Baby Panda Sneezing

I’ve watched this video many times and I am still in no way tired of it! So much so that I had to add it to my blog!

Evan

Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

I have found a great website that EVERYBODY should visit. It is called http://www.myfootprint.org/ and you can calculate your Carbon footprint. Answer the questions about your lifestyle – what you eat, how you travel, etc. to see your impact on the environment. It will shock you.

Why not calculate your Carbon footprint and see if you can reduce it? Maybe check it every month to see how you are doing? And tell others to work their footprint out – everyone should know their own personal impact on the planet.

Ways To Save The World

As the terrible effects of climate change get worse and more widespread I think it is only fitting that everyone should try and work out their own strategy for reducing their ‘Carbon Footprint‘ and basically saving the world. These are a few things which I have thought of and am trying to train myself into doing. Each in itself does not sound much but if everyone made some changes it might well be important on large scales.

This list will be added to and suggestions are welcomed. I will add things as I think of new things …

0. Read up on these things and find out ways to reduce emissions. Wikipedia is a good start (as for most things).

1. I have been endeavouring to only fill the kettle enough for the number of cups of tea I am making and also not to leave the kettle sitting and re-boiling it several times before getting off my ass to actually make the tea. This is certainly an energy saver that all tea and coffee drinkers (and that’s A LOT of people) could implement.

2. I am trying to turn off electronic equipment completely, i.e. not leaving them on stand-by while not in use. This is also something that is possible for everyone with TVs, laptops, etc. and only not possible for some appliances (eg. fridge). IOP members might like to refer to the ‘Lateral Thoughts’ section (inside back cover) of July’s Physics World magazine for discussion of such things. Unfortunately there is no online version for me to link to.

3. I will have the most energy efficient light bulbs in my house. They waste less energy and last for AGES!

4. I will try to have the most energy efficient appliances possible – i.e. an A rating. All new appliances now come with this rating so there’s no excuses for picking something with a G rating. In any event newer appliances are all tending to be more energy efficient.

5. I do not have a car and will take public transport to work and play when I am not à pied. I know this is not practical for many but public transport should be possible for those people living in big cities with buses, trams, metros, rail, etc. It varies in efficiency (esp. buses but metro systems are usually great from what I’ve seen in London, Paris and Rome) and affordability (unfortunately the Tube in London is ridiculously over-priced) but if we tried to use public transport when possible it would make a difference.

6. Bring a back pack or some of those durable shopping bags when buying groceries and don’t use the plastic bags. In Ireland there is a charge for their use – introduced a few years ago which has greatly cut down on their use. No such initiative is in sight for the UK government it seems. At least Tesco gives you clubcard points for re-using old plastic bags (and so are worthy of a plug!).

7. Stick something to your e-mail signature along the lines of ‘consider the environment before printing this email’. Also, if you do this, remember to be so considerate yourself!

8. If your house is well insulated it will lose less heat and so require less energy to heat it.

Golden Eagles in Donegal

It seems that a golden eagle has been hatched in Ireland for the first time since they became extinct in 1910!! Cool! Ever since 2001 there has been an initiative to re-introduce this and other birds into Ireland. A number of birds were shipped to Glenveagh National Park in Donegal and now, finally a chick has been born! More to come hopefully!
The lovely little guy is shown here.

and again here…