Eco Towns under
Fresh Scrutiny
27th June 2008
The Government's flagship programme for eco towns and zero carbon new homes by 2016 is under fresh scrutiny, with claims that the eco towns offer few environmental benefits, and would be better incorporated into existing settlements.
Eco homes under scrutiny - Eco comment
Flint: Fewer than 10 eco-towns may be built
Building.co.uk
The Minister defends eco towns and Hips and her reliance on the ...Times
Council withdraws controversial eco-town plan - Telegraph Eco-towns: Britain's brave new worlds? - Telegraph.
No Time to Waste
Students return from Arctic to champion WWF's climate change campaign
26th June 2008
We cannot afford to wait. This is the view shared by students Emma Bierman and Casper ter Kuile, who have just returned from a 10-day Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) voyage to the Arctic where they witnessed the impact of climate change in the region.
The pair, who both study at Warwick University, now take on roles as UK ambassadors for WWF's ongoing climate change campaign.
"The situation is far more urgent than we had perceived," said Emma. "Visiting the Arctic and hearing the scientific background has confirmed how urgent this issue is.
"We need to work hard for a social movement that will put pressure on governments worldwide to make long-term decisions about people and planet."
During the Arctic voyage, which started from Svalbard, Norway, the students – who came from around the world – visited fjords to witness the shrinking glaciers and reduction in sea ice. They also saw the wealth of Arctic wildlife, including seals, walruses, reindeer and the critically-threatened polar bear, whose habitat is disappearing.
The students got the opportunity to learn from WWF staff and experts in the field about the effects of climate change and the dangers posed by the growing economic interest in the Arctic from the oil and gas, fishing and shipping industries. They also visited Ny Ålesund, the most northern settlement in the world, and an international centre for Arctic research.
To see blogs and pictures from their journey go to wwf.org.uk/voyageforthefuture
On 30 June, Emma and Casper will deliver WWF's Get on Board petition to Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street. This asks the UK government to include a commitment to reducing CO2 emissions by at least 80% by 2050 in the Climate Change Bill currently going through Parliament. It also calls for the Bill to include emissions from aviation and shipping.
Greenpeace heroes convicted
25th June 2008
Five Greenpeace volunteers who occupied the top of a British Airways passenger jet were today convicted at Uxbridge magistrates court.
The campaigners pleaded guilty to being in a restricted zone, boarding an aircraft and demonstrating in an airport. They were each given an 18 month conditional discharge and will pay compensation to BA totalling £5,700.
The five hit the headlines across the world in February when they walked through an open door at Terminal 1 and occupied the fuselage of the BA Airbus for two hours, hanging a banner from the tailfin reading: ‘CLIMATE EMERGENCY - NO 3rd RUNWAY'.
Anna Jones, Sarah Shoraka, Paul Della-Rocca, Frank Hewetson and Jens Loewe were protesting against Labour's plans to build a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow. The plane they scaled had just arrived for Manchester - a journey covered by the train in just over two hours - and was refuelling for another domestic flight. The five waited until all the passengers had disembarked before walking through an open door and going ‘airside'.
A widely derided government consultation into Labour's Heathrow proposals was completed the week of the Greenpeace occupation. Ministers are expected to announce a decision on the proposed expansion later this year.
One of the protesters, Anna Jones, said: "Climate change can be beaten, but not by almost doubling the size of the world's biggest international airport. That's why we occupied the top of BA's Manchester to London flight. A huge number of planes leave Heathrow every day destined for cities easily reachable by train. If we invested in high speed rail instead of climate-wrecking runways we could begin to reduce the environmental impact of Heathrow instead of increasing it."
The most popular destination from Heathrow is Paris, with sixty flights back and forth every day. Flights between Heathrow and locations easily accessible by train - such as Paris, Brussels, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford and Durham - total over 100,000 flights a year.
Flying is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, doubling in the 1990s. According to the government, flights from and within the UK account for 13% of the UK's climate impact because greenhouse gases create more global warming when emitted at altitude.
British flyers already create far more carbon emissions per head than those from any other country - nearly 40% higher than the second placed country, Ireland, and more than twice as much as Americans. The Tyndall climate research centre calculates that if aviation expands as projected, Britain will have to totally decarbonise the rest of its economy by 2050 to effectively tackle climate change.
Sarah Shoraka, another of the protesters, said: "The fight against Heathrow expansion is only just beginning. This new runway cannot and will not be built."
Climate Criminals
24th June 2008
In a remarkable speech to the US Congress, James Hansen, one of the world's leading climate scientists, has called for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies like Esso and Shell, to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer, as documented in Jeremy Leggett's "The Carbon War".
This controversial accusation will not win Hansen friends among the oil companies, but must send shockwave through the boardrooms, with the possibility that directors could be made personally liable for the effects of climate change. Hansen doesn't mince his words:
"When you are in that kind of position, as the CEO of one the primary players who have been putting out misinformation even via organisations that affect what gets into school textbooks, then I think that's a crime."
He will told the House select committee on energy independence and global warming that he is now 99% certain that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has already risen beyond the safe level.
The current concentration is 385 parts per million (ppm) and is rising by 2ppm a year. Some scientists believe we have already crossed a threshold at 350ppm where runaway warming is possible, in which one warming event triggers others, with particular reference to the changes to polar albedo as white heat-reflecting ice is replaced by dark heat-absorbing sea, and the thawing of methane hydrates, which as they release methane, cause more warming, releasing more methane. The general consensus is that the critical threshold is 450ppm which sounds a long way off until you factor in the impact of other greenhouse gases like CFCs, methane and water vapour, which give a concentration of 430ppm CO2 equivalent.
Hansen, who heads Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, says 2009 will be a crucial year, with a new US president and talks on what will follow the Kyoto agreement.
Hansen wants to see a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, coupled with the creation of a huge grid of low-loss electric power lines buried under ground and spread across America, in order to give wind and solar power a chance of competing. "The new US president would have to take the initiative analogous to Kennedy's decision to go to the moon."
His sharpest words were reserved for the special interests he blames for public confusion about the nature of the global warming threat. "The problem is not political will, it's the alligator shoes - the lobbyists. It's the fact that money talks in Washington, and that democracy is not working the way it's intended to work."
The effectiveness of the carbon club lobbyists in blurring the issues and causing public confusion can be seen in the Mori poll which found that a majority of the British population still doubt the reality and danger of global warming.
Named and Shamed
Car billboard ads to show climate impact
24th June 2008
Car adverts on billboards and in magazines will now be emblazoned with the car's climate impacts, after the Government agreed to change its advertising guidelines in response to the threat of legal proceedings by the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s and Friends of the Earth.
The fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of vehicles will now have to be prominently displayed, arming consumers with the information they need to choose a greener vehicle - and one that needs to be filled up with fuel less often.
The Department for Transport (DfT) admitted that it had been wrongly interpreting an EU Directive on car advertising, which says that fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions information must be prominently provided in all promotional literature. The Government has until now exempted `primarily graphical' adverts from the law with the effect that most billboard adverts did not include information about the car's carbon dioxide emissions.
The announcement came in response to a legal letter to the Department for Transport from Friends of the Earth's Rights & Justice Centre acting for the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s. The green organisations wrote to the DfT in March to point out that the UK wasn't abiding with EU law and warned the Government that they would issue Judicial Review proceedings if the guidance was not changed.
Blake Ludwig of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s, said today:
“From now on, it won't be enough to woo consumers with a sleek and sexy image of a car in billboard ads - car advertisers will need to give real and readable facts about the car's fuel economy and environmental impact. With rising fuel costs and a growing awareness about climate change, this information is crucially important for people to make greener and cheaper choices of vehicle.
“In order to cut emissions from cars, we need both strong regulation on advertising and also strong regulation that forces car manufacturers to make more efficient cars. Today's change in the advertising rules will help encourage car-makers to build more efficient vehicles, something they have so far been very slow to do.”
Phil Michaels, Head of Legal at Friends of the Earth said:
“Until now the UK was getting away with flouting EU legislation on car advertising - but our legal action has closed the loophole.“Consumers have a right to meaningful information about how much carbon dioxide a car emits and how much fuel it guzzles, so they can choose to buy a car that will be greener and cheaper to run. We will be watching carefully to make sure that the law is now properly enforced.”
See the cars and CO2 campaign website: www.advertiseCO2.co.uk
Alliance Against Urban 4x4s website: www.stopurban4x4s.org.uk
A Climate of Doubt
23rd June 2008
A news poll by the research group IPSOS Mori for "The Observer" has found that a staggering six out of ten UK adults agreed that 'many scientific experts still question if humans are contributing to climate change', and that four out of 10 'sometimes think climate change might not be as bad as people say'. In both cases, another 20 per cent were not convinced either way. Many of those interviewed also believe scientists are exaggerating the ‘global warming’ phenomenon. Despite this, three quarters still professed to be concerned about climate change.
The results have shocked environmental campaigners who had hoped that doubts would have been silenced by a report last year by more than 2,500 scientists for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which found a 90 per cent chance that humans were the main cause of climate change and warned that drastic action was needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions. It had been hoped that the focus would shift from prolonged debate to action, however the Mori findings suggest that a huge exercise in public education is still needed, not helped by the complexity of the science and the deliberate obfuscation of the debate by a minority of scientists and media sources with vested interests in the carbon economy.
Mori found widespread contradictions. Some people said politicians were not doing enough to tackle the problem, even though they were cynical about government attempts to impose regulations or raise taxes. In a sign of the enormous task ahead for those pushing for drastic cuts to carbon emissions, many people said they did not want to restrict their lifestyles and only a small minority believe they need to make 'significant and radical' changes such as driving and flying less. Interestingly, those most worried were more likely to have a degree, be in social classes A or B, have a higher income, said Phil Downing, Ipsos MORI's head of environmental research. This confirms the fact that the complexity of the science may be a factor in how many people are convinced of the dangers.
'People are broadly concerned, but not entirely convinced,' said Downing. 'Despite many attempts to broaden the environment movement, it doesn't seem to have become fully embedded as a mainstream concern,' he said.
More than half of those polled by Mori did not have confidence in international or British political leaders to tackle climate change, but only just over a quarter think it's too late to stop it. Two thirds want the government to do more but nearly as many said they were cynical about government policies such as green taxes, which they see as 'stealth' taxes. Many environmentalists are concerned that the fear of inflation and recession are now causing many people to worry more about paying bills than saving the world.
'It's disappointing and the government will be really worried,' said Jonathon Porritt, chairman of the government's Sustainable Development Commission. 'They [politicians] need the context in which they're developing new policies to be a lot stronger and more positive. Otherwise the potential for backlash and unpopularity is considerable.'
However Professor Bjorn Lomborg, author of The Skeptical Environmentalist, said politicians and campaigners were to blame for over-simplifying the problem by only publicising evidence to support the case. 'Things that we do know - like humans do cause climate change - are being put in doubt,' said Lomborg. 'If you're saying, "We're not going to tell you the whole truth, but we're going to ask you to pay up a lot of money," people are going to be unsure.'
In response to the poll's findings, the Department for the Environment issued a statement:
'The IPCC... concluded the scientific evidence for climate change is clear and it is down to human activities. It is already affecting people's lives - and the impact will be much greater if we don't act now.'
The End of Oil
22nd June 2008
Oil is not about to run out. However it is becoming increasingly apparent that the supply of “easy oil”, with a high energy return on investment (EROI), has peaked. It is no good George Bush, Gordon Brown, and other western leaders calling on OPEC to increase supply. The ill-concealed fact is there is minimal spare capacity in the system. Former US Energy Secretary James Schlesinger recently concluded, “We can’t continue to make supply meet demand much longer. It’s no longer the case that we have a few voices crying in the wilderness. The battle is over. The peakists have won.”
continued - " The End of Oil"
Recycling on the go
New push for recycling in public places
3rd June 2008
People will soon find it easier to recycle when they’re out and about, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock pledged today.
‘Recycle on the Go’ is a new drive to put accessible recycling bins in public places. And it’s already started, with The Royal Parks rolling out a recycling bin pilot in Hyde Park over the next three months.
A good practice guide and a code of practice will help those responsible for public places to make recycling easy and accessible. Wherever possible bins will feature the familiar Recycle Now signage so people can easily identify where and how to recycle their cans, bottles and paper.
Visiting Hyde Park to launch Recycle on the Go, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock, said:
“We need to take recycling beyond the office and home into our public spaces – that’s what this initiative is about.
‘We know that most canned and bottled drinks are consumed outside the home, when people are out and about. Even the most dedicated recycler is unlikely to take these home with them and add them to their household recycling. Often, the only responsible option is to put them in litter bins, and this means that large quantities of aluminium, plastic and glass are slipping through the net and effectively become rubbish, end up in landfill, and are lost as a resource.
‘Recycle on the Go is about making recycling a natural part of everyday life no matter where people are. But the bigger issue here is about a pushing a behaviour change around how people dispose litter when they’re away from the home.
‘It’s especially fitting that Recycle on the Go is being launched during Recycle Week, when the spotlight is on giving an extra push to our recycling efforts.’
Colin Buttery, Deputy CEO of The Royal Parks said:
‘Recycle on the Go is an excellent way to encourage greener waste management in public places. Building on the success of our recycling programme at events, the new code of practice is further informing the Royal Parks’ approach to our recycling pilot in Hyde Park.’
Fuel Folly
Biofuels boom risks increasing landlessness among world's poor
2nd June 2008
The global biofuels boom risks harming poor people in poor countries by forcing them off land they depend on, says a report published today by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
But the report adds that biofuels are not all bad, and shows that their production can also allow poor groups to increase their access to land and improve their livelihoods if the right policies are in place.
The report comes as world leaders meeting in Rome this week hear calls for new guidelines on biofuels, which some have blamed for diverting resources from food production. It points out that all biofuels are not equal and recommends policies that would increase the social benefits biofuels production can bring to the rural poor in developing countries.
"Despite the highly polarised debate, biofuels are not all good or bad," says lead author Lorenzo Cotula of IIED. "Biofuels can either help or harm the world's poor depending on the choice of crop and cropping system, the business model, and the local context and policies."
Biofuel production is set to expand in the coming years despite growing concerns about the role of biofuels in mitigating climate change, promoting deforestation and taking land formerly used to produce food.
The report shows that that large-scale biofuel production is affecting poor people's access to land in Africa (e.g. Mozambique, Tanzania), Asia and the Pacific (India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea) and Latin America (e.g. Colombia).
Elsewhere however small-scale farmers have been able to increase their access to land to seize opportunities that the biofuels boom brings.
"Biofuels can benefit poor producers but only if they have secure land rights," says Cotula. "In many places the rush to produce biofuels takes place where local land rights are insecure, which results in poorer people losing out. What are often lacking are both adequate land laws and the local people's capacity to claim and secure their rights."
The report shows that large and small-scale biofuels producers can co-exist, if governments and the private sector have the right policies and practices.
The findings have direct implications not only for national and local tenure systems in producer countries, but also for international processes such as a post-Kyoto regime to address climate change, for certification schemes and for policies in importing countries.
Made a Noise!
1st June 2008
Over 3,000 protestors held a rally against the expansion of Heathrow airport on Saturday, after marching from Hatton Cross to Sipson, the village that would be lost if the planned runway goes ahead. They gathered to form a giant "NO", that could be seen from the air.
The protestors were joined by MPs, local council leaders and environmentalists who addressed the crowds. Speakers included London's deputy mayor Richard Barnes who said:
"I've represented Hillingdon for 20 years and this is not the first time I've fought Heathrow airport expansion. They keep lying to us but this time we will win because we have cross-party support."
Remarkably, the Archbishop of Canterbury also backed protesters and a letter from Dr Rowan Williams was read out at the rally, saying:
"Concern for our environment is a clear imperative arising from the respect we owe to creation and to each other. So questions of airport expansion, like all developments at risk, increasing the damage we do to our global environment (which still impacts hardest on the poorest) cannot be considered uncritically, or in a morality-free zone."
Event organiser Tamsin Omond, the church administrator who scaled the roof of the House of Commons in the Plane Stupid demonstration in April, heralded the demonstration a success.
She said: "We've had 3,000 people make the effort to come out here and tell the government we don't want a third runway. And it's not just the usual suspects." But Ms Omond warned the government there was serious intent behind the protest. The people have become politically active and if the government doesn't reverse its policy, people will become politically frustrated. The third runway will not be built - I'm talking civil disturbance."
The public consultation period over the proposals ended on 27 February, and final policy decisions are expected to be taken next year. As awareness grows of the imminent danger of catastrophic climate change from greenhouse gas emissions, the Government will be faced with yet another tough choice.
WWF honours global conservation work
28th May 2008
A number of prestigious WWF awards for outstanding contributions to conservation have been announced at their annual conference in Turkey. The awards recognise the work of people within our global WWF network and also other key individuals and organisations working for the environment throughout the world.
The WWF Leaders for a Living Planet award, which recognises the extraordinary personal contribution made by people in the conservation sector, was given to Turkey's Onder Kyrac for helping to establish protected areas around the country's coast and to Mustafa Kemal Yalynkylyc for creating Turkish national parks and nature reserves.
Added to WWF Roll of Honour, an honour which is granted posthumously, was the renowned mountaineer and long-standing WWF supporter, Sir Edmund Hillary; Canadian philanthropist and committed supporter of conservation issues, Beryl Ivey; and Japanese wildlife writer and WWF advisor, Toyono Eito.
Three WWF members of staff, who lost their lives in the course of duty, were also remembered. The names of Jose Domingos and Jose Joao of WWF Mozambique and Smart Tembo of WWF Zambia were added to the WWF Staff Roll of Honour, which was set up in 2006 after the tragic loss of seven staff in a helicopter crash in Nepal.
For the full list of award winners
Greenpeace orang-utans swing
into action against Dove
22nd April 2008
The company behind some of the world's biggest brands, including Dove, is driving the destruction of the last remaining habitats of the orang-utan and massively speeding up climate change, according to environmental group Greenpeace.
Simultaneous "direct actions" are taking place across the UK and Europe, and a damning new report has been released highlighting Unilever's use of palm oil supplied by companies that are systematically destroying the rainforests of Indonesia.
In a Unilever factory at Port Sunlight near Liverpool, sixty Greenpeace volunteers (many dressed as orang-utans) are occupying and overrunning production lines. Meanwhile in London, workers at the company's riverside HQ are being greeted by jungle noises, orang-utans above the entrance to the building itself and a giant billboard spoofing Dove's "real beauty" advertising campaign.
The actions coincide with the launch of a new report containing fresh evidence showing where Unilever's suppliers are destroying peatland forests and orang-utan habitats to grow palm oil.
The report, entitled Burning up Borneo, accuses Unilever of contributing to this destruction by continuing to buy from these suppliers, and doing nothing to prevent the massive expansion of the palm oil industry further into Indonesia's peatland forests.
The study explains how growth in the palm oil sector is having a devastating effect on Indonesia's biodiversity. Orang-utan numbers have fallen so drastically that they are now under serious threat of extinction. By mapping out areas controlled by key suppliers, the report explains how companies with direct links to Unilever are now clearing the last remaining habitats of the orang-utan. The report contains field research and photographs collected on the ground by Greenpeace over recent months.
The preparation of land for new palm oil plantations also releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide as the forests and peatlands of the region are drained and then burnt. Internationally, Unilever is one of the largest consumers of palm oil and the expansion of the industry threatens to derail international efforts to tackle climate change. Indonesia is now the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, largely as a result of deforestation.
Reacting to the news, Greenpeace Executive director John Sauven said: "Unilever, the company behind global brands like Dove, is contributing to one of the greatest environmental crimes happening in the world right now.
"By doing nothing to stop its suppliers destroying rainforests and peatlands to grow palm oil, Unilever is helping to kill off the last remaining orang-utans on the planet and massively speeding up climate change.
"Unless Unilever cleans up its act then the orang-utan could soon become extinct in the wild, and our chances of avoiding climate disaster could disappear with them."
Unilever chairs the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an industry body charged with ensuring the sustainability of palm oil. Despite the fact that the RSPO was established in 2002 there is still no certified palm oil on the market and forest destruction continues apace. Many of the companies accused of rainforest destruction in the Greenpeace report are key members of the RSPO.
Greenpeace is demanding Unilever publicly calls for an end to the expansion of palm oil into forest and peatland areas and stops trading with suppliers that continue to destroy rainforests.
Sauven continued: "Unilever pretends to be a responsible company, but what it's really responsible for is profiting from rainforest destruction. If they invested as much in sorting out their suppliers as they do on greenwashing their brand, they could fix this problem for good."
School Run?
That will be £75 please!
22nd April 2008
Pioneering Richmond Council, a Liberal Democrat run administration in South West London, is to trial a new charge this September, which will see parents using a car for the school run charged up to £75 a year for the most polluting vehicles. The proposal has delighted many environmentalists who see the use of large cars to ferry children around as one of the worse excesses of our times, but infuriated some parents and the motoring lobby.
Margaret Morrissey, of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, said the scheme was "unfair and unrealistic ... Mums and small children are such an easy target for councils. They should try offering some parking provision and stop this nonsense." She added that the scheme would have no deterrent effect because thousands of parents had no choice about using bigger cars. Many families have three or four children, and they need the space to fit child seats the Government insists on."
Richmond introduced "environmentally friendly" parking charges based on vehicle emissions in 2006 and now the authority has gone further by introducing its "permits for school parents", affecting hundreds of people across 13 schools in the borough.
A Richmond council spokesman told Eco that the authority was merely following central Government's lead. "The Government is trying to reduce school-run car use and we support it," he said. "We want to drive down CO2 emissions in the borough, and become the most sustainable council in the country."
Food or Fuel?
14th April 2008
Almost nine out of ten Britons have no idea that biofuels are now being added to their petrol, according to the first ever public attitudes survey on the controversial alternative fuels. The research also revealed that, of those who knew what biofuels are, three quarters would prefer the Government to curb emissions by improving public transport or making cars greener.
The YouGov survey, commissioned by Friends of the Earth, also revealed that 78 per cent of the public agree that European governments should make vehicle manufacturers double the fuel efficiency of new cars by 2020 in order to tackle climate change. And that more than two thirds of people think the Government is not doing enough to improve public transport.
The Government's Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO), brought in to meet EU regulations, means all petrol sold in the UK will have to include at least 2.5 per cent biofuels - made from crops- from 15 April 2008. But although the move aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions, new scientific evidence shows that the growth in biofuels could actually increase greenhouse gas emissions through land conversion and greater use of chemical fertilisers.
Worryingly, two thirds of those surveyed by Friends of the Earth were unaware that the growth in biofuels is contributing to the destruction of rainforest.
Friends of the Earth believes the UK Government and the EU should scrap their biofuels targets and tackle transport pollution by investing in better public transport and strengthening proposals for mandatory emissions limits on all new cars.
Friends of the Earth biofuels campaigner, Kenneth Richter, said:
"Most people will be horrified to know the Government is putting biofuels in our petrol when the damage they do to forests could make climate change worse. It's time for a new direction in transport policy.
"People want to see real green transport solutions that will make a difference to their lives - like better public transport and smarter cars that burn less fuel. It's now up to the Government to set us on the right track."
The growing of biofuels has become a hugely controversial issue as the practice has contributed to massive increases in the cost of food that have led to riots in Egypt, Haiti, Mexico, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Haiti, one of the world's poorest nations, the Government has been brought down following the death of five people including a UN peacekeeper. Most Haitians earn no more than $2 a day, and they have struggled to feed themselves as the prices of rice, beans and fruit have risen by 50% in the last year.
Every Little Helps
The 50,000 seat stadium would see 71 houses bulldozed
12th April 2008
The nation's largest supermarket has been given a shock to the system after Merseyside grandmother Dot Reid applied for planning permission to demolish the home of Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy. The 58-year-old said Sir Terry, who lives in a mansion in Hertfordshire, deserved a taste of his own medicine. She plans to turn the site of the Tesco boss's house into a community garden. The grandmother lives on Spicer Grove where there are a mix of bungalows and houses, which would be bought under a compulsory purchase order and demolished under the plans.
Mrs. Reid helped set up a housing co-operative which was given government money to build the homes, which were finished in 1992.
She told Eco: "These are more than just houses, they are homes. I have been living under the threat of losing my home for 18 months now and it is very stressful. I want Sir Terry to have a taste of what we have to put up with. When we found out about the plans by Tesco and Everton, we thought it was disgusting."
Mrs Reid has submitted an application to Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in Hertfordshire for permission to demolish Sir Terry's 1930s mansion in Cuffley.
Mrs Reid has grand plans for the site.
"It's going be a nice community area. Trees and ponds and a little play area for the children, somewhere for the old people to go and sit and relax."
A council spokeswoman told Eco: "Welwyn Hatfield BoroughCouncil has received a planning application from a resident of Kirkby relating to the demolition of a property in Cuffley and use of the space as a community garden.This application will go through the normal planning process. A spokesman for Tesco said: "This is just a publicity stunt. Unlike this application, for our application we spoke to hundreds, if not thousands, of residents in Kirkby, the vast majority of whom recognise this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which will create 2,000 jobs."
The Real Credit Crunch
12th April 2008
Residents of UK cities ranked in eco-debt index
The residents of UK cities will plunge into ecological debt over the next month having exceeded their fair share of the Earth's natural resources for 2008, new research from WWF-UK shows. The WWF-UK 'ecological debt' index has shown that Winchester residents are the first to over-exploit their ecological credit card on 10th April and residents of Plymouth and Newport will be the last, on 11th May.
Our current lifestyles in the UK are depleting the earth's natural resources quicker than it can replace them and driving rapid changes in the world including climate change, deforestation and the near extinction of many species.
If everyone consumed natural resources and generated carbon emissions at the rate we do in the UK we would need three planets to support us.
"The battle for the environment will be won or lost in our cities. They have the highest potential for eco-living due to local facilities, public transport links, dense housing and shared public resources," said Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK.
"The solution lies, in part, to addressing the way we have carelessly consumed energy up to now. However, the challenge is not just about consumers though - government and business must also play their part if we are to live within the earth's natural resources and avoid the worst impacts on our environment," he added.
The data comes from a WWF-UK report, Ecological Footprint of British City Residents, which calculated the average ecological footprint of cities' residents.
An individual's ecological footprint relates to the land and sea area required to provide food, resources and energy, as well as absorb waste and pollution. The main factors affecting this are housing, food, consumer goods, public and private services and transport.
The WWF-UK footprint calculator not only assesses your impact on the planet but advises on how people can make choices that benefit their health and the environment, and take affordable, simple measures to reduce their energy consumption – making huge savings on their energy bills. The calculator also works out how many planets we'd need to support your lifestyle.
WWF recommends steps that individuals can take to reduce their footprint. These include: calculate your ecological footprint and devise a plan to reduce it, holiday closer to home and try to reduce energy use in your home and save money on bills in the process .
Eco Comment: The Real Credit Crunch
Plastic Planet
10th April 2008
A new survey by the Marine Conservation Society (MSC) has found that more plastic than ever is being washed up on our shores. The survey found that 60% of all litter is plastic, up 126% since the survey began in 1994. Nearly 4,000 volunteers combed 168.5km of coast and 354 beaches, removing over 346,000 litter items. The average density of UK beach litter was 2,054 items per kilometre - an average of two items for every metre stretch of beach.
MCS Litter Projects Coordinator, Emma Snowden, said: "The results are truly shocking, in the last 10 years plastic drinks bottles have increased by 67 per cent, plastic bags by 54 per cent and cigarette butts by 44 per cent. Plastics are of particular concern as they could persist in the marine environment for centuries with fatal consequences for marine wildlife."
Ultimately the plastic poses a threat to human health as larger items eventually break down into small plastic pieces and microscopic dust, which can be consumed by filter feeding animals, such as barnacles. Pollutants can be attracted onto the surface of plastic pieces and pose a previously unrecognised threat to marine animals who swallow them. They can then possibly be passed on in the food chain to fish and then to humans.
Sadly, the tide of plastic litter is not just an unsightly blight on Britain’s magnificent coastline. Over 170 species of marine wildlife including seabirds, turtles and whales have been recorded mistaking marine litter for food resulting in starvation, poisoning and fatal stomach blockages. In addition, plastic packaging and discarded fishing nets injure, entangle and drown some of Britain’s favourite marine wildlife, including seals and dolphins.
“Everyone can help prevent some of the most common plastic items littering our beaches and seas by reducing their use,“ Emma Snowden continues, “By taking simple steps such as taking re-usable bags to the supermarket, re-filling plastic bottles with good old-fashioned tap water, and disposing of litter responsibly, including cigarette butts, we can all make a difference”.
Tipping Point
7th April 2008
A Nobel prize-winning scientist has warned that the world's climate is approaching a tipping point, past which there will be no going back, and with catastrophic consequences. Mario Molina, a Mexican who shared a Nobel prize in chemistry in 1995 for groundbreaking work on chlorofluorocarbon gases and their threat to the Earth's ozone layer says there will be "almost irreversible consequences" if the Earth warms 2.5 degrees Celsius (4.5 degrees F) above what it ought to be.
"Things are changing and there's no doubt that it's as a result of human activities," he said. "Long before we run out of oil, we will run out of atmosphere..... You keep changing the temperature gradually but then suddenly things change dramatically....Trying to keep it (warming) below two degrees (Celsius) means we want to keep the change at most twice or three times what it has changed already. And that's because it's unrealistic to change it by less, because of what we have already done," Molina said.
"The idea to keep the temperature change not above 2.5 (degrees Celsius) is precisely to reduce the possibility of these tipping points happening," he added that warming beyond that would pose "a risk that is not acceptable to society."
Tesco Town
7th April 2008
An investigation by Eco has revealed that one of the 15 sites on the Government's short-list of potential eco towns, is owned by Tesco. The site is Hanley Grange in Cambridgeshire, and the bid was put forward by a company called "Jarrow Investments".
However Eco has uncovered the fact that Jarrow owns much of the land on behalf of Tesco. Jarrow is also project managing the development on behalf of the supermarket chain.
Tesco is expected to announce annual profits of £2.8 billion this week, and already accounts for one pound in every seven spent on goods in Britain. It is blamed for the demise of many family owned small businesses in town centres. News that the supermarket chain now plans to muscle in on the eco town developments is an alarming sign for campaigners already concerned about Tesco's growing influence.
The bid from Jarrow to build one of the eco towns makes no mention of Tesco's involvement or any supermarket, but when approached about the issue Tesco admitted that it planned to build a superstore as part of the new eco town. A Tesco spokesperson said: "The store would be one of the first carbon-neutral stores ever. What Tesco brings is not only the land and the ability to put the retail in, but it is also leagues ahead of competitors in environmental initiatives." He denied that the retailer had deliberately kept its involvement under wraps.
In response, Vicky Hird, of Friends of the Earth, demanded "complete openness" about who was behind the eco-towns, adding:
"For too long food retailers have been riding roughshod over planning regulations."
The involvement of Tesco's in the Government's flagship environmental project threatens to undermine public confidence in eco towns at a time when there have already been widespread protests from people living near the proposed sites about inappropriate development of the countryside.
Food Riots in Haiti
6th April 2008
It is reported that 4 people have been killed in the latest food riots, this time in Haiti. Eco's source says scores of people went on the rampage in the town of Les Cayes, in Southern Haiti, blocking roads, looting shops and shooting at UN peacekeepers. The UN has confirmed that its personnel opened fire at some of the armed protesters.
For two days running, parts of Haiti have been erupting into violence triggered by the soaring cost of food. The demonstrations against the high cost of living began on Thursday in a number of towns, but in some areas they turned into riots. On Friday, thousands took to the streets again, with some blocking roads, burning cars and looting shops. A small group of protesters also broke into the UN compound in Les Cayes. The prices of rice, beans and fruit in Haiti have gone up by 50% in the last year. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Americas. Around 80% of the population lives on less than $2 (£1) a day.
The riots in Haiti follow a similar pattern to recent riots in Mexico and Pakistan, where rising food prices have also led to unrest. Other nations including India, have imposed export controls. India has been hit by food price inflation of over 8%, and has restricted rice exports. The rise in food prices is being blamed on the new problem of competition for agricultural land for biofuel crops, the world's soaring population, and the trend for the burgeoning population of Asia switching to a diet containing more meat.
The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, has called for a comprehensive review of the policy on biofuels as a crisis in global food prices - partly caused by the increasing use of crops for energy generation - threatens to trigger global instability:
"We need to be concerned about the possibility of taking land or replacing arable land because of these biofuels.......While I am very much conscious and aware of these problems, at the same time you need to constantly look at having creative sources of energy, including biofuels. Therefore, at this time, just criticising biofuel may not be a good solution. I would urge we need to address these issues in a comprehensive manner." The UN's own special rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler, has called biofuels "a crime against humanity", and called for a five-year moratorium.
Eco comment: Food for Thought
First Hydrogen Plane
6th April 2008
The world's first hydrogen-powered plane has been flown successfully by aviation giant Boeing, in a series of three test flights near Madrid in Spain. It was powered by hydrogen fuel cells, which produce only heat and water as exhaust products. Boeing's chief technology officer John Tracy said the flights were "a historical technological success" and "full of promises for a greener future". However the firm said it did not believe fuel cells could be the primary power source for large passenger aircraft.
Hydrogen could be used as a secondary source of energy for large planes, according to Nieves Lapena, the engineer responsible for the test flights, but this may take some time to develop. "In my opinion, we are talking about a delay of about twenty years," she said.
Other companies are also seeking to develop more environmentally-friendly planes, amid concerns over their contribution to climate change. Earlier this year, the airline Virgin Atlantic conducted the first commercial flight powered partly by biofuel, and last year, defence firm Qinetiq flew a solar-powered plane for 54 hours
Defra launches new organic advisory
service for farmers
Defra has launched a free national information and advice service for farmers thinking of converting to organic production methods. Plans were approved by the European Commission and funding made available to reintroduce the service.
The new advisory service, which will be delivered by Natural England (NE) on Defra’s behalf, will provide conventional farmers with free and impartial information and advice on the principles and mechanics of organic production to help them decide whether conversion is appropriate for their enterprise. It will comprise of a national helpline (which will provide initial advice and a comprehensive information pack), a dedicated website and a free on farm advisory visits service that will supplement the initial advice provided, where appropriate.
Welcoming the announcement Lord Rooker, Minister for sustainable food and farming said:
“As a Government we are keen to encourage English farmers to convert and adopt more sustainable production practices and take advantage of the wide range of opportunities offered by rising demand for organic food.
“The Organic Research Centre has an established record of providing the agriculture sector with high quality impartial conversion information and advice and we are delighted to be collaborating with them and NE in the delivery of this new service.”
Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England, said:
"This is good news for farmers wishing to convert to organic production and subsequently good news for wildlife. One of the potential barriers to conversion is a lack of knowledge by non organic producers about organic principles and production methods – a barrier which OCIS, delivered by the Organic Research Centre, will help to remove.”
Go Slow!
15 mph zones on the way
24th March 2008
The Government will this week announce planning guidelines for the new eco-towns, that include central pedestrianised zones with a speed limit of just 15 miles per hour. The aim is to improve air quality and fitness, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the plans for eco towns, all homes would be built within 400 yards of a public transport stop and less than 800 yards from the nearest shops, which the Government argues will mean just 25 to 40 per cent of journeys will require a car, compared with the current national average of 85 per cent.
Housing Minister Caroline Flint told Eco that the Government had an opportunity to "deliver a programme which will genuinely revolutionise the way people live" and would not shy award from controversial ideas.
She said: "These developments will be exemplars for the rest of the world, not just the rest of the country. It's critical that we get it right - and I make no apology for setting the bar as high as possible."
This will please cyclists and pedestrian pressure groups but has predictably infuriated the roads lobby. Nigel Humphries, of the Association of British Drivers (ABD), said the move was the latest in a long line of attacks on drivers by the Government and questioned whether the move would make people abandon cars:
"It is ridiculous. It is another step towards the return of the man with the red flag walking in front of the car. The Government has got to think of a different way. It just shows how flawed the idea of eco-towns is if they have to bully people into getting out of their cars in this way."
A shortlist of carbon neutral eco-towns will be drawn up from the current list of 60 possible sites in the coming weeks, although many of the proposed locations are proving controversial, with protests marches and demonstrations taking place.
Liverpool Goes Green!
As part of Liverpool’s 2008 celebrations the city will be turning green with a plenitude of environmentally themed events and installations that will deliver a planet-friendly and sustainable legacy for Merseyside.
During the next 11 months a series of events will showcase the region’s climate change projects, celebrate the natural environment and support moves to transform derelict, brownfield landscapes into new, rejuvenated green spaces. And the environmental themed activities will lead to more than 2.5 hectares of woodland established in Merseyside.
In addition to the thousands of new trees to be planted across Merseyside in 2008 there will also be the creation of two new community woodlands, innovative green ‘billboards’, solar-powered cinema, green fayres and a summer of cultural events taking place in the Mersey Forest.
Liverpool’s 08 green agenda is being drawn-up by the Forestry Commission and the Northwest Regional Development Agency in partnership with Liverpool Culture Company and Liverpool City Council as well as numerous local and regional environmental organisations. The ‘green team’ came together to support the organisers of Capital of Culture in their desire to deliver a more sustainable future for the region, and highlight issues around the environment and sustainability during Liverpool’s 08 celebrations.
Liverpool City Council’s executive member for the environment, Cllr Berni Turner, said:
“We are already dedicated to making Liverpool as green as possible – for example, recycling is easy and accessible for everyone, and we only use green energy to power council buildings.
“It’s fantastic news that we’re working in conjunction with so many different partners across the region to make sure there are a wide variety of green events taking place across Liverpool this year.
“It’s really important that we work together to promote the ‘green message’ and as a result get as many people involved as possible.”
Keith Jones from the Forestry Commission North West, added:
“Working with partners such as The Mersey Forest and NWDA we want to celebrate all that is great about this wonderful city, which is pivotal part of our diverse and rich region. It’s fantastic news that Liverpool’s festivities will incorporate our own ‘green’ culture, making trees, woodlands and forests integral to the Capital of Culture programme.”
Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said:
“Delivering Liverpool’s Green 08 celebrations once again highlights the region’s strong commitment to tackling climate change and promoting sustainability. It is vital that we work to reduce our environmental impact whilst enhancing our natural environment and it is great to see Merseyside embracing these themes during its year in the spotlight.”
Delivering a Green 08 - projects in the pipeline.
Green Streets Merseyside
Urban greening that utilises tree planting and maintenance to improve local communities’ quality of life. Individually tailored to meet the needs and aspirations of each neighbourhood taking part in the project, Green Streets Merseyside is managed by The Mersey Forest and will operate across Merseyside. targeting areas of environmental deficit and tackling a range of social, health and economic issues. The projects started this January and will run to November 2008.
Green Billboard
Believed to be a ‘world’s first’, the Green Billboard is a sustainable advertising medium made entirely from willow trees, which offers a range of environmental benefits that conventional hoardings cannot provide. The world’s first green billboard was installed in Merseyside in late 2007. A second green billboard will be placed in Merseyside and both hoardings will display Liverpool 08 advertisements.
Croxeth Country Fair
Croxteth’s annual 2-day festival of the countryside and countryside activities from floristry, animal welfare and a medieval festival will this year include a cinema powered by the sun and the ‘One Tree’ exhibit.
Newsham Park
The listed Newsham Park in Liverpool’s Kensington district is celebrating its 140th anniversary this year (2008) and the city’s cultural status by planting a host of new trees to create a new community resource.
Form>Wood
This May, Merseyside will host the Northwest Forestry Framework conference for the design, architectural and engineering sectors. The event will celebrate wood as one of the planet’s most valuable resources and launch a rolling programme of regional timber and timber-products events.
Princes Park Carnival
For 2008 4 bowling greens will be transformed in a green field during the carnival complete with an organic café and circus performances.
Newlands
Across Merseyside two new large-scale community woodlands will be created on sites that were once used for landfill. The multi-million pound environmental regeneration of some of the region’s most undervalued land will lead to multi-use green space that will transform Merseyside’s landscape into a green and pleasant land.
Verdant Vision
16th February 2008
Green Euro-MP for the South East Caroline Lucas gave an impassioned keynote speech at the Green Party's Spring Conference at Reading Town Hall.
To a packed audience of Party members and media, Dr Lucas slammed the current Labour government for its failure of political courage, lack of radical action on climate change and its failure to learn the lessons of its disastrous domestic and foreign policies.
She said: "Never has an opposition with radical vision, political courage and practical policies been more urgently needed. Never has the muddy middle ground of the grey parties' policies been less up to the job.
"We have had enough of the yawning gulf between rhetoric and reality; enough of the drifting duplicity at the heart of government - and enough of a politics without purpose.
"I am so proud to be part of a political party that stands up for its principles. And I'm proud of all of our local councillors and the work they do, combining radical vision and practical policies to deliver real social and environmental change - day in, day out.
"It is because elected Greens make a real difference that more and more people are joining us, and ever more people are voting for us."
Highlighting the weaknesses of Westminster's opposition parties, she said:
"None of the three Westminster parties dares to challenge the dogma of neo-liberal economics and endless economic growth, despite the mounting evidence that the materialism driven on by our contemporary consumer capitalism is killing the human spirit even as it destroys the natural world.
"None of the three Westminster parties dares to take a principled stand against replacing Trident, despite the fact that upgrading our nuclear weapons system puts us in breach of international law, and makes the world a much more dangerous place.
"Not one of them has the political vision, the courage, or the commitment to carry through the kind of green energy revolution that we so urgently need to see, the massive programme of rigorous energy efficiency, the far-reaching investment in renewable energy, and the dramatic demand reduction strategies.
"Only the Green Party offers both the radical vision and the practical solutions to address the increasingly complex challenges we face today. For example, a number of Groups are beginning to consider a New Green Deal, which could address both the impending credit crunch as well as the urgent need to tackle climate change. With local government bonds, this would provide a safe haven for savings - in banks or in pension funds - which in turn could be used to kickstart a massive public works project to create new jobs and improve the efficiency of our public buildings."
Praising the electoral successes of the Party, she said: "We now have a record number of councillors on a record number of Councils, with Group status on 22 out of 40, and potential power-broking positions on several - and in Oxford, where we have 8 city councillors and 5 county councillors.
"So we're on course for our first Green MPs, who won't just be representative of, and cheerleaders for, local communities. They will signal nothing less than a sea change in British politics."
Sumatran tigers being sold into extinction
14th February 2008
Wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC have released a survey today warning that laws protecting the critically endangered Sumatran tiger have failed to prevent tiger body parts being offered on open sale in Indonesia. 
Chinese medicines containing tiger and rhino parts
"Successive surveys continue to show that Sumatran tigers are being sold body part by body part into extinction," said Heather Sohl, Wildlife Trade Officer, WWF-UK.
"This is an enforcement crisis. If Indonesian authorities need enforcement help from the international community they should ask for it. If not they should demonstrate they are taking enforcement seriously," she explained.
The survey, The tiger trade revisited in Sumatra, Indonesia, found that tiger body parts, including canine teeth, claws, skin pieces, whiskers and bones, were on sale in at least one in ten of 326 retail outlets surveyed during 2006 in 28 cities and towns across Sumatra in Indonesia.
"Sadly, the decline in availability appears to be due only to the dwindling number of tigers left in the wild," said Julia Ng, Programme Officer with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and lead author of the survey.
Outlets included goldsmiths, souvenir and traditional Chinese medicine shops, and antique and precious stone vendors.
The survey conservatively estimates that 23 tigers were killed to supply the products seen, based on the number of canine teeth on sale.
All of TRAFFIC's surveys have indicated that Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province, and Pancur Batu, a smaller town situated about an hour from Medan, are the main hubs for the trade of Tiger parts.
Advertising sign for chubas, traditional Tibetan outfits trimmed with tiger or leopard fur
Sumatra's remaining few tigers are also under threat from rampant deforestation by the pulp and paper and palm oil industries. The combined threats of habitat loss and illegal trade – unless tackled immediately – will be the death knell for Indonesia's tigers.
The Sumatran tiger is already listed as critically endangered on IUCN's red list of threatened species, the highest category of threat before extinction in the wild.
The report recommends that resources and effort should be concentrated on effective enforcement to combat the trade by arresting dealers and suppliers. Trade hotspots should be continually monitored and all intelligence be passed to the enforcement authorities for action. Those found guilty of trading in tiger and other protected wildlife should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
"The Sumatran tiger population is estimated to be fewer than 400 to 500 individuals. It doesn't take an expert to work out that the Sumatran tiger will disappear like the Javan and Bali tigers in years to come if the poaching and trade continues," concluded Ng.
TRAFFIC is the wildlife trade monitoring network of WWF and the World Conservation Union, the IUCN.
Leaked report reveals shipping emissions
14th February 2008
Responding to a leaked UN report which shows that international shipping accounts for 4.5 percent of global emissions of carbon dioxide [1], Friends of the Earth's Head of Campaigns Mike Childs said:
"The UN study highlights the alarming growth in carbon dioxide emissions from the shipping industry. It reinforces Friends of the Earth's call for the Government to include?all the UK's?emissions - including the UK's share of emissions from international shipping and aviation -? in its new climate change law. It's ludicrous to leave them out. A bit like introducing a drink driving law that discounts whisky. We hope the Governments acknowledgement that shipping must take its share of the responsibility for tackling climate change means that they will now be included.
The Big Ask, Friends of the Earth campaign for a strong climate change law which:
*Includes UK's share of emissions from international shipping and aviation
*Commits the UK to cutting its emissions by 80 percent
*Ensures steady progress by cutting emissions by at least 3 per cent a year
Individuals can take action in support of the campaign at www.thebigask.com.
C-Charge victory welcomed by 4X4 campaign
Sian Berry, co-founder of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4
14th Feb 2008
Huge public support delivers higher charge for gas-guzzlers
The Alliance Against Urban 4x4s is celebrating victory today after Ken Livingstone agreed to a scheme to levy a higher congestion charge on gas-guzzling cars in London. Siân Berry and Blake Ludwig, co-founders of the Alliance, were at a City Hall press conference this morning to hear the announcement that their campaign had been successful.
The Mayor outlined the results of a three-month public consultation in late 2007. The new emissions-based Congestion Charge will create a sliding scale of charges for cars emitting higher and lower levels of carbon dioxide emissions.
Cleaner cars in VED tax bands A and B will receive a 100% discount on the current rate of £8, and cars in the highest-emitting band G will pay a higher rate of £25 per day.
The announcement follows a determined campaign by the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s, which produced a detailed report in 2006 proposing the scheme. 1 The Alliance's report set out how the sliding payments could be implemented in response to TfL's dismissal of the idea of an emissions-related charge in 2004.
Co-founder of the Alliance and Green Party London Mayor candidate, Siân Berry said today:
"I am delighted with the level of public support for the emissions-based charge - this is key policy we have called for since we began our campaign. We look forward to seeing these measures finally doing something positive to reduce dirty, wasteful, unnecessarily large 4x4s and other highly polluting cars from our streets.
"There is simply no need for these vehicles in our cities and the evidence shows that financial penalties and rewards will make a real difference to shifting consumers to use public transport more or to drive a less polluting car. Our report to the Mayor demonstrated that a higher charge could deter up to 40% of gas-guzzling Band G cars from coming into central London."
Blake Ludwig, co-founder of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s says, "We know from the enormous amount of support for our campaign, and from our own surveys, that charging the most polluting cars a higher congestion charge will be very popular with the public. When we started campaigning for this measure in 2005, we asked 5,400 shoppers in central London their opinion and 95 percent agreed with the idea."2 This level of support has been mirrored in similar surveys.
"Naturally, we are delighted with today's announcement. Not only have we changed the image of 4x4s and made them less popular and less acceptable for city driving, we have now achieved this concrete measure that we hope will work to reduce the number of dangerous, polluting cars in our city and set an example to cities everywhere.
"This measure also sends a strong message to those manufacturers who are currently failing to clean up their vehicle fleets. They are perfectly able to make cars in every class, including 4x4s, that don't create the excessive amounts of emissions of band G cars, yet that is where they profit the most. With this new Congestion Charge helping to change people's buying habits, the pressure is now on manufacturers to produce and advertise cleaner cars for their UK customers."
Killer Jellyfish on the Move
Killer jellyfish are on the move. Affected by warming seas and shifting currents, their populations are exploding, and they are being found of the coast of Britain. The warning comes in a film "Invasion of the Jellyfish" to be screened by Channel 5 on Tuesday 12th February. It focuses on the change in behaviour patterns of jellyfish in the Pacific Ocean off Japan and Australia due to depleted food resources as humans fish the world seas.
The threat is very real. Only last November, a 10 mile wide, 13 metre deep swarm of jellyfish overwhelmed Northern Ireland's only Salmon farm, wiping out a £1 million of stock. Billions of small jellyfish, known as Mauve Stingers, flooded into the cages about a mile into the Irish Sea, off Glenarm Bay and Cushendun.
The danger comes from box jellyfish and another equally poisonous species, Irukandji. The box jellyfish is so packed with venom that the briefest of touches can bring agonising death within 180 seconds, and if threatened it goes into a breeding frenzy, sending out millions of eggs.
The swarms of jellyfish are causing major concern in the Pacific. The Japanese government arranged for an assualt on the swarms of jellyfish by dragging razor sharp wire through them, but this back-fired, causing them to spread more rapidly.
The jelly fish are remarkably adapted for survival. They have four brains that operate competitively in the search for food, a highly complex sensory capacity and the ability to distinguish colour, the ability to live in inhospitable waters at a depth of up to 10,900 metres, and a total of 24 eyes with moveable pupils giving them 360-degree visibility. Box jellyfish have 6-8ft long tentacles. Just 5-6ft across the body is enough to kill a human in seconds.
Biofools
9th February 2008
Two studies published in the journal "Science" show that a range of biofuel crops now being grown as "green" alternatives to oil-based fossil fuels release far more carbon dioxide into the air than can be absorbed by the growing plants.
The scientists found that with some crops, it would take several centuries of growing them to pay off the "carbon debt" caused by their initial cultivation. The environmental costs do not take into account any extra destruction to the environment, for instance the loss of biodiversity caused by clearing tracts of pristine rainforest. Joe Fargioine of the US Nature Conservancy who was the lead scientist in one of the studies, comments:
"All the biofuels we use now cause habitat destruction, either directly or indirectly. Global agriculture is already producing food for six billion people. Producing food-based biofuel, too, will require that still more land be converted to agriculture. This research examines the conversion of land for biofuels and asks the question 'is it worth it?' Does the carbon you lose by converting forests, grasslands and peat lands outweigh the carbon you 'save' by using biofuels instead of fossil fuels? And surprisingly the answer is 'no'. These natural areas store a lot of carbon, so converting them to croplands results in tons of carbon emitted into the atmosphere."
Jimmie Powell, another member of the scientific team at the Nature Conservancy added:
"In finding solutions to climate change, we must ensure that the cure is not worse than the disease...We cannot afford to ignore the consequences of converting land for biofuels. Doing so means we might unintentionally promote fuel alternatives that are worse than the fossil fuels they are designed to replace. These findings should be incorporated into carbon emission policy going forward."
Professor Stephen Polasky of the University of Minnesota, an author of one of the studies published in Science, said that the incentives currently employed to encourage farmers to grow crops for biofuels do not take into account the carbon budget of the crop.
"We don't have the proper incentives in place because landowners are rewarded for producing palm oil and other products but not rewarded for carbon management. This creates incentives for excessive land clearing and can result in large increases in carbon emissions."
Even before these studies, the European Union was already having second thoughts about its policy aimed at stimulating the production of biofuel. Stavros Dimas, the EU environment commissioner, admitted last month that the EU did not foresee the scale of the environmental problems raised by Europe's target of deriving 10 per cent of its transport fuel from plant material.
There is also a serious moral dimension to using agricultural land to grow biofuel crops: it is pushing up food prices. The crops being grown to fuel cars are making the lives of the poor worse.
Donkey Power
9th February 2008
Residents of Chalford village near Stroud have come up with a novel solution to the problem of how to get their groceries back to their homes, some of which are inaccessible by car: donkey power! The suggestion was first put forward in a community newsletter, and the idea is catching on among villagers aware of their environmental responsibilities.
Archive pictures of the village dating from the 1930s show donkeys delivering bread and coal from a nearby canal. However, the special deliveries stopped in the 1950s. Now the campaign, called "Bring Back the Chalford Donkey", is gathering pace.
One resident, Dave Andrews, said: "It's a brilliant idea, we are all behind it. Not only would it resurrect the history of our beautiful village, but it is an eco-friendly way to get our groceries up the hill. Some residents have resorted to ordering their shopping to be delivered from supermarkets but we don't want their vans turning up in our village. We would much rather get our stuff up with the help of a donkey."
Local people are new asking their parish council to contribute to the £300-£600 cost of buying a donkey from a nearby sanctuary.
Greenpeace launches "Efficiencity"
9th February 2008
Greenpeace have launched a great new website that shows what an environmentally-friendly city of the future will look like, complete with wind turbines, eco-houses, and decentralised energy. Looking similar to the popular computer game "Simcity", it's great fun and educational. The aim of the site is to help visitors visualise what is possible, and to see the folly of investment in new nuclear and coal power stations.
Visit Efficiencity
Exploring the Amazon Canopy
A new approach to sustainable tourism is being pioneered in the Amazon by Tim Kovar. He is using his climbing skills as a certified instructor to develop the technique of passive climbing, and takes visitors up to experience the canopy for themselves.
With this technique there is no rush to get to the top, as some of the best experiences are to be had in the middle canopy.
Done properly, this adventurous way of exploring the unknown upper levels of the jungle has less impact on the forest than "bushwacking" through unknown territory.
For more information, see Tim's site: http://www.treeclimbingnorthwest.com
The Day After Tomorrow
In a move reminiscent of the film "The Day After Tomorrow", which predicted the failure of the Gulf Stream that gives the UK a temperate climate, a new range of sensors is to be deployed across the Atlantic, from Florida to the Canary Islands, to provide early warning that the Gulf Stream might be failing. The system is to be called Rapid Watch, and will monitor whether cold water from the melting Arctic and Greenland is starting to move the Gulf Stream away from our coasts. Were it not for the Gulf Stream, the UK would have a climate similar to Canada, with snowstorms and frozen ports.
'The Day After Tomorrow suggested the Gulf Stream could fail within a couple of days,' comments Rapid Watch's co-ordinator, Meric Srokosz of the Southampton Oceanographic Centre. 'In reality, a collapse will take a lot longer, but could still occur in about 10 years.'
Some measurements suggest that the Gulf Stream may already be slowing down, which could be a sign that it is shifting.
'Certainly, it is critical we now find out how the Gulf Stream is behaving,' added Srokosz. 'It has an immense influence on our climate - and our lives.'
Disappearing Amazon
A senior Brazilian scientist, Dr Carlos Nobre, has raised the alarm about the accelerating destruction of the Amazon rainforest over the past four months.