Recycling. A (hopefully) regular activity that has a none too insignificant impact on the way we dispose of our waste, occasionally influences the products we purchase, and is a cornerstone of ‘greener living’. But what if recycling could also help some of the most vulnerable people in society simultaneously? In many of the most densely-populated mega-cities some of the world’s poorest urban inhabitants collect recyclable materials to aid their livelihoods.
During a meeting of the Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group this week, a presentation was made by the Manager of the locally-based Appliance Re-use Centre (ARC). ARC is an organisation which takes recycling and converts it into a process with multiple benefits. Having collected unwanted electrical goods and repairing them, ARC then re-sells these products to lower-income families in the local area, a clear second benefit to the process of recycling with important socio-economic connotations. The process of repair is, in part, undertaken by the long-term unemployed. Some are trained to NVQ2 level, while work experience and training is also available for the disabled.
A scheme such as the one ARC operates can be applauded for a variety of reasons. That some of the largest dealers in white goods have, in the past, attempted to charge ARC to take unwanted, used products of their hands is morally reprehensible. That ARC nonetheless continues with its work should be applauded.
Friday, 14 December 2007
Thursday, 6 December 2007
A legacy of Olympic proportions?
Since the decision was announced in 2005 that London would be the successful candidate to host the 2012 Olympic Games (that’s the Games of the XXX Olympiad to any purists out there), a casual observer will have noticed a steady stream of negative press surrounding the Games. Issues of budget miscalculations on a grand scale, of the legacy that the Games will leave, if British athletes will actually compete for medals, and even the issue of a ‘Mega Mosque’ on a nearby site have all done the rounds. This is to say nothing of the epilepsy-inducing 2012 logo…
Such coverage could even raise the question – were we right to get excited in the first place? Perhaps the money could’ve been spent on something more necessary such as effective training for Junior Officials at HM Revenue and Customs in the do’s and don’ts of posting sensitive data. Are any sporting events in this country merely a distraction while the English football team continue their never-ending rebuilding project?
Such doubts should never be allowed to dominate or over-rule the notion that the Olympic Games are themselves an inspirational institution. Anyone who has ever been to a sporting event can attest to the awe and excitement that can be stirred while a spectator. Similarly, a visit to the IOC Museum in Lausanne can stir a similarly passionate response. Such a motivational force and its potential must not be wasted by Seb Coe and company.
The effect that the 2012 Games could have on British children of all ages, and the sporting aspiration it could instil, would be enormously beneficial for British society as a whole. While increasing the hours the children spend exercising at school is one thing, increasing the hours they actually want to spend exercising is the key. Healthy kids, goes the logic, are happier kids. Consequently, the 2012 Games may indeed leave a legacy of Olympic proportions.
Such coverage could even raise the question – were we right to get excited in the first place? Perhaps the money could’ve been spent on something more necessary such as effective training for Junior Officials at HM Revenue and Customs in the do’s and don’ts of posting sensitive data. Are any sporting events in this country merely a distraction while the English football team continue their never-ending rebuilding project?
Such doubts should never be allowed to dominate or over-rule the notion that the Olympic Games are themselves an inspirational institution. Anyone who has ever been to a sporting event can attest to the awe and excitement that can be stirred while a spectator. Similarly, a visit to the IOC Museum in Lausanne can stir a similarly passionate response. Such a motivational force and its potential must not be wasted by Seb Coe and company.
The effect that the 2012 Games could have on British children of all ages, and the sporting aspiration it could instil, would be enormously beneficial for British society as a whole. While increasing the hours the children spend exercising at school is one thing, increasing the hours they actually want to spend exercising is the key. Healthy kids, goes the logic, are happier kids. Consequently, the 2012 Games may indeed leave a legacy of Olympic proportions.
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
A long way North
At the end of last week we ran some focus groups for a client in Newcastle – and believe me, it’s a long way North. We got on the 12.30 from Kings Cross, and from the moment we boarded the train it was like stepping back into the 1970’s. The interior of the train was beige, the trolley cart bounced from seat to seat as the nice lady struggled to wheel it up the carriage. But aside from the 70’s décor and the risk of losing the odd finger as the cart juddered by, it was a really easy journey to the beautiful city of Newcastle.
In talking to some of locals their pride in the city really shone through. We were told tales of great shopping opportunities with the flagship Fennicks store being a ‘miss it, miss out’ destination. We were treated like alien beings when we confessed to being from London…but once we had passed the visual examination to confirm we were not, in fact, from Mars, conversation resumed as normal.
Imagine our surprise then, when we saw hundreds of people in a queue in the cold and dark of a November evening. After a few minutes one woman made her way up and down the long line of workers….it was obviously pay-day, and she was the wages clerk, giving cash to each and every worker. This is one of the main cities of the North.
It was then that the culture gap really began to sink in…and it’s felt both ways. One of the key outcomes from the focus group – England doesn’t end at Leeds! There’s much more of England to engage with. This was reinforced the next morning when listening to the Today Programme – where the party funding row seemed remote to the point of irrelevance. It neither touches nor interests many of the people we spoke to. The challenge for us, as politicos and communicators, is to make the issues and opportunities at Westminster relevant to the whole nation, not merely the London chattering classes.
In talking to some of locals their pride in the city really shone through. We were told tales of great shopping opportunities with the flagship Fennicks store being a ‘miss it, miss out’ destination. We were treated like alien beings when we confessed to being from London…but once we had passed the visual examination to confirm we were not, in fact, from Mars, conversation resumed as normal.
Imagine our surprise then, when we saw hundreds of people in a queue in the cold and dark of a November evening. After a few minutes one woman made her way up and down the long line of workers….it was obviously pay-day, and she was the wages clerk, giving cash to each and every worker. This is one of the main cities of the North.
It was then that the culture gap really began to sink in…and it’s felt both ways. One of the key outcomes from the focus group – England doesn’t end at Leeds! There’s much more of England to engage with. This was reinforced the next morning when listening to the Today Programme – where the party funding row seemed remote to the point of irrelevance. It neither touches nor interests many of the people we spoke to. The challenge for us, as politicos and communicators, is to make the issues and opportunities at Westminster relevant to the whole nation, not merely the London chattering classes.
Monday, 3 December 2007
The Journal of Unlikely Science
For some bitesize chunks of science, you should check out Null Hypothesis, the Journal of Unlikely Science. But I am reserving judgement as to how 'scientific' it actually is. I don't think that all science needs to be made funny or faintly ridiculous to be engaging.
For example, one section is about little known and unusual science journals - the most recently featured is the Electronic Journal of Combinatorics. It describes the logo and the impressiveness of the formulae, but unfortunately give no clue as to what combinatorics actually are.
The site is also full of random useful facts - did you know that an average olive tree can live up to 1500 years, and make over 10,000 olives. So you can see the site is useful for trivia at dinner parties, but beware if anyone asks you about more of the detail. However, as a light hearted look at the quirky side of science, it is definitely worth a look.
The news section is probably the more useful part of the site. A recent story describes a solution to global carbon emissions which involves transforming carbon dioxide into bicarbonate of soda. An American firm claims it can capture 90 percent of the CO2 emitted from a coal-burning power station and turn it into the harmless baking ingredient. Bicarbonate can also be used for cleaning products, and if there is too much, it can simply be buried in mines. But I would like to hear more about this claim, before I decide that cake is the way of the future.
For example, one section is about little known and unusual science journals - the most recently featured is the Electronic Journal of Combinatorics. It describes the logo and the impressiveness of the formulae, but unfortunately give no clue as to what combinatorics actually are.
The site is also full of random useful facts - did you know that an average olive tree can live up to 1500 years, and make over 10,000 olives. So you can see the site is useful for trivia at dinner parties, but beware if anyone asks you about more of the detail. However, as a light hearted look at the quirky side of science, it is definitely worth a look.
The news section is probably the more useful part of the site. A recent story describes a solution to global carbon emissions which involves transforming carbon dioxide into bicarbonate of soda. An American firm claims it can capture 90 percent of the CO2 emitted from a coal-burning power station and turn it into the harmless baking ingredient. Bicarbonate can also be used for cleaning products, and if there is too much, it can simply be buried in mines. But I would like to hear more about this claim, before I decide that cake is the way of the future.
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