The Green Village News for the ‘Environmental Politics’ Category
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
Five weeks into the oil leak caused by an explosion at a BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, and a number of unsuccessful attempts at plugging the holes in the pipework later, BP’s latest solution, ‘top kill’, has managed to stop the flow of oil and natural gas.
Although the mission has not yet been declared an official success, the signs are positive that this could be the solution BP has been praying for since the rig and pipework began leaking thousands of barrels of oil every day, all heading towards the coastline causing damage to eco-systems and wildlife in what is being called Barack Obama’s Hurricane Katrina.
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Tags: BP, environmental disaster, fossil fuels, gas, oil, oil leak, top kill, USA
Posted in Companies and Organisations, Conservation and Wildlife, Environmental Impact, Environmental Politics, Green Planet | No Comments
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
If you’ve not heard of 10:10, the campaign to cut carbon emissions by 10% in 2010, then listen up. The campaign is open to anybody, from organisations to individuals, businesses to charities, who want to make a commitment to reduce their carbon footprints and help in the fight against runaway climate change and aims to unite everybody in a communal effort to cut carbon.
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Tags: 10:10, 6 degrees, carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate change, joan walley, mark lynas, stoke-on-trent, sustainability
Posted in Companies and Organisations, Environmental Impact, Environmental Politics, Green Planet | No Comments
Saturday, November 14th, 2009
A proposal to build an eco home near to the site of a former asbestos factory is facing continued opposition from a local action group. The proposal to build a three bedroom house on a car park which is situated across the road from the site of Acre Mill where the former Cape Asbestos factory was in operation.
An action group was formed in opposition to the proposed eco home that was proposed by Lyn and Christine Gledhill due to concerns that commencement of building work would disturb asbestos fibres in the ground which could be released into the air and a nearby water course. Mr Gledhill, managing director of Beer Gas Express, commented previously that he was confident there is no risk of asbestos contamination if the proposal to build on the site was granted.
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Tags: acre mill, asbestos, asbestos cancer, cancer, contamination, Eco Home, hebdon bridge, planning permission, public health, sustainable home, water pollution
Posted in Eco Home, Environmental Impact, Environmental Politics, Green Living, Green Planet, Health and Wellbeing, Sustainable Development | No Comments
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
Further to a trial in 8 of their buildings, the Environment Agency will install Voltage Power Optimisation technology in a further 33 of its buildings in a bid to reduce their energy consumption and carbon emissions. The trial resulted in a saving of between 10%-18% of the buildings’ electricity consumption, which is the equivalent of 281 tonnes of carbon.
Voltage Power Optimisation (VPO) works by reducing the voltage of the incoming electricity to reduce energy wastage. Most appliances work fine at 200 volts, however the voltage of electricity entering our homes is usually between 207 and 253 volts. This additional electricity is often wasted as heat, therefore by reducing the voltage, considerable savings in electricity consumption and, as a result, carbon emissions and energy bills can be achieved.
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Tags: carbon emissions, carbon footprint, electricity, electricity consumption, energy, energy bills, energy efficiency, environment agency, voltage power optimisation, VPO
Posted in Companies and Organisations, Energy and Resources, Environmental Impact, Environmental Politics, Green Planet | No Comments
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
In potentially the first case of it’s kind, RBS and the Treasury could face court action for investing in carbon-intensive industries including coal, oil and gas as well as environmentally destuctive mining.
The environmental groups involved in bringing about the hearing today include People and Planet, the World Development Movement and Platform. The conclusion of the hearing could lead to green groups having a case with which to sue the bank and the Treasury.
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Tags: coal, gas, oil, people and planet, platform, rbs, the treasury
Posted in Companies and Organisations, Energy and Resources, Environmental Impact, Environmental Politics, Green Planet | No Comments
Sunday, September 6th, 2009
An increase in commercial recycling scheme costs has forced Richmond Council’s largest client to find a cheaper alternative. After annual costs for recycling collections rocketed by twenty thousand pounds from £54k to £74k Richmond Riverside Estates felt they had little alternative considering the current economic climate other than to seek an alternative service from another provider.
Despite argument from a council cabinet minister that the costs for their recycling service are still cheaper than sending waste to landfill, one member of management at Richmond Riverside Estates, Malcolm Kealy, believes this could be the first of many companies switching to more cost effective recycling companies.
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Tags: council recycling scheme, recycling, richmond, richmond council, richmond riverside estates
Posted in Companies and Organisations, Environmental Politics, Green Planet, Recycling and Waste | No Comments
Friday, September 4th, 2009
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has appointed David MacKay as chief scientific advisor. The Cambridge university physics professor was chosen by Ed Miliband to advise on matters relating to the Government’s low carbon transition plan.
David MacKay is the author of the straight-talking and critically acclaimed “Sustainable Energy – without the hot air“. The first run of copies published sold out in a matter of weeks and when the book hit the bestsellers list on Amazon, the publisher was struggling to keep up with demand.
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Tags: carbon emmisions, david mackay, de-carbonisation, decc, ed miliband, sustainable energy
Posted in Energy and Resources, Environmental Politics, Green Planet, Science and Technology, Sustainable Development | No Comments
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
The EU ban agreed to in December last year which will put an end to the sale of 100 watt and frosted incandescent light bulbs comes into place on 1st September 2009. The ban will help reduce carbon emissions, as energy efficient CFL (Compact Florescent Lamp) bulbs use less energy than the familiar incandescent bulbs, and also last up to 7 years, therefore significantly reducing the number of bulbs people need to buy.
Energy efficient light bulbs have become much cheaper to buy over the past couple of years, and advances in technology have meant they are now available in many different sizes and shapes, with both bayonet and screw fittings, and are even available to work with dimmer switches. There is some criticism however regarding the newer types of CFLs that they do cost more, however the Energy Saving Trust estimates that each energy efficient light bulb used can save between £3 and £6 on your electricity bill each year.
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Tags: CFL, electricity bills, energy bills, energy consumption, energy efficiency, energy efficient lightbulb, energy saving, incandescent light bulb, light bulb ban, lightbulb
Posted in Eco Home, Energy and Resources, Environmental Politics, Ethical shopping, Green Living, Green Planet, Science and Technology | 8 Comments
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
Climate change film ‘The Age of Stupid’ will see Pete Postlethwaite posing the question of why we didn’t do something to save ourselves to Australia and New Zealand at tomorrow’s premiere. The premiere will be the follow on from the low carbon example set by the UK premiere in March which set a Guiness world record for the largest simultaneous film premiere with people watching the live link-up with London from cinemas across the UK.
The premiere will see the return of the green carpet for celebrities to walk up, and will have a number of guest speakers including the head of Greenpeace in Australia, a Senator and there is even the chance that the Australian Prime Minister may join the event by telephone. In addition to this, there will be a satellite link to a boat in the Arctic where explorer Eric Phillips will be on board waiting to join in discussions, a video message from some children in Copenhagen will pass on their message to world leaders, and viewers will be able to send text messages to question the director and producer team, Franny Armstrong and Lizzie Gillett after the film.
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Tags: age of stupid, australia, climate change, film, film premiere, franny armstrong, lizzie gillett, new zealand, solar cinema
Posted in Environmental Impact, Environmental Politics, Events and Courses, Green Family, Green Leisure and Tourism, Green Living, Green Planet | 1 Comment
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
After 18 days of sit in protests from 11 workers trying to get their voices heard and save the Vestas Blades factory on the Isle of Wight the fight is over. A court order granted last week gave the authorisation for bailiffs to forcibly remove the sit-in protesters from the building.
The wind turbine factory was the only wind turbine manufacturing plant in the UK, which was originally looked at to be converted to make wind turbine blades that were tailored to the UK. Vestas backtracked on the decision however, blaming the UK planning system. The company also attributed the closing of the factory to insufficient demand in the UK for wind turbines, claims which come despite commitments to investing in more renewable energy from the UK government, and around the world.
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Tags: renewable energy, vestas, vestas blades, wind energy, wind power, wind turbine, wind turbine factory, wind turbines
Posted in Energy and Resources, Environmental Politics, Green Planet | No Comments
