Time for Confrontation
Greens tend to be peaceful people who hate confrontation. That is the typical image of the hippy vegan, who would do anything to avoid an argument. Well-meaning, harmless, and meek. There is much to be said for these virtues. But with the environmental crisis upon us, greens are going to have to confront the status quo, in a way that many of us will find uncomfortable. If the rest of the world carries on flying, driving and consuming the way it is, there will be no earth left for the meek to inherit. We have to get our message over with an urgency that has never been greater. We will be called kill-joys, daring to spoil the party. There will be enormous resistance to change. People have come to view it as their right to fly, drive and consume as much as they can afford to do. But unless we confront this culture, there is no future. The present orgy of consumption will lead to disaster. We have to confront the prevailing culture to have a chance of survival. We must make that confrontation as peaceful as possible. It will not be a pleasant task, but it has to start now.
Work your proper hours
British people work the longest hours in Europe, yet due to stress and fatigue, productivity is one of the lowest. With levels falling far behind France, Britain's long hours culture is seriously threatening our physical and mental health.
The warning came on the eve of 'Work Your Proper Hours Day', as UK Green MEP, Jean Lambert, launches her new report 'I must work harder? Britain and the Working Time Directive,'
Jean Lambert, Vice-Chair of the Green Group in the European Parliament and co-ordinator of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, has called on the UK Government to end the opt-out and opt in to a healthier, safer workforce.
Today Jean commented: "Britain's long hours culture has encroached on our society through the British opt-out in the Working Time Directive, the only EU country to adopt such a clause. It's not just our opportunities for a social and family life that has been eroded but we are now seeing record levels of employee sick leave due to long hours and stress." Sadly the British work culture is such that stress is seen as a weakness and so instead of being treated, gets worse, costing both the individual and business. Indirect causes of long hours such as tiredness on the roads are particularly damaging. Symptoms of stress and fatigue are often worse than being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The Health and Media industries, where long assignments and intensive work is often needed, are currently very worrying. 80 per cent of media employees work overtime and 16 per cent have visited a GP because of stress, which they attribute to deadlines and pressures of work."
Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London - the region where people work the most excessive hours, is concerned that many do not truly 'opt-out' but sign away their right to a cap on their working hours under pressure or do not know they can refuse. The Greens simply argue that the UK adheres to a maximum 48-hour week and, where intensive work has occurred, the employee is given compensatory rest through time off.
"We want fair hours for fair pay. The UK Government talks about vision but it is clear to me that without focus on the prevention of ill health, shortsighted policies will result in the public sector picking up the bill once again. It is time the Government accepted that long hours are simply damaging our health, innovation and economy. We have to protect the UK's workforce by getting rid of the opt-out and regulating the working week," Jean concluded.
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How to lead an eco-friendly existence
- Change your electricity to a green energy supplier. According to a survey by BBC Wildlife magazine, Ecotricity is the best.
www.ecotricity.co.uk.
- Use light-saving electricity bulbs and don't use recessed halogen spotlights - each one burns 50 watts.
- Make sure your kitchen appliances are energy efficient, denoted by an A+ rating. The extra cost will pay for itself by the reduction in your electricity bill.
- Buy as many goods second-hand as possible at car boot sales, charity shops and on eBay.
- Create a compost bin.
- Don't just recycle - reduce, reuse and repair.
- Cycle or walk when you can. Most journeys are less than four miles.
- Buy organic meat, cheese and vegetables from farmers' markets and box delivery schemes.
- Only eat organic meat, and then only once a week.
- Use environmentally friendly paints when decorating.
Source - Independent |
Setting a limit-
Time for a low-carb diet!
As we become aware of the need to limit how much each of us contributes to global warming, there is growing debate about the need for some form of carbon rationing.
Mayer Hillman , environmental transport expert, and author of "How we can save the planet", along with Tina Fawcett of Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute have proposed a personal carbon allowance. This would involve each of us being given the same allowance that could be spent on domestic energy and personal travel, with an account accessed via a debit-type card each time you pay for petrol, an airline ticket, or pay a fuel bill.
This is not the first time a system of carbon rationing has been proposed, and there has been much debate over whether every global citizen should get the same ration, which would involve huge issues given the imbalance in wealth between the world's wealthy and poor.
There have also been proposals for a system of carbon trading, whereby individuals not needing all their allowance could sell some of their ration to those wanting to consume more than their "share".
The issue of carbon rationing is one we are going to hear much more about in years to come.
It sound like a guaranteed vote-loser to any government proposing it, but if we are to have a future, we may all need to go on what Lucy Siegle of The Observer has termed, the low-carb diet!
See www.carbonsense.org and www.gozero.org.uk |