November 27th, 2009
The major supplier of EV’s is a Danish company called Better Place, it is strategically located and now joined in partnership with the Danish government, just in time for the Worldwide Summit for Climate Change, which is to be held in Copenhagen, this December.
As EV’s are expected to be at the forefront of personal transportation within the next ten years, it’s not surprising that nearly every major car manufacturer has a program to develop these cars. Better Place is currently working with the Renault-Nissan Alliance and in talks with other car makers worldwide. They are en route to be a front runner in the introduction of EV’s as the future of global personal road transportation.
Electric Vehicles have instant torque and provide a smooth quiet drive. As they have half the moving parts of traditional cars there is less to go wrong, so cheaper maintenance costs are anticipated. Typically, the battery lasts for up to 100 miles and takes between 4 to 8 hours to recharge – so ideal for around town driving and to and from work (if you are not a travelling salesman, or the like, obviously), the car can then be recharged in the garage overnight. However, there will be charging posts at car parks and workplaces for those who tend to drive a little further afield, allowing them to top-up while the driver goes about their daily business. For journeys over 100 miles there will be easily accessible ‘switching stations’, which will enable the battery to be changed in less time and with less fuss than refuelling a normal car.
As these vehicles evolve, within a decade the majority of us could be driving EV’s! It really is an inspirational concept.
Tags: Better Place, Copenhagen, Electric Vehicles, EV's, World Summit on Climate Change | Posted in Climate Change, Events, Transport, carbon emissions
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November 25th, 2009
Alex Hartley, an artist, has discovered an island in the Arctic. It appeared from beneath the melting ice of a retreating glacier in the High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Alex was the first person ever to stand on it and has named it Nowhereisland. With this project Alex won the Artists Taking the Lead prize for the South West of England
Obviously distressed by this casualty of global warming, Alex has arranged, as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, to use a part of it to highlight the climate change crisis we are facing.
The ‘portion’ referred to, will be transported by barge to Poole, in Dorset by mid July 2012. It will then embark a 702 mile coastal journey to Weymouth, arriving in time for the start of the Olympic sailing events in August.
The artist hopes that the island will capture international interest and by registering it as a micro nation and allowing people to become citizens, it is highly likely that he will succeed. Alex said, ‘The island addresses the most significant global issue of our time, namely how we can respond to the urgent issue of climate change together.’
For those of you who are wondering, some time after the Olympics the land mass will be returned to the Arctic and made whole again.
Tags: Alex Hartley, Arctic, artist, climate change crisis, Global Warming, island, London 2012 Olympics, Nowhereisland | Posted in 2012, Climate Change, education, environment, rising sea levels
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November 23rd, 2009
Ensus is building Europe’s largest wheat refinery at Wilton in Teesside, intending to meet one third of the UK’s bioethanol demand.
Biofuels help combat climate change because the crops from which they are produced absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. Carbon dioxide is released as they are burned, but absorbed by new crops again, making a complete cycle.
There will undeniably be a huge impact on the UK’s wheat producing farmers and concern about how they will cope in years of poor harvest. Even environmental campaigners, Friends of the Earth are claiming that the potential deforestation to produce new farmland is just not worth it. Ensus insists however that the wheat supply will be provided by EU countries only and will also contribute to animal feed, therefore reducing the need for soya meal which comes from areas of deforestation.
So are biofuels worthwhile? On the positive side, they massively reduce carbon emissions and are cheap to the consumer. On the negative side they could result in deforestation and the destruction of animal habitats. In addition to this, biofuel production is not yet energy efficient.
Do we need to look at the bigger picture and regard biofuels as a work in progress, living in hope that this is a step in the right direction?
Tags: bioethanol, Biofuels, carbon emissions, deforestation, energy efficiency, Ensus, Friends of the Earth | Posted in Biofuels, Sustainable Energy, Transport, Wildlife, carbon emissions
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November 19th, 2009
Woodland burials are now being hailed as the ‘green’ way forward, providing a final resting place in a leafy hillside or meadow rather than a crowded, unfeeling municipal cemetery.
Traditional cemeteries are hostile, overflowing, with high maintenance costs, not to mention the amount of land they utilise. The Manor Road Cemetery in London for example, covers an 8 mile area and is renowned for being littered with broken and vandalised gravestones.
Crematoriums were once believed to be a more positive solution, but consider the huge amount of wood that is burnt and the resulting emissions. Approximately 437,000 wooden coffins are burnt in the UK each year, which requires massive quantities of natural gas. Clearly this process can no longer be considered green.
In contrast to this, the woodland burial allows both burial shrouds and coffins including the eco-friendly options of cardboard, wicker or bamboo plus graves are often marked only by a tree or simple plaque. They offer a changing landscape, seasonal and evolving over time. Consideration is given to type of trees planted such as ash, beech and horse chestnut, wildlife is encouraged and grass is left to grow therefore protecting the natural habitat.
‘Natural’, ‘green’ and ‘woodland’ burials are believed to be the fastest growing environmental movement in Britain today and is supported by the Environment Agency, Agenda 21, Friends of the Earth and the Natural Death Centre.
Tags: Agenda 21, Environment Agency, Friends of the Earth, Natural Death Centre, Woodland Burials. Green | Posted in Wildlife, environment
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November 16th, 2009
This charity was set up last year by 3 Cambridge University students; Lynn Morris, Tim Bromfield and Will Lorimer. As the name ‘Atlantic Rising’ suggests their area of concern is the rising levels of the Atlantic Ocean and the potentially devastating repercussions of this.
In the next 100 years it is predicted that the Ocean will rise by 1.5m, taking with it unique landscapes, communities and reshaping our geography forever.
The trio believe that education is the key, particularly that of children. To this end they are embarking on a trip; the vision of which is to follow the 1m contour line around the edge of the Atlantic which is most likely to be affected. Their intention is to build educational links between places as far apart as the Scottish Isles, West Africa, Guyana and Canada.
Clearly some of these areas will suffer little or no affect whereas some will be devastated by the rising sea level – if these children communicate with each other it will, raise awareness of global climate change and hopefully teach our children the importance of helping and protecting the environment.
Tags: Atlanic Ocean, Atlantic Rising, children, education, environment, Global Warming | Posted in Climate Change, education, environment, rising sea levels
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November 13th, 2009
For the non-cyclist, but ‘green aware’ why not look at your lifestyle and see if you could do at least one errand/work/leisure/trip by bike? It’s a fantastic way to keep fit whilst reducing your carbon footprint.
Did you know that cycling 20 miles a week for a beginner can reduce the risk of heart attack by 50%?! There is no denying that this statistic is worth some serious consideration – cycling to work could not only be useful, environmentally friendly, but life saving!
And if you’re really keen to make a difference, you can always get involved with your nearest Critical Mass movement.
Tags: Bike, Critical Mass, cycling, environment, health, lifestyle | Posted in Climate Change, Life Change, Transport, environment
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November 10th, 2009
Go green with a wormery. Compost leftover food scraps, newspapers, even the contents of your vacuum bag – worms love it! The invertebrate’s waste products create fantastic compost, known as vermicompost, which is full of nutrients and beneficial to both indoor and outdoor plants.
Waste is a huge problem in this country, households’ dispose of around a third of the food they buy. Over 6 tonnes of food is thrown away each year, ending up in landfill sites therefore contributing a large percentage to the methane emissions that pollute our atmosphere. A wormery is a simple and eco-friendly solution.
The wormery comes in the form of a plastic or wooden box. The type of worms used (generally Red Tiger and Dendrobaena worms) live on decaying matter, as opposed to the common earth worm which burrow underground. A wormery comes in varying shapes and sizes, but shallow trays seem to be the most favoured – surface area rather than depth is recommended. This type of environment allows the waste to compost down quicker allowing the worms to feed and breed quicker.
Prices start from around £30 for a basic model and go up to £80 for an ‘executive’ version. Give it a go, it’s good for the environment and the kids will love it!
Tags: eco-friendly, green, landfill, methane, wormeries, wormery | Posted in Climate Change, Self sufficiency, Sustainability, environment
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November 8th, 2009
Following the diary posting on Greenmomentum for 24th October – International Day of Climate Action, I urge you to check out the 350.org website. The photographs are truly awesome and inspiring
It gives us hope!
Tags: 350, 350.org website, International Day of Climate Action, photographs | Posted in Climate Change, Events, Life Change, News, Protest Marches, Sustainability
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November 3rd, 2009
If you were out and about in Dorset on Thursday 29 October 2009 there is a high probability that you were seriously delayed by at least one road traffic accident. This situation probably applies to numerous places all over the UK. Why? Because of the end of British Summer time and the return to Greenwich Meantime.
You may get an extra hour in bed on the last Sunday of October, but this time of year is notorious for an increase in car crashes, disturbed sleep patterns and Seasonal Affective Disorder.
There is nothing we can do about the shorter days and reduction in daylight hours, but we could consider abandoning the end of BST and leave afternoons and evenings lighter, then next spring add another hour onto BST. This idea is not new and Double BST was trialled from 1968 to 1971 – the reduction in evening road accidents was significant (2,500 fewer recorded deaths and serious injuries in the first 2 winters of the experiment) but the darker mornings were met with hostility from farmers, builders and postmen so it was eventually abandoned
However, in addition to safer roads and less depression the greener advantages of sticking to BST are that we would be in line with the rest of Europe and according to a study by Cambridge University we would also save energy by burning less fuel in the lighter evenings and so cut 170,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions!
Tags: British summer time, energy saving, greener, Greenwich Meantime | Posted in carbon emissions, environment
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