Isn’t it lovely, she says, in disgruntled-of-Tumbridge-Wells voice, to see the youth of today taking on the sensible advice of the government.
So when Edward Milliband says people power is vital to climate deal within hours the youth are out taking direct action to close Stansted airport…
First some fun – the archaeologists are checking out the Greenham Women’s Camp… “helped to rediscover a forgotten outpost of the protest. This was the previously unrecorded Emerald Gate camp, where a few women directly monitored Gama – the Ground-launched missiles Alert and Maintenance Area – the other side of the base’s famous fence. The carefully hidden nook, with fragments of “bender” shelters and a fire pit, are compared in the survey to a long tradition of spying points in communities studied by archaeologists.”
And scientists, after poo-pooing it for years – have rediscovered something about dogs any owner could have told them – they feel jealousy. “Psychologists previously believed most animals lack the “sense of self” needed to experience so-called secondary emotions such as jealousy, embarrassment, empathy or guilt. These emotions are more complex than feelings associated with instant reaction – such as anger, lust or joy.” One more claim for primate exceptionalism falls…
Then the “why am I not surprised” category – pigs in Ireland at the centre of the current food scare were fed waste bread still in its plastic bags. Which can’t have been healthy for them… (although if the dioxins actually come from the plastic – well hope you’ve been easting home-baked bread!) A “return to organics” anyone?
And a sad tale of the individual pain (and probably cross-generation health damage) caused by the huge leap in unemployment in the US. Of course in America, with your job comes your health care – and maternity care. So one mother had her labour induced early in time to still be covered – but it all went medically wrong, and the insurance company says it won’t pay anyway. A great example of how the American medical system warps care.
But good news from Manchester, where the local community is fiercely resisting the intrusion of that system and its corporations into the NHS. (As indeed, I’m pleased to say, the community in Camden.)
I’ve had cause to drop into Waitrose Bloomsbury a couple of times in the past week (I don’t often go into shops), and found simply shocking the usage of plastic bags. Both times I happened to end up at a till at the far end, with about 10 in use between me and the door. Both times, only one other person was making alternative arrangements to the disposable carrier bags. In fact it was even worse than that – the average use of them must have been over 95%, when I put together all of the people walking around the Brunswick Centre.
Quite what made London councils decide to quietly drop the much lauded plan to the ban the bag I don’t know, but it certainly can’t have been because voluntary measures are working.
No, this isn’t the biggest issue in the world – but as a symbol of humans being prepared to make very minor adjustments to their lives to save the environment, it’s pretty telling.
Not to mention the question of what business is doing. I asked for a comment form at the “help” desk, but I must have looked scary for the man there muttered that he was going to find some, then ran away and didn’t come back.
So Mr Waitrose, with your environmental claims: WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!!!!! Why are the bags still casually laid out in free profusion at the end of each till?
A powerful new play, The Ides of March, which I can only guess is written by a Sydneysider, since it imagines Melbourne being wiped out, has opened in London – exploring issues about freedom in the age of terrorism.
It proved timely, since I emerged from the opening night to hear about the arrest of an opposition shadow minister by anti-terrorism police. Why this really, really matters, even though he’s a Tory, is ably outlined by Matthew Parris.
Putting together some policy material, I was reminded that I haven’t linked to the Sex and Power 2008 report for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which “reveals women hold just 11 per cent of FTSE 100 directorships and only 19.3 per cent of the positions in Parliament” (and lots more beside).
And browsing around a subject that I’ve been exploring, Norway’s provision ensuring that 40% of directors on boards of major companies are women, a report that explores how that’s worked out, and how the rest of Europe is faring.
* I couldn’t be there myself, but after reading Sarah’s post on the Reclaim the night march it felt as though I was. Although there are issues around it, as Don’t Stray makes clear. I’m glad that the Green Party placards chose to focus on domestic violence – it does worry me that the concept that the streets aren’t safe for women actually propagates unreasonable fear (and I think young men are under at least as much risk on the streets as women) rather than an understanding of where the risk really is – in the home.
* An interesting take on contraction and convergence – or how we all need to live – apparently most promulgated by the Swiss – what we all need is the 2,000-Watt lifestyle. I doubt I make it, but I try. (Astonished to read that people send £1,000 a year on energy. Okay I have a reasonably small flat, and I try, but my electricity comes to about £10 a month and gas about £15 in winter.)
* Just been pointed to WorldMapper, a site that takes the map and morphs it according to hundreds of characteristics, from poverty, to maternal mortality, to greenhouse gas emissions, on which the US looks very fat indeed.
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