Perhaps our most colourful wildlife. This summer I saw very few, and most of them were small whites. The wet spring may have been a case as they are coldblooded insects. But statistics show a decline of 76% since 1976.
FLOODS
London hit by floods again. High rainfall maybe down to climate change, but we have clothed our cities in impermeable concrete and tarmac. Front gardens have been paved for extra parking. It is time to have a change of plan. All car parks should have lattice paving allowing infiltration. Roof gardens encouraged, lakes and ponds developed, wildlife areas planted. Put more trees in. Subsidised water butts. These measures might not stop future floods but they would certainly help.
BREXIT
Remainers have been criticised for not applauding the benefits of Brexit. Power has transferred in some areas from Brussels to Westminster where it has become centralised with little devolution to the other nations of the UK. Trade with the EU has plummeted and not been replaced. Immigration has been stalled, maybe even halted, but to the detriment of many parts of the economy.
GEOGRAPHY OF VACCINATION
Trying to understand the map of vaccinations.
ESSENTIAL WORKERS
To start with identifying these is easy. NHS and blue light workers. But these people need to get to work so add in public transport workers. Parents need their children to be in school so add teachers and education staff. Shop workers – mainly food shop workers but then add chemists – and supermarkets sell other stuff so in the name of fairness all shop workers. Then financial workers to keep the payment system working.
TRAINS VS LORRIES
A competition the lorry won years ago. But do some maths. A train will take up to 50 containers say from Bristol to Manchester. One driver and lets pay him £200 for half a day(possibly night shift). At each end it will need 50 lorries to distribute at a time cost of 2 hours (loading/unloading delivery. So @ £30 an hour that is another £1500 taking the total to £1700. So lets add in £300 admin. I have no idea about the cost of rail or road haulage but at present we have about £2000 or £40 per container.
THE WINTER AHEAD
In line with recent times it looks like this winter could be ‘interesting’. Fuel prices are definitely going to be higher – by how much we do not know yet. The impact on commercial coal firms is already hitting with CO2 production slashed which has an impact on meat processing and fizzy drinks, as well as the NHS whose supply the government says is safeguarded. So food and drink supplies are likely to be disrupted rather than curtailed. Power supplies should be OK but it might be touch or go at times if we have overcast high pressure reducing wind capacity and leading to low temperatures.
GARDEN
Things are winding down now – only 2 tomatoes ripe this morning, Bright orange chillies have been good with about 30. I have had 2 red peppers and might get another couple. I also have cranberries ripening – hopefully enough for Christmas dinner! Quite a lot of parsley if anyone wants – I could dry some I suppose.
HURRICANE NICHOLAS
With speed up to 110kph and 25mm of rainfall this tropical storm is dying down and although he rainfall could cause problems should not cause a major problem. There are no more imminent tropical. storms at the moment.
Insulate Britain
Campaigners bring M25 to a halt this morning. Forget the anti campaign who state the pollution caused by 10 mile tailbacks. The campaign is in the headlines – it really is shameful that we have not acted o this years ago.