Hmm where do I start this week.

Supermarkets and Freezers :
See : http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/01/supermarket-fridges-pollu...
and : http://www.chillingfacts.org.uk/

Think again the next time you buy something which is needing chilled or frozen. Are the big players using the right gases ? - Equally, are the next replacements any safer ?...

FIT's and Starts
Great news that the UK Gov has announced the Feed In Tariffs for renewables that generate electricity. Solar PV, Wind, and even a trial for micro CHP. Exciting times.
Explained here on YouGen the 41.5p offered for Solar PV on an existing building is good, but the grid connection rate is a lot lower than expected at 3p/kWh, so the incentive is to use the energy you generate from your renewable equipment, which is fine if you work/live at home, but if you don't, then all that sunshine will only be gaining you a small amount. So perhaps the Gov can also support us working from home with more incentives there.
The upside of gaining £900/year roughly is appealing, esp if that's over the 25 years of the product. Roll on the Renewable Heat Incentives [RHI], which are the equiv for solar thermal and heat pumps etc.

Local Food
http://food.linlithgowclimatechallenge.org.uk/?p=1146
This week we will see the rollout of the Posters, Leaflets and Table Talkers, so start discussing local food. and remember, it's not an exact science. What's local for carrots isn't local for milk, or chocolate. Discuss with friends and family about what you buy, where it comes from, who are you financially supporting, what labels say, how the food industry can provide us with strawberries in winter? Talk also about our local farmers, both those around Linlithgow and in Scotland/UK in general. Do they get a fair price ? Should food be organic, or even GM. Do you buy with your eyes or with your mind ? How do you choose A over B. Do you consider animal welfare, or Fair-trade ?
The big event to talk about this and to give us your views is Feb 20th - Low Port Centre 2-3:30pm. We'll have lots of stalls on a range of topics, some prizes, tastings, etc. This isn't a FOOD Market though. it's a Consultation. So we need to hear what you think.

Statistics - DECC - Department of Energy and Climate Change
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_change/gg_emiss...
Latest updates to 2008 data shows that there's some improvement. a few percentage points less on emissions which is good, BUT and there's always a but.... Residential is growing - not shrinking. So we are doing well from reduced landfill, and switching off coal to gas at power stations, but at home, we still burn as much fuel, and that's an area that needs reversed. Also in these reports is shipping and aviation. Ugly reading.

Cluck Cluck...
Ah Chickens.... See : http://food.linlithgowclimatechallenge.org.uk/?page_id=518
Local residents who keep chickens are telling their stories on our LinlithGROW website. More photos and stories will be posted shortly.

Films.
Food Inc is being shown in various cinemas thanks to the Soil Assoc. Starting 12th Feb, should be interesting. Only seen trailers so far.

Video - Lost Generation
Dorte sent me this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

Personal Stuff.
Walking around Straiton the other day waiting for work to be done on my little 1.5ltr diesel (ok I know gas - guzzling monster), I couldn't help but notice the litter everywhere. What looks ok at speeds above 30mph is disgusting at 3-4mph. Old building materials dumped, beds, food cartons, why is this acceptable ? Was the uk always this dirty ? What happened to Keep Britain Tidy ? Linlithgow is going to be having a springclean with the council and Burgh Beautiful helping out, but why do we need to clear up other people's mess ?
Reminded me of a story to stop school kids making a mess. Local shop keepers wrote their names on the tin cans and chip-packets as they left the shop !. Rather excessive, but clearly there's a problem with society that it doesn't care about waste. Driving home what did I see ? Yip. Car window opened on the bypass and paper coffee cup ejected at 60mph right onto my windscreen. Cheers whoever you are, thanks for making Scotland a dump.

Looking more positively at life, I've started experimenting with flour yeast water and a few other ingredients to make bread. Not having much success, but the family keep smiling and saying how yummy it is. Even the chickens look un-impressed at my attempts to beat Mr Oliphant !.

The house is slowly de-carbonising itself. The electricity meter trips every now and then, reminding me what ZERO looks like on the dial. then along I pop reset everything and beep/buzz, all the little clocks and gadgets in life whir into action and the wheel spins agan. Perpetual motion ? Perhaps I could get a dynamo on the electricity meter ! so at least I get something back from it as it whizzes round.

Back to email and stuff.