Monday 21 December 2009

The Copenhagen Agreement - a long delayed case of Risk Management aversion is confirmed.


Changes in the Qori Kalis Glacier, Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru, are shown between 1978 (top) and 2002. © Source: Professor L. Thompson


The Copenhagen Agreement, a long delayed case of Risk Management aversion is confirmed. While we live in a society that is increasingly ruled by Health & Safety Assessments, on nearly everything under the sun, the world’s leaders have ironically appeared to play Russian Roulette with the world’s future at Copenhagen this week. Shall we, or shan’t we intervene in global warming? Squabbling like children over the minutae which have delayed agreement until later- yet again. What are we supposed to think? Well, one thing is for certain, there has never been a better time to start thinking for ourselves.
In one way, it would be tempting to say to hell with vicarious responsibility. But if we do that, we are falling into the trap that was laid for us more than 30 years ago, when limited supplies of oil began to run out and then flow again. The trap? Reliance and over reliance on oil...It really up to each company and individual to make a choice now. No more prevarication or excuses.
“At the end of the day... its a level playing field...” oh yes and various other platitudes have all been trotted out again. They seem to abound in the public arena when what we really need is free and open, impartial statistics which are available to everyone, to make their own informed choices where possible, plus balanced and impartial advice on what those choices actually mean in terms of risk.
The Copenhagen Agreement impasse on climate change reminds me of Pension advice I received 20 years ago. “We can’t make the decision for you, we don’t know what the markets will do...” but I was expected to choose a product, based on virtually unknown risks. Except that in this case, we do know that global warming exists, we can also actually see the evidence of it and we can if we so wish, put that evidence into context and judge that as time is ticking way, opportunities to act are still being squandered. You can’t buy back time. You can’t step into the same river twice.
The banks were given 10, 000 billion dollars in the recent bail out, to survive, but what price do we put on humanity...? Just 200 billion dollars it seems. Mmmm, the maths don’t quite add up here.
Virginia Woolf once said that writing a novel was like walking through a room holding up a lantern which lights up what is already in the room anyway. This is what writing on the Copenhagen Agreement feels like. It is already blatantly clear and very simple what the course of action should be. Don’t wait to be told, take action yourselves.
Try starting today with one of these tasks. How? Well, there are a whole raft of things that we as companies and individuals can all start doing that will make a real difference to global warming, albeit with the time lag involved;
Reduce waste.
Change electricity supplier to Green suppliers.
Install water meters and harvest and recycle rain water.
Join a group like Transition Towns. There are many groups of sincere, green minded, community orientated people who really care. At least we act. Join one.
Share resources and pool local knowledge.
Travel less. Share car journeys and use public transport when possible. Walk or cycle for short journeys. Have staycations.
Recycle unwanted goods.
Grow your own food.
Look for ways (& grants) to make your house more energy efficient.
The population of the world is expected to decrease by 2050, if current rates continue. However,despite this, Resource Management, of water,food, energy and skills, will be vital.

The last question that no one seems to have asked, what if the projections turn out to be worse and faster in global warming terms, than those presented by our governments; what if that happens?
Acting now will help; a journey of a 1,000 miles really does begin with one single small step; why not begin to do something great today. Show our leaders an example of how to act.

www.landvision.co.uk

Thursday 17 December 2009

Green infrastructure, incorporating green roofs and Sustainable urban drainage schemes enhances biodiversity

Green infrastructure, incorporating green roofs and Sustainable urban drainage schemes enhances biodiversity as well as optimising the aesthetic potential of green spaces through linkage; helping to achieve sustainability and lowering CO2 emissions over time; with greater net benefits for wildlife and urban environments than the ad hoc addition of individual components on their own.
So, what exactly is green infrastructure?
Green Infrastructure includes these components; green roofs, sustainable urban drainage schemes (SUDS), garden trees, wildflower meadow creation and enhancement, wildlife habitat creation, ecological enhancement, biodiversity action plans, linking of green space, urban woodlands, street trees, urban parks and public open spaces. The combined benefits of green roofs, Sustainable urban drainage schemes, rainwater harvesting schemes, biodiversity action plans and green space allocation and the ethos of linkage of all these components, through sustainable ecological “green” design is currently being encouraged in landscape planning.
More benefits?
Green infrastructure helps to aid biodiversity, increases energy efficiency in buildings and decreases storm water runoff, minimising peak water flows.
Therefore, using green roofs (and also green walls), maximises habitat creation potential, with wildlife benefits in built up urban areas, whilst minimising & slowing down storm water runoff from buildings, aiding flood alleviation schemes. They cool buildings in hot weather with less need for air conditioning and trap dust and other pollutants, improving air quality & lowering temperatures in “urban heat islands”.
What angles allow a safe green roof to be installed?
If the angle of the roof is between 2 and 20 degrees then you should be able to install a simple green roof. When angles of less than 2 degrees or greater than 20 degrees are involved, more complex design considerations will need to be taken into account. The installation of green roofs on angles of more than 30 degrees is not recommended, unless you have specialist advice available to you.
Underlying roof structure, will the roof structure of the roof of your shed/garage/house take the extra weight that the green roof will put on it?
A simple, light weight green roof will weigh between 60-150 kg per square metre; calculations must also include the weight of water held in the roof and snow loading. If you are in doubt, you should consult an architect/engineer.
Green Roofs have 5 main layers; planting layer, planting substrate (this should be 80% inorganic and 20% organic compost), filter layer(Light weight geotextile/landscape fabric), drainage layer (especially important for roofs of less than 10 degree angle), and finally a waterproof/ root proof membrane layer.
For details on Flooding go to www.landvision.co.uk . We will be adding a web page shortly on how to install your Green Roof. Alternatively contact us at; charmaine@landvision.co.uk with your query.