Gangotri, India - 2009 Photoexpedition
The Gangotri glacier is situated in the state of Uttarakhand and is one of many great glaciers in the located in the Indian Himalayas. However, no other glacier is as significant both economically and spiritually as the Gangotri glacier. The Gangotri is the main glacier that feeds the great Ganges River, which flows through northern India with its enormous population. Downstream thousands of people are cremated every year along the banks of the river in order to reach their nirvana. The Ganges River is an integral part of Hinduism. No other river on earth is adored by mass humanity like the Ganges.
Hindus also worship the source of their great river Gangotri. Millions of Hindus hope that they will be able to pay homage to the mouth of the glacier at Gaumukh in a once in a lifetime pilgrimage. The glacier is inhospitable and difficult to reach and only the hardiest of Hindus make it all the way to the glacier itself. I accompanied a small Greenpeace team on our very own pilgrimage to the glacier mouth to witness for ourselves how climatic change is affecting the source of Asia's longest and most auspicious river.
Observing the river sweeping through the mountain it was very easy to imagine how the glacier would have shaped the valley in centuries gone by. Snow that once lay on all the mountain peaks which we see on the horizon has disappeared and the peaks are now bare and only display snow for a few hours after an unusually cold night. The land is naked and barren. We see doves and crows flying above - something that would of been unheard of a decade ago at such a high altitude.
Before we set off we met a holy Sadhu named Swami Sundaranand otherwise known as the 'Clicking Sadhu'. He has taken over 40,000 pictures of the Gangotri glacier over the last 40 years. We are going to shoot a before and now of the Glacier snout using a picture the 'Clicking Sadhu' had taken in 1984 and note the change in the glacier comparing the photographs taken twenty five years apart.
Swami Sundaranand explains " The glacier has been sick for a long time now. Over the years especially over the last 20 years I started to see the change become more apparent and more rapid, the mouth where the holy river flows from the glacier started to shrink. This alarmed me as the mouth used to be a formidable sight. " He continues “ I believe because the region is warmer now the rocks are becoming much looser and falling all along the glacier floor. Even the mouth itself is brown and grey. It used to reflect blues and greens and a wonderful white." He adds "When I was very young I first visited the glacier in the early 60s and back then it was around the bend. I saw over time it slowly disappear around the bend of the valley. You cannot see the glacier from where I first saw it, its disappeared out of sight, the whole area used to be paradise for a photographer, when I see photo's of the area today, it makes me very sad.”
Along the route we were faced with reminders of where the once mighty glacier used to be. The Indian government has painted dates and locations of the glacier on random stones that were probably once moved by the glacier itself. The dates range from 1891 to 2007. On some of the early recordings such as the one undertaken in 1935 we saw that the glacier was just a few kilometres away. It was a startling reminder just how relentless the glacier has receded year by year.
The river flowed out of the glacier carrying huge blocks of melted ice. Nearby we uncovered the most recent of all the government’s signs from 2007. In only 2 years the glacier had receded around 25 meters. A GPS was made by Greenpeace at the mouth of the glacier so it can monitor in the future.
I then photographed Gaumukh from the exact spot where my Sadhu friend had photographed 25 years earlier. The only difference is that I was a few hundred meters back and the glacier was in the distance!
If the Gangotri glacier continues to recede at its current rate at around the middle of this century then the great Ganges river will only be fed by the seasonal monsoon. Asia's longest river will simply be a seasonal river. The consequences for billions of Indian people in the world’s most densely populated regions would be immense. If the glacier disappears the rice bowl of India that relies on irrigation from the 'Holy Mother Ganges' will be empty causing catastrophic food shortages.
Indeed nobody knows when arguably the most important glacier of them all will disappear. As the rate of acceleration gathers pace it is a case of when and not if it disappears.
I left the glacier feeling in a sombre mood. Perhaps if more Hindus could also observe the fate of the birthplace of their sacred River Ganges more effort would be made to tackle the problems faced by the Gangotri glacier.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Climate Change is now
A translucent monster hovers over mankind and a plethora of other life forms as we countdown to the Cop15, where some of the most important decisions of our time will be made. As our leaders stand in the shadows of contemplation trying to avoid responsibility and denying the potential catastrophic consequences, somewhere in a drought-hit rural expanse, lives are taken and children orphaned.
Climate change and its effects are already being felt in India. Though, India has historically contributed little to this fiasco that now looms clear, her sons and daughters are amongst the first to feel its effects. An evident manifestation of this is of course, is the extremely erratic nature of this year’s monsoon. The media screamed out reports of floods, droughts, thunderstorms and rising temperatures.
In rural Andhra Pradesh, men consumed pesticides to relieve themselves from the harsh clutches of drought leaving their wives to deal with the pressure of high-interest debts and their children with the lone wooden plough.
In coastal Tamil Nadu, where the phenomenon of the South West monsoon has been entirely lost for the major part of the past decade, fishermen and farmers struggle to make ends meet as it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain their livelihood.
The intimidating Cyclone Aila that hit the famous Sunderbans forest region of Bengal left hundreds dead, thousands missing and tens of thousands others homeless. Not far from there, the residents of Ghoramara witness rising sea levels every passing day. Farming land is lost and homes are eaten up. The victims of Sunderbans and Ghoramara are one of India’s first climate refugees.
Of course, this is only the tip of the rapidly melting iceberg.
Women ploughed fields naked in Uttar Pradesh, two frogs were married in Karnataka and children rolled on the scorching hot ground in Bihar – rituals performed to appease the fury of the rain gods. Thunderstorms rendered many homeless in Jammu and Kashmir. The Bagmathi River breached its embankment in Bihar forcing thousands to relocate. The rage has already been unleashed.
With neither the knowledge nor the financial means to adapt, it is the poor and marginalised who will suffer the most. Tragically, these stories are set to increase in both scale and scope if stringent commitments on emission cuts and dependence on renewable energy is not volunteered by both the developed and the developing world. While the rest of the world points to India and China to take responsibility as the fastest growing economies in the world, a climate alliance between the countries could help the faces behind these negotiations gain significance.
Today, a hundred ice sculptures of children melted at the 'Temple of Earth', Beijing, signifying the urgency of the issue and the impacts it could have on our future generations. The clock is ticking.
Greenpeace China's action today appeals to the Cop15 negotiators for the children of tomorrow.
Climate change and its effects are already being felt in India. Though, India has historically contributed little to this fiasco that now looms clear, her sons and daughters are amongst the first to feel its effects. An evident manifestation of this is of course, is the extremely erratic nature of this year’s monsoon. The media screamed out reports of floods, droughts, thunderstorms and rising temperatures.
In rural Andhra Pradesh, men consumed pesticides to relieve themselves from the harsh clutches of drought leaving their wives to deal with the pressure of high-interest debts and their children with the lone wooden plough.
In coastal Tamil Nadu, where the phenomenon of the South West monsoon has been entirely lost for the major part of the past decade, fishermen and farmers struggle to make ends meet as it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain their livelihood.
The intimidating Cyclone Aila that hit the famous Sunderbans forest region of Bengal left hundreds dead, thousands missing and tens of thousands others homeless. Not far from there, the residents of Ghoramara witness rising sea levels every passing day. Farming land is lost and homes are eaten up. The victims of Sunderbans and Ghoramara are one of India’s first climate refugees.
Of course, this is only the tip of the rapidly melting iceberg.
Women ploughed fields naked in Uttar Pradesh, two frogs were married in Karnataka and children rolled on the scorching hot ground in Bihar – rituals performed to appease the fury of the rain gods. Thunderstorms rendered many homeless in Jammu and Kashmir. The Bagmathi River breached its embankment in Bihar forcing thousands to relocate. The rage has already been unleashed.
With neither the knowledge nor the financial means to adapt, it is the poor and marginalised who will suffer the most. Tragically, these stories are set to increase in both scale and scope if stringent commitments on emission cuts and dependence on renewable energy is not volunteered by both the developed and the developing world. While the rest of the world points to India and China to take responsibility as the fastest growing economies in the world, a climate alliance between the countries could help the faces behind these negotiations gain significance.
Today, a hundred ice sculptures of children melted at the 'Temple of Earth', Beijing, signifying the urgency of the issue and the impacts it could have on our future generations. The clock is ticking.
Greenpeace China's action today appeals to the Cop15 negotiators for the children of tomorrow.
Monday, December 28, 2009
The Grey Himalayas
What image conjures up in your head when you think - Himalaya?
I think big pristine mountains… White and green merging with the blue…mountain and sky fused …Sometimes I wonder what our ancestors would have seen…what would have Tenzin Norway seen and felt…?
Reality seems to indicate that what they would have seen would be drastically different from what we may get to see today. And then I wonder what my children will get to see? Brown and black merging with the grey…?
Even the tremendous giants are in trouble. Not just passionate irrational environmentalists are stating this but even the hardcore scientists are stating this fact. Our Himalayas, as we know them, are in big trouble. Who would’ve thought anything could happen to them? But we measly humans unfortunately in such large numbers and with industrialised fire power have done the trick. We have so ceaselessly pumped gases into the atmosphere that even the invincible Himalayas are not being able to defend themselves. Should we expect them to just adapt? I actually think we cannot afford to expect this; we should not even hope for this.
Reports say the Ganga which comes out of the Himalayas from the Gangotri glacier will become a seasonal river flowing only in the monsoons by 2035! While I worry about the far future of what my children will see (cause I don’t plan to have any, anytime soon), the people presently who live by the Ganga depend on it for their livelihood and water source – what will happen to them? What’s happening to them now?
The Himalayas have the largest number of glaciers apart from the polar caps so we are not only talking about the Gangotri glacier being in danger but many glaciers.
Can’t we all see it’s got to stop!
A world without the Himalayas or any other natural creation would be a world without beauty – and dare I say a world without beauty would be no more worth fighting for…
Our time is now…
We’ve got to find better ways of living on our planet. We’ve got to realise that we have to share. We’ve got to learn how to protect all that exists around us.
I think big pristine mountains… White and green merging with the blue…mountain and sky fused …Sometimes I wonder what our ancestors would have seen…what would have Tenzin Norway seen and felt…?
Reality seems to indicate that what they would have seen would be drastically different from what we may get to see today. And then I wonder what my children will get to see? Brown and black merging with the grey…?
Even the tremendous giants are in trouble. Not just passionate irrational environmentalists are stating this but even the hardcore scientists are stating this fact. Our Himalayas, as we know them, are in big trouble. Who would’ve thought anything could happen to them? But we measly humans unfortunately in such large numbers and with industrialised fire power have done the trick. We have so ceaselessly pumped gases into the atmosphere that even the invincible Himalayas are not being able to defend themselves. Should we expect them to just adapt? I actually think we cannot afford to expect this; we should not even hope for this.
Reports say the Ganga which comes out of the Himalayas from the Gangotri glacier will become a seasonal river flowing only in the monsoons by 2035! While I worry about the far future of what my children will see (cause I don’t plan to have any, anytime soon), the people presently who live by the Ganga depend on it for their livelihood and water source – what will happen to them? What’s happening to them now?
The Himalayas have the largest number of glaciers apart from the polar caps so we are not only talking about the Gangotri glacier being in danger but many glaciers.
Can’t we all see it’s got to stop!
A world without the Himalayas or any other natural creation would be a world without beauty – and dare I say a world without beauty would be no more worth fighting for…
Our time is now…
We’ve got to find better ways of living on our planet. We’ve got to realise that we have to share. We’ve got to learn how to protect all that exists around us.
Recycling for pros!
We have many readers who have made huge reductions to the amount of landfill waste they create already.
Our belief is that there is always more you can do. Here are ten suggestions and we’d love to hear yours!
1- Help your community to recycle more. Perhaps you live near an elderly person who finds it confusing to read the codes on plastic bottles. Maybe a neighbour doesn’t have transport to the local recycling centre or perhaps you could club together and share trips to the civic amenity site to save on fuel and time.
2- Get writing. Campaign to your local MP, council, local supermarket or product manufacturers to improve recycling facilities in your area and packaging. Once we get the ‘big boys’ behind us, things are so much easier for everyone else.
3- Separate your wants from your needs. According to the story of stuff, the majority of the things we buy end up in the landfill within a few months. How many purchases have you made, only to discover you didn’t really want them at all? Start questioning yourself before you buy something new - do you want it or do you really need it?
4- Repair. Look after the things you already have by learning a new skill. Perhaps you could learn to knit, sew or do basic DIY. If you take care of the things you have, there are less things to throw away.
5- Take a look around your house and see what things you could reuse instead of recycling. Recycling is great, but it’s not the solution. Try and get more use from the things you buy. Check out Junkk.com for lots of ideas.
6- Examine your shopping habits. Is there anything else you could make a better purchase on or are ready to give up to reduce your household waste further? At the beginning of 2009 I gave up kitchen towel and switched to washable cloths. What about you?
7- Look into some harder-to-recycle items that might be lurking in your garage or shed and see how you might dispose responsibly of them. Paint, car batteries, spectacles and electrical items are all things we have occasionally to responsibly dispose of. Try Recycle Now for advise or ask in the comments below for suggestions.
8- Scout around your home and see if you’ve got a forgotten mobile phone somewhere, looking for a new home. 15 million mobile phones are discarded in the UK each year but only 4% are recycled or reused. Donate them to friends and family or give them to a charity to use. If you need (not want, remember!?) buy a recycled mobile phone from Purple Gossip.
Learn more about mobile phones and recycling in ‘Love it, hate it, but don’t bin it’ article
9- Buy in bulk to reduce packaging. Why not club together with friends or neighbours and set up a food co-op. Companies such as Suma provide bulk purchases of cleaning products and foods in large polythene bags instead of individual packaging.
10- Set up a plastic bag free campaign in your nearest town. Read all about the inspiring story of Modbury; Britain’s first plastic bag free town and read the fabulous “ban the plastic bag” book for tips on how to start your own plastic bag free town.
We’d love to hear your suggestions about the things you are doing to reduce your household waste!
Our belief is that there is always more you can do. Here are ten suggestions and we’d love to hear yours!
1- Help your community to recycle more. Perhaps you live near an elderly person who finds it confusing to read the codes on plastic bottles. Maybe a neighbour doesn’t have transport to the local recycling centre or perhaps you could club together and share trips to the civic amenity site to save on fuel and time.
2- Get writing. Campaign to your local MP, council, local supermarket or product manufacturers to improve recycling facilities in your area and packaging. Once we get the ‘big boys’ behind us, things are so much easier for everyone else.
3- Separate your wants from your needs. According to the story of stuff, the majority of the things we buy end up in the landfill within a few months. How many purchases have you made, only to discover you didn’t really want them at all? Start questioning yourself before you buy something new - do you want it or do you really need it?
4- Repair. Look after the things you already have by learning a new skill. Perhaps you could learn to knit, sew or do basic DIY. If you take care of the things you have, there are less things to throw away.
5- Take a look around your house and see what things you could reuse instead of recycling. Recycling is great, but it’s not the solution. Try and get more use from the things you buy. Check out Junkk.com for lots of ideas.
6- Examine your shopping habits. Is there anything else you could make a better purchase on or are ready to give up to reduce your household waste further? At the beginning of 2009 I gave up kitchen towel and switched to washable cloths. What about you?
7- Look into some harder-to-recycle items that might be lurking in your garage or shed and see how you might dispose responsibly of them. Paint, car batteries, spectacles and electrical items are all things we have occasionally to responsibly dispose of. Try Recycle Now for advise or ask in the comments below for suggestions.
8- Scout around your home and see if you’ve got a forgotten mobile phone somewhere, looking for a new home. 15 million mobile phones are discarded in the UK each year but only 4% are recycled or reused. Donate them to friends and family or give them to a charity to use. If you need (not want, remember!?) buy a recycled mobile phone from Purple Gossip.
Learn more about mobile phones and recycling in ‘Love it, hate it, but don’t bin it’ article
9- Buy in bulk to reduce packaging. Why not club together with friends or neighbours and set up a food co-op. Companies such as Suma provide bulk purchases of cleaning products and foods in large polythene bags instead of individual packaging.
10- Set up a plastic bag free campaign in your nearest town. Read all about the inspiring story of Modbury; Britain’s first plastic bag free town and read the fabulous “ban the plastic bag” book for tips on how to start your own plastic bag free town.
We’d love to hear your suggestions about the things you are doing to reduce your household waste!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
How to reuse your toilet?
We all know the 3R’s mantra by now and the fact that they are in the order of reduce, reuse, recycle for a reason.
Reducing saves more resources than reusing, which saves more resources than recycling.
We’ve covered a lot of reuse ideas on our site, such as turning old plastic bottles into slug deterrents, making seedling pots from toilet roll inners, reusing glass jars, and then we talk about more simple things such as reusing envelopes and packaging.
All of these can save landfill waste, resources and help save us money.
It’s the really ‘think outside the box’ ideas, however, that capture my imagination. The ideas that are born from a moment of creativity or inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Junktion, who take ‘junk’ out of context and create unique, stylish and functional items from it; such as their reading lamp created from an old telephone. While on holiday in Devon we saw a washing machine drum used as a planter, Mrs A has done all sorts of pretty things in her garden with old plastic wheel barrows and wellies, but our friend Sarah from Ethics Trading has really taken things one step further with her toilet habits.
When her toilet was taken out of her home, she didn’t send it to the landfill.
Neither did she have it crushed to make a new road.
No, she kept it and grew strawberries in it.
Browse > Home / Blog / How to reuse your toilet
How to reuse your toilet
July 29, 2009 in section: Blog by Mrs Green with 2684 views
LoadingAdd article to favourites
Share your innovative reuse ideas with us!
Share your innovative reuse ideas with us!
We all know the 3R’s mantra by now and the fact that they are in the order of reduce, reuse, recycle for a reason.
Reducing saves more resources than reusing, which saves more resources than recycling.
We’ve covered a lot of reuse ideas on our site, such as turning old plastic bottles into slug deterrents, making seedling pots from toilet roll inners, reusing glass jars, and then we talk about more simple things such as reusing envelopes and packaging.
All of these can save landfill waste, resources and help save us money.
It’s the really ‘think outside the box’ ideas, however, that capture my imagination. The ideas that are born from a moment of creativity or inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Junktion, who take ‘junk’ out of context and create unique, stylish and functional items from it; such as their reading lamp created from an old telephone. While on holiday in Devon we saw a washing machine drum used as a planter, Mrs A has done all sorts of pretty things in her garden with old plastic wheel barrows and wellies, but our friend Sarah from Ethics Trading has really taken things one step further with her toilet habits.
When her toilet was taken out of her home, she didn’t send it to the landfill.
Neither did she have it crushed to make a new road.
No, she kept it and grew strawberries in it.
Sarah from Ethics Trading; I wouldn't ask to use the toilet if I were you
Sarah from Ethics Trading; I wouldn't ask to use the toilet if I were you
I mean, who wouldn’t?
I’d love to hear some of your creative reuse ideas! And if you’re on to something good, why not head over to Peter’s Junkk site; you might be able to win a prize for your suggestions!
www.junkk.com
Reducing saves more resources than reusing, which saves more resources than recycling.
We’ve covered a lot of reuse ideas on our site, such as turning old plastic bottles into slug deterrents, making seedling pots from toilet roll inners, reusing glass jars, and then we talk about more simple things such as reusing envelopes and packaging.
All of these can save landfill waste, resources and help save us money.
It’s the really ‘think outside the box’ ideas, however, that capture my imagination. The ideas that are born from a moment of creativity or inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Junktion, who take ‘junk’ out of context and create unique, stylish and functional items from it; such as their reading lamp created from an old telephone. While on holiday in Devon we saw a washing machine drum used as a planter, Mrs A has done all sorts of pretty things in her garden with old plastic wheel barrows and wellies, but our friend Sarah from Ethics Trading has really taken things one step further with her toilet habits.
When her toilet was taken out of her home, she didn’t send it to the landfill.
Neither did she have it crushed to make a new road.
No, she kept it and grew strawberries in it.
Browse > Home / Blog / How to reuse your toilet
How to reuse your toilet
July 29, 2009 in section: Blog by Mrs Green with 2684 views
LoadingAdd article to favourites
Share your innovative reuse ideas with us!
Share your innovative reuse ideas with us!
We all know the 3R’s mantra by now and the fact that they are in the order of reduce, reuse, recycle for a reason.
Reducing saves more resources than reusing, which saves more resources than recycling.
We’ve covered a lot of reuse ideas on our site, such as turning old plastic bottles into slug deterrents, making seedling pots from toilet roll inners, reusing glass jars, and then we talk about more simple things such as reusing envelopes and packaging.
All of these can save landfill waste, resources and help save us money.
It’s the really ‘think outside the box’ ideas, however, that capture my imagination. The ideas that are born from a moment of creativity or inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Junktion, who take ‘junk’ out of context and create unique, stylish and functional items from it; such as their reading lamp created from an old telephone. While on holiday in Devon we saw a washing machine drum used as a planter, Mrs A has done all sorts of pretty things in her garden with old plastic wheel barrows and wellies, but our friend Sarah from Ethics Trading has really taken things one step further with her toilet habits.
When her toilet was taken out of her home, she didn’t send it to the landfill.
Neither did she have it crushed to make a new road.
No, she kept it and grew strawberries in it.
Sarah from Ethics Trading; I wouldn't ask to use the toilet if I were you
Sarah from Ethics Trading; I wouldn't ask to use the toilet if I were you
I mean, who wouldn’t?
I’d love to hear some of your creative reuse ideas! And if you’re on to something good, why not head over to Peter’s Junkk site; you might be able to win a prize for your suggestions!
www.junkk.com
Combined heat and power (CHP) can generate 1 million new jobs and avoid 60% of projected CO2 emissions
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory released its CHP report in December 2008, but it’s worth reviewing again. CHP, it says, helps the United States enhance energy efficiency, ensure environmental quality, promote economic growth, and foster a robust energy infrastructure. Using CHP today, the U.S. already avoids more than 1.9 quadrillion British thermal units of fuel consumption and 248 million metric tons of carbon-dioxide emissions, enough to remove more than 45 million cars from the road.
In 2006, CHP produced more than 12 percent of total U.S. power generation. The report calls for high-deployment policies that would generate $234 billion in new investments and create nearly 1 million new highly-skilled, technical jobs throughout the U.S. In this scenario, more than 60 percent of the projected increase in CO2 emissions between now and 2030 would be avoided.
Free markets are never really free — thoughts on markets, auctions & capital investment
Question: are there any examples of a completely free market inducing investment in mature, capital-intensive industries? I’m not sure there are. More problematically, I’m not sure that economists and policy makers appreciate this reality. The result is that we continue to create markets — from electricity to CO2 — that by design are incapable of rewarding or encouraging capital investment. In electricity markets, this has created a situation in which the wholesale prices are insufficient to encourage new investment and — if left unchecked — could lead to serious power supply shortfalls. In CO2 markets, this has the potential to create a situation wherein the one thing we most want from CO2 policy — namely, capital investments to reduce CO2 — is not achieved.
First, let me define my terms. By “free market”, I’m referring to the market of Econ 101 textbooks: no barriers to entry, no barriers to exit, no one entity can independently affect price, etc. By “mature”, I refer to industries wherein the next investment is unlikely to produce a product with a significantly lower cost structure than the industry average. Finally, by “capital-intensive”, I refer to any industry where the majority of the annual cost goes to capital recovery.
Economists have spent a lot of time figuring out how to structure markets to get as close as possible to that free market ideal. Much of the most interesting work in that vein has been in the design of auctions, especially in the electric sector. A host of models have emerged that seek to drive costs down the marginal cost of the highest-cost supplier necessary to meet supply needs. For the most part, these auctions have been successful. Yes, there are some high-profile screw-ups (see: Enron), but they are the exceptions that prove the rule — the absence of front-page stories on 99.99% of the world’s auctions is a testament to their effectiveness.
But here’s the rub: no one invests capital to cover their operating costs. We invest capital to earn profits in excess of our operating costs. And there are no profits if you’re only covering your marginal production cost. Robert Solow won a Nobel prize for noticing that the presence of profits (and its result: economic growth) is de facto proof of the absence of free markets. Solow’s conclusion was that the persistence of economic growth must therefore result from technological innovation. So long as opportunities exist for technological advance that allow one to produce widgets at a discount to the market clearing price, companies will make those investments, capture profits and reinvest in further growth.
But what happens when those opportunities don’t exist anymore? When’s the last time someone built a new integrated steel mill in response to a free-market price signal? Oil refinery? Cement plant? Might the deindustrialization of the United States result in part from an economic model that drove prices for manufactured goods down to their marginal cost once those industries reached maturity?
Moreover, as we look for places where we have invested in large capital projects in mature industries, a consistent feature emerges of heavy subsidization and distortion of free market principles. China has invested in basic infrastructure by government mandate. Regulated utilities build power plants on the back of rate-payer guarantees and monopoly franchises. Wind turbines have been built in response to technology-specific tax incentives and RPS mandates.
This becomes problematic when we look at what we are currently expecting markets to do. We have designed electric capacity markets to clear at the marginal cost of capacity services, but expect them to bring new investment forward. Greenhouse gas cap & trade markets will fail utterly if they fail to incentivize investments in CO2 reduction…but they too are being set up within the framework of auctions and marginal clearing prices. Market purists fall back on just-so stories when confronted with these failures, noting that the lack of investment in response to these markets suggests nothing more than that the investment wasn’t needed. Maybe they’re right. But if they’re wrong, we’re in dangerous waters — and since the economic theory upon which these markets are based is supposed to drive price down to the margin, why should we expect it to induce new investment?
This isn’t to suggest that we all turn socialist, but simply that we acknowledge the limitations of the tool. Markets structured to drive costs down to the margin are great at rationalizing production and forcing discipline on business managers. But asking them to also encourage new investment may be like trying to catch a deer with a fishing pole. In cases where new investment is needed — as is most obviously the case with any effective GHG regulation — we may need more tools.
Read more of Sean’s thoughts on markets and capital investment.
2 responses to “Free markets are never really free — thoughts on markets, auctions and capital investment”
1. Dean Karafa said on November 17th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Sean,
You present an interesting arguement. Clearly the drive to energy efficiency, a drive that RED and others encourage (and participate in), is for the most part, a drive to the marginal pricing structure of energy delivery. All of the major energy capital investments I can think of are geared at capturing that next increment of margin.
The lack of “free market” can really be a culprit of confusion. Too many examples of that exist. As John and Jane Consumer make there choices on what to buy they are forced to deal with the reality of the “structured market”. A market that forces them to make choices based on restrictions or controls in some way. When I built out my basement I put in electric heat because the market told me that cheap electrical power was better than a natural gas price the was shooting skyward (with no top in sight as we “run out of natural gas”). I now find myself investing in a dual system that will allow me to heat my basement based on the energy commodity price at the time. If you will, my personal drive to the marginal price of heating my home. Both the electric and gas markets are operated within the context of a highly regulated system.
I can think of one example where major investment in a mature market is taking place based on a pricing signal. Boeing, dispite the technology problems it is having, is coming forward with a new aircraft, the 787. Boeing is boasting of a 20% decrease in fuel consumption! When previous new aircraft models came out they were happy to portray a 5% improvement. If the 787 proves out, the marginal price to transport a passenger will have a significant reduction and begin a new drive to a new marginal cost. How can United Airlines allow their competition to participate in that without jumping on board as well? How can Airbus allow Boeing to capture such a large market share? Again, if the 787 proves out, Boeing may be catching deer with a new type of fishing pole!
Time will only tell what the pole will look like to capture the GHG deer! Or as you suggest, we shouldn’t bother- spend the investment on a new trap at some marginal cost. What is the signal that John and Jane should look for as they make the choices that ultimately dictate the success or failure of any investment?
I don’t know Sean- at times it makes me want to move to an island!
Regards,
Dean Karafa
2. Sean Casten said on November 17th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Thanks, Dean. I claim no expertise in aircraft economics, but isn’t that also pretty heavily subsidized? It certainly is in Europe, and I’d be surprised if not in the US as well. Even if not, it’s got such a small number of players (and such massive barriers to entry) that I’d be hard pressed to use that as an example of a perfect market.
Interestingly, the one market I am aware of that sets prices at a high enough level to bring new capital forward is that created by state RPS rules – but only once the RPS % requirement rises high enough to exceed the existing supply and utilities must pay a price sufficient to bring new-build on line. A market where demand is set by statute rather than market isn’t exactly perfect either – but maybe it does point the way towards a more robust economic toolkit.
First, let me define my terms. By “free market”, I’m referring to the market of Econ 101 textbooks: no barriers to entry, no barriers to exit, no one entity can independently affect price, etc. By “mature”, I refer to industries wherein the next investment is unlikely to produce a product with a significantly lower cost structure than the industry average. Finally, by “capital-intensive”, I refer to any industry where the majority of the annual cost goes to capital recovery.
Economists have spent a lot of time figuring out how to structure markets to get as close as possible to that free market ideal. Much of the most interesting work in that vein has been in the design of auctions, especially in the electric sector. A host of models have emerged that seek to drive costs down the marginal cost of the highest-cost supplier necessary to meet supply needs. For the most part, these auctions have been successful. Yes, there are some high-profile screw-ups (see: Enron), but they are the exceptions that prove the rule — the absence of front-page stories on 99.99% of the world’s auctions is a testament to their effectiveness.
But here’s the rub: no one invests capital to cover their operating costs. We invest capital to earn profits in excess of our operating costs. And there are no profits if you’re only covering your marginal production cost. Robert Solow won a Nobel prize for noticing that the presence of profits (and its result: economic growth) is de facto proof of the absence of free markets. Solow’s conclusion was that the persistence of economic growth must therefore result from technological innovation. So long as opportunities exist for technological advance that allow one to produce widgets at a discount to the market clearing price, companies will make those investments, capture profits and reinvest in further growth.
But what happens when those opportunities don’t exist anymore? When’s the last time someone built a new integrated steel mill in response to a free-market price signal? Oil refinery? Cement plant? Might the deindustrialization of the United States result in part from an economic model that drove prices for manufactured goods down to their marginal cost once those industries reached maturity?
Moreover, as we look for places where we have invested in large capital projects in mature industries, a consistent feature emerges of heavy subsidization and distortion of free market principles. China has invested in basic infrastructure by government mandate. Regulated utilities build power plants on the back of rate-payer guarantees and monopoly franchises. Wind turbines have been built in response to technology-specific tax incentives and RPS mandates.
This becomes problematic when we look at what we are currently expecting markets to do. We have designed electric capacity markets to clear at the marginal cost of capacity services, but expect them to bring new investment forward. Greenhouse gas cap & trade markets will fail utterly if they fail to incentivize investments in CO2 reduction…but they too are being set up within the framework of auctions and marginal clearing prices. Market purists fall back on just-so stories when confronted with these failures, noting that the lack of investment in response to these markets suggests nothing more than that the investment wasn’t needed. Maybe they’re right. But if they’re wrong, we’re in dangerous waters — and since the economic theory upon which these markets are based is supposed to drive price down to the margin, why should we expect it to induce new investment?
This isn’t to suggest that we all turn socialist, but simply that we acknowledge the limitations of the tool. Markets structured to drive costs down to the margin are great at rationalizing production and forcing discipline on business managers. But asking them to also encourage new investment may be like trying to catch a deer with a fishing pole. In cases where new investment is needed — as is most obviously the case with any effective GHG regulation — we may need more tools.
Read more of Sean’s thoughts on markets and capital investment.
2 responses to “Free markets are never really free — thoughts on markets, auctions and capital investment”
1. Dean Karafa said on November 17th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Sean,
You present an interesting arguement. Clearly the drive to energy efficiency, a drive that RED and others encourage (and participate in), is for the most part, a drive to the marginal pricing structure of energy delivery. All of the major energy capital investments I can think of are geared at capturing that next increment of margin.
The lack of “free market” can really be a culprit of confusion. Too many examples of that exist. As John and Jane Consumer make there choices on what to buy they are forced to deal with the reality of the “structured market”. A market that forces them to make choices based on restrictions or controls in some way. When I built out my basement I put in electric heat because the market told me that cheap electrical power was better than a natural gas price the was shooting skyward (with no top in sight as we “run out of natural gas”). I now find myself investing in a dual system that will allow me to heat my basement based on the energy commodity price at the time. If you will, my personal drive to the marginal price of heating my home. Both the electric and gas markets are operated within the context of a highly regulated system.
I can think of one example where major investment in a mature market is taking place based on a pricing signal. Boeing, dispite the technology problems it is having, is coming forward with a new aircraft, the 787. Boeing is boasting of a 20% decrease in fuel consumption! When previous new aircraft models came out they were happy to portray a 5% improvement. If the 787 proves out, the marginal price to transport a passenger will have a significant reduction and begin a new drive to a new marginal cost. How can United Airlines allow their competition to participate in that without jumping on board as well? How can Airbus allow Boeing to capture such a large market share? Again, if the 787 proves out, Boeing may be catching deer with a new type of fishing pole!
Time will only tell what the pole will look like to capture the GHG deer! Or as you suggest, we shouldn’t bother- spend the investment on a new trap at some marginal cost. What is the signal that John and Jane should look for as they make the choices that ultimately dictate the success or failure of any investment?
I don’t know Sean- at times it makes me want to move to an island!
Regards,
Dean Karafa
2. Sean Casten said on November 17th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Thanks, Dean. I claim no expertise in aircraft economics, but isn’t that also pretty heavily subsidized? It certainly is in Europe, and I’d be surprised if not in the US as well. Even if not, it’s got such a small number of players (and such massive barriers to entry) that I’d be hard pressed to use that as an example of a perfect market.
Interestingly, the one market I am aware of that sets prices at a high enough level to bring new capital forward is that created by state RPS rules – but only once the RPS % requirement rises high enough to exceed the existing supply and utilities must pay a price sufficient to bring new-build on line. A market where demand is set by statute rather than market isn’t exactly perfect either – but maybe it does point the way towards a more robust economic toolkit.
Not the FAB deal we need, so we must fight on
The Copenhagen Accord is not the fair, ambitious and binding deal that the millions of us from around the world told our political leaders we wanted.
The outcome of this two year process does not set scientific-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nor does it provide the required funding for developing nations to transition to a clean energy economy and adapt to the impending negative effects of climate change, like floods and droughts.
Our world leaders chose national political self-interest over the fate of future generations and failed to resolve the issues blocking the road towards a just outcome. While this deal cannot be judged as a success, it is impossible to be without hope.
Organizations from around the world, representing a diversity of issues, came together to form an unprecedented alliance under the TckTckTck banner – including development, human rights, environment, religious and youth groups, trade unions and scout groups. The campaign touched millions of people, in hundreds of countries around the world.
Over the last two weeks while leaders were dithering an additional 5 million people joined the TckTckTck campaign, resulting in a total of 15 million voices calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding deal.
Since September we have seen 3 world days of action involving millions of everyday people from all over the world, and on Dec. 12th in Copenhagen 100,000 marched together to demand the real deal we we need to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
This voice cannot be ignored by world leaders for much longer and they know it. Our leaders still have a chance to get it right. They must realize that we expect, and that we will not accept any less.
They’re not done yet. Neither are we.
The outcome of this two year process does not set scientific-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nor does it provide the required funding for developing nations to transition to a clean energy economy and adapt to the impending negative effects of climate change, like floods and droughts.
Our world leaders chose national political self-interest over the fate of future generations and failed to resolve the issues blocking the road towards a just outcome. While this deal cannot be judged as a success, it is impossible to be without hope.
Organizations from around the world, representing a diversity of issues, came together to form an unprecedented alliance under the TckTckTck banner – including development, human rights, environment, religious and youth groups, trade unions and scout groups. The campaign touched millions of people, in hundreds of countries around the world.
Over the last two weeks while leaders were dithering an additional 5 million people joined the TckTckTck campaign, resulting in a total of 15 million voices calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding deal.
Since September we have seen 3 world days of action involving millions of everyday people from all over the world, and on Dec. 12th in Copenhagen 100,000 marched together to demand the real deal we we need to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
This voice cannot be ignored by world leaders for much longer and they know it. Our leaders still have a chance to get it right. They must realize that we expect, and that we will not accept any less.
They’re not done yet. Neither are we.
Save our Seas
OCEAN LIFE The darkest depths of the world's oceans have sheltered millions of mysterious creatures found nowhere else on earth. Our oceans and seas cover more than two thirds of the planet and sustain a breathtaking array of marine life - from microscopic plankton to the largest of the great whales. As mankind continues exploration of the submerged world, hundreds of thousands of previously unknown species living in the vast ocean depths are being discovered. Current estimates indicate that 178,000 species live in the oceans, although continued exploration of the deep sea may reveal millions more.
Very little is known about the complex marine ecosystems inhabited by these species. While we do know that there are certain biodiversity hotspots, home to a much larger concentration of species, we still much to discover about how these habitats work, how important they are in maintaining the balance of life on earth, and what part we play in that complex ecosystem. And yet, despite the vast unknown characteristics of the oceans, they are struggling to survive the greatest threat to their existence - human beings. There are several threats to the world's oceans today - and almost all of them are a result of human activity.
Greenpeace has been campaigning to protect the oceans against the worst threats - destructive fishing techniques like bottom trawling, whaling, pollution, unsustainable and ecologically disastrous development, and the direct impacts of climate change.
We need urgent action to reclaim our oceans for marine life and coastal communities. But thankfully, it is not too late to turn the tide. One of the major solutions we are campaigning for is a large-scale global network of marine reserves.
Greenpeace India's Oceans Campaign was launched in 2004 with the Rainbow Warrior 'Save our Seas' Tour, to raise the profile of the rich marine ecosystems, fragile habitats and endangered creatures of the Bay of Bengal. Explore with us the biodiversity hotspots unique to India. Bear witness along with us as we document the many threats to these fragile ecosystems. Join us in our Campaign to Save our Seas!
Very little is known about the complex marine ecosystems inhabited by these species. While we do know that there are certain biodiversity hotspots, home to a much larger concentration of species, we still much to discover about how these habitats work, how important they are in maintaining the balance of life on earth, and what part we play in that complex ecosystem. And yet, despite the vast unknown characteristics of the oceans, they are struggling to survive the greatest threat to their existence - human beings. There are several threats to the world's oceans today - and almost all of them are a result of human activity.
Greenpeace has been campaigning to protect the oceans against the worst threats - destructive fishing techniques like bottom trawling, whaling, pollution, unsustainable and ecologically disastrous development, and the direct impacts of climate change.
We need urgent action to reclaim our oceans for marine life and coastal communities. But thankfully, it is not too late to turn the tide. One of the major solutions we are campaigning for is a large-scale global network of marine reserves.
Greenpeace India's Oceans Campaign was launched in 2004 with the Rainbow Warrior 'Save our Seas' Tour, to raise the profile of the rich marine ecosystems, fragile habitats and endangered creatures of the Bay of Bengal. Explore with us the biodiversity hotspots unique to India. Bear witness along with us as we document the many threats to these fragile ecosystems. Join us in our Campaign to Save our Seas!
Not Done Yet !!!
We do not have the fair, ambitious and legally binding agreement that millions around the world hoped the world leaders gathered here would deliver.
Not Done YetDespite overwhelming scientific evidence, and massive popular support from citizens in countries North and South, world leaders chose national political self-interest over the fate of future generations and failed to resolve the issues blocking the road towards a just outcome. While this deal cannot be judged as a success, it is impossible to be without hope.
This year, from a strong, but small seed of climate campaigning, a movement touching millions of people in hundreds of countries around the world has grown. Over the last two weeks while leaders were dithering an additional 5 million people joined the campaign, resulting in a total of 15 million voices calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding deal.
More than 250 partner organisations have come together to form an unprecedented alliance under the TckTckTck banner – including development, human rights, environment, religious and youth groups, trade unions and scout groups. Over three days of global action, these partners have mobilized unprecedented numbers of people campaigning for urgent action on climate change. In Copenhagen on December 12, one hundred thousand people marched in a powerful manifestation of this unity.
And, when naysayers, fearmongers, and the business-as-usual-crowd try to usurp the issue, they will be met by a surging sea of people from all around the globe and all walks of life unified in their demand for a real deal.
The global climate movement - more diverse than ever before - stands united in the face of tonight's disappointing news. This weekend we are mounting an unprecedented response, with joint messaging appearing on the global public websites of our partners, to ensure world leaders know we are unimpressed with their lack of real progress and failure to deliver a real deal.
We have come so far in a short space of time. Millions around the world look to the future and see hope, justice, and opportunity. It is up to each of us to make our voices heard and to get the real deal that the world needs.
The world’s leaders still have a chance to get it right. They must realize that we expect, and will not accept, anything less.
They’re not done yet. Neither are we.
The following organisations have taken the extraordinary step of adding this consistent response to take over the home pages of their global websites.
http://www.panda.org/
http://oxfam.org/
http://greenpeace.org/
http://amnesty.org/
http://avaaz.org/
http://www.oikoumene.org/
http://www.conservation.org/
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/
http://www.consumersinternational.org/
http://www.1sky.org/
http://www.civicus.org/
http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=10325
http://www.wcrp.org/
http://www.oneworld.net/
http://www.350.org/
Not Done YetDespite overwhelming scientific evidence, and massive popular support from citizens in countries North and South, world leaders chose national political self-interest over the fate of future generations and failed to resolve the issues blocking the road towards a just outcome. While this deal cannot be judged as a success, it is impossible to be without hope.
This year, from a strong, but small seed of climate campaigning, a movement touching millions of people in hundreds of countries around the world has grown. Over the last two weeks while leaders were dithering an additional 5 million people joined the campaign, resulting in a total of 15 million voices calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding deal.
More than 250 partner organisations have come together to form an unprecedented alliance under the TckTckTck banner – including development, human rights, environment, religious and youth groups, trade unions and scout groups. Over three days of global action, these partners have mobilized unprecedented numbers of people campaigning for urgent action on climate change. In Copenhagen on December 12, one hundred thousand people marched in a powerful manifestation of this unity.
And, when naysayers, fearmongers, and the business-as-usual-crowd try to usurp the issue, they will be met by a surging sea of people from all around the globe and all walks of life unified in their demand for a real deal.
The global climate movement - more diverse than ever before - stands united in the face of tonight's disappointing news. This weekend we are mounting an unprecedented response, with joint messaging appearing on the global public websites of our partners, to ensure world leaders know we are unimpressed with their lack of real progress and failure to deliver a real deal.
We have come so far in a short space of time. Millions around the world look to the future and see hope, justice, and opportunity. It is up to each of us to make our voices heard and to get the real deal that the world needs.
The world’s leaders still have a chance to get it right. They must realize that we expect, and will not accept, anything less.
They’re not done yet. Neither are we.
The following organisations have taken the extraordinary step of adding this consistent response to take over the home pages of their global websites.
http://www.panda.org/
http://oxfam.org/
http://greenpeace.org/
http://amnesty.org/
http://avaaz.org/
http://www.oikoumene.org/
http://www.conservation.org/
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/
http://www.consumersinternational.org/
http://www.1sky.org/
http://www.civicus.org/
http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=10325
http://www.wcrp.org/
http://www.oneworld.net/
http://www.350.org/
Recycling automotive plastics is profitable and good for the environment
Recycling automotive plastics is profitable and good for the environment
(Download printer-friendly, PDF version-
http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/News/2005/ES051111.pdf)
ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 11, 2005) — Recycling is not just good for the environment, it is good for business. Argonne researchers have developed a technology to successfully recover plastic from obsolete automobiles that may add plastic to the list of valuable materials recycled from old cars and trucks.
"About 75 percent of the weight of an obsolete car is already profitably recycled," explained Energy Systems Division Director Ed Daniels, "so we are working on the balance of that material." Developing and evaluating new process technology for industry is one of Energy Systems Division's main thrusts.
Old cars and trucks end their days at dismantling facilities where usable parts are recovered. The metal is recycled next, leaving shredder residue – polyurethane foam, polymers, and some metal oxides, glass and dirt. Between 3 and 4.5 million tons of shredder residue a year ends up in landfills.
Argonne is working with the American Plastics Council and the Vehicle Recycling Partnership of USCAR to develop and advance sustainable technologies for automotive materials recycling.
Current research at Argonne is focused on "mechanical recycling" – recovery of materials such as plastics from shredder residue for re-use in automotive and other applications. The technology being developed at Argonne consists of two major processes. The first is a bulk separation process to separate shredder residue into constituent fractions, followed by the second process, which recovers specific plastics from a polymer concentrate.
Researchers designed and installed a large-scale shredder-residue separation pilot plant at Argonne. The mechanical separation facility can process about 1 ton of shredder residue per hour. About one-third of the shredder residue – the plastic-intensive portion – is recovered as a polymer concentrate.
"Our first year of the project we focused on the bulk separation process to ensure that we were getting most of the plastics into the polymer concentrate," Daniels said. At 95 percent, they have recovered more of the plastics in the concentrate than anyone else has done, according to published reports.
Now work turns to the second part of the technology – recovering high-quality plastics from the concentrate. Using a technique Argonne developed earlier – the wet density/froth flotation process – researchers set up a mixed plastics separation facility.
"We take the polymer concentrate from the first part of the process and run it through a series of stages," Daniels explained. "At each stage we recover a specific automotive plastic.
"We have recovered the polyolefins from the concentrate in the first stage at a sufficient quality to produce car parts," Daniels said. A battery tray and steering-column components were made in mold trials from the recovered materials.
"The economics are promising, but we really want to recover some of the other plastics from the polymer concentrate," Daniels said. "We are working to determine how much material is actually recoverable and the quality at which we can recover each of the different polymers from the concentrate."
The separation facility has a series of six separation tanks. The chemistry of the solutions in each tank controls the separation effectiveness of the overall process. Researchers are now working to recover acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and a number of other specific polymers.
This research is being conducted under a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) between Argonne, the American Plastics Council (APC), and USCAR's Vehicle Recycling Partnership (VRP) whose members are DaimlerChrysler Corp., Ford Motor Corp., and General Motors Corp. Funding is provided by the VRP, APC and the U.S. DOE Office of FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies.
While Argonne's focus under the CRADA has been on demonstrating mechanical recycling technology; this is just one technical approach the CRADA team is evaluating. Other technologies under study include energy recovery and the conversion of shredder residue materials to chemicals and fuels. — Evelyn Brown
Contact Persons: edaniels@anl.gov
(Download printer-friendly, PDF version-
http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/News/2005/ES051111.pdf)
ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 11, 2005) — Recycling is not just good for the environment, it is good for business. Argonne researchers have developed a technology to successfully recover plastic from obsolete automobiles that may add plastic to the list of valuable materials recycled from old cars and trucks.
"About 75 percent of the weight of an obsolete car is already profitably recycled," explained Energy Systems Division Director Ed Daniels, "so we are working on the balance of that material." Developing and evaluating new process technology for industry is one of Energy Systems Division's main thrusts.
Old cars and trucks end their days at dismantling facilities where usable parts are recovered. The metal is recycled next, leaving shredder residue – polyurethane foam, polymers, and some metal oxides, glass and dirt. Between 3 and 4.5 million tons of shredder residue a year ends up in landfills.
Argonne is working with the American Plastics Council and the Vehicle Recycling Partnership of USCAR to develop and advance sustainable technologies for automotive materials recycling.
Current research at Argonne is focused on "mechanical recycling" – recovery of materials such as plastics from shredder residue for re-use in automotive and other applications. The technology being developed at Argonne consists of two major processes. The first is a bulk separation process to separate shredder residue into constituent fractions, followed by the second process, which recovers specific plastics from a polymer concentrate.
Researchers designed and installed a large-scale shredder-residue separation pilot plant at Argonne. The mechanical separation facility can process about 1 ton of shredder residue per hour. About one-third of the shredder residue – the plastic-intensive portion – is recovered as a polymer concentrate.
"Our first year of the project we focused on the bulk separation process to ensure that we were getting most of the plastics into the polymer concentrate," Daniels said. At 95 percent, they have recovered more of the plastics in the concentrate than anyone else has done, according to published reports.
Now work turns to the second part of the technology – recovering high-quality plastics from the concentrate. Using a technique Argonne developed earlier – the wet density/froth flotation process – researchers set up a mixed plastics separation facility.
"We take the polymer concentrate from the first part of the process and run it through a series of stages," Daniels explained. "At each stage we recover a specific automotive plastic.
"We have recovered the polyolefins from the concentrate in the first stage at a sufficient quality to produce car parts," Daniels said. A battery tray and steering-column components were made in mold trials from the recovered materials.
"The economics are promising, but we really want to recover some of the other plastics from the polymer concentrate," Daniels said. "We are working to determine how much material is actually recoverable and the quality at which we can recover each of the different polymers from the concentrate."
The separation facility has a series of six separation tanks. The chemistry of the solutions in each tank controls the separation effectiveness of the overall process. Researchers are now working to recover acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and a number of other specific polymers.
This research is being conducted under a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) between Argonne, the American Plastics Council (APC), and USCAR's Vehicle Recycling Partnership (VRP) whose members are DaimlerChrysler Corp., Ford Motor Corp., and General Motors Corp. Funding is provided by the VRP, APC and the U.S. DOE Office of FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies.
While Argonne's focus under the CRADA has been on demonstrating mechanical recycling technology; this is just one technical approach the CRADA team is evaluating. Other technologies under study include energy recovery and the conversion of shredder residue materials to chemicals and fuels. — Evelyn Brown
Contact Persons: edaniels@anl.gov
Monday, December 21, 2009
Tomorrow is “Buy No Food in Plastic” day!
You are invited to take up the challenge for just one day, tomorrow
the following ideas for participation:
* Look at how your favourite foods are packaged. (Do you really need your sandwich wrapped if you are going to eat it right away?)
* If you do purchase plastic-wrapped food; reuse or recycle the packaging.
* Use washable knives, forks and coffee cups, rather than disposable items
* Use your own reusable bags
* Purchase plastic-free-food where possible
Recycle your mobile phone for cash with Sell My Mobile!
You might remember we took on a large decluttering project here at zero waste towers.
I decided on a change of use for one our rooms and wanted a dedicated playroom / class room for Little Miss Green.
At the same time Grandma Green was having a declutter of her own, so we decided to take on some of her old furniture.
Clearing out a room is a scary task; it means sorting through cupboards and drawers that you would rather not look in to.
Thankfully there were not too many frightening things lurking at the back of shelves heading for landfill, but we did find a couple of museum-worthy mobile phones.
Our ‘new room’ requires not just a change of use, but some major work; we need to raise the floor, put in underfloor heating or an air to air heat pump and replace the back door and window - not the cheapest of weekend projects!
So I’ve started my ‘change of room use’ fund. I decided to gather my resources and see what I could do to raise some cash.
So far I’ve shifted a load of books on Amazon and whilst browsing the internet, came upon “Sell My Mobile“. This was just what I was looking for.
With time of the essence, I really didn’t have time to find the best price for our old mobiles. Sell My Mobile does all the work for you with its independent and impartial mobile phone recycling price comparison. They compare ALL of the UK’s leading mobile phone buyers so you can get you the most money for your old mobile just by visiting one site.
They price check all makes and models on a daily basis, so you know you will get the best and most up-to-date price! And using the site couldn’t be easier. You simply enter the make and model of your phone and get a list of merchants who will buy your phone. Click on the best price and tell them how you want to receive your payment - easy peasy.
Worldwide, 1.3 billion people own a mobile phone; most of which end up in the landfill. It is estimated that less than 4% of all unused mobile phones in the UK are currently recycled and that millions of phones are hiding in drawers and cupboards across the UK.
With everyone trying to make the pennies stretch a little further this time of year, why not have a scout through your drawers and cupboards and see if you have any old mobile phones needing to be recycled?
Most of the merchants listed on Sell My Mobile even pay out for broken phones, so don’t let an old dinosaur stop you keeping your goods from landfill and making yourself some money in the process!
I decided on a change of use for one our rooms and wanted a dedicated playroom / class room for Little Miss Green.
At the same time Grandma Green was having a declutter of her own, so we decided to take on some of her old furniture.
Clearing out a room is a scary task; it means sorting through cupboards and drawers that you would rather not look in to.
Thankfully there were not too many frightening things lurking at the back of shelves heading for landfill, but we did find a couple of museum-worthy mobile phones.
Our ‘new room’ requires not just a change of use, but some major work; we need to raise the floor, put in underfloor heating or an air to air heat pump and replace the back door and window - not the cheapest of weekend projects!
So I’ve started my ‘change of room use’ fund. I decided to gather my resources and see what I could do to raise some cash.
So far I’ve shifted a load of books on Amazon and whilst browsing the internet, came upon “Sell My Mobile“. This was just what I was looking for.
With time of the essence, I really didn’t have time to find the best price for our old mobiles. Sell My Mobile does all the work for you with its independent and impartial mobile phone recycling price comparison. They compare ALL of the UK’s leading mobile phone buyers so you can get you the most money for your old mobile just by visiting one site.
They price check all makes and models on a daily basis, so you know you will get the best and most up-to-date price! And using the site couldn’t be easier. You simply enter the make and model of your phone and get a list of merchants who will buy your phone. Click on the best price and tell them how you want to receive your payment - easy peasy.
Worldwide, 1.3 billion people own a mobile phone; most of which end up in the landfill. It is estimated that less than 4% of all unused mobile phones in the UK are currently recycled and that millions of phones are hiding in drawers and cupboards across the UK.
With everyone trying to make the pennies stretch a little further this time of year, why not have a scout through your drawers and cupboards and see if you have any old mobile phones needing to be recycled?
Most of the merchants listed on Sell My Mobile even pay out for broken phones, so don’t let an old dinosaur stop you keeping your goods from landfill and making yourself some money in the process!
Mobile phone- Tips of re-using it!!!
Mobile phone- love it hate, but don’t bin it
old mobile
Old mobile phones can be reused!
My mobile phone; I love it, I hate it. I need it, I resist it. But one day, for certain I will have to bin it.
That’s what modern technology and marketing feed us. A sure recipe for built in obsolescence and a desire for something newer, better and smarter.
I was searching around for something yesterday and suddenly came across a draw with a stash of old mobile phones.
“Ahhh, yes, I remember that one, it had a really neat feature, but look how big it is now, couldn’t possibly use it, even if it worked.“
And that’s another point; many old mobile phones that have not been used for a while will not work, in fact they get unregistered from the network and it’s quite a task to get them re-registered. Our current phone on a pay-as-you-go needs to be used at least once every 6 months to stay registered. (O2 network)
So what do you do with your trusty mobile when it finally gets the heave-ho for a younger brighter model? Maybe you just battle on with it, complete with dodgy connection and broken aerial, hoping it won’t finally die at that crucial moment when you’re stranded with the kids and a puncture.
Mobile phones are sure to have a limited life cycle and they are becoming increasingly more difficult to repair. They just don’t want you to get it fixed when there’s a new model to tempt you.
The average mobile phone user in the UK, will replace their handset once every 18 months. 96% of all 15 – 24 year olds in UK own a mobile phone and the market is driven to make them keep updating their phones to the latest one.
Across the world, 1.3 billion people own a mobile phone. Many of these end up in the landfill, which is such a waste, because we all know that one man’s trash can become another man’s treasure! It is estimated that less than 4% of all unused mobile phones in the UK are currently recycled and that millions of phones are hiding in drawers and cupboards across the UK. This is such a waste because inside these technological goodies is a goldmine (literally) of usable parts.
Ok, enough whining,
what are going to do as a true environmentalist, with a clear conscience and a hard decision to make?
Throwing an old mobile phone into the landfill can mean that toxic components can leach out and contaminate the water or air. Incinerating a mobile phone can emit highly toxic dioxins. Big No-No’s…
recycle mobilesThere are some valuable things you can do to keep your mobile phone out of the landfill and remain useful to someone.
* Rather than stash that old dinosaur in the draw, dig it out and donate it to a good cause. Even if it ends up being salvaged, it still has some valuable recycling materials
* Mobile phones use a significant quantity of gold in certain electronic components like contacts. According to http://www.fonebak.com other materials can be recycled as follows:
* Handsets are sent to a specialist recycling agent in Sweden where metals are extracted using waste-to-energy incineration.
* Batteries are sent to a specialist recycler in France. Nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium ion/polymer are extracted and returned to productive use.
* Chargers and accessories – the metals are recovered, and the plastic is melted into traffic cones, buckets and horse gallops.
* Mixed plastics, like phone covers, are melted and formed to make plastic sheeting.
Another option is;
DONATE TO CHARITY
Most charities will accept your old mobile phone. One of the largest charities, Oxfam has created an online mobile retail partner. http://www.mobiles.co.uk Every time a customer buys online from Mobiles.co.uk, they’ll receive a Freepost bag to donate their unwanted handset to Oxfam.
Oxfam’s “Bring Bring” handset recycling scheme offers an ideal way for consumers, mobile phone resellers and Oxfam to collaborate in achieving a win for all and importantly making a contribution to a good cause. It is the simplicity of the scheme which makes it so attractive.
If you want to keep your thoughts with the environment, then Recycling appeal http://www.recyclingappeal.com/ collects mobile phones for reuse and recycling, raising funds and helping the environment.
The Recycling Appeal has generated over £3.2 million for partner organisations since 1999.
If your handset no longer works, then valuable parts can still be salvaged and reused. Check out Green Source http://www.greensource.co.uk/ for further information.
REUSE
There is likely to be somebody who can make use of your old phone. Either offer it on your local Freecycle http://www.freecycle.org/ or sell it. You can sell on eBay or try a company like Mobile phone exchange http://www.mobilephonexchange.co.uk/. You can get an instant valuation online and if you think it’s worth it, you sell it to mobile phone exchange.
SCHOOLS MOBILE PHONE APPEALS
Computers for charities http://www.computersforcharities.co.uk/mobilephonerecycling run a collection service for old mobile phones that are salvaged and help to raise money for children in need.
Final thoughts …
Every time I have bought a mobile phone in the past, I always thought it was the coolest thing I owned. Why is it that a year later it becomes an unwanted embarrassment?
Judging by the amount of phones discarded every year this is fairly typical. Have we become so driven and gullible to the marketeers of our society that we can’t think for ourselves? Is that why we get married and divorced so easily as well? Seriously, isn’t it really the same message, that if it goes wrong or you find a better model, you just chuck it and trade up…
Maybe the mobile phone market is a clear symptom of our personal and cultural restlessness and hankering after the unreachable dream of bigger, better faster brighter, smarter. If that is the case, the call to stop and review our thinking here, as a model for our life, could just be the best thing we could do for ourselves, as well as the environment.
old mobile
Old mobile phones can be reused!
My mobile phone; I love it, I hate it. I need it, I resist it. But one day, for certain I will have to bin it.
That’s what modern technology and marketing feed us. A sure recipe for built in obsolescence and a desire for something newer, better and smarter.
I was searching around for something yesterday and suddenly came across a draw with a stash of old mobile phones.
“Ahhh, yes, I remember that one, it had a really neat feature, but look how big it is now, couldn’t possibly use it, even if it worked.“
And that’s another point; many old mobile phones that have not been used for a while will not work, in fact they get unregistered from the network and it’s quite a task to get them re-registered. Our current phone on a pay-as-you-go needs to be used at least once every 6 months to stay registered. (O2 network)
So what do you do with your trusty mobile when it finally gets the heave-ho for a younger brighter model? Maybe you just battle on with it, complete with dodgy connection and broken aerial, hoping it won’t finally die at that crucial moment when you’re stranded with the kids and a puncture.
Mobile phones are sure to have a limited life cycle and they are becoming increasingly more difficult to repair. They just don’t want you to get it fixed when there’s a new model to tempt you.
The average mobile phone user in the UK, will replace their handset once every 18 months. 96% of all 15 – 24 year olds in UK own a mobile phone and the market is driven to make them keep updating their phones to the latest one.
Across the world, 1.3 billion people own a mobile phone. Many of these end up in the landfill, which is such a waste, because we all know that one man’s trash can become another man’s treasure! It is estimated that less than 4% of all unused mobile phones in the UK are currently recycled and that millions of phones are hiding in drawers and cupboards across the UK. This is such a waste because inside these technological goodies is a goldmine (literally) of usable parts.
Ok, enough whining,
what are going to do as a true environmentalist, with a clear conscience and a hard decision to make?
Throwing an old mobile phone into the landfill can mean that toxic components can leach out and contaminate the water or air. Incinerating a mobile phone can emit highly toxic dioxins. Big No-No’s…
recycle mobilesThere are some valuable things you can do to keep your mobile phone out of the landfill and remain useful to someone.
* Rather than stash that old dinosaur in the draw, dig it out and donate it to a good cause. Even if it ends up being salvaged, it still has some valuable recycling materials
* Mobile phones use a significant quantity of gold in certain electronic components like contacts. According to http://www.fonebak.com other materials can be recycled as follows:
* Handsets are sent to a specialist recycling agent in Sweden where metals are extracted using waste-to-energy incineration.
* Batteries are sent to a specialist recycler in France. Nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium ion/polymer are extracted and returned to productive use.
* Chargers and accessories – the metals are recovered, and the plastic is melted into traffic cones, buckets and horse gallops.
* Mixed plastics, like phone covers, are melted and formed to make plastic sheeting.
Another option is;
DONATE TO CHARITY
Most charities will accept your old mobile phone. One of the largest charities, Oxfam has created an online mobile retail partner. http://www.mobiles.co.uk Every time a customer buys online from Mobiles.co.uk, they’ll receive a Freepost bag to donate their unwanted handset to Oxfam.
Oxfam’s “Bring Bring” handset recycling scheme offers an ideal way for consumers, mobile phone resellers and Oxfam to collaborate in achieving a win for all and importantly making a contribution to a good cause. It is the simplicity of the scheme which makes it so attractive.
If you want to keep your thoughts with the environment, then Recycling appeal http://www.recyclingappeal.com/ collects mobile phones for reuse and recycling, raising funds and helping the environment.
The Recycling Appeal has generated over £3.2 million for partner organisations since 1999.
If your handset no longer works, then valuable parts can still be salvaged and reused. Check out Green Source http://www.greensource.co.uk/ for further information.
REUSE
There is likely to be somebody who can make use of your old phone. Either offer it on your local Freecycle http://www.freecycle.org/ or sell it. You can sell on eBay or try a company like Mobile phone exchange http://www.mobilephonexchange.co.uk/. You can get an instant valuation online and if you think it’s worth it, you sell it to mobile phone exchange.
SCHOOLS MOBILE PHONE APPEALS
Computers for charities http://www.computersforcharities.co.uk/mobilephonerecycling run a collection service for old mobile phones that are salvaged and help to raise money for children in need.
Final thoughts …
Every time I have bought a mobile phone in the past, I always thought it was the coolest thing I owned. Why is it that a year later it becomes an unwanted embarrassment?
Judging by the amount of phones discarded every year this is fairly typical. Have we become so driven and gullible to the marketeers of our society that we can’t think for ourselves? Is that why we get married and divorced so easily as well? Seriously, isn’t it really the same message, that if it goes wrong or you find a better model, you just chuck it and trade up…
Maybe the mobile phone market is a clear symptom of our personal and cultural restlessness and hankering after the unreachable dream of bigger, better faster brighter, smarter. If that is the case, the call to stop and review our thinking here, as a model for our life, could just be the best thing we could do for ourselves, as well as the environment.
How to cut your paper footprint?
Each of us throws away, on average, a quarter of a ton of paper every year. Vicki Hill meets a woman on a mission to slash our waste and save the forests
First came two great bales of flattened cardboard then a tower of 1,500 catalogues, magazines, reports and printouts, topped off with a tumble of 120 toilet rolls, two bin bags full of junk mail and a thick layer of brown paper bags. Finally, Mandy Haggith tipped hundreds of receipts and bus tickets over the 5ft heap. Then she stood back and waited.
Villagers trickled into the hall one by one, smiles at the spectacle quickly fading as they realised that Mandy's mountain represented the 250kg of paper they, personally, had thrown away over the last year. Much of it barely used, most of it made by sending an ancient tree from the most threatened areas of the world crashing to the forest floor.
"People were really shocked," says Haggith, 41, who gathered the six loaded wheelbarrows full of paper from local businesses at her Highland home of Lochinver. "Paper comes in and out of our lives so fast we barely notice it. Put it in a pile and then get people to imagine it at 20 tons, which is the amount they will use in a lifetime, and it gets frightening. Especially when they realise that apart from a few books, this is also the amount they will end up throwing away."
No one likes to think of trees being felled, but many of us have a cosy image in our heads that it all comes from recycling or "sustainable" woodlands growing in neat rows, perhaps somewhere in Sweden. It's a myth. Globally, 70 per cent of the 335 million tons of paper the world uses each year comes from natural, un-farmed sources. In Canada, the UK's biggest source of pulp, 90 per cent of its output comes directly from its ancient forests.
"Paper production is revolting and it's lethal," says Haggith. "Leaving aside the destruction of the forests, the poisoning of the rivers from the processing of the wood, the decimation of local communities and wildlife ... the co2 that results is making a massive contribution to global warming. Exposed peat lands and felled trees give off huge amounts of methane and carbon and then you have further CO2 release when it all ends up in landfill at the end.
"The Bali climate change conference recognised deforestation as the source of around 20 per cent of all emissions: that's three times the amount resulting from global aviation. And for what? Flyers advertising double glazing, fashion magazines we skim through, a bundle of paper napkins in a café we leave behind on the table."
Haggith's paper mountain and a slideshow of what she uncovered on her trip, had an immediate effect on her village. A Recycling Group was set up with local parents, shop owners and a ranger. After lobbying the Highlands council and a letter campaign to the local paper, the village got its first paper bank – "which is always crammed". They are now stepping up the pressure for cardboard recycling – one local shop has been given a bailing machine and flattens and keeps all their old boxes until the village can find a trader willing to buy the waste cardboard: "Or we will come up with some other way of re-using it locally such as shredding it for animal bedding or insulation," says Haggith. "The idea is to be able to sell or reuse every bit of all the community's cardboard."
One of the first visitors to Mandy's Mountain was the local school and now, led by enthusiastic teachers, they have set up paper recycling bins all over school. There are very few people in the village who are not involved in some way. "Telling people what is really happening is the first step, then it's vital that you show them what they can do about it," says Haggith. "That's giving people back control and they can become very motivated very quickly when that happens." Almost everyone has vowed to cut down on their paper usage.
Haggith, a veteran forest campaigner and the co-ordinator of the 21-member European Environmental Paper Network (EEPN), began the local action on her return from the trip in 2006 which took her round most of the great forests of the world for her new book: Paper Trails. It tracks the devastation left behind by the production of the 12.5 million tons of paper gobbled up by the UK every year.
Although about 42 per cent of that figure comes from recycled sources, we generally only reprocess paper once (it can be used up to 10 times). Haggith, an Oxford graduate with a PhD in artificial intelligence, began fighting for the forests by developing software for organisations such as the UN, to link people involved in forest protection across the world. She set up "Worldforests" with her partner, land rights campaigner Bill Ritchie, working with scientists and activists to bring governments and communities together. By the time of her trip she realised the worldwide consumption of paper had increased fourfold in her lifetime.
"I had visited many forests in the early days of campaigning and I wanted to see if anything had changed. In many cases it was far worse," she says. In Indonesia, she describes how she stood at the edge of a ruined forest in the beating Sumatran sun, weeping with rage. Before her stretched thousands of acres of scorched, lifeless land. Beside her, Pak Jafri the tribal leader of the nearby village of Kuntu, pointed to the area where his people had picked herbs, to the hills where they had gathered honey. All before the government licensed the forest to a multinational paper company, which slashed it down to plant non-native acacias: fast growing, toxic, rampant and perfect for producing office copier paper for the UK.
"I was speechless," says Haggith. "Every last living thing had rotted away except for these plastic-leafed acacias rising like Triffids out of a dried up moonscape. And I was embarrassed. As a British person using copier paper, I was the root cause of all this destruction."
The story was the same throughout Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, but there was a brief respite for Haggith in, of all places, China. Although using vast amounts of timber for construction, their paper record is inspiring. Much of it comes from recycled sources – this is where most of the UK's recyclable paper is sent. But more horror was waiting over the border in Russia. Having traced UK copier paper to Sumatra, Mandy had also visited the great paper mills of Finland, which supply most of our ready-made paper products. While there was some good news – the Finns have tight pollution controls, for example – despite being covered in artificial paper-producing pine forests, Finland, Europe's biggest manufacturer and consumer of paper, is running out of wood and is now importing it on a massive scale from Russia. "Forget the Amazon," says Haggith. "Russia and Canada, between them, hold 50 per cent of our vital forests. But where the Amazon can regenerate very quickly, these northern boreal forests take 200 years to re-grow."
After a good start in Karelia, where hard-line campaigning has managed to protect some of Russia's primeval forests, Haggith visited the ancient shores of Lake Baikal, which contains 25 per cent of the world's fresh water. It is also the home of the Baikalsk pulp mill. "It stank," says Haggith. "This is partly because it has been pouring lethal chlorine compounds into the lake for 40 years. The lake hosts the only freshwater seals in the world and 75 per cent of its species are only found here, all of which will now have absorbed, irrevocably, the mill's carcinogenic effluents.
"But it was Canada that depressed me the most," she says. "Canada is incredibly wealthy, yet 90 per cent of its logging is from old growth forests and its pollution record is horrific. It has some of the worst cases of paper mill pollution I found. Native Americans living near the mills have nerve and skin diseases and soaring rates of cancers from the bleaches used on the pulp."
Canada is also relentless in its pursuit of profit. "Ten years ago I was one of the blockaders fighting to stop the building of logging roads into the temperate rainforest of Clayoquat Sound on Vancouver Island," she says. "It's a vital forest of giant red cedars and spruce and home to bears and wolves." After years of campaigning, a moratorium was finally set to halt the felling. "To my horror, on my return, I discovered this had been arranged to last only 10 years. I had to watch as the logging trucks drove past me and back into the forest. It was chilling."
Haggith is appalled by the paper industry, but years of experience have taught her that focusing on shreds of hope is the only way forward. She highlights the reforms sweeping the book publishing industry after Canadian publisher, Cindy Connor, insisted that the Harry Potter books were printed on recycled paper. This has had a direct impact on companies such as Penguin and HarperCollins who are now changing their paper sourcing policy in the UK.
Another success has been the UK's newspaper industry which voluntarily agreed to raise its recycled paper content to 70 per cent. "This led to a UK paper mill converting to processing recycled paper," says Haggith. "It's an invaluable example to try to pressure the government to set up more." And ironically, it was through conversations with the paper barons that Haggith began to realise where the real answer lies. Presenting to corporate chiefs at the Paper World conference in Frankfurt at the start of her trip, she was expecting opposition and instead found common ground. "Many of them genuinely want to clean up their act," she says. "But they are waiting for the demand to come from their customers. I now know that I don't need to go to Borneo or Ecuador or Russia any more to find the people who can save the forests. The answer lies right here, it's us.
"We have enormous power. By simply making sure we only buy loo roll from recycled sources, we will have an immediate effect on what's happening. Then we need to influence the business consumers who make the decisions for us – such as the producers of junk mail. That starts by simply saying: no."
Last month the EEPN launched "Shrink", an interactive website to help individuals and businesses make a pledge to cut their paper use and take action on a wider scale. And although she has had to stand before so many of the scarred and bleeding forests of the world, Haggith still has unshakeable hope for the future. "Its a wonderful feeling to fight back," she says. "Not just for us but people in the paper industry, too. When Cindy Connor placed her recycled paper order, she said it felt great that she was no longer signing a death warrant for the trees. The forests are, quite literally, our future. If we realise we have the power to save them, there's just a chance we'll act now and stop chucking them in the bin."
How to save the trees
* Do not pick up paper napkins in cafés.
* Ask yourself: do I need to print this? If so, use both sides of the paper.
* Sign up to the Mail Preference Service: www.mpsonline.org.uk
* Make sure any paper you buy (toilet rolls through to writing paper) comes from recycled sources.
* Re-use paper bags or compost receipts and torn-up bank statements
* Cut down on and share magazines, return unwanted catalogues to the sender.
* Re-use envelopes and make your own cards.
* Read small print carefully and never tick the "more information" box.
* Ask your boss to buy recycled paper for your workplace.
Pulp facts
* Deforestation caused by paper production is thought to be a bigger cause of global warming than transport.
* Each person in the UK gets through 250kg of paper a year. The worst offenders are the Finns at 333kg. The average Somalian uses 20g.
* Much of the UK's paper is barely used and a large proportion ends up in landfill. Just 42 per cent is recycled – but as there are so few recycling mills in the country, most of this ends up being sent abroad.
* It is a myth that most paper comes from sustainable sources. Seventy per cent of it comes from natural forests.
* The UK produces virtually none of its own pulp and imports 80 per cent of its pulp.
* Around 75 per cent of the paper for magazines is production wastage and is never read.
* Advertisers know that 99.7 per cent of recipients of junk mail throw it away unread. They think it's worth it for the 0.3 per cent who might.
First came two great bales of flattened cardboard then a tower of 1,500 catalogues, magazines, reports and printouts, topped off with a tumble of 120 toilet rolls, two bin bags full of junk mail and a thick layer of brown paper bags. Finally, Mandy Haggith tipped hundreds of receipts and bus tickets over the 5ft heap. Then she stood back and waited.
Villagers trickled into the hall one by one, smiles at the spectacle quickly fading as they realised that Mandy's mountain represented the 250kg of paper they, personally, had thrown away over the last year. Much of it barely used, most of it made by sending an ancient tree from the most threatened areas of the world crashing to the forest floor.
"People were really shocked," says Haggith, 41, who gathered the six loaded wheelbarrows full of paper from local businesses at her Highland home of Lochinver. "Paper comes in and out of our lives so fast we barely notice it. Put it in a pile and then get people to imagine it at 20 tons, which is the amount they will use in a lifetime, and it gets frightening. Especially when they realise that apart from a few books, this is also the amount they will end up throwing away."
No one likes to think of trees being felled, but many of us have a cosy image in our heads that it all comes from recycling or "sustainable" woodlands growing in neat rows, perhaps somewhere in Sweden. It's a myth. Globally, 70 per cent of the 335 million tons of paper the world uses each year comes from natural, un-farmed sources. In Canada, the UK's biggest source of pulp, 90 per cent of its output comes directly from its ancient forests.
"Paper production is revolting and it's lethal," says Haggith. "Leaving aside the destruction of the forests, the poisoning of the rivers from the processing of the wood, the decimation of local communities and wildlife ... the co2 that results is making a massive contribution to global warming. Exposed peat lands and felled trees give off huge amounts of methane and carbon and then you have further CO2 release when it all ends up in landfill at the end.
"The Bali climate change conference recognised deforestation as the source of around 20 per cent of all emissions: that's three times the amount resulting from global aviation. And for what? Flyers advertising double glazing, fashion magazines we skim through, a bundle of paper napkins in a café we leave behind on the table."
Haggith's paper mountain and a slideshow of what she uncovered on her trip, had an immediate effect on her village. A Recycling Group was set up with local parents, shop owners and a ranger. After lobbying the Highlands council and a letter campaign to the local paper, the village got its first paper bank – "which is always crammed". They are now stepping up the pressure for cardboard recycling – one local shop has been given a bailing machine and flattens and keeps all their old boxes until the village can find a trader willing to buy the waste cardboard: "Or we will come up with some other way of re-using it locally such as shredding it for animal bedding or insulation," says Haggith. "The idea is to be able to sell or reuse every bit of all the community's cardboard."
One of the first visitors to Mandy's Mountain was the local school and now, led by enthusiastic teachers, they have set up paper recycling bins all over school. There are very few people in the village who are not involved in some way. "Telling people what is really happening is the first step, then it's vital that you show them what they can do about it," says Haggith. "That's giving people back control and they can become very motivated very quickly when that happens." Almost everyone has vowed to cut down on their paper usage.
Haggith, a veteran forest campaigner and the co-ordinator of the 21-member European Environmental Paper Network (EEPN), began the local action on her return from the trip in 2006 which took her round most of the great forests of the world for her new book: Paper Trails. It tracks the devastation left behind by the production of the 12.5 million tons of paper gobbled up by the UK every year.
Although about 42 per cent of that figure comes from recycled sources, we generally only reprocess paper once (it can be used up to 10 times). Haggith, an Oxford graduate with a PhD in artificial intelligence, began fighting for the forests by developing software for organisations such as the UN, to link people involved in forest protection across the world. She set up "Worldforests" with her partner, land rights campaigner Bill Ritchie, working with scientists and activists to bring governments and communities together. By the time of her trip she realised the worldwide consumption of paper had increased fourfold in her lifetime.
"I had visited many forests in the early days of campaigning and I wanted to see if anything had changed. In many cases it was far worse," she says. In Indonesia, she describes how she stood at the edge of a ruined forest in the beating Sumatran sun, weeping with rage. Before her stretched thousands of acres of scorched, lifeless land. Beside her, Pak Jafri the tribal leader of the nearby village of Kuntu, pointed to the area where his people had picked herbs, to the hills where they had gathered honey. All before the government licensed the forest to a multinational paper company, which slashed it down to plant non-native acacias: fast growing, toxic, rampant and perfect for producing office copier paper for the UK.
"I was speechless," says Haggith. "Every last living thing had rotted away except for these plastic-leafed acacias rising like Triffids out of a dried up moonscape. And I was embarrassed. As a British person using copier paper, I was the root cause of all this destruction."
The story was the same throughout Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, but there was a brief respite for Haggith in, of all places, China. Although using vast amounts of timber for construction, their paper record is inspiring. Much of it comes from recycled sources – this is where most of the UK's recyclable paper is sent. But more horror was waiting over the border in Russia. Having traced UK copier paper to Sumatra, Mandy had also visited the great paper mills of Finland, which supply most of our ready-made paper products. While there was some good news – the Finns have tight pollution controls, for example – despite being covered in artificial paper-producing pine forests, Finland, Europe's biggest manufacturer and consumer of paper, is running out of wood and is now importing it on a massive scale from Russia. "Forget the Amazon," says Haggith. "Russia and Canada, between them, hold 50 per cent of our vital forests. But where the Amazon can regenerate very quickly, these northern boreal forests take 200 years to re-grow."
After a good start in Karelia, where hard-line campaigning has managed to protect some of Russia's primeval forests, Haggith visited the ancient shores of Lake Baikal, which contains 25 per cent of the world's fresh water. It is also the home of the Baikalsk pulp mill. "It stank," says Haggith. "This is partly because it has been pouring lethal chlorine compounds into the lake for 40 years. The lake hosts the only freshwater seals in the world and 75 per cent of its species are only found here, all of which will now have absorbed, irrevocably, the mill's carcinogenic effluents.
"But it was Canada that depressed me the most," she says. "Canada is incredibly wealthy, yet 90 per cent of its logging is from old growth forests and its pollution record is horrific. It has some of the worst cases of paper mill pollution I found. Native Americans living near the mills have nerve and skin diseases and soaring rates of cancers from the bleaches used on the pulp."
Canada is also relentless in its pursuit of profit. "Ten years ago I was one of the blockaders fighting to stop the building of logging roads into the temperate rainforest of Clayoquat Sound on Vancouver Island," she says. "It's a vital forest of giant red cedars and spruce and home to bears and wolves." After years of campaigning, a moratorium was finally set to halt the felling. "To my horror, on my return, I discovered this had been arranged to last only 10 years. I had to watch as the logging trucks drove past me and back into the forest. It was chilling."
Haggith is appalled by the paper industry, but years of experience have taught her that focusing on shreds of hope is the only way forward. She highlights the reforms sweeping the book publishing industry after Canadian publisher, Cindy Connor, insisted that the Harry Potter books were printed on recycled paper. This has had a direct impact on companies such as Penguin and HarperCollins who are now changing their paper sourcing policy in the UK.
Another success has been the UK's newspaper industry which voluntarily agreed to raise its recycled paper content to 70 per cent. "This led to a UK paper mill converting to processing recycled paper," says Haggith. "It's an invaluable example to try to pressure the government to set up more." And ironically, it was through conversations with the paper barons that Haggith began to realise where the real answer lies. Presenting to corporate chiefs at the Paper World conference in Frankfurt at the start of her trip, she was expecting opposition and instead found common ground. "Many of them genuinely want to clean up their act," she says. "But they are waiting for the demand to come from their customers. I now know that I don't need to go to Borneo or Ecuador or Russia any more to find the people who can save the forests. The answer lies right here, it's us.
"We have enormous power. By simply making sure we only buy loo roll from recycled sources, we will have an immediate effect on what's happening. Then we need to influence the business consumers who make the decisions for us – such as the producers of junk mail. That starts by simply saying: no."
Last month the EEPN launched "Shrink", an interactive website to help individuals and businesses make a pledge to cut their paper use and take action on a wider scale. And although she has had to stand before so many of the scarred and bleeding forests of the world, Haggith still has unshakeable hope for the future. "Its a wonderful feeling to fight back," she says. "Not just for us but people in the paper industry, too. When Cindy Connor placed her recycled paper order, she said it felt great that she was no longer signing a death warrant for the trees. The forests are, quite literally, our future. If we realise we have the power to save them, there's just a chance we'll act now and stop chucking them in the bin."
How to save the trees
* Do not pick up paper napkins in cafés.
* Ask yourself: do I need to print this? If so, use both sides of the paper.
* Sign up to the Mail Preference Service: www.mpsonline.org.uk
* Make sure any paper you buy (toilet rolls through to writing paper) comes from recycled sources.
* Re-use paper bags or compost receipts and torn-up bank statements
* Cut down on and share magazines, return unwanted catalogues to the sender.
* Re-use envelopes and make your own cards.
* Read small print carefully and never tick the "more information" box.
* Ask your boss to buy recycled paper for your workplace.
Pulp facts
* Deforestation caused by paper production is thought to be a bigger cause of global warming than transport.
* Each person in the UK gets through 250kg of paper a year. The worst offenders are the Finns at 333kg. The average Somalian uses 20g.
* Much of the UK's paper is barely used and a large proportion ends up in landfill. Just 42 per cent is recycled – but as there are so few recycling mills in the country, most of this ends up being sent abroad.
* It is a myth that most paper comes from sustainable sources. Seventy per cent of it comes from natural forests.
* The UK produces virtually none of its own pulp and imports 80 per cent of its pulp.
* Around 75 per cent of the paper for magazines is production wastage and is never read.
* Advertisers know that 99.7 per cent of recipients of junk mail throw it away unread. They think it's worth it for the 0.3 per cent who might.
Reuse plastic bottles for slug collars
Most gardeners have a slug or two to contend with. Here at Chez Green, we have an army of them, who love our clay soil and thick hedges.
We don’t often buy bottled water, but we do occasionally indulge. This year I decided to put my old bottles to good reuse before finally disposing of them in the recycling centre. I made lethal looking slug collars / deterrents to protect my seedlings.
The theory is that with sharp edges, a slug won’t bother dragging its sensitive under belly across the spikes to munch your prize crops.
I was a little dubious, as our slugs seem extremely tenacious, but as you’ll see from the video, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the results.
In the past I’ve tried crushed egg shells, coffee grounds, gravel and neem oil. The neem oil was successful, but requires reapplication and making into an emulsion; which, at the end of a busy day here at Zero Waste towers, wasn’t always very appealing.
I’d been toying with the idea of buying copper tape or the plastic protective barriers, but when I saw the prices, I realised it was time to come to my senses and find a reuse for something I already had in the house.
Unlike beer traps, my recycled plastic bottle fortresses mean I don’t have to waste good beer on my slugs and neither do I have the grisly task of disposing of the corpses afterwards. Deterrents, rather than drowning, appeal to the Buddhist in me.
Reuse glass jars
Each week we buy honey. We also buy curry sauces, pasta sauce on occasions, jam and other condiments.
It’s easy to recycle glass jars, but it’s better to reuse them as this reduces energy and resources used in the recycling process.
Last year I made chutney for the first time and it was great to be able to use my own jars that I had washed and stored.
It can cost over £1 to buy 1 jam jar, which really adds to your cost if making home made.
If you have no intention of making jams or chutneys yourself, why not save some up and offer them on Freecycle or SnaffleUp? There are plenty of people who would love to take them off your hands - and you might get a free jar of something lovely in return!
You might choose to reuse glass jars for storage containers. If you’re crafty, you could paint them with glass paint and put night lights in them.
Or use them to store buttons and odd bits of thread.
Kids can store pens and pencils in them and they make a useful addition to the garage for storing nuts, bolts, picture hooks and screws.
Fill them with beads and seal them well for babies to shake and explore!
There are so many uses for a glass jar - what are your suggestions?
Carbon offsets at Google
Carbon offsets at Google
As leaders from around the world meet in Copenhagen to address global climate change this month, Google thought it was a good time to reflect on our own carbon footprint. In 2007, Google committed to become a carbon neutral company. Google know that it isn't possible to write a check and eliminate the environmental impact of our operations. So what does “carbon neutrality” mean to us?
First, Google aggressively pursue reductions in our energy consumption through energy efficiency, innovative infrastructure design and operations and on-site renewable energy. Our Google designed data centers use half the energy of typical facilities. Google're also working to accelerate the development of economic, clean renewable energy at scale through research and development, investment and policy outreach. At this time, however, such efforts don't cover our entire carbon footprint. Therefore, since 2007 Google've gone a step further and made a voluntary commitment to buy carbon offsets to cover the portion of our footprint that Google cannot yet eliminate — which is what Google mean by "carbon neutrality."
So what exactly is a carbon offset? The idea behind an offset is that Google pay someone to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in a specific, measurable way, thus offseting an equal climate impact on our side. To determine our impact, Google calculate our annual carbon footprint, which is then verified by an independent third party. Google include direct energy consumption (like natural gas) and electricity use, employee commuting, company vehicle use, business travel and estimates of carbon emissions from building construction and from the manufacturing of servers used in our datacenters. Google then buy an equivalent number of carbon offsets.
While carbon offsets seem simple in principle, in practice they are surprisingly complicated. In particular, it's often difficult to say whether or not the offset project results in emissions reductions that would have happened anyway. Google find themselves asking whether the project in fact goes beyond "business as usual." In the world of offsets, this concept is referred to as "additionality." Carbon offsets have a mixed reputation because some projects are not additional. Here at Google, Google have set a very high bar to ensure that our investment makes an actual difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing offsets that are real, verifiable, permanent and additional.
To date, Google have selected high quality carbon offsets from around the world that reduce greenhouse gas emissions — ranging from landfill gas projects in Caldwell County, NC, and Steuben County, NY, to animal-waste management systems in Mexico and Brazil. Our funding helps make it possible for equipment to be installed that captures and destroys the methane gas produced as the waste decomposes. Methane, the primary component in natural gas, is a significant contributor to global warming. Google chose to focus on landfill and agricultural methane reduction projects because methane's impact on warming is very well understood, it's easy to measure how much methane is captured and the capture wouldn't happen without our financing (for the projects that Google is investing in, they couldn't make enough money selling the gas).
Google need fundamental changes to global energy and transportation infrastructure to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions over the long term. In the meantime, the projects to which Google contribute offer measurable emissions reductions and allow us to take responsibility for our carbon footprint. To that end, google is always looking for good emissions-reduction projects to support. If you have a landfill gas or agricultural methane carbon offset project you think Google should consider.
As leaders from around the world meet in Copenhagen to address global climate change this month, Google thought it was a good time to reflect on our own carbon footprint. In 2007, Google committed to become a carbon neutral company. Google know that it isn't possible to write a check and eliminate the environmental impact of our operations. So what does “carbon neutrality” mean to us?
First, Google aggressively pursue reductions in our energy consumption through energy efficiency, innovative infrastructure design and operations and on-site renewable energy. Our Google designed data centers use half the energy of typical facilities. Google're also working to accelerate the development of economic, clean renewable energy at scale through research and development, investment and policy outreach. At this time, however, such efforts don't cover our entire carbon footprint. Therefore, since 2007 Google've gone a step further and made a voluntary commitment to buy carbon offsets to cover the portion of our footprint that Google cannot yet eliminate — which is what Google mean by "carbon neutrality."
So what exactly is a carbon offset? The idea behind an offset is that Google pay someone to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in a specific, measurable way, thus offseting an equal climate impact on our side. To determine our impact, Google calculate our annual carbon footprint, which is then verified by an independent third party. Google include direct energy consumption (like natural gas) and electricity use, employee commuting, company vehicle use, business travel and estimates of carbon emissions from building construction and from the manufacturing of servers used in our datacenters. Google then buy an equivalent number of carbon offsets.
While carbon offsets seem simple in principle, in practice they are surprisingly complicated. In particular, it's often difficult to say whether or not the offset project results in emissions reductions that would have happened anyway. Google find themselves asking whether the project in fact goes beyond "business as usual." In the world of offsets, this concept is referred to as "additionality." Carbon offsets have a mixed reputation because some projects are not additional. Here at Google, Google have set a very high bar to ensure that our investment makes an actual difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing offsets that are real, verifiable, permanent and additional.
To date, Google have selected high quality carbon offsets from around the world that reduce greenhouse gas emissions — ranging from landfill gas projects in Caldwell County, NC, and Steuben County, NY, to animal-waste management systems in Mexico and Brazil. Our funding helps make it possible for equipment to be installed that captures and destroys the methane gas produced as the waste decomposes. Methane, the primary component in natural gas, is a significant contributor to global warming. Google chose to focus on landfill and agricultural methane reduction projects because methane's impact on warming is very well understood, it's easy to measure how much methane is captured and the capture wouldn't happen without our financing (for the projects that Google is investing in, they couldn't make enough money selling the gas).
Google need fundamental changes to global energy and transportation infrastructure to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions over the long term. In the meantime, the projects to which Google contribute offer measurable emissions reductions and allow us to take responsibility for our carbon footprint. To that end, google is always looking for good emissions-reduction projects to support. If you have a landfill gas or agricultural methane carbon offset project you think Google should consider.
What did the Copenhagen climate summit achieve?
By Tom Brookes and Tim Nuthall
The European Climate Foundation
The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said "from chaos comes order".
It is difficult to foresee the order that may result from the chaos of the Copenhagen climate change conference (COP15), but as the dust settles, traces of a path forward are becoming visible.
The outcome - a decision to "take note of" an accord drawn up by a core group of heads of state on Friday evening - is far from the legally binding treaty which some had expected and for which many hoped.
However, this does not change the fact that the Copenhagen conference was a unique moment in history.
What Copenhagen changed:
* With 110 world leaders present and a single issue on the agenda, there has never been a meeting like this. The countries that brokered the text, the US, China, India, South Africa, Brazil and the EU, also reflects a world in which the balance of power has significantly changed in the last 20 years.
* At a fundamental level, the conference redefined the debate between countries in terms of awareness of climate science and support for action. There is no longer any question that climate change is central to the political thinking of every country on the planet.
* Public awareness has also massively increased. The vast campaigns run around the world in the run-up to Copenhagen by governments, NGOs and business and the media coverage of the issue and the summit have made addressing climate change widely understood and discussed from the pubs of rural England to the bars of Beijing.
* The other very important change is that green growth is now the prevailing economic model of our time. The idea that addressing climate change is bad for business was buried at Copenhagen. Countries from both developed and developing worlds have announced low-carbon economic plans and are moving forward.
What it did not change:
* That combination of political will, economic direction and public pressure was not enough to overcome the concerns over sovereignty that many countries have in the context of international law. The final decision reflects the fact that many countries only want to be answerable to themselves. They will co-operate, but not under the threat of legal sanction.
* There is no quantified aggregate target for emissions reduction such as the 50% by 2050 that was in early drafts - as it stands, targets are yet to be announced and they may be at the low end of what was promised, locking in ever greater emissions.
* The reference to transparency in the text is significant as it will mean that for the first time actions by countries can be assessed globally, but there is no verification of the actions undertaken in the developing world unless they are paid for by the developed world.
* Also, there is very little detail on any of the elements it does mention.
The accord does refer to the target of limiting global warming to 2C above pre-industrial temperatures, as well as the need for quantified action by both developed and developing countries - but it's unclear how the target will be achieved.
The deal at COP15, as it stands, leaves the world on a pathway for temperature rises of 3C and above.
It remains to be seen whether committed targets on emissions, which are due to be made at the end of January, will make a difference. There will also be a review of progress in 2015 which may offer the opportunity to adjust any targets in light of the science.
Many hoped the COP15 would lead to legally mandated co-ordinated international action, but it appears that the outcome will be intergovernmental policy co-ordination with a focus on the implementation of national strategies. The move to green growth is no longer in doubt, but the details, actions and time frame remain unclear at best.
Will a new world order result from the chaos? The jury is out.
The European Climate Foundation
The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said "from chaos comes order".
It is difficult to foresee the order that may result from the chaos of the Copenhagen climate change conference (COP15), but as the dust settles, traces of a path forward are becoming visible.
The outcome - a decision to "take note of" an accord drawn up by a core group of heads of state on Friday evening - is far from the legally binding treaty which some had expected and for which many hoped.
However, this does not change the fact that the Copenhagen conference was a unique moment in history.
What Copenhagen changed:
* With 110 world leaders present and a single issue on the agenda, there has never been a meeting like this. The countries that brokered the text, the US, China, India, South Africa, Brazil and the EU, also reflects a world in which the balance of power has significantly changed in the last 20 years.
* At a fundamental level, the conference redefined the debate between countries in terms of awareness of climate science and support for action. There is no longer any question that climate change is central to the political thinking of every country on the planet.
* Public awareness has also massively increased. The vast campaigns run around the world in the run-up to Copenhagen by governments, NGOs and business and the media coverage of the issue and the summit have made addressing climate change widely understood and discussed from the pubs of rural England to the bars of Beijing.
* The other very important change is that green growth is now the prevailing economic model of our time. The idea that addressing climate change is bad for business was buried at Copenhagen. Countries from both developed and developing worlds have announced low-carbon economic plans and are moving forward.
What it did not change:
* That combination of political will, economic direction and public pressure was not enough to overcome the concerns over sovereignty that many countries have in the context of international law. The final decision reflects the fact that many countries only want to be answerable to themselves. They will co-operate, but not under the threat of legal sanction.
* There is no quantified aggregate target for emissions reduction such as the 50% by 2050 that was in early drafts - as it stands, targets are yet to be announced and they may be at the low end of what was promised, locking in ever greater emissions.
* The reference to transparency in the text is significant as it will mean that for the first time actions by countries can be assessed globally, but there is no verification of the actions undertaken in the developing world unless they are paid for by the developed world.
* Also, there is very little detail on any of the elements it does mention.
The accord does refer to the target of limiting global warming to 2C above pre-industrial temperatures, as well as the need for quantified action by both developed and developing countries - but it's unclear how the target will be achieved.
The deal at COP15, as it stands, leaves the world on a pathway for temperature rises of 3C and above.
It remains to be seen whether committed targets on emissions, which are due to be made at the end of January, will make a difference. There will also be a review of progress in 2015 which may offer the opportunity to adjust any targets in light of the science.
Many hoped the COP15 would lead to legally mandated co-ordinated international action, but it appears that the outcome will be intergovernmental policy co-ordination with a focus on the implementation of national strategies. The move to green growth is no longer in doubt, but the details, actions and time frame remain unclear at best.
Will a new world order result from the chaos? The jury is out.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Reuse junk mail for envelopes
Some junk mail is really pretty. Marketing companies use glossy paper and bright inks to attract our attention, as they know that eye candy is a big part of selling.
In the past, I’ve used junk mail, newspapers and leaflets as wrapping paper. It can look great if you manage to choose an image that is suitable for the recipient. On one particular occasion, I managed to find a lovely picture of a place Mr Green and I had been on holiday which really added to the excitement of his present.
Robert, over at the Stop Junk Mail campaign, and creator of Junkbuster, has been busy with his junk mail too. He’s been fashioning it into unique, handmade envelopes for reuse!
We all know that stopping at source is the best option (Reduce), but for those pesky items that still find their way through your letterbox, Reuse is the next best, before finally, recycling it.
A set of five envelopes, randomly picked by Robert costs £1. While you’re there, you can grab some letterbox stickers and envelope reuse stickers too!
Canada wins Colossal Fossil award for worst behavior in negotiations
The verdict is in, and Canada wins.
The Fossil of the Day Awards reached a climax today when Canada was awarded the Fossil of the Year award in Copenhagen.
While world leaders are still meeting in the final hours of negotiations, it is highly unlikely that a fair, ambitious and legally binding treaty will emerge from COP15. So today, civil society groups took time to name and shame the biggest obstacle to climate action for 2009.
Canada was chosen to receive the "Colossal Fossil" award based on votes by more than 500 members of the Climate Action Network, a global coalition of some 500 non-governmental organizations.
Ben Wikler of Avaaz.org announced the winner: "Fossil of the Year goes to CANADA, for bringing a totally unacceptable position into Copenhagen and refusing to strengthen it one bit. Canada's 2020 target is among the worst in the industrialized world, and leaked cabinet documents revealed that the governments is contemplating a cap-and-trade plan so weak that it would put even that target out of reach.”
"Canada's performance here in Copenhagen builds on two years of delay, obstruction and total inaction. This government thinks there's a choice between environment and economy, and for them, tar sands beats climate every time. Canada's emissions are headed nowhere but up. For all this and more, we name Canada the Colossal Fossil," Wikler said.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Reduce paper usage with paper free bills
According to research done by Mandy Haggith; author of “Paper Trails“, the average person throws away 250kg of paper per year.
It is made up of junk mail, toilet rolls, magazines, receipts and other paper goods.
One simple thing you can do to reduce your paper footprint is to say no to paper bills. If you already pay by direct debit or standing order, then making the switch is simple.
Many companies will offer you a monetary incentive for this such as reduced fees, so it’s a win-win.
Most banks, electricity suppliers and telephone companies support paperless billing, so why not contact yours and see if you can go paper free?
It is made up of junk mail, toilet rolls, magazines, receipts and other paper goods.
One simple thing you can do to reduce your paper footprint is to say no to paper bills. If you already pay by direct debit or standing order, then making the switch is simple.
Many companies will offer you a monetary incentive for this such as reduced fees, so it’s a win-win.
Most banks, electricity suppliers and telephone companies support paperless billing, so why not contact yours and see if you can go paper free?
Global Warming / Climate Change: What we can do about it
The Union of Concerned Scientists, a group of over two thousand scientists, has concluded that global warming is beyond dispute, and already changing our climate. The last 30 years have seen the warmest surface temperatures in recorded history, and the past several years have been among the warmest on record.
Scientists have concluded that human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, is the major driving factor in global warming. Read: how global warming has developed.
Global warming can be slowed, and stopped, with practical actions that yield a cleaner, healthier atmosphere. The question is: will we act soon enough?
“Many people don’t realize that we are committed right now to a significant amount of global warming and sea level rise…the longer we wait to do something about it, the more change we will have.”
Gerald Meehl, The National Center for Atmospheric Research
Ultimately it is up to each of us, as individuals and families, to take action to slow down and eventually reverse global warming through everyday awareness of our energy use, and attention to ways we can conserve electricity and minimize fossil fuel usage.
What we can do
The goal is to bring global warming under control by curtailing the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping “greenhouse” gases into the atmosphere.
We can contribute to this global cause with personal actions. Our individual efforts are especially significant in countries like the US and Canada, where individuals release over 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per person every year.
We can help immediately by becoming more energy efficient. Reducing our use of oil, gasoline and coal also sets an example for others to follow.
Reduce electricity usage around the home
The largest source of greenhouse gases is electric power generation. The average home actually contributes more to global warming than the average car. This is because much of the energy we use in our homes comes from power plants which burn fossil fuel to power our electric products.
To reduce the amount of electricity used in our homes:
* Switch to energy-efficient lighting
Replace the familiar incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. For each CFL bulb replacement, you’ll lower your energy bill and keep nearly 700 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air over the bulb’s lifetime. CFL bulbs last much longer and use only a quarter of the energy consumed by conventional bulbs. LED bulbs are also energy-saving, but have a narrower range of application. Advances in LED bulb technology, however, are leading to more applications for these bulbs in the home. LEDs are more efficient than CFLs and do not have issues surrounding disposal, as do the CFLs. More info.
* Improve the efficiency of home appliances
Home appliances vary greatly in terms of energy-efficiency and operating costs. The more energy-efficient an appliance is, the less it costs to run. You can lower your utility bill and help protect the environment. Here’s how.
* Buy energy-efficient appliances when shopping for a new appliance
Do this especially when shopping for a major appliance such as a refrigerator, dishwasher, or air-conditioner – select the one with the highest energy efficiency rating. By opting for a refrigerator with the Energy Star label — indicating it uses at least 15 percent less energy than the federal requirement — you can reduce carbon dioxide pollution by nearly a ton in total. More info.
* Reduce energy needed for heating
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling systems in the U.S. emit over a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. Much of the energy used for heating our homes is wasted, and yet the prevention is, in many cases, simple and inexpensive. Here’s how.
* Reduce energy needed for cooling
Air conditioners alone use up to 1/6th of the electricity in the U.S. and, on hot summer days, consume 43% of the U.S. peak power load. You can reduce much of the need for air conditioning, and enjoy a cost savings benefit, by using ‘passive’ techniques to help cool your home. Here’s how.
Improve vehicle fuel-efficiency
The second largest source of greenhouse gases is transportation. Motor vehicles are responsible for about a third of all carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. and Canada.
* Practice fuel-efficient driving
Every gallon of gasoline burned puts 26 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. You can boost the overall fuel-efficiency of your car as much as 30% by simple vehicle maintenance and attention to your style of driving. Read these tips for fuel-efficient driving.
* Buy a fuel-efficient car
Even more important is the choice of car or truck you buy. If you buy a new car that gets 10 more miles per gallon than your old car, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction realized in one year will be about 2,500 pounds. The new hybrid cars, using efficient gas-electric engines, can cut global warming pollution by 30% or more. Learn more about hybrid cars.
* Recycle air conditioner coolant
If your car has an air conditioner, make sure you recycle its coolant whenever you have it serviced. You can save thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide each year by doing this.
* Drive less
You’ll save energy by taking the bus, riding a bike, or walking. Try consolidating trips to the mall or longer routine drives. Encourage car-pooling.
Conserve energy in the home and yard
Yard maintenance contributes significantly to greenhouse emissions. Per hour of operation, a power lawn mower emits 10-12 times as much hydrocarbon as a typical auto. A weedeater emits 21 times more and a leaf blower 34 times more.
* Reduce lawn size
Lawn size can be reduced by adding shrubs, beds, ground covers and mulched areas. Try creating a lawn area small enough to be mowed using an efficient reel (push) mower. Lawn edging can be set low enough to mow over, reducing or eliminating the need for a weed-eater. More info.
* Recycle whenever possible
Aluminum cans, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, glass – anything recycled reduces the energy needed to create new products. To find the recycling center nearest you, call: 1 800-CLEANUP. For ideas on home recycling, click here for more info.
* Eat locally produced food
Today, the food choices available in supermarkets come from all over the world. All of this ‘traffic’ in food requires staggering amounts of fuel – generally by refrigerated airplanes or transport trucks. Food transportation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions. More info.
* Eat vegetarian meals
Vegetarian food requires much less energy to produce. Enjoying vegetarian meals once or twice a week results in significant CO2 savings. More info.
* Paint your home a light color if you live in a warm climate, or a dark color in a cold climate.
This can contribute saving up to 5000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
* Choose clean energy options
If you can choose your electricity supplier, pick a company that generates at least half its power from wind, solar energy and other renewable sources.
* Buy clean energy certificates and carbon offsets
Help spur the renewable energy market and cut global warming pollution with “wind certificates” or “green tags,” which represent clean power you can add to the nation’s energy grid in place of electricity from fossil fuels. More info.
A “carbon offset” is an emission reduction credit which can be purchased by individuals, businesses and governments to reduce their net greenhouse gas emissions. More info.
While it may be difficult to adopt some of these suggestions, any amount of energy saved is significant. Even small changes are worthwhile, as they spark our awareness. As we become more aware of the importance of saving energy, we find ways of saving where possible.
Making energy conservation a part of our daily awareness is essential to the goal of reducing global warming.
Scientists have concluded that human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, is the major driving factor in global warming. Read: how global warming has developed.
Global warming can be slowed, and stopped, with practical actions that yield a cleaner, healthier atmosphere. The question is: will we act soon enough?
“Many people don’t realize that we are committed right now to a significant amount of global warming and sea level rise…the longer we wait to do something about it, the more change we will have.”
Gerald Meehl, The National Center for Atmospheric Research
Ultimately it is up to each of us, as individuals and families, to take action to slow down and eventually reverse global warming through everyday awareness of our energy use, and attention to ways we can conserve electricity and minimize fossil fuel usage.
What we can do
The goal is to bring global warming under control by curtailing the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping “greenhouse” gases into the atmosphere.
We can contribute to this global cause with personal actions. Our individual efforts are especially significant in countries like the US and Canada, where individuals release over 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per person every year.
We can help immediately by becoming more energy efficient. Reducing our use of oil, gasoline and coal also sets an example for others to follow.
Reduce electricity usage around the home
The largest source of greenhouse gases is electric power generation. The average home actually contributes more to global warming than the average car. This is because much of the energy we use in our homes comes from power plants which burn fossil fuel to power our electric products.
To reduce the amount of electricity used in our homes:
* Switch to energy-efficient lighting
Replace the familiar incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. For each CFL bulb replacement, you’ll lower your energy bill and keep nearly 700 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air over the bulb’s lifetime. CFL bulbs last much longer and use only a quarter of the energy consumed by conventional bulbs. LED bulbs are also energy-saving, but have a narrower range of application. Advances in LED bulb technology, however, are leading to more applications for these bulbs in the home. LEDs are more efficient than CFLs and do not have issues surrounding disposal, as do the CFLs. More info.
* Improve the efficiency of home appliances
Home appliances vary greatly in terms of energy-efficiency and operating costs. The more energy-efficient an appliance is, the less it costs to run. You can lower your utility bill and help protect the environment. Here’s how.
* Buy energy-efficient appliances when shopping for a new appliance
Do this especially when shopping for a major appliance such as a refrigerator, dishwasher, or air-conditioner – select the one with the highest energy efficiency rating. By opting for a refrigerator with the Energy Star label — indicating it uses at least 15 percent less energy than the federal requirement — you can reduce carbon dioxide pollution by nearly a ton in total. More info.
* Reduce energy needed for heating
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling systems in the U.S. emit over a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. Much of the energy used for heating our homes is wasted, and yet the prevention is, in many cases, simple and inexpensive. Here’s how.
* Reduce energy needed for cooling
Air conditioners alone use up to 1/6th of the electricity in the U.S. and, on hot summer days, consume 43% of the U.S. peak power load. You can reduce much of the need for air conditioning, and enjoy a cost savings benefit, by using ‘passive’ techniques to help cool your home. Here’s how.
Improve vehicle fuel-efficiency
The second largest source of greenhouse gases is transportation. Motor vehicles are responsible for about a third of all carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. and Canada.
* Practice fuel-efficient driving
Every gallon of gasoline burned puts 26 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. You can boost the overall fuel-efficiency of your car as much as 30% by simple vehicle maintenance and attention to your style of driving. Read these tips for fuel-efficient driving.
* Buy a fuel-efficient car
Even more important is the choice of car or truck you buy. If you buy a new car that gets 10 more miles per gallon than your old car, the amount of carbon dioxide reduction realized in one year will be about 2,500 pounds. The new hybrid cars, using efficient gas-electric engines, can cut global warming pollution by 30% or more. Learn more about hybrid cars.
* Recycle air conditioner coolant
If your car has an air conditioner, make sure you recycle its coolant whenever you have it serviced. You can save thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide each year by doing this.
* Drive less
You’ll save energy by taking the bus, riding a bike, or walking. Try consolidating trips to the mall or longer routine drives. Encourage car-pooling.
Conserve energy in the home and yard
Yard maintenance contributes significantly to greenhouse emissions. Per hour of operation, a power lawn mower emits 10-12 times as much hydrocarbon as a typical auto. A weedeater emits 21 times more and a leaf blower 34 times more.
* Reduce lawn size
Lawn size can be reduced by adding shrubs, beds, ground covers and mulched areas. Try creating a lawn area small enough to be mowed using an efficient reel (push) mower. Lawn edging can be set low enough to mow over, reducing or eliminating the need for a weed-eater. More info.
* Recycle whenever possible
Aluminum cans, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, glass – anything recycled reduces the energy needed to create new products. To find the recycling center nearest you, call: 1 800-CLEANUP. For ideas on home recycling, click here for more info.
* Eat locally produced food
Today, the food choices available in supermarkets come from all over the world. All of this ‘traffic’ in food requires staggering amounts of fuel – generally by refrigerated airplanes or transport trucks. Food transportation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions. More info.
* Eat vegetarian meals
Vegetarian food requires much less energy to produce. Enjoying vegetarian meals once or twice a week results in significant CO2 savings. More info.
* Paint your home a light color if you live in a warm climate, or a dark color in a cold climate.
This can contribute saving up to 5000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
* Choose clean energy options
If you can choose your electricity supplier, pick a company that generates at least half its power from wind, solar energy and other renewable sources.
* Buy clean energy certificates and carbon offsets
Help spur the renewable energy market and cut global warming pollution with “wind certificates” or “green tags,” which represent clean power you can add to the nation’s energy grid in place of electricity from fossil fuels. More info.
A “carbon offset” is an emission reduction credit which can be purchased by individuals, businesses and governments to reduce their net greenhouse gas emissions. More info.
While it may be difficult to adopt some of these suggestions, any amount of energy saved is significant. Even small changes are worthwhile, as they spark our awareness. As we become more aware of the importance of saving energy, we find ways of saving where possible.
Making energy conservation a part of our daily awareness is essential to the goal of reducing global warming.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Climate Solutions : WWF’s Vision for 2050
This WWF report seeks to answer the question: “Is it technically possible to meet the growing global demand for energy by using clean and sustainable energy sources and technologies that will protect the global climate?” In other words, can a concerted shift to the sustainable energy resources and technologies that are available today meet the more than doubling of global energy demand projected by 2050, while avoiding dangerous climatic change of more than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels?
WWF is acutely aware that many of the steps considered in this report – an end to the dominance of fossil energy, a phaseout of nuclear power, a rapid expansion of biomass energy – carry with them social, environmental, and economic consequences that must be carefully weighed and closely managed. To take a single example, even the limited shift to energy crops today threatens accelerated conversion of wild habitats and further deprivation of the world’s poor by driving up food prices. A global energy transition must be managed to refl ect the differing priorities and interests of the world community at large.
Halting climate change is a long-term undertaking, but the first steps must be taken by governments currently in power. The future depends on them making critical decisions soon which could lead to a low-emission global energy economy in a timescale consistent with saving the climate, and planning for the social and economic dimensions of that transition to minimize the negative impacts of such urgent change.
Solutions
The WWF report identifies the following six solutions and three imperatives as key to achieving the goal of meeting global energy demand without damaging the global climate:
1. Breaking the Link between Energy Services and Primary Energy Production - Energy efficiency (getting more energy services per unit of energy used) is a priority, especially in developed countries which have a very inefficient capital stock. The model shows that by 2020-2025, energy efficiencies will make it possible to meet increasing demand for energy services within a stable net demand for primary energy production, reducing projected demand by 39% annually, and avoiding emissions of 9.4Gt carbon per year, by 2050.
2. Stopping Forest Loss - Stopping and reversing loss and degradation of forests, particularly in the tropics, is a crucial element of any positive climate-energy scenario. The probability of success of the climate solutions proposed here drops progressively from greater than 90% down to 35% in the absence of effective action to curb land-use emissions.
3. Concurrent growth of Low-Emissions Technologies - The rapid and parallel pursuit of the full range of technologies, such as wind, hydro, solar PV & thermal, and bio-energy is crucial, but within a set of environmental and social constraints to ensure their sustainability. By 2050, these technologies could meet 70% of the remaining demand after effi ciencies have been applied, avoiding a further 10.2Gt carbon emissions annually.
4. Developing Flexible Fuels, Energy Storage and New Infrastructure - Deep cuts in fossil-fuel use cannot be achieved without large volumes of energy from intermittent sources, like wind and solar, being stored and transformed into transportable fuels and into fuels to meet the thermal needs of industry. New fuels, such as hydrogen, that meet these requirements will require major new infrastructure for their production and distribution.
5. Displacing High-Carbon Coal with Low-Carbon Gas - Natural gas as a “bridging fuel” offers an important opportunity to avoid the long-term lockin of new coal power stations, providing significant carbon savings in the near term, while other energy sources and technologies are grown from a smaller industrial base.
6. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) - The model shows that, in order to stay within the carbon emissions budget, it is essential that fossil-fuel plants are equipped with carbon capture and storage technology as soon as possible – all by 2050. This has major and immediate implications for the planning and location of new plants, since transport of carbon dioxide to distant storage sites would be very costly. Overall, fossil fuels with CCS could account for 26% of supply in 2050, avoiding emissions of 3.8GtC/yr.
WWF is acutely aware that many of the steps considered in this report – an end to the dominance of fossil energy, a phaseout of nuclear power, a rapid expansion of biomass energy – carry with them social, environmental, and economic consequences that must be carefully weighed and closely managed. To take a single example, even the limited shift to energy crops today threatens accelerated conversion of wild habitats and further deprivation of the world’s poor by driving up food prices. A global energy transition must be managed to refl ect the differing priorities and interests of the world community at large.
Halting climate change is a long-term undertaking, but the first steps must be taken by governments currently in power. The future depends on them making critical decisions soon which could lead to a low-emission global energy economy in a timescale consistent with saving the climate, and planning for the social and economic dimensions of that transition to minimize the negative impacts of such urgent change.
Solutions
The WWF report identifies the following six solutions and three imperatives as key to achieving the goal of meeting global energy demand without damaging the global climate:
1. Breaking the Link between Energy Services and Primary Energy Production - Energy efficiency (getting more energy services per unit of energy used) is a priority, especially in developed countries which have a very inefficient capital stock. The model shows that by 2020-2025, energy efficiencies will make it possible to meet increasing demand for energy services within a stable net demand for primary energy production, reducing projected demand by 39% annually, and avoiding emissions of 9.4Gt carbon per year, by 2050.
2. Stopping Forest Loss - Stopping and reversing loss and degradation of forests, particularly in the tropics, is a crucial element of any positive climate-energy scenario. The probability of success of the climate solutions proposed here drops progressively from greater than 90% down to 35% in the absence of effective action to curb land-use emissions.
3. Concurrent growth of Low-Emissions Technologies - The rapid and parallel pursuit of the full range of technologies, such as wind, hydro, solar PV & thermal, and bio-energy is crucial, but within a set of environmental and social constraints to ensure their sustainability. By 2050, these technologies could meet 70% of the remaining demand after effi ciencies have been applied, avoiding a further 10.2Gt carbon emissions annually.
4. Developing Flexible Fuels, Energy Storage and New Infrastructure - Deep cuts in fossil-fuel use cannot be achieved without large volumes of energy from intermittent sources, like wind and solar, being stored and transformed into transportable fuels and into fuels to meet the thermal needs of industry. New fuels, such as hydrogen, that meet these requirements will require major new infrastructure for their production and distribution.
5. Displacing High-Carbon Coal with Low-Carbon Gas - Natural gas as a “bridging fuel” offers an important opportunity to avoid the long-term lockin of new coal power stations, providing significant carbon savings in the near term, while other energy sources and technologies are grown from a smaller industrial base.
6. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) - The model shows that, in order to stay within the carbon emissions budget, it is essential that fossil-fuel plants are equipped with carbon capture and storage technology as soon as possible – all by 2050. This has major and immediate implications for the planning and location of new plants, since transport of carbon dioxide to distant storage sites would be very costly. Overall, fossil fuels with CCS could account for 26% of supply in 2050, avoiding emissions of 3.8GtC/yr.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The importance of buying locally
We’re all aware of the amount of packaging we can be left with when purchasing food. Have you ever stopped to think how this could be reduced by buying locally?
Today’s guest article is from Rebekah Sachno who provides us with ‘food for thought’ about our buying habits. By changing just one thing we could dramatically reduce the amount of stuff we send to landfill.
Rebekah lives in rural County Down and is a SAHM to her two year old daughter. Her hobbies are baking, reading and going for walks by the sea.
Behind my house, there is a wheat field. About 18-20 acres in size, much of it has been reclaimed from the nearby bog, of which only remnants now remain.
In the last few days I’ve watched the wheat being harvested, separated and poured into massive combine harvesters. We’ve collected the leftover chaff to use as bedding for our chickens over winter.
The sad thing is, those acres and acres of rustling golden stalks were destined for one thing only: animal fodder.
It’s easy to forget, in this age of urbanisation and service economies, that the UK as a country was largely self sufficient until relatively recently. It still could be, if the still plentiful agricultural land was used to its full capacity.
Step into your local greengrocers and within a few minutes you can easily find a number of fruit and veg, which could easily be grown in the UK, yet, which hail from the farthest corners of the globe- Brazil, Kenya, New Zealand, Israel.
Apples from New Zealand or apples from Armagh?
It can be easy, if one is in a hurry, to quickly grab the product that has the least amount of packaging. But take a minute to really look at the label on the crate. Not locally grown? Think of the air miles it’s taken, the oil, petrol, or diesel burnt, in order for that fruit or vegetable to reach your shopping basket.
To stop waste before it has even started, buying locally is a must. It is important not only on an individual level, but on a nationwide scale also. Imagine if farmers, as a condition of receiving subsidies, had to put a certain percentage of land aside, to grow food, which would then be distributed and sold within, say, a radius of 30 miles at the most. With the need for imports cut drastically, we’d be making big reductions on pollution levels and CO2 emissions as well.
Hidden waste, the sort we sometimes forget about, the fuel used in the boats or planes shipping our food, the plastic crates and wrappings discarded as the produce moves from train to lorry, sometimes seems out of the control of the individual. After all, you can’t put it in your recycling bin. However we do have a choice, and we as consumers do have influence. In fact, as a group we hold the biggest influence of all, and with the right focus we can use our power to make changes. Environmental awareness is not only just a lifestyle choice, it is a political issue.
Create a debate. Ask the manager of your local Tesco’s why he doesn’t stock eggs or honey from a local smallholder, instead of selling overseas and battery farmed brands. Grow your own food if you have the space- even if you only have a patio, a few big pots can provide a whole season’s worth of tomatoes or soup veg. Ask why, if the government can nationalise the banks, why it can’t nationalise the land creating food security at a time of disappearing oil reserves- surely this should be a priority for any government
By recycling we deal with the after effects of consumption, but by carefully choosing what we purchase and consume in the first place, we can nip the entire cycle in the bud.
Today’s guest article is from Rebekah Sachno who provides us with ‘food for thought’ about our buying habits. By changing just one thing we could dramatically reduce the amount of stuff we send to landfill.
Rebekah lives in rural County Down and is a SAHM to her two year old daughter. Her hobbies are baking, reading and going for walks by the sea.
Behind my house, there is a wheat field. About 18-20 acres in size, much of it has been reclaimed from the nearby bog, of which only remnants now remain.
In the last few days I’ve watched the wheat being harvested, separated and poured into massive combine harvesters. We’ve collected the leftover chaff to use as bedding for our chickens over winter.
The sad thing is, those acres and acres of rustling golden stalks were destined for one thing only: animal fodder.
It’s easy to forget, in this age of urbanisation and service economies, that the UK as a country was largely self sufficient until relatively recently. It still could be, if the still plentiful agricultural land was used to its full capacity.
Step into your local greengrocers and within a few minutes you can easily find a number of fruit and veg, which could easily be grown in the UK, yet, which hail from the farthest corners of the globe- Brazil, Kenya, New Zealand, Israel.
Apples from New Zealand or apples from Armagh?
It can be easy, if one is in a hurry, to quickly grab the product that has the least amount of packaging. But take a minute to really look at the label on the crate. Not locally grown? Think of the air miles it’s taken, the oil, petrol, or diesel burnt, in order for that fruit or vegetable to reach your shopping basket.
To stop waste before it has even started, buying locally is a must. It is important not only on an individual level, but on a nationwide scale also. Imagine if farmers, as a condition of receiving subsidies, had to put a certain percentage of land aside, to grow food, which would then be distributed and sold within, say, a radius of 30 miles at the most. With the need for imports cut drastically, we’d be making big reductions on pollution levels and CO2 emissions as well.
Hidden waste, the sort we sometimes forget about, the fuel used in the boats or planes shipping our food, the plastic crates and wrappings discarded as the produce moves from train to lorry, sometimes seems out of the control of the individual. After all, you can’t put it in your recycling bin. However we do have a choice, and we as consumers do have influence. In fact, as a group we hold the biggest influence of all, and with the right focus we can use our power to make changes. Environmental awareness is not only just a lifestyle choice, it is a political issue.
Create a debate. Ask the manager of your local Tesco’s why he doesn’t stock eggs or honey from a local smallholder, instead of selling overseas and battery farmed brands. Grow your own food if you have the space- even if you only have a patio, a few big pots can provide a whole season’s worth of tomatoes or soup veg. Ask why, if the government can nationalise the banks, why it can’t nationalise the land creating food security at a time of disappearing oil reserves- surely this should be a priority for any government
By recycling we deal with the after effects of consumption, but by carefully choosing what we purchase and consume in the first place, we can nip the entire cycle in the bud.
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