Print this articleMany a true word is spoken in jest. And it's being reported that George W Bush signed off from a G8 meeting by being honest about his appalling environmental record.
via Donklephant
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
via Donklephant
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
I don't have any particular interest in Gordon Brown staying on as Prime Minister, he's possibly worse than Blair because he's too much of a coward to actually do anything radical. If he were, however, to suddenly develop a spine and display some of the savvy he claims to have there are ways he could get re-elected, boost the economy and start taking big steps towards hitting carbon dioxide reduction targets.
All he has to do is bribe the electorate.
A small number of people choose to ignore the evidence on global warming and will shout about any environmental initiatives no matter that they often have benefits beyond the green. Let's just ignore them. Others are determined to cut their footprint no matter what. These converts deserve rewarding, and will be as a bonus of what I'm suggesting. The largest number of people, across a range of scepticism to understanding, aren't going green because of the initial expense. Also for many of them when Gordon says "Green" they hear the word "Tax".
Give these people the money to go green.
The recent announcement of a £100billion green initiative by Brown did mention solar power and other grants. What's needed is for these to be big enough to cover most of the cost of installing panels, insulation or whatever is needed, because at present the payback in reduced bills isn't enough. Most people would be better off leaving their money in the bank and earning interest. It would also help the uptake if the rates to sell electricity back to the suppliers were better. Let's say that power companies should write off one unit of power consumed for every unit generated- in summer or on a windy day the house could pay for the electricity it used when it was cloudy or still. After the bill balances then the microgenerator can still sell to the power company at, say, half the price per unit they were being charged.
As important as increasing the grants and improving buy back is selling them properly. Emphasis should be put on giving money back to the consumer and making them independent of big suppliers. Gordon's too dull to do this well, so he'd have to hope he could find a minister who could do it for him. The Tories have already figured out that this is a good sell, with proposals for feeding landfill savings back to households that recycle more. Their ideas about modifying the tax on petrol are based on a similar idea but seem half baked at best.
Of course, per kilowatt generated and ton of CO2 saved an increase in the scope and size of grants for microgeneration will be far more expensive than offshore wind or any other scheme. But no-one ever seems to think about where this money will go. The workers who install photovoltaics, groundsource pipes etc. will all be based in Britain. With a bit of encouragement the companies creating the equipment could all be British as well. They'll all pay tax on their increased income, and boost the economy with their spending, as will the households now with extra cash from the electricity they're saving and generating.
Of course the main reason a scheme like this won't go ahead is because it will do the one thing all politicians are terrified of- it will allow the electorate to become less dependent on the state and the big businesses that pay for all the lobbying.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Opinion, Gordon Brown
All he has to do is bribe the electorate.
A small number of people choose to ignore the evidence on global warming and will shout about any environmental initiatives no matter that they often have benefits beyond the green. Let's just ignore them. Others are determined to cut their footprint no matter what. These converts deserve rewarding, and will be as a bonus of what I'm suggesting. The largest number of people, across a range of scepticism to understanding, aren't going green because of the initial expense. Also for many of them when Gordon says "Green" they hear the word "Tax".
Give these people the money to go green.
The recent announcement of a £100billion green initiative by Brown did mention solar power and other grants. What's needed is for these to be big enough to cover most of the cost of installing panels, insulation or whatever is needed, because at present the payback in reduced bills isn't enough. Most people would be better off leaving their money in the bank and earning interest. It would also help the uptake if the rates to sell electricity back to the suppliers were better. Let's say that power companies should write off one unit of power consumed for every unit generated- in summer or on a windy day the house could pay for the electricity it used when it was cloudy or still. After the bill balances then the microgenerator can still sell to the power company at, say, half the price per unit they were being charged.
As important as increasing the grants and improving buy back is selling them properly. Emphasis should be put on giving money back to the consumer and making them independent of big suppliers. Gordon's too dull to do this well, so he'd have to hope he could find a minister who could do it for him. The Tories have already figured out that this is a good sell, with proposals for feeding landfill savings back to households that recycle more. Their ideas about modifying the tax on petrol are based on a similar idea but seem half baked at best.
Of course, per kilowatt generated and ton of CO2 saved an increase in the scope and size of grants for microgeneration will be far more expensive than offshore wind or any other scheme. But no-one ever seems to think about where this money will go. The workers who install photovoltaics, groundsource pipes etc. will all be based in Britain. With a bit of encouragement the companies creating the equipment could all be British as well. They'll all pay tax on their increased income, and boost the economy with their spending, as will the households now with extra cash from the electricity they're saving and generating.
Of course the main reason a scheme like this won't go ahead is because it will do the one thing all politicians are terrified of- it will allow the electorate to become less dependent on the state and the big businesses that pay for all the lobbying.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Opinion, Gordon Brown
An American company called Solazyme has announced that its algae derived biodiesel has passed US standards testing and is compatible with unmodified diesel engines. The process can use waste materials and has a big advantage over farmed biodiesel in that it doesn't take capacity away from food production.
via Jalopnik
Technorati tag: biodiesel
via Jalopnik
Technorati tag: biodiesel
Measurements in the Atlantic have shown that the actions of ultraviolet light and sea spray are scrubbing ozone and methane out of the atmosphere in the area faster than expected. Which is fairly good news, if only we can stop pumping out so many pollutants the Earth may clean the rest up faster than we deserve.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Gordon Brown has announced a £100billion renewable energy plan. The Daily Mail and its readers have reacted as you'd expect, ignoring the boost to the economy from all the jobs created and the opportunities through grants to go energy independent.
So, those of you who can, I'd recommend stealing a jump on the whingers and using their tax money to go off grid. When I researched grants for solar panels last month I found that the existing scheme had been phased out, which was annoying. I'm now willing to give Brown the benefit of the doubt and hope this was because they were gearing up to a new and improved scheme. It isn't easy. I'm not as obnoxiously and knee-jerkingly anti Brown/New Labour as the Mail's readers, but past performance does mark the Government as untrustworthy.
The schemes for householders will be announced later this Summer. I'll be looking out for them and will try to do some number crunching on them when they arrive.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
So, those of you who can, I'd recommend stealing a jump on the whingers and using their tax money to go off grid. When I researched grants for solar panels last month I found that the existing scheme had been phased out, which was annoying. I'm now willing to give Brown the benefit of the doubt and hope this was because they were gearing up to a new and improved scheme. It isn't easy. I'm not as obnoxiously and knee-jerkingly anti Brown/New Labour as the Mail's readers, but past performance does mark the Government as untrustworthy.
The schemes for householders will be announced later this Summer. I'll be looking out for them and will try to do some number crunching on them when they arrive.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Even one of the most densely populated cities in the world still has some space for an enterprising guerrilla to plant tomatoes.
via BoingBoing
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
via BoingBoing
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
In a piece of brilliant education a Chicago science teacher ran a project with his students to see if they could create enough biodiesel from algae to run a VW camper on a 20 mile round trip from their school to the Sears tower and back again. The algae "farm" was set up in a corner of the classroom, using fluorescent lamps to double for sunlight, and the resulting liquid separated in a centrifuge at a proper lab. A writer for Jalopnik was along for the ride as the battered old vehicle puttered its way through the windy city's heavy Friday traffic.
Obviously the small scale set up the students used was probably carbon negative overal, with its reliance on pumps and artificial light, but large scale algae farms could benefit from natural light and wind or solar PV to power any motors.
Technorati tag: Biodiesel
Obviously the small scale set up the students used was probably carbon negative overal, with its reliance on pumps and artificial light, but large scale algae farms could benefit from natural light and wind or solar PV to power any motors.
Technorati tag: Biodiesel
A team of Arizona based scientists believe they are close to building CO2 "scrubbers". These will collect the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere using plastic membranes that could later release the gas into greenhouses or other more permanent traps. They're not the solution, millions would be needed to soak up current production levels and I doubt they'll be cheaper than most of the methods used to reduce emissions at source, but they could be deployed as part of a clean up campaign.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Suzuki are at the testing stage with their fuel cell powered motorbike, which sounds like an option for commutes that are too long for cycling (over ten miles I'd say).
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Scifi blog io9 looks at a couple of wind power options for domestic use. The micro turbine borders on a joke, but the Phillipe Starck designed transparent turbine is pretty. I'm still not convinced by wind power in suburbia because at least one study has shown that the small windmills erected by house owners don't go high enough to get away from the blocking effects of nearby structures. They might be effective atop taller buildings though.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Mancat college in Manchester has cut its fuel bills by almost a half by adopting energy saving technology and techniques on its campus.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
I used to have a biosphere and loved it. It survived a couple of years despite a very slow leak and more than once being stuck in a box for months after a move. As well as being pretty, they're a neat little image of the world. The video above introduces the concept of building your own biosphere in a Kilner jar. The secret ingredient is pond scum.
This page has more biosphere information, including a series of experiments to see what works best.
via BoingBoing
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Manchester University has won an award for making its student accomodation more environmentally friendly.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
The Virtual Forest is a Spanish endeavour to get people cutting their greenhouse gas emissions by appealing to their wallets. The energy saving questionnaire it offers stresses the financial benefits of saving energy as much as the environmental. They also promise to plant trees for you, in Second Life and real life.
The site is bilingual and there are phrases that seem imperfectly translated, but not as badly as I've seen elsewhere. The questions on your energy consumption are also formed from a Spanish perspective. For example, here in Manchester I find I never have need for any form of sun shade to keep the house cool. The cultural differences don't minimise the message however, and I'd really like a Second Life tree.
This review was paid for through ReviewMe.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
The site is bilingual and there are phrases that seem imperfectly translated, but not as badly as I've seen elsewhere. The questions on your energy consumption are also formed from a Spanish perspective. For example, here in Manchester I find I never have need for any form of sun shade to keep the house cool. The cultural differences don't minimise the message however, and I'd really like a Second Life tree.
This review was paid for through ReviewMe.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Plans are in place to close sections of Oxford Road to all traffic but special buses (and bikes?). The scheme won't begin for around five years and is dependent upon the introduction of a congestion charge and the access to funds that will allow.
Oxford Road is already officially the busiest bus route in Europe. Perhaps it's time to let them take some of it over. The planned closed section covers the only part of the road that I regularly cycle on, from around the University all the way into the centre, so I hope they intend to stick a cycle lane into the mix.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Oxford Road is already officially the busiest bus route in Europe. Perhaps it's time to let them take some of it over. The planned closed section covers the only part of the road that I regularly cycle on, from around the University all the way into the centre, so I hope they intend to stick a cycle lane into the mix.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
ZEDFactory, a design and build consortium, have announced the RuralZED house. It's timber framed modular design and incorporation of recycled materials make it an affordable net-zero energy home that they hope will lead the way for future developments.
chnorati tag: EcoHouse
chnorati tag: EcoHouse
A Virgin 747 has flown from Heathrow to Schiphol with one of its fuel tanks filled with 20% biofuel. Richard Branson says that commercial flights will be powered by algal biofuel and is investing in alternative fuel development. However, there are questions about the effectiveness of teh systems Virgin will be using, the biggest of which is why aren't they working to cut flights?
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
All the businesses in Manchester's Arndale shopping centre have pledged to go Green, cutting their carbon footprint and increasing recycling. The only problem is that a shopping centre exists to encourage consumption. Before the goods arrive and after they leave they have an impact on the environment, no matter how green the shops that sell them are.
Technorati tag: Shopping
Technorati tag: Shopping
I'm not sure what the UK equivalent of a general contractor is, some sort of one stop building renovations. My Home say they're they're the leading general contractor in New York and have announced in a press release that they intend to promote green options for their projects.
There are some deniers whose argumnents have moved on to moaning about the cost of going green. They just can't see, or refuse to acknowledge, the flip side of their argument- that the economy is going to get a boost from all the companies being paid to work on green projects.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
There are some deniers whose argumnents have moved on to moaning about the cost of going green. They just can't see, or refuse to acknowledge, the flip side of their argument- that the economy is going to get a boost from all the companies being paid to work on green projects.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Streets with Green in their name are competing against each other to see which can save the most money and energy. the winning street will get £50,000 toward community projects.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Science fiction blog io9 has concept sketches for a possible repurposing of a mundane and moribund city centre.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
The Prince of Wales plans to build a low carbon house out of natural materials, even if that means it won't attain the highest possible green building rating.
Some people are becoming convinced that the Government's stamp duty rebate for zero carbon homes is actually a con. It's possible the scheme will take off slowly, but I would be unsurprised, though a little disappointed, if the requirements for eligibility have been set too narrow deliberately.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Some people are becoming convinced that the Government's stamp duty rebate for zero carbon homes is actually a con. It's possible the scheme will take off slowly, but I would be unsurprised, though a little disappointed, if the requirements for eligibility have been set too narrow deliberately.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Iain Martin roles out is a tired old argument that I've heard several times before. So this is as good a time as any to reply.
"but it makes no sense to send our economy, or those of developing countries, into reverse gear on the back of apocalyptic warnings by those who enjoy predicting disaster"
Really? Who is going to build the windmills? Manufacture and mount the solar panels? Build all the low energy houses? Bring existing houses up to standard? Where are they going to spend the billions that stand to be made? What are home owners going to do with the money they save by cutting down on waste?
How blinkered do you have to be to miss the huge opportunities that are available to the early adopters of energy saving technologies? You can finesse your arguments against climate change as much as you want, but you'd be an idiot if you couldn't see the advantages of switching to renewables and becoming more efficient.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
"but it makes no sense to send our economy, or those of developing countries, into reverse gear on the back of apocalyptic warnings by those who enjoy predicting disaster"
Really? Who is going to build the windmills? Manufacture and mount the solar panels? Build all the low energy houses? Bring existing houses up to standard? Where are they going to spend the billions that stand to be made? What are home owners going to do with the money they save by cutting down on waste?
How blinkered do you have to be to miss the huge opportunities that are available to the early adopters of energy saving technologies? You can finesse your arguments against climate change as much as you want, but you'd be an idiot if you couldn't see the advantages of switching to renewables and becoming more efficient.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Biotruck took a biodiesel processing plant to Timbuktu in Mali, so the locals could produce fuel from waste cooking oil. They made the journey carbon neutral by powering their truck with biodiesel derived from waste chocolate.
via BoingBoing
Technorati tag: Biodiesel
via BoingBoing
Technorati tag: Biodiesel