Wildfire threat to Peak District

More wildfires could break out in the Peak District if summers get hotter according to the Peak Park Authority.

Fires caused by heat and human carelessness, can damage wildlife, pollute drinking water supplies and disrupt roads.

A national conference is being held in Buxton, to discuss ways of tackling and preventing them.

The Met Office has predicted that climate change could result in wildfires happening more within the next 30 years.

The facts are that for every degree of temperature increase, a 10% increase in rain is needed to compensate. Rainfall is apparantly decreasing by 10%.

To the general public it is hard to explain the risks to moorland when the summer has been so wet but the problem with wildfires is that they burn down into the peat so they don’t actually go out by themselves.

Delegates at Wildfire 2011 will discuss the latest techniques, best practice and research relating to the prevention and suppression of wildfire in the UK.

Brown's "Green" Budget Giveaway?

When there is nothing else worthwhile to write about over the next week I will look at Gordon Brown's budget and see how good or bad it really is.

As part of Gordon Brown's much-heralded 'Green Budget' he promised significant tax cuts for those who buy zero carbon homes- safe in the knowledge that practically no one will be able to take him up on the offer.

The chancellor continued the trend of promising much and delivering little when he said: "I… can confirm that until 2012 all new zero carbon homes up to half a million pounds will be exempt from stamp duty."

Well that's great news, isn't it? Certainly stamp duty is one of the most expensive outlays when buying, so it's a big incentive and he should be applauded for his generous and inspiring green initiatives.

Well, not quite. You see, there are less than 25 truly "zero carbon" homes in the UK at present (as the Treasury stated earlier), so your chances of actually gaining from this tax cut are minimal to say the least.

All it really does is allow Mr Brown to claim he is pushing forward wholeheartedly with initiatives that incentivise us to "go green" without it actually costing him a penny of his tax revenue hoard.

The problem with zero carbon housing is that, while possible, its still very difficult - and costly - to achieve. That fact was highlighted by Britain's first zero carbon community experiment, BedZed, which after four years of trying - and spending - has yet to achieve its goal.

And while there are a number of "green" homes available out there, none meet the criteria to qualify for the stamp duty exemption Gordon Brown is offering.

Zero carbon homes are possible, but the trade-offs in terms of cost or life style still make them a niche product.

So either be prepared to live in costly discomfort, or continue living as you are. I know which option I'm going to choose.

Basically, Gordon is 'premature' and 'half-hearted' on green issues. In fact he is a tosser.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-29 03:24:22

The Peat Bog Time Bomb

According to the National Trust British peat bogs store carbon equivalent to about 20 years' worth of national industrial emissions and they are urging the government to take action to conserve them.

Two centuries of damage in some regions, including the Peak District, mean bogs are drying out, releasing carbon into the atmosphere.

The Trust wants the government to reward landowners for looking after peatlands, and allow carbon credits for good peat conservation.

"The way we manage our peat moorlands has a massive bearing on our ability to tackle climate change," said director-general Fiona Reynolds.

"But this area is almost completely neglected in terms of any coherent policy response. It is the forgotten climate change timebomb."

It is estimated that globally, peat stores twice as much carbon as forests, and the UK contains about 15% of the world's peatlands.

Healthy peat absorbs and stores carbon; but as it degrades, the carbon is released, ending up in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

In Britain, particularly England, peat has been badly affected by drainage which has allowed bogs to dry out, burning, overgrazing and industrial pollution. The higher ambient temperatures seen over the last decade are a new threat.

"We can only make a 'guesstimate' at how much UK peatlands are leaking carbon, because only certain peatlands have been studied in any detail," said assistant policy director Ellie Robinson.

"There are just a handful of people working on this, and there's a desperate need for new funding and co-ordination of research."

In the National Trust's High Peak Estate in the Peak District, scientists found that 1,350 hectares of degraded bog were releasing 37,000 tonnes of carbon per year - equivalent, it calculates, to the annual emissions of 18,000 cars.

The Trust is advising landowners to protect bogs by blocking gullies to raise water levels, reducing grazing, preventing fires and managing local tourism.

It wants the government to include good peat practices in stewardship schemes which reward farmers for good environmental management.

It also says landowners should be eligible for carbon credits for managing peat in such a way that emissions are reduced. Credits could then be bought and sold through mechanisms such as the European Emissions Trading Scheme.

As with all this climate change furore my reaction is simple - BOG OFF!

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-28 12:12:09

Am I Green Fatigued?

Last night I was ready for a punch up. I had to endure half an hour of some pillock smugly reeling off the steps he was taking to save the planet and stop global warming. By the end of his ramblings I wanted to ram a penguin down his north and south.

Then it was suggested that I was suffering from "Green Fatigue". What? I haven't got a garden.

The experts went through the symptoms.
1) If you throw a bottle in a bin instead of a recycling the receptacle do you feel guilty? - Absolutely not!
2) Do you feel guilty about the level of your carbon foot print? - Don't know what one is so definately not!
3) Are you worried about the melting ice caps? - Christ no!
4) Rising temperatures? - Don't like cold winters anyway!
5) Government response and Media reaction? - YES YES YES!!!

I tried to enlighten the Green Doctor of certain specifics that immediately came to mind.

"Like everyone else, I am concerned about recycling to a degree because the land fill sites in Derbyshire are pretty full - but I'm sick of the government using things like The Stern Review to tax me on issues they should have sorted out ten years ago when they had the chance. Plus, we're encouraged to trade and travel globally - shouldn't government and big business shoulder most of the blame for fostering this situation?"

"Before Tony Blair gets on his green high horse, would he care to answer how large a carbon footprint has been left by his prolonged and futile search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?"

"Media hype sensationalising scientific reports warning of impending global catastrophe. It seems that in order to be heard, each new report shouts its message of doom louder than the last one."

"Scientists guilty of hyping the more sensational elements of their studies to ensure publication and future funding."

The Green Doctors cures were simple.
1) Biodegradable poo bags for the hound
2) Organic pet food
3) I haven't got any pets so it was suggested I adopt one.
4) Take to the streets on an environmental protest
5) Plant a tree
6) Eat local produce

The only cure that seemed to make sense was one I was already taking - Beef Chow Mein from the Chinese in Ashbourne, i assume that is classed as local produce.

Solution-I went and smacked the pillock who started all of this in the first place.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-14 12:03:40

Derby Campaign against Climate Change

In the spirit of keeping the public informed the next meeting of Derby Campaign against Climate Change will be held in the city on Monday.

Gordon Stewart, of the Packaging Society Institute in Lincolnshire, will talk about packaging and the environment.

The event will start at 7pm at the Friends Meeting House in St Helens Street. The temperature is unlikely to rise significantly, with packaging as the main topic for discussion.

Admission is free.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-10 08:44:13

The Great Climate Change Swindle

If you didn't watch last night's channel 4 showing of The Great Climate Change Swindle then you clearly don't give a toss about global warming.

In brief this programme dispelled the popular belief that global warming is due to carbon emissions which are down to us. Effectively the programme argued that over the last 1,000 years or so there is absolutely no correlation with temperature increases and carbon emission increases.

Without going into the nitty gritty the reason why the planet is warming is down to the performance of the sun.

Global Warming as a result of mans' activities is a myth perpetuated by those who have everything to gain by perpetuating it, i.e. governments increasing taxes, scientists getting more funding from governments, Al Gore getting publicity, anti capitalists and anti globalisation supporters jumping on the band wagon now that communism is dead....

The Romans were growing grapes and making wine in Yorkshire whilst Hadrian was building his wall, Britain had a Mediterranean climate and surprise surprise the world didn't end. In the 14th century there was a mini ice age when the Thames frequently froze and the world didn't end. Temperatures in the 11th century were much higher than they are now, but the ice caps survived and so did the polar bears.

January according to the Met Office was the warmest since 1916 so what happened back then to make January 1916 so warm - were they gripped by global warming?

I have always believed that global warming happens naturally. The Earth's temperature fluctuates, it heats up, but it cools down again. We humans contribute a tiny percentage of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. in fact sheep and cattle produce more carbon than humans and more carbon than industry worldwide. Add to that the fact that the biggest producer of carbon are the oceans leaves Gordon Brown with a problem of how to tax the North Sea.

If climate change is a natural phenomenon...are we right to try and stop it? Isn't that messing with nature? Look what happened the last time nature was messed with-we got Margaret Beckett!!

So scientists say we are causing global warming, but occasionally they get it wrong. The earth is flat? We are at the centre of the solar system? The atom is the smallest thing? Vitamin pills are good for you? (last weeks news said they now increase the risk of premature death).

Scientists have far more to gain by promoting climate change rather than saying "Sorry, bit of a cock-up, we're actually wrong. Could you withdraw my research grant and point me to the dole-queue, please?"

This is now a multi-billion $ industry and to suddenly say everything in the garden is rosey would be an economic disaster.

The government is using global warming for their own agenda, to gain the green vote, and to cause more fear, that they so love doing. Its very convenient for them at the moment because they can use the fear to make more oppressive laws and raise more taxes. Well they ain't getting this baby.

No to taxes, no to turning off my standby buttons, I'm going on a plane as often as possible and eat baked beans every day so my flatulance activity goes up.

Goodbye to carbon footprints and global warming and if I'm wrong and the sea levels raise I'll stick a snorkel on my exhaust and continue like nothings happened.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-09 13:48:39