Category: Environment

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Governments are unbelieviably stupid! Anyone with half a brain could have predicted this summers weather. If not this summer it would be next summer or/and the one after. No new reservoirs or supplies yet a population increase of 10% in recent years. The ‘drought committee’ met yesterday – a bit fucking late. reactive is poor management. Only Devon, Cornwall and London, Kent and Surrey seem to be OK. Much of the South-east gets its water from aquifers and are thus protected somewhat by vaguries in supply. Areas that rely on rivers or reservoirs are susceptable to changes in the weather.

Housing design should also take into account these changes in water supply. I have 3 water butts totalling 350ltrs. The largest and most used has now run dry – I wish I could channel bath/shower water into usable containers for the garden (and toilet flushes!). Hopefully my plants will survive the drought conditions as they mostly have deep roots and have become well established (and moderate the climate of my house and garden).

However it is not a case of just inconvenience – Southern Water took time from counting their wages and bonus’s to apply to take more water from one of Britains almost unique chalk streams famed for its biological diversity. Bastards.

Elsewhere – Switzerland is suffering from glacier melt and rockfalls affecting many villages – presumably the same is happening in Austria, France and other mountain regions. But do not worry – Reform deny climate change as do MAGA supporters in the USA and BP shareholders and the rest of the fossils

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AN ISLAND IN A DESERT

Sorry to bang on about my garden again. A traditional suburban street – neatly tendered lawns, often sprayed with weedkiller are the norm. Some neighbours do have pots of flowers (but also I have seen them spraying dandelions with chemicals. So it is not surprising that wildlife is taking its time to colonise. Early spring and a goldfinch was feasting on evening primrose seeds, and I have seen lots of skipper butterflies, but few others despite having nettles and budleia plants. The mulberry trees have plenty of fruit, as do the raspberries but few visitors having lunch! I have lots of roses, herbs, chicory and fennel, and 4 hanging baskets full of flowers. Is it too far for the critters to find me?

In my dreams every garden would be like mine – and populated with slow worms, lizards, foxes and badgers visiting, flocks of birds and butterflies, and moths at night. But the tidiness gene has captured people – fed by advertising. Does my garden look neat and tidy? Defintely not – but it does offer food and sustenance for a variety of creatures – as it should!

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THERE’S OWT AS QUEER AS FOLK!

So considerable numbers of people can be persuaded to react violently to people who have risked life and limb and probably a fair wack of cash to get here; but are strangely quiet about the £100’s of millions embezzelled by companies during Covid. The fast track was developed for conservative supporters and at ties only supplied sub-standard equipment. So how can anyone with an ounce of humanity complain about the asylum seekers being put up in, often crowded conditions in hotels (which charge the government over the top rates, and being provided with a pittance and being barred from working. Whilst some people elevated tomthe HoLords and claiming £300 expenses per day are allowed to get away with massive fraud?

The same arguments are used against the unemployed. Indeed I have heard complaints about a single mum receiving more than a shop manager. The biggest subsidy on welfare is the exorbitant rents. The welfare budget could be slahed with a sensible realignment of the housing market. Second homes should have at least 75% occupancy or be financially penalised. WTF – and yes increase the tax on salaries/bonus’s to at least 75% – do these people really work harder or have more stress than doctors, nurses and teachers who earn less than 10% the average wages of city slickers. (Most of whom make money by glorified gambling on the stock market, currency markets and commodities. i.e. they actually do nothing productive to aid society (my first job was in a foreign exchange dealing room and nothing beneficial came out of it – well apart from me, of course!).

The police have said they will arrest any and all at any Palestine Action demonstration. Is this democracy under threat? PA have undertaken some dubious activities including vandalising Jewish offices and RAF planes (with paint!). These acts are illegal and the perpetrators arrested and brought before the courts. But Yvette Cooper has decided to ban people from even stating that they support a Palestinian state and she is wrong. The police have better things to do, and she will have increased the number of peple demonstrating anyway. Israel is bleating about the UK decision to recognise Palestine in the future – so it must be worthwhile. Hamas says it will not disarm until the Palestinian state is recognised. This reminds me of a sketch in a Monty Python film! That there is any Hamas organisation still existing is a phenomenon.

More waste of police time is ‘Tommy Robinson’ being arrested again – can we just lock him up and throw away the key – or deport him to join fellow wankers in Romania.

The Star leads with an article regarding Lucy Letby – there is much about her case that needs examination – rather than sensationalist bollocks. Storm Floris would have been a more usual headline!

And at present just 10% of our electricity is being produced by gas! Summer, sunny and windy. But wtf not. It will conserve gas stocks – so what has loopy face got against it? Oh and Rayner and Corbyn have a spat apparently. I like Angela, but she is wrong if she allows building on allotments. Whilst producing loads of food they also act as wildlife hotels/motels. We need to keep the wildlife corridors in our cities open.

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SOME LIKE IT HOT!

A quick look at this weeks stories – Greece, Turkey, and France are among several popular holiday destinations in Europe currently struggling with devastating wildfires following record-breaking heatwaves. Tourists and business travelers alike have had their travel plans disrupted or are now reconsidering their journeys due to safety concerns. Travelers are left questioning their options as wildfires continue to threaten these picturesque regions.

Wildfires across Europe this summer have increased dramatically, with destinations including mainland Greece, Greek islands like Rhodes and Crete, parts of Turkey, southern France, and the Balkans heavily affected. Extreme heat saw temperatures soaring to a staggering 50.5°C in Silopi, Turkey, and reaching 44°C in cities such as Athens and regions of Cyprus, intensifying the blaze and making it difficult to control. New York and New Jersey are also suffering from flooding.

Santa’s reindeer are suffering in the heat! https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/02/nordic-countries-hit-by-truly-unprecedented-heatwave

Beijing has had massive floods and mudslides are affecting Columbia and Venezuela.

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FUCK ISRAEL

So they are having a limited pause to allow aid to be brought in – Is that before they start shooting children again? Starmer is recaalling the Cabinet – I hope it is not just to whip them into line – Palestine needs to be recognised NOW! he is also having a meeting with the war criminal Trump, let us hope he gets off his knees and stands up to the bully.

Police brutality? So a man walking home from his allotment is reported as having a knife, and the police quite correctly apprehend him – maybe with a little too much force. However rather than examine his story, and the fact that the Niwaki blade was sheathed, they took him to the police station, denied him a solicitor (they claimed one was nat available). He was only released after admiting possession of an offensive weapon and was released with a caution. What happened to common sense? Do people in Manchester regularly walk the streets with a tool belt with gardening items looking for a fight? FM! he even had a trug of produce with him!

Whilst on the subject of police brutality Dale Vince has called for a public inquiry into the “Battle of the Beanfield”. I am not sure a public inquiry is necessary we all know that the police went over the top – police paid out £24000 in damages and it was definitely a political act. 530 new age travellers were heading for Stonehenge and were attacked by the police. having said this I also believe the police have an unenviable job dealing, for the most part, with the dregs of society and the mentally disturbed. It has long been my assertion that the police should be allowed a free meal at any school at lunch time. They should avoid McDonalds and Burger King etc. Sitting down with students for a civilised chat would do wonders for community relations, be good’ish for their health and pockets (dinner would be free). They could be seen, and see, normal people in a relaxed situation. is this what the ‘bobby on the beat’ used to do in the past before they got tooled up in their cars with go faster stripes and lights? Cost nothing: Benefits potentially huge. And if they smell canabis they should ignore it – the strip searching of teenage girls should be treated for what it is -paedophilia !

Climate disasters continue anabated across southern Europe this summer. Huge wildfires are devastating Greece, mainland and islands; and Turkiye. The deputy mayor of Kythhera made an interesting statement which was not noted in the UK Press – he said ‘Everything, from houses, beehives (too) olive trees had been burnt”. In the UK we would mention possessions and tec devices, not wildlife and the ecosystem.

And for those with a surplus of runner beans a recipe.

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DILEMMA

The trash papers are stuck not knowing what to do. Starmer is doing OK as far as the RWP are concerned. Badenoch is worse than useless and Farage is not trusted. So what can they report? Gaza is too horrific and they live in fear of being called anti-semetic, or anti-Trump. Ukraine is old news. Climate denying is just not popular. Small boat migrants are always a good headline but even here there seems to be sensible progress, and it is old news. So we have front pages occupied by Ozzy Osbourne’s death.

Foggity on LBC was banging on about “what Israel should do” as being a bad thing to say – she thinks Hamas should also be targeted around being responsible. I personally think that day has passed. Israel’s government is out of order and should be treated as a terrorist organisation. Palestine should be recognised by the UK government. Yes, of course the remaining hostages, if still alive, should be released. Israel cannot legitamately dispute the number of civilians killed as they refuse to let foreign journalists into the region.

Climate is another area ignored for want of upsetting the denyers. But the UN has just announced that solar is 41% of the cost of fossil fuels whilst onshore wing is also below 50% of the cost. And I might be wrong here, but in the UK power generation is linked to gas prices, that making green energy appear more expensive. Over the past year in the UK 37.5% has been provided by renewables and 29.8% by gas. Nuclear is 14.3% of the renewable total.

So the government should reintroduce the the supplement for energy produced and submitted to the National Grid by households. Instant injection of capital for energy production with no initial cost to government. Price paid to housholds would fluctuate with demand and supply – so no more expensive than gas. Capital investment return for households should be not be more than 8years and subsidy should be at least 20 years. Similar schemes should be created for community projects like wind generators. Come on – set my ambitions on fire and do it!

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EPPING

Naked agression towards the police should result in harsh penalties. Social media is probably a culprit in spreading the words of a demo. Shut them down for 24 hours and doubling? The police have 200+ clear images of the violent perpetrators – prosecute them. If they were campaigning against the Jewish genocide in Gaza or against the climate crisis which threatens us all they would now be in jail.

The one law for one and another for the rest also applies to water. Water companies have built up debts of over £60 billion whilst paying huge bonus payments and dividends, whilst at the same time dumping sewage in our rivers and seas. Senior Whitehall figures (bullshit speak for rich white publicly educated males) have said that pollutin fines may put firms off from investing. They can fuck off! nationalise them – no compensation. If foreign companies do not wish to invest in companies unless the economics are weighed in there favour – well then they can FO too.

Andrea Jenkyn state that climate change did not exist and was just a money making racket. Obviously appealing to knuckle draggers. Obviously thick as shit, but how many due brains voted for her? In teaching climate change I never once was questioned about the safety of my results as I presented. TBH there is no doubt.

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WATER

There is so much crap talked about in the press. Scaremongering is rife. Yes there is a shortage of water in some areas – notably those relying on reservoirs. However despite the dry spring only the northern counties are affected. Those areas with mainly groundwater supplies are relatively unaffected. Rain over the next couple of days will only bring a temporary respite to reservoir levels. So it will be areas with reliance on reservoirs that are affected by droughts. Long term changes in climate will take longer to filter through the system for groundwater supplies. River flows are below normal almost everywhere across the UK which has a bigger impact on wildlife, especially when water companies pump out sewage. I have no idea about my next comments! But surely farms should take measures to ensure water supply in these times of climatic change? Mega water butts could be the future?

It does not look like much rain here until maybe tomorrow afternoon.

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ATTACK MODE

Ed Miliband has got it correct. The way to deal with the climate deniers is to face them head on with facts. The government should also do this with migration, pensions and many other topics – but start slowly.

The facts about climate change/warming are indisputable, even with the petrocompanies pumping millions into false scientific reports. Net zero will not happen overnight, unfortunately, and may come with an initial cost – but like my solar panels (7 years and I was in profit- so maybe 8 if I had taken out a loan). Yes the grid infrastructure will need reform and renewal at a huge cost. But once done, and with onshore wind and a solar subsidy for individuals we can make a difference that will not only save pounds but lives too.

Whilst my neighbours cut their lawns to the roots, and spray them with insecticide, my garden goes from strength to strength. Sage and thyme and rosemary are established and going strong, the yellow rose is brilliant but the others are taking their time. Lovage is good and te mints are struggling. However self seeded fennel, evening primrose and chicory are doing fine. The hanging baskets are also blooming. Regarding insects – lots of hover flies and some bees, butterflies – lots of small skippers (must be breeding?) and whites. No others yet despite the buddliea growing rampant at the back, and numerous nettles. Lots of ladybirds at the moment. I have stopped feeding the birds at the moment as the bird food was sprouting due to lack of interest! i will start in the late autumn again.

I have just had to tie back the fennel and evening primrose so the postman can get to the front door! I fight a constant battle with grass and brambles – but regarding the latter – I am leaving some to produce blackberries. My mulberries are rippening and should be ready latter next week – they do not transport well so will need to be picked and eaten!

So we are going to get some rain? A rain bomb is a possibility? What is a rain bomb? Not something that was around when I was teaching meteorology, but basically a torrential downpour associated with a thunderstorm. Most of the houses shown inundated with flood water are recent builds?

Just going to make cheese straws with sun dried tomatoes, basil, mustard, pepper and sprinkled with parmesan! No recipe so fingers crossed! Oh, just remembered to add garlic! Or is it to much?

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STORIES

Life under Labour has become very boring! Where are the MP’s watching porn or touching up colleagues in Westminster bars? Where are the impractical scams and gross inefficiencies? The main stories this weekend – Angela Rayner being suspended by Unite (so what!); small boats (RW Press are desperately trying to keep this story live – it sells papers to the knuckle draggers); BBC tying itself in knots over anti-semetism and Gaza (If it had remained impartial then it would not be criticised with such vehemence over showing a 3rd rate pop group at Glastonbury leading an anti-war chant).

And the killing of children continues in Gaza and the West Bank; and in the Ukraine; but the media is generally weary of the slaughter of innocents, it would much rather talk about the Beckhams, Master Chef, royalty – all the things that they believe we actually give a fuck about! I suppose some do – is it jealousy or vicarious pleasure in schadenfreude?

Wimbledon wombles to a close – despite vain attempts to make ‘who is in the royal box today’ headline news, frankly I am not interested! There seems to be an interregnum as the last superstars of this century retire and we wait for a new crop to develop. The game has become more professional – where are the Nastase’s, McEnroe’s or Borg’s of today? I apologise if this is sexist nonsense! Womens tennis has not had the personalities, although the Williams sisters and Navratilova etc. have captured the interest by being just brilliant. On which – a thought – why are the points 15, 30, 40, deuce?

Today is the final of FIFA World Club Championship – wgaf – a one billion $ prize fund. The funds will distort the fair play rules, why Chelsea? and not Liverpool or Arsenal? Fortunately football is a very demographic sport – well almost! Leicester won the league a couple of seasons ago. But teams that thrilled last season like Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford and Notts Forest have all seen their best players move to richer clubs. How will Sunderland fair next season – they are buying skilled young players – I hope they will survive mid-table!

Palestine Action. Where can I get a t-shirt and stickers?