Green (Living) Review

Indigenous Peoples of North America at Clime Conference in Cochabamba

Indigenous Peoples of North America Join President Evo Morales in Bolivia for Historic Earth Day Climate Change Conference

"Respect Indigenous Rights & the Rights of 'Pachamama' in UN Climate negotiations"

Cochabamba, Bolivia – Indigenous Peoples from across North America and their allies from around the world gathered at the invitation of Bolivian President Evo Morales in Cochabamba this morning for the kick-off of an historic conference on climate change and the "rights of Mother Earth." Morales called this conference in the wake of failed climate talks in Copenhagen last year. Over 15,000 delegates from 126 countries heard President Morales speak at the soccer stadium in the village of Tiquipaya today, and are meeting in working group sessions this week to develop strategies and make policy proposals on issues such as forests, water, climate debt, and finance, which President Morales pledges to bring to the international negotiations of the COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico later this year.

The convocation this morning included a multi-cultural blessing ceremony by Indigenous Peoples from across the Americas, and speeches by representatives of social movements from five continents on the urgency of the climate crisis and the need for bold action that protects both human rights and the environment.

"Indigenous rights and knowledge are crucial to addressing climate change, but the United States and Canada have not signed on to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP), and are pushing corporate climate policy agendas that threaten our homelands and livelihoods," said Jihan Gearon of the Navajo Nation (AZ), Native Energy Organizer with Indigenous Environmental Network. "We have traveled to Bolivia because President Morales has committed to bring our voices to the global stage at the next round of talks in Cancun."

"President Morales has asked our recommendations on issues such as REDDs (Reducing Emissions through Deforestation and Degradation)," said Alberto Saldamando, legal counsel for the International Indian Treaty Council. "REDD is branded as a friendly forest conservation program, yet it is backed by big polluters. REDD is a dangerous distraction from the root issue of fossil fuel pollution, and could mean disaster for forest-dependent Indigenous Peoples the world over."

"We are here from the far north to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of the South" said Faith Gemmill, Executive Director of Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands (REDOIL), who spoke from the stage at the invitation of President Morales. "We have a choice as human kind - a path of life, or a path of destruction. The people who can change the world are here!"

Source: Indigenous Environmental Network: www.ienearth.org

New TerraCycle Products in Walmart Giveaway – Competition Closed

As of April 15, 2010 23.59hrs BST this competition on the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW is closed. The winner was determined on Sunday, April 18, 2010 and the details were passed to TerraCycle, from where the prize will be dispatched.

Thanks you everyone for taking part and – hopefully – we will have some more competitions like this, from TerraCycle and others, in the not so distant future.

Congratulations to the winner, Angie O. from San Antonio, TX, and – again – thank you to all who participated.

Michael Smith

Editor – GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW

The reusable tea bag

... Now I have seen it all, or have I?

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Just when you think you have seen and heard it all along comes something like this.

Have these people ever heard of the tea infuser? They are reinventing the wheel and then call it green. This is taking people to the cleaners despite the fact that they are clean.

The Peaceful Peacock’s reusable tea bags – three for the price of $8 – must be intended as an April Fools joke for sure. Then again, I guess they are not.

They are being advertised in one online realm with “these reusable bags are sure to charm your teacup and Mama Earth.”

Why not use the real green alternative, either a Chinese tea infuser made from bamboo, or the Western alternatives, made from tin or wire mesh. They are a lot greener than any cotton material, whether organic or not.

I really am not sure as to whether to laugh or cry when it comes to things such as this, especially when there is a perfectly good, and also cheap, alternative available; namely the tea infuser, called in some places a “tea egg”. Made of metal, often stainless steel, or a wire mesh cage, they work great, are easy to clean and last a lifetime.

Bottled Water: Some people just don't get it

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Some people, including “greenies”, just do not seem to get it about bottled water and even advocate and advertise ethical bottled water on their business pages and such like.

It is not about the bottle so much, as the, theoretically, can be recycled, and even though they are made of oil and leach chemicals, with a few exceptions which are made of a bioplastic of sorts.

It is the water itself that those of us who advocated reusable bottles and tap water are on about and the fact that our demand for bottled water and more so even the promotion of it, often under totally false pretenses, such as claims of bottled water being better than tap water, that is causing a problem to the Planet. A problem worse than all the bottles combined and that is the needless extraction of ground water.

When even supposed leaders in the environmental web world do not understand this message and instead have a go someone who writes regularly at their site as to an article about bottled water being a scourge to the Planet and pull that person's article for reasons of editorial policy then one can but despair as to how the rest is supposed to understand it and get the message.

As long as some supposed green and environmentally conscious folks and websites allow financial concerns such as advertisers come before the truth of the issue of sustainability there is little chance that the real message, whether of bottled water, bamboo or the eco-button, will ever get known and understood by the general public.

Is there any integrity still out there in the media of whatever kind or is just everything advertiser orientated and anything that might upset an advertisers or sponsor, or even a future advertiser or sponsor, must not be written about. So one cannot mention the wrong policies of the Starbucks shareholders, for instance, and such like.

That is censorship and an editorial policy against which I, for one, have always stood and this was one of the reasons why Tatchipen Media was founded in the first place. Namely to bring the truth to the readers, however unpopular that might be with whoever.

Too many a product review or book review is done to please the producer or vendor rather than truthfully informing the reader, be this in a newspaper, a print magazine or an online publication. Honesty and integrity seems to have fallen by the wayside in many such instances and readers are being told half-truth or outright porky pies.

At Tatchipen Media our loyalty and integrity is towards the reader and only the reader and we also will only endorse products and services that we are happy with and only after we have been able to thoroughly test them, where testing is possible, and this will remain our policy.

Is it time for a comprehensive review of the financial regulation of water?

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) believes that the water industry needs to undergo a fundamental change in regulation and broaden its scope to move towards sustainability.

The UK water industry has benefitted in recent years from high levels of investment leading to significant improvements in water quality. However, there has been little groundbreaking technology in water treatment and supply, or in demand management.

At a CIWEM conference in February 2010, 87 percent of delegates supported a comprehensive review of the financial regulation of water to encourage innovation, to incentivise water conservation, to integrate water management with environmental policy and legislation, and to address future challenges. Nearly all agreed that innovation is not supported effectively. The take-up of innovation by the industry is a matter of particular concern.

In some industries, competition can encourage innovation. However, the nature of water regulation, inertia within those in the industry and the industry’s structure makes this unlikely as it is difficult for new processes to be approved and implemented. Furthermore, CIWEM believes that increased competition will only add to the current problems of companies not charging customers for the true value of water.

CIWEM urges government to encourage greater innovation by increasing the incentives for outperformance and addressing the potential bias to capital expenditure. Companies who over-perform against their environmental targets should not be penalised for failing to meet their economic targets. CIWEM would also like to see Ofwat given responsibilities for promoting the delivery of integrated water, wastewater and environmental services, not just water and wastewater services.

Other necessary changes include the development of a research and development body to ensure an innovative, integrated approach to water management; improved co-ordination across regulators; and investigation into more flexible approaches to regulation by looking to examples of good practice in other places (e.g. Australia ) and in other sectors.

CIWEM’s Director of Policy, Justin Taberham, says: “It is clear that current financial regulation models for the water industry are ill equipped to deal with issues that have come to the fore, including sustainability, climate change, carbon accounting and resource efficiency. Current regulatory models are not seen as fit for purpose and have significant flaws including inflexibility and a ‘boom and bust’ business and asset management cycle. They do not encourage engagement with the public, stall innovation and are price rather than sustainability driven.”

The use and especially overuse and abuse of water in industry, businesses, institutions and homes is of great concern and also, more than likely, is a factor, not just for dwindling water resources, but of sea level rises.

Every time that the loo is being flushed some two gallons, at least, perfectly good water is being sent down the drain, literally, and where does that water, which is fresh water, go? Primarily via rivers to the sea even though it may – or may not – go through a sewage treatment plant before that.

What used to be a working cycle, the so-called water cycle, no longer functions today and not enough water returns to the land to replenish aquifers, reservoirs and springs, because we use more than we get back, and too much water remains in the seas.

Despite the fact that everyone is being told again and again that we must preserve and conserve water still too many – individuals, businesses and institutions – continue as is without any thought for the future. This could turn and bite us in the behind rather seriously.

Oil is and was a substance that wars were and are being fought over; water is the next reason for serious wars. Therefore water conservation is a must, for all.

Cut down on unnecessary electricity use

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

In this post we are going to talk about saving energy and money by cutting down your usages of electricity by switching off things that are not being used. It ain't difficult and rocket science. All it requires is a little thought and making it a habit.

Here are some of the things that you can do to drastically cut your electricity usage today.

Switch TV, DVD and Set-Top boxes off at the wall when not being used. Never leave on ‘standby’ as this drains electricity. If everyone in the UK stopped leaving electrical goods on ‘standby’, two of those filthy coal power stations could close for good!

Unplug mobile phone chargers from the wall when not in use. Mobile phone chargers that are left switched on without a phone attached are still draining electricity and costing you money.

Switch to energy saving light bulbs. Probably the easiest way to do your bit. Some people moan that they take a while to get bright, but considering we are facing global uncertainty with climate change and global warming these guys really need to get some perspective. Don’t get left behind.

Switch off your Computer, and peripherals, such as printers, etc. when not using it. It might also be a good idea to turn off straight forward modems, though they may actually be powered from the USB of the PC and not have external supply; some do, however.

Turning off your Wi-Fi when you are not using it, on the other hand, depends on how well it comes back on afterwards and/or whether you end up to having reset things when it has been off for a while. I have found that happening and that is the reason the Wi-Fi is on most of the time.

Cook with lids on saucepans. Food will cook quicker, which means you will use your cooker less. Then switch the cooker off at the wall as well for a bigger saving. Think of getting a slow-cooker. Aside from the fact that, supposedly, they save money, you can start the dinner in the morning and when you come home from a day's work your dinner is ready. Also much tastier than stove top cooked.

When you buy new electrical items, buy ones with good energy ratings. Some may be a little more expensive when you buy them, but you will make a saving in electricity over the life of the product, that it will work out cheaper in the long run.

Turn off lights that are not in use. You do not need the light on in the bathroom all evening and night when you are not in there. Neither do you need the light on in the bedroom when you are in the lounge or the kitchen, and so on. Only turn the lights on that you need and then turn them back off.

But how much will I save on this? That is a question that many will ask. That depends very much on what you would generally leave on, plugged in, etc.

Any calculation and idea I could give you are just ideas for it all depends on how big the house, how many people live there, and other factors like that.

Countries on front line of climate change join experts and activists in Bolivia for World Peoples' Conference

Beginning Monday, April 19th, some 15,000 people from around the world along with representatives of 70 governments, mainly from Least Developed Countries, will meet in Cochabamba, Bolivia, for the World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth. The conference will be an unprecedented event bringing countries affected by climate change together with experts and activists working to find solutions.

"The main point of the conference is to convince developed countries to make and meet commitments to reduce emissions, and we have observed that this will not happen without pressure from civil society," said Bolivia's UN Ambassador Pablo Solón.

In Cochabamba "those who are already suffering from global warming will have the chance to speak out," Solón said.

Bolivia is facing a rapid loss of its glaciers due to global temperature change, while small island states such as Comoros will be in attendance to discuss rising sea levels.

The Conference was convened by Bolivian President Evo Morales after the latest UN climate talks in Copenhagen, which ended with the non-binding and much criticized Copenhagen Accord.

The Bolivian effort to recharge negotiations has earned the support of top environmental, development and human rights organizations from around the world such as 350.org, Friends of the Earth, Oxfam, Greenpeace, Action Aid and Via Campesina. Delegations will attend from Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Germany, France, Russia, China, and Mexico have confirmed.

In an op-ed, Bill McKibben of 350.org wrote: "Thank heaven... for the nations like Bolivia willing to work alongside civil society (instead of lock normal people out of the hall, as the UN did in Copenhagen)."

President Morales will speak at an opening plenary of the Conference on Tuesday, April 20, and events will continue through to Thursday April 22. Conference proceedings will center around 17 working groups covering issues such as structural causes of climate change, climate refugees and Kyoto Protocol.

Source: ESTADO PLURINACIONAL DE BOLIVIA – MINISTERIO DE RELACIONES EXTERIORES

Tips on starting seed indoors

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Rather than starting with seed in the garden, start your seed indoors and you will get a 3-4 week head start on the growing season. You will have more success in planting seedlings (young plants) than with seed directly in the garden. Also, you will have mature vegetables, ready to eat, weeks earlier.

Growing seed indoors is not difficult. However, there are a few tips you should know.

Pick the right plants

The first step is to pick the proper plants to grow. Practically any seed can be grown indoors, but you must select plants that are suited for your area. As an example, don't try to grow watermelon in a short summer area. If you can not grow it naturally outdoors, you probably will not be successful even if you start with seed grown indoors. So select plants that are suited for your area to be grown outdoors.

Sowing seeds

You should start your seeds 4-6 weeks before you intend to place them in the garden. This should be 4-6 weeks prior to the last frost date in your area. You could use peat pots designed for starting seed indoors, but I would recommend to make your own seed pots from toilet roll tubes or from newspaper by using the Paper Potter.

Both the toilet tube rolls and paper pots, in the same way as peat pots, may be planted directly in the garden without removing the plant from its container. Thus you will not shock the plant by disturbing the roots.

The reason I do not actually recommend the use of the peat pots is because we should try not to use any peat products, be those such pots or peat potting soil.

Plant 3 seeds in each pot at the recommended planting depth. Water and cover with a sheet of clear plastic (kitchen food wrap). Place in a warm area (normal indoor temperature 18-23C/65-75F). You can also use glass jars turned upside down over pot or plastic bottles with bottoms cut off as cloches to produce the climate for germination.

As soon as the seedlings emerge, remove the plastic covering and place in an area that gets at least 8 hours of sunlight. If this is not possible, you must use grow lights. An inexpensive grow light may be made using neon shop lights, replacing the neon tubes (bulbs) with special tubes designed for indoor plants. These are available at most hardware stores and garden shops. Such lights will set you back around $20 including the special grow bulbs.

However, I try to always get away without using grow lights and this seems to work with the majority of things, as long as the windowsill they live on for their growing time actually gets enough light.

When the seedlings are about 2 inches tall, cut out all seedlings except the strongest looking one from each peat pot. When the seedlings are 4 inches tall, fertilize with a weak mixture of liquid fertilizer.

Watering

Be very careful watering your seedlings. Over-watering is probably the most common cause of seedlings dying off. Check the pot for moisture, by lifting it, and not just rely on the color or feel of the soil on top.

More plants are being killed off by over-watering than by under-watering.

Planting your seedlings

About a week before you intend to plant your seedlings in the garden, take the seedlings outdoors and leave in the garden area. Avoid direct sunlight for the first two days.

While some people advise to acclimatize the plants slowly I do not necessarily do that. However, if you want to go that route and have the time then leave the seedlings outdoors for 2-3 hours the first day. The second day, leave out 4-6 hours. The third through seventh day leave out during all daylight hours, allowing direct sunlight. On the eighth day plant the seedlings in the garden.

Plant in a suitable sized hole so the top surface of the pot is just slightly above the level of the ground. Water well.

Now, sit back and watch them grow in the certain knowledge that you have a several weeks head start on the growing season.

In the way described you can also keep starting on plants for your garden, even later on, and can have a garden with vegetables right through the year, even winter, using cloches.

For cloches many things can be used and we shall look at that also at some stage.

Valpak sponsor Royal College of Art's environmental design awards

Valpak are working in partnership with The Royal College of Art sponsoring two design awards for Post Graduate Art and Design students. The awards are for projects that encourage the innovative design of eco-efficient products and services, and their communication to industry and the public.

The students are working on projects entitled "Spread the Word" – Changing Consumer Behaviour in the Field of Sustainability and "Shrinking Footprints" – Addressing the impact of insatiable demand through eco-design. The projects work toward either reducing waste by using intelligent design to reduce excess materials used or inspire consumer behavioural change by creative communication. Many exciting and innovative projects were submitted for consideration and these have been narrowed down to six final projects, under each category, for further development.

The students are being supported by two influential industry bodies, INCPEN and Green Alliance.

Jane Bickerstaffe, INCPEN, commented: "INCPEN are excited to support the Valpak RCA project. I am impressed by the range of projects that the students are developing. These projects highlight the students' awareness of how changes to one part of a system can affect other parts. The students have obviously considered holistic approaches when designing improvements."

Hannah Hislop, Green Alliance, commented: "Green Alliance are delighted to be involved with the Valpak RCA design awards. Design can determine up to 80 per cent of a product's environmental impacts across its lifecycle. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for designers. We look to the Valpak RCA entries to demonstrate that 'green' design does not have to be niche."

The students are presenting their final designs to the panel at the end of April, with one winner and one runner up to be chosen for each of the categories. Valpak are looking forward to seeing the finished projects as the culmination of the students' hard work.

www.valpak.co.uk

Source: Valpak

UK AWARE 2010 – Visit Report

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Friday, April 16, 2010, I had the pleasure, for the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW to visit the UK AWARE Show, the only true green consumer show in the UK, at Kensington Olympia 2 Exhibition Hall, in London.

This was UK AWARE's third year but it was my first visit although I was meant to attend last year but was prevented from doing so at the last moment by circumstances beyond my control. Such is life, as they say.

The Show is aimed at the green consumer, the general public, and presented an interesting spread of companies, small independents, stores, small publishers of books and magazines, organizations, etc., with a green and ethical theme. Represented were also a number of green energy suppliers, as well a business consultants.

Of the busy stands at the event the by far busiest ones – to me at least – and I also guess many others – were those of Keep Cup, the real alternative to the paper- or plastic cup, and that of Onya Bags, who not only have bags, nowadays, as many a reader will know, I am sure.

While the event bas busy-ish and it was a Friday, a working day for most people, I am sure a way could be found to really turn UK AWARE into the green & ethical equivalent of the Ideal Home Show, without the primary emphasis on “home”.

On the other hand, UK AWARE doe not have, as did the Ideal Home Show, for instance the finances and backing of a major newspaper, the Daily Mail, and its PR apparatus behind it.

Far from it! The founder of UK AWARE, Danny Carnegie, is a serving firefighter with London Fire & Rescue and much of the operations are financed from his income. Great job, Danny!

I am hopeful that UK AWARE can and will grow in the years to come and be able to become a major vehicle of educating the public as to green and ethical issues on all levels and not just climate change and CO2.

The exhibitors on UK AWARE were, in fact, varied enough to not just be concentrating on said levels and encompassed a rather broad spectrum.

The biggest problem at present is that way too much emphasis is given at other events and in general to climate change and CO2, to the detriment of other issues of the environment, such as air, soil, and water; issues of proper waste management and others.

What good, as I have said before, is a goo planet if it can no longer support human life because the water is no longer drinkable, the soil unsuitable for agriculture and the air too dangerous to breathe?

All issues must be tackled and the spread at UK AWARE of exhibitors did just that but we need still more.

In closing allow me to thank the team of UK AWARE for a good event and for always having the time for a chat. They are an absolute great bunch and together we, hopefully, can advance this event.

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