Mungo Jerry would be proud....
I cycled in today. I don't know what it's like where you are but here it really was the perfect morning - a bit breezy, warm enough to wear shorts but not hot enough to get that sweaty-headed helmet -hair thing. Ed never needs to worry about these things - he's got less on top than me.
It's climate change day 2 - green will dominate the programme again. Sceptics are starting to come out questioning the idea that humans are damaging the planet. Just as I was getting into the recycling groove as well. Technically if we were all really serious about tackling CO2 emissions we'd give up eating meat wouldn't we because methane from cows is a major pollutant as you know. But how many of you would take your environmental awareness that far? ( unless of course you're already vegetarian or vegan in which case please excuse yourself from that question.)
sequin
RSS feed
Email us
Listen to PM
If David Cameron is worried about green taxis, he should get a minicab.
Bonjour, Carolyn
Are you practising for the British leg of the Tour de France later this year? - I would award you the Yellow Jersey anyday, and today you have truly deserved it.
I've never imagined Eddie cycling into work. But you may have been passed by Paddy O'Connell who is a great (re)cycler, though I gather his is a motovelo. Did you give him a wave?
Incidentally, we love Eddie here. So, take care when you speak of his follicly challenged good looks!
Well done, Sequin. Even if you're not entirely sure you're helping the environment, it certainly makes you feel better. And it's a glorious day for it too. Why, even up here in Yorkshire, the sun is shining, so it must be spring!
As for me, I try to do my bit, although I am guilty of using my car too often, I think. But I do recycle a lot, and I don't buy stuff that has outrageous packaging - in fact I try to only buy things in packaging that I can recycle. We also compost - one of the most entertaining things in my life at the moment is sending my 10 year old up the garden with the veggie peelings and watching her trying to take the lid off the compost bin without touching a worm!
Sequin - just watch out in case RJD tries to send you to the Naughty Corner for that one:
Ed never needs to worry about these things - he's got less on top than me
I'm a firm believer in "offsetting" as a solid, forward-thinking, progressive, joined-up way of tackling my environmental footprint.
If, every time I eat a burger, I /don't/ eat a cabbage (or, say, a lettuce), my slice of cow and consequent methane toeprint is cancelled by that unmolested carbon sucking vegetable.
Lovely programme last night, Sequin. I really enjoyed it.
As for econess: I am pretty green-minded in that I only use public transport or walk, I only have those energy-saving light-bulbs or oil lamps, I never have the heating on unless absolutely necessary, and I never buy food wrapped in plastic but rather grow a lot of my own food.
However this is all because I can't afford a car, I can't afford high gas or electricity bills and I can't afford the supermarket.
As for the myth thing: Our friends in the arctic (Nunavut) are reporting huge changes in their lifestyle which they believe are due to global warming. They aren't privy to the hysteria and political machinations that we are, but are simply telling me what they are experiencing, such as ice-roads which link communities melting before the spring (or never forming), changes in animal migration and hiberation as well as new species entering the area, a shortening of the period of winter snow-fall and most disturbingly of all (from their point of view), a huge amount of yuppie researchers descending on the area.
I see La Corniche (2) has a funny way of complimenting you:
"you may have been passed by Paddy O'Connell" I would never think of you as a number two Sequin! (Tee hee!)
One more word about the environment and I will explode. I may have to have week off TV, radio and newspapers. Last time I did that, mind you, the Queen Mother died. Time before Princess Margaret (or was that the other way around?) Actually, I've just had a thought -- wonder how much Charles would sub me?...
After all the bas*ards last week, I was so disgusted I decided never to listen to PM again, but will make an exception for you Carolyn. It's nice to have some sanity back on the programme. That foul mouthed Mair chap should get on his bike too. ONLY JOKING!! I love you all... just you a bit more Carolyn! Oh don't forget to turn off the lights when you leave the office... Are they still cutting down the rain forest? Why not tell Sykesy to get on his bike and find out?
Re; Val -- of course it WAS hair that Carolyn was referring to!
Unless 'heaven forbid' I misread the sentence. For any men that find they are too big in other areas the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ has provided a beneficial link here:-
Well, since we all produce CO2 when we exhale, it obviously pushes up the CO2 figures if we do things that make us breathe more, e.g. energetic cycling.
Boy, am I glad that global warming is the biggest cause of rising CO2 levels, otherwise I'd be afraid to get on my bike.
Simon (5), I can't resist the urge to use your excellent description, "unmolested carbon sucking vegetable" in a conversation with a client this afternoon!
Hi Sequin,
I travelled to work on my bike too. It's a
KAWASAKI NINJA ZX™-14. Awesome power! Truly awesome. Up-yours-GATSO!
Madame Aperitif:
I would never be so rude as to suggest that of La Belle Carolyn, nor of the genteel Monsieur O'Connell.
La Belle is fragrant and chic, even after a long cyle to the White City, I'm quite certain. And, while M. O'Connell may have had the advantage of speed, I am most certain that Mademoiselle Quinn will have a more svelte waistline after her ride.
Mind you, she may need to watch those martinis!
On the environment...
[BLAM!]
Oh dear, was that Appy exploding?
...I'd love to have one of these "Carbon Credit Cards" some people are talking about. I don't have a car and I don't fly so I'd be able to trade my carbon credits to someone with a need for more - e.g. one of my colleagues who has two holidays in the USA every year - for real money.
Well done, it's good for your health and wellbeing at least.
But ... if all the fossil fuel in the world is eventually going to be used and the carbon released into the atmosphere, has anything truly been saved?
Mmmmmmmm ... er ... oh!
Only our smug consciences, Charles.
So we can sit around in our advanced dotage and tell the greedy generation who never holidayed in Britain - it's all YOUR fault that all your fave places are now too hot to go to and there is only the Alps left for summer breaks.
Now, how about reducing carbon emissions by getting all those single occupancy cars off the roads whenever I'm travelling, and making the inside lane a bus lane everywhere including motorways! Please?
AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!
Just picking up my body parts from all over the floor ("With what?" you may well ask...)
I know it's important it's just -- oh, so many things, but in particular "bandwagons"; "jumping"; "overkill". I'll just continue quietly to recycle, use public transport as much as possible and consider airmiles when buying goods etc. Not much more I can do individually but lots governments (and not just ours), MNEs and so on should be doing. Stop going on about it and just get on with it please!
Effing ridiculous midlle-class-guilt-inducing preoccupation mumble, grumble...
Yours,
More concerned about human trafficking; poverty; corporate manslaughter; political prisoners; miscarriages of justice; cultural, sexual, class and abilty-related prejudice and much, much more.
Aperitif.
Really seriously considering a week off "news" again. :-(
Hello Sequin,
Just got your newsletter. I really, really do want to know about Morgan Tsvangirai, but I'm afraid I will be looking at the web for news on this issue rather than listening to the programme tonight -- or any other TV/radio news for that matter, because I simply cannot bear another item on climate change!
Back when there's a break from it.
A, x.
Just read the newsletter. What's an "interntional community"? Is it something to do with student doctors?
Good afternoon Ms Quinn,
With David Cameron and Gordon Brown 'at it' over their green taxes they are threatening to take this phenomenon to a new extreme. It could be three years to the next General Election. I think the debate about the future of the planet deserves to be more than a vehicle for establishing the green credentials of political leaders.
In my opinion the manner in which the Chancellor and the Tory leader have approached this issue smacks of personality-driven electioneering rather than substantive debate.
The Tories tried to seize the initiative with an aviation taxation policy light on detail, only for Mr Brown to shamelessly use the environment to boost his image. In this unseemly fight to appear greener than green, Mr Cameron deserves slightly more credit than his future opponent across the despatch box.
While the Tories' policies may continue to lack coherence, their leader, is at least, articulating the politically difficult truth that tackling climate change is likely to involve making changes to lifestyles, which many will be reluctant to embrace. The Chancellor, however, continues to hide behind rhetoric on the need for Britain to work with other countries to reduce carbon emissions.
That a global problem requires a global solution is self-evident and yet it has become the Government's stock answer to questions about its environmental credentials. However, this is a mantra that offers little in the way of explaining how that international agreement can be pursued and what the consequences for ordinary people will be. If the science on climate is correct, difficult times lie ahead that will require equally difficult decisions. People will need confidence that the sacrifices that they are asked to make form part of a comprehensive and convincing plan to limit the effects of global warming, and not merely the product of gesture politics.
MofPublic (17),
What I thought odd was that people were saying "you'll hit all those who fly to their second homes n times a year" with the Cameron air-mile scheme. Well, surprise, surprise, that's precisely the kind of attitude that has to be altered, and rather surprised to find the Tories advocating it - well, at least their current leader.
On the Brown side, I know I should have had more insulation put in when I had a new roof put on - but that was expensive enough, and the cost benefit to me (hoping that I can move in a couple of years' time) was very minimal, as I don't use the heating much anyway. (And have far worse matters to fix, such as old, now broken down boiler...)
Aperitif, you'd better exile yourself to the beach for the next day or so...
Afternoon all! I'm sorry to say that I'm in Heathrow, waiting for a flight to Prague! It's for work, and I didn't want to go, honest! I'll try to take a few photos for the flickering place....
Well done. I'd love to cycle to work. On the ring-road every morning a cyclist keeps passing me and the rest of the traffic before finally fading into the distance ahead of the car traffic, as we sit, frustrated and overweight in the queue.
So why don't I? Well, after the ring road I have 30 mles of motorway, such is the way we organise our working.
I'm sure I could find a cycle route, but if I set out at 4.30 every day, would I be any good when I got here? More important, who the hell would sit near me?
By the way, Love the Show. Oh sorry, no, that's radio 2.
Afternoon all! I'm sorry to say that I'm in Heathrow, waiting for a flight to Prague! It's for work, and I didn't want to go, honest! I'll try to take a few photos for the flickering place....
It is interesting that climate change was accepted by the general public, with only a few squeaks of complaint, until the politicians started getting involved. Now the entire thing is being questioned and everyone is defending their lifestyles in a 'Not me, Guv!' kind of way.
Why is this? Because the environment is incorrectly being used as an election platform? or because the Leaders of the parties have suddenly realised that this is a wonderful way of raising more money for the government from people who can barely afford their bills in the first place.
Mass taxation is not the answer to any climate problems, however investing in viable alternatives for fuel, transport, accommodation and polluting industries etc is. The government may say that one will lead to the other but I just cannot believe them.
Green taxes huh?
Is David Cameron thinking of colour-coding all his taxes a bit like the good-food/ bad-food initiative?
Good taxes are Green.
Bad taxes are.... hmm... what colour... oh, of course, Stealth has no colour.
[ahem]
Pleeeeeease make him stop using that term... its meaningless except as a rhetorical tool.
Not that he's a tool of course. You're deliberately misinterpreting me.
oh, btw this whole "is it us? is it Nature?" seems silly.
Fossil fuels may be adding to the effects of climate change, but some people disagree.
Everyone agrees that fossil fuels are unsustainable and polluting.
Shouldn't we be reducing them anyway??
And the risk that they may be adding to the effects is high enough to do something about it even if other "natural" effects are components too.
Also (though not technically propping up the bar but still) if we all personally get more concious about this stuff then cultural and national change will occur.
Think about the food industry. Our attitudes to what we ingest (and how it is produced) is causing changes in what we can buy and how it is produced. OK, not quickly enough and wonky and whatever, but the central thing is that the public conciousness and cultural attitude shift to these things is causing changes in behaviour. And these changes always reflect in terms of our consumer culture.
Its our responsibility to do the little stuff not just because we get a comedy hippy voice berating us in our heads as we get in the car on our own, but because it becomes part of our lives and attitudes.
Just think how quickly drink driving stopped, or cigarettes in public places, or anyone even knowing about roughage.
Oh, my round?
what're yer havin'?
Val P (4)
No.1 The thought never occurred to me.
No.2 In any event, both possible interpretations of the phrase are undoubedtly true.
Given the fact that the top of his is missing anyway, I think we all have more on top than him
Nice strapline Fifi
“causing great cause for concern”?
Just checking.... was my suggestion that Eddie should 'get on his bike too' moderated? It's not appeared.... or is it just a case of blog clog?
Top Marks to Carolyn for cycling in! Does anyone else in the office do the same?
Like others above, I'm put off cycling in by the lack of safe routes, working just off a big dual carriageway and seeing just how frighteningly close some people drive to cyclists. Glad to hear your head is protected Carolyn! :-)
Re other green issues...why don't they just spend the 25bn or so they want to put into Trident on insulating, double glazing and low calorie lightbulbs for as many homes as poss.
And stop fighting ridiculous 'wars' that cost a fortune and don't achieve anything and use that too!
There! that's my twopence worth!! :-0)
Ah, Carolyn, your photo - charmante!
Caroline, I must congratulate you on your handling of the Zimbabe question on this evening's programme and on taking the opportunity to have a second stab at it. Your frustration was evident, but you kept control, which is more than I was doing at the time. I wish we could persuade our own government to spend more time debating practical ways of helping the people in Zimbabwe rather than spending time on the never-ending rhetoric about global warming.
this 'banksy' thing is total nonsense.
the 'poll' about keeping on of his paintings was nonsense as internet polls do not express public views, as companies like 'pollhost' make clear.
if another graffiti artist had scribbled all over the 'banksy' who is to say that should not be considered art ?
Ridiculous !!
As a US listener (ex-pat) on PST my whole schedule has been turned upside down by the three week early change to Daylight Savings Time. Now PM is on at 10am not 9am, Today (or tonight for me) starts at 11pm. Man I so confused I nearly did not go to bed last night.
As for global warming what is making me laugh is the ever increasing demand to tax flying. I am coming back to the UK in August for my brothers wedding and just the tickets are $3.5k. You may say this is a good thing but all what will happen is the flying will become once again as in the 80's something only the rich can do. The world will become an even more depressed place as people do not experience each others culture and just stay at home.
I must admit I agree with Brown. If you want/need to fly you should be allowed to but offset the Carbon cost with something else. We have one small car and I take public transit everyday to work. My wife has started to take a shuttle bus from San Francisco to San Jose to work at Ebay rather than driving even though it is less convient time wise.
As a US listener (ex-pat) on PST my whole schedule has been turned upside down by the three week early change to Daylight Savings Time. Now PM is on at 10am not 9am, Today (or tonight for me) starts at 11pm. Man I so confused I nearly did not go to bed last night.
As for global warming what is making me laugh is the ever increasing demand to tax flying. I am coming back to the UK in August for my brothers wedding and just the tickets are $3.5k. You may say this is a good thing but all what will happen is the flying will become once again as in the 80's something only the rich can do. The world will become an even more depressed place as people do not experience each others culture and just stay at home.
I must admit I agree with Brown. If you want/need to fly you should be allowed to but offset the Carbon cost with something else. We have one small car and I take public transit everyday to work. My wife has started to take a shuttle bus from San Francisco to San Jose to work at Ebay rather than driving even though it is less convient time wise.
Perky (3) I'm doing the same i.e. buying vegetables that aren't wrapped up. Not always as easy as it sounds though.
La Corniche (2) - at the rate I cycle I'd never get a yellow sock, never mind a yellow jersey. I like to take it leisurely!
PM does actually have quite a few cyclists on the team. Roger Sawyer, one of the editors and one of the keenest cyclists is "resting" at the moment after getting knocked off his bike about 6 weeks ago. So, kiddies, do take care out there .....
Bonjour Ä‚Â tous, especially Sequin (or should it be She-Quin ?)
Yesterday I spent all day at Poitiers and did not have time to look at the blog, but today I find that, like the mice playing whilst the cat is away, everyone is writing in franglaise !
Indeed, we do use the word blog in French much to the disgust of the Académie française.
I was unable to hear PM this evening, the Long Wave 198 frequency was taken over by cricket. Monsieur Le Maire, when you become Monsieur Le PrĂ©sident of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ will you please ensure that we listeners on the Long Wave receive the same treatment as the seafarers. They have the cricket interrupted for their shipping forecast; we demand the same treatment to enable us to hear our PM
Here is a picture of one of the grafitti pictures in Bristol. Slight risque
Carolyn (37) - I get mine delivered all muddy in a box from the nice veg man down the road. It's sometimes difficult to tell what's what, and I never know exactly what I'm going to get, but it's all part of the adventure!
Long ago, when I was a student, we were given the sentence ;colourless green ideas sleep furiously' as an example of a sentence wgich is gramatically correct, but meaningless.
I have thought for a while that it has a meaning, and today's news has only strengthened my view.
Madam Sequin,
Did one wear shorts, and will one be putting up photographs of this occasion?
Or will I have to reveal the location of the "Papped" Sequin in shorts?
Papparazo brendan (atlanta, this week):)
Belinda (@25) I think you answered your own question, with a bit of judicious snipping of bits in between.
“It is interesting that climate change was accepted by the general public, with only a few squeaks of complaint, until the politicians started getting involved. Now the entire thing is being questioned .... Why is this? .... I just cannot believe them. “
Or to put it another way, since every time we really look into what they are telling us about something (Iraq war, cost of Olympics, cash-for-honours, you name it) we find that they are lying, their telling us about climate change immediately makes us think it must all be a lie.
FiFi, I too like the strapline. :-)
Actually if you put more straw in a cows diet you can produce more milk and less methane. It's a recently unveiled idea that farmers are very interested in.
And if you worry about the environmental impact of meat but still want it as part of your diet, well battery chickens are the most efficient form of meat to go far with the smallest carbon footprint.
Otherwise it's no meat OR milk for anyone if you really want to cut down CO2... and of course while the third world may not have much pollution producing industry yet... they do have plenty of cattle so we'd better take those away too. Often global warming is painted as all the fault of the West, but we're all to blame really.
Ms Quinn,
Please ask someone to present our commiserations to Roger on his indisposition.
I was knocked off my bike a few years ago and it took seven weeks for the knee ligaments to get back into some sort of shape.
While I was busy, in A & E, nursing three broken ribs I was fortunate to have my teenage daughter join me and cheer me up by telling jokes.
"Ha-ha. Ouch! Go away!"
I went to buy a new tyre today and nearly bought a very competitively priced, English framed tandem. Then I remembered that no one else in the house ever rides her bike.
Mind you, that does mean that I don't have to mend punctures stright away.
And which are the greatest polluters?
The USA, India and China.
The three super-powers of the 21st century, it's predicted.
Ms Quinn,
Please ask someone to present our commiserations to Roger on his indisposition.
I was knocked off my bike a few years ago and it took seven weeks for the knee ligaments to get back into some sort of shape.
While I was busy, in A & E, nursing three broken ribs I was fortunate to have my teenage daughter join me and cheer me up by telling jokes.
"Ha-ha. Ouch! Go away!"
I went to buy a new tyre today and nearly bought a very competitively priced, English framed tandem. Then I remembered that no one else in the house ever rides her bike.
Mind you, that does mean that I don't have to mend punctures stright away.
Eeek!
I'm sure I didn't post that twice.
That geezer wot was on Tuesday's PM complaining about the Channel 4 global warming programme must have seen a different version from the one I saw.
The reports from the Antarctic ice core people did not deny that the warming was taking place, but they did present evidence that conflicted with the "accepted wisdom". They also expressed the view that generating electricity from "renewable sources" was a better idea than using fossil fuels.
So, I ask myself:
"Whom do you believe, the scientists who are speaking of their speciality, or politicians?"
And I reply:
"Well ... "
If and when we discover this green lark is all nonsense - will I get a refund on all this tax I'm paying?
What are the answers to the points made in the Channel 4 documentary that a) manmade CO2 is minimal compared to the naturally occuring levels of CO2, b) the troposphere is not heating up in line with the greenhouse theory and c) the thirty year dip in global temperature when we were pumping out more CO2 after WW2?
I hear lots of people shouting "heretic" to anyone who dares mention these points but no-one has yet answered the questions in a sensible manner
Hm, a strapline from my locker I see. Thanks, Carolyn!
Whisht: I'm right with you on this one, too!
I don't think it's that people don't believe the theories about global warming since politicians became involved (and that would be a fairly silly basis for any belief system -- after all, politcians don't all agree on any subject: one would have to disbelieve everything). I think it's that, as the issue has become more prominent, the views of all sides have become more audible. The issue is everywhere (and don't I know it) and thus we hear more from people who don't believe the government position but also more from everyone else.
Push!
PUSH!
Where are my answers to Chris' questions (49)?
????
Grrrr!
ed
AGAIN!
Where are my answers to Chris' questions (49)?
????
Grrrr!
ed
Ed, in my experience, if they don't show up after a push they're not gonna. You may have to post them again :-(
But I forgot to save them :-(
xx
ed
Oh dear! I guess you and you alone can decide whether it's worth the time and effort to reconstruct. After all, it seems that only you and I are left on this thread, and I'm a bit squiffy...
(Pouts)
xx
Pls try again Ed! - I am genuinely interested in understanding other views.
Chris,
I have tried one, and here's a useful link to answer your a):
Chris,
The one-liner seems to have gone through, but the fuller answer awaits blogeration.
And another useful link
xx
ed
And, from the UN:
xx
ed
And a refutation of the channel 4 programme:
xx
ed
malicious warning!
And from the IPCC report, which answers b), sulphur aerosols from high sulphur fuels between 1940 1nd the seventies
xx
ed
another maliciuos warning!
mods,
WHERE'S MY REPLY TO CHRIS POSTED AROUND 2:30 YESTERDAY?
AND WHERE'S THE POST I SENT IN IMMEDIATE REPLY ON THE 14th?
Neither was objectionable in any imaginable way.
ed
22/03/2007 at 13:20:13 GMT
Hi Ed (and Houb),
As a "layperson" in this debate it's an incredibly complex argument to get to grips with and little evidence of balanced arguments. It seems that anyone who dares speak out against the idea that humans are causing global warming is subject to tabloidesque derision and personal slur - I can sympathise a little with Durkin's defensive posturing as he knew he'd come under serious attack once the program was aired - however, it can't be ignored that he spectacularly failed to be balanced in his previous documentaries.
It seems the scientists are having some reasonable debate whilst the public are being told it's a done deal - it still seems many scientists are not 100% convinced but think that in all probability warming is caused by humans.
On top of this Mr G Brown is using it to tax the backside of anyone who dares to have a medium sized family and can afford a larger vehicle.
When I was a kid John Craven told me we were heading towards an ice age and to find out he lied is almost too hard to take....
Chris
Chris,
I'm glad if you've finally had a chance to see my links.
I have to add that 'medium sized' families will have to be the exception, as the problem is compounded by human numbers - not only an increasin g percapita demand upon limited resources, but an exponential increase in capitae....
Today finds the Earth with yet another 213,000 mouths to feed, even after killing some 25,000 off by starvation and over 100,000 by other means...
What's a planet to do?
ed
23/03/2007 at 11:06:33 GMT
Thanks boys
3528cdcb042a0d9ab42a03ea9ca03b74