Category: Environment

Posted on

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!

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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?

Posted on

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?

Posted on

FUCK

How are so mny Americans so stupid? MAGA supporters are blaming the government for causing the floods that killed over a hundred. I cannotbcomprehend the short circuits that must take place in their brains. Are there people wandering around with black smoke coming out of their ears? They have a MAGA president with, admirably, a large number of brain cells missing – but why would he want to kill white christian girls in particular? Still the knuckle draggers will need to blame someone. God would be the first culprit but due to any proof of its existence they need someone else – migrants cannot really be blamed, nor blacks, gays, or any of their usual weaker victims. So it is back to the government – always good to be blamed, but this time for the weather? Perhaps the wankers should look at their grossly big vehicles for once.

And we have our share of meat heads here in the UK. Starmers deal with Macron may not stop the boats – the gangs have too much to gain for carrying on. However the proposed one for one makes great sense. If a refugee qualifies we should welcome them, and let them get jobs, etc. We need them. Also why does no one refer to the weather when talking about the small boats? We have had a huge amount of calm weather this year. Inevitably the numbers of migrants crossing the channel has increased. Why are people not blaming BREXIT? Oh – because the same people who voted leave are the people who complain about small boats and they do not understand that Brexit caused the small boats crisis.

Temperatures are above 30C – I am watering the greenhouse a couple of times a day, and might run the water butts dry! Whatever – lots of white butterflies and skippers, but also hover flies – I think my garden is a haven for the small and insignificant. NO that was the wrong word – they are not insignificant, and probably more significant than I could comprehend.

Posted on

AWFUL

I am constantly surprised by just how bad the government were. NHS waiting lists; migration figures; water company negligence; education in a mess; housing crisis; the legal system; prisons. Just what were they doing?

Will Labour be any better or is it the system? First signs are not great. Has anything noticably changed for the better? Winter fuel payment fiasco; benefits cuts; inertia about water supply. The overall consensus is that we are getting more of the same ineptitude. Pandering to the RWPress and failing at every step with new policies. I do not want to hear about the multi billion black hole left bybthe tories. I want to hear about reform of just about everything. Every government department should be tasked with how they are going to revolutionise their policies within the budget restraints. I do not expect to agree with all of them, but a vision of the future is needed, fast. Starmer seems proficient at international relations which is a huge improvement on the past 15 years

Domestic news – my nextdoor neighbour was spraying weed killer on dandelions in her lawn. I hope the poison does not affect the growing number of insects in my jungle. She is fighting a never ending battle as my garden cherishes dandelions and the chicory, evening primrose and fennel are spreading! My roses are also looking good – hopefully they will grow in size over the next year to become fully fledged bushes. I might get some more in the autumn. I have red x2, white x2, yellow x2, white x3, purple x1 and orangex1. I also have a mallow that has appeared in the back lawn! i am cutting the sky rockets on my apple tree – I know it is not the time stated – but it feels right to me! Sage is escaping and rosemary and oregano is doing well, as is my lemon mint by the patio.

I might make some cheese straws with crushed pepper, basil and sun dried tomatoes later. I watered the hanging baskets at 5.30am this morning but may have to do them again later.

Posted on

WEATHER

The tragedy in Texas was horrific – possibly 80 dead – after 250mm of rain fell in just 3 hours. Of course people are looking for someone, or some organisation to blame. Is it facetious to suggest that it maybe referred to as “An act of god”. This term is used to identify unpredictable events and is much used by insurance policies to avoid claims. And it was a summer camp for Christian girls. Just sayin’ thats all!

Analysis of the weather event has pointed to the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry which passed over the Gulf of Mexico (or can it be natures way of rebelling against Trump’s renaming it the Gulf of America? This lifted huge amounts of moisture into the atmosphere above Texas. And the hurricanes season in the south-west North Atlantic has only just begun. As a former geography teacher I have long taught that in a hurricane the wind is of less importance than the storm surge and the excess rainfall. It is predicted to be a busy year for hurricanes – but one can never be 100% certain about long range forecasts. However I can be certain that there will be another horrendous hurican in the next couple of years. With higher temperatures there is more evaporation, and thus more flooding. I am not sure about the formation of tornado’s, but …. they are more likely to proliferate with conditions favouring their development.

There is also a human element here. Apparently floods were not unusual – why was there no escape plan? Yes it rained a lot and the river rose rapidly. But with so many little girls resident, surely there should have been an evacuation procedure. If this event had occured on a Geography field trip there is absolutely no way in which we would not have evacuated the area. Radio warnings were given. Gross negligence seems to have occurred!

Pages: 1 2
Posted on

TV

It is time for TV companies to get topical – something they use to justify the blanket coverage of the racist Reform Party. My proposal a weekly bulletin about the climate crisis. It should include extreme weather events from around the world – todays bulletin would include the Texas floods and the heat wave in the Mediterranean. It should also braodcast the abount of renewable energy produced weekly (or daily). Green initiatives could be highlighted with expert input. It could also report on sewage events – name and shame. It could also include debate between climate deniers and green proponents.

National Grid https://grid.iamkate.com stats show 71.5% of energy used at this moment was renewable. I do not care about the arguments that it is daytime and breezy. This is 71.5% of non-polluting energy now. If we can scale this up and add battery storage we can lead the world. The Guardian today has a report on balcony solar panels – cost abot £2000. I know many cannot afford this but maybe some of the UK’s wealthy cound set up a fund to support. My solar panels repaid in 8 years and this year have been spectacular!

PS. My wild garden is well known, but I wonder just how effective it is? Does it attract insects and other wildlife? Does it lower the temperature in summer and raise it in winter? And I know I get a financial result from the herbs and Mulberries at the front and the tomato and raspberries at the back. My little apple tree is now 3m around and the replacement apricot tree is doing ok. It sounds like I have a large garden but this is not true, about 10m wide and 5m at front and 10m at back. It is wild though! A dozen roses and a large sage and a large rosemary, also thyme and a variety of mints. And tomato and a cucumber and basil in greenhouse. Some neighbours are restricting mowing – whether for ecological reasons or just lazy I have no idea!

Posted on

PUZZLED

Discussion at the shop. Basically they were saying that too many people are too lazy to work and are happy to be on benefits. One person was quoted who had given up work due oto a C.S.A. claim. An unmarried mother with 3 children was stated as receiving more than the shop manager earned. I do not know the validity of these claims. However the numbers of people making claims is too high according to the general consensus of the discussion. TBH I kinda agree and disagree. I love living in a society where the NHS is almost free, education is free to 16. I am concerned that swimming pools and libraries are being shut. So I want to blame someone for the reduction in these services. I certainly agree that society should protect the weak and ill. Labour had the right idea, but it got polluted with right wing ethos. Encouraging people into work is brilliant – so why did they raise N.I. for employers? Tax the richest would be great. EQUITABLE is the key here. An equitable society would see people rewarded for risk taking and hard work. But also offer care and support to those who need it. There is a difference between need and want here.

Pages: 1 2