The Global Warming 'Hoax'

From time to time, I come across articles on the Web claiming that Global Warming is a hoax or a global conspiracy.

I for one would love these conspiracy theories to be true so that I can stop worrying the planet. Sadly though, these skeptics have got it wrong.

Their ideas have had their chance: Once upon a time they were the 'majority' view or, at least, the view of those that talked the loudest (like those companies and governments with a vested interest in keeping business-as-usual). "Where's the evidence?" they all shouted.

Then, of course, the evidence came flooding in (No pun intended). From retreating glaciers to thinning polar ice caps to rising sea levels to acidification of the oceans to data showing rising temperatures, the scientists demonstrated that climate change was happening and that it was very likely our fault.

To believe the 'hoax', we have to accept that thousands of scientists, all over the world, have conspired to falsify this data. In other words: Lie. To what end?

One theory is that it's to secure funding for their projects. Really? Surely there'd be more available if they took the opposite view? All those oil producing companies and countries, the car manufacturers, and the coal industry would love for global warming to go away.

Another theory is that western governments want to keep the people scared for some reason now that we're no longer threatened by nuclear war.

This all smacks of desperation to me.

No, as far as I'm concerned, when the scientific community speak with one voice, as they are on this issue, we should all listen.

The 1010UK campaign.

If you're one these people who like something to aim for, why not trim 10% off your carbon footprint in 2010 with 1010UK. They've got 10's of thousands in the campaign already including plenty of celebs and businesses. They have plenty of tips on their website and send you a regular newsletter.

Electric vs. Hybrid Cars

Believe it or not, electric cars have been around since the late 1800's. Indeed, they even out-sold petrol driven cars for a number of years after their arrival. They practically disappeared after the 1930's, but had a brief comeback in the 1990's before being withdrawn under mysterious circumstances. A few years on, and they are beginning to re-appear again. This time, it seems, they're here to stay.

One day, I'm sure, most cars on the roads will be electric. At the moment though, buying an electric car over a 'normal' one isn't a straight forward decision, even for a committed environmentalist.

On the one hand, you have a car which produces no carbon emissions or pollutants, costs just 1 to 2 pence a mile to run, has zero or very low annual road tax, avoids congestion charges (in London), has very low servicing and maintenance costs and, in some cases, won't ever rust because it's made of plastic.

On the other hand, most electric vehicles are relatively expensive to buy, have limited range (Typically 40 miles or 64 km per charge), generally look odd, are not big enough to be a family car, and the batteries cost a fortune to replace when they eventually fail.

I also wonder how much support you might get if you don't live near the manufacturers or a salesroom. For example, if I lived in Cornwall and had a new car shipped from London because it was my closest salesroom, would I get adequate backup should something go wrong with, say, the charging system?

So, it looks like electric vehicles are currently more suited to local commuting in cities which have electric car salesrooms. Certainly, they're becoming an increasingly common sight in London, where there are plenty of reasons for driving them. Elsewhere in the UK, I think it's going to take a while for them to appear in any numbers, particularly in rural areas where the limited range will be a deciding factor.

Given time though, the problems will be solved, and manufacturers will open outlets in many more towns and cities. Electric cars will then have their day (More about Electric Cars).

Until then, the way to go seems to be a hybrid car like the Toyota Prius or Honda Civic Hybrid. They have all the advantages of a normal car like size, range and street cred, but they use less fuel (Particularly in towns) and pump out far less emissions (around 40 - 50% less CO2 than the equivalent size petrol car). What's more, buying a 4 or 5 year old hybrid can cost you less than £8000.

Upgrading Appliances Part 2

We've just replaced our beat-up old, inefficient (D rated) freezer with a new, A rated one.

Rather than give the old one to the suppliers of our new freezer for recycling, we've decided to give it away to someone who needs it using Freecycle. The freezer IS still useable afterall. I'm just hoping the recipient isn't a dealer who wants to make a fast buck. I guess we don't have much control over that.

UK Climate Change Measures

Since November 2008, the UK has been committed under it's own laws to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.

This is something to be proud of. Hopefully, the rest of the world will follow our lead.

As a step towards that target, the government is aiming for cuts of 34% by 2020 and has spelt how it plans to do that here.

Actually, since we're already at 21% (the government's own figure) this means we're only planning a 13% cut over 10 years. This seems a bit unambitious considering the opportunities that are out there from things like the new generation low emission cars, renewable energies, and the public's increasing willingness to reduce their carbon footprint.

Ah well, maybe they'll see the light and revise the target upwards at some stage.

If you want to read more on all this, see here.

Carbon Offsetting

We all know that trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and pump out oxygen. So the obvious answer to global warming is to plant a lot more trees, right?

Sadly, no. There isn't enough land available for the numbers of trees we'd need to plant for all that CO2.

Don't let that put you off planting trees wherever possible though. They can be as important to reducing your carbon footprint as all those other apparently little things like using low energy lightbulbs and recycling.

In fact, doing things like planting trees, where you're trying to balance out your CO2 emissions, has it's own name: Carbon Offsetting.

Are there any other ways we can offset? Yes. There are companies out there who have all sorts of projects from planting forests, to renewable energy schemes in poorer countries, that you can support (i.e. pay) to offset part or all of your footprint.

Here are some examples: Carbon Footprint, Carbon Neutral, and Offset Carbon.

However, in my opinion, we should only ever use this when we've done all we can to reduce our CO2 in the first place. Otherwise we get lazy: we do nothing and pay someone else to do the work.

In my family's case, we might use it to offset what's left over after all our carbon reduction efforts, down to 2 tonnes per person (The U.N. recommended level). Another reason might be for the odd plane flight.

It's up to you how you use it, but if you do offset, I recommend that you research the companies you're interested in to make sure they're for real. I have no doubt that there are a few scammers out there already.

UK Wind Farms

The UK government's recent approval for several new offshore wind farm sites around Britain was good news. Even better news was that this is part of a strategy for getting 25% of our energy from wind by 2020.

However, it would seem that the 25% figure is a bit of political sleight of hand. Most will assume that this is 25% of ALL our energy needs but that's not the case.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry's own 2001 figures, only 9% of our energy requirements come from electricity. The rest is largely fossil fuel (Natural Gas 40%, Petrol 32%, Coal 17%, plus 1% from renewables). Meaning just 2.2% of our total energy needs will come from wind.

Our use of petrol and coal will inevitably decline by 2020, but what, if anything, is being done about our dependence on natural gas? Looking at government projections for 2020, absolutely nothing.

4 Steps To Reducing Your Electric Bill

This link helps you understand where your money is going and how to cut both your bill and your carbon footprint.

What Do I Do With Used Low Energy Lightbulbs?

You can and should recycle all used low energy lightbulbs.

They contain a small amount of mercury so must be taken, intact, to your local household waste recycling centre (i.e. the council dump) where they have separate containers for these bulbs. These containers are then returned to specialist companies for recycling.

See here for more information.

Why Recycle?

There are 2 main reasons for recycling:

1) Reducing Landfill. Finding sufficient places to dump all the waste we humans create is becoming increasingly difficult. We can't go on this way for much longer unless we're prepared to sacrifice vast areas of the countryside. This has become such a big problem in Europe that the EU has actually brought in legislation to force it's population to recycle a lot more. Hefty fines await those local authorities that don't meet their targets.

By the way, landfill produces huge quantities of methane (another greenhouse gas) as it decomposes, adding to the global warming problem. We can each save the equivalent of around 100kg of carbon dioxide per year by recycling all cardboard and composting all our garden and food waste.

2) Saves Energy and therefore CO2 emissions. Recycling paper uses between 40% and 64% less energy than paper made from unrecycled wood pulp.

Recycling glass uses about 40% less energy than making glass from raw materials (sand, lime and soda), as the furnaces don't need so much energy.

Recycling aluminium cans uses just 5% of the energy used to produce them the traditional way!

Recycling steel saves 80% of the carbon emissions produced when making steel from iron ore.

On average, a person who recycles nothing produces 1.5 tonnes a year more CO2 than one who recycles everything.

The Effects of Global Warming

The early effects of global warming, like the rapid retreat of glaciers across the world, are already with us.

This U.N. report, written back in 2001, gives a layman's guide to what's happening, what is likely to happen, and how we can respond.

The potential effects can be summarised as: sea level rise; loss of huge areas of land due to flooding and desert encroachment; others areas being effectively lost due to drought; shifting rainfall patterns; loss of plant and animal species; less water and food to go round the increasing world population; mass migration of people to more habitable areas; wars over water and land; a greater frequency of catastrophic weather events (like flooding, drought, and hurricanes).... There are more, but I think you get the idea.

Not all these effects are inevitable, and those that are need not be severe, but we as a species DO have to get moving on this. The lives of millions of people depend on it.

What is a Carbon Footprint?

Put simply, it's the amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) an individual is responsible for producing during the course of a year.

This amount is usually given in metric tonnes (1000 kilos to a tonne, 2.2 pounds to a kilo). The worldwide average footprint is 4 tonnes, but the average per region varies widely. For example (using 2002 figures), it's 11 across all industrialised nations, in the UK it's 9.2, China is 2.9, India 1.1, and U.S. is 20.

To keep the worldwide temperature rise due to global warming at 2 degrees centigrade (which is still classified by climate scientists as "dangerous"), the worldwide average needs to come down to 2 tonnes.

That might seem impossible or, at least a serious threat to our lifestyles, but apparently the solutions are already available, without having to invoke some as yet undiscovered 'silver bullet' or going back to the Dark Ages. We just need leadership, the political will, and big thinking.

Of course, to get that, we need to make sure our leaders finally get the message: The time for change is NOW!

Dishwasher or Handwash?

Which is best for the environment? Surprisingly, it's the dishwasher (as long as you always do full loads), both in terms of the amounts of water used and the energy. Here's a typical explanation why.

Mega City Electric Car Review on YouTube

Part 1
Part 2

This is the first electric car I've seen that looks good AND comes in at a near reasonable price (£12k).

There seems to be an awful lot of others about to hit the market this year from the 'big boys' like Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Smart which'll make things even more interesting.

If you're planning on changing your car and want to help the environment, you want to consider an electric car instead. And, if money's no object, you might want to look at a Tesla.

Upgrading Appliances

It's said that updating old appliances like fridges, freezers and washing machines to A or A+ rated (i.e. Ultra efficient) versions is a good way to reduce your CO2 emissions and save money.

Well....that's only if you do it when the original appliance actually breaks down. The fact is, even if you're switching a G rating for an A+, it is likely to take several years before it pays you back, if at all (See here for the cost differences between grades).

So it's only worth it from a CO2 perspective, and even that is questionable when you take into account the 'secondary CO2' produced in manufacturing the appliance when you don't actually need it yet.

My advice is only replace it when it's worn out. Or, if you're determined to update, make sure you sell or give the old appliance to someone who'll keep using it until it does give up.

Why Did Copenhagen Fail To Deliver A Climate Deal?

An interesting analysis from the BBC website here.

Reasons given include:

• KEY GOVERNMENTS DO NOT WANT A GLOBAL DEAL
• THE US POLITICAL SYSTEM
• BAD TIMING
• THE HOST GOVERNMENT
• THE WEATHER
• 24-HOUR NEWS CULTURE
• EU POLITICS
• CAMPAIGNERS GOT THEIR STRATEGIES WRONG

Whatever the ultimate reason, it was a pathetic show on the part of our governments: 2 years preparation, 2 weeks at the summit, and nothing tangible to show for it. They ought to hang their heads in shame.

Let's hope they all get their act together in time for the Mexico summit next December.

Loft Insulation

This link has info about the costs and savings etc involved with insulating your loft in the UK.

If you follow this link, you'll find a surprising number of grants available for this and other energy saving installations. For instance, did you know Tesco could do your loft for just £198 (you don't have to be on benefits)? A substantial saving. Same goes for cavity wall.

On the subject of how to get 270 mm of insulation and still be able put floorboards over it, the answer is embarassingly obvious: Fix wooden joists at right-angles to the existing ones to support the floor whilst giving sufficient depth.

Sea Level Change - Flood Maps

Find out how much of your town gets lost as sea levels rise this century: Flood Maps.

Green Cars

Want to see what's out there in terms of 'green' cars? This site is great for news and reviews: Green Car Site. You'll even see that the electric car is back after it's mysterious disappearence in the '90s ;).

This is another one I like: Cars that run on air.

Heat & Light

Changing your light bulbs for low energy ones is a simple, quick, and fairly cheap way of cutting your electric bill and your C02. We've cut our lighting costs by some 80% by phasing them in.

In the past, people have complained that these bulbs are slow to fire up, look ugly, and give poor quality light, but this no longer has to be the case. Our own bulbs come on in a fraction of a second, include attractive candle and spiral shapes, are similar in size to standard bulbs, and give a bright, pure light. There are even low energy bulbs that work with dimmer switches now (Though they are bit expensive at £11.50 a shot). You can see many of the designs now available here.

Saving on our heating bills has cost a bit more up front but it's supposed to pay for itself in a year: We've already put in cavity wall insulation (@ £250) and draught proofed the doors at minimal cost. Now we're looking at loft insulation and expecting that to come in at £500 (less if we DIY). Though we're not sure how we'll fit it to 20 cm (8") depth AND put floorboards over it....

Thankfully, the house was already double glazed or that would have cost thousands.

Solar heating? At £3000 installed, that's not on our radar yet. It would take years to pay us back. Maybe the government will start giving incentives? Yeah, right.

Motivation anyone?

If saving money on your energy and fuel bills isn't enough reason to reduce your carbon footprint, try buying, renting, or borrowing these films. They certainly got me going:

• An Inconvenient Truth
• The Age of Stupid

Green Tariffs

I mentioned green tariffs in my last posting. These are where your electricity supplier promises to match your usage from renewable energy sources like wind, wave, solar or hydro. So you effectively get CO2 free electric! What's more it's often no more expensive than standard supply.

So all you've got to do to remove your electricity usage from your carbon footprint is to find a supplier you like the look of and switch.

There are plenty of energy suppliers offering green tariffs so the easiest way to find one is a price comparison website for your country. In the UK, these include uSwitch, green electricity and EnergyLynx

Every Little Helps

The main reason for this blog is to share ideas about my attempts to reduce my family's carbon footprint. Hopefully some of you will be inspired to join me.

My first step was to measure our carbon footprint. This would give me a starting point and hopefully highlight the problem areas.

There are quite a few carbon footprint calculators out there on the web. I chose this one: Carbon Calculator

Our average footprint per year turned out to be similar to the UK average at 9.8 tonnes of CO2.

The most obvious area to sort out was our energy usage. I switched our dual fuel bill to a Green tariff with ScottishPower so that our electric now comes from a hydro-electric source. I also got our aging, inefficient boiler, replaced with an A-rated one (an expensive way of cutting our footprint but a money saver in the long run).

The result was our average came down to 6.83 tonnes. A 30% saving. Not bad for a first go.

That was a couple of years ago now. Time to bring it down some more.

Running Out Of Time

Hi. I'm a dad with 2 young kids and I'm concerned about the future of the world they're going to be growing up in.

Let's leave aside the declining state of modern society and whether or not my children will be successful in life. I'm talking about whether this planet will even be habitable for them and their kids.

I am, of course, alluding to Global Warming.

Climate change is happening, and most of the world's scientists believe that we are responsible for it. Unfortunately, we're not doing enough to turn things around.

Why? Too many big corporations (like the oil giants) have a vested interest in business-as-usual; Politicians are more interested in the next election than the future of Mankind; and people in general find it difficult to relate to a problem like this. It's not immediate. We don't understand the science. We don't know what it means for us.

Despite all this, things are moving in the right direction. An increasing proportion of the public are voicing their concerns, the politicians, with one eye on the next election, are beginning to take genuine interest in those concerns, and even previously entrenched governments like those of the U.S., India, Australia, and China are beginning to show signs of movement.

Whether this is all too little, too late remains to be seen.

It may well be that, at some point, we will finally come to our senses and take decisive action. However, if that is to have any value to future generations, that point must come soon because, we're told, if we are to preserve the planet in something resembling the current state, then our CO2 emissions must level off by 2015.

That's not a lot of time really. Let's hope that, after the disastrous Copenhagen summit, the politicians get serious and put together an aggressive, legally binding, worldwide agreement really soon.

For all our kids sake.