Earth Hour
It’s been on facebook, and now Google have turned the lights out. It’s Earth Hour, tonight 8pm-9pm GMT or whatever time that equates to in your part of the world.
All you have to do is turn off the lights and “see the difference you can make”.
It’s got to be better than E-Day which was an abysmal failure.
Green Budget 2008?
The BBC’s speculatively-titled story “Chancellor looks to green budget” is pretty thread-bare, starting with the opening line:
Green taxes and measures to help people struggling to pay energy bills are likely to be among changes in the chancellor’s first Budget on Wednesday.
It goes on to speculate that the chancellor, Alistair Darling, might put a levy on larger vehicles like people carriers, putting their price up by £2000.
And that’s it!
Well, if that’s all the chancellor can do for green issues in the UK Budget on Wednesday then that’s pretty poor for helping people go green. Isn’t a people carrier a more efficient way of carrying 6 or 7 people than having to drive 2 vehicles? If there’s any truth in that rumour then it would be a right poke in the eye for people who car-share.
We understand putting taxes on the least fuel efficient vehicles, but isn’t that why some people pay more road tax than others and why inefficient vehicles cost more to run purely from the fact that their MPG is so poor?
Come on Darling, where’s the incentives to go green. Saying “you can’t do this” or “can’t do that” is simply negative. Why don’t you give us:
- Increased grants for home solar projects
- Increased grants for home insulation
- More green spaces for community allotments
- Increase tax on the most polluting vehicles
- Greater taxes on polluting businesses
- A stop on the expansion of any more UK airports
- Serious public debate over nuclear energy
etc etc
That would be a good start. He’s already effectively nationalised the Northern Rock bank, why can’t he part-nationalise some of our public transport to stop the greedy private companies from milking the public?
Let’s wait until Wednesday, aye?
Green Architecture Day
If you’re in the south of England then don’t forget it’s Green Architecture Day in Brighton.
Starting at 10am and running through to 5pm there are stalls and stands, which are free to see.
The talks, ranging from the design of eco centres and buildings to green rooves, need to be paid for. Obviously it’s too late to pre-book but you can pay at the door today.
Green Architecture Day is held at the Sallis Benney Theatre in Brighton.