by Michael Smith
Most people will only know cork as bottle stopper or, maybe, cork boards and tiles, but little else. I used to think, more or less the same.
However, cork has many other uses and can be made into many different things.
At the London Pure exhibition, that is now some while back already, a company from Portugal, Pelcor, showed the many other uses of cork and it was rather amazing to see it all, including business cards printed on cork. Other were a replacement, in a way, for leather.
The company's slogan is “Plant a cork oak for your grandchildren”, which is a wise Portuguese saying and this is true, not just for cork oaks. Plating a tree, in general, is something that we do for the wellbeing of future generations for none of us will ever see an oak tree, for instance, that we plat, even if we be only small children, grow to its full potential. It is the same with forestry;; it is the business of the future.
But I digressed somewhat – yet again...
Waterproof, elastic, light and highly resistant cork is manually harvested every nine years from living oak trunks by skilled debarkers in order not to harm the trees.
A cork oak will supply good quality cork every nine years for around a century and a half throughout its life and cork oak forests need no chemical herbicides, fertilizers or irrigation.
In those forests of rare beauty numerous species of birds, wild animals and humans live together harmoniously. Honey is collected from hives nearby the cork oak trees and mushrooms are collected that grow abundantly at the trees' feet. The wood of the trees is burnt for firewood and their fruits, the acorns, feed the animals, wild and domesticated.
Besides the capacity to produce oxygen, cork oaks have a unique cell structure that enables them to retain carbon dioxide – even more so, so I understand, than “ordinary” trees – the very gas that is reckoned to be the principal one in the global warming and climate change saga.
Planting cork trees has prevented desertification of dry regions in southern Portugal, since it reduces soil erosion while at the same time proving a livelihood for the local people.
Today cork as bottle stoppers is being replaced by plastic stoppers that are made to look like corks but which are not and also do not have the same properties as far as the wine is concerned. It is true that a cheap and badly made cork stopper can detrimentally affect the quality of the wine wine laid up without proper cork though will not keep well.
However, there are many other uses for cork, other than just being bottle stoppers and maybe we should examine those more in the production of a variety of sustainable goods.
Also, we should recycle corks too rather than throwing them away, despite the fact that true cork is a natural material and will, in the end, compost.
So, let's hear it for the cork oaks and cork.
© M Smith (Veshengro), 2009
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Cork – An interesting material
High-Speed Railroads – Do we need them?
by Michael Smith
Many people may think this question rather frivolous and insincere but it is a serious question indeed.
In fact I would say that we do not need high-speed railways but instead railways that work, are reliable, can get to a destination in a decent time and are running to those destinations in a half-hourly or at least hourly tact.
The current Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has been on about that we need a high-speed railroad to Birmingham to get there in 35 minutes, so I understand, from London.
I would say that we do not need a high-speed railway to Birmingham but we need a rail service that is cheaper than flying there and reliable, which gets you there in an hour and a half or such for definite at a cost of say 40 GBP return and not, as I was quoted in 2008, for 215 GBP.
When we can fly for 65 GBP return to Spain but the train costs well over 200 GBP for a much shorter journey then somewhere along the line something is not right.
Personally I would not mind being on a train to say Birmingham for 1.5 hours or even 2 when I know that I will get there no problem and at a decent low price. And I am not alone here in this. Many a business traveler that I have spoken to and with is with me in this. We all would quite happy be and hour and a half on the train as long as we knew that we will get there at the specified time and at a decent price.
There is no problem spending a little time traveling when at the same time one can do work or, if so inclined, just relax with a good book. The price has to be right, though. No, of the rail travel – not the book.
He powers that be are not going to be able to get people from the car onto the rails if the companies are (1) kept in the hands of people whose only interest is profit for their shareholders and (2) when the prides keep rising, and that well above the rate of inflation. It is not going to work.
One can but wonder whether the “we must get people out of their motorcars” has not another agenda even for, otherwise the rail prices would be kept low. There can be no other answer for this. Something is not right in the state of Denmark, to paraphrase Hamlet – and no, I do not smoke.
Once upon a time, and no, we are not starting a fairytale, trains were relatively cheap and affordable in this country but now they no longer are.
Britain has become the most expensive country, as far as rail travel and public transport is concerned, of all European Union countries. The prices in the UK are 80% higher than those of the next most expensive one, France, and France sure is not cheap. So, how much cheaper are the prices then in other countries, such as Germany, Belgium, Denmark – yes, that place again, and other countries? One can but wonder, can one not.
Now, if it can be done so much cheaper in all those other countries without the rail companies and public transport operators going to the wall then somewhere along the line something does not compute as far as Britain is concerned. Or is it just me.
So, to reiterate once again, we do not need “high-speed” rail links to Birmingham or Scotland; we need cheap and reliable trains that doe the journey, if need be, in a couple of hours rather than 35 minutes or such. Speed is not the issue; the cost however is.
© M Smith (Veshengro), 2009
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Black is the New White
A teenager’s invention to help save the planet.
When thirteen-year-old Andrew Davey read a blog by a leading expert in green computing, explaining how changing from a white background computer screen to a black one could save energy, he decided to put the theory to the test. He is now the proud owner of an environmentally-friendly search engine called Ecosmartsearch.com – a search engine with the motto “We are saving energy, now it's your turn”.
Andrew’s search engine uses a black background which saves energy because the computer monitor uses 59 watts to produce the image on the screen, whereas a white or light screen uses 74 watts to display the image. This means that every time ecosmartsearch.com is used, it saves 15 watts. As it is Google-powered the search results are exactly the same but use less energy.
The blog which inspired Andrew to invent his search-engine explains the maths: "Google gets about 200 million queries a day. Assuming each query is displayed for about 10 seconds, that means Google is running for about 550,000 hours every day. If users run Google in the usual full-screen mode, the shift to a black background would save a total of 8.3 megawatt-hours per day, or about 3000 megawatt-hours per year." Andrew realised that was a whole lot of carbon-dioxide that could be saved from entering the atmosphere.
So Andrew got to work. “I've always been good at computers and I had previously made a website for my Dad’s small medal business. I came up with the idea of an eco-friendly search engine as I want to be an entrepreneur and help stop global warming”.
Andrew had been learning about energy-saving issues at Woking High School. When he showed his search-engine to his teachers, they were very impressed and started to use it. “My friends really like it too” says Andrew. “I’m just trying to get them out of the habit of using Google! I think helping the environment is a great thing to do. Every little helps”.
To use Andrew’s search engine go to www.ecosmartsearch.com.
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HUMANE SOCIETY SILICON VALLEY GOES 'GREEN' AND 'THINKS OUTSIDE THE CAGE' WITH CALIFORNIA'S FIRST REGIONAL ANIMAL COMMUNITY CENTER
Open House March 28, 2009
SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 2009 : On March 28, Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) will open California's first regional Animal Community Center that will change the way you think about an animal shelter. The center is one of the first environmentally certified "Green" Animal Community Centers in the United States to offer cage-less animal care and couple an adoption program with a full spectrum of pet and community services under one roof.
"We wanted to make Humane Society Silicon Valley not only the best place to adopt a pet, but the best place to learn about, engage with, and celebrate animals," says HSSV President Christine Benninger. "With our enlightened architecture and design, and home-like habitats for animals awaiting adoption, our center offers a healthy, friendly and comfortable environment for both people and pets that we believe will change the way people view animals, treat animals, and live with animals. Once people visit our new center, they'll realize it's so much more than an animal shelter. That's why we're calling it an Animal Community Center."
HSSV will hold an Open House on Saturday, March 28 from 10 am to 6 pm to showcase the center's new programs and services. The center is located at 901 Ames Avenue near Milpitas Boulevard and Montague Expressway and easily accessible to Highways 101 and 237 and Interstates 680 and 880.
One-Of-A-Kind Center
The new 48,000 square-foot Animal Community Center is situated on nearly five acres of land. Key Features include an affordable Spay/Neuter Medical Center; a Community Dog Park and Training Center; Doggie Daycare, Boarding and Grooming; a Veterinary Hospital with a public viewing room; an Education Center with programs for children, teens and families; a Community events room; a Pet store, and a Pet-friendly cafe.
The cage-less animal habitats will simulate home environments, enabling real-world training opportunities as well as greatly reducing animal stress and behavioral issues created by traditional shelter designs. The center will be able to accommodate up to 10,000 animal adoptions a year.
"We're breaking out of the old paradigm of an animal shelter being a warehouse full of cages for unwanted pets," Benninger remarks.
Unique Approach
HSSV has selected A DOG'S LIFE to provide the center's Doggie Daycare, Boarding, Grooming and Training services. Elena Battles, HSSV's chief operating officer, says working with A DOG'S LIFE benefits HSSV and the community because it allows HSSV to focus on what it does best: finding loving homes for pets, offering affordable medical services and teaching Humane Education programs throughout the community. "By collaborating with experts in their field, we can provide a broader set of pet services to the community and fulfill our mission to save and enhance lives," Battles explains. Battles says A DOG'S LIFE also shares HSSV's philosophies about how quality socialization, exercise, and modern training techniques enhance the human-animal bond. "Their unique approach offers an exceptional service to clients and they bring a depth of expertise from their successful Palo Alto and Sunnyvale locations."
Keith Uchida, owner of A DOG'S LIFE, says that his organization is equally pleased about working with Humane Society Silicon Valley. "We are honored to provide the daycare, boarding, grooming and training services for HSSV's new Animal Community Center. This opportunity will allow us to impact so many more households in the Valley by increasing the human-animal bond and the quality of life for both the two- and four-legged members of our community," Uchida explains.
Environmentally Sustainable Campus
In addition to cutting-edge animal care, HSSV's Animal Community Center is expected to earn a coveted Gold level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Some of the green building features -- which allow HSSV to spend less on operational costs and more on the animals -- include:
An extensive onsite solar system expected to generate 40% of the center's energy needs from renewable sources
A highly efficient kennel cleansing system to ensure proper disinfecting while reducing water use
A reflective "cool" roof to reduce solar heating of the building in the summer & lower A/C bills
Heat recovery wheels in all HVAC systems to capture and reuse heating & cooling during the frequent air ventilation cycles required to prevent the spread of illness
Stained concrete flooring to reduce the amount of chemicals and water needed for cleaning as well as lower power bills by retaining heating and cooling
On-site bioswales to naturally clean rainwater run-off before water enters the sewage treatment system
Artificial turf and native plants in the dog park areas to lower the demand for irrigation water
"Our sustainable, environmentally friendly Animal Community Center not only promotes animals but showcases the ease and beauty of water savings, energy efficiency and building in harmony with nature," Benninger explains. "We believe our new center will be an inspiring model of humane care, community involvement and green building design for shelters and non-profits nationwide."
The $25 million project is funded through public donations.
Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) is an independent, non-profit agency offering quality adoptions, medical care and education programs to enhance the human-animal bond.
Established in 1929, HSSV has served Silicon Valley for 80 years and found homes for more than 500,000 animals. HSSV is an "open door" shelter and accepts animals 24-hours a day, seven days a week, regardless of any temperament or health related problems. HSSV's new Animal Community Center, opening March 28, 2009, will feature an adoption galleria, affordable spay/neuter medical center, doggie daycare, a boarding and grooming center, education center with programs for children and teens, community dog park and training center, pet store and pet-friendly cafe, community center, and veterinary hospital with a public viewing room. Additional information about HSSV can be found at www.hssv.org.
Source: Humane Society Silicon Valley
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Emma Thompson, James Blunt and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley do the Green Thing
As opposed to criticizing companies for their carbon footprint Green Thing has set up ‘Green Thing Groups’ to help support businesses in reducing their carbon footprint and Nokia, Yahoo and Carphone warehouse have already signed up to the revolutionary new scheme.
Flying works of art from a rooftop, recruiting top chefs to find the UK’s tastiest tap water and having a supermodel take a green poodle for a walk are just some of the imaginative ways not for profit public service, Green Thing uses creativity to inspire people to lead a greener life.
Green Thing (www.dothegreenthing.com) encourages people to take small green steps that add up to big environmental changes. Winner of the Best Green Digital at the Green Awards 2008 and endorsed by respected environmental thinkers, Green Thing focuses on seven green actions that individuals can do to help improve the environment.
- Green Thing’s seven things you can do to lead a greener life are:
- You get from A to B without any C when you Walk The Walk
- It’s delicious but it causes more CO2 than cars so go Easy On The Meat
- Resist the urge to buy the latest and Stick With What You Got
- Turn down the central heating and turn up the Human Heat
- The art of wasting nothing and using up everything: All-Consuming
- Instead of jetting your way around the world Stay Grounded
- Don’t leave it on or even put it on: Plug Out
These campaigns have helped people from 196 countries worldwide engage with Green Thing over 2.2 million times and save over 6.6 million Kgs of CO2. Coincidentally this is the same amount of CO2 that would be produced by 90,000 fans at a rock concert in Wembley Stadium saluting 5,155 hours worth of guitar solos with butane-fueled lighters!
Fun and empowering, Green Thing is designed to encourage manageable but meaningful green steps, rather than making people feel guilty about their impact on the environment. Users simply join up at www.dothegreenthing.com and they have access to videos, podcasts and games to reflect each of the 7 actions, and can also share green stories and experiences with other community members. Each month, Green Thing reports back on the collective difference the whole community is making.
Green Thing is endorsed by many respected environmental thinkers on both sides of the Atlantic including: Nobel Peace laureate, Professor Wangari Maathai; Cathy Zoi, CEO of Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection; Alex Steffen of Worldchanging.com and George Marshall, founder of the Climate Outreach Information Network. Founded in 2007 by communications experts Naresh Ramchandani and Andy Hobsbawm, Green Thing reflects their passion to encourage the world to help improve the environment.
Naresh Ramchandani said: “It’s all about making green living simple and fun. The contributions from such a talented creative community mean that Green Thing is able to make its point straightforwardly and entertainingly without lecturing people or making them feel guilty about the environment.”
Andy Hobsbawm said: “If Green Thing is about one thing, it's inspiring green action. If we all contribute to Green Thing, it will become as creative, as credible and as inspiring as it can be. If we all do the Green Thing, it will make the biggest impact it can make.”
Source: Mark Oakland, Mission Media
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Green Machines
UK AWARE 09 to showcase largest gathering of Green Vehicles in the UK
Love cars, but want to do your bit for the environment? Forget Top Gear, the UK’s only green consumer show, UK AWARE, is pleased to announce that it will have the largest and most diverse collection of green vehicles ever seen under one roof at this year’s show.
Exhibitors confirmed so far include: Tesla, Saab, G-Wiz, Twike, Zipee Bikes, The Battery Vehicle Society, Urbanites and Scooters, Ashwood and Green Motorsport, with more to be announced before the show at London Olympia Two on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th April 2009.
With well over 50 vehicles expected, it will to be an amazing showcase, including the below:
The Tesla Roadster is a beautifully stylish, 2-seater electric vehicle. It is a staggering six times more efficient than a sports car while producing one-tenth of the pollution. The Roadster does not have a tailpipe because it produces zero emissions. It delivers full availability of performance, 100% of the time, even when stopped at traffic lights and can reach impressive top speeds of 125mph.
The TWIKE Active is a light-weight electric vehicle which is also equipped with two sets of pedals that can be operated individually by the driver and the passenger. The pedal drive acts directly on the rear wheels with only a 5 speed gear box and a long chain in between. This system guarantees an efficient use of the human power input and makes the TWIKE Active a real hybrid vehicle.
Green Motorsport Ltd works towards reducing global climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels and is currently developing viable renewable vehicles for the road. The electric Wisper is part of Green Motorsport’s green fleet of racing cars. It has 4 GMS motors and controllers – the high torque of the electric motors gives superb acceleration and enables the Wisper to do 0-60 in under 5 seconds, showing that green technology can work on the racetrack.
Founder of UK AWARE, Danny Carnegie, says: ‘”We are so excited to have such huge names in the motoring industry at this year’s show. With vehicles ranging from 30mph city vehicles to the sub 4 seconds 0-60 super-car eater and home made to luxury marques on show, everyone should come along and see how they can save money on motoring costs, cut carbon emissions and re-assess what is considered 'normal'.”
Now in its second year, UK AWARE takes place at London Olympia Two on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th April 2009 between 10am and 6pm. For more information and tickets, please visit www.ukaware.com.
Source: Green Row PR
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Tower Hamlets school pupils race to a healthy life
Sustrans, the UK ’s leading sustainable transport charity and Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust have joined forces to bring a week long programme of cycling activities in a bid to get the borough’s children fit and healthy. Over 880 pupils at Stepney Green pupils have been taking part in an inspirational week to encourage more and more pupils to cycle to school. The week involved a series of events including: mountain bike training, BMX stunt shows and a static bike race. Children have also been learning about the benefits of cycling for their health and the environment in classroom sessions.
Sustrans Bike It Officer James Scott said: “This week has acted as a great way to get as many pupils as possible saddling up as we approach spring time. Over the week we got around 800 pupils on their bikes. I hope this week will mean pupils have been inspired to keep cycling to school. We know that 47% of children would like to cycle to school and currently only 2% actually do, this means we have a huge potential to increase cycling levels across Tower Hamlets.
“Cycling to school has so many benefits for pupils such as improved health, confidence and concentration as well as the obvious benefits for the environment in which they will grow up in.”
The Bike It project works with over 400 schools and over 60,000 children and young people across England and Wales . It works directly with pupils, parents and staff to help them overcome whatever it is that is preventing them from cycling to school – by organising cycle training, helping to install new bike sheds, contributing to classroom work and providing information about safe routes to schools. Participating schools across England have seen levels of cycling treble within a year– bucking the trend in declining numbers of children cycling to school.
There are 10 schools in the Borough of Tower Hamlets that are taking part in the Sustrans Bike It project. Bike It is a nationwide scheme, managed by sustainable transport charity Sustrans. Nationally the project is funded by Cycling England, and the cycle industry through the Bike Hub, locally Bike It is funded by Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust.
Source: Sustrans
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British government announces green home makeovers
by Michael Smith
Homes in the UK account for about a third of all greenhouse gas emissions in this country.
Therefore, plans to reduce household carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2050 have been announced by government.
Ministers from the new Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department of Communities and Local Government (how all those names have been changed and created, yikes) have published plans to reduce energy use in British homes and launch a consultation on the proposals.
Energy use in homes, as already stated, currently accounts for about a third of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, and the government intends to do something about it. While I hate to ask where all the money is supposed to come from it is suggested that under those plans about seven million houses and flats will be offered a complete eco-makeover.
Government will also commit to cutting a third of greenhouse gas emissions from households by 2020.
However, environmental campaigners have warned that these steps are not going far enough, and have said they hope that government will take a more ambitious stance.
Friends of the Earth – yet again – is arguing that the UK will need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels, to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Ed Matthew, head of UK climate at Friends of the Earth, said that the organisation would like to see government provide eco-makeovers to at least ten million homes, and introduce measures to cut household emissions by two-thirds.
"Although seven million homes sounds like a lot, they need to do more homes," he said.
"But more important than that, the scale of cuts they are trying to achieve in those homes just simply isn't enough."
He also raised fears that the Government is not moving quickly enough, as reports suggest the measures in the consultation will not come into effect until 2013.
"We simply don't have the time to faff around," Mr Matthew said.
He added: "This is a big change from where government has been. They are beginning to talk the right language, but it's not ambitious enough, it's not fast enough."
Those are the same that keep telling us that we must not even consider burning refuse, not even for the generation of electrical power and that all rubbish must be recycled. In this they are totally ignorant – on purpose – of the fact that not all refuse can be recycled and composted and that there will always be some that will be left and, in my vie, it would be much better to do as done in other countries of Europe, to burn this to create energy and we are then only left with some ash and slag to get rid off.
One day, maybe, they are going to come round to reality but then again, maybe not.
Sometimes I wonder whether those people are in the same league as PETA and others of that kind who also do not seem to be in the real world when it comes toi the causes and issues they are concerned with.
Yes, maybe the few homes that government is going to give an eco-makeover are not enough but it could also be that this is aimed to be a pilot project of sorts. We must not forget that that is how governments more often than not work.
Governments, and I include all of them here rather than just the British one, should look at another approach to green homes and green communities to the Eco Towns that they have been touting here and elsewhere. Instead existing housing stock should be greened in such eco-makeovers as proposed here. It would work out much cheaper and leave the countryside free from those new developments.
If it is homes that we need, and boy do we need them, then there is so much housing stock around that just sits there doing nothing. I am sure many of us have seen it. That too is where we need to do something.
All those high-flung plans of the Eco Towns are not sustainable anyway in the current economic climate and neither in the biological climate. We need to “green” all existing homes and businesses – something the dear government keeps forgetting, businesses I mean – and not play with Eco Towns.
Freiburg is always mentioned as an example by the proponents of such Eco Town developments but it would appear that no one has a clue what they are talking about when they talk about Freiburg in Germany.
The eco town bit is a suburb, so to speak, of the City of Freiburg and not something stuck somewhere in the middle of the countryside, as proposed in Britain, linked to the existing transport infrastructure of buses, trams, trains and cycle paths so that people can quite happily work without a car.
Freiburg also is greening the remainder of the housing stock and every home must have – aided by the government – solar heating and photo-voltaic power cells on their south-facing roofs. Maybe we should send someone over there. Then again, don't think so; they might actually learn something.
© M Smith (Veshengro), 2009
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Wales plans tax on the free plastic carrier bag
Another way of using the environment as an excuse for raising revenue?
by Michael Smith
The devolved government of Wales plans to introduce and use legislation to ban free plastic bags alongside voluntary commitments made by retailers.
The Welsh Assembly has announced that it will begin work on legislation to make free single-use carrier bags a thing of the past, mirroring Ireland's successful bag tax.
Environment Minister Jane Davidson has said civil servants are now investigating how such a system might be made to work within the context of the Climate Change Act.
So, in other words, unlike Ireland that actually created a new law for this the Welsh Assembly tries to see whether the Climate Change Act could be made to cover this retrospectively. Worrying thought though as regards to other things and while the path to legislation against the free single-use plastic bags can all but be applauded I am seeing a precedence being set here that could be used in other ways too.
While Scotland has long considered action on legislation to cut the use of throw-away bags, this move makes Wales the first UK administration to start work in this area.
Ms Davidson made the announcement while visiting a Newport company, SCA Packaging, which makes recyclable boxes to replace bags in supermarkets.
She also said she had been in talks with Irish Environment Minister John Gormley about how the system there had cut the use of plastic bags by an estimated 90%.
"I have always stated that I do not support the use of one-trip plastic bags," she said.
"They are not usually bio-degradable and represent a waste of resources. Customers have come to expect free plastic bags at checkouts, but the tide appears to be turning as shoppers look for more environmentally-friendly options.
"I have asked my department to develop legislation to end the use of single use carrier bags. Currently there is a voluntary agreement where certain retailers have agreed to reduce the number of single use carrier bags by 50% by May this year - this is a good target.
"But this does not cover all retailers and still leaves 50% using one trip plastic bags. I recognise we need to give the retail sector a chance to demonstrate what they can do voluntarily, but I am willing to use all the powers at our disposal.
"An estimated 490 million plastic bags are used in Wales each year. It takes between 450 and 1,000 years for these bags to degrade."
And, what no one seems to want to talk about; while those bags degrade they release G-d only knows what poisons into the soil and the water. And that aside from the damage that the bags do when no properly disposed off and they end up in the world's oceans.
While the Climate Change Act includes mechanisms which would allow the Welsh Assembly Government to force retailers to charge for plastic bags, it would not be able to dictate how this money would be spent.
Maybe, instead of taxing people and retailers one could suggest education and the giving out of reusable sturdy cloth shopping bags from such things as jute, for instance, and there are many people who are out there reworking fabric offcuts into such bags.
Those bags could be handed out to people at a small charge and while that might not cover the production costs it would make a difference, especially if people would then come back shopping with this bag or those bags again and again.
Our mothers and grand-mothers used to have reusable shopping bags, sometimes bought in stores sometimes those that they made themselves.
Why, but why did we ever go down the road of the plastic carrier bag?
© M Smith (Veshengro), 2009
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