“The lectures during the A3 module showed how water is becoming scarcer even in maritime climates such as the UK. Examples were given on how to adapt both buildings and our own habits to reduce the 148 litres per day (OFWAT 2007) that each person uses. However as important as conservation of domestic supplies is, in actual fact the vast majority of our personal “water footprint” comes from the water used to grow the food we eat. (Waterwise 2007)
Globally one billion people lack a basic supply of clean drinking water and by 2025 two-thirds of the planet will be living in water scarce areas (Waterwise 2007). In developing countries, as people migrate to urban environments, diets are becoming more meat based which places even more stress on domestic and agricultural water demands. Given that a growing population is using the same finite water supplies, it is possible that we will be unable to produce enough food to feed everyone.
As virtual water is a way of quantifying the water used to produce a given product, I am going to look the origins of this method, how trading in this commodity might work and examine how changing diets can affect the consumption of water”
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I’ve just spent another week in the fabulous place that is CAT in Wales. The weather was perfect - a little bit different to the flooding that took place last month. We went to a great party at the Corris Youth Hostel followed by some beach antics in Aberdyfi. I’m going to post my latest two essays here for all to read. Comments are more than welcome 
Yesterday I got a magazine sent to me from the USA and I couldn’t quite work out why they had been sent to me. Then I was flicking through the magazine last night and saw an article about compost toilets. I took a look at the photo, looked again and realised it was a photo of the compost toilet on the croft I volunteering on in the summer. Quite chuffed by it. Nice to see a photograph in print and also nice of them to actually send the magazine. I’ve been published in a few things but nobody else has ever sent me any “evidence”. Thanks YES Magazine!
This plastic bag thing seems to be quite popular at the moment. I had a couple of positive comments about the previously posted essay. Chorlton seems to be going full steam ahead with it’s plastic bag free campaign although I still think this is more an aesthetic issue rather than a climate change issue maybe it will help people think about the “bigger picture”.
What else has been going on? I’ve been shuttling between Manchester and the Wirral to look after my parents cat who seems a bit confused about their prolonged absence.
Also been enjoying the Christmas market in Manchester. I would say it is just as good as going to Germany (and you are saving time and of course emissions!). The mulled wine is ace and there are lots of things to eat (although mainly for the carnivores amongst you).
We also went to our friend’s night called Civil Action in town which was really good fun.
We also had a Christmas dinner which was amazing and turned into a drunken fancy dress affair. We had amazing food (nice one Leanne), party games and lost of dancing on chairs, tables etc. Looking forward to the New Year’s eve party on the 4th January!
Finally for this pre-Christmas installment, I’d ask everyone who hasn’t to watch the Story of Stuff. It’s ace. Nuff said. (oh yeah and of course after watching that you’ll realise I don’t want any Christmas presents! ;-)… buy me something second-hand)
The single use plastic bag, the bête noire of environmentalists, has recently become an almost daily topic in the mainstream media. This follows the introduction of a plastic bag tax in Ireland in 2002, the failed legislation to tax their use in Scotland in 2005 and more recent voluntary agreements with major retailers in the UK to reduce plastic bag consumption. As the UK government is reluctant to tax plastic bag consumption (DEFRA 2006), towns across the UK are attempting to go ‘Plastic Bag Free’ themselves. Modbury in Devon was the first to achieve this status in May 2007 (Hosking 2007).
Critics say that plastic bags are the ultimate symbol of our throwaway society and are a blot on the landscape; littering both the countryside and coastlines. Proponents call them “a hygienic, odourless, waterproof, robust and convenient way of carrying goods” (British Plastics Federation 2002). They also say that the alternatives are much worse environmentally.
As discussed during the A1 module, global problems such as peak-oil, climate change and environmental pollution will affect us all. Plastic bags use oil, a non-renewable resource and are used in their millions daily, contributing to these problems. I am going to investigate their production and consumption and compare the alternatives. I will assess if eliminating their use completely is achievable or even desirable.
You can read the rest of Plastic Bag Free Britain here.
So I have made my first pilgrimage back to the mecca of UK environmentalist, the Centre of Alternative Technology, to carry on with my masters after a small pause of 13 months. It sort of feels like I haven’t been away - loads of interesting discussion, lectures and good veggie food and wine.
The only thing I wasn’t expecting was that the technology has moved on somewhat. I’m staying in the hostel in Corris and I can currently 13 people sat around the common room (complete with log file) using their laptops on the wireless network. There is wireless also within CAT, and the mobile phone signal seems quite strong too. I sort of miss being out of the loop but it’s also positive in that it shows communities like this have fast networks like we in the city are used to.
The walk this morning was beautiful; a lovely sunrise, mist rising off the hills and a chill in the air.
The WISE building seems to be coming along, although I’m not sure it’s gonna be finished before I finish the course next summer. I think the bad summer weather has hindered its progress
You can tell autumn is creeping along. I’ve never seen a sunflower looking so sad!
So tomorrow we are off to the sauna in Mac to investigate thermal insulation, the having lunch on the beach and a seminar in the pub. Then on Friday we’re off to look at a heliodom for our practical. Saturday I’ve gotta do a presentation. Eek! And then a party/ watching the rugby. Gonna be a good week!
