Video: NI's First Carbon Neutral House

BBC Newsline's coverage of the official opening ceremony

Video: Alliance for Climate Protection's Repower America Ad

The Alliance for Climate Protection's Repower America ad was refused by US television network ABC. Show your support for the ACP, and tell ABC what you think.

Lessons for Lunch

One of the biggest issues facing us, as well as climate change is obesity and dietary related illness which is grinding our health service to a slow and abrupt stop. In the UK we have Jamie Oliver trying to change the nation. In the US they have Ann Cooper.

Ann Cooper has a frontline view of the daily battle to keep kids healthy -- and of the enemy, the processed-foods industries that, it sometimes seems, want to wrap every single thing that children eat in a fried coating and then a plastic bag. As the director of nutrition services for the Berkeley (California) Unified School District, she's an outspoken activist for serving fresh, sustainable food to kids. Her lively website, Lunch Lessons, rounds up recipes, links, and resources for food activism.

Cooper's influential program in Berkeley involves kids in every stage of the food they eat, from growing to disposing of it. And along the way, eating some delicious cafeteria lunches.

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Keep it Cool!

Most clothes will come out of the wash just as clean if you turn down the temperature dial by a few degrees. There are also some washing detergents that are specially designed work more effectively at lower temperatures. Low temperature washes require less energy to heat the water.

In Search of Clean Power

In this, the last of his Big Ideas programmes, James May (of Top Gear fame) tries to find smarter, brighter and bolder ways of powering the planet for future generations. So James sets off on a global search to find people who share his dream. It takes him from Guildford, where he takes a solar powered car to its limit at night, to the US where he joins some aerospace engineers who are trying to build an 'elevator' into space.

In Holland, he meets the first Dutchman in space who has put away his rockets and has swapped them for kites as he tries to harvest the power of the jet-stream. And finally, in the deserts of New Mexico, James seeks out some modern-day alchemists, who offer the promise of allowing him to drive his car on petrol conjured out of thin air.

There will be a few familiar sites in this episode with the Marine Current Turbine in Strangford Lough and the Solar Tower in Saville, which have previously been mentioned in this blog.

You can catch this program on the BBC iPlayer for a few days yet.

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New Energy Efficient Ad On TV Now

Ad Courtesy Of Act On CO2

A £6m TV ad campaign encouraging householders to make steps to make their homes more energy efficient was launched on Wednesday.

Following a rise in the number of people calling energy efficiency advice lines, the adverts, directed by This is England director Shane Meadows, are to air from tonight.

"Apart from the fact that I really liked this campaign because it's funny and well written, I was also interested in making some films that might make a difference to the way people behave. If these films can make a few more people aware of the problem and actually do something, then it's got to be a worthwhile project."
Shane Meadows

The advert shot by Meadows show a father trying to get his family to cut their energy consumption, reducing their gas and electricity bills and reducing their carbon emissions.

ACT ON CO2 advice line from the Energy Saving Trust has reported that the amount of calls it has received has quadrupled since the government announced a £910 million package to help householders become more efficient.

Taking steps such as ensuring all sockets are tuned off, installing insulation and using energy saving appliances are among the recommendations the advice line ACT ON CO2 has been handing out.

"I am encouraged that following last week's announcement, people are looking to take action to cut their fuel bills and save energy at the same time. We now need to build on that enthusiasm."
Hillary Benn, Environment Secretary

The government package aims to make sure all homes have proper insulation by 2020.

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Video: Forest Love

Greenpeace have added this video to You Tube, taking inspiration from "EU Tube" (the channel on YouTube set up by the European Union) video "Film Lovers Will Love This!", which promotes the European Media and Film industry, a clip seen by over 7m people. However "Forest Love" asks for you to upload your forest love to the new offical website and Flickr page. Have a look at some forest love!

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Video: Paris Hilton Releases Energy Policy

John McCain compared Barak Obama to Paris Hilton. So, she has released her tongue-in-cheek reply, a middle of the road energy policy, which will fund hybrid and electric vehicle technology. As well as flying off to Bali for a tan and painting the White House pink!

Maximising Efficiency

Increasing passenger numbers on any mode of transport effectivily increases the efficiency of the vehicle and reduces average energy used per passenger km. This video clip from Japan shows how they maximise efficiency out of peak hour trains, if not resulting in an uncomfortable ride, it's a pitty these aren't sites to often seen in the UK (more people using the trains, oppose to people being pushed in them).

11th Hour on C4

A film which looks at some of the most important environmental issues facing our planet is being shown on Channel 4 on Sunday 25 May, at 7:25pm.

Produced and presented by Leonardo DiCaprio, The 11th Hour explores how we live, how we affect the earth's ecosystems, and what we can do to change the impact we have on our planet. Experts from all over the world - including UK scientist, Stephen Hawking, and US sustainable design expert, William McDonough - present the facts and discuss the most important issues that face our planet. The film will be available on DVD from 2nd June.

Video: Government Retreat on Free Home Energy Monitors

SDC Chair, Jonathon Porritt, gives his views on the recent decision by BERR (Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) not to give the go-ahead to a plan which would have seen power companies providing every home with a free device able to display electricity use in real-time.

Join the Eco Revolution

Aldous Snow played by the fabulous Russell Brand in a music video by the fictious Infant Sorrow from the movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", at cinemas now, promoting a tongue in cheek eco revolution.

Why Buy Eco Fashion?

Green is the new black in the world of fashion according to the BBC's new thread magazine online, where you can find out more on ethical fashion, the above video link explains why organic cotton is a must for any eco friendly person, as well as advice on how to dispose of last seasons collection, should you be that way inclined.

For more from the BBC on ethical fashion, and how your garments are made, visit the Thread Magazine website or check out Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts on BBC3 and available on iPlayer. The series follows six young fashion addicts as they experience life as factory workers in India, making clothes for the British high street. Working in the mills of India’s cotton belt and stitch clothes in cramped back rooms, sleeping next to their sewing machine. See how it changes their attitudes to cut-price clothing.

Video: "Biking is Better"

After visiting the LifestyleGreen Show and speaking with the Northern Ireland Cycling Initiative, the largest cycling campaign group in Northern Ireland, I am feeling compelled to act on my previous inclinations to purchase a new bike. I have resisited previously over minor concerns. I will, should I purchase the new bike use it to travel to work and to make late night shopping trips to the supermarket on a regular basis. This will be a small part in reducing the 91m tonnes of CO2 emissions caused by road transport in the UK, and it might make me a little fitter in the process. From research published by Lets Green This City, which I have commented on previously how could I deny myself the thrills and fun of cycling to work which 19% of cyclists say is the best part of their day.

One of my major concerns was bike theft which I have now resolved, with an insurance quote from CycleGuard which is a fraction of that of car insurance premiums.

Would-be cyclists can benefit from a bike to work scheme offering tax savings on bikes purchased by employees through their work for employees via PAYE, who then pay for the bike through monthly contributions for twelve months. The employee can then buy the bike for a nominal retail value. A £400 bike purchased through the scheme could result in savings of upto 33% off the retail value. Whilst I think this scheme is a great way to encourage people on to their bikes, the red tape and complicated system I feel would deter some people even asking their company about implementing the scheme (including myself). More appropriate I feel would be cycles rated Vat free and tax deductible with certain limitations. However the response to this suggestion from the government is outlined below.

"VAT is a broad-based tax on consumer expenditure generally and reliefs from it have always been strictly limited. When the UK joined the European Community in 1973, it meant signing up to the general agreements which covered the application of VAT throughout the EC. Under these and subsequent agreements, signed by successive governments, we are allowed to keep our existing VAT zero rates but not to introduce new ones. This means that we cannot remove VAT from bicycles and other human powered vehicles or their parts and spares.

The Government is taking practical steps to increase levels of cycling, as a means of contributing to many of our key priorities including improving the health of the nation, improving the environment and helping to reduce urban congestion. In 2005, the Department for Transport launched Cycling England, an independent expert body to co-ordinate cycling across the country with a budget of £5m a year for a three-year period to allocate to cycling programmes. This was increased to £10m a year in June 2006 with the additional funding being targeted on funding safe links to school and additional cycle training in schools. Cycling England has a free expert advisory service to support local authorities to help them get the best value out of their expenditure (around £60m in 2006/07) on cycling. £17m (with match funding) is also being invested in six Cycling Demonstration Towns over 3 years, to showcase best practice, and test whether by investing at levels seen in successful European cycling cities we can start to see similar levels of cycling in England."

The above video is from Transport for London, to promote people to get on their bikes, because it's "Better to Bike".

Lush Protest Packaging in the Nude

Leading international high street retailer Lush have gone onto the streets in the UK stripping off to protest against unnecessary packaging of products, the UK nude protest is part of the stores worldwide campaign in 55 cities. Staff from Lush stores around the UK wore only a white apron with the words "Ask Me Why I'm Naked" emblazoned across their fronts covering their most intimate parts.

Lush is one of the few companies that have extensive environmental merits far beyond its competitors. The majority of their products come unpackaged, those that do are minimal and only used if absolutely necessary. All their ingredients are 100% natural and sourced in the country they are produced. Their products are never tested on animals.

Lush co founder Mark Constantine recently presented a Channel 4 documentary leading the public on a revolutionary insight into the consumer power over packaging, the effects, and cost packaging has on our pockets and the environment. You can watch the documentary on You Tube. (Part 1, 2, 3)

On 16th January 2006 Lush was taken to court in the UK by the Environment Agency. The offence was a technical one of not registering under The Packaging Waste Regulations 1997. This action to bring one of the most environmentally friendly companies in the UK on a technicality was not well received by the public.

There have been 3400 new pieces of legislation on average each year for the last 5 years. Lush started in 1995 and the new law came in during 1997 however Lush did not need to register under the Packaging Waste Regulations until the rules were changes in 2000 and to make it even more difficult the Environment Agency only put the rules on their website in 2005. Even allowing for this Lush has always recycled as well as offering packaging free alternatives to your every day products.

As soon as Lush were informed about the regulations they complied and attempted to make good any fees or charges that we had not paid. They say attempted because the Environment Agency tried to stop them so they could prosecute even though Kevin Parsons, Senior Environmental Officer, South West Region said ‘I agree Lush has been open and honest and that the environment has not suffered as a result of their action’.

He also said ‘It is very difficult for local officers as the scope for discretion is extremely limited. It causes us great difficulty in cases such as Lush as it is fully accepted that Lush is a company recycling on a very comprehensive basis.’

The magistrates took some time to discuss matters amongst themselves. They asked when the Regulations first came in as opposed to when the company first registered. The Lush barrister pointed out that there was no liability until the year 2000, which was when the limit came down from £5m to £2m. He also noted that there were two further small points that he had been asked to put forward to the magistrates. The first was to make clear explicitly the methods of recycling had been carried out since well before the year 2000. Secondly, that the Regulations had been placed on the Environment Agency’s website during the course of the last year and not before.

The magistrates retired for all of 15 minutes. They then said that the offences were ‘at the lower end of the scale’ and ‘having taken the mitigation into account’ that the compensation was the penalty.

It's a shame that genuine companies with positive attitudes towards making a beneficial difference to the environment are prosecuted over a technicality where those that flout the law are not brought before the courts.

Video: 10 Things To ... Reduce Energy Use

This simple four minute video clip presented by Naomi Cleaver and Kevin McCloud outlines just 10 simple changes we can make to our lifestyles which will see you reduce your CO2 emisssions and save alot of money in the process. Following all the advice and tips in this video could save you in excess of £500 per year. If you want to find out more on any of the tips included in the video just follow the advice and links under the relevant number.

1. The average kettle uses about 3kWh, and is one of the highest consuming devices in the house. A rule of thumb is if you want to boil a cup of tea but there is no marking on the kettle, fill the cup with water and pour into the kettle. Or purchase an Eco kettle.
   
   
2. The Energy Saving Trust advises reducing your thermostat by one degree can reduce your heating bill by up to 10%.
   
   
3. Prepared to be shocked by standby, switch off devices, never leave a device on standby. And unplug chargers when not in use which can have no load usage.
   
   
4. Loft insulation can reduce your household heating bills by 33%, installation costs around £300, but grants are available up to 100% of the cost. Annual savings are £160 - £200, and up to 2000kg of CO2.
   
   
5. Converting to energy saving bulbs can save you 80% on lighting costs and 14% on your electricity bill overall. CFLs should last up to 12 times longer. Bulbs are widely available for as little as 50p. But they are covered by WEEE and should be recycled.
   
   
6. Replacing your boiler to a new condensing boiler could save you a third off your annual gas bill. Grants are available.
   
   
7. Replacing old white goods with new energy recommended ones can reduce your bills considerably. Fridges older than 10 years could be using twice as much electricity, and those over 15 years old up to four times as much. This could be as much as 2kWh per day and 380kg of CO2 per year, it could save you £75 per year in electricity costs too.
   
   
8. Cavity wall insulation can save you a third off your home heating bills. Installation costs as little as £400 and once again grants are available up to 100%. Annual savings are £130 - £160, and up to 1000kg of CO2.
   
   
9. Washing machines use huge amounts of energy, 90% of which is through heating water, by reducing the temperature from 40 to 30, energy consumption will be reduced by 40%.
   
   
10. By walking and cycling short journeys you can reduce your carbon emissions and save money too. Longer journeys can be made in environmentally friendly public transport, where possible avoid air transport. Eco cars could be one way to be green, still have a car and save a lot of money.

Video: Clock Off ... Switch Off

This video shows how important energy efficiency is becoming in business. The Carbon Trust works with companies to reduce their energy consumption by over 20%. Businesses can receive interest free loans and grants to reduce their carbon emissions and effectively reduce their costs, making them more profitable and more competitive.

Video: Eco Rally Brighton to London

Television presenter Robert Llewellyn (Scrapheap Challenge and Red Dwarf) records his part in the Eco Rally from Brighton to London on Tuesday 5th June, driving the Modec electric van.

Part One
Part Two

Video: You Have The Power to Save Energy

A video from the Victoria Government, Melbourne. This is another great video (maybe I am just easily pleased), displaying how in reality we are releasing Co2 and other toxins through the misuse energy. Its interesting to compare the angles used by each country in their efforts to reduce emissions as each country is trying different methods.

Two other commercials in this series can be found at Energy Saving Campagin.

Video: Climate Challenge

I have had this video posted on my site for sometime now so I thought it was time to relegate it to the history. This is a UK television commercial broadcast to try to encourage us Brits to reduce our overall emissions. Visit the Climate Challenge website.