Energy

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Energy — 3 Comments

  1. Batteries

    I was wondering why, as batteries contain such nasty chemicals, the vast majority of the general public still discard of their used batteries in the general household waste. Although many are aware that they are ‘not supposed’ to throw them away they still do because disposing of them properly is too much effort, as was recycling before councils brought recycling boxes to the publics’ door steps. I think that the battery recycling tube initiative is a fantastic start to the problem, however, for the majority of people to actually discard of their batteries properly would involve someone having to call at their door and take them away. Does anyone know why local councils do not implement battery recycling as part of their household recycling schemes? I assume that it is cost, as with most things.

  2. Yellow peril

    At the recent TT meeting concern was raised about the amount of oil seed rape being grown in the SW. Although this crop can be used for cooking oil and cattle fodder, much of it is almost certainly for bio-fuel. The new regulations requiring a 2.5% mix in petrol and diesel in the UK will fuel (pardon the pun) this converson of land from food to fuel crops and we all know the consequences of that. Thankfully the EU is reviewing it’s policy of 10% by 2020. One could argue that growing rape here is better than trashing the Amazon and, of course it is. However, it is also short-term , business- as-usual, Stern Report type of solution.
    Also, it requires high inputs of nitrogen fertilizer – in itself mitigating its carbon reduction capability. Worse, though, it apparently converts about 5% of the nitrogen to nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas about 250 times more potent than CO2.
    This just goes to show how we need to be wary of short-term, quick fix solutions. The problem is – we need think of the long-term solutions quickly!

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