They're Heeeere!

Very optimistically, one of the almost-mythical, lesser-spotted Trams has parked itself in Princes Street in Edinburgh.

I say optimistically, since there aren't any tram tracks which join onto Princes Street yet, and the chances of there being any depend on which quadrant of the sky the moon is in.

So I went along yesterday to have a look. It's quite spacious, although given the number of standing passengers they're going to allow onto it that's probably a good thing. The seats are the same leather ones as on the airport buses.

Here's a weary commuter trying them out:

This is what the driving cab looks like, for all you train geeks out there:

But wait, what's that red warning light on the dashboard? Eek!

And talking of optimism, I also spotted this road sign in Princes Street. It refers to a road which has no tram tracks laid:

Scottish Greens Election Video

I meant to post this last night and completely forgot. Hopefully all my Scottish readers saw it on TV last night. It's ever-so-subtly different from the English version:

Lessons From The Ash Cloud

Photo by DidbyGraham

The anecdotal evidence has proven true - the skies being closed due to the volcanic ash cloud caused an upsurge in railway journeys in Britain. Virgin says that on one route, Holyhead to London, there were seven times as many passengers!

It strikes me that there are lessons to be learned from both sides here.

Firstly, the passengers. It's hard work to get someone to try an alternative product, particularly if they are stuck in their ways. Now that the "extra" passengers have seen what the railway has to offer, hopefully some of them can be retained and there will be less demand for internal UK flights.

The second lesson is for the train operating companies. If you provide, then the demand will be there. In the Rail News article, Arriva Trains Wales says they provided an extra overnight service from Holyhead to Crewe, to connect with an early morning Virgin train to London. If there is a demand, then can that become a regular thing?

In an ideal world, there will be a few boardrooms around the country where you can hear the humming as the Directors go "Hmmm...."


Incidentally, I once had a ride in the cab of an HST from Crewe to Holyhead. It's an absolutely stunning route which I had plenty of time to appreciate - I couldn't understand the driver's thick Welsh accent and he couldn't understand my Scottish accent, so we gave up trying to talk to each other!

Perceived Worth

Photo by Arbron

There's a fun little story over on SmartPlanet which looks at the price of Apple products compared to the Apple share price.

The premise is simple: instead of buying the Apple product, what if you invested the retail price in Apple stock instead?

They have a couple of examples on their website but it's this one which stands out:

1997 Apple PowerBook G3 250:
$5,700 retail; $330,563 stock value today

This is ludicrous in a couple of ways. I'm nowhere near being an economist (despite the two years studying Accounting - they were a blur) but to have shares increase to 40 times their value in 13 years seems unsustainable. As is taking money out of the "real world" economy in order to invest in something so overpriced.

Secondly, of course, is the product itself. How many people spent that hard-earned $5,700 to covet the PowerBook for a few years, before consigning it to a shelf in the spare room? Apple are particularly good at manufacturing a perceived obsolescence in their products - just look at the comment under this photo in Flickr that I found.

I fear, though, that our economy is now built on this shoogly foundation - the perceived worth of both a company and its products, with no one truly understanding the real value of anything.

Majority Of Scots Oppose Trump

Photo by Michele Sandberg

Donald Trump's proposed golf course at Menie in Aberdeenshire has run into a bit of opposition in the past. If it's not local councillors refusing to bend over for him and do his bidding, then it's local residents refusing to sell him their houses.

If you recall, this is the Site of Special Scientific Interest which The Donald wants to build a golf course on. The local council heard the 'kerching' of money heading their way and decided to allow Trump to have everything he wanted.

There was just one problem - the people who lived there already.

Patrick Harvie is meeting one of those residents today, an 86-year-old woman who has been living with the threat of being turfed out of her home for a millionaire's playground.

The Donald is used to being feted wherever he goes, and I'm sure was expecting the same treatment in his "native" Scotland. There's some more bad news for him this morning, though - 64% of Scots oppose his plans.

The Highland Clearances live long and hard in our collective memories. To see an incoming millionaire try to do the 21st Century equivalent sticks in the throat of many.

Green In The Media 26th April - 2nd May

Having ignored the environment for the last two weeks, the various election debates seem to go green this week. Look out for the Scottish Greens Party Political Broadcast on Wednesday evening as well.

Monday 26th April

The Monday Documentary
On: BBC World Service Radio
Time: 09:06 to 09:30 (Also 1200, 1500, 2000)
The Price of Biofuels.
Gerry Northam investigates

The Daily Politics Election Debate
On: BBC 2
Time: 14:15 to 15:00 (Also BBC Parliament 2000, Thu 2000, Sat 1800)
The Environment Debate.
Live debate on environmental policy between Ed Miliband for Labour, Greg Clark for the Conservatives, Simon Hughes for the Lib Dems and Darren Johnson for the Greens. They are cross-examined by Andrew Neil and Newsnight's Justin Rowlatt.

Bang Goes the Theory
On: BBC 1
Time: 19:30 to 20:00
Liz travels to Norway to investigate the latest technology to combat climate change.

Tuesday 27th April

Home Planet
On: BBC Radio Four
Time: 15:00 to 15:30
Richard Daniel and the team discuss listeners' questions about the natural world and our impact on it.

Party Election Broadcast on Behalf of the Green Party
On: Five
Time: 19:55 to 20:00
A party election broadcast on behalf of the Green Party ahead of the general election on 6 May.

Night Waves
On: BBC Radio Three
Time: 21:15 to 22:00
Rana Mitter speaks to playwright David Greig about updating Peter Pan and discusses whether climate change is a new framework for the way we write history.

Wednesday 28th April

Costing the Earth
On: BBC Radio Four
Time: 21:00 to 21:30
Volcanoes have provoked enormous environmental changes since the birth of the planet. Tom Heap investigates the effects of the latest Icelandic eruption.

Party Election Broadcast by the Scottish Green Party
On: All Channels
Time: STV 22:30, BBC1 22:45, BBC2 23:30

Thursday 29th April

One Planet
On: BBC World Service Radio
Time: 10:32 to 11:00 (Also 1530, 2030, 0130, Sun 0630)
One Planet looks at how we use our planet.

Friday 30th April

Election 2010
On: BBC Parliament
Time: 16:00 to 16:40
The South Today Debate.
As the election campaign gets into top gear, Sally Taylor hosts a Question Time-style debate from Reading's Hexagon theatre. The audience gets to put their questions directly to the politicians. The panel includes the Green's Caroline Lucas


Excerpts taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from
http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=20818
Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.

The Week In Green Numbers

€4.2 million

- amount that the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull would owe at current carbon prices #

930

- number of minke whales which Japan currently targets each year #

4%

- total human greenhouse gas emissions accounted for by the dairy industry #

20,000

- number of people that will be displaced by a new dam in the Amazon rainforest #

90.2%

- increase in car production in March compared to last year #

Your Nationalised, Privatised, Mutualised Railway Network

Photo by didbygraham

There have been a few railway stories this week which have had me arching an eyebrow and trying to contemplate the bigger picture. And they all emanate from Britain's ludicrous way of privatising the railway.

First up is the news that the company I work for has been renationalised. By another country. Deutsche Bahn has bought Arriva, giving the bizarre situation that British government subsidies will now go directly into German government coffers.

Meanwhile the train driver's union, ASLEF, has announced that they're going to bid to run the East Coast franchise when it is re-privatised next year. They want to run it on a Not-For-Profit basis, which is admirable but realistically most of the franchises are not-for-profit since they don't make any money!

Unfortunately I think ASLEF are on a hiding to nothing here. Depending on the outcome of the election, a Labour government won't want to give them the franchise for fear of allegations of cronyism, and a Conservative government are never going to let a union run a railway company just in case they make a good job of it!

The third and final story is about a Co-operative looking to start a new open-access train company. Open access companies are those which are outwith the government franchise system, like Grand Central and Wrexham & Shropshire. Go! Co-op want to run from Yeovil to Birmingham, but I don't know the area so I don't know if there's a demand.

Open access operators always have a fight on their hands just to get started. Grand Central had to see off GNER when they complained about having to compete (!), and Wrexham & Shropshire kept getting thumped over the head by Virgin.

Don't expect to see Go! Co-op anytime in the next couple of years.

The Absence Of Shame

Photo by minicooper93402

You know, I'm as proud as the next Scotsman that this tiny wee country of ours has world-leading climate change targets. For a government to promise to reduce emissions by 42% by 2020, and to enshrine that in law, takes balls.

Looking at other legislatures around the world and the hoops that they have to jump through just to get a reduction in single figures, or to get their parliament to even acknowledge climate change, it swells the chest with pride that we're leading the way and not sitting around waiting for others to make the first move.

So what is our first move? What ground-breaking reduction in emissions have the government in store for us?

What giant leap for Scots-kind will be made to get to that all-important 42% in ten years?

How about setting a target of 0.5% for the next couple of years?

Alex Salmond tried to defend it in the Parliament today at First Minister's Questions but was far from convincing.

In fact, he said that it takes time for renewable energy schemes to come on-stream, hence the low targets to begin with.

This is an obfuscation - it's not a 'target' if you know that's what the emissions will be when a certain wind farm goes live. Then it's just a statement of fact. A target is something you should be striving for, moving hell and high water to attempt to achieve. Not a figure you announce because you know you'll easily achieve it.

In this year of 10:10, when individuals, schools, organisations and councils across the world are attempting to reduce their emissions by 10% in one year, the Scottish Government embarrasses us all with their 0.5% "target".

Alex Salmond didn't even have the good grace to look ashamed today.

Jenny Says "Nothing To Do With Us, Guv"

The Guardian's Edinburgh 'Beatblogger', Tom Allan, put out a call last week for questions to ask Edinburgh Council Leader Jenny Dawe, so I took the chance to see exactly what the council's stance was on the proposed biomass power plant for Leith docks.

Unfortunately it seems Ms Dawe has also taken the chance...to distance the Council from anything to do with the decisions about the plant. She claims (rather incredibly, it has to be said) that it's a Scottish Government decision and Edinburgh doesn't have a say. This is in the same week that East Lothian Council had a vote on the Cockenzie Power Plant proposals even though theoretically that is also a Scottish Government matter.

You can hear my (borderline sarcastic) question and her answer here:

How Low Can You Go?

I've had some fun this morning playing around with the Guardian's newly-released National Carbon Calculator.

The aim is simple - just how much carbon can you save compared to today's levels by implementing the policies that you believe in. Can you keep energy supply and demand in balance if you get rid of all the coal power plants in the UK? What if all cars were electric? Would people still be able to fly, volcano or no volcano?

The government target is to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. By sheer coincidence (!) here are my results:

Actually, I had to do a lot of tweaking to get the emissions that low. The secret isn't so much in how the power is generated - the Liberal Democrats only managed to reduce their emissions by 50% even with 100% renewable energy - but in consumer consumption.

We will need to consume far far less from overseas, and far less from the UK. Is this realistic? Only time will tell.

Council Opposes Cockenzie Plans

Scottish Power are desperately trying to cling on to their Cockenzie power plant, just down the coast from Edinburgh.

Unfortunately for them, the locals are desperately trying to get rid of it.

Cockenzie is the dirtiest coal-fired power station in Europe, and it seems the locals have had enough. Scottish Power have been trying all the tricks - scaremongering about jobs, mentioning Carbon Capture & Storage.

The latest was to convert the station from coal to gas - a kind of recycling, I suppose!

The local council have seen right through it. At a meeting last night, they voted to oppose the plans in principle. They could still be overruled by the Scottish Government, though, but even at 50% of the current CO₂ emissions the place would still be a stain on Scotland's climate change targets.Their decision will depend on how much notice they take of their own Climate Change legislation.

I've joked before on here that Cockenzie is the one place in Scotland I recommend you use a car - to jump into and get as far away as possible as fast as possible!

The Manifestos: Scottish Green Party

Those cheeky scamps at the Scottish Green Party have managed to include me in their manifesto. Well, okay they didn't include me, just a picture mash-up I did for this blog a few months back. Specifically, this image which appears on Page 4.

As if I wasn't going to be biased enough, they're trying to bribe me with flattery!

Commitments are in red, my comments are in black:

We reject the idea that the mere possibility of Carbon Capture and Storage, an unproven technology that’s still in development, should be used to justify new fossil fuelled power stations.

Nor should “energy from waste” be used as an excuse for another generation of industrial incinerators

begin a national energy efficiency and energy demand reduction programme

The first step is the easiest, and the first step should be reducing our existing energy demand.

insulate all domestic and public sector buildings to a high standard

provide incentives for combined heat and power schemes and for district heating

This seems to be an idea who's time has come - all the parties are championing local schemes. Talking of which...

extend the feed-in tariff to cover all micro-generation and community-owned renewables and begin a retrofit programme to add micro-renewables to public buildings

oppose new nuclear power stations, and decommission existing ones as they age

reduce the volume of coal burned in power stations as renewables come online

begin the long term strategic planning needed to provide charging points in time for [electric] vehicles coming onto the market

We know they're coming, so why not plan now?

seek to renationalise the railway network

expand the high speed rail network, which must be built to serve Scotland, not just London and the southern half of the UK

This is a no-brainer for anyone who lives north of Birmingham.

oppose airport expansion, to ensure that carbon cuts elsewhere are not wasted

decrease demand for transport through stronger local economies to meet communities’ needs

Greens will introduce a supermarket regulator

You know what? I think the only party who have not pledged to introduce a supermarket regulator is the SNP. Maybe the 'S' in their name actually stands for 'Sainsburys'!!

tighten controls on industrial fishing and put the emphasis on sustainable fishing, including regeneration zones, no take zones, quotas for bycatch of non-target species, onboard observers and marine protected areas

impose a moratorium on new fin-fish farms pending an enquiry into their environmental impacts

It's about time someone looked at these objectively and independently.

abolish Trident replacement, and scrap the existing nuclear fleet

As Billy Connolly once said, you could fill the missiles with doughnuts and no one would ever know. But hell, it's not like the country could do with £100 billion, is it?

push for a global treaty on greenhouse gas emissions

Whaddya mean you weren't expecting that one??

commit a minimum of 1% of GDP in aid to developing countries

drop the debts owed by the most indebted countries which cannot afford to repay them

Didn't Tony Blair sign us up to this in 2005? Obviously he moved mountains to ensure it happened...

oppose arbitrary caps on immigration

urgently end asylum destitution and the imprisonment of children in the asylum system

Holding children in detention camps is Britain's Shame, and one that we would have condemned other countries for once upon a time.

So there you go, selected highlights of the Scottish Green Party manifesto.

In my completely biased opinion I like this one the best!

The Manifestos: Scottish National Party

There were a couple of Manifesto launches today to round off all the runners and riders - well okay, not all of them. Do you really want me to pluck out my own eyeballs as I read the BNP Manifesto?

First up, the SNP. Like Plaid Cymru, the SNP Manifesto feels more like a holding statement in preparation for next year's Scottish Elections rather than a real manifesto.

Their environmental commitments are in red, my comments are in black:

Our aim is to increase low carbon employment in Scotland by 60,000 by 2020

demanding the release of the Fossil Fuel Levy money so it can be used to deliver £200 million new investment in renewables

This is an update on the old "It's Scotland's Oil" argument. It now runs along the lines of "It's Scotland's Oil but the climate is changing so rather than giving us the oil back to do with as we please, just give us the revenues to invest in wind turbines and we'll pretend that it's actually you and not us who is polluting the world". Or something like that.

ending the discriminatory transmission charging regime – a system that sees Scottish generators paying far more to connect to the grid than companies elsewhere in the UK

This is a long-standing bugbear of most people north of the border, not just the SNP, but unfortunately Labour in Westminster seem unwilling or unable to do anything about it.

Scotland must be part of the first phase of the proposed UK High Speed Rail Network

With independence, we can remove the obscenity of nuclear weapons from Scotland's shores

We propose a Scottish Centre for Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution, to promote peaceful alternatives to armed conflict [around the world]

(except on Old Firm matchdays)

We believe the offshore taxation regime should also support the development of Carbon Capture and Storage

I may be reading too much into that, but my first thought was that they would like to give oil companies tax breaks if they pumped CO₂ into the used North Sea oilfields. Can anyone correct me?

And, er, that's it. like I said, it reads more as a holding statement than a proper manifesto.

(And can I just say, the formatting was awful! Every other manifesto has been a simple cut-and-paste job, but with the SNP one I gave up and ended up typing in what I wanted to highlight.)

Pay Me For My Poo

Photo by Michel Filion

The BBC yesterday had an article about a trial in Didcot where human waste will be diverted from the normal sewage pipes into anaerobic digesters, which will then convert it into bio-methane. This in turn will be pumped into 130 homes as a replacement for natural gas - and if all goes well, the customers won't notice the difference.

But it got me thinking - the government has just started the feed-in tariff scheme, whereby a home which produces excess electricity can feed it into the National Grid and receive a decent price for it. Surely then, if your house is hooked up to an anaerobic digester then this is also a "feed-in" scheme, since you will be contributing to the country's resources.

Therefore, you should be remunerated for your sewage. The more you poo, the more money you receive.

After one of my infamous pots of chilli, I'll make a fortune!

Leading You Up The Garden Path

Photo by ash.lewis

I was delivering leaflets for the Scottish Greens today in a rather posh part of Edinburgh - full of bungalows, small yappy dogs and 2.4 cars in the driveway.

And it's the driveways that I noticed most, because there's a phenomenon prevalent there that I've noticed elsewhere.

My parents have done it too - instead of having a small garden at the front of your house, it now seems to be the norm to concrete over the greenery in order to get your car off the street.

In fact, coming across some lush foliage in a front garden became quite rare as I progressed through the streets this morning.

I don't keep up with house prices, but I started to wonder whether having concrete instead of grass outside your house was seen as a selling point.

There is a problem of course, well illustrated by my parent's front garden. Their house is slightly lower than the street pathway, so what used to be the front garden and is now a monoblock driveway slopes downwards towards the house.

So every time it rains, a huge puddle/loch appears right outside their front door.

The same will be seen throughout these areas with concrete front gardens - rainwater has nowhere to drain away any more. Surely this will see flooding in some areas of the city, as well as the groundwater not being replenished at the rate it once was.

On the other hand, I'm no geologist so I could be leading you up the wrong path.

Green In The Media 19th - 25th April

You may recall a series last year where Monty Hall took himself off to live on the west coast of Scotland in an attempt to live simply. I did hear some mutterings on the grapevine that he wasn't living as simply as the TV pictures claimed, but that's by-the-by - the scenery was stunning and I enjoyed the episodes.

He's back with a new series this week, this time heading to the Hebrides to live in a crofter's cottage.

Monday 19th April

Relocation, Relocation
On: more4
Time: 17:30 to 18:35
Kirstie and Phil are going all green as house hunters Sue and Neil don't just want two new homes, they want a house to help stop the planet getting hotter, but it's simply got to be cool. They want a home in Devon where, with water, wind and solar power, they can create as much energy as they use and also design a modern funky interior. But, unsurprisingly, it does mean a huge list of requirements: a south facing house that has its own wood, a stream, more than 3.5 acres of land, the potential to convert the interior to an open plan contemporary living space and outbuildings for an eco holiday business. Plus they want a flat in Brighton so that Sue can visit her daughter and grandson. Can our property super heroes turn this search around?

Tuesday 20th April

Home Planet
On: BBC Radio Four
Time: 15:00 to 15:30
Richard Daniel and the team discuss listeners' questions about the natural world and our impact on it.

Wednesday 21st April

Monty Halls' Great Hebridean Escape
On: BBC 2
Time: 21:00 to 22:00
After a year of city living, marine biologist and professional diver Monty Halls returns to live the good life in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. This time, he and his canine companion, Reuben, are sharing a restored crofter's cottage on the Hebridean island of North Uist. And this time, he has a job to do - a volunteer wildlife ranger. Monty throws himself into island life - Highland Games, fishing for salmon and trout, and exploring the wildlife and remote reaches of his new domain.

Thursday 22nd April

One Planet
On: BBC World Service Radio
Time: 10:32 to 11:00 (Also 1530, 2030, 0130, Sat 2030, Sun 0630, 2330)
One Planet looks at how we use our planet.

Open Country
On: BBC Radio Four
Time: 15:00 to 15:27
Matt Baker meets some of the residents of the villages in the National Park who are aiming to be carbon negative in five years' time by involving the whole community in several green schemes that make use of some of Wales's greatest natural resources, its rivers, waterfalls and woodlands. The Welsh hill pony is also viewed by conservationists as a vital natural asset to the landscape of Wales. The semi-feral ponies are put on the mountains to graze and keep paths and tracks passable, but Matt hears why they are under threat. Matt also takes a taxi tour around the area to test the cabbie on his local knowledge as part of a new scheme to encourage visitors to leave their cars at home and use trains and taxis to travel around the Park as a further way of reducing carbon emissions in the area.

Sunday 25th April

Countryfile
On: BBC 1
Time: 18:15 to 19:15
John Craven investigates plans to create a rail link between London and the North which will slash journey times - but what will it mean for the countryside?


Excerpts taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from
http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=20818
Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.

The Week In Green Numbers

13%

- drop in sales of organic food in 2009 #

75 feet

- size of a tsunami wave on a lake in Peru caused by a glacier breaking #

20 years

- how long it will take the Great Barrier Reef to repair itself after a coal ship ran into it #

86.6 million barrels a day

- projected global demand for oil this year #

$4 million

- amount paid to the Abercrombie & Fitch CEO to stop him using the company jet so much #

206,465 tons per day

- CO₂ saved by 60% of the flights across Europe being cancelled #

My, What A Nice Ash

Photo by NASA Goddard Photo And Video

With the eruption of the volcano-that-can't-be-pronounced (was it a deliberate joke on the part of the Icelanders to put 15 J's and 22 L's in the name?) we've seen an upturn in the number of train passengers.

Some of them seem pleasantly surprised by what train travel has to offer, and it's a chance for the industry to shine for them. Some, it has to be said, are there under sufferance and are quick to tell you.

But what kind of effect is the grounding of a huge chunk of Europe's airlines having on the environment?

Volcanoes produce greenhouse gases so it's not all good, plus if the eruption is big enough it can produce a noticeable cooling effect on the globe which would mask the normal warming.

But if you want a quick answer as to whether the volcano is better or worse for the environment than flying, then see this graphic.

And when you've retrieved your socks from across the room, go and have a look at the Edinburgh sunsets which were submitted to the Guardian Edinburgh Flickr group. Unfortunately most of them don't use Creative Commons so I can't show them here, but I love the one with the castle.

The Manifestos: Monster Raving Loony Party

Just for a bit of fun, here's the Loony pledges on the environment!

To combat global warming and climate change all buildings should be fitted with air conditioning units on the outside.

The idea of weight monitoring chips in wheelie bins should be scrapped, instead the wheels should be removed, this would mean that if people generated too much waste they could not put their non-wheelie bin out for collection. It would also help prevent them being chucked into canals.

Make Weeding an Olympic sport in order to save the 100 year old Manor Garden Allotments from being demolished for the 2012 games.

It is proposed to declare the Channel Tunnel a No Fly Zone.

All weed killers should be considered as a weapon of mass destruction

The Loch Ness Monster should be added to the endangered species list.

It is proposed that all car owners in London be forced to replace their cars with hovercrafts

In order to reduce pollution all cars must have their engines removed, instead they should have holes in the bottom where people can put their feet and run along. This would be a little bit like the Flintstones

I want a hovercraft!

The Manifestos: Green Party of England & Wales

Do you really want me to detail all the green proposals in the Green manifesto? Really? I'd be as well copy & pasting the entire document!

You can read the whole manifesto here, but here's some edited highlights from the "Environment" section:

Discourage use of fossil fuels by bringing back the fuel duty escalator

In the longer run, introduce carbon quotas

introduce a massive programme of direct Government investment in large-scale wind and other renewable generation

Require all major development plans and planning applications to show how they will contribute to carbon reduction targets.

Aim to obtain about half our energy from renewable sources by 2020

Phase out nuclear power and resolutely oppose any new nuclear power stations.

Not permit any further investment in new coal-fuelled power stations.

Oppose the large-scale cultivation of bio-fuels

Introduce stronger planning policies to support onshore wind, tidal,wave,solar and geothermal energy schemes

Ensure that at least 10% of transport spending is on securing a shift to more active travel like walking and cycling

Reallocate the £30 billion the Government has earmarked for road-building over the next 10 years

Reregulate bus services nationally

Give higher priority to railways and plan for a growing railway network.

Return the railways, tube system and other light railway systems,including both track and operations,to public ownership.

Abolish car tax and replace it with a purchase tax on new cars that reflects their emissions

Expand the rail freight network and make greater use of waterways,where suitable

Introduce taxation on aviation that reflects its full environmental costs

Stop airport expansion and shift shorter air journeys to the railways

Support GM-free zones and continue to work for a complete ban on genetically modified food in Europe

Implement a full ban on the production and sale of eggs produced from hens kept in battery cages

Volcano Shuts Scottish Airports

All Scottish airports have been closed after ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has blanketed the country.

Is this the first time in history a volcanic eruption has decreased a country's greenhouse gas emissions?

The Manifestos: Liberal Democrat

The Liberal Democrats have tried to ensure that green issues pervade everything else. Instead of having a separate environment section in their manifesto, their policies are spread throughout the chapters. More work for me!

The manifesto pledges are in red, my comments in black:

Saying no to the like-for-like replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system, which could cost £100 billion.

Investing up to £400 million in refurbishing shipyards in the North of England and Scotland so that they can manufacture offshore wind turbines and other marine renewable energy equipment.

Launching an ‘Eco Cash-Back’ scheme, for one year only, which will give you £400 if you install double glazing, replace an old boiler, or install micro-generation

Why just for one year? This seems to be an extension of the current boiler scrappage scheme.

Setting aside extra money for schools who want to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings. They will pay back the loan over time from energy savings, creating a rolling fund to help insulate every public building.

Investing £140 million in a bus scrappage scheme

Hmm, I can't say I've noticed a huge problem with old buses, but I do live in a city with fantastic public transport.

Encourage community-owned renewable energy schemes where local people benefit from the power produced.

We will cancel plans for a third runway at Heathrow and other airport expansion in the South East, and reduce pollution from vehicle exhausts through tighter regulation. We will aim to fully meet European air quality targets by 2012.

Surely the third runway is dead in the water by now? 2 of the big 3 parties have promised to cancel the project.

Begin a national programme to insulate many more homes paid for by the savings from lower energy bills.

There's that damnable 'paying for stuff through savings' again. Why not grants instead???

We’ll ensure that effective energy effi ciency measures are introduced to keep bills low

Cut rail fares, changing the rules in contracts with Train Operating Companies so that regulated fares fall behind inflation by 1 per cent each year, meaning a real-terms cut.

Make Network Rail refund a third of your ticket price if you have to take a rail replacement bus service.

End testing of household products on animals.

Begin a ten-year programme of home insulation, offering a home energy improvement package of up to £10,000 per home, paid for by the savings from lower energy bills, and make sure every new home is fully energy-efficient by improving building regulations.

Set a target for 40 per cent of UK electricity to come from clean, non-carbon-emitting sources by 2020, rising to 100 per cent by 2050

Transform the electricity networks into a dynamic electricity grid that can better connect and integrate new, clean energy technologies

Block any new coal-fired power stations – the most polluting form of power generation – unless they are accompanied by the highest level of carbon capture and storage facilities.

At least they managed to resist using the words "clean coal".

Reject a new generation of nuclear power stations; based on the evidence nuclear is a far more expensive way of reducing carbon emissions than promoting energy conservation and renewable energy.

require companies and government departments to report on their energy use and set targets for reducing it.

We will set a 30 per cent energy efficiency improvement target for 2020, and will commit the government to the goals of the 10:10 campaign as a fi rst step.

Liberal Democrats are committed to securing a legally binding global agreement on limiting the increase in global temperatures to below 1.7 degrees Celsius.

1.7° C goes further than anyone else has been prepared to say before.

Promote the transition to a low-carbon economy in Europe, by moving unilaterally and immediately to an EU emissions reduction target of 30 per cent by 2020

Boost investment in clean energy by reforming the EU emissions trading scheme

And god knows it needs reform!

Work for the adoption of ‘quick win’ measures that could be initiated within the next few years such as reducing the use of hydrofl uorocarbons (HFCs).

Work through the EU to make sure that the environment is fully integrated into the objectives of international institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation.

We will argue for an international target of zero net deforestation by 2020; support a new system of payments to developing countries to enable them to reduce deforestation; and adopt at EU – or, if necessary, at UK – level a new law making it illegal to import or possess timber produced illegally in foreign countries.

And the LibDems make three - all the parties are committing to ban illegally logged timber reaching the UK regardless of what the EU does.

Work with other countries to develop an international labelling system for the environmental impact of products

bring forward urgent proposals for a financial transaction tax and a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions from aviation and shipping

Switch traffic from road to rail by investing in local rail improvements, such as opening closed rail lines and adding extra tracks, paid for by cutting the major roads budget.

Give councils greater powers to regulate bus services according to community needs so that local people get a real say over routes and fares

Include the promotion of safer cycling and pedestrian routes in all local transport plans

Replace the per-passenger Air Passenger Duty with a per-plane duty (PPD), so capturing freight movements by air for the first time.

Introduce an additional, higher rate of PPD on domestic flights for which alternative and less polluting travel is readily available.

Work through the EU for a zero emissions target for all new cars by 2040

Undertake preparations for the introduction of a system of road pricing

Set targets for ‘zero waste’, aiming to end the use of landfill.

halt the loss of habitats and species and as far as possible restore biodiversity by 2020.

Create a new designation – similar to Site of Special Scientific Interest status – to protect green areas of particular importance or value to the community

This intrigues me, but there are no further details. Would it have stopped Trump building his golf course at Menie?

Having now gone through the whole manifesto, the LibDem's idea of spreading their "green" proposals throughout the different chapters allowed them to announce the same thing multiple times, making it look like they had more pledges than they actually had. Still, I can't find much wrong with what they have announced.

The Manifestos: Plaid Cymru

This is for our Celtic cousins in Wales. Naturally, I've taken the time and effort to translate it from the original Welsh...

Oh, okay, I downloaded the English version!

The manifesto pledges are in red, any comments I make are in black.

We want decisions on energy production to be taken closer to the people - in our National Assembly, rather than at Westminster.

That's fair enough. If the Conservatives and Labour want to give local councils more control over energy generation, then there's no reason why the Welsh Assembly shouldn't have increased powers too.

Plaid will continue to campaign for a windfall tax on energy companies to help pay for grants for insulation for lower income families.

We will also work to ensure that the new feed-in tariffs encourage community-scale renewable energy.

The National Assembly has agreed, with cross party support, to reduce emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2020. Plaid will work to ensure that this decision is turned into meaningful and effective action

We will continue to oppose the use of waste incinerators and support binding targets for waste prevention

Opposing the use of waste incinerators will be news to their fellow Nationalists who don't seem to see anything wrong with incinerators.

We support recycling targets of 80% of domestic waste by 2020 and the introduction of a higher landfll tax

We will campaign for changes in public procurement legislation so that Local Authorities can favour materials from recycled and local sources.

This is the first time in any of the manifestos where we've seen public procurement mentioned as a means to achieving environmental goals.

reaffirm our commitment to keeping Wales GM-free

We need to make sure the new ‘Supermarket Ombudsman’, which Plaid has long called for, has the teeth it needs so that Welsh producers get a fair deal.

There's that Supermarket Ombudsman again. I'm beginning to suspect I missed an announcement recently!

We will support micro generation and other small-scale sustainable power generation schemes, including tidal, wave-power, on-shore and offshore wind, hydro and biomass

We call for emission performance standards for all new power stations and we reaffrm our opposition to the construction of any new nuclear power stations in Wales.

We call for research into the creation of a European Smart Power Grid for the sharing of renewable energies across Europe.

Plaid Cymru opposes plans for a third runway at Heathrow

We call for the removal of hidden subsidies for air travel and the introduction of tax on aviation fuel. The revenue generated should be invested in improving the public transport network and in reducing rail and long-distance bus fares substantially.

The playing field between airlines and public transport should be levelled. The lack of a tax on aviation fuel cannot be justified in a climatically-changing world.

We reiterate our call for the railway system to be brought back into public ownership.

We call for a review of the National Assembly’s powers over freight transport and a phased transfer of heavy freight from road to rail

Because Plaid Cymru recognises that in many parts of Wales road travel is unavoidable, we are committed to upgrading key major road routes, especially north-south links.

It was all going so well until the call for more roads! But still, not a bad effort. However, as I suspect the SNP manifesto will be, it reads as a mere "holding document" for a party waiting for next year's Welsh Assembly elections.

The Manifestos: Conservative

The mantra of "Vote Blue, Go Green" seems to have been sidelined in recent years as the Conservative Party has stabilised behind David Cameron and Tory backbenchers have increasingly felt secure enough to challenge their leader.

Again, the manifesto pledges are in red and my comments in black.

Instead of using rules and regulations to impose a centralised world view, we will go with the grain of human nature, creating new incentives and market signals which reward people for doing the right thing.

I highlight this to contrast it with the Labour Party's view of more environmental regulation.

a Conservative government will work towards an ambitious global deal that will limit emissions

we can confirm our aim of reducing carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

in government, we will lead from the front by delivering a 10 per cent cut in central government emissions within twelve months

Here's a "wow" moment. 10% in 12 months? How? Unfortunately, they don't say. This could be tied into their "efficiency savings" to tackle the financial crisis though.

create an ‘electricity internet’ – a highly interactive network, based on a new smart grid that will interact with smart meters in people’s homes

introducing an emissions Performance Standard to limit the levels of greenhouse gases our power stations produce

clearing the way for new nuclear power stations – provided they receive no public subsidy

There's not a nuclear power station in the world that doesn't require public subsidy in one way or another. Does this mean the Tories are pledging that all costs associated with nuclear plants - including the long-term storage of waste - will be met by the private sector?

creating four carbon capture and storage-equipped plants

This is the same as the Labour manifesto, 4 new coal plants.

delivering an offshore electricity grid in order to support the development of a new generation of offshore wind power, and establishing at least two marine energy Parks

giving local authorities the power to establish new district heating networks

Again, localised energy is the same as what Labour are promising.

allowing communities that host renewable energy projects like wind farms to keep the additional business rates they generate for six years

we will reform the energy regulator ofgem

we will create a ‘green Deal’, giving every home up to £6,500 worth of energy improvement measures – with more for hard-to-treat homes – paid for out of savings made on fuel bills over 25 years

Here's this paying for things out of your fuel bill savings that I talked about with the Labour manifesto. I'll say it again - one of the main reasons for people to increase their energy efficiency is to lower their bills immediately. If you remove that incentive then they'll just not bother.

We will improve the energy effciency of everyday appliances by drawing on the experience of the ‘top runner’ scheme from japan.

Does this mean an abandonment of the EU's grading scheme for appliances?

ensure that 10 per cent of the staff directly employed by ‘green Deal’ providers are apprentices

We will support the strongest protection for endangered species and work to protect vital habitats from destruction.

We will tackle the smuggling and illegal trade in wildlife through our new border Police force.

We will f ght for wholesale reform of the Common fisheries Policy to encourage sustainable practices, give communities a greater say over the future of their fishing industries, and bring an end to the scandal of fish discards.

We will work to reduce the use of animals in scientific research.

firmly oppose any resumption of commercial whaling and do all we can to ensure that the international moratorium stays in place

press for a total ban on ivory sales and the destruction of existing stockpiles

promote new green spaces and wildlife corridors to help animals adapt and thrive in the face of climate change.

The Labour manifesto doesn't mention animals at all, so it was a surprise to see this section.

We will produce a White Paper on protecting the natural environment, including a focus on restoring habitat. We will pioneer a new system of conservation credits to protect habitats.

review the governance arrangements for national Parks and aonbs to ensure that they are more accountable to local communities

in addition to ongoing woodland creation, we will launch a national tree planting campaign, planting up to one million new trees in the next Parliament.

pressing for fnancial support from within a reformed eU budget to be given to developing countries to halt deforestation

pressing for only legally-harvested timber and timber products to be made available on the market

introducing a new criminal offence under UK law for the import and possession of illegal timber.

Again, like Labour, they seem to be saying that they will halt illegally logged timber reaching these shores regardless of what the EU does.

We will prevent development on the most fertile farmland, in all but exceptional circumstances.

ensure that consumers have the right to choose non-gm foods through clear labelling

not permit any commercial planting of GM crops until and unless it has been assessed as safe for people and the environment

develop a legally-binding protocol covering the separation of GM and non-GM material, including clear industry liability

Again, the Labour manifesto makes no mention of GM crops so this is welcome, although I'd prefer a commitment to a complete ban.

We advocate the dismantling of market-distorting subsidies at a pace that allows time for british farmers and producers in developing countries to adapt

we will introduce a carefully-managed and science-led policy of badger control in areas with high and persistent levels of bovine Tuberculosis

Hmm, if it was science-led then there wouldn't be much of a badger cull.

ensure that meat labelled as ‘British’ is born and bred in Britain, and raised to our high welfare standards.

We will ensure a fair market for food suppliers – especially farmers – by reducing the burden of regulation. to ensure the grocery supply code of practice is applied fairly, we will introduce an independent supermarket ombudsman.

Aha, there he is again, the Supermarket Ombudsman. It seems this will be a reality whether Labour or Tory win the election.

We will introduce a responsibility Deal on waste – a voluntary arrangement among producers to cut back on the production of waste and improve its disposal

Because voluntary arrangements always work on industry. Don't they?

we will reward people who do the right thing by encouraging councils to pay people to recycle

prevent unnecessary building in areas of high flood risk

I have to admit I'm more impressed with the Tory manifesto than the Labour one when it comes to the environment - they just seem to have given it that bit more thought. Even if I don't agree with where that thinking has taken them!