The Week In Green Numbers

83%

- scampi analysed off the west coast of Scotland which had plastic in their stomachs #

11,314

- UK homeowners who had solar panels installed in the first quarter of 2011 #

36

- number of times London's air pollution has exceeded the legal daily limit in 2011#

230 million hectares

- forests that the world could lose by 2050 #

120%

- increase in beach litter since 1994 #

Zombies vs Vampires: Which is Greener?

Following a twitter discussion with Paul from Set In Darkness, I thought I’d write up our musings on the environmental credentials (or lack thereof) of the undead.

Obviously it’s just a bit of fun. I myself used to be a werewolf, but I’m all right noooooooooooowwwww!


FOOD

Food waste isn’t an issue with zombies, they tend to consume an entire body without leaving many morsels for the birds. In fact one horse can sustain hundreds of zombies, as we saw in The Walking Dead. Unless, of course, you encounter that peculiar breed of zombies that, as Lynsey pointed out, only want to eat your braaaiiinnnzzz.

Vampires, on the other hand, are such dainty eaters. In fact, they don’t even eat, they drink. Having drained you of your blood, they’ll just throw the rest of you away. Such waste!

Winner: Zombies

TRANSPORT

Zombies are slow. Dead slow. In fact, they’re so short of pace that it’s a wonder anyone ever gets caught by them. A running shoulder charge should get you through a crowd of zombies in no time. This means that their transport carbon emissions are zero.

Vampires are fast. From Buffy to True Blood, your average Vamp can move a fair distance in the blink of an eye. Plus, they can fly by themselves, without the need for planes. Dracula did need a ship to sail to England, but it was sail-powered so we can safely assume that a Vampire’s carbon emissions are also close to zero. However, they win because of the distance they can cover.

Winner: Close, but Vampires

CLOTHING

Have you ever seen a dressed-down vampire? No. If it’s not a black cloak then it’s ruffles on their shirt or a powdered wig on their head. Vampires-R-Us also do a nice line in bodices that can be ripped off the nearest virgin. And since Vampires are such evil bastards, it’s probably all made in a sweat-shop in Bangladeadsh.

Zombies have no need for fine clothes. They’re happy to stroll around in whatever they were wearing when they died. In fact, their nice clothes are better kept in the wardrobe since they’d just get mucky during a feeding frenzy anyway.

Winner: Zombies

HOUSING

Houses? For Zombies? Completely unnecessary. They’re more than happy to wander the streets 24/7 and don’t seem to require much in the way of rest. And they’re just at home in the countryside as they are in the city streets. In fact, probably more so given the abundance of wildlife to eat.

Castles, mansions, crypts. Vampires can’t just hang their cloak in any old place. They need the soil of their homeland, with no thought for the contamination from invasive species that may bring. Vampires could sustain an entire construction industry building both underground lairs and castle turrets. It’s far from green!

Winner: Zombies

ENERGY

Neither Zombies nor Vampires seem to have much need for electricity. Zombies will wander around in the dark, relying on their sense of smell to guide them.

I’m assuming that since Vampires can turn into bats, then they also have sonar. They don’t seem to use it much, preferring a couple of thousand candles to light their nightly manouverings. On the plus side, since they only come out at night they have no need for air conditioning. And the candles should keep a reasonably-sized crypt warm.

Winner: Zombies

DEATH

Just how many trees did Buffy have to chop down for all those stakes? The act of killing a Vampire isn’t the greenest thing in the world, assuming you can’t get him or her near to some running water. On the plus side, the Vampire body does turn into ash and leaves little trace. Plus, the stakes can be recycled.

Zombies just leave one hell of a mess. Carcasses everywhere, even their own kind aren’t too happy at devouring the undead. If the entire world were zombiefied, then there would be an awful lot of cleaning up to do afterwards and the environmental costs of burying or landfilling all those bodies would be horrendous.

Winner: Vampires

And the overall winner has to be...the Zombies. They out-green Vampires in almost every department, and are themselves the very definition of slow food! Want to add something or think I’m too quick to tar Vampires with an un-green brush? Leave a comment!

Earth Knowledge Launch New Portal

I've often thought that Google Earth is the computing equivalent of crack cocaine. You switch it on to have a wee gander at your street, and before you know it three days have passed and the police are busting your door down because the neighbours are reporting a bad smell.

Yeah, maybe not quite that addictive, but you know what I mean. I'm always looking for new ways of using Google Earth, so I've spent a happy afternoon trawling this new database.

The EarthKnowledge Portal can show you a range of data from temperature rises to sea levels, as well as a few video tours and photos. This short video shows you how to use it (unfortunately with the world's most boring voiceover!):

Plastic Pollution Of Seabed Has Consequences

Photo by acme

Every autumn a group of us pitch up at the Good Food Show Scotland, to sample the delicacies and wares of food producers from all over Scotland. It's a wonderful event that has become one of the highlights of my year. Even Gordon Ramsay is nice!

Last year, I found myself face-to-face with a langoustine. I have to explain, I hate food that looks back at me. This is mostly why I don't eat fish, unless it has been mashed up beyond all recognition. You could also argue that it shows a disconnect from our environment, that we can only stomach food if it comes out of a tin or packet and looks nothing like what it's supposed to be.

So anyway, the langoustine. We were given a demonstration on how to cook them (although ours were pre-cooked), then we had to get wired into this poor wee mite to get to the meat. Needless to say, mine decided to play hardball and half of the meat was left inside impenetrable shell.

Plastic seems to get inside those shells quite easily, though. It was found in the stomachs of a whopping great 83% of langoustines found off the coast of Largs.

In this case, it appears that the fishing industry is themselves to blame. Trawling for langoustine and scallops, the nets fray at the bottom and the critters eat it.

At what point does the industry decide this is a problem? When the government tells them their seafood is too polluted to sell? When the public refuses to buy it? Or is it head-in-the-sand time and let's pretend there's no problem?

Marine Reserve Proves It's Worth

Photo by stepheye

Well, imagine that! It turns out that if you ban fishing in the area, then the sealife flourishes!

Lamlash Bay, off the Isle of Arran, was declared a Marine Reserve in 2008 and measures were taken to protect the seabed, including a ban on fishing. The result, a couple of years later, is a flourishing ecosystem that is producing an abundance of juvenile scallops.

The scientists who are studying the reserve reckon that in a couple of more years then the area around the reserve will also be producing a lot more scallops, providing a boom for the local fishing industry.

Perhaps it's a lesson that our North Sea fishermen should learn, before they deplete the seas entirely?

Green In The Media 25th April - 1st May

Monday 25th April

One Planet
On: BBC World Service Radio
Time: 11:32 to 11:50 (Also 1630, Fri 1930, Sat 0030, Sun 1930)
One Planet looks at how we use our planet.

Alive in Chernobyl
On: BBC Radio 4
Time: 20:00 to 20:30
On the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Olga Betko goes in search of the tiny elderly rural population who chose to defy the radiation and return to their land.

Tuesday 26th April

Party Election Broadcast by the Scottish Green Party
On: BBC 2 Scotland
Time: 17:55 to 18:00 (Also STV 1825, BBC1 1855)
A party election broadcast by the Scottish Green Party.

Nuclear Eternity
On: more4
Time: 22:00 to 23:15 (Also 0025)
This innovative and award-winning film takes a timely look at the dangers of the nuclear power industry. In the few decades since the first nuclear reactors were built, more than 250,000 tonnes of radioactive refuse have been produced, which will remain hazardous to human life for at least 100,000 years. Deep underground in Finland, Onkalo, a gigantic and impenetrable repository, is being built, to store Finnish nuclear material in the coming millennia. Building began in the 20th century and will be completed in the 22nd. Nuclear Eternity takes the form of a letter to future generations, asking the philosophical and existential questions prompted by Onkalo. How can a civilisation that has only existed for a few thousand years hope to know what the world will be like in 100 millennia from now?

Heavy Water
On: more4
Time: 23:15 to 00:25
On 26 April 1986, reactor four at Chernobyl nuclear power station exploded, sending an enormous radioactive cloud over Northern Ukraine and neighbouring Belarus. The danger was kept a secret from the rest of the world and the nearby population went about their business as usual. May Day celebrations began, children played and the residents of Pripyat marvelled at the spectacular fire raging at the reactor. After three days, an area the size of England was contaminated with radioactive dust, creating a 'zone' of poisoned land. Based on Mario Petrucci's award-winning poem, this film tells the story of the people who dealt with the disaster at ground-level: the fire-fighters, soldiers, 'liquidators', and their families. The poetry is read by David Bickerstaff, Francine Brody, Juliet Stevenson, David Threlfall and Samuel West.

Wednesday 27th April

Costing the Earth
On: BBC Radio 4
Time: 21:00 to 21:30 (Also Thu 1330)
In the UK we eat around three bars of chocolate a week each. Raw cocoa prices have risen dramatically, but Tom Heap finds that higher prices could bring about a sustainable future.

Saturday 30th April

Our World
On: BBC News
Time: 05:30 to 06:00 (Also 1430, 2130, 0330, Sun 1430, 2330)
The Vanishing Antarctica.
Featuring news programmes on current issues around the world. Richard Wilson travels to the West Antarctic Ice Shelf to see the work of the British scientists who are investigating changes to the shape of the ice - and the possible consequences for our world.

JG Ballard - The Drowned World
On: BBC Radio 4 Extra
Time: 18:30 to 19:00 (Also 0030)
The author's 1962 debut novel set in a submerged London of the future, transformed by global warming. Read by Robert Glenister. Episode 1 of 4.

Sunday 1st May

Countryfile
On: BBC 1
Time: 19:00 to 20:00
Tom Heap investigates how tighter EU regulations could see more of our bathing water failing safety tests


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

The Week In Green Numbers

$55 million

- donations by Koch Industries to organisations that deny climate change #

13%

- drop in UK average rainfall in last 3 months #

$24 billion

- damages sought by BP from it's partners in the Deepwater Horizon project #

132 MW

- power from a solar energy plant that Google is investing in #

£10

- compensation to every villager affected by a new dam being built in Laos #

Oil'd

I found this quite moving, thought you'd like to see it. Here's Chris Harmon's introduction from the video's Vimeo page:

A year ago, a massive oil spill began in the Gulf. The entire country was glued to the news until the well was capped, and then we forgot about it.

As the year anniversary was fast approaching I became curious, just how much oil was that exactly? Where would it have gone? What I found was shocking.

So in an effort to further our discussion on oil dependency I created this short animation. I've spent all of my free time in the last month putting this together to help illustrate just how dependent we truly are on oil.

Oil'd from Chris Harmon on Vimeo.

The Power Of Scotland Explained

Friends of the Earth Scotland have produced a wonderful new booklet explaining how Scotland gets its energy, and whether the country can be powered by 100% renewables.

Explained in simple terms, the booklet starts off with explaining exactly what electricity is and how it is generated. It then goes on to look at how much energy Scotland will need by 2030, and how much it can actually generate from renewables by 2030.

It also has a chapter on that bugbear for anti-renewable advocates: variability of supply.

I don't think I'm giving the ending away too much when I say that it shows that 100% renewable energy powering Scotland by 2030 is both feasible and desirable.

You can download the booklet here, but I want to highlight part of the last paragraph for you:

The Scottish Government should remember that renewables and efficiency are the best option for employment, for the environment and for long-term energy security.

Games For Change

I'm going to be buying a new computer next month. I bought my current PC way back in 2003 and, although still going strong, it's showing it's age.

One of those ways is with games. I like a good 'god' game or 'shoot-em-up', so it's been frustrating to lust after the newer games on the market while knowing this current PC will turn it's nose up at them.

But what about the environmental gamer? Surely there must be a market for saving the world from climate rather than killer robots?

And wouldn't you know it, there is. Games For Change lists loads of games that all have an environmental or ethical theme. From managing a family in Haiti to determining how a city should be powered, and how to create an environmentally-friendly Europe with you as President, you'll find games for all ages at Games For Change.

Then, after you've saved the world, you can go and shoot some Nazis.

Here's a short video from X-Play showing a couple of the games:

PC Games - E3 2011 - Wildfire

Original Thinking Gone AWOL In Edinburgh

Photo by SeeMidTN.com (aka Brent)

Sigh. Here we go again.

Developers are planning yet another hotel for Edinburgh.

Seriously, can't anyone with influence come up with an original idea for a gap site or old building in this city? I know it's a wonderful tourist destination, I know it makes millions from visitors on weekend city breaks, and gazillions from the various festivals. But come on!

Is no one ever going to stick their neck out and build something for the folks who actually live here? Is no one going to say "you know what, that old building would be perfect as an arts space or a community cafe or a small, local business hub"?

Instead, it's all about adding another gazillion to the incoming gazillions.

It's not exactly a soulless city to live in - in fact, it's probably the nicest city in the UK - but just once I'd like to see developers and the council do something for the community.

#Sp11 Manifestos: Scottish Green Party

How do you assess the green elements of a Green Party manifesto without just reprinting the whole thing? Well, there's far more to the manifesto than just traditional 'green' issues, so you're not about to see the whole 28 pages here. If you want a summary of ALL the commitments and not just the green ones, you can see them here.

Commitments are in red, my comments in black:


GOVERNMENT

By working with local authorities and businesses large and small, and by harnessing communication technologies, empty ofce space in our town centres can be transformed into the seeds of a nationwide network of community work hubs. Having more people working locally would relieve pressures on our transport infrastructure, have a positive impact on carbon emissions and bring life back to our local communities

The Scottish Green Party will review schemes such as Regional Selective Assistance to ensure that long-term social, environmental and ethical objectives are met

A tax on land values would reduce the speculative holding of land. The owners of disused land and properties would face a levy giving incentives to the productive economic use of land, where local communities require it and where it’s consistent with planning rules

There's nothing worse than seeing a town or village decimated by large gap sites and boarded-up shops. Allowing local communities to use these resources is sensible.

We’ll ensure that skills agencies prioritise areas like renewable energy, low carbon industries, creative and cultural industries, waste management, manufacturing and the built environment so that we have the skilled workforce needed to deliver on the potential of these sectors

We’ll introduce a Green Procurement Bill to support localisation, small businesses and social enterprises, and to make Community Beneft clauses the norm in major public sector contracts

We’d build on the success of the Climate Challenge Fund by continuing to support community projects, with additional tiers of support including a small grants scheme with minimal bureaucracy, and a ‘partnering’ system so successful projects can help build capacity in other communities. The fund would be expanded to £25m a year

We’ll build on the limited carbon assessment of Scotland’s budget to enable transparent scrutiny of budget documents in relation to carbon costs

Scotland was praised for carbon-costing it's budget, but it is a very crude analysis. it's one of those "better than nothing" moments.

HOUSING

a renewed programme with a budget of at least £100m per year to pay for a retroft programme as part of the existing Energy Assistance Package. This scheme will be free, universal and will roll out on an area-by-area, street-by-street basis

For those in private rented housing we’ll introduce minimum energy standards to ensure tenants are not stuck in fuel poverty

A long-standing commitment from the Greens which other parties flirt with, but usually tie it into a means-tested service. Hitting every house in every street will do a lot more to cut emissions while doing it cheaper through economies of scale.

ENERGY

Scotland’s renewables can more than meet our domestic electricity demand, and we can export clean energy to our neighbours. We believe this can be done by 2020, and thereafter we’ll continue to support increased renewable capacity for export, including through a commission to develop plans for a North Sea High Voltage Direct Current ‘supergrid’

The SNP committed to producing 100% renewables by 2020, but with fossil-fuelled power stations still providing energy so that the renewable portion could be sold off to our neighbours. Likewise, the LibDems also promised 100% "equivalent" renewable electricity. There's no point in producing 100% of our energy needs from renewables if we don't use it - clean energy is supposed to replace fossil fuels, not top it up for a profit.

expanding the remit of Scottish Water to become a publicly-owned renewable energy company

The plans for Scottish Water are in direct contrast to the LibDems, who want to effectively privatise it to pay for all their manifesto commitments.

We would also back Public Energy Companies at local authority level, and a range of social enterprises that would put control of energy generation into community hands

local authorities can assist such schemes by producing heat maps for their area, and by setting targets for heat load to be delivered from renewables by 2020

Heat maps is one of the very few Tory green commitments. They could have had so much more!

Grant schemes to provide incentives for the installation of micro-renewables will further boost this sector and such schemes could operate as part of the Energy Assistance Package

We oppose the proposed new coal-fired power station at Hunterston, and would use the planning system to prevent further nuclear and coal expansion

Existing nuclear power stations would be closed at or before the end of their normal working lives, and will require nuclear waste to be stored on site in secure, monitored and retrievable conditions

Given that Hunterston manages to leak radioactive waste when it rains, I'm not convinced having existing power stations store their own waste is the best idea. But then I'm not convinced a central repository is a good idea either. Maybe we should build our own space agency and have it all blasted into the sun?

CCS must be shown to be a realistic, efficient long-term option before its deployment, and it will only offer overall emission reduction if used at existing fossil fuel plants

The other parties are all staking everything on CCS.

Existing annual [emissions reduction] targets are too weak, and we back 4.5% annual reductions

include a business transition service designed to gain competitive advantage in new markets

create a network of community based work hubs to reduce overhead costs faced by small businesses

FOOD

engage with the agriculture sector to move from oil-based production to organic

An urgent review of the Allotments Act is needed, designed to meet the needs of modern communities for local growing space, not only through allotments but also community gardens, city farms, ‘Landshare’ schemes and the transfer of unused public land into the Common Good

Greens will bring in a new £80m a year fund for small farmers and crofters

We’ll also support small rural abattoirs, a key part of our local food networks

If you've followed the problems that Stonehead has had trying to find an abattoir that will take his pigs, you know how hard it is for small farmers and crofters.

We will develop a Scottish action plan for organic farming, in parallel with moves at an EU level. The proposed action plan would analyse bottlenecks and include concrete, measurable targets for the expansion of organic farming

We will also work towards 100% of Scotland’s fsheries being certifed sustainable with the Marine Stewardship
Council blue tick

We will also end the dumping of waste at sea

TRANSPORT

begin a long-term shift in investment away from building extra capacity in the trunk road network while protecting maintenance of the existing road network

We’ll ensure that by the end of the next Parliament active travel will receive at least 10% of the transport budget; walking and cycling must be a particular priority for school transport

Public transport has become less and less affordable, and we will allocate £75m a year in revenue support to bring fares down

A further £650m over the next Parliament will be allocated to a fund for extra public transport infrastructure, including park & ride facilities, active travel, further rail electrification and opening railway stations

In cities, public bike-hire schemes as well as car clubs have a big role to play in cutting the number of cars on the roads.

Given the publicity that the 'Boris Bikes' received, you have to wonder that no other party has proposed a cycle hire scheme.

We will also open old and new local stations across Scotland such as Newburgh, Blackford, Bonnybridge, Grangemouth, Newtonhill and Kintore, and improvements to rural services such as a Dornoch Firth crossing

We won’t proceed with [building a new Forth Road Bridge], but will instead support the £122m repair of the existing bridge should the dehumidification approach not prove successful

We will also halt plans for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route

We will cut the national speed limit to 50mph on single carriageways to make roads safer and to help cut the costs of driving

In complete contrast to the UK government, who want to increase the speed limit. Decreasing it in Spain has had a wonderful effect on their carbon emissions.

The Scottish Green Party will work with the rail industry and trades unions to develop a non-proft body capable of bidding for the Scotrail franchise in 2014

The Greens join other parties in the call for a non-profit organisation bidding for Scotrail. It may well happen.

We’ll develop detailed preparation for High Speed Rail in Scotland, with a view to taking specifc proposals to UK Government building the case for a commitment to extend the network to Glasgow and Edinburgh, with options to go further north from there

Woop! And, indeed, Woot! You'll remember my despair when the English & Welsh Greens decided to oppose High Speed Rail. I'm delighted that the Scots are backing it.

We’ll consult on proposals for greater regulation of bus services, including a wider role for the Traffic Commissioner

we will oppose any attempt to end the concessionary travel scheme for older people and people with disabilities

We’ll oppose the return of any form of aviation subsidy, and use the planning system to prevent further capacity expansion in Scottish airports

We’ll end the use of internal UK mainland fights by the Scottish Government except in emergencies, and push for the same policy throughout the public sector; fights to any destination within reach of Eurostar should become the exception rather than the norm

That'll put a few noses out of joint!

‘Lifeline’ fights to Scotland’s islands are an essential service, and will be supported

ENVIRONMENT

The Scottish Green Party is committed to large-scale ecosystem restoration projects, including the provision of dedicated funds for peatland restoration

we will maintain our longstanding opposition to the commercial use of GM crops

Sustainable development will be encouraged in all sectors of the rural economy including agriculture and food production, forestry, light industry, renewable energy, tourism, environmental management, services and infrastructure

Subject to careful environmental impact assessments, we will encourage rural teleworking and decentralisation of government and businesses to rural areas. We will also encourage distance learning, improvements to rural public transport and other measures to make it easier for people to work in rural areas

We support an increase in native woodland cover to 40% by 2050, back community orchards, and reject the privatisation of the Forestry Commission

We see no place for large-scale incineration, and we would revise the current Zero Waste Strategy to refect that approach

nor do we back large-scale biomass plants

That's an unequivocal no. Absolutely not. No way, jose. Not on your life. Just in case you were in any doubt!

target dates for the provision of household recycling and composting services to all homes in Scotland

Organic waste is a precious resource and we will aim to have this taken out of the waste stream and composted

We’ll designate Scottish waters as a whale and dolphin sanctuary to support Scotland’s ecotourism industry, end the legal shooting of seals, block ship-to-ship oil transfers, and work internationally to end whaling globally

An Animal Welfare Unit is long overdue. The Scottish Green Party will establish an agency with responsibility for all animal-related issues

We’ll establish an immediate moratorium on the cloning and genetic engineering of all animals pending a wide-ranging investigation into their ethical, moral, scientifc and animal welfare impacts

We will also support a complete ban on the continuing cruel practice of snaring

We’ll increase support for the Eco-Schools programme, setting challenging new targets for energy and resource management, local food procurement and local biodiversity

We’ll oppose the sale of green spaces, such as open spaces and playing felds, which often takes place against the wishes of the communities who use them.

We’ll fully implement the Aarhus Convention, to ensure access to environmental justice with a funded system of environmental and land courts to complement a more rigorous approach to environmental crime

We also see the need to modernise environmental regulation and fines

Greens remain utterly committed to opposing the renewal of Trident. Weapons of mass destruction have no legitimate place either in Scotland or in global politics

Spending money on big rockets that we'll never use, and in fact can't use without the US's permission, is ludicrous.

OVERALL

I'm biased, of course, but this manifesto made me smile and nod more than any other. As it should, when it comes to green issues! It's the society I'd rather see, and the vision I'd rather come true.

Green In The Media 18th - 24th April

Monday 18th April

One Planet
On: BBC World Service Radio
Time: 11:32 to 11:50 (Also 1630, Fri 1930, Sun 1930)
One Planet looks at how we use our planet.

Rain
On: BBC 4
Time: 19:30 to 20:30 (Also 0155)
Documentary series about the weather. This programme uncovers the true shape of a raindrop, shows how and why rain falls and tells stories of how we have adapted or succumbed to this elemental force of nature, such as James Glaisher's hot-air balloon ascent in 1862. The Victorians believed that they could master the rain, but today climate change threatens us with rain that is wilder and more unpredictable than ever.

Hugh's Big Fish Fight
On: more4
Time: 22:00 to 23:05 (Also 0110)
Hugh's fish fight takes him to Scotland, to meet with the world's largest company producing farmed salmon, before he heads to Brussels to try to knock some sense into the bureaucrats about the scandal of discards. In order to add some urgency to his campaign, he launches a website www.fishfight.net, which goes viral, and picks up 24,000 supporters in just 24 hours. Fishermen from all over the country descend on Westminster to add their voices to the protest, which ends with a rallying cry to all of us to try to help sort out the mess our fisheries are in. Hugh believes we all need to try and eat different types of fish, to relieve some of the pressure on cod, tuna and salmon, and we need to add our voices to the campaign to stop discards. Last in the series.

Wednesday 20th April

Costing the Earth
On: BBC Radio 4
Time: 21:00 to 21:30 (Also Thu 1330)
Torpedoes and mines sent thousands of ships to the sea floor during World War Two. 70 years later rust is taking its toll. Tom Heap asks if their oil could pollute our beaches.

Saturday 23rd April

British Isles: a Natural History
On: Yesterday
Time: 14:00 to 15:00
Our Future.
Alan concludes his journey and asks what the future might hold for our landscape and its wildlife: global warming, a big freeze or something much more sinister?


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

The Week In Green Numbers

25%

- difference in size of red foxes over arctic foxes, which they're replacing #

18

- pedestrians killed by cyclists in the UK 2001-09 #

3,495

- pedestrians killed by motorists in the UK 2001-09 #

1%

- proportion of electricity use in the US attributed to marijuana growers #

1.8 Gigawatts

- solar panels installed in Germany last year #

#SP11 Manifestos: Scottish National Party

I'm almost finished looking at the green commitments in the party manifestos. Next up is the SNP, and first impressions are that it's slick and professional - it's obvious that they're dripping in money. But will that slickness be caused by a commitment to Scotland's Oil?

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


ENERGY

We will increase our renewables target to 100% by 2020, ensuring 130,000 jobs are delivered in the low-carbon economy

This is a front-and-centre policy designed to attract headlines. It'll be interesting to see if this means we'll be selling the surplus from renewables + coal, as the SNP has always maintained, or if coal and nuclear will be shut off. Let's read on and find out...and three pages later, sure enough:

Scotland can produce 100% of the electricity that we need from renewables by 2020 and we will also continue to export electricity from a variety of power sources

A variety, huh?

establish a Future Generations Fund so that our energy wealth provides benefits not only for today but for Scotland into the future

The SNP have long advocated an oil fund, but this is the first time I've seen them want to integrate money earned from renewables into it - the money would come from offshore rent charged by Crown Estates

We will also encourage and support Housing Associations in their development of renewable capacity including renewable heat

We will ask the Scottish Futures Trust to develop a national financing model for renewable heat schemes. And we will also encourage the development of mutualised local energy companies

We are keen to expand public and community ownership of renewables projects and will work with investors to establish a new Scottish Green Equity Fund to support the development of community projects

We have also set a target of 2 GW renewable energy production by 2020 from the land managed on behalf of Ministers by Forestry Commission Scotland

we have confirmed 500 dedicated apprenticeships for the energy and low-carbon industry

An SNP government will also prioritise North Sea Carbon Capture with Scotland becoming a hub for technology, transportation and storage. We want Scotland not only to rule the waves with marine renewables, but to lead Europe in Carbon Capture

As I said with the Labour and LibDem manifestos, it's easy to lead in a technology that doesn't exist and doesn't look likely to. But my reading of the above commitment is that the SNP want other countries to send us their CO2 for storage as well.

Any new coal-fired station would need to demonstrate Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) on at least 300 MW of its capacity from day one and retro-fitting for those stations by no later than 2025

Having planted their CCS flag, they can't come out and say "no new coal". This comes close, but only having CCS on what could be just a fifth of a power station is ludicrous. It should cover 100% from day one, or not be built at all.

We support the expansion of local, small-scale biomass

HOUSING

we will invest £50 million in a Scotland that is greener as well as fairer, with a new Warm Homes Fund to deliver renewable energy and energy-efficient homes in those communities worst affected by fuel poverty

Does this replace the current insulation scheme or is it as well as? Because £50 million doesn't seem an awful lot of money if it's a replacement.

GOVERNMENT

speed up planning decisions...[to] act as a boost for the construction industry

This isn't a green policy per se, but it has implications (both good and bad) particularly when you consider it was the SNP who overrode local planning decisions to allow Donald Trump to build his golf course.

We will keep Scottish Water in public hands and will oppose attempts by other parties to privatise or mutualise it

We propose a Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill, which will make it easier for communities to take over underused or unused public sector assets, and include measures to enable communities to deal more effectively with derelict or unused property in their area

TRANSPORT

investment in important transport projects with a capital value of £1 billion. These are:
•the Borders Railway project
•M8 Baillieston to Newhouse, M74 Raith Junction and M8, M73 and M74 network improvements
•the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and A90 Balmedie

Roads! Build roads!

electrification of much of the central Scotland rail network and more-frequent and faster journeys between Edinburgh and Glasgow, including services of just over half an hour

Touted at every election, it's still just a pipedream for most of Scotland's rail commuters

Our proposals will also mean faster and more-frequent connections between Inverness and Aberdeen, and between these cities and the central belt

We will make the case to the UK government for [re-integration of Scotland's rail services] to take place

We will continue work to deliver the Forth Replacement Crossing

It's not a replacement. It's an additional. It's also an unnecessary white elephant.

continue development of a route strategy and improvements for the A96 and dualling the A9

Roads! Build roads!

a new integrated ticketing system for Scotland

continue with Road Equivalent Tariff on the current routes, and look to roll out to the Argyll and the Clyde islands

As I mentioned when looking at the SSP manifesto, I'm wholeheartedly in favour of the Road Equivalent Tariff, and in fact would like to see it extended to the railway network!

We will begin to develop the infrastructure to support electric cars

ENVIRONMENT

We will take action to protect and restore peatlands and will significantly expand our forest estate with the planting of 100 million trees by 2015.

bring together investment from our two existing funds into a single national Universal Home Insulation Scheme

But will you insulate ALL the homes in Scotland?

We are increasing funding for the community-focused Climate Challenge Fund in the year ahead and will maintain its funding over the next five years. And, on a trial basis, we will allow some schemes to generate an income, potentially helping projects move to a stronger financial footing and allowing funds to be used to support new projects

There's no figure on the fund increase, but it's welcome nonetheless. And so is this:

We will also establish as part of the fund a new Junior Climate Challenge Fund to encourage projects involving young Scots in their communities

we will work with communities to explore the creation of new National Parks, and seek views on Scottish participation in the UNESCO Biosphere initiative

We will introduce Zero Waste legislation during 2011, with the intention that new measures will come into force in 2013

Viewing waste as a resource opens many doors. Instead of carelessly discarding materials to landfill, we can create new products and generate renewable energy, heat and fertiliser while creating over 2,000 jobs.

Viewing waste as a resource doesn't lead to strategies to decrease that waste, but encourages governments and local authorities to increase their waste streams. After all, those new 2,000 jobs would depend on Scotland generating more and more waste!

We will also look to pilot a deposit return/reverse vending systems for single use plastic, glass and aluminium containers

We will also seek to phase out free plastic bags in supermarkets

The 25% cap on municipal waste that can be used for Energy for Waste schemes will be replaced with a package of measures, including landfill bans, mandatory segregation of certain waste types, a limit on the biodegradable content of waste that can be landfilled, and restrictions on the materials that may be input to incinerators

INCINERATOR ALERT! INCINERATOR ALERT! See my comments on "viewing waste as a resource" above.

We will keep the Forestry Commission as a publicly-owned body and our forestry estate as an asset for the nation

The UK government getting their butt kicked over forestry sell-off must have given the SNP a fright, since they've previously looked into it themselves.

FOOD

we will encourage all Scottish outlets to sell local food and drink to visitors, and will work with the industry to develop a new ‘Scottish Food Fans’ grading system for establishments that stock local and seasonal produce

We will also support efforts to establish a national chain of community-based food networks that link up local suppliers with catering outlets, cafes, hotels and retailers

We will work to ensure Scotland has more allotments. We will bring the legislation up to date to allow for the sale of surplus produce, and look at ways of extending the land available for allotments using unused or underused publicly-owned land

achieve discard-free fisheries in Scottish waters

OVERALL

The SNP sees climate change entirely in terms of business and profit. How much can we make from new technologies and energy strategies? This shines through in their manifesto - the section on energy generation is huge in comparison to other environmental commitments.

They have to realise that tackling climate change isn't all about the plug socket.

A Pedal-Powered Submarine. No, really.

This from our 'fuck right off' department, so called because those were the words that came out of my mouth when I saw this!

A guy called Ted Ciamillo wants to cross the Atlantic in that contraption you can see in the picture above. It's a pedal-powered submarine!

He reckons he can pedal away a couple of meters below the surface of the ocean for 50 days as he makes his crossing attempt.

You can follow the progress of the building of the craft on his website here, but to my mind it has 'Darwin Award' written all over it!

#SP11 Manifestos: Scottish Socialist Party

Continuing my series of posts looking at the environmental promises in the manifestos of Scotland's political parties, and the SSP immediately get brownie points for putting a cartoon on the cover!

But is that the highlight of their manifesto? Their commitments are in red, my comments in black:


GOVERNMENT

A nuclear-free Scotland that is outside of NATO

This means weapons, not energy, although they do oppose nuclear power plants too.

Mandatory ethical and workers rights provisions to be included in all public sector procurement agreements

TRANSPORT

The establishment of a Scottish national rail corporation to take over the Scotrail franchise when it expires in November 2014

The creation of ten regional, publicly-owned bus companies, accountable to local councils

They don't say what they'll do with the current deregulated private companies. I assume they'll still be allowed to prowl the streets.

Free bus, rail, underground and ferry travel within four years to cut carbon emissions, enhance social inclusion and save public money by reducing congestion, cutting road accidents and slashing the roads repair bill

Wow. And they'll pay for this how?

All money raised by government and local authorities from parking meters, and car parks to be ring-fenced for public transport.

Ah right. So give people free transport but expect to pay for it from parking meters. From the cars that people don't drive any more because there's free public transport.

Immediate free rail, bus, underground and ferry travel for all pensioners, schoolchildren, students, people with disabilities, carers and benefit claimants.

That doesn't leave a lot of people paying fares until they're abolished for all.

Re-regulation of Scotland’s buses

The establishment of a Scottish National Bus Corporation, publicly owned and democratically run by regional boards

Is this in addition to the ten regional publicly-owned companies?

A review of all new road building and upgrading, with priority given to road safety improvements and better road maintenance rather than bigger and faster road

A system of ferry pricing based on the Road Equivalent Tariff which successfully operates in Norway. This means that the cost of a ferry journey for a bus, lorry or car and occupants should be no more than the cost of a road journey over the same distance.

There's a successful pilot scheme running of this in the Western Isles at the moment. I think it should be extended to rail fares, too!

Expansion of the provision of low-cost park-and-ride schemes to reduce congestion in major towns and city centres

A national cycle strategy worked out with cycling organisations to develop an extensive network of safe, well-maintained and well-lit cycle tracks; and high quality cycle training for all primary 6/7 pupils

Do kids not get cycle training in school any more? I'm out of touch with the education system.

The phasing in of alternative fuels (e.g. electric motors, H fuel cells) for public service vehicles

Special road tolls for heavy goods vehicles, based on annual mileage as registered on tacographs

A shift of heavy goods from road to rail wherever feasible, facilitated by the building of new dedicated freight lines

I'd rather have new high-speed passenger lines taking trains off the more congested lines that would allow more freight trains.

The cancellation of all airport expansion projects

Increased taxation on aviation fuel, with revenue used to improve high-speed rail and ferry links between Scotland and mainland Europe

ENERGY

The establishment of a democratically run Scottish National Oil Corporation to take over the North Sea oilfields, with the profits used for public investment, including in renewable energy

The replacement of overhead pylons with underground cables where environmentally beneficial

Who decides what is "environmentally beneficial"? Does this mean that if the scenery is nice enough you bury the cables, or does it mean that in cities and towns you bury them?

Resistance to the building of any new nuclear power plants in Scotland, and the setting of a clear timetable for the decommissioning of existing nuclear power stations.

FOOD

The establishment of a network of community-run supermarkets specialising in healthy local produce at the cheapest possible retail prices, starting with areas of high deprivation

They're obviously taken with the 'People's Supermarket' concept.

A ban on the advertising of junk food

Government grants to enable small farmers to establish farming co-operatives, where they can agree prices for produce and thus resist the power of supermarkets to drive down prices

Government grants for local food cooperatives, selling local produce in town centres, villages and housing schemes at reasonable prices

Grants and assistance to help farmers convert to organic farming

The expansion of the number of allotments in Scotland and the protection of existing allotments from the infringement of developers

An end to battery farming, factory farming and other forms of intensive farming

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE

An independent audit commission, to enforce Scottish climate emissions targets of at least three per cent a year

The tightening of building regulations to compel construction companies to use sustainable sources for their construction materials and to ensure that energy efficiency is built into the design of buildings and appliances fitted

Every new building, including private homes, to be carbon neutral by 2016

100 per cent grants, available to all, for insulation and double-glazing in private homes.

Why not just copy the Green's universal insulation scheme?

All rented housing to have compulsory insulation and double-glazing

The protection by law of ancient forests

A reduction in urban traffic by extending pedestrianisation of town and city centres and halting all further development of out-of-town shopping malls.

A conservation scheme to protect wildlife habitats and parkland from industrial development

Environmental education to be incorporated into the curriculum of primary, secondary, further and higher education.

When I was at school, this subject was known as 'Geography'.

Kerbside collection of materials for recycling, including glass, from every household in Scotland

Recycling bins in every public building and workplace

I think there's very few places that don't at least have a paper recycling bin in the office these days.

All suppliers of goods to the public sector to be legally required to use biodegradable and recyclable packaging.

A ban on any release of genetically modified organisms into the environment and effective testing of food and animal feed imports from countries which do grow GM crops to ensure that food and feed imports are not contaminated

A ban on the sale of GM food products

This is the first mention of GM from any of the parties. Either the Conservatives, Labour and the LibDems didn't think it was an important issue, or they reckon they can get away with welcoming the big agribusiness companies into Scotland.

Public contracts to be refused to any company with a record of dangerous work practices or polluting the environment.

No new incinerators

Serious waste reduction targets to be set for every local authority area, backed by whatever resources are necessary to deliver these targets

[We will campaign for] an international 90 per cent reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide by the year 2030 together with significant reductions of other greenhouse gas emissions

Legislation making it illegal to own, as well as to import, illegally logged timber

As much as I like the sound of that, I don't think it's feasible. Where does the wood from your coffee table come from? No, I've no idea either.

The establishment of elected anti-pollution boards at national and local level to monitor and enforce pollution controls, and for these boards to have the power to impose penalties

Isn't this what SEPA does?

Full support for the ban on foxhunting and resistance to any future moves to water down the legislation

A ban on the abuse of animals in entertainment and sport

A ban on animal testing for cosmetics, household products and military research

As there should be!

OVERALL

The SSP manifesto reads more like a magazine, except for the policy section. Some of it is idealistic and some of it is grounded and sensible, but as you would expect from the SSP there's not a lot of crossover between their policies and the other, bigger parties.

#SP11: Climate Day

The Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition of charities and NGOs has dubbed today as "climate day" in the election campaign, ahead of a streamed online debate this evening between the five main parties.

The parties have taken the opportunity to reiterate their green pledges (with lots of love for insulation!). As always, some seem to "get it" more than others.

You can see the debate at their website from 7.30pm, but to whet your appetite here's short videos from each of the party leaders explaining why tackling climate change is important for Scotland.

200 Years To Insulate The Nation

You want insulation in your loft? Certainly, sir. We'll be there in 2211. No, not 10:11pm, I mean the year 2211...

I've criticised the Scottish Government's home insulation plans many times before, but a new report really shows how bad they are.

Rather than adopt a universal scheme which the Scottish Greens were pushing for, the government decided on a means-tested formula. So instead of just blitzing an entire street in one go, with everyone getting insulation, the installers are all over the place and you only get it if you qualify first.

In two years, they've managed to install loft insulation in just 241 homes, with another 423 receiving cavity wall insulation and 559 getting an insulation 'top-up'.

Out of the 58,000 homes visited, that's a ridiculously small number.

It doesn't get any better when you start looking at how much it costs per household compared to what the universal scheme in Kirklees cost.

But what really shows the government scheme for the madness it is, is the time scale for doing all this. The report reckons that to go round every home in Scotland will take 200 years!

I don't think climate change will give us that luxury.