What is – and is not – in the energy strategy and what does it mean for bills? a report from the London Evening Standard

 UK energy strategy

What is – and is not – in the energy strategy and what does it mean for bills?

The energy strategy has a focus on new nuclear, boosting offshore wind and doubling hydrogen production capacity.

Hinkley Point construction (Ben Birchall/PA) / PA Archive

By

Emily Beament

The Government’s much delayed energy strategy focuses on securing UK energy supplies in the coming years, but has faced immediate criticism that it does nothing to help families with soaring bills now.

Here is what is, and is not, in the new strategy.

– Nuclear

There is a big focus on new nuclear, including smaller “modular” reactors, to replace Britain’s ageing fleet, with the Government hoping to get 25% of power supplies from the zero carbon technology by 2050.

That includes an aim to take the decision to go ahead with one project within the next two years and for another two projects in the five years after that, potentially progressing work on up to eight new reactors across those projects by 2030.

The nuclear industry has strongly welcomed the plans, which it says will create tens of thousands of new jobs and help to achieve energy security, but even industry groups acknowledged that new nuclear power stations will take well over a decade to build.

The Nuclear Industry Association said steps are now needed to speed up investment, such as removing barriers to getting projects started, money from a promised fund allocated “at pace” and sites made available for development.

But nuclear power remains relatively expensive, and the Liberal Democrats warned construction of the full eight reactors could add £96 a year to household energy bills.

– Offshore wind

As part of a drive to generate 95% of UK power from low carbon sources by 2030, with fossil fuels shrinking from around 40% today to 5%, the Government has set a new ambition for 50 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind – up from a previous goal of 40GW.

The cost of offshore wind has fallen dramatically in the past few years, and the energy contracts windfarm operators have to deliver power are now significantly cheaper than the current wholesale electricity price which is driven by the high gas prices.

A sailing boat passes the Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm (Gareth Fuller/PA) / PA Archive

This means energy prices are lower than they would be without renewables on the system – a trend expected to continue as more, and cheaper, offshore wind is added to the grid.

– Onshore wind

Despite being one of the cheapest forms of electricity, along with solar, and widely popular with the public, onshore wind has effectively been banned by Tory governments in England for nearly a decade through planning restrictions.

The Government is not planning a wholesale change in the planning regulations for onshore wind.

It said it will “consult on developing local partnerships for a limited number of supportive communities in England who wish to host new onshore wind infrastructure in return for guaranteed lower energy bills”.

“The consultation will consider how clear support can be demonstrated by local communities, local authorities and MPs,” it said.

But Boris Johnson has said new sites “will have a very high bar to clear” and would have to reward local residents with cheaper energy.

– Hydrogen

The strategy doubles the target for hydrogen production by 2030, to 10 gigawatts, with the intention of making at least half of that using electricity, which could come from clean renewables.

Hydrogen is seen as a potentially clean way of shifting from the use of fossil fuels, as it could be an alternative fuel for power plants, industrial processes, heavy goods vehicles and even instead of heating with gas boilers.

But energy expert Jan Rosenow said: “Using hydrogen for home heating is much less efficient than heat pumps and district heating. All recent independent research agrees that hydrogen for home heating is costly.”

And he warned: “If the hydrogen is made from fossil gas it would mean that the UK would increase its dependence on fossil gas. This is because blue hydrogen from fossil can only be produced with a significant efficiency penalty.”

A view of Romney Marsh Solar Farm in Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA) / PA Archive

– Solar

The costs of solar power have also plummeted in the past decade, and the strategy expects to see a five-fold increase in deployment by 2035.

There will be a consultation on amending planning rules to strengthen policy in favour of development on non-protected land, while making sure communities still have a say, and moves to simplify planning permission for rooftop solar.

– Oil and gas

Promoting the new energy strategy, the Prime Minister said the Government was taking a “sensible and pragmatic view” on new North Sea oil and gas and said it was important to license domestic resources rather than importing higher carbon fossil fuels from Russia and other places.

But the International Energy Agency has said there should be no new oil and gas exploration after 2021 to meet targets to avoid the most dangerous warming, and UN scientists have called for the end of the fossil fuel age.

Onshore, while the Government has launched a review into the science of fracking, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has said shale gas would not deliver at a commercial scale for years, and would do nothing for bills now.

(PA Graphics) / PA Graphics

The Government’s independent Climate Change Committee has said the best way of reducing consumers’ exposure to volatile prices is to cut demand for fossil fuels, through developing more wind and solar power, electric vehicles, heat pumps and energy efficiency such as insulation in homes.

Yes, what about energy efficiency?

While the strategy highlights existing energy efficiency measures, there is nothing new on helping cut demand for gas and boost insulation – which is seen as the quickest way of reducing exposure to Russian gas and cut energy bills.

Analysis by climate think tank E3G finds that energy efficiency and clean heat such as heat pumps in homes could be implemented within this year, would reduce bills, and would cut gas use by the equivalent of 149% of current Russian imports by 2025.

A focus on insulation is also backed by the public, with a poll for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit finding that 84% thought it was important the Government should take steps to insulate homes to cut Russian gas.

Insulation being installed in a loft (Philip Toscano/PA) / PA Wire

– So what does it mean for bills?

By the Government’s own admission, the energy strategy will do little to reduce bills in the immediate term, though ministers say other policies will help.

This is a long-term strategy, with technologies such as nuclear, the scaling up of offshore wind, and tapping into further domestic oil and gas resources set to take years or even decades to deliver.

With households hit by an energy price hike of more than 50% in April and further rises looming in October, pressure is likely to mount on the Government to take more action to help make homes cosier and curb energy demand and bills.  Unfortunately the government is twisting and turning to wriggle out of the COP26 agreement (what a surprise) and are using any and every excuse to keep lining the pockets of fossil fuel companies with tax reductions (or no tax bills at all) paid for by the ordinary people.

Luckily summer is almost here and the electricity bills should go down, unless you have air conditioning and they will probably stay high!  We're a "leave the windows open" family when it comes to summer time! I'm not a big fan of re-circulated air and most people don't know that the filters need to be cleaned regularly to keep those nasty bugs out!

The blog song for today is: "Waterfall" by the Stone Roses.

 TTFN

Construction starts on world's largest wildlife crossing to let animals roam over 10 lanes of L.A. highway -A report from CNN

Construction starts on world's largest wildlife crossing to let animals roam over 10 lanes of L.A. highway

By Cheri Mossburg, CNN

Updated 1328 GMT (2128 HKT) April 23, 2022

A rendering shows how the bridge will let animals cross over traffic.

Los Angeles (CNN)Wild animals in Southern California soon will have more turf to roam thanks to the world's biggest wildlife crossing, which will span 10 lanes of Highway 101 in northwest Los Angeles to close a crucial gap for habitats.

Mountain lions, which typically wander a territory spanning 150 to 200 miles, will be among the chief beneficiaries of the new overpass, providing a safe passage from the Santa Monica Mountains, across the freeway, and into the Simi Hills of the Santa Susana mountain range. This week, an 18-month-old mountain lion recently separated from its mother and seeking its own terrain was hit and killed on the 405 freeway, Ana Cholo, spokesperson for the National Park Service (NPS) tells CNN.

The $87 million Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is named for the president and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation, a family foundation that supports non-profits. More than 5,000 individual contributions were made, said Tony Tavares, interim director of CalTrans, the California Department of Transportation, noting the crossing also will help protect motorists.

This cougar is often seen in the Hollywood area.

"We can protect California's ecosystems without jeopardizing the transportation and other infrastructure development that we need for a growing population," said US Sen. Alex Padilla at the project's groundbreaking ceremony Friday.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was also there, promised $50 million for other similar projects throughout the state, though they will not be of the same size and scope. The Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a partnership of the National Wildlife Federation and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and will be built by CalTrans.

"This project is truly incredible," said Wade Crowfoot, California secretary for natural resources. "We will look back decades from now and realize that this project galvanized a new era of conserving and reconnecting nature."

Because pumas demand such a large territory, being relegated to an "urban island" surrounded by busy freeways has led to inbreeding and lack of genetic diversity, according to the NPS, which has been studying cougars in the Los Angeles area for two decades.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, third from left, joins other dignitaries during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing on Friday.

"You're hemmed in to the point where all you can do is date your cousins," Brad Sherman said of the mountain lions, which thrive when they have a large territory to hunt and mate. We're "putting the mountain lions back on Tinder."

"I'm shocked to hear of a lack of food or sex in Hollywood, but for mountain lions, it's true," quipped Rep. Adam Schiff, whose district includes the glitzy region.

P-22, one of the mountain lions being tracked by the NPS, has gained fame in the area for roaming through the Hollywood Hills, a bad bout of mange after being exposed to rat poison, and even mauling a koala at the L.A. Zoo in Griffith Park. With its own social media accounts, an annual P-22 Day, and branded merchandise, this cat has garnered something of a cult following.

Mountain lion known for crossing 405 killed on the same Los Angeles freeway

 

California's cougars are getting the lion's share of attention for this crossing, as their enclosure threatens their very existence, the NPS said. But it also will provide habitat access to coyotes, bobcats, deer, snakes, lizards, toads and even ants.

"We can coexist side by side with all kinds of wild instead of paving it over and choking it off," said philanthropist Wallis Annenberg at the groundbreaking ceremony. "It is about bringing more attention to an ingenious solution so urban wildlife and ecosystems like this one cannot only survive, but thrive."

The crossing will blend with the surroundings and be covered in soil and native plants. The Santa Monica Mountains Foundation created a special plant nursery that will grow all of the fauna to be used in covering the crossing when it nears completion in 2025.

 

What a great idea and so wonderful for the wildlife,after all they were there before the road was built.

I like these kind of projects!

 

The blog song for today is "House of the rising sun" by the Animals

 

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The plastic flamingo collects, cleans, shreds + turns ocean bound plastic waste into construction planks- A report from DesignBoom

THE PLASTIC FLAMINGO – RECYCLING PLASTIC INTO ECO-LUMBERS

Founded in 2019 and also known as the plaf, the plastic flamingo is a social enterprise that collects and transforms plastics in the philippines into better products. the group of recyclers aims to fight the country’s plastic waste crisis — the philippines is the third-biggest polluter in the world — by turning bottles, soft plastics, and sachets into planks that can be used as a building material.

By collecting post-consumer plastics, the plaf aims to compensate the material’s footprint by giving them a second-life while educating communities about the plastic crisis. 

THE PLASTIC FLAMINGO COLLECTS ANY KIND OF PLASTIC WASTE IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Ocean plastic pollution is one of the world’s biggest environmental problems. its impact costs the world at least US$8 billion dollars per year. 60% of marine plastic waste has originated from south-east asia, particularly from china, indonesia, philippines, vietnam, sri lanka and thailand. in fact, in the philippines, 500,000 metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year.

In order to offer a solution to fight ocean plastic pollution in the philippines, the plastic flamingo collects any kind of plastic waste in the environment and from local communities, schools, factories, buildings, etc. the plastics are then cleaned, dried, and shredded. the resulting plastic flakes — the main ingredient for their upcycled products — are then extruded into posts and planks called eco-lumbers, which can be used in fencing, decking, and even in disaster-relief shelters.

 

 

PLASTIC FLAKES ARE TURNED INTO RECYCLED BUILDING MATERIALS

 

To create the eco-lumbers, the plaf mixes the flakes into a formulation where they undergo an extrusion process and are molded into different shapes. ‘regarding our planks, we have done research on the constitution of sachets and have found a formula that will make it possible to recycle up to 30%  in the mix to create the profiles,’ said the plastic flamingo. the company is also expanding their product line and will be revealing a larger range of products by the beginning of 2022.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By creating eco-lumbers, the plaf ‘hopes to kill two birds with one stone. ‘adressing plastic pollution is our main mission, but by turning this waste into eco-lumbers, we hope to contribute to the housing sector by providing durable and maintenance-free alternatives. this country currently has an estimated housing backlog of 6.5 million and if this is not addressed appropriately, this can increase to 22 million within the next two decades,’ said anne-sophie van der spek, the company’s chief product officer, in ‘planks of promise, designing for change’, a video made by their partner the alliance to end plastic waste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

project info:

 name: the plastic flamingo

juliana neira I designboom

oct 26, 2021

 

I am so impressed by this project! Visit the website it is amazing.

www.theplaf.com

You never know we may see more of this on our side of the planet!

The blog song for today is: "The long and winding road" by the Beatles

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Here’s how Indonesia plans to take on its plastic pollution challenge a report from: weforum.org

 

• Indonesia is announcing a plan to tackle plastic pollution.
• The country aims to cut marine plastic waste by 70% within five years.
• By 2040, Indonesia plans to be entirely plastic pollution-free.

What will it take to end plastic pollution within a generation?

For Indonesia, it all began with a radical vision.

Our beautiful nation is grappling with a serious plastic pollution challenge. We are home to the world’s largest archipelago – more than 17,000 islands, 81,000 kilometres of coastlines and a rich abundance of biodiverse marine ecosystems. Our pristine natural environment is a gift that we have treasured for thousands of years, and one that we must pass down to future generations.

At the same time, the amount of plastic waste generated in Indonesia each year is growing at unsustainable levels. In our cities, our waterways and our coastlines, the accumulation of toxic plastic waste is harming our food systems and the health of our people. Our booming fishing industry, the second-largest in the world, is under threat from rising levels of marine plastic debris. By 2025, the amount of plastic waste leaking into our oceans could increase to 800,000 tonnes – if no action is taken.

I’m proud to announce that Indonesia will be choosing not what is easy, but what is right. Rather than staying with a ‘business as usual’ approach, we will be embracing a sweeping, full-system-change approach to combatting plastic waste and pollution, one that we hope will spark greater collaboration and commitment from others on the global stage.

At the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos this year, we are presenting to the world a first look at Indonesia’s new plan for tackling plastic pollution, which aims to cut marine plastic debris by 70% within the next five years.

The vision goes even further: by 2040, we aim to achieve a plastic pollution-free Indonesia – one that embodies the principle of the circular economy, in which plastics will no longer end up in our oceans, waterways and landfills, but will go on to have a new life.

Plastic

What is the World Economic Forum doing about plastic pollution?

More than 90% of plastic is never recycled, and a whopping 8 million metric tons of plastic waste are dumped into the oceans annually. At this rate, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans by 2050.

The Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) is a collaboration between businesses, international donors, national and local governments, community groups and world-class experts seeking meaningful actions to beat plastic pollution.

In Ghana, for example, GPAP is working with technology giant SAP to create a group of more than 2,000 waste pickers and measuring the quantities and types of plastic that they collect. This data is then analysed alongside the prices that are paid throughout the value chain by buyers in Ghana and internationally.

It aims to show how businesses, communities and governments can redesign the global “take-make-dispose” economy as a circular one in which products and materials are redesigned, recovered and reused to reduce environmental impacts.

Five points of action

To successfully reach the 70% reduction target by 2025, we are committed to leading five system-change interventions that will change the way plastics are produced, used, and disposed of.

1) Reduce or substitute plastic usage to prevent the consumption of 1.1 million tonnes of plastic per year.[i]

We will work with industry leaders in Indonesia to transform their supply chains by rooting out plastic materials that can be avoided. Examples include replacing single-use packaging with reusable packaging; embracing new delivery models, such as refill shops; and empowering consumers to move away from single-use plastic consumption.

2) Redesign plastic products and packaging with reuse or recycling in mind. Recognizing that some forms of plastics cannot be substituted with alternative materials, we need to make sure that they do not become mismanaged waste. We will work with manufacturers and innovators to champion an industry-wide shift towards circular plastics – with the ultimate goal of making all plastic waste a valuable commodity for reuse or recycling.

3) Double plastic waste collection to 80% by 2025. Currently, around 39% of the total plastic waste in Indonesia is collected; in rural and remote areas, this figure is as low as 16%.[ii] We need to aggressively invest in our waste-collection infrastructure, both in the formal sector (government employees) and the robust informal sector (waste pickers, many of them women, who play a significant role in our national waste management efforts).

4) Double our current recycling capacity to process an additional 975,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year.[iii] In 2017, only 10% of plastics generated in Indonesia were recycled. We urgently need to close this capacity gap by directing investment into expanding existing infrastructure facilities and building new infrastructure to match the explosive growth in plastic production across the ASEAN region.

5) Build or expand safe waste disposal facilities to manage an additional 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste per year.[iv] This is our last chance to put a safeguarding measure at the end of the plastic lifecycle to prevent plastic waste from becoming plastic pollution. These facilities will allow us to safely dispose of non-recyclable plastic materials, as well as plastic waste that is generated in remote locations without recycling facilities.

Only a fraction of plastic is recycled. Indonesia plans to lead the way in reversing that trend

Image: Our World in Data

What’s next?

We believe urgent action is needed to turn the tide of plastic waste and pollution in Indonesia, and that all have a role to play in driving this change.

President Joko Widodo has set the course with two crucial pieces of legislation. The Indonesia National Waste Management Policy and Strategy (Presidential Decree No. 97/2017) and the Plan of Action on Marine Plastic Debris 2018-2025 (Presidential Decree No. 83/2018) have put the fight against plastic pollution at the top of the national agenda, creating the enabling environment that we needed as policy-makers to deliver on this ambitious vision.

The first step in this process was to bring the right stakeholders onboard. In March last year, we joined the Global Plastic Action Partnership, a new public-private collaboration platform hosted at the World Economic Forum, as its first national partner. We became the first country in the world to test-drive the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) model – a nimble, inclusive and solutions-driven approach to solving the challenge of plastic pollution. The same model is now being piloted in Ghana, and soon in Viet Nam.

Through the NPAP, we have created a platform for bringing together Indonesia’s top minds to take on plastic pollution together, from researchers to businesses to civil society. Collectively, we have created a national roadmap that lays out the concrete steps we need to take – in policy-making, manufacturing, awareness-building and driving investment – to achieve a plastic pollution-free Indonesia.

Although the full report is still in the final stages of preparation, I feel it is crucial to share its key recommendations and action steps at Davos, this unparalleled global convening of decision-makers and innovators, so that all can hear the good news: Indonesia’s unprecedented national effort to take on plastic pollution is crossing a new frontier in what is possible. Working from the basis of a radical idea, we have built a platform, mobilized willpower from all sectors, and identified a clear path towards our goal: to show that plastic pollution is not too complex or too enormous a challenge to overcome.

As we move from incubation to implementation in the months to come, I invite all to join us on this journey. As Indonesia puts this plan into action, we look forward to sharing our knowledge and to learning from others on bringing solutions and successes to scale. Together, we will demonstrate how we can work together to end plastic pollution and build a healthier, more sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.

Notes on data:

[i] This figure was calculated as part of an analysis adapted from global research by the Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ and was carried out with the Indonesia National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) Expert Panel, Indonesia NPAP Steering Board, Indonesian government and other stakeholders. The analysis forms part of the full Indonesia plastic action roadmap, which will be released in spring 2020.

[ii] Data from JAKSTRADA database (Indonesia Ministry of Environment and Forestry), PUPR Waste portal (Indonesia Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing), and What a Waste Global Database (World Bank).

[iii] Data from analysis conducted on recovered plastics through both formal sorting centres and waste pickers.

[iv] The 3.3 million target corresponds to the remaining amount of collected plastic that is not recycled and is not channelled into landfills due to limited existing capacity within landfills. Calculated using data from the JAKSTRADA database (Indonesia Ministry of Environment and Forestry), and PUPR Waste portal (Indonesia Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing).

When I read reports like this I am given hope that people like me are trying to make a difference and the fact that it is far away from here is even better.  

The blog song for today is: "He's a rebel"by the Crystals 

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Fossil Fuels:20 oil and gas firms who support Paris Agreement projected to spend $932bn on new sites by 2030- A report from Sky News

 

Fossil fuels: 20 oil and gas firms who support Paris Agreement projected to spend $932bn on new sites by 2030

All 20 firms have voiced support for the Paris Agreement, but UN scientists warn any new oil and gas sites would put 1.5C Paris goal beyond reach.

Victoria Seabrook

Climate reporter @SeabrookClimate

Tuesday 12 April 2022 03:29, UK

Image: Twenty oil and gas companies who support Paris climate accord are projected to spend billions developing new sites

Just 20 fossil fuel firms including Shell and BP are projected to spend $932 billion (£715 bn) on new oil and gas fields by 2030, according to new research shared exclusively with Sky News.

All the oil majors have pledged support for the Paris Agreement, which commits to limiting global warming to ideally 1.5C above pre-industrial levels - firms who hadn't were discounted from the list.

The analysis from campaigners Global Witness and Oil Change International comes a week after the United Nations (UN) called it "moral and economic madness" to invest in new oil and gas.

UN scientists (IPCC) warned those assets risked becoming stranded by mid-century, and that new fossil fuel projects would tip the world well over the 1.5C Paris target.

Investments from companies that say they are aligned with Paris look "deeply hypocritical" and stand in "stark contrast" with the IPCC's findings, said Global Witness campaigner Barnaby Pace.

Image: The list excludes fossil fuel majors that haven't pledged alignment with the Paris Agreement

Image: The analysis predicts spend will increase to $1.5trillion by 2040

Russian state company Gazprom topped the list with a predicted spend of $138bn (£105bn), Shell ranked ninth with $46bn and BP fourteenth with $30bn, according to the researchers' analysis of Rystad Energy data.

The figures cover new oil and gas sites being explored or developed, not those already up and running.

"We aren't ready to stop using oil and gas overnight, but these are investments in new oil and gas fields that will be only coming online in years or decades to come," added Mr Pace.

By the end of 2040, the collective spend is expected to reach $1.5 trillion, the analysis shows.

Clean energy investments by the oil and gas industry accounted for around 1% of total capital expenditure in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency.

ExxonMobil - which ranked second with a projected spend of $83bn - said it planned to invest $15bn in "lower-emissions technologies". These include hydrogen, biofuels, and technology to suck carbon out of the air - which scientists say is necessary and should be reserved for very limited sectors - but not renewable energy, other than to electrify some operations.

Shell expects a gradual decline in total oil production of about 1-2% a year, and plans to invest around £15bn in "low and zero-carbon" energy - including offshore wind and hydrogen - in Britain, representing 75% of their UK investment.

Chevron said oil and natural gas are "critical to ensuring reliable energy for decades" and it was reducing the emissions from the extraction process.

"As the energy transition unfolds, demand for fossil fuels will likely fall and companies must ensure that they... don't sanction high cost products that are not needed and ultimately will fail to deliver a return to their shareholders," said Mike Coffin from financial think tank Carbon Tracker.

That means companies planning on sanctioning new oil and gas projects are "thus effectively betting both on the collective failure to limit warming to 1.5 degrees, and on [the failure of] renewables and technologies such as battery storage to substitute for oil and gas," he said.

 

In his statement, Antonio Guterres said ‘high emitting governments and corporations’ were turning a blind eye to the imminent climate ‘disaster’

The British Government last week sparked criticism when it confirmed in its new Energy Security Strategy it would grant new licences for new oil and gas fields in the North Sea.

Unfortunately, this is what a lot of people have predicted would happen and just makes a farce of the whole COP26 agreement, as usual it is all about money.  What will it take to make these people stop?

It is so frustrating and sad that the human race is prepared to go down the road of destruction for money, we are screaming as loud as we can but they can't hear because they have their heads stuck in the sand.  I have always thought that prevention is better than cure but we all seem to be on this downward spiral to potential disaster if everyone doesn't do their part.

Just one person can make a difference!

The blog song for today is: " We can work it out" by the Beatles

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The Big Plastic Count - the UK's biggest ever investigation into household plastic waste for one week, 16-22 May 2022 (UK only)

 I’m joining #TheBigPlasticCount – the UK’s biggest ever investigation into household plastic waste. For one week, 16–22 May, people all over the country are counting their plastic packaging waste to help gather new, game-changing evidence of the true scale of the plastic problem. The results will show the government what really needs to be done to tackle it, and the more people who take part, the more impact we'll have. Will you join me? Here’s the link: https://act.gp/3iOmgvD

How do I order my pack?

When you sign up you’ll be asked for your mailing address to receive a physical pack. Of course it’s plastic-free and printed on recycled paper, but you can also opt out if you’d rather download a digital version.

Can we take part as a group?

We’d love community groups and teams of colleagues to get together and join The Big Plastic Count! Simply sign up individually and then you can swap tips during the week and share your results between yourselves.

My pack hasn’t arrived yet, what can I do?

Most packs will arrive a week before the count in May. If there’s an issue though you can access the digital pack here or it’s in the email you recieved when you first signed up. It includes a printable tally sheet – or you can tally online too.

What do I do if I miss a day of counting?

Don’t worry if you miss a day of counting – when you submit your results you can select how many days you counted for.

What if I miss an item of plastic?

If everyone does 7 whole days and counts all their plastic waste we get better data, but if you miss something, don’t worry! Your data is still important.

How do I work out which category to put an item in?

Use your instinct and judgement to categorise your plastic, you’ll probably get it right! But if you’re still unsure and would like some more help, visit our help page where you can find a long list of examples and definitions.

What aren’t we counting?

Don’t include: plasters, medication packaging, non-dairy milk/juice cartons (TetraPak), nappies, dog poo bags, plastic cutlery or period products.

What if we use a lot of plastic?

Please remember, this isn’t about feeling guilty about the amount of plastic you use! Too much single-use plastic is produced and there aren’t reusable alternatives that suit everyone’s needs. Together we’re gathering the evidence needed to push for proper action on plastic.

What should I do with my plastic afterwards?

Dispose of your plastic waste in the same way you would normally – reuse what you can, recycle what you can and throw away the rest. We know it may feel disheartening, but you’re doing your bit, and with the evidence you’re helping us build, we’ll push the government, big brands and supermarkets to do theirs.

Why is The Big Plastic Count only over one week

The aim for The Big Plastic Count is to get lots and lots of people involved, counting their household plastic packaging. One week is enough time to collect useful data without taking up too much of people's time.

How do you work out my footprint?

Once we have an individual household’s count results, we apply national data on different types of plastic to calculate how much, on average, would be collected for recycling, what’s then likely to happen to it, and what that means for your footprint.

I wish there was something like this here in Spain, although I am hoping that after the UK one, they may follow because it is linked to Greenpeace! I will be counting my plastic all the same, just out of curiosity!

It will be really interesting to see the results! I fear that we already know it will be bad, unfortunately official bodies like numbers, so that is the way it is done!

The blog song for today is: "Isis"  by Bob Dylan

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We have all the tools to cut emissions, but time is short- a report from WWF dated Apr 4 · a 5 min read

 

We have all the tools to cut emissions, but time is short

As the latest climate science report from the IPCC report lands, it’s clear that while we have the solutions to limit warming to 1.5°C, we are fast running out of time to implement them, writes WWF’s Global IPCC Lead, Dr. Stephen Cornelius.

© WWF / James Morgan

The science has been clear for years: man-made global warming is driven by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels and the destruction of natural ecosystems. Our world has already warmed by 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels on average, and the climate-related hazards — from more extreme weather events to rising sea levels — are already adversely impacting people and nature across the globe. This will worsen as global temperature rises and every fraction of a degree of warming matters when it comes to climate risks. This is why there is an urgent need to hold the global temperature rise below 1.5°C to avoid the most catastrophic effects.

The latest report from the UN’s climate science body — the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — contains few surprises to those paying attention. This third part of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report covers the progress in limiting greenhouse gas emissions and the many solutions already available for cutting emissions, and it spotlights how much we still need to do.

The transition has begun

Fortunately, as the IPCC points out, what we need to do is well understood. We need to rapidly move the global economy away from polluting fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) which are responsible for around 81% of global CO2 emissions. We must transition our energy, industry, agriculture and land-use, buildings and transport sectors to reduce their impact on our climate.

© WWF-US / Eric Kruszewski

Those transitions are underway in many parts of the world. The new report shows how quickly some sectors in some countries have moved — between 2010 and 2019, the cost of solar energy and lithium-ion batteries (used for energy storage) decreased by a massive 85%, while wind energy costs dropped by 55%. The roll-out of solar energy increased 10 fold and electric vehicles 100 fold. There is increasing evidence of climate action and around 20 countries have shown they can reduce emissions through policy and economic measures, which have boosted energy efficiency, reduced rates of deforestation and increased renewable energy and low-carbon transportation. Solutions are now available in every sector to halve emissions by 2030 in line with a 1.5°C pathway.

This report makes it clear that actions to address the climate crisis can also provide so many other social, economic and environmental benefits. They can drive forward sustainable development by energy access to all, food security, thriving nature and improved health. Indeed, without ambitious action on climate change then sustainable development cannot be achieved.

But while some parts of the world are rapidly embracing renewables and electrifying their transport systems, others are pressing ahead with fossil fuel-powered development. Our global food system is also trending in the wrong direction. According to the report it accounts for some 23–42% of emissions — from the use of fossil fuels for transport and refrigeration, the overuse of chemical fertilisers, methane from burping livestock, and through the release of carbon from deforestation and disturbed soils.

Systemic solutions

Governments’ pledges (nationally determined contributions or NDCs) fall way short of limiting warming to even 2°C; and the implementation of these pledges lags behind even further. We know what we need to do. We need more aggressive emission reduction targets. We need those targets to be implemented quickly by policies and regulations that mean climate change is taken into account at every level of government and in every business decision. We need money to be redirected from the bad stuff to the good stuff — removing fossil fuel subsidies, developed countries fulfilling the $100bn pledge to developing countries, institutions financing renewable rather than fossil energy. Without strengthening policies and providing the money, 1.5°C will be out of reach.

There are also many opportunities when it comes to reducing demand. For example, energy needs in buildings can be cut through better insulation and more energy efficient appliances. The need for more land can be reduced by optimising food production on existing land, moving to healthier diets that are produced within planetary boundaries and cutting food loss and waste. This kind of transformative, systemic change must be implemented carefully so that it is equitable and minimises the negative impacts of the transition on people and nature.

Is cutting emissions enough?

While it’s clear we first need rapid, deep and sustained cuts in emissions to prevent them from entering the atmosphere in the first place, we will also have to invest at scale in pulling carbon back out of the atmosphere. Our primary tool here is nature. By using nature-based solutions to protect and restore natural systems such as forests, peatland and seagrass meadows, enormous volumes of carbon can be captured and stored. If done right this can provide numerous other benefits: they can help protect against storm surges, provide habitats for wildlife, manage floodwaters and create jobs.

© Andre Dib / WWF-Brazil

Despite decades of warnings from scientists and environmental groups like WWF, governments and businesses have procrastinated and delayed. This has made the needed rates of emission reduction steeper and more and more expensive.

It will always be better to not pollute in the first place than have to clean up after — but we may need to consider options that we have previously rejected involving carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS). This technology, which involves scrubbing emissions from power plants and industrial processes and pumping it underground, is promoted by those with fossil fuel interests — likely to prolong their dying industry. Combining CCS with bioenergy crops (so-called BECCS), to produce power with ‘negative emissions’ also risks promoting large-scale monoculture plantations and further driving competition for land. These options still need more research and testing to understand their viability. They should not distract from the need to immediately cut emissions.

The time is now

The IPCC’s latest report makes one thing clearer than ever: we will miss the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal unless emissions are cut now. Many of the opportunities and benefits of climate action diminish the more we delay and the slower we proceed. We must put all our effort into investing at scale in powering our societies more efficiently, using clean renewable energy, conserving and restoring nature, moving away from unsustainable business practices and leaving no one behind in this transition.

Every moment, every policy, every investment, and every decision matters to avoid further climate chaos.

It is encouraging to read positive actions taking place which hopefully spurs on more change.  The rising price of electricity and gas is also taking its toll but it is possible to use less!  The other problem is rising prices, everything is going up with a lot of shortages at the same time, these two alone are causing problems for everyone.  

The blog song for today is: " Prince Charming" by Adam and the Ants

TTFN

Why we need a windfall tax on oil companies- A report from: Tax Justice UK

 

Why we need a windfall tax on oil companies

11/2/2022

 

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Last year the oil company BP made more money in two minutes than a middling British family makes in a year. The company made £9.5 billion profit in 2021, that’s £18,000 per minute.
 
At the same time, the latest figures show that BP paid no tax on its North Sea oil and gas business. Instead the UK treasury paid BP a subsidy of £35 million.
 
A system of generous tax breaks means that BP has paid no tax on its North Sea business. In fact, it’s effective tax rate is a whopping minus 54%.
 
The revelation came from climate campaign group Uplift. They’ve done great work uncovering the generous tax arrangements given to oil giants like BP.
 
Big oil companies are making bumper profits, and receiving subsidies from the government. Yet families are struggling to keep the lights on.
 
We’ve joined Uplift, and other campaigners, in calling for a windfall tax on the big oil companies. This would help fund proper support for families struggling with higher energy bills.
 
During the pandemic some companies and wealthy individuals have done very well financially. At the same time, many families have struggled.
 
Oxfam recently revealed that the world’s ten richest saw their wealth double over the last two years. Last year we found that six companies shared excess profits of £16 billion during the pandemic. We called for a Pandemic Profits tax to help pay for the recovery from covid.
 
Among those hardest hit by the cost of living squeeze are carers, the disabled and people who have lost their jobs.
 
A new plan, written by people with experience of the benefits and welfare system, sets out how to deal with entrenched poverty. The Commission on Social Security proposed a guaranteed decent income for all and a welfare system that has dignity at its heart.
 
These are ambitions we support.

If you would like to know more about this subject visit the website, 

( https://www.taxjustice.uk/ )it is full of interesting stuff and campaigns that you can get involved in. I think it applies to wherever you live, this is an ongoing system of avoidance that needs to change.

The blog song for today is:" Don't tell me"by Madonna

TTFN

 

How the next generation of activists are tackling one of the biggest climate issues - a rrport from Earthday.org

 

The Great Global Cleanup

How the next generation of activists are tackling one of the biggest climate issues

April 7, 2022

Key Takeaways: Earth Day Live – Community and Youth Activism: The Next Generation

Environmental youth activists are the future of our planet, with our youngest generations set to inherit a planet plagued by the devastating effects of global climate change. Perhaps one of the most prevalent environmental issues, plastic pollution, is being faced head on by youth activists around the world. 

On March 31st, 2022, EARTHDAY.ORG hosted a panel of youth activists discussing the importance of addressing plastic pollution, as well as ways they are creating change in their communities and countries worldwide. 

Moderated by Broadcaster and Journalist Colm Flynn, the panel included Lefteris Arapakis of Greece, Lilith (Lilly) Electra Platt of The Netherlands, Pedro Urioste of Brazil, and Heidi Solba of Estonia. 

Pedro Urioste is a 16-year-old activist working on the interconnectedness of Brazil’s social and environmental issues. Brazil is not new to the environmental crisis, suffering decades worth of deforestation and pollution. While progress continues to be made, Pedro believes more needs to be done. Currently, only 3% of recyclable material in Brazil is actually being recycled. Polluted neighborhoods in Brazil is a social issue as well, with Pedro noting, “When we talk about plastic and we talk about pollution in general, we must always remember who are the ones who must carry the burden of all of this pollution.”

Pedro currently works with Limpia Brasil and founded the Youth Who Clean Program, which aims at promoting cleaning efforts and lectures in local schools. 

On the other side of the world, Lilith (Lilly) Electra Platt is working to inspire people to reduce their plastic usage. At just 13-years-old, Lilly has founded Lilly’s Plastic Cleanup. She estimates that she has collected over 200,000 pieces of garbage since her movement started. When asked about why she believes people litter, Lilly simply stated, “A lot of people just think it’s convenient,” adding that people genuinely might know the consequences of their actions but do it anyway. 

Lefteris Arapakis, Co-founder and Director of Enaleia, works at motivating fishing communities to clean up plastic pollution in our oceans. Coming from a family of fishermen himself, Lefteris is no stranger to the amount of plastic pollution in our water. Rather than collecting trash and plastic that gets caught in fishing nets, Lefteris noticed that most fishermen simply threw it back in the ocean. Rather than continuing to be part of the problem, Lefteris set off to organize a movement in his community to be part of the solution through plastic collection. Lefteris has even joined forces with recycling companies to refurbish this plastic into something new, like clothes. 

Lefteris sees plastic pollution as an economic failure. He states, “We need to go from a linear economy to a circular economy. We need to make sure that the products and the plastic can be recycled and we use less virgin plastic overall.”

Finally, Heidi Solba works with the Lets Do It Movement, operating in over 164 countries worldwide. Heidi emphasizes the duty of humans to our planet, and shifting our mindset and behavior to greener societies. Heidi states, “Cleanups are a really great opportunity to realize and bring the people into the action and realize what is the waste and to see the waste and understand their behavior…through cleanups we are actually changing the people’s behavior.” Seeing youth activists around the world motivates Heidi to keep pushing for global change. 

Offering their final remarks on the future of environmental activists, all four panelists showed an overwhelming sense of optimism. Young people are motivated to act on climate change because they are the ones forced to carry the burden. Lilly expressed her passion for environmental change, stating, “As a person of the youth, I really think that we deserve a planet that everyone else has seen…no one deserves a corrupted and polluted wasteland.”

Here at EARTHDAY.ORG, you too can be an activist in your community. Contact local congress members and calculate your personal plastic footprint through EARTHDAY.ORG’s End Plastic Pollution Campaign. Want to participate in a cleanup in your area? Find a cleanup near you or register a cleanup in your community. Together, we can end plastic pollution and create a beautiful home for future generations. 

It is great to read these types of articles and encourages me to spread the word, it really is all about educating people and hopefully they will understand the whole situation and their part in it a lot better!

The blog song for today is: "The grand parade of lifeless packaging" by Genesis

TTFN