Ripped-off Britons: Key political fibs, and some tips on how to refute them

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

I have posted before, that the UK, especially the City of London Corporation is the biggest Tax Haven in the World.  Our political elite, Labour and Conservative constantly tell us they cannot tax the rich because the financial sector would leave this country.  They also tell us, it is unfair to tax the rich, because success should be rewarded.  But we know, they have only been successful by acting in a criminal way and evading tax.  That, money will trickle down, but for generations we have seen the reverse.  The article below gives some answer, you can use in reply to the nonsense being peddled by the political elite.

Ripped-off Britons: Key political fibs, and some tips on how to refute them.
You can send a message by signing the following petition, asking for a reform of the banking sector:

Big Change in Banking  

The papers are full of stories of how the Conservatives are going to cut benefits, claiming tax-payers are sick of paying for the work-shy.  Most of those who are on benefits have no choice, there is no paid work for them.  The way the Economy is modelled, does not take account of those who do unpaid work, such as housewives and those who care for relatives.  We are going back to the times of Dickens, were the poor were thought to have brought on themselves and deserved punishment.  Whilst the rich fleece each other in a very corrupt business world.

Jobless and big-families lose benefits  

I wonder, are those who are in employment and earn more than the average wage, will continue to receive child benefits, even though they do not need it?  The cuts are supposed to be in the region of £10 billion but the Government is taking about spending £70 billion of a Trident missile program replacement, not mentioned in the papers.

Welfare-cuts of £10 Billion 

And of course this ‘Green’ Governments commitment towards renewable energy, which has seen the Chancellor talk about tax-breaks for ‘fracking’.  Has disillusioned major energy companies, who are now talking not investing in the UK.

Green Energy under threat

100 Million people will die by 2030 if the World does not act on Climate Change

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

A new report released on the 26th September 2012, called ‘A Guide to the Cold Calculus of a Hot Planet’, claims 100 Million people will die before 2030, due to the results of Climate Change.  This is because of the inactions of Governments and businesses to act on climate change.  This has led to a more polluted planet, causing the Global temperature to rise.  Unfortunately Governments and business are locked into a fossil-fuel and consumer economy.  They have not heeded the calls to invest in real renewable technologies and a move away from ‘business-as-usual’ model.

The report is optimistic, that there is still an opportunity to scale-back pollution and halt Global warming.  I feel, it will not happen, till there is a complete collapse in water and food supplies, when it is too late.  They put forward the argument that economically (not the first time, it has been argued), it would be the sensible thing to do.  It would reduce poverty, hunger and ill-health and opposed to the outcome of pursuing a carbon economy.  This is a report all politicians and business people should read and act on it.

At a meeting of Southern Voices a talk given by Washington Alcott ( a Jamaican), entitled ‘Climate Change – A conservation from the South’.  Made the point that climate change and the environment agenda;

“It was predominately the white-middle class who dominated the debate and decided the outcomes”.

I agree with him, in fact I would go further, it is the so-called ( predominately white) educated middle-class who are part of the problem.  The do not want to change their life-styles, so do not want real change.  Even, those espousing to be environmentally aware, still drive the most, shunning public transport and continue to fly abroad multiple times a year for  holidays.  They consume more than those on reduced incomes, but pay less because of the unequal charging mechanisms.  Because of their spending power, they could make a huge difference but they will not.  There are ‘OK Jack, sod you’.

Massachusetts’ Clean Economy Sees Massive Growth, Now Hosts 71,000 Jobs In Cleantech

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

This article shows what can be achieved with a strong political leadership.  While in the UK, we have a Government that keeps changing FITs (feed-in tariffs) for renewable technologies and is promoting large utilities companies with their Green Deal.  The UK will not be able to survive what is ultimately going to come, in not that a distance future.  Manchester City Council is the same, they keep claiming to be ‘Green’, whilst actually doing anything different than before.  They constantly says they cannot do anything without others doing something as well.  I think this article promotes the vision, that it can be done where there is the will.

pby Andrew, via CleanTechnica Government investment and support for clean, renewable energy development is paying off handsomely in Massachusetts, where the clean energy economy grew 11.2% between July 2011 and July 2012. The state’s fast-growing clean energy sector now employs 71,523 people at 4,995 clean energy businesses across the state, according to a Massachusetts Clean […]/p

via Massachusetts’ Clean Economy Sees Massive Growth, Now Hosts 71,000 Jobs In Cleantech.
We have seen the Scottish Government investing in wave and tidal technologies.  The UK has some of the best wave and tidal resources available in the world and has not been exploited by the UK Government.

Mull of Kintyre set to host CoRMaT tidal current turbine

As well as investing in wind, another asset, the UK has in abundance:

Severn Suzuki Unifies World Vision for Sustainable Future at Rio+Social – YouTube

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

The 6 minute speech given by Severn Suzuki, who spoke at the 1992 Rio Summit at 12 years old.  The speech was a written from contributors from all over the Globe.

Severn Suzuki Unifies World Vision for Sustainable Future at Rio+Social – YouTube.

Biogas, the Forgotten Free Renewable Energy | ecogreen4us

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

I have mentioned over the years the benefits of Bio-digesters, the fact they produce methane whilst also providing nitrogen rich fertiliser.  Other countries have embraced this technology, even in the poorest parts of South America.  There, households are providing themselves with cheap energy from their own organic waste.

But in the UK, they prefer to invest in incineration of waste and biomass (mostly from imported wood), which emits CO2, particulates (dust).  Addition waste incineration emits dioxins,  furans and other pollutants.

I have put forward several options for bio-digester plants to Nigel Murphy, Manchester City Councillor for the Environment.  But, I am always rebuffed with why the council will not invest in bio-digesters.  One of the reasons is the Viridor, who took over the waste management services were supposed to incorporate Anaerobic Digester plants at their waste treatment plants for organic waste.  But I have not heard or found any evidence that these plants are operational.

I did alert Nigel Murphy to a project in Glasgow where the residents food waste went into In-Vessel composting units.  Thus avoiding CO2 from transportation of the waste and providing compost for a community garden.  I mentioned that instead of just composting the food waste, use it to produce energy as well.  But the Council does not seem to be interested in investing for the long term future, but only in the short term profits of developers.

Biogas, the Forgotten Free Renewable Energy | ecogreen4us.

Reboot for a new economy | the new economics foundation

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

Another article from the New Economics Forum on what the Government should do to reboot the economy, instead of their present policies which are failing so miserably.

Reboot for a new economy | the new economics foundation.

Missed renewable energy targets will cost UK dear, warns study | Environment | The Observer

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

Another news article about the failure of our politicians.  They refuse to support renewables and insist on maintaining their addiction to fossil fuels and nuclear.  All non-sustainable and economically prohibitive.  It is time the British public woke up to the fact they need to show the main stream parties the door.

Missed renewable energy targets will cost UK dear, warns study | Environment | The Observer.

Coalition makes U-turn on nuclear energy subsidies | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

People wrongly believe that their energy bills are high due to subsidies to renewables.  Nothing could be further from the truth from Corporation Tax exemption for North Sea oil and gas rigs to hidden subsidies to nuclear.  It is not renewables that are causing a rise in energy bills has they receive a very small fraction of Government funding:
http://www.mng.org.uk/gh/nn.htm

So, it has now been revealed that this Government will continue with their subsidies.

Coalition makes U-turn on nuclear energy subsidies | Environment | guardian.co.uk.