Category: Environment

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BRAVERMAN

Not a major mistake but reflective of te attitude of some in Government to the rule of law, she was just mimicing the ex-PM Jihnson in thinking she was above the law. However this should be just the excuse Sunak needs to get rid of her from the Cabinet.

Meanwhile Chris Heaton-Harris Secretary of State for NI has called for the return of Storming. Sein Fein recorded 30.9% of the first prefence vote, DUP 23.3%, Alliance 13.3%, UUP 10.9%, SDLP 8.7%. The key here is that the DUP have less than a quarter of the vote but are able to paralyse the NI Assembly. Could the UUP and Alliance parties form an alliance to oust the DUP from its dominant place at Stormont?

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SEWAGE

So the water companies are to invest £10billion over the next 10 years, but will be able to recoup through higher bills. What exactly does OFWAT do? Just fine them everytime they pump raw sewage out without mitigating reasons, freeze water bills until they clean up their act. If share prices fall nationalise them in the same way the railways have been in some instances. Coffey should apologise for the Governments inaction over this matter.

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Imola Gran Prix cancelled due to flooding that has killed at least 6 people. Cyclone Mocha hits Myanmar causing dozens of deaths, floods hit Auckland, wildfires across Alberta,Canada. Drought affecting food production in the Mediterranean region. The climate crisis is set to get worse as scientists expect record highs earlier than predicted, perhaps due to ocean heating.

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EL NINO

The science is not strong but it looks like El Nino will form. later this year and thus cause extreme weather events next year. Already we have seen drought in the Mediterranean area and record temperatures in Vietnam this week. These events have global impacts in a globalised world. Sensible governments would be prioritising local food production.

Related topic – Turkmenistan has methane emissions that impact on global warming greater than the whole of the UK (17th in the world rankings). these come from gas fields that are used to export the gas to China. More globalisation negative side effects. What is needed is the development of sustainable growth strategies rather than the growth at all costs strategy beloved by both left and right.

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LAWNS

Some facts -20% British Wildflowers are under threat. There are an estimated 23 million lawns in the UK. Bird’s-foot trefoil is a rich sources of food for 140 insect species. Cutting lawns prodces an estimated 80000 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalence of 10000 households.

So leave the lawn mowers in the garage and enjiy the buttercups, daisies, dandelions, yellow rattle and many others. I had evening primrose and chicory arrive last year. I am planting more herbs with blue and pink rosemary joining te 25 mint, 6 lavender, and 4 sage species.

No Mow May

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ALARMS

Despite 10 years of planning and a 7 figure cost this Government could not get the warning out to all. Those did get it found that the arrival varied by at least 12 minutes – a long time in an emergency. Assuming that those with 4 or 5 G coverage will get the warning, a more important question is what plans are in place for those who for whatever reason do not have a mobile phone? It appears none!

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FOOD

Food inflation of 19% does not affect the rich. It is the poor who find that reserves of carefully maintained savings are eaten away, luxuries abstained, even small pleasures like a 6 monthly visit to a cinema or restaurant forsaken. And what does the government do – as usual absolutely nothing. It is obvious to all (apart from JR-M and co) that Brexit has broken the system. Other world events such as Ukraine and climate change have also had an impact. However the policy of blame does not solve the problem. A friend who supplies shops with crisps says that demand has soared recently, at the same time a local food bank refused to take potatoes as they would “go off”!

Mire expensive food drives the demand for quality down, and thus the cost to the NHS up. This is a full blown crisis that should reslut in a COBRA meeting to bring all relevant parties to sit around a table and thrash out a sustainable future.

My invite list would include NFU,organic farming reps, food manufacturers, Jamie Oliver, Marcus Rashford, McDonalds (or similar), NHS nutritionists and clinicians. I am sure there are others worthy of inclusion. Perhaps on the supply chain issues?

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LOW TRAFFIC NEIGHBOURHOODS

These and the ULEZ’s cause much consternation amongst the ignorati of some drivers. The belief that they shoukd be able to drive anywhere and at any time is possibly down to small penis syndrome, or some deep psychological problem in their past. Basically the motor vehicle is a tool to get from A to B. It is not a symbol of virility or status. Human welfare comes before the use of tools. Airports are correctly restricted with night time flights. It is also not just the noise but the fumes and danger. We suffer as a nation from the lack of play space for children in cities. Pavements are often invaded by vehicles. Councils should plant more trees, abandon one way systems (the ignorati will soon confront each other with their bigotry.

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CITIES

When the government abolished the GLC it thought it was a money saving (and anti-Labour thing. However it lost the opportunity to plan for the future in a wholistic manner. transport for London may be able to plan the transport element reasonably successfully but what about the rest? A report today outlines the fall in student numbers across the inner boroughs. Demography and socio-econmoc geography has obviously been ignored in favour of free market economics. Schools are being shut and turned into flats for the wealthy.

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