Flash mobs clean up River Thames
by David Masters
Flash mobs of eco-volunteers will descend on the banks of the Thames this weekend to clean up litter from the river and surrounding areas. The volunteers, organised by London waterways charity Thames 21, will clean up rubbish that gathers due to the tidal flow of the fiver. Thames 21 organises over 100 projects every year to clean up London's waterways. Programme co-ordinator Judith Ressler said the events reduce pollution in the river, and ...
Ireland’s Climate Camp highlights peat bog destruction
by David Masters
Around 100 environmental activists have gathered for Ireland's first Climate Camp outside West Offaly Power peat-fuelled power station in Shannonbridge. Solar-powered caravans and a vegan kitchen have been set up in the shadow of the power plant in a campaign to highlight the destruction of local peat bogs and the contribution of peat burning to global warming. "It is the largest peat burning station in the world," said Climate Camp spokesperson Molly ...
Students give-a-dog-a-duvet
by David Masters
A campaign encouraging students in Manchester to recycle unwanted household goods when they leave university has proved a huge success, with over 10 tonnes of waste recycled or given to charity. Six van loads of old duvets and blankets were donated to dog rescue homes. Boxes of cutlery, crockery and kitchen utensils were given to charities including Oxfam, the Mustard Tree, and Wesley Community Furniture. Waste paper, card and glass were sent for ...
Green traffic lights across London
by David Masters
Transport for London has announced plans to install energy saving LEDs in 3,500 of the capital's traffic lights. The £2.4 million move will cut energy consumption by around 60%, saving TfL an estimated £200,000 per year in fuel bills. The LEDs will replace 3,500 lamps at 300 junctions in the capital. As well as reducing its fuel bills, TfL said it aims to encourage businesses and homes across the UK to adopt LED ...
Christian Aid: Biofuels are eco-scandal
by David Masters
Biofuels, once hailed as an environmental saviour, are driving deforestation and exacerbating global poverty, a report by social justice charity Christian Aid claimed this week. Billions of dollars invested in biofuels as subsidies from the US and the EU have proved "disastrous", the charity said in its new report, 'Growing Pains'. This support for biofuels has prompted drastic increases in global "hunger, severe human rights abuses and environmental destruction," Christian Aid said. Biofuels ...
Vestas factory officially closed
by David Masters
Vestas's wind turbine blade factory on the Isle of White has been officially closed down with the loss of 425 jobs. The factory was occupied for 19 days by Vestas employees until they were peacefully evicted by bailiffs last week. The site was the only significantly large producer of wind turbines in the UK. Protests have been held across the UK in support of Vestas employees and to demand that the government steps ...
New build homes too small for recycling
by David Masters
Nearly three-quarters of new build homes in the UK aren't big enough for their occupants to properly recycle waste, research by CABE has discovered. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment polled 2,500 private owners of new build homes, of whom 72% said their home does "not have enough space for the three small bins required to recycle properly". Richard Simmons, CABE chief executive, said: "This research brings into question the ...
Beachside recycling at Brighton’s seafront
by David Masters
Holidaymakers in Brighton will find it easier to be eco-friendly this summer due to new seafront recycling bins in the popular resort. Glass, cardboard, paper, tins, cans and plastic bottles can all be disposed of in the new bins. Four metre high flags next to the bins make them easy to locate. Brighton and Hove City Council installed the five sets of recycling bins across the busiest stretch of the seafront in ...
Chefs launch recipes to use up leftovers
by David Masters
Top chefs are joining forces in an effort to stop Londoners throwing away edible and tasty leftovers. Oliver Rowe, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, and Gary Rhodes have all contributed recipes to a new website designed to help people use up food waste Around a third a food bought in London currently ends up in the bin, which is a "serious scandal" according to Rosie Boycott, chair of London Food. "Everyday in the capital we ...
Vestas occupation over, but protests continue
by David Masters
Workers at Vestas' Isle of Wight wind-turbine blade factory have vowed to continue putting pressure on the company and the UK government to save their jobs. Their occupation of the factory ended peacefully last week as they were driven out by bailiffs armed with an eviction order. The workers, who occupied the factory for over two weeks, were greeted by huge cheers from the waiting crowd. None were arrested as they left the ...
Drugs barons seek oil profits
by David Masters
Drugs gangs in Mexico have expanded their brief in recent years to include oil smuggling. Petroleum produced by Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Mexico's state-owned oil company, is being siphoned from national pipelines and smuggled into the US. "We suspect that some of this could be involved with narcotics," said Carlos Ramirez, Pemex spokesperson. Mexican authorities said the drug cartel's' decision to smuggle oil is a sign that president Felipe Calderón's two-year campaign against drugs ...
Public to vote on top coal villain
by David Masters
Climate activists plan to swoop on a coal power station later this year, but they're not yet sure where. To decide, they're engaging the public in an X-Factor style vote called Britain's Got Direct Action. Voters can choose whether the climate camp protest will descend this year on the Drax plant in Yorkshire, the UK's biggest single emitter of carbon, or the E.ON Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant in Nottinghamshire.r. Together the plants emit over 30 ...
Techno-fixes are not climate’s Messiah
by David Masters
Governments must stop waiting for a technological Messiah to deliver the world from climate change, two leading environmental scientists warned this week. Gabriele Hegerl and Susan Soloman of the University of Edinburgh said attempts to combat global warming through climate engineering could prove disastrous. The growing interest in techno-fixes to fight climate change are detracting from the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions here and now, the scientists said. Techno-fix solutions include geo-engineering ...
“Macabre” Tesco burns waste meat for energy
by David Masters
Tesco's plans to incinerate 5,000 tonnes of waste meat per year have been branded "macabre" by animal rights group Viva. Viva said the scheme, which will generate enough electricity to power 600 homes, is "a sad indictment of modern life". Justin Kerswell, Viva campaigns manager, said the amount of meat being thrown away by Tesco is a sign of the supermarket's "greed and indifference". "To turn this wasted meat into power might seem ...
Where have all the beavers gone?
by David Masters
Plans to introduce wild beavers to the Scottish Highlands have been put in jeopardy by the failure of a trial scheme. Scotland's last wild beaver was killed 400 years ago, and wildlife agencies had planned to introduce them to the banks of the country's rivers and lochs in a £1.8 million programme. However, of 11 beavers brought over from Norway earlier this year for a trial, one has been allegedly shot, another ...
High-speed rail: London-Birmingham in 50 minutes
by David Masters
Domestic flights are to be replaced by a high-speed rail network under new plans announced by the government. Ministers said the 250mph trains, which are at least a decade away, will have clear environmental benefits. The network will cut journey times from London-Birmingham by 40%, from 85 minutes to under 50 minutes. However, green groups warned that ticket prices must be kept low if domestic travellers are to be weaned off their addition ...
Brazil ships toxic waste back to the UK
by Alan HartenAuthorities reported that about 1,500 tonnes of hazardous waste that was shipped from the UK to Brazil has been shipped back by Brazil. The cargo labelled as recyclable plastic, contained items such as dirty nappies, used syringes, and condoms according to the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources. The Environment Agency and Wiltshire Police raided three areas in Swindon in July and arrested three men for their part in the ...
Wicks presents nuclear distraction
by David Masters
Greenpeace has criticised an official report urging the government to expand Britain's nuclear energy production. The report by former energy minister Malcolm Wicks said increasing Britain's nuclear capacity is vital to the UK's future energy security. “Energy reserves are concentrated in some of the most unstable parts of the world," Wicks said. "As we move out of recession, the global grab for energy will resume in earnest, consumption is predicted to rise, and ...
Taxpayers to fund government’s carbon failure
by David Masters
Millions of pounds from the taxpayer's pocket will subsidise the failure of government departments to meet Westminster targets on reducing carbon emissions. The government has pledged to reduce carbon emissions from its own buildings and transport 12.5% by 2012 compared to 1999 levels. However, MPs from the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) are "unconvinced" that the government will meet its targets. If the government fails, it will be fined millions of pounds to offset ...
Ombudsman to discipline supermarket bullies
by David Masters
Anti-poverty groups and farmers' unions have welcomed calls from the Competition Commission for an independent Ombudsman to be appointed to oversee supermarkets' treatment of suppliers. Supermarkets would be forced to foot the £5 million annual bill for the Ombudsman, who would seek to protect suppliers from exploitation. With the Competition Commission's request officially submitted to the government, it is up to Peter Mandelson's Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to install ...