"Then it is dark; a night where kings in golden suits ride elephants over the mountains." - John Cheever

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Pee-cycling

Pee-cycling! Is there nothing we can do that isn't harmful? Will we have to start using bed pans again? Note the new NS environment section - pretty good.

Happy new year, by the way. Back at work today - bah!

9 comments:

Tom said...

My God. Can you imagine how impossible it would be to live a completely environmentally responsible life? Mankind will be toast long before it gets round to separating its urine.

Tom said...

Although on another note (and desperately trying to start the year positively), very encouraged to see this news item about expansion of Scottish wind power.

It certainly supports the devolution/independence argument - Scotland has really given this a push, and shown up the rest of UK in the process.

Col said...

I think I meant chamber pots rather than bed pans, by the way.

I saw that Scottish wind power article too. Encouraging, although there is still a danger that everyone will decide that onshore windfarms don't generate enough leccy, even in Scotland (though not if the weather over new year was anything to go by). Wish they'd press on with the offshore option as well.

John said...

Windpower is all a bit peripheral anyway, too variable and therefore "not suitable for replacement of base-load electricity supply, such as that supplied by coal-fired or nuclear power stations" says Wikipedia.

Quite an interesting row today between some environment minister I've never heard of and the rather despicable Ryanair, I notice.

Col said...

I hate that Ryanair guy - particularly when he dresses up in some cheap party shop fancy dress outfit for a crass publicity stunt and the media laps it up and gives him loads of coverage.

John said...

He of the "if you're worried about the environment - walk" fame (or words to that effect).

Tom said...

Michael O'Leary is revolting, and it's good to see a minister speak with genuine passion about this issue, but surely he's missing the point. Of course cheap airlines are environmentally irresponsible, and we shouldn't expect them to be anything else. It's up to the government to prohibit/tax/regulate for the common good. If the minister is unhappy about Ryanair, his government can and should do something about it, instead of bleating on in pained surprise.

Col said...

Good point. Or would it be better for the industry to self-regulate... ?!#*!

Col said...

Posting this Economist blog post here because its starting point is ostensibly vaguely environmental, although in reality it's an attempt to extrapolate an aspect of the methodology used in the Stern report to argue against abortion (and taxes of course). The economic/philosophical/political discussion in the ensuing comments is quite interesting.