Environmental Science

[grumzed]

Well, China has announced a plan to reduce carbon emissions and to have carbon neutrality by 2060. Although it is not always the case that one can trust China about what it says compared with what it does, in this case I am inclined to believe them. I think they know that this is as much in their interest as anybody else's and within their 100% controlled economy they are certainly able to achieve this.

[johnofgwent]

A better question might be "who is making China take the same measures Bulb Energy are".


Because until someone do oes, the UK being make bankrupt to meet the demands of the Cardigan wearing tree huggers is just st pants...

[johnofgwent]

The idea is to reduce the CO2 in the air, not remove it all. There is a point of balance that existed for many thousands of years but which the world's industrialisation and population growth are responsible for disrupting. This has been somewhat belatedly been recognised and is being corrected. Whether the corrections are fast enough to stop major problems (e.g. huge sea level rises and major climate changes) remains to be seen (though probably not by you or I). One important counter balance is that although the world population is still rising (it has tripled from the 2.5 Billion in 1950) there is evidence that the rate of growth is reducing and may stabilise to about 11 Billion by 2100. However it is doubtful that the current measures will be fast enough to stop events like sea level rises and significant dramatic weather events.

https://cdiac.ess-dive.lbl.gov/trends/co2/ice_core_co2.html


Of course, the problem with your figures is the "marked rise" from 300 to 370 mcguffins or whatever the hell unit of measurement they use to blame recent industry is less than half the rise seen naturally millions of years before lucy picked up a rock and beat her soon to be ex husband over the head with it ...

[patman post]

However, it's all a kind of deception.
Bulb buy into the grids, but what goes into the grid does not have a choice on where it exits.
We all actually take a share of whatever is input to the grid, whether gas or electricity. It is only in the accounts department that it can be mythically separated.

And you're kind of right. What's delivered to the consumer is a mixture of green and fossil fuel derived energy, BUT this is the Bulb proposition:
We provide all our members with 100% renewable electricity. For every unit you use, we make sure a unit is produced and put on the grid by a renewable source including solar, wind and hydro. Plus, our gas is 100% carbon neutral . We offset the emissions from the gas we supply by supporting carbon reduction projects around the world. We're also the biggest buyer of green gas for homes in the UK so a chunk of our gas mix comes from renewable sources, like food or farm waste, too. 
https://bulb.co.uk/energy/ 

I know it's marketing spiel, but it adds up and could be tested in court, if push ever came to shove. And with all the insulation and energy-saving devices we've now got, we feel we're doing something. We also have a roof with one slope facing due south, and as Hackney's offering help with solar panels, it's something else to investigate...

[Streetwalker]

However, it's all a kind of deception.
Bulb buy into the grids, but what goes into the grid does not have a choice on where it exits.
We all actually take a share of whatever is input to the grid, whether gas or electricity. It is only in the accounts department that it can be mythically separated.

Ive just switched my energy and was confronted with all sorts of different 'deals' to peruse over . Do you want green energy was a strange question I thought as like you Im thinking it all comes from the same place . 

I'll take it in any colour its available  as long as its cheaper . At the same time Im trusting the energy companies to be doing their bit not to kill too may Polar Bears
I just want to be able to moan about the blight on the landscape that are giant windmills with a clear conscience .

[Sheepy]

The idea is to reduce the CO2 in the air, not remove it all. There is a point of balance that existed for many thousands of years but which the world's industrialisation and population growth are responsible for disrupting. This has been somewhat belatedly been recognised and is being corrected. Whether the corrections are fast enough to stop major problems (e.g. huge sea level rises and major climate changes) remains to be seen (though probably not by you or I). One important counter balance is that although the world population is still rising (it has tripled from the 2.5 Billion in 1950) there is evidence that the rate of growth is reducing and may stabilise to about 11 Billion by 2100. However it is doubtful that the current measures will be fast enough to stop events like sea level rises and significant dramatic weather events.

A lot of them think they are being sterilised via a worldwide vaccine anyway.

[Sheepy]

Never. All a plant needs for growth is sun light and water and in the tree huggers heaven the sun will rise twice a day and the water will be provided by Waitrose.

Sheep Brain lifts the level of debate and finally makes it interesting, photosynthesis, they must have taught you about that at your fine University.

[grumzed]

It's not exactly a deception Barry. Sure the electricity comes off the grid and what is put on to the grid comes from all sources, green or not. However, Bulb pays for that electricity and they are funding primarily green sources of power which, at present, cost a little more than other sources. Other companies do not necessarily have such a policy and pay for the electricity from cheaper traditional sources.

[Barry]

Bulb, our energy supplier, has just emailed me an "impact report" saying we're in the top 1% CO2e reducers in our region. Apparently that's "a huge impact".   

It says: "By using Bulb's 100% renewable electricity ⚡, you're lowering your personal carbon emissions by 1,485 kg of CO2e per year. That's the weight of 5 African forest buffalo.  And by using our 100% carbon neutral gas 🔥💚 you're further reducing your carbon footprint by 5,497 kg of CO2e per year. Which is the weight of 25 Pygmy Hippos, native to the Gola rainforest.
And in total, you're lowering your CO2e emissions by 6,982 kg of CO2e per year. It would take 3,491 trees to absorb that." 

I guess I now won't feel so bad when I see what's debited every month...

However, it's all a kind of deception.
Bulb buy into the grids, but what goes into the grid does not have a choice on where it exits.
We all actually take a share of whatever is input to the grid, whether gas or electricity. It is only in the accounts department that it can be mythically separated.

[patman post]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/environment/absolutely-ridiculous-top-scientist-slams-uk-government-over-coalmine/ar-BB1dQVP0?ocid=msedgntp

As the environment has now become a political science, I was wondering what happens when we are all eating Bills magic beans and green policies have saved the planet, meat is removed from the food chain and removed the excess carbon dioxide from the air we breathe, how will natural photosynthesis occur?
Is there even a cut-off point where natural plant growth stop?

Bulb, our energy supplier, has just emailed me an "impact report" saying we're in the top 1% CO2e reducers in our region. Apparently that's "a huge impact".   

It says: "By using Bulb's 100% renewable electricity ⚡, you're lowering your personal carbon emissions by 1,485 kg of CO2e per year. That's the weight of 5 African forest buffalo.  And by using our 100% carbon neutral gas 🔥💚 you're further reducing your carbon footprint by 5,497 kg of CO2e per year. Which is the weight of 25 Pygmy Hippos, native to the Gola rainforest.
And in total, you're lowering your CO2e emissions by 6,982 kg of CO2e per year. It would take 3,491 trees to absorb that." 

I guess I now won't feel so bad when I see what's debited every month...

[patman post]

The buzz words are Climate Change, or what we used to call weather.

What happened to the Nuclear Winters we were promised?

She changed her name to Shelley, when you were young, acted for 60 years, and died in 2006...

[Borchester]

You do get the weather Tommy. It is that in Scotland you get four different weather systems before lunch so you probably haven't noticed.

[Thomas]

What happened to the Nuclear Winters we were promised?

Well im waiting on glasgow becoming like the south of france borkie , we have the wine and the alcoholics , just need the feckin weather to match.

[Borchester]

If a proportion of the Antarctic and Greenland ice caps melt, then sea levels rise and that will affect many major cities including London. Also fossil fuels are running out so we should conserve them for applications where there's no alternative and use renewables (mainly electricity) for everything else.

The buzz words are Climate Change, or what we used to call weather.

What happened to the Nuclear Winters we were promised?

[HDQQ]

"Killing the planet" is a misleading phrase because the planet will survive even if all the nuclear weapons on earth were detonated at the same time. "Damaging our habitat" is more appropriate because climate change could well damage our habitat and those of lots of other species.

If a proportion of the Antarctic and Greenland ice caps melt, then sea levels rise and that will affect many major cities including London. Also fossil fuels are running out so we should conserve them for applications where there's no alternative and use renewables (mainly electricity) for everything else.