This is not my... Week 38
24/10/06 - Prizes
20/10/06 - Ok so if the precipice for disaster
19/10/06 - With a sense of palpable urgency
This Section; Background; The point
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Oh I wish I got to give them out.
There could be prizes for so many things…
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Obviously I wouldn't get rid of the peace prize or all the writing ones etc but maybe just add a few more in...
Like a prize for the most graceful hat wearer in Carlisle, or the person who comes up with the finest word to describe the uneven shape of an organic egg.
I would definitely have to give some for design.
I was checking out some the sites of exhibitors from the (re)design show the other day and came across some amazing things.
My favourite was the big igloo (possibly not the designers description) made from the left over London Marathon water bottles.
Brilliant.
I was waiting for the bus yesterday and it was raining.
If there had been a structure to shelter under – cleverly fashioned from waterproof packaging that would have been otherwise discarded - I would have been very happy indeed.
(And my feet wouldn’t have gone that weird pale they go when they have been in damp socks for over 5 hours.)
And there are also tables made from washing machine drums, benches from old wheelie bins, chairs from plastic bags - incredible.
It really makes you think twice about all of the things round the house…
Mind you – as with my attempts at dancing – there are something's I have an abundance of enthusiasm for but will never quite master.
And design is one of them.
I know this because of the pinafore I failed to finish after 2 years at primary school (those needles are small and unnecessarily pointy) and the box I attempted to construct that wouldn’t shut till I smashed it with a hammer and then never opened again…
So I will admit defeat before starting and instead heap praise upon all of those far more talented.
If you want to see for yourself some new design possibilities then there are loads of amazing links on the (re)design website.
Anyhow - best be getting along.
Have a fabulous day! x
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mini mouse.
Which is nice... |
Evil evil colds.
Loads of people I met last week had them and one of them got me.
Damnation.
Not badly or painfully but - since I never shut up - just enough for it to effect my voice.
It would be nice if, like everyone else, I developed a sexy husky tone when I got a sore throat but alas - I go exactly the other way - and get a shrill squeak instead.
Joy.
Anyhow - any excuse to go in to work late (this is becoming way too much of a habit!) and to drink tea in bed.
Staying in bed though means I don't have to put the heating on so it's practically an environmental imperative...
Kidding (ish)
Was up quite late yesterday working on the solutions page for the site. (Aka - I had meant to do it in the afternoon but was forced back to bed after Saturday night turned into a late one.)
Anyhow - feel free to have a look.
It is a bit of a work in progress as it takes a while to get all of the links and facts (especially with a hangover) but it does give an overview of the things we can do to avert the worst consequences of global warming.
I have started with energy efficiency but will fill in the blanks on all the other sections over the next couple of weeks.
For now though - better be off so that I can squeak at people irritatingly all day.
Mwah x
20/10/2006 - Ok so if theprecipice for disaster
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is on the horizon.
What can we do about it...!? |
Fear not.
We don't yet have to start stocking up on spam, drilling a bore hole in the garden and brushing up on swimming lessons.
When it comes to global warming, time may not be on our side but there is still time.
And there are solutions.
Plus - I've seen all the old war movies. We are pretty good in times of emergency. And the men look hot hot hot in the uniforms so there's a positive right there!
So... Operation Save the World and everyone in it - is on (might think of a snappier title later...)
Will get the full solutions page up to counter the - rather terrifying - problem one later on but will pull out two things to focus on for now.
One a big technological solution and the other a little closer to home.
So starting with the much more palatable techno fix....
Carbon capture and sequestration
Or for anyone who thinks that sequestration is an unduly long and incomprehensible term (or - on the off chance you get distracted because it rhymes with castration... Tony.... ), carbon capture, separation and storage.
The main cause of global warming is the release of too much carbon into the atmosphere.
So - clever people with brains as large as the sun - have found out how we can catch it as soon as it is burnt, put it in a massive box (or slightly more technical alternative) and then bury it so it doesn't get into the atmosphere.
Since we are burning a huge amount of coal that releases carbon, and can't just stop burning it, this could play a huge role in curbing emissions.
At last nights lecture Jeffrey Sach's focused on the huge possibilities of this type of technology.
First he discussed development and how the people of the world are trying to achieve this materially - 1/6th to get out of poverty, 4/6th to improve their lives and the richest 6th (that'd be us) as "there is a frenzy for more even amongst those who have an unimaginable amount already."
While development has allowed us the most incredible progress over the last 200 years bringing child mortality rates crashing and allowing us to make computers, medicines and the all-in-one synthetic jump suit it has also had its down sides.
The main being the rapid depletion of the world's resources.
We are currently using resources at an unsustainable level. The world's average income is $8,000. The average in the wealthiest nations is $30,000.
If the rest of the world is to achieve the prosperity we have in the West (China and India are catching up at a phenomenal rate) then world economic output, as a consequence of carbon intensive industrialisation, will rise 4 times.... if the population grows, as predicted, by another 3 billion... 6 times.
Oh dear.
Lucky then that - as an eminent economist and advisor to the Secretary General of the UN - he is hopeful for the future. And he is hopeful because "we have arrived where we are in an astounding fit of absentmindedness".
No one has yet focused on reducing CO2.
We have made computer chips smaller than stamps, walked on the moon and survived in the deepest oceans but application of the planet's finest minds has never before been on the reduction of CO2.
And one thing that they can now focus on is carbon capture and storage.
It has possibilities.
Great possibilities.
And may contribute massively to reducing carbon emissions.
As Professor Sach's pointed out - we are driving towards the cliff - but there is still time swerve.
To be fair he did note: "President Bush is holding the steering wheel... so I'm a little nervous..." but - in addition - highlighted the amazing opportunity we have to unite humanity as we find ways to save ourselves.
All of which means.... that I am - once again - late for work and haven't even written about carbon rationing... me oh my!
Right - well - will instead link to a great article in the New Statesman on it and look at it later and also think about what we can do to help encourage exploration of carbon sequestration.
Now - unless you just happen to be an incredible scientist - then it is unlikely that you can help personally.
But - as ever - we can help those that are.
I'm thinking that if we pay more incredible scientists so that they can spend their time working on this for us then everyone is a winner.
So we just need some more research funding.
Will draft up a letter for my MP's asking that she encourages the government to put more money aside for it.
Plus - will send one to my CEO to try to get him to encourage a bit of industry wide action (I am doing some contracting in the insurance world - a world about to get very hard hit by climate change).
Surely research funding is something they could help with?
No harm in trying at least - you know - since the future depends on people taking action and all...
Anyhow - really really going to be late so will stop the extensive ramble and let you get back to studying the world on a bum picture...
Have crazy old weekends xx
19/10/2006 - With a sense of palpable urgency
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in the air. And the rallying call to arms I... |
slept in.
Ah but it felt so good.
I read about these people who can get by with hardly any sleep at all.
But, as all previous whinges are testament, I am certainly not one of them.
Had a busy old day yesterday ending in the Lambeth Climate Action Group meeting (don't pretend you're not jealous). I had infiltrated (being a Southwarker) after a request to explain Carbon Rationing Action Groups.
But I was super tired - a state in which I am about as much use as a (inset suitable witty comment that I can't think of) and so very relieved to find someone else there who could do the explaining while I nodded sagely.
It was great though. After the 'why we are here' intro - much along the lines of the happy text from our Problem page - it was all really positive.
Naturally there was a near intercation between the council workers and the lady who wanted to start a mob but all other ideas for progressive solutions are already being put into action.
Lambeth will now have a lot more solar energy - a lot more carbon rationing - a lot more awareness and a few more skateboarders.
It is amazing what a few people in a room can manage if they all put their minds to it. Quite inspiring in fact.
Though - not perhaps inspiring enough to get up early and write up our solutions page.
Ah well. Gives me all of today to make sure I have all of the facts and figures before rocking it out tomorrow.
Maybe I can get some more info at the St Paul's lecture this evening - this time it is Jeffrey Sach's talking about the climate and its impact on poverty.
Should be a good one.
Anyhow - better go - sleeping in leads very nicely into being late for work...
Argh.
Have a good one x
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But an exciting challenge too... |
Ok so - my mate Greg (he of the crazy facial hair on the right in fact) sent me through some information he had been putting together on the problem of climate change.
I have been meaning to write up something for AGES on why it is important that we should worry about this but - since it is a bit on the depressing side - happily got side tracked looking at shoes/anything shiny/muscly men etc
Plus - so many other people write about all the scary things I have always just linked to them.
But - I also know that we should have some back ground somewhere on the site if for nothing else but the opportunity to have all of the positive, solution type information alongside.
So I nicked all of Greg's stuff, added some rambling and put in some pretty pictures....
And it took AGES!!!!
Which meant that I only got half way through the solutions bit.
So that will have to come tommorrow - or as soon as I get chance to finish it.
Check out this bit though if you want to get a short sharp shock (think ice pool after the sauna) and I'll rock along with the fluffy towel (ok ok - slighly abrasive but still functional towel) as soon as I can.
Other than that though - have a lovely day!
http://www.thisisnotmy.co.uk/jelostein/Problem.php
x
This section will be a daily, well - Monday to Friday daily, editorial. (Have to keep some time aside to keep up the ritual wine drinking / dancing as if being chased by bees.)
I promise to make it my mission to investigate something each day on exciting forays to find new stuff, fun stuff, ethical stuff and anything involving break dancing men with extremely toned physiques.
Let me know if you think of something I should go and visit or if you have any great ideas or information. (Any dodgy suggestions will be politely declined... or not so politely, depending entirely on what they are!)
For today, though, please just have a look below to find out how this whole thing came about. I hope that you are having a lovely morning.
See you tomorrow,
Susie x
Background to This is not my...
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What is this site all about?
Well, as all good ventures do, it started in the pub with the ominous words "I know, why don't we...?" |
What was different, though, was that it still seemed like a good plan in the morning (and somewhat less injurious than trying out extreme ironing, the other suggestion...)
Anyway - once again we had been supping beers and putting the world to rights when someone mentioned the unmentionable, despite our disaffection with the state of the world, none of us was actually doing anything positive to change it.
Whether this was complacency or apathy, who knows - but we were definitely leaving it to others to make decisions and take action for us on issues about which we felt strongly.
We live in a free society, but often things seem to happen as a fait accompli. The war in Iraq, ID cards, the fact that we will eventually succumb to watching some of Big Brother no matter how hard we try...
And we just go along with it. But that is ok, right? I mean, we aren't exactly encouraging the abuse of others - are we?
Ok - so maybe my new top might have been made under less-than-perfect conditions and I suppose that means I am supporting those conditions, but - I have to buy something to wear, so what other choice do I have?
And that was the problem. What - and where - are the choices?
So we decided to investigate. Surely in this free society we have other options; we just need to know how to find them.
So we went online. There are some great directories already for ethical and/or environmentally friendly products, but for us these didn't go far enough. We were on a bit of a roll and decided that these products deserved more active promotion.
We wanted to make as many people as possible aware of the practical things they can do to live life in a better way.
So on this site we will provide information about easy, positive and ethical consumer choices. These are choices that won’t necessarily cost you more, either.
In our directories you will find environmentally friendly and ethical companies and products across the following categories:
Clothes
Energy
Food and Drink
Health and Beauty
Home and Garden
Office
Recycling
Restaurants
You will also find debates, downloads, fun stuff and plenty more to lure you back to the site on a regular basis.
We’d love you to get involved with some curious antics to keep important issues in the public eye – and provide us with much entertainment and amusement at the same time.
So - take a look. Explore… investigate… probe away.
We hope you like it; we hope you use it.
