to get a hybrid. 

So, I do a fair amount, and if that makes me a 'tree hugger' then, as I said, I'm proud of it.

Miles of food

As most people know, I'm not a fan of supermarkets. I do occasionally shop in Sainsbury's or Morrisons, but I've never been in an Asda and it's been about 10 years since i've parted with cash in a Tesco.

There are so many reasons; poor treatment of farmers and producers, underhand tactics for getting planning permission, their habit of killing off local producers in small towns, and their generally aggressive practices.

Many people tell me that popping into Tescos is convenient, or getting their Asda shopping is easier - without giving a thought to the bigger picture. They tell me they buy local (in the supermarket) and that they like the choice - but it's a con.

Choice is eroded by supermarkets - think about it, you'll only see the products that the supermarket wants you to see, from the producers who can afford to trade with them. Often when you see a BOGOF (buy one get one free) it's the producer who foots the bill, not the supermarket.

Choice is deciding what you want for yourself, being able to chose which shop you want to buy in, and to compare prices - think about it, when Tesco have driven every other retailer out of the market place you won't have a choice - the price will be set by Tesco and you'll have to pay up.

Buying local is a con too. Your Longley Farm natural yoghurt might have been made just down the road in Holmfirth, but it will have travelled hundreds of miles more to be on the shelf in Asda.

Yesterday an article in The Guardian drew attention to this with the example of Roddas clotted cream (one of my Mum's favourite things, which used to be only avaliable in Cornwall near to where it was made) and Cornish Brie.

The reason all these items are available in all parts of the country is that supermarkets use big distribution centres - but this can have crazy consequences.

Roddas cream is made in Scorrier near Redruth, driven 170 miles to a distribution centre in Avonmouth, then back 170 miles to go on sale in the supermarket 2 miles down the road from the creamery! Obviously some of the cream goes north to other parts of the country, but does the stuff to be sold locally have to do the 340 mile roundtrip?

In the article one person said that if we didn't have these systems people would have less choice and have no fresh fruit or out of season vegetables - but that is muddling the arguments - I'm not against importing food we can't grow ourselves, and I'm sure not being able to get strawberries in the middle of winter wouldn't kill anyone!?

New services

Given my green beliefs I should be very against the idea of a new motorway service station on the M5 near Gloucester - but strangely I'm not.

If we must have new services let's have them like the one on the M6 in Cumbria - Tebay. 

Sustainable, green, as environmentally friendly as is possible, good locally sourced, and staff brought in by bus too reduce unnecessary travel.

The developers, Westmorland have just got planning approval for the services, where fast food outlets will be banned and the petrol station will have a grass roof!

I do occasionally go down that way to visit family, and have always noticed the lack of services - as i've said, if we must have services stations, let's have them like this.

Packing

Rant number 3....hopefully the last for a while!

I bought John a wash bag, he didn't have one and the pharmacopia of creams and potions he carries around needed a home....so off to M&S.

Now, M&S are clearly trying to let everyone know their green credentials, so you'd hope that their staff would be aware of this and their goods would be packed environmentally.

Firstly I discovered that the wash bag was packed with new paper in a new carrier bag - TOTALLY unnecessary and crazy.....

Then when I got to the till (in the food department as I was buying lunch too), the cashier was packing the bag of the woman in front of me in the queue.....placing each item in an individual carrier bag....as the shopper then placed them in a bag for life that she'd brought with her......aaaaarrrrrrrgh!

more for less

Rant two....

Firstly take a look at my lunch the other day, from Boots the Chemist (although I don't think they are called that anymore as they seem to sell more 'beauty crap' than anything else, but that's another rant for another day...).

A salad and a bar........then take a look at the photo below......note the difference - the addition of a drink.

It seems that to purchase the salad and bar I would be parting with about £3.50.....but to get the salad, bar AND drink would cost only £3.00.

Let me just run that past you again, I can get the same items, plus a drink for less than I can get the two original items!

How can this be? How can this make ecological or economic sense? I'm confused......

Giving to charity

Charity
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll

This text comes from an article by Margaret Atwood from the Guardian Review on 9th January 2010, I can't better the words so I'll just repeat them -

...according to Al Gore, 97% of charitable giving goes to human causes. Of the remaining 3%, half goes to pets. That leaves 1.5% devoted to the rest of nature - including the crisis-ridden oceans, the eroding, drying or flooding land and shrinking biosphere on which OUR lives depend?

How crazy are we?

We're a lot like those old cartoons in which the foolish character is sawing off the same branch he's sitting on, beneath him is a sheer drop to nowhere.

Human beings, it seems are like little children, who never do quite believe that 'all gone' means there asn't any more, at all, ever.

So, with that in mind I thought I'd suggest some charities to give to if you are in the mood (I have my favs, included, but I guess the reason of this list is to suggest some you might not have thought about before) -


World Wildlife Fund

The Woodland Trust

find a local Wildlife trust

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Born Free Foundation

Marine Conservation Society

TUSK - helping wildlife in Africa

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

International Fund for Animal Welfare

St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital

Feed the birds - please!

feed the birds
Originally uploaded by MollsMusings

The weather is lovely to look at, terrible for travelling in and VERY difficult for much of the country's birdlife.

As all the water freezes and everything is covered in a blanket of snow many of the garden birds are having difficulty finding food. So, if you have a garden or small space, and you don't have cats (they don't need help finding food!) please consider feeding the birds.

Visit the RSPB website for more information about what to put out for them, the birds in our garden LOVE the fat balls we've been hanging in the trees.

Remember to keep the feeders topped up - even after this cold snap has ended (although it does feel like it's set in forever!).

Age of Stupid

Age of Stupid
Originally uploaded by MollsMusings

I've wanted to see this film for some time, but I missed it at the Showroom, so had to wait until the DVD release.

As many of you will know, I care passionately about the environment, particularly about the fact that we could all be doing more to stop the stupidity of over consumption and careless use of resources.

This film is a documentary about these things, well worth looking out for, I believe that the BBC will be showing it on television sometime this month.

The most unfortunate thing about films like this (and books, articles etc) is that those who really need to see them (those who don't care, or have no interest) are unlikely to see them. It is more likely that those of us who already know and care will make the effort to see these things - shame.

If any of my friends or family would like to borrow the DVD let me know; better still, go and buy a copy yourself.

Getting things in perspective

I have shelter from the elements

Hate Crime Organizations
Originally uploaded by jasonfhatcher.

I'm free from persecution

Frozen
Originally uploaded by sismastery.

I can turn on a tap and get clean drinking water

Lighting
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll.

I can turn on a switch and get light

Wardrobe
Originally uploaded by MollsMusings

I have clothes and shoes, more than I could ever wear

kitchen cupboard
Originally uploaded by Dr Joolz

I have a cupboard full of food, and nearby shops to get more

Dosh
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll

I have money for the things I need (and the things I want)

Under pressure
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll

I'm fit and healthy

The Finger Family
Originally uploaded by etravus the original digitalcraftsman

I have wonderful friends and family

Be Grateful.
Originally uploaded by SnoShuu

I should be grateful for what I have

When was the last time you used it?

Yellow Pages Pix
Originally uploaded by GoogleGeek.

I have a Yellow Pages, and probably a Thompsons - somewhere!

Like many people I haven't used them for years - why would I need to when the internet is so much quicker, uptodate, easier......

So, I'd like to be able to 'opt-out' of receiving the books. I believe that an 'opt-out' scheme is the way to go, then those who really do want a copy and will use it will still get one - and those who leave them to go soggy on doorsteps for weeks, or put them straight in the bin (or recycyling if you can find a facility to take it) don't need to have one.

So, you can sign a petition (hell, it might do some good!) - http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoPhonebooks/ -

There are various other websites about this - http://www.saynotophonebooks.org/ - is the main one (although I'll point out it is being run by 192.com, an online directory company who obviously have a vested interest!).

I've had a wander around the web looking for phone numbers for Yellow Pages to get the directories cancelled - and they aren't easy to find. I came up with the following -

BT Phone book - 0800 833 400

Yellow Pages - 0800 671 444

Thompsons (customer services) - 01252 555 555

The text below comes from the petition website for a little background info -

75 million phonebooks are produced and delivered each year, amounting to an estimated 75,000 tonnes of annual waste, enough to cover Hyde Park twice!

Add in the cost of manufacturing, delivering and recycling phone books, this equals a totally unnecessary and avoidable environmental burden.

The estimated amount of resources wasted include:

• 680,000 barrels of oil (not including petrol wasted during delivery) • 2 billion litres of water (not including water wasted in the recycling process) • 437 million kilowatts of energy (not including the recycling process) equates to enough energy to power 112,000 three bedroom houses for a year

From production to recycling, 75,000 tonnes of phonebooks equates to 96,000 metric tonnes of wasted carbon emissions!

By candlelight

Earth Hour 09
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll.

Tonight was 'Earth Hour' - from 2030 (GMT) for an hour people were encouraged to turn off their electric lights to show support for the campaign against global warming.

For more information, videos and photos visit - here.

John and Caitlin were staying for the night so we got the candles out and had a very intense game of Monopoly - Caitlin is ruthless. In the end I was bankrupted by a hotel on Mayfair!

Letter to the PM

London Heathrow Airport
Originally uploaded by FrancoisRoche.

Dear Gordon Brown

Although I live in Yorkshire, and obviously nowhere near to Heathrow I still feel the need to stand against this gross environmental nightmare.

I do not accept that the UK needs more airport facilities, at a time when the climate around the world is being changed rapidly by this type of recklessness.

The so called 'green' elements that have been included in the decision are a complete joke. The air companies do not have 'green' planes, engine efficiency cannot compensate for the huge increase in emissions the third runway would create.

Although I do not fly myself, I am not against flying when no other form of transport is possible - eg. long haul. Using air travel within the UK, or even within Europe is crazy.

We need to cut emissions (not off-set) across all sectors, and the population need guidance from government - something I feel you are failing to give.

I have become a beneficial owner of the Greenpeace land at Heathrow - not because I believe it will stop the development (your changes in planning policy have destroyed any say the public might have in such matters), but because I believe that the publicity will help bring the cause to more people.

I wish you luck in the next general election - but I will not be voting for a government who care so little about the environment.

Yours

(Look at the size of it, and it's only set to get bigger!)

To see what this is all about visit the Greenpeace

For the sake of the planet....

Polar bears
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll.

....and everything on it, I hope that Americans will see sense and not vote for McCain/Palin.

I'm not going to pretend to know much about the elections, but I will just impart two pieces of information about Palin (one of many scary facts about the gun loving god bothering mom) -

In her capacity as governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin has mounted a legal challenge against the decision to put polar bears on the ESA (America's Endangered Species Act) list.

The Governor's website gives these reasons:

* the decision was not based on best science and commercial data

* the polar bear population has doubled in the past 40 years to almost 25,000 worldwide

* it could deter fishing, oil and gas exploration, transport and tourism.

And, she actively supports drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Oh my, please America - see the light, for the sake of the planet and those of us who live here.

Polar bears

Polar bears
Originally uploaded by Ms. Moll.

Today the US declared the polar bear a threatened species due to the loss of the Arctic sea ice it lives on. The bears might even be turning to cannibalism.

Krill in Antarctic has fallen by 80% in 25 years, posing a threat to the food chain.

Yet this only makes it onto page 17 of The Guardian.

This should be headline news, we've fucked our planet to such an extent already that anything else will soon be irrelevant - when we are fighting for survival.

Unfortunately by then it will be too late.

Bags!

Bags!, originally uploaded by MollsMusings.

I realised today, as I bought ANOTHER cloth bag for my shopping, that my cloth bag collection is getting out of hand!

I HATE carrier bags and won't use them - so if I need a bag and I've forgotten to take one with me I often end up buying one - and the result is this collection (and I think there are some in the car too!).

Of course this doesn't include the hundreds that Colin and I bought for the bookshop/greenshop - I'm going to start giving them away, so if anyone wants one let me know.

Postscript: if you click on the photo it will take you to the Flickr page and there are notes on the photo to tell you about each bag - if you are interested!

Water for sale

Water for sale
Originally uploaded by Water For Sale.

Do you buy bottled water? If the answer is yes then you should be ashamed of yourself, if you are reading this blog then the chances are you are living in a country where the tap water is drinkable (you might not like the taste but at least it won't kill you), so you have no excuse.

Today is 'World Water Day', 27 international charities have written to Gordon Brown demanding action to give fresh water to 1.1 billion people with poor supplies.

Each year 1.8 million children die due to lack of good sanitation, two thirds of the world's population will live in water stressed countries by 2025. Rising temperatures together with extreme weather will increase pressures on water supplies. Currently 1 billion people suffer from water shortages and 30 countries already get more than one third of their water from outside their borders.

If the average global temperature goes up more than two degrees above pre-industrial levels, 2 to 3 billion will suffer shortage.

There are hundreds of varieties on sale now, some from places where water for the local population is in short supply (Fuji for instance) - this is pure madness. Believe it or not I've just found a website singing the praises of bottled water and listing them by country, Finewaters, here are the number (approximately) of types of domestic bottled water available from each country, the website will tell you about some of them and how they taste (doh! like water?):-

Argentina - 1

Belgium - 50

Brazil - 70

Canada - 70

Chile - 10

Denmark - 20

Egypt - 12

Fiji - 3

Finland - 15

France - 200

Germany - 450

Iceland - 10

India - 21

Ireland - 12

Italy - 600!!!!!

Japan - 440-450

Jordan - 4

Nepal - 5

Netherlands - 1

New Zealand - 20

Norway - 11

Portugal - 50

Romania - 20

Russia - 50

Serbia - 1

Slovakia - 16

South Africa - 40

Spain - 170

Sweden - 12

Switzerland - 50

United Kingdom - 150

USA - 100

And don't get me started on the amount of plastic waste this madness creates!

Donate to Water Aid.