The political plastic waste time bomb

The plastic waste time bomb has been ticking for many years or decades. This blog was started as a result of observations of plastic litter around Waterlooville.  Today we hear that China will no longer take UK plastic waste for recycling, some 25% of UK plastic waste in total, and why should they?

European and American companies happily exported industry to China because labour was and still is cheap, in turn British European consumers happily bought Chinese produced goods with British brand names (once produced in the UK, some in Havant), names such as Bush, Clarks, Morphy Richards and Kenwood. We exported our carbon emissions to China and then imported the products to use in our homes which inevitably became waste (partly because the products were not designed to be repaired).

A lack of action at Westminster and at our local Councils has resulted in a lack of recycling facilities and as pointed out previously Hampshire County Council has opted to reduce facilities (a political ideological decision, not one based on technological know how, science or the pseudo science of economics). Hampshire County Council have a record of banning wind turbines and approving the burning of hosuehold waste for energy.

What is wrong with plastic?

You have to distinguish between the material and the product designed to use the material.
You can view plastic as a wonder material that lasts many hundreds of years and this was how it was sold and marketed in the last 60 to 70 years, a cheap and cheerful material that can be used to make dishes, bowls, pipes, clothes, packaging and food wrap etc.

This is fine, these products would last forever wouldn't they?

Unfortunately nature and physics was ignored and of course the products did not last forever, joints break, fractures appear, threads unravel or break, babies out grow the baby products etc. So then the plastic products were buried in the ground (hidden) or burnt (causing polution and carbon emissions).

Manufacturers and governments failed to have a long term plan for the material (a typical fault of industrial economics), they didn't plan how to recycle the materials or even attempted to design recyclable products. Selling, marketing and jobs were more important and maintained a stable society for government to manage. They didn't want to take responsibility or knew they had to.

Today we know that we have to take responsibility. Plastics don't just crack and fracture, plastic threads don't just break, plastics also erode into tiny fibres and microscopic particles, they form dust that will still be in our air, water and earth for hundreds of year and we are adding to this dust as we produce more products. It isn't just waste plastic that you put in a bin that creates microscopic plastic waste, the daily use of plastic products also creates microscopic plastic particles and fibres.

Can we burn all the plastic waste?

When we burn plastic we are in reality using it as a fossil fuel like coal, diesel or petrol. We create particulate pollutants in the atmosphere and toxic residues in the furnace, we also produce carbon emissions in the same way that fossil fuels do when burnt. Climate change is already having an impact on people around the world including us in the UK, this includes migration of species to these isles following changing weather and climate patterns.

The only solutions are as follows:

1. Use no plastics or reserve plastics for very specific and essential uses (medical, military etc).
2. Use biodegradeable plastics that meld into nature after they have been used by us. This is similar to natural materials like wood, cotton, wool etc. They last just long enough to be useful and then return to nature to be used again.
3.Recycle all plastics and invest in extensive recycling facilities. Frankly if a council or Westminster is unwilling to do this then they should be legally enforcing 1 and 2.

Westminster and councils should be legally accountable for any lack of action on their part.

Council approve demolition of The Wellington pub

The state of Waterlooville. The Wellington pub boarded up. The pubs name reflects the relationship Waterlooville has with the Battle of Waterloo. It was originally built in 1867.

The pub has been approved for demolition by our Tory led council, yet another example of the long standing destructive attitude Havant Borough Council has had regarding Waterloovilles heritage and history.

Tories out, Tories out, Tories out, out, out

Those of a certain age will recognise the chant in the title of this post.

I am no great fan of the Tories, largely because of many supporters and MPs that have shown little understanding of renewable energy and climate change/science.
The trouble is they are going to far with their ideology and are lying their heads off about the miracle change they are going through, suggesting that they are going 'mainstream'.

The fact is their manifesto is full of the same ideological attacks on British life and everything that we know as being British.

The NHS is falling apart under their watch. Lack of funding has resulted in the IT meltdown this past week. Although I do not work in the NHS or have anything to do with it, but the incident has directly impacted on my work.

Our retirement prospects are gradually deteriorating as the Tories gradually bring in more 'liberal capitalist' policies (cutting state costs) sneaking them by us in a sugar coating and claiming that they are 'mainstream'. When you wake up you will realise that nothing that we built since 1945 still exists, the sum total of all Tory policies will be a Britain with a 1930s (or earlier) feel, including all the injustices and inequalities of those times, supported by intrusive modern technology.

Their Social Care policy outlined in the manifesto will mean many of us will pay for the care of a parent in one way or another and the economics are false. The government will probably end up paying for care even if they do not do so directly.

Take time off work to care for someone and you have less money to spend and you pay less tax, you are also investing less for your own retirement and that in turn means you may need government support or will have less to spend in your retirement. If you don't take time off work and you get government help to pay for care for a parent, that will cost you during the care period or later when the government claim assets from your parents estate.

If you live with your parents, then you may be forced to sell your inherited property to pay for the care, that in turn will reduce your prospects and may result in you needing government support including social housing or council housing. In many cases the government will probably end up paying down the line anyway, if not the all a families wealth could be stripped away over a number of decades.

Many people do the best they can, work and earn money, do what they can to improve their lives with little dependency on government help. But the Tories still go out and try and penalise our efforts, with reduced pension guarentees, higher taxes, reduced health care support, poor financing of our defence forces, reduced social care support and scrapping free school lunches.

Exploring Berewood and Wellington Park

A few photos I took during my recent exploration of the new housing developments.
Some mature trees have been left alone. The new school is in the background.

 

Looking towards Waterlooville through the Berewood Estate. St Georges church clock tower can be seen in the distance.

More homes on the Berewood estate. The drainage systems are found throughout the estate. Yep, the joys of moronic British 'political' boundaries means that these Waterlooville homes are in the boundaries of Winchester City Council 21 miles away, as opposed to Havant Borough Council 5.4 miles away.

Paths and roads have been created joining different parts of the developing areas. Many of the roads are currently blocked off until the development work is completed.

Another drainage system, new homes in the distance.

There is a bridge that connects Berewood with Wellington Park. Like many of the roads it is blocked off, although it is open to cyclists and pedestrians. The wood crash barrier is a nice feature and gets thumbs up here! Why can't all crash barriers look like this!

The stream as seen from the bridge.

Not all the Wellington Park homes look ugly brick boxes. These are boxes, but they have wood cladding. Why can't the whole estate look like this?

X9 bus route to be 'cut'

News on the grape vine is that the X9 bus service from Hambledon and Denmead to Portsmouth is to be cut, I believe the revised route will be between Denmead and Waterlooville (i'm not sure about Hambledon).

The route is currently financially supported by the one or more of the councils and they are no longer willing to support it beyond Waterlooville.

The service is currently the only one from Waterlooville to the entrances of Queen Alexander hospital and there is no information regarding any replacement service that stops at the hospital. Other services from Waterlooville require a long walk and some steps to the main entrances, not very good for the elderly, injured etc.

The change is scheduled on the 8th or 9th January 2017, so if you care about those that need public transport, get writing to your MP and your councillor.

Havant Green Family Fair

This years green fair is at Havant park on Saturday 14th September.

Features include:

Northney Farm (Ice Cream)
Angel Radio
Thrift Cottage Preserves
Havant Fairtrade Group
Riverford Organic Farms
Cycle Hayling
O'Hagans Sausages
Wayside Organics
Caterpollar Crafts
Field Farm Project
Juggling Jake
and many more.

For more information check the web site www.havantgoesgreener.org.uk

Latest leaflet and event details:
http://www.havantgoesgreener.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Havant-Goes-Greener-2013-A5-Leaflet.pdf 

Waterlooville Music Festival kicks off

The 2013 Waterlooville Music Festival kicked off today with numerous bands dotted around town. Couldn't have asked for better weather! I have no idea who the bands were that I took photos of but the music was good.

This years programme includes:

Lady and The Tramps
The Band of TheHampshire Constabulary
Portsmouth Philharmonia
The Choir Company
Kopanang
Three Peny Bit
Portsmouth Shanty Men
and Don Lloyd and The Meridian Wind Band

That's Entertainment!

Brass Band

Duo

The Summer of Kerfuffle - the fight for a long term future

It seems that Councillors are getting agitated by Havant Boroughs population actually having a voice. For years they have been asking for public engagement with the council, allegedly to help them formulate their plans. But now they are complaining that people are exercising their voices.

The whole issue seems to have come to a head in Havant where the deputy leader of Havant Borough Council has been rebutted on an issue of a plan to redevelop a large area along and near East Street. Earlier in the month a group of people led by a Green Party member decided to set up a new organisation called 'Friends of Havant'. Previously Havant Borough Council had admitted that only one developer had expressed interest in developing the area.

At the end of last month The News reported that the Plans for the area around East Street could go to public inquiry. Earlier in August the council had presented their own plans and had started attracting criticism to the point where an alternative meeting was organised with the view of discussing the issues openly rather than under the restrictions of a council consultation. Over 200 people attended the meeting.

The council has suffered criticism over other development issues over a number of months and years.
Recently an extension to the Solent Retail Park has attracted criticism and numerous other developments over the months attracted 'negative' comments.

Meanwhile in Westminster David Cameron has gone ahead with his cabinet 'shuffle' the results being an environment minister that is pro-shale gas and campaigned against wind farms and a planning minister that likes removing planning rules. How much more damage can these people do?

We don't live on concrete alone

The title is based on a quote from the Bible. The point Jesus was making was that people need spiritual fulfilment as well as worldly goods. I guess a modern interpretation is that people need to balance various aspects of their lives. The reason I used the title is that it reflects the neglect current political ideology has for environmental issues and the spiralling decay that neglect is causing.

An alternative was 'It's the Environment Stupid' which is based on a quote by President Clinton - 'It's the Economy Stupid'.

So what's the problem?
Actually the question should be - Where do I start?.

I guess the first place to start is food. Unfortunately we can't live without it and the point I was making in the title is that we can't live by continually building our way out of recessions or in this case a 'depression'.

You have to ask yourself:

What would you rather have, a nice house built on some new estate on green fields, or would you rather have some food?

The ultimate choice would then either be to live in the nice house for a couple of weeks before you die or have food and live to a ripe old age. A balance needs to be drawn, but based on events of 2012 we certainly do not have the balance right and local politicians propose further folly with their building plans.

The last 20+ years of economic growth and carbon emissions have resulted in a year of crop failures, caused by massive world wide changes in climate effecting the weather. Next year might not be so bad, but the trend is well known and more severe weather is to come in future years.

This year severe drought in the USA has resulted in massive reductions in wheat, soya and corn production. Here in the UK we have seen the opposite, although the start of the year looked like it would follow the same US pattern. We started with a very serious looking drought with hardly any rain in spring and winter, followed by near continous rain throughout the summer, with June breaking all records, not just in this borough but right across the nation.
The result in the UK is that wheat, apple, potatoe and many other crops are all significantly down in quantity and/or quality this year. Food prices will most likely go up as the agriculture crisis hits harder in the coming months.

Building our way out of a problem (which is the only policy Havant Borough Council appear to have) increases the damage to the environment that provides us with food. Instead of continuing with this neglectful blindness, we have to start acting on the reality of our long term situation.

The drastic change in weather patterns have always been predicted by the scientists studying climate and global warming. Warming = energy = movements of air, water etc. = droughts, flooding etc.
We know that our activities cause these problems, there are far to many lines of evidence that show we are responsible and that we need to take action.

The other biggest indicator this year appears to be the Arctic sea ice extent which - as I write this - is heading for an all time record summer low. NSIDC are stating the record has already been reached.
This should be shocking news to anyone, because it is well known that where the Arctic leads, the rest of the world will follow. Indeed without drastic action now, emissions we create today will push temperatures up by a couple of degrees, and more heat = greater extremes in weather + sea level rise and other issues.

So where am I going with this??

The environment must be prominent in policy and integral to all decision making. No environment = no economy.
At a national level any thought about building on green belt or green field land or the third runway at Heathrow should be at the bottom of a very long list of policy choices. At a local level we need some major changes in local councils. Changes that don't pander to the short term problems that are vote winners, but instead take into account the long term needs of the community.

We can't live by only building homes and factories, we need food and water as well.

Havant Goes Greener Fair 2012

A selection of photos from todays Havant Goes Greener Fair. The wind and rain held off for the day, an improvement on last year and it was busier to. I think there were about 60 stalls in total, up on last year (which was the first year of the event).

The Hampshire Coppice Craftmens Group, I bought a wedge door stop off them last year

Portsmouth Beekeepers always have a good stall - including a live bee hive segment

Wayside Organics

Not sure who these were, but they had a big stall selling herbs and plants

Whizz electric bikes

Emsworth Cycles

Havant Borough Councils plans will probably increase allergies in the community

Trees felled in Waterlooville

Interesting research in Finland published in PNAS, shows that a lack of exposure to nature and biodiversity increases the number of allergies and chronic inflammatory diseases in the community.

Scientists studied groups of teenagers living in urban and rural environments and discovered the rural teenagers had more beneficial bacteria on their skin.

This basically translates to Havant Borough Councils 'open for business' plans resulting in higher health bills and other costs for future generations. The more our councillors vote through plans for businesses and homes, the more allergies and other illnesses we will see in the community.

We need our biodiversity and green spaces. It's interesting just how symbiotic we are with nature, we can't do without it

Environmental biodiversity, human microbiota, and allergy are interrelated by Ilkka Hanski et al
BBC article

The results of Havant Borough and Winchester City Councils decisions

 

Taylor Wimpeys Wellington Park development in Waterlooville continues with blocks of flats being built next to Southdown View. As this development progresses the buildings seem to have fewer and fewer features. These are bland white blocks with tiny windows at front and rear, and none along the sides. At first I thought they were offices (guess the still could be). But the access doors at ground level have pseudo victorian lamps by each door, not the sort of thing you would have on offices.

 

The old Waterlooville Wadham Stringer and latterly Caetano site has been demolished, with only huge piles of rubble remaining. The old Sprint Print building has also been demolished. I haven't checked the plans, but most people I have talked to think the Sainsburys petrol station is going top be built on the Sprint site, although I thought it had been moved to the recycling centre across the road. Yeah, Sainburys build petrol stations so you continue to pump CO2 from your car, and their own company CO2 figures look 'green'. Another CO2, export and green wash accounting measure. It's a nice little game such companies play, which is why CO2 emissions haven't come down in the UK and we are really fecked. The idea of consuming less and using less energy, just doesn't fit in with selling lots of crap everyday from a big retail store.

 

A view of the Sainbury site from the Waterlooville side. Note the already horrendous 'private' footpath and cycle path in the foreground. Havant Borough Council offloaded responsibility for this important path into Waterlooville years ago. It is still a nightmare for pedestrians and cyclists trying to reach the real Waterlooville town centre (you know, the one with buildings a 100 plus years old, the one the council is now determined to destroy, as they have destroyed in the past). This year we lose the Baytree Bookshop and others in the town centre. I'm guessing Sainburys will be selling books as well as food.

 

More devlopments in the Waterlooville retail park. A large unit being split into two smaller units. Downsizing!??

I haven't included in this post the start of work on the massive Grainger 2000 home development just behind the trees. The photo didn't come out to well, so that can wait for another time.

I also haven't shown the numerous trees that have been felled as a result of these developments.

Plastic bags again

Plastic bags are a long running theme of this blog, in fact it was a key reason for starting it in 2007 and unfortunately little has improved since then.

In 2008 I took some photos of plastic bags around Waterlooville and the Asda bag hanging from a tree near the underpass attracted some visits. Now that tree has been felled so that a ramp can be installed as an alternative route into Waterlooville.

Today the BBC has published an article about the plastic bag problem which has an interesting but misleading slide show that allegedly shows the merit of disposable plastic bags. It claims that if you use one of these bags as a bin liner 3 or 4 times, then you would need to use the sturdier plastic bags for life up to 12 times.

Well for a start, I have 3 bags for life that are between 3 and 6 years old, so it seems a bit ridiculous trying to defend the thinner disposable plastic bags because they can be used as bin liners. But even worse is the fact that I suspect the average family would require about 4 disposable bags per week to carry the weekly shopping, all of which would need to be used as a bin liner 3 or 4 times (N number of weeks). Which means that while those are used as bin liners, 4 x N disposable plastic bags would have been accumulated doing the shopping.

I think any sensible person can see where this is going. Ultimately the number of disposable bags is going to accumulate, waiting to become bin liners whilst the first set is being reused. The only option would be to start throwing away the growing pile of disposable plastic bags into one of the bins that is lined by a disposable plastic bag!

The fact is that disposable plastic bags can not be excused when even a plastic 'bag for life' can last for years. Find an alternative for bin liners, or at least radically reduce the number you use.

More local developments

It seems that Waterlooville and Havant Borough in general is now inundated with house, supermarket and hotel building. In some cases, the developments can probably be justified, in other cases the developments are IMO criminal acts. Lets list them:

Woodcraft Farm - criminal act of environmental damage

The site is probably as green a site that you could possibly get in Havant Borough, with many excellent trees. One questions why this site is even considered suitable for development, when brown field sites are available, such as the Caetano site.

How are we supposed to maintain the green spaces around us when council policies allow developments on these spaces? What is really sad is that the main objections locally is the increased traffic that might occur!

Old Purbrook School playing fields - probably justifiable

Of all the sites, this one can probably be justified given that it is in the middle of a suburban area. Although even this could be developed into a green space for community use, such as an urban community garden space. It is situated next to the roundabout at the top of Stakes Road and near Crookhorn school.

Sainsburys supermarket

I think locally many are dreading the disruption later this year when work will probably start on the Caetano site, firstly with demolition and then building work. It was a nightmare when the nearby retail park was built. The new Sainsburys will have a similar impact and as with all these retail units, will encourage car use and more CO2 emissions. Yet another nail in the coffin of Waterlooville town centre. More cafes, charity shops and fast food outlets to come I think.

New Hotel - Bosmere Field

Why do we need more hotels? The government talks about balancing the economy, yet this week Cameron welcomes 5000 new Asda jobs and 1000 jobs with McDonalds! What planet does Cameron live on? Was Britain great because it served the world and gave up bothering with science, design. invention etc??

Havant Goes Greener Week

Havant Borough Council, Friends of the Earth and Havant Transition Network are organising a Go Greener Week for the week from 23th to 28th May. Events include a talk at The Sacred Heart Church in Waterlooville about solar energy and rain water capture on Friday 27th May. Other events include Gardening Without Chemicals on Hayling Island, How to spend less on energy in Emsworth and Keeping Bees in Bedhampton.

On Saturday 28th May there will be a green fair at Havant Park, at the time of writing the stalls include Ren Energy, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Wikaniko, Hampshire Farmers Markets, Veggie Power and others.

For more information visit the Goes Greener web site: http://www.havantgoesgreener.org.uk

Havant Transition Network

Things are moving on in Havant Borough with a new environmental group. Havant Transition Network is based on the model of similar groups around the UK and started by Kinsale in Ireland.

The focus is on the transition from a dependency on oil and other fossil foils, localising food production, reduced energy consumption, local renewable energy and support for local business. Looks good to me.

They have organised a 'Trash Carnival' at Havant Park, Saturday, 14 August from 12 noon to 4pm.
The idea is to make sculptures from trash. But there will also be local producers, music, art workshops and other stuff.

New Borough Cycling Maps

Havant Borough Council have published new cycling maps indicating the areas cycling routes and paths. The maps are available from the borough libraries, cycling shops, civic offices and web site.

Find out about trees in our area

You can learn more about trees and the local tree warden scheme on the 2nd June at a FREE event organised by Friends of the Earth and Havant Borough Tree Wardens. The Havant Borough Tree Officer and the Tree Warden coordinator will be at the meeting to discuss the scheme and tree matters with the hope of recruiting more volunteer tree wardens in the following areas:

Havant
Bedhampton
Langstone
Leigh Park
Waterlooville


Time: 7.30pm
Date: Tues 2 June
Place: United Reform Church Hall , North Street, Havant.

Talking Trees in Havant

A bit late posting this, but if you are interested in protecting trees in the borough then why not go along to this event:

"Talking Trees in Havant"
What we can do to nurture our trees.
A view from Ann Jolly, Havant Borough Tree Wardens
15th April, 7.30pm
Nineveh
11 The Pallant, Havant

Also, currently Waterlooville could do with a few more Tree Wardens.