My friends at Edie have recently posted this. We certainly need to tackle the obscenity of food waste but I must admit that my first thought when reading this report was "Where's the message about simply purchasing less?". Of course, BOGOFs and the like make money for the supermarkets so the cynic in me is not surprised at the omission.
I was recently unfortunate enough to catch an episode of "Eat Well For Less" on BBC TV - the sort of "reality" programme that I find really grating (and it is headed up by shouty-shouty Gregg Wallace - one of the more irritating presenters on the box). However, I was staggered at the shere stupidity of the purchasing regime of the poor subjects of the programme. If Mr Wallace and Co. can have a positive effect through this programme then all power to their collective elbows. Not that I'll be watching again - of course.
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
New CC Innovation
Readers of this blog will know that I have a passing interest in CC technologies. Consequently I feel that I should flag up this report from Edie about a relatively new GE process. I think this is in the "don't-hold-your-breath" department - but interesting none-the-less.
85% of Energy from Renewables by 2030?
Yup, you read the headline correctly. That is the possibility proposed by a new Greenpeace-sponsored report. Sounds ambitious doesn't it? And actually it is:-
> 47% increase in on-shore wind capacity;
> 270% increase in off-shore wind capacity;
> 1.5GW solar PV installations per year;
> grid balancing by:
> pumped storage;
> utility scale batteries;
> domestic batteries;
> interconnectors;
> development of
> smart meters that actually have an effect;
> smart appliances:
> mass-market electric vehicles;
> 47.5% (yup, that precise!) reduction in domestic energy demand so presumably lots of insulation.
Wow!
The Greenpeace report doesn't come up with a figure for the cost but Edie reports that the CCC has posited a figure of up to £227bn will be required. All this may be technically feasible but do you see any government having the balls to push something like this through? No, nor do I.
And the report misses a big trick - the development of decentralisation technologies and micro-grids.
It's all very interesting, and all very necessary, but all very unlikely.
> 47% increase in on-shore wind capacity;
> 270% increase in off-shore wind capacity;
> 1.5GW solar PV installations per year;
> grid balancing by:
> pumped storage;
> utility scale batteries;
> domestic batteries;
> interconnectors;
> development of
> smart meters that actually have an effect;
> smart appliances:
> mass-market electric vehicles;
> 47.5% (yup, that precise!) reduction in domestic energy demand so presumably lots of insulation.
Wow!
The Greenpeace report doesn't come up with a figure for the cost but Edie reports that the CCC has posited a figure of up to £227bn will be required. All this may be technically feasible but do you see any government having the balls to push something like this through? No, nor do I.
And the report misses a big trick - the development of decentralisation technologies and micro-grids.
It's all very interesting, and all very necessary, but all very unlikely.
Friday, 18 September 2015
Call to Ban Microbeads
I have to admit that until now the very existence of microbeads had somewhat passed me by, let alone their potential toxic effects. This post from Edie therefore provided a very necessary wake-up call. I must check to see whether House Management uses these things and get her to change her practices if so.
Thursday, 17 September 2015
Costa Litter Pick
Good to see this from Edie. I organise a bi-annual litter pick in our village and Costa vies for first place (with Red Bull) as the most frequently seen name on the trash we gather. Below is the haul from under 90 minutes last spring.
Fossil Extractors to Pay (a Bit) for CCS?
Edie had a post recently about a newly proposed amendment to the Energy Bill suggesting that "The Government shall undertake a consultation on measures requiring extractors and importers of petroleum to contribute to the development of Carbon Capture and Storage".
Hmm! Difficult one this. Clearly there need to be incentives to reduce CO2 emissions but hitting extractors and importers risks damaging more benign uses of the black stuff (where will plastics come from otherwise?). What's important is to reduce the burning of fossil fuels.
On the other hand, extractors and importers form an easy target rather than having to identify and tax every emitter.
I guess it's a case of "watch this space". And, in any case, who knows if the amendment will fly at all.
Incidentally, I note the final paragraph in the Edie piece indicating no decision on Drax and Peterhead CCS schemes until 2016. Talk about heal dragging!
Hmm! Difficult one this. Clearly there need to be incentives to reduce CO2 emissions but hitting extractors and importers risks damaging more benign uses of the black stuff (where will plastics come from otherwise?). What's important is to reduce the burning of fossil fuels.
On the other hand, extractors and importers form an easy target rather than having to identify and tax every emitter.
I guess it's a case of "watch this space". And, in any case, who knows if the amendment will fly at all.
Incidentally, I note the final paragraph in the Edie piece indicating no decision on Drax and Peterhead CCS schemes until 2016. Talk about heal dragging!
Monday, 24 August 2015
Get Someone Else To Do It
I've just come across a report of a survey purporting to show that 30% of interviewees want schools to educate kids about recycling, energy efficiency and waste prevention. Come on! Is this really something to palm off onto schools? Everyone (including that 30%) should be doing the job themselves. I'm fed up with the general expectation that it's always someone else's job. It isn't. It's yours.
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