LittleYellowFrog

EcoStreet spotted that the Environment Agency have put out some new figures telling us how UK business is doing on the environmental front.

One that caught my eye was the mention that ethical shopping spending was up by 15% in 2005 – to £26Bn. That sounds like a lot of money. Where are people spending it ethically? Supermarkets?

According to the BBC, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee here in the UK has just recommended that taxes on air travel be increased to help fight our ever-increasing CO2 emissions. They also suggested that vehicle excise duty for vehicles which polute the most be increased even more than they have been already.

Interestingly, the Transport Minister, Stephen Ladyman, appeared to be comfortable with suggestions about increasing excise duty for high-polluting cars but expressed concern about further taxes on air travel – citing the fact that this would penalise poor people and prevent them from taking holidays abroad.

If aircraft are one of the major causes of emissions then it would appear that a reduction in flights (and passengers) is necessary. Historically, aviation fuel has not been taxed – however, it looks like that may be about to change.

Apparently, underwater turbines might be one alternative to building dams.

Although dams can provide a lot of power, their size and impact upon local people and the surrounding environment ensures that they remain a controversial choice. Underwater turbines which harness tides or river currents might have less (visible) impact – although I don’t know what impact they might have on fish.

Wikipedia has more on the Kaplan turbines mentioned in the article.

This was published back in May but I missed it at the time. The Guardian are reporting on a study which shows how global warming is causing global trade winds to weaken.

Since trade winds affect ocean currents and both these factors have a strong bearing on our weather systems, any major changes in how they operate are obviously of interest to us all.

I was indirectly tipped off by CittyHippy’s site that Sainsbury’s are planning to offer their customers an organic box. Priced at under £15 and containing locally-sourced food (where possible – they might source nationally on occassion), this is another interesting development from a supermarket with appears to have some clear ideas on the ethical/organic front.

Haynes Fire Station in West London have installed a wind turbine to supply about 8% of their electricity needs.

The Scotsman newspaper says that Currys (a high street electrical chain in the UK) are planning to sell solar panels for domestic electricity generation. They are quoting a cost of around £9000 for enough solar panels to provide approximately half the electricity required by the average 3-bedroom house (I can’t tell whether this is realistic or not).

Although the article mentions the additional costs involved in fitting the panels it doesn’t say whether or not it will provide this service itself, outsource it or leave it to the consumer to solve that part of the equation.

Nevertheless, if they do follow through on this, it has the potential to further raise the profile of renewable energy in the UK – it is certainly one step up from solar iPod chargers!

RenewableEnergyAccess reports that the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) and the Renewable Energy Association (REA) are discussing the possibility of a merger. The trade associations cite the need for a stronger, more unified voice for the UK renewables industry and feel that a merger might provide this.

The BBC are reporting on a study by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and The Open University which claims that we in the UK are living beyond our means in ecological terms. Needless to say there are those who disagree with the conclusions of the report (or at least with some of its reasoning).

Nevertheless, it does make you wonder whether the counter-assertion stated in the article – that the free market laws of supply and demand will determine where resources are best utilised – stands closer scrutiny. What if the free market works well for individuals but is less suited to ensure the conservation of the world’s resources?

BP are reportedly doubling their investment in green energy over the next three years (to $1.8 billion). According to the report, BP think that their new BP Alternative Energy unit could deliver sales of as much as $6 billion a year within 10 years.

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