Breathingearth – CO2, birth & death rates by country, simulated real-time

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

A very interesting animation showing populations, births, deaths and CO2 emissions.  If you hover your mouse over a country, you can see what the countries CO2 emission are at the time of viewing, the total CO2 emissions per person and whether this country has reduced it’s CO2 emission from 4 years earlier.  It gives a very visual indication of those countries that need to do the most to reduce CO2 emissions.  And of course, the UK is one of the villains, compare us to Norway.  The US is of course the really big bady.  Basically politicians in the Global North have just talked about it then supported the fossil fuel industries in continuing polluting.

There may be question marks over the accuracy but I feel this is a good visual tool.

Breathingearth – CO2, birth & death rates by country, simulated real-time.

Why Climate Action Won’t Be Like Civil Rights | ThinkProgress

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

An interesting article on why it is so difficult to get the message across about climate change and the need for urgency in taking action.

Why Climate Action Won’t Be Like Civil Rights | ThinkProgress.

Energy-from-Waste-Report.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

This is a report I have just come across from the IMechE about Energy-from-Waste.  One serious flaw with this report, is the assertion than we have a strict regulatory framework.  In the UK we do not, just like the banks and Health & Safety, is is a self-reporting, self regulation regime which the banks have shown to be totally inadequate.  I worked on an EfW plant and know what happens.  Until we have a proper regulatory regime, with firms having to use BAT (Best Available Technology), then we should not be building waste combustion (incinerators) plants.
The one thing, I did like about this report, is the section on Denmark, near the end.  Where it mentions, they had their first District Heating system in 1930 and that since the 70s they have moved away from large centralised power plants, to smaller local CHP plants.  Plenty of lessons here for the UK.

Energy-from-Waste-Report.pdf (application/pdf Object).

Is the natural gas industry buying academics?

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

I thought I would reblog this blog about academics receiving funding from ‘fracking’ companies who then post reports stating ‘fracking’ is safe.  They have not only denied ground-water contamination but even reported it geologically safe after a number of earthquakes after ‘fracking’ has taken place.  I believe this is more evidence why ‘fracking’ should be banned in this country.

Is the natural gas industry buying academics? 

One of the reports mentioned in the blog above, mentions past coal mining activity in the past in an area of concern.  Read-heading it reminded me of the fact Lancashire was heavily mined.  Even under Manchester, there are numerous abandoned coal seams, with the ex-Commonwealth Games stadium on the former pit of Bradford Colliery, closed in about 1968:

PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE NORTHSTAR 1 CLASS II INJECTION WELL AND THE SEISMIC EVENTS IN THE YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, AREA 

More Details on the Green Deal and ECO | Ebico’s Blog

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

An interesting article about the UK’s new deal.  As usual, it is not good news, interest rates for ‘green deal’ loans as much as 7.5%.  How will people on low incomes and suffering from fuel poverty be able to afford these loans at these rates?

More Details on the Green Deal and ECO | Ebico’s Blog.

Blair, Olympic deals and why another world is possible by John Pilger

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

I for one will not be wasting any time watching this monstrous abuse of the Olympic ideal.  This article gives some idea why it is an affront to deficiency.

Blair, Olympic deals and why another world is possible by John Pilger.

Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math | Politics News | Rolling Stone

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

A couple of articles which have cropped up recently.  Firstly one from the Rolling Stone magazine about the seriousness of Global Warming and the failure of our inept politicians.  The other article is an article in response to a very flawed report arguing against regulations and product energy efficiency standards.

Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math | Politics News | Rolling Stone.

Overriding Common Sense: An Attack on Energy Efficiency Standards. 

High ambitions for high rise sustainable living | green alliance blog

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

The link below is a blog from the Green Alliance and a project to involve residents in living sustainably.  I think this blog will go some way to debunk the notion of some white middle-class environmentalists, that people who live in council/social housing do not care about sustainable living.  Maybe, environmental groups in Manchester will endeavour to involve more people from council/social housing in their work?

High ambitions for high rise sustainable living | green alliance blog.

The “Monsanto Rider”: Are Biotech Companies About to Gain Immunity from Federal Law?

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

More bad news from the USA.  Monsanto and other agrochemical companies can circumvent any Federal Court sanction against the planting of GM crops.  If they are so convinced there is nothing wrong with their products, why was this hidden away in a bill on Agricultural Appropriations.  It should of been done openly by trying to amend the Plant Protection Act.

This is what one NGO had to say about this rider;

In a statement issued last month, the Center For Food Safety had this to say about the biotech industry’s latest attempt to circumvent legal and regulatory safeguards:

Ceding broad and unprecedented powers to industry, the rider poses a direct threat to the authority of U.S. courts, jettisons the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) established oversight powers on key agriculture issues and puts the nation’s farmers and food supply at risk.

This is another reason we need a register of lobbyists in the UK, not just at the National level but also at the Local level.

The “Monsanto Rider”: Are Biotech Companies About to Gain Immunity from Federal Law?.