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Author |
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Cotton the Moment
Misleading cotton ads banned in U.K. |
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13 Mar 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 10:07 AM on 13 Mar 2008 Poster and magazine ads by the U.S. cotton industry have been banned in Britain. The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority can put the kibosh on advertising deemed to be greenwashing, and regulators took issue with the cotton ads' claim that the crop is "soft, sensual, and sustainable." The ad authority pointed out that cotton is a "pesticide- and insecticide-intensive crop" and can " ... |
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| Topics: advertising, agriculture, business, green living, greenwashing, news, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Brit's Eye View: Young, gifted, and green?
New survey of U.K. youth reveals mixed attitudes about the future of the planet |
Ben Tuxworth |
05 Mar 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Ben Tuxworth, communications director at Forum for the Future, writes a monthly column for Gristmill on sustainability in the U.K. and Europe. Debates about how we should save the planet tend to explore the impossibility of almost every approach until someone says, 'We need to change the education system,' at which point it is deemed churlish to snigger. Catch 'em young, and it's job done seems to be the hope. Well, with only 100 months of planet-saving time left, ac ... |
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| Topics: business, climate, climate change impacts, consumerism, green living, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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The End of Casual Sacks
British PM prods retailers to reduce plastic-bag use, threatens fee |
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29 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 7:14 AM on 29 Feb 2008 British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to propose rules within the next year aimed at reducing the ubiquity of single-use plastic bags in the United Kingdom. About 13 billion plastic bags are given out free to U.K. shoppers every year and many are only used once before getting thrown out; plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade. Brown has called on ... |
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| Topics: news, politics, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Greenpeace takes Heathrow
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David Roberts |
25 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Today, Greenpeace UK held a peaceful protest against the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport in London (the addition of a third runway). The activists managed to walk out onto the tarmac and up onto the tailfin of a plane, where they hung a huge banner: This effortless breach of security at one of the world's biggest and busiest airports was a huge embarrassment for its administrators, obviously -- a "major investigation" has been launched. But it also ... |
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| Topics: air travel, grassroots activism, Greenpeace, politics, travel, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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I know why the caged hen squawks
U.K. government says organic, free-range eggs have 'significantly' less salmonella |
Tom Philpott |
21 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The case for sustainably grown food as a healthier and safer alternative to industrial dreck is gaining force.Here's the latest, from Natural Choices UK:A recent [U.K.] government survey shows that organic laying hen farms have a significantly lower level of Salmonella. Salmonella is a bacterium that causes one of the commonest forms of food poisoning worldwide. The study showed that 23.4 per cent of farms with caged hens tested positive for salmonella compared to 4.4 p ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, food, health, organic food, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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SRI About That
U.K. ethical funds investing in pseudo-green companies, says report |
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11 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:51 PM on 11 Feb 2008 Idealistic views of socially responsible investment funds are misplaced, according to a new report from British independent financial adviser Holden & Partners. An assessment of all SRI funds open to private investors in the U.K. found that while such funds do screen out companies with highly objectionable policies, many still end up offering stock in mainstream companies &quo ... |
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| Topics: business, news, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Brit's Eye View: Going nuclear
British government embraces a nuclear-powered future |
Ben Tuxworth |
01 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Ben Tuxworth, communications director at Forum for the Future, is the new author of Brit's Eye View, a monthly Gristmill column on sustainability in the U.K. and Europe. The column was previously written by Tuxworth's colleague Peter Madden. After much delay, the British government started the new year with an announcement on nuclear power generation. It seems they have finally succumbed to the prevailing industry logic, which says that we need big bits of power ... |
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| Topics: climate, energy, nuclear power, renewable energy, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Nuclear Skies Ahead
Britain will push ahead with nuclear power |
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10 Jan 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 11:53 AM on 10 Jan 2008 As expected, Britain has announced that it will push forward with a new generation of nuclear-power plants, to supplement other low-emission energy sources as a means of fighting climate change. Nuclear operators say they can get stations running by 2017. Britain gets about 18 percent of its electricity from nuclear power; radioactive waste is currently stored at an "interim" aboveground fa ... |
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| Topics: energy, news, nuclear power, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Adventures in CFL-land
Brit blames bulb for TV-remote glitch |
Katharine Wroth |
10 Jan 2008 |
Gristmill |
| First CFLs cause migraines. Then they worsen skin conditions. Now they frig with the frequency of TV remotes. O brave new world ... |
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| Topics: consumerism, energy, energy at home, funnies, TV, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Backin' the saddle again
British supermarket expands bike-trailer program |
Katharine Wroth |
09 Jan 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Bike to store. Pick up free bike trailer. Fill trailer with groceries. Hitch it up and ride home. Return trailer within three days. That's the dreamy concept at the Waitrose supermarket chain in Jolly Olde Englande, where the free-trailer scheme is being tried out at a handful of stores. Says a department manager, 'There are 60 to 70 bikes outside the shop every lunchtime, so there's a definite market for it. If we can encourage just a few people to cycle rather tha ... |
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| Topics: bikes, consumerism, green living, innovation, shopping, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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That's the Worst Idea We've Heard in an E.ON
Plans for new U.K. coal plant move forward |
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03 Jan 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:45 PM on 03 Jan 2008 It's the week o' ill-advised energy choices in Britain, where nuclear power may soon get a boost and plans for the first new coal-fired power plant in decades are inching forward. A local government authority has recommended that Business Secretary John Hutton give the go-ahead to utility E.ON's proposal for a coal plant; concerned that Hutton might just do so, critics have a ... |
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| Topics: coal, energy, news, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Here We Go Again
Britain expected to back new construction of nuclear power plants |
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02 Jan 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:34 PM on 02 Jan 2008 Britain is expected to next week give a nod to new nuclear-power-plant construction. A judge overturned an initial go-ahead in February, saying the government failed to properly consult the public; officials have undertaken five months of public consultation in the lead-up to the expected announcement. "Dozens of individuals and organizations have contributed to the consultat ... |
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| Topics: energy, Greenpeace, litigation, news, nuclear power, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Brit's Eye View: A shift in business attitudes?
Six insights on the business trend toward sustainability |
Peter Madden |
28 Dec 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Peter Madden, chief executive of Forum for the Future, writes a monthly column for Gristmill on sustainability in the U.K. and Europe. Forum for the Future recently asked a selection of top business and branding folk to give us the lowdown on the recent trend toward sustainable business. The gurus included Rita Clifton of Interbrand, Stuart Hart of Cornell University, William Kramer of the World Resources Institute, and Jonathon Porritt of Forum for the Future. I ha ... |
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| Topics: business, greening biz operations, greenish companies, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Perhaps He Had Too Much Eggnog
Tory leader David Cameron lauds |
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20 Dec 2007 |
News |
| "green coal" Posted at 4:50 PM on 20 Dec 2007 British Conservative Party leader David Cameron said in a speech today that under a Tory government, Britain would be a world leader in "green coal" technology. Ahem: Coal. Is. Not. Green. That is all. sources: BBC News, The Press Association see also, in Grist: Coal is the enemy of the human race From the Archives March Orders. U.S. will b ... |
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| Topics: coal, energy, news, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Ogle Cranky Academics Instead
Top British scientist tells women to stop drooling over gas-guzzling males |
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19 Dec 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 2:18 PM on 19 Dec 2007 Hey ladies, wondering how to help fight climate change? It's simple: just stop encouraging men who waste resources! In particular, said U.K. climate scientist David King this week, "stop admiring young men in Ferraris." King's comments were immediately pounced upon -- not by feminists, but by Ferrari owners, who protested that their vehicles spew le ... |
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| Topics: cars, climate, energy, funnies, green living, news, sex, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Long Winded
U.K. politician wants to power every British home with wind by 2020 |
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10 Dec 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 12:46 PM on 10 Dec 2007 Every home in the United Kingdom could be powered by offshore wind farms by 2020, says John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise, and Regulatory Reform. The long-titled Hutton said that investment in 7,000 turbines would admittedly change Britain's coastline and raise energy costs in the short term, but would be "a major contribution towards meeting the E.U.'s tar ... |
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| Topics: energy, news, United Kingdom, wind power (all these topics) |
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A jelly new world
An influx of jellies in strange places is not so hard to explain |
Andrew Sharpless |
28 Nov 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Over Thanksgiving, I came across a news story that may represent the perfect storm of issues plaguing the oceans. A salmon farm in Northern Ireland was wiped out by a huge swarm of mauve stingers (Pelagia noctiluca), a jelly usually found in the warm Mediterranean sea. In a 35-foot-deep, 10-square-mile swath, the jellies stung and killed 100,000 salmon before workers could reach the pens. It must have been quite a sight. The jelly's scientific name mea ... |
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| Topics: aquaculture, oceans, United Kingdom, wildlife (all these topics) |
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Brit's Eye View: Greening our cities
How do U.K. cities stack up in terms of sustainability? |
Peter Madden |
26 Nov 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Peter Madden, chief executive of Forum for the Future, writes a monthly column for Gristmill on sustainability in the U.K. and Europe. Every year more and more people live in cities. Globally, we became a majority urban world for the first time last year, while here in the U.K., nine out of 10 of us live in towns and cities. Cities are clearly important for sustainability. Although the romantic green notion of us all living on small holdings with a goat, a vin ... |
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| Topics: ecological footprint, green living, placemaking, United Kingdom, urban planning (all these topics) |
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Good on Gordon
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown makes ambitious climate speech |
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21 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 1:18 PM on 21 Nov 2007 In his first major speech on the environment, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has suggested that Britain could aim to cut its greenhouse-gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. To accomplish said goal, Brown promised that all new dwellings in Britain will be zero-carbon by 2016, and that free insulation, low-energy light bulbs, and efficient appliances will be distributed widely to h ... |
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| Topics: Bali 07, climate, climate change mitigation, Gordon Brown, heroes, news, politics, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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I'm Just a Bill, and I'm Sitting Here On ... Uh, Never Mind
British government publishes climate change bill |
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16 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 1:50 PM on 16 Nov 2007 The British government has published its climate change bill, which would set a target of reducing carbon emissions 60 percent by 2050. The bill will now go through a parliamentary process; if made law, Britain would be the first country to adopt a legally binding commitment to carbon reductions. sources: Reuters, Daily Mail Fro ... |
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| Topics: climate, climate change mitigation, greenhouse-gas emissions, legislation, news, politics, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Getting Trashed
Britain quickly running out of landfill space, says study |
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13 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 5:18 PM on 13 Nov 2007 The British, who apparently have a penchant for tossing rubbish willy-nilly, may run out of landfill space in a mere nine years, says a new report. Says Paul Bettison of the Local Government Association, which conducted the research, "Britain is the dustbin of Europe, with more rubbish being thrown into landfill than any other country on the continent." Sounds like they're in a h ... |
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| Topics: news, United Kingdom, waste (all these topics) |
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Would You Like to Save This Forest? Sherwood!
Groups band together to save Sherwood Forest |
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05 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 3:44 PM on 05 Nov 2007 After the daily grind of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, a current-day Robin Hood might want to find a hideout other than his beloved Sherwood Forest, which has shrunk to less than 0.5 percent its historical size. Merry men (and women) in more than a dozen British organizations are banding together to make a rescue plan for the forest, which is home to rare ... |
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| Topics: deforestation, news, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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The Eth-Assist
U.K. organic certifier says air-freighted organics must meet |
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25 Oct 2007 |
News |
| "ethical standards" Posted at 5:44 AM on 25 Oct 2007 Britain's main organic certifier, the Soil Association, has decided not to deny the organic label to air-freighted food, instead opting to require producers of flown-in fare to meet ethical standards similar to "fair trade" certification. The association decided that denying organic status to all flown-in food would unfairly hurt farmers and worker ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, news, organic food, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Winding Up
British government approves world's largest offshore wind farm |
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05 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 1:23 PM on 05 Oct 2007 Plans for the world's largest offshore wind farm have been approved by the British government. The project, led by Shell and European energy company Eon, would place up to 341 turbines over 90 square miles off the coast of Kent. While it's not a done deal, presumably the biggest regulatory hurdles have been overcome; if all goes well, the farm could supply one-quarter of London's power by ... |
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| Topics: Big Oil, energy, news, renewable energy, United Kingdom, wind power (all these topics) |
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On not rearing pigs
A little weekend humor |
Erik Hoffner |
29 Sep 2007 |
Gristmill |
| In case you missed this hilarious letter that made the email rounds early this year poking fun at bizarre agricultural subsidies ... it gets to carbon credits midway through, naturally: Secretary of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Smith Square London Dear Secretary of State, My friend, who is in farming at the moment, recently received a cheque for £3,000 from the Rural Payments Agency for not rearing pigs. I would now like to joi ... |
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| Topics: ag subsidies, agriculture, funnies, politics, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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