JFK's Energy Revolution

"The Big Ask" And The Climate Change Bill

Mobile Phones And War

Everyone's worried about Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand ... meanwhile, 50 000 people have been burned out of refugee camps in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Think the conflict doesn't matter to you? Do you own a mobile phone? 80% of the world's coltan -- an essential component in all mobile phones -- is being struggled over in the DRC.

Salt, Bread And Heart Disease

Salt = heart disease. The Independent checked 84 breads made by Warburtons, Hovis, Kingsmill, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer. Warburtons bread has 20% more salt than Sainsbury's. Reducing salt in all our food (especially takeaways) is in our long-term health interest.

A National Asbestos Survey

My father has an asbestos problem in his lower lungs (he used to work in a pulp and paper mill in the 1960s). Ucatt and the NUT want government to survey all public buildings for asbestos ... and to remove any decaying material that might cause a risk. With 13000 buildings possibly affected, this seems way past time.

The Herbert's Peace And Reconciliation Gallery

The Herbert is having its official expansion opening. The refurbished gallery will have a permanent exhibit on Peace and Reconciliation.

"The permanent Peace and Reconciliation Gallery will combine contemporary and historic strands and will explore conflict and reconciliation in local and global communities. Themes will include 'War and Forgiveness'-- exploring memories of the Second World War, and 'International Friendship' -- looking at different countries’ experiences of conflict and peace. 'Conflict and Peace Work' will focus on Coventry’s peace work and links to wider national and global movements. A live online forum will encourage global debate with communities around the world."

Obama's 30 Minute Informercial

If you're interested, here it is. He bought a half-hour on 7 US television networks (NBC, CBS, Fox, Black Entertainment Television, Univision -- the largest Spanish-language network, and MSNBC). 6 hours after its airing, over 320 000 people have already watched it on YouTube. I think it will come to what Dick Morris said back in June: if Obama managed to define himself as the defender of American values and individualism,he would win a landslide.

Van Jones - The USA In Crisis

Van Jones is a very interesting man. In the same way that we can't impose democracy on other parts of the world down the barrel of a gun, environmental change will have to come from within the United States (5% of the world's population, consuming 25% of the world's resources). A green-collar economy in the US will benefit all of us. We have to figure out ways of supporting Jones ... and people like him.

"There is a mass pro-democracy movement in this country that has its origins back in Seattle that stood up to George Bush around the Iraqi invasion and put millions of people on the streets around the world. Not because of the party, but because people all across this country stood up and said they weren't going to take it anymore. The ones that suffered through the shame of Katrina, that propelled Al Gore to global fame and that Barack Obama saw and decided that its existence created a possibility for him. Barack Obama didn't create this movement. This movement created the opportunity for Obama. And we should never forget that."

Mandelson And Deripaska

Trevor Kavanaugh has a must-read piece on the Mandelson/Deripaska affair.

This is what happens when politicians don't keep their distance from shady business figures.

People focus on Mandelson or Osborne's judgement, but doesn't it say something about Gordon Brown's judgement? He brings Mandelson back into the Cabinet, and within a few weeks, this is what's happening?

Also see: US denied visa to Deripaska over alledged criminal connections

White Poppies

Wear a white poppy from now until 11th November. Or be like Jon Snow and don't wear any poppy at all.

Brussels sprouts, cranberries, Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, and swede are now in season.

The number of data losses reported to the Information Commissioner has doubled in the last six months.

The 9th of November marks the 10th anniversary of the total abolition of capital punishment in the UK.

Finally, Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust: "Young mothers are still going to jail for the same reasons they were in Victorian times: poverty, debt, addiction and mental illness."

The UK's Ecological Footprint

Another story that shows it's not all about the credit crunch ... the Living Planet Report is the work of WWF, the Zoological Society of London and the Global Footprint Network:

"In the UK, the 'ecological footprint' - the amount of the Earth's land and sea needed to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste - is 5.3 hectares per person. This is more than twice the 2.1 hectares per person actually available for the global population."

"The UK's national ecological footprint is the 15th biggest in the world, and is the same size as that of 33 African countries put together."

" 'The events in the last few months have served to show us how it's foolish in the extreme to live beyond our means,' said WWF's international president, Chief Emeka Anyaoku. 'Devastating though the financial credit crunch has been, it's nothing as compared to the ecological recession that we are facing.' The more than $2 trillion (£1.2 trillion) lost on stocks and shares was dwarfed by the up to $4.5 trillion worth of resources destroyed forever each year."

Growing Labour Opposition To Heathrow

More than 50 MPs, including 23 from Labour, have signed an Early Day Motion against a third runway at Heathrow. Ann Keen, who is the MP for Hounslow, Osterley, Gunnersbury, Brentford, Isleworth and Chiswick, did a survey of local people. 90% of respondents opposed a third runway.

Interestingly, the Tory shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers is among the signatories of the EDM. Villiers is on record as being opposed to a second runway at Stansted as well.

"The Uncontrollable Fury Of Nuclear Weapons"

It's World Disarmament Week.

"It is my firm belief that the infinite and uncontrollable fury of nuclear weapons should never be held in the hands of any mere mortal ever again, for any reason."

- Mikhail Gorbachev

My 1000th Post

To honour the milestone, I thought I'd take a trip around green blogs here in the UK:

- Jim, at the Daily Maybe, has an interview with Jean Lambert, one of our two Green MEPs

- Peter talks about why we need more Green councillors

- Stuart is disappointed that Maidstone Borough Council has decided to prioritise economic growth over carbon emissions reduction

- Natalie describes an arts performance in St Pancras

- Croydon Greens look at the development of roof gardens

- Sue has two posts about trees in Lewisham

- Molly, at Gaian Economics, talks about the IMF, aka, the International Monetary Farce

- Charlie blogs about street lighting in Bristol, Philip highlights the Indie's story on GM in Britain, and Rupert shines a light on the new Green councillor on Mid Beds District Council

Finally, something we're all interested in, Adrian makes us aware of an upcoming conference on eco-retrofitting of housing in Brighton

The Vet Who Did Not Vet