Ed Dowding

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Progress seems to have forgotten how to have fun.

I am currently running to be an MEP candidate. Please take a few moments to read more at www.ElectEd.in

Category: Environment

Boomerang trade

The UK currently exports 131,000 tonnes of chewing gum to Spain, only to import 125,000 tonnes back again. We send 3,300 tonnes of cuddly toys to New Zealand, only to bring another 2,400 tonnes back again. One person in the US will, by 4am in the morning of 2nd January, have been responsible for the [...]

Mottainai

Mottainai  is a Japanese term meaning “a sense of regret concerning waste when the intrinsic value of an object or resource is not properly utilized.” The expression “Mottainai!” can be uttered alone as an exclamation when something useful, such as food or time, is wasted. In addition to its primary sense of “wasteful,” the word [...]

Bottled water is the answer to global warming

The world is melting. Guess what you need: The only words I can think of which would fully express my disappointment would be a hex to melt all consumers of bottled water within 2 miles of a tap. Alas, I don’t know any. Maybe the benzene will get them.

3 neat business ideas

British high-end chocolate maker and retailer Hotel Chocolat, wants to expand even further. But rather than turning to banks or big investors for money, they’re inviting customer to buy bonds. Bonds that will pay chocolate returns.  Two values of Chocolate Bond will be issued: both with the return paid in monthly Tasting Boxes. Holders of a [...]

French farmers turn Champs-Elysees into huge farm

The Champs-Elysees, has been covered in earth and turned into a huge green space in an event staged by young French farmers. Plants, trees and flowers were brought in by lorry overnight to transform the avenue into a long green strip. More than a million people are expected to visit over the next two days. [...]

Fact about bottle water

Via Webecoist

Turn an old plastic bottle into a 50W lightbulb

Fill a plastic bottle with water, add a small amount of bleach to keep it clean, stick a film canister over the cap to stop it corroding in the UV, stick it in your roof, and hey presto an everlasting prismatic 50W lightbulb! via http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/04/02/sundolier-robot-pumps-sunlight-indoors-for-powerful-daylighting/ and Slashdot

The UK’s renewable energy is a national shame

Here’s some figures for renewable power generation in 2006: 62.9% – Austria 48.7% – Sweden 29.9% – Portugal 17.1% – Slovak Republic 19.2% – Romania 17% – Denmark 12.4% – France 4.6% – UK In November 2009, Spain generated 53% of its demand from wind alone last week (it was a bit windy). So if [...]

Green Revolution in India Wilts as Subsidies Backfire

In the 1970s, India dramatically increased food production, finally allowing this giant country to feed itself. But government efforts to continue that miracle by encouraging farmers to use fertilizers have backfired, forcing the country to expand its reliance on imported food. India has been providing farmers with heavily subsidized fertilizer for more than three decades. [...]

Ethical bottled water is an oxymoron

‘How Bad For The Environment Can Throwing Away One Plastic Bottle Be?’ 30 Million People Wonder All agreed that disposing of what would eventually amount to 50 tons of thermoplastic polymer resin wasn’t the end of the world. “It’s not like I don’t care, because I do, and most of the time I don’t even [...]