Discarded plastic is unsightly, but it is Co2-heavy too. And this is a point which has not been made so much in the flurry of announcements, from the government down, on the subject in early 2018. While we grapple with eliminating plastic altogether, we might at least start making it from something sustainable. I look… Continue reading
Browsing Category Environment
Climate charity 10:10 calls for new buildings to have solar panels as standard
The climate action charity 10:10 has launched a campaign to persuade the government that all suitable new buildings should have solar panels fitted as standard. In a tweet it argues: “If every new home came with built-in solar panels, we’d increase our capacity to produce clean solar power by 50% in just seven years. British… Continue reading →
New York leads accelerating move to divest from fossil fuels
Update: March 21st 2018. Cardiff University announced yesterday that it is to stop investing in fossil fuels by 2021. Its statement: “The move to full divestment aligns the University’s investment decisions with our values and aims, and reaffirms our commitment to environmental sustainability, responsible investment and social responsibility. I wrote the piece below the line three years… Continue reading →
The last of the onshore wind turbines, or only a pause?
Could the three turbines at Alveston, next to the M5 in South Gloucestershire, be the last wind farm to be built in England in our lifetime, or just the last one until the government (or a new one) reverses the policy, and allows further expansion of a form of renewable energy generation which has considerable public… Continue reading →
Electric bikes reach a Stark junction with the mass market
Update, October 13th, 2017 Electric bike company Stark, which says it has developed “the most affordable electric bike in the world, bar none” has raised $489,619 in a Kickstarter crowd-funding project to finance the launch of its range, exceeding its original target by almost 10 times. Its Stark Drive City will have a limited launch price… Continue reading →
Conkers in crisis – can horse chestnut survive annual onslaught by pests?
The damage caused by the larvae of the leaf miner moth in horse chestnuts seems particularly severe in parts of Southern Britain this year. While not fatal in itself, the moth may fatally weaken the trees. Autumn comes prematurely in sad little pockets of England and Wales. As early as July the leaves of the… Continue reading →