Inequality
Reports Environment Finance

Doughnut Economics

I was inspired to write this as a result of reading Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth. I was hoping it would help me understand the subject (beyond my O Level 2), and a quick peek at a review told me it was written in a really good and understandable style. It was fun too. The Neoliberal script that economists have been using
Ikea Protest
Business Environment Finance

IK€A

Did you know that there are more IKEA catalogues printed than bibles each year ? Hallelujah! Some love IKEA for cheap but more or less well designed furniture and even cheaper hotdogs, while others are a little more critical towards the mega forest munching concern. One of said critics is a truck driver named Emilian. The Romanian told the BBC that he drives for IKEA (but of course he is
Great news for the people of the Netherlands, their Government just learned that the planned subsidy for a second Windfarm is going to be considerably less than the original forecasts. The proposed project, 22Km off the Zeeuwse coast will deliver power to between 850k and 1 Million households and instead of the subsidy being €5 Billion, it will now be €3 Million. Dutch economic affairs Minister, Henk Kamp, stated that the park would be built by a consortium comprising Dutch Shell, Eneco, (Electricity supplier), Van Oord (Dredging specialists) and DGE, an offshoot of Mitsubishi. This consortium agreed to the much lower subsidy level which is now set at a mere 5.45 Euro cents/Kwh. The deal has been struck in such a way that Government exposure is minimal, with the subsidy is only paid out on Kwh actually delivered This project is the first of 5 farms proposed off the Netherlands coast, each with an output of 700 Megawatts capable of supplying 5 Million homes. The expectation is that after 7-8 years the parks will function subsidy free. When the agreements to build were made in 2013 the government allowed for a total subsidy level of €18 Bn. "It is now possible that 6 billion will be enough," said Minister Kamp on Monday. Great news for the environment, proof that Fossil fuel companies can take the lead in renewables, and of course, a welcome change from the British model where they insist on getting everything arse about face with projects coming in, overpriced, over budget, and way over their allotted timeframe. Mrs. May could learn a thing or two methinks, especially bearing in mind that all this windfarm activity is taking place in exactly the same North Sea that laps on the shores of Britain Meanwhile, the Netherlands government is planning from 2030 to build 5 more Windfarms, each capable of 1000Mw, as well as large Geothermal and Solar power developments which in total will supply 5,000,000 homes. With this additional capability added to the existing developments, the Netherlands will be effectively fossil fuel free, and at this rate in a good position to export energy throughout the EU. Original story from the Netherlands Volkskrant, See Link above for NL original
Energy Environment

Wind Parks Give Change For A Change

Great news for the people of the Netherlands, their Government just learned that the planned subsidy for a second Windfarm is going to be considerably less than the original forecasts. The proposed project, 22Km off the Zeeuwse coast will deliver power to between 850k and 1 Million households and instead of the subsidy being €5 Billion, it will now be €3 Million. Dutch economic affairs Minister, Henk Kamp, stated that
nuclear-plant-meltdown
Environment Politics

Fukushima, the slowest, most catastrophic train wreck in the world.

On the morning of 12th March 2011, I reported for work on the Seismic exploration crew I was working on in S.E. Asia. At breakfast there was a lot of talk about a massive earthquake that had happened the previous day and was so strong that it had obliterated several seismic records we had made at the time. Considering that we were using explosives drilled into solid rock, that’s not
Environment Health Science

Monsanto Again…..

What is it about Monsanto that drives them to take the piss out of us at every possible opportunity? Monsanto are in the courts yet again, with 2 men suing Monsanto for doing their normal Ducking and Diving. This time it’s about the mislabelling of component parts in their famous Round Up poison, one of which is Polyethoxylated Tallowamine, or POEA, which is in itself toxic. Monsanto have included in
Pierre-Papillaud-billionaire-polluter
Environment Pollution

Bottled Water Battle With Billionaire Polluter

Let us put a face to a name here, it’s yet another “unacceptable face of capitalism” ….and yet another bloody billionaire….80 years old too. Meet Pierre Papillaud. He is listed as a Businessman and his speciality is buying up water supplies. He really makes his money out of selling plastic bottles, which incidentally happen to be filled with water, but as soon as they are empty they get to be