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.
GOING GREEN
We will see how it goes but the Green Party have made a positive choice in Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay as its new leaders. Committed to election success I hope they leave the oddballs on the edge of the party. Extinction Rebellion founder Amelia Woman is still deputy leader but missed out on leadership.
SIMPLE MATHS
Why is there surprise at the shortages in the labour market? Basic demographics in the UK have shown a falling birth rate for years. Certainly less than the birth rate of the baby boom 60 years ago. So more people are retiring than are coming into work force = labour shortage. This was offset formerly by the EU free movement of labour.
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.
WEATHER THIS WINTER
TIME FOR A RETHINK
Many things are broken or not functioning properly in our society. The prime Minister bangs on about levelling up – why? because too many in society have been left behind. Our free market economy is reliant on poorly paid workers with little security. The supply chain is breaking apart and patching it will only delay the need for an overhaul.