Sunday 30 March 2008

Climate change bill for England

A step has finally been taken.

England might see its first climate change bill.

Will others follow suit?

As reported by Reuters on the climate change bill, on Monday the House of Lords will vote after the third reading, whether to pass the bill.

If the bill succeeds, the government would be legally bound to cut carbon emissions by 25 to 30% by 2020 and by 60% by 2050.

Cross our fingers!

Media's voice wasted

Yesterday's Earth Hour made a point, and although it was mentioned also on British news, not enough was done by the media to promote this symbolic hour.

While I watch and cringe at the sight of a web-shared video of some fifteen year old girl trying to sing to pop bands, broadcast on a national news channel, the waste of such a powerful voice listened to by a whole nation is very disappointing.

What are environmentalists fighting for?

"Those god dam hippies!

Stop crying! The world has been changing and dying every since it was born. Who do you think you are to have had such a 'great' impact on the planet?"


Is it really too late?

Do you think we are loosing our time for something we have no responsibility nor fault for?

Environmentalists and environmental bodies do not just exist to point at the grey fleck smothering the blue sky.

Caring and working for environmental causes is more than that.

It is about a burden called ‘responsibility’: aiming to mend the economy itself, culture, society and all beings, animals, humans and environment alike.

Ironically, many nations, in view of the Kyoto II, are frightened of submitting their greed in the name of our future.

Too many see the dilemma of climate change and industrialisation as a choice between one or the other, like oil in water.

These cannot be separate though, as the dilemma faces factors that are in fact components of one system. Economy cannot be alienated from climate, nor can the first be prioritised before the later.


Unless some nations are truly so egoist as to only aim for short term booming economies, it should be finally realised that slowing down will only save them [economies] from skidding dangerously off the racing track once resources inevitably finish, with no foundations left on which to rebuild.

Look at the whole setting from a rational ‘economist’ point of view, forgetting for the time being, that economists supposedly care only about capitalism;

One needs to take into account all needs that fuel and are produced for society.

Take the PPF (Production Possibility Frontier), which is a rationalised concept of allocating resources to achieve specific ratios of various products. Only a certain amount of all products can be produced in a matrix of proportions summing up to one.

If we focus more investment, territory and human resources on cultivating palms, then there will be less land to cultivate other agricultural products, animals and crops.

If, on the other hand, more land is used for growing animals, then there will be a shortage of palms and therefore of palm oil.

Industrialisation pushes the PPF limits upward, with less vital consumer goods, so those basic goods will become scarce and become more expensive than their intrinsic value.

Environmental bodies, I believe, are like an earthing stick, rooted deep in the earth, and by chipping away at governmental and industrial patience, pressuring them with seemingly ‘primitive emotional’ motivations, they tug at the rope of capitalisation, weighing it down from rocketing out of control.

But all that is asked for is the principle of respect toward ourselves, where we come from and where we live.

Respect to all things around us, because economies have not yet obtained a soul nor pain nerves.

Is cruelty to animals vital for our existence? It might be the fastest way of procuring whale and seal oil or fur coats. But with a minimum of integrity industries could go an extra mile and exploit in ways that would fruit economies and environment alike.

Why can governments not take the first step to reallocate lands and means to quell vacuoles painfully growing in the psychological and physical global reality?

Because: patience is not a virtue of humans and because consumerism reflects their very nature.

The most rational of all beings is driven to destroy the earth for irrational, useless greed for bulks of a life style which we do not need to survive; that in fact, will end up killing us.

It would be so easy for a country such as China(used as an example only for practical terms as it represents a huge work force and land territory) to dedicate all its resources into producing merely to export, hence becoming the richest economy of the world.

But there are needs for its people that include living standards.

These include a living space with breathable air, ambitions and ideals other than working in a factory, and culture by which to retain some form of ideological structure and identity.

Without agriculture, typical landscape and once basic utilities and products that characterised the average life of a Chinese (still using this nation only as an example), the person would loose every quality of life and China would have become a money-making machine where humans soon would not physically be able to breath the terrestrial air, nor remember their identity.

Inevitably this would culminate in a backlash.

So where do environmentalists come in?

To fight to maintain that underestimated balance between economy, industrialisation, culture and ‘life space’ for nature, animals and environment, without which we loose not only clean air, and wildlife, but our cultures, nations and identities.

All those 27 nations to pledge action against climate change and those yet ignoring this possibility, should get a reality check and ask them selves what they are gonna do:

Choose to go for the money race, running up into thin air, or, choose to stop and work to mend the soil they stand on.

Money still blinds some mouths ready to mutter "Kyoto II"

27 of the wealthiest countries will be expected to have decreased by 5% the percentage of green house gas emissions by 2012.

As reported by Reuters, this week Bangkok will host the next Summit on the Kyoto climate change plans.

Hundreds of nations will meet to fix a date when next to meet and plan the next step for Kyoto II to follow after Kyoto's expiry in 2009.

Unease still lines the frustrations of some nations over the difficult task of distributing 'fairly' the responsibility of cutting emissions.


Commitment to this cause will be tested.

While hopes to involve US, perhaps wth the new administration n 2009, others still appear reluctant.

As reported by Reuters, rapidly developing economies such as India’s and China’s will be reluctant to slow down their soaring success in view of a greater, longer-term investment for the good of the global community.

The two-year talks will end in 2009, Copenhagen, where United Nations will gather for the final Climate Change conference in order to establish the Kyoto II scheme.


Confidence and determination unfortunately are binding ingredients that still appear to be lacking from too many players of this gamble.

Saturday 29 March 2008

Google stands up for Earth Hour, apparently forgotten by ...

Following up on the Earth Hour to take place in two hours and 25 minutes, the most unexpected was noted.

Having monitored two main British news channels for a couple of hours, I was disappointed and puzzled nor to hear any reference made regarding the Earth Hour.

No mention at all.

On the other hand, if you go to Google's main page, you will see they one again have demonstrated to be one step ahead.

Not just as a research engine and more, but clearly have decided to use their powerful lime light to speak out to all.

The starting research page is not decorated with some fancy image but the page is pitch black.

The writing in white reads a clear message to all of us:

"We've turned the lights out. Now it's your turn - Earth Hour"


I wonder if at 8pm news channels will acknowledge this important hour or not.

Read Google's message on Earth Hour.

Earth Hour: SWITCH OFF!

MESSAGE TO ALL: SWITCH OFF!!

No, we are not a bunch of disillusioned hippies, but this simple, symbolic gesture that all are encouraged to take part in today, is to prove that we all CAN make a difference in cutting emissions.

This evening at 8pm Earth Hour will take place: 42 cities worldwide will take part in this hour of solidarity for our earth.

This evening turn your lights off for one hour.

You can sign up and actively take part if you check out the website.

But tonight at 8pm, switch off.

The chess board trembles between NATO and Russia.

The sizzling spot light intensifies on Georgia and Ukraine as their intentions of joining NATO are being questioned and scrutinised by a distrustful Russian eye.

The thickening chess game veiling every comment between Kremlin speakers and NATO is becoming trickier as every move comes closer to upsetting the board for all players, voluntarily or not, in this game between two towering bodies.

Next week's NATO summit reverberates already with the ongoing warnings escalating between Russia and NATO.

It looks like Ukraine and Georgia are being cornered between the two: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of "playing with fire" as reported by Reuters, alluding to fears that the two countries might intend ‘ganging up’ with NATO to reclaim rebel territory.

Russia appears concerned of being invaded dangerously close to be monitored.

Cold War thrives still in suspicions and fears.

Yet perhaps, they have reason to object to such ganging up?

Winds of change for Cuba

Cubans wil soon be able to legally buy and posess their own mobile phone, computer, DVD player and DVDs.

Yes.

It looks like a fresh breeze is to bring about changes in Cuba, or could it just be temporary malfunctions of global warming?

Fidel Castro's brother, Raul Castro, who recently officially became president after Fidel announced he would no longer intend taking back his post, is talking of some welcome concessions for Cubans.

DVDs, DVD players and especially mobile phones are a few of the gadgets and other commodities that were prohibited to the Cuban citizens until recently.

Now, in order to give Cubans more access as consumers to consumer goods, mobile phones will no longer be restricted to companies and government officials, but also to citizens, who will be able to buy mobile phones under their own name as well as computers and other gadgets.

This is a big change that underlines a major turning point in Cuba's history.

The nature itself of Cuba's identity, political and ideological is apparently about to make a major brake like that of the Antarctic ice shelf a few days ago, floating back into the reality of a world which communicates buys and consumes and only by so doing, is truly actively part of the global economy.

Cuba's economy as well as all sectors, education, culture, tourism, etc. will improve.

Lets just wait and see, hoping this is not just a buff manoeuvre for secondary purposes....

LEGAL MASSACRE

No words can explain my and many others' disperation at the hypocricy on which humans, and governments thrive on.

Look at this HEART BRAKING VIDEO from reuters of the annual seal hunt that just started on Friday in CANADA. The aim is to KILL MORE THAN A QUARTER MILLION seals (many of which are baby seals that have just been given birth to)

I know the sight is gruelling. I do not like watching these things. But if you shut your eyes, sorrow becomes just a comfort to your conscience.

Please send this to all your contacts, because the more awareness spreads, the more chances we have that these atrocities, one day will end, perhaps before it is too late.

How can this hypocrisy go on? How can such cruelty still be legal??

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS IS NOT AN EXPENDABLE SPORT NEITHER A COLLATTERAL SACRIFICE TO HUMANS' ACTIVITY ON EARTH!

This goes for all beings.

YOU as individuals have the responsibility of consuming and acting responsabily.

Tuesday 18 March 2008

Recession is already our shadow

Alan Greenspan made a statement of his expectations for the global economy.

According to Alan Greenspan, that the present economic crisis could be considered as the worst since the second world war.

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