13 Feb 06: Throwing apples out the car window

I thought of calling this "throwing apples out of the car window", but my journalistic experience has taught me to keep it snappy, so I am sacrificing good English in the interest of populism. I think this makes me a man of my times.

I few months ago, a woman was fined by her council for throwing an apple out of her car window, apparently in total disregard of the local by-laws. I mean, hadn't she read the local by-laws? What sort of a citizen is that?

Yet I so often find myself doing the same. One reason is that, compared to acts of defiance such as speeding, exhibitionism, drunkenness in a public place and even brandishing a gun - the latest must-have accessory in some circles - I don't know, somehow chucking the core (as I like to call it) seems less risky, less of a public nuisance.

Seriously, it has yet to be proven whether there is any harm done at all by this act, since, although classified by the coucil as 'littering the byway', it is litter that would, in all probability, self-destruct, if not actually picked up and eaten by a scavenging bird, fox or dog. Even some humans could benefit from such a food item that I, as one of the fortunate, can so unthinkingly disregard.

My heart races as I slowly and cautiously look around my shoulder, to the right and left, taking care not to look suspicious or be noticed by anyone in authority - even an ordinary good citizen could spell trouble. After the deed is done, I feel the expected rush of adrenaline. I feel alive - at least for a few moments until I settle back into my usual, docile, law-abiding self

12 Feb 07: Hooray! It's raining again

Of course, not everyone else might agree with me. How good to feel the sweet, wet pitter-patter of the much-needed rain and imagine it gently filling our parched waterways and reservoirs, and generally raising the water table.

Still holding out about flushing the loo though, although I will flush when away from home. I mean, I dont' mind what you do in your own home but ...

8 Feb 07: Back on the diet Coke

My stomach has taken on my principles and won - yet again. I'm back on the diet Coke, complete with aspartame artificial sweetener produced by Monsanto, and the only thing I can do to defend myself is to drink it less often - maybe every other day instead of daily.

2 Feb 07: Should I machine-wash the e-cloth?

The e-cloth is an interesting concept, a way of washing your car without using soap or water. I used it the last time I washed the Prius, which was some time last year. On reflection I believe it was the previous year. Doesn't time fly?

I bought the e-cloth very soon after buying the car, they kind of 'went together'. The idea was a good one. I had just purchased a new car, a good one, and I was determined to keep it looking in showroom condition for as long as I owned it. It took me a couple of weeks to get round to my first hand car-wash. Beloved, picking up on the occasion, decided to surprise me by taking a couple of digital photos of me cleaning my own car - a touching gesture, I thought. It did a surprisingly good job, considering the challenges involved in using neither soap nor water.

Anyway, shortly after that first, waterless wash, I found I was too busy with other things, and have since discovered a great hand wash run by eastern Europeans, at the fitness centre where I use the gym. In many ways this is a better arrangement. It not only provides employment for others, but motivates me to keep fit, while keeping my car in a state much nearer to showroom condition than it would otherwise be.

However, the e-cloth, which cost around thirteen pounds as I remember it (when packaged with another), did not go to waste. It sits in my driver's door pocket and does a marvellous job - along with the accompanying synthetic chamois cloth - of the mirrors, dashboard and so on. When it gets a little dirty it should be washed in the machine at 90 degrees. I've done this twice now and it really comes up good as new, but is this ecologically-sound behaviour? Is this a responsible use of resources? I mean, how 'e' really is the e-cloth?

On a completely different note, the red plastic box the vegetarian multivitimins and minerals came in still stares challengingly at my from the back of my desk (actually it's Andy's desk really but he knows that). Challenging me to do something constructive with it, other than chuck it away. There's a hole in my life somewhere between the two recycling bins and green bin the council takes away for us, where I would like to put plastic things like this, if only I could find a practical way. I temporarily a littel crushed over this one, or at least the plastic should be.

Exociety eco-news 18/02/07

Al Gore announces climate change concerts (USA) – Eco-activist and possible 2008 presidential candidate Al Gore has announced a series of worldwide concerts to focus on the threat of climate change. The lineup will feature more than 100 top acts including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dog and Bon Jovi
http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=12238

World politicians and industrialists agree on tackling climate change (USA) - Leading world politicians and industrialists have reached a new, non-binding agreement at a meeting in the United States on tackling climate change. Delegates agreed developing countries as well as rich countries should face targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2014683,00.html

EasyJet commits to combating climate change (EU) - easyJet chief executive Andy Harrison has promised the budget airline will play its part in combating climate change. Global warming is "a clear and present danger," said easyJet chief executive, Andy Harrison. "This generation has a responsibility to take action now." However, Harrison stopped short of setting any targets for the group
http://environment.guardian.co.uk/travel/story/0,,2012994,00.html

New California dams “not needed” (USA) – A Stanford University scientist says eliminating aerosol pollution would offset some of the need for additional dams in California called for by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently. Associate Professor Mark Jacobson believes aerosol pollution could be be causing a loss of water supply of as much as 1.3 million acre feet
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2007/2007-02-16-09.asp#anchor3/

6 Feb 07: The organic box is back!

Great news - we're back on the organic box after a gap of about two years. Last time we hit paydust with the idea due to a lack of commitment - mostly by myself - to using up all the organics with clever meal planning and creative use of the cooker.

In this respect I fell down on the meal planning and use of the cooker, preferring to prepare ready-made meals such as eggs and breakfast cereal. After all, I grew up on this, so it is in effect my natural diet.

Anyway, for some reason we decided to return to our organic delivery. Last week was the first of our new life. The signs are encouraging so far - everything got used up, and in addition the locally-produced, organic oranges that didn't have to travel too far tasted noticeably better than those bought -usually wrapped in cling film - from the supermarket. Those things travel so far it's a miracle they don't get jet-lag when they arrive here.

I have to say it wasn't by my merit that we managed to get through our organics in the first week of the scheme, and Beloved deserves a mention here.

Other notable events - I forgot to bring my teacup to the tea shop again, so had to consume another paper cup. Although I keep these, after I while I always seem to accumulate too many, and out they go.

Are paper cups 'paper' in recycling terms. I'll have to find out.

7 Feb 07: Coke is 40 percent sugar!!!

Ok, Coke is really only 39% sugar, according to its makers. I try to visualise how far up the can 39% is, and then imagine it to be full of white sugar, before I pour the lot down my throat. Not a thrilling prospect, coming as it does just one week after my heart scare (later downgraded to a pulled muscle).

That leaves me with a real dilemma. The same one, actually. Trying to not drink Coke at all two days in a row, I still have to drink Monsanto-produced aspartame to avoid falling victim to the sugar. Thinking I might be just a little paranoic about Monsanto, I was relieved - or shocked - to read about the company's role in illegally dumping quantities of highly toxic chemicals in a rubbish dump in Wales thirty or so years ago - see http://environment.guardian.co.uk/waste/story/0,,2011156,00.html .

On a somewhat more parochial note, I am remembering to use both sides of my printed-on scrap paper, and have in the past week refused at least one plastic bag at a grocery store. I am not yet ready for the Anita Roddick - recommended method of stripping my groceries of all their packaging while at the checkout. Call me old-fashioned, but somehow that seems a little - aggressive? - to me.

14 Feb 07: Dishwasher goes back on daytime electricity

I have had to take the dishwasher off night rate electricity after about eight weeks. This is due to a coating of something like dry crumbs on the outside - and inside - of many of the dishes. For some reason, highly curved dishes such as cups and glasses seem more prone to this problem than flat ones like dinner plates. Cutlery seems largely unaffected.

After trying a couple of times to clean the machine itself with mild chemicals (so I tell myself) and hot empty washes, I decided to employ an old adage I use when computers go wrong: whatever you did when you touched it last has probably caused the problem. So out goes the night electricity, at least for now.

The problem with using a timer to start a dishwashing machine is that the same timer is very effective at stopping things mid-wash, and that is my theory as to what is wrong. I dont' think dishwashers like being terminated before they are ready.

(I still don't believe our night electricity is being recorded properly by the meter, but that's another story. Past experience of power companies tells me they'll swear blind the meter can't possibly have gone wrong and anyway was tested recently and found to be in working order. Tested presumably by the same army of engineers they don't send round constantly to read the meter any more. Their word - somewhere in Bangalore -against my word from my own house. Never mind.)

I was also shocked to find the kettle inadvertently set to the 'keep the water warm' setting, a feature I can't imagine ever needing. But I do wonder whether this is more or less efficient than simply switching it on with a little water when one needs a cuppa. Or - more likely - cappuchino.

Ecoxiety eco-news 11/02/2007

Branson offers £25 climate reward (UK). Virgin boss Richard Branson has offered a $25US reward to scientists who help find a way to save the planet from the effects of global climate change, by extracting carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere. Branson describes this as the largest prize ever offered.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2007/2007-02-09-09.asp#anchor1

Ethical fund top of league (UK). The Co-operative Insurance Sustainable (CIS) Leaders trust, a fund that buys shares only in ethical and green companies, outperformed other unit trusts in the UK All Companies sector in the year to the end of January, providing investors with a total return of 29.3%, more than double the 13.2% returns produced by the FTSE All Share index. http://environment.guardian.co.uk/ethicalliving/story/0,,2009625,00.html

Bishop agrees not to fly (UK). The Bishop of London, the Right Rev Richard Chartres, has agreed not to fly for a year. Last July the Bishop announced that "selfish" choices of flying on holiday and having a large car were "a symptom of sin". http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2008211,00.html

EU proposed tighter vehicle CO2 laws (EU). The European Union (EU) has announced legislation restricting CO2 emissions from new cars and vans by mid-2008. Under the proposals average emissions from new cars sold in the EU would have to reach a 120g CO2/km target by 2012. At present there are only 34 petrol or diesel vehicle models available with emissions of 120g/km or less, headed by the Toyota Prius hybrid. http://www.learninggrid.co.uk/news/08-02-07_23

Leading US Companies move on climate change (USA). A group of US-based companies and several environmental NGOs have created the US Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) and are calling on the federal government to “enact strong legislation to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions”. The Alliance brings together Alcoa, BP America, Caterpillar, Duke Energy, DuPont, FPL Group, General Electric, Lehman Brothers, PG&E, and PNM Resources, along with leading environmental groups. http://www.mallenbaker.net/csr/CSRfiles/page.php?Story_ID=1803

21 Jan 07: Should I flush the client's loo?

I wouldn't do it in my own home, so why do it at work? Yet somehow the idea of not flushing the loo when at a client's site seems like letting the side down.

I'm only talking about wees here.

There is a sign on the wall requesting that we leave the little room in the condition we'd like to find it, and I'm not being true to myself. I'd like to find it with every toilet seat up, the bright yellow wee proudly announcing environmental responsibility to one and all. After all, every flush uses up two gallons of precious water resource, or whatever it is.

Somehow leaving all the loos unflushed doesn't seem that - well, corporate. So far I chicken out.

I still don't know which is more eco-friendly: drying my hands with a paper towel (throw-away, bad) or using the cloth towel (needs laundering) which no one ever seems to replace but always seems to work.

Still using the printer more than I feel I should be. Mind you, the printer has been set up to print double-sided unless you ask it not to, and has learnt to switch itself off. That's pretty responsible, so I don't feel quite so bad about it.

22 Jan 07: What's the harm in a few cleaning chemicals?

This is a theme I feel I'll be returning to again and again.

What on Earth is in that disturbingly bright and cheerful Cillit Bang plastic bottle containing the miracle power cleaner? I'm looking at it now, and it's a purple bottle with a bright red lid and a striking label of orange, pink and white. I don't know what image it is supposed to convey, but 'demonic' is the feeling I get from it. It's not a bottle I would like to mess with.

On the back we can read what this product is suitable, and more interestingly, not suitable for. It is not suitable, for instance, on enamel or aluminium, linoleum or matt glass. Eats into metal, disolves glass? I think to myself.

Cillit Bang is "irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin". Respiratory system? We are advised to keep it out of the reach of children - I would - and avoid contact with skin and eyes. Good thing I'm not the cleaner (one of the Young Ones is), I can never be bothered with rubber gloves.

But if something does go wrong, worry not. Just "seek medical advice immediately", as the wrapper says.

What on Earth is in this monster pack? Fortunately the Cillit Bang people are happy to tell us. It's full of "5% non-ionic surfactant". That's OK then.

I admit I never listened in Chemistry, but I'm positive non-ionic surfactant is not on the Periodic Table of elements.

About as useful as "other" when talking of ethnic backgrounds. Maybe tomorrow I'll Google it.

21 Jan 06: Can I recycle envelopes?

A dispute has broken out in the household. Is it permissable to place envelopes in the local authority paper recycling bin? Beloved things no, I believe it's yes.

This is the same council who only recently fined me £50 for driving in a bus lane on the say-so of a camera hidden somewhere in the same bus lane. This was on Boxing Day - a bank holiday in the UK. How beaurcratic can you get? When I say I was 'driving' in a bus lane, I mean I stepped into the bus lane to avoid a queue in the remaining lane, where all the other, more polluting, vehicles have to go. As soon as the penalty notice arrived I made up my mind I was going to challenge this mindless bit of rule-mindedness, all the way to the House of Lords if necessary. I paid it a couple of days later.

Anyway, where was I? Being the ever-compliant husband I am, I have desisted from placing any envelopes in recycling bin, but I feel bad because that's a lot of paper going literally to waste.