Veal, Anglesey pollution and multilateralism

In the BBC's Green Room this week is Dr Richard Ladle of Oxford University and Sustainable Solutions Worldwide. He is talking about environmental blogs and the risks thereof. Whilst he can see benefits in more in more readers being made aware of environmental issues, he also warns of potential risks of misinformation. As blogs are unregulated and the information that they contain is often not verified, internet consumers unquestioningly taking posts at face value and assuming scientific objectivity are in danger of being inaccurately informed. I imagine this is particularly the case with blogs, since they are usually written on a topic close to the writer's heart and therefore have a tendency to slant with the blogger's own ideology. Dr Ladle is concerned that misinforming the public is dangerous and may detract from focus on the very real green concerns that face us. He recommends reading posts with care and looking for verifiable information and a reasonable style of writing. It seems to me that blogs should reference, and where possible link, their sources to avoid any of this doubt. They still serve a useful purpose in raising the awareness Dr Ladle so wants, as long as their authors report responsibly. To read more of Dr Ladle's concerns, here's the link.

Another important scientist, Sir Professor David King is set to speak out on environmental matters this week when he outlines the challenges that we face in trying to deal with greenhouse gases and how we might urgently confront them. The talk will be on Thursday, so we'll have to look out for reports after that. Here's some suggestions on what he is expected to say.

The Daily Mirror, not a publication I often read, covers this frightening story on British veal production and transportation and a return to pre-BSE conditions. The detailed report in today's paper covers the conditions in which the animals are transported and slaughtered, the economic reasons therefore, the organisations on each side of the debate, the farming industry's future and development and recommendations for what the public can do. It cites representatives from both sides of the argument as well as referencing undercover footage and reports. It's not cheerful reading, but it's good that it's back in the public arena. It also provides references and this link to Compassion in World Farming, which I'll put in the links section later under Animal Rights. And here's the CIWF's blog, which I'll try and add as well to the blog section. Through the CIWF main site, you can find the ECFA (European Coalition for Farm Animals) too, so here's their link.

This story's from the Independent, so the link probably won't last long, but briefly it's a story about Britain's first olive grove. It has been set up in Devon and is seen as a clear indicator of global warming that what was once a plant of the Mediterranean can now be commercially viable crop in Southern England.

There were also claims of oil pollution in the Menai straits over the weekend. This is an area of Wales I know and love, so I'm especially sad about it. Here's a link to the Holyhead Coastguard service's reports. Here's confirmation and increased coverage of the slick.Hopefully it can be tracked down with continued help from the public.

This Guardian story today is actually about US economics and interest rates, however, it goes on to discuss the environment, Al Gore's take on how it must be placed in an economic context and multilateralism and how the UK will tackle similar issues and factor green issues into the equation. Let's hope it happens soon, eh?

And finally here's another positive example of individuals trying to live more sustainably. A housing association in Edinburgh has erected two turbines to generate green electricity on its roof. It is hoped that the energy produced will power communal lighting etc. in the housing block, and in time lower residents' bills. It is estimated that the initiative will have paid for itself within seven years and the residents will be enjoying 'free' electricity, safe in the knowledge that they are not damaging the environment unnecessarily. Hopefully more of these stories to come, as they get increasingly affordable and accessible, especially with government grants...