Kevin Beynon

An e-mail to the Environmental Transport Association

2008-03-14T09:49:00.002Z

Dear ETA,

I am a member of the ETA and recently received a mailing through my door advertising 'Carbon Neutral Insurance'. In it the ETA offered to help 'offset' my carbon emissions.

I firmly believe that carbon offsetting is a fraud. It does nothing to mitigate carbon emissions, it simply allows certain organisations to profit from people's guilt at not reducing their pollution.

An FT article in 2007 exposed the fraud that is carbon offsetting, finding:

- Widespread instances of people and organisations buying worthless credits that do not yield any reductions in carbon emissions.

- Industrial companies profiting from doing very little – or from gaining carbon credits on the basis of efficiency gains from which they have already benefited substantially.

- Brokers providing services of questionable or no value.

- A shortage of verification, making it difficult for buyers to assess the true value of carbon credits.

- Companies and individuals being charged over the odds for the private purchase of European Union carbon permits that have plummeted in value because they do not result in emissions cuts.

('Industry caught in carbon ‘smokescreen’' by Fiona Harvey and Stephen Fidler, The FT, April 25 2007)

Furthermore, scientist James Lovelock, who has been investigating and coming up with REAL solutions since the mid-sixties, said in a recent article:

"Carbon offsetting? I wouldn't dream of it. It's just a joke. To pay money to plant trees, to think you're offsetting the carbon? You're probably making matters worse. You're far better off giving to the charity Cool Earth, which gives the money to the native peoples to not take down their forests."

('Enjoy life while you can' by Decca Aitkenhead, The Guardian, March 1 2008)

The ETA should look seriously at its mission in this regard. It has got it seriously wrong. Instead of convincing people to pay a 'Guilt-fee', it should instead be looking at ways to help people 'actually' reduce emissions.

I attempt to do everything I can to realistically reduce my impact on the planet; a part of that is selecting my purchases from and membership of organisations very carefully, based on what I believe to be their actual and claimed sustainability. I chose to join the ETA in protest at the support other breakdown organisations give to road expansion plans. I am now reconsidering my membership of the ETA, but it may come down to the lesser of many evils.

Yours,

Kevin Beynon

Links:

'Industry caught in carbon smokescreen' the FT
'Enjoy life while you can' the Guardian

Jamie Oliver stole my Pasta Bake recipe.

2008-03-07T21:35:00.001Z

That was my recipe in that advert!

Open Internet please

2008-03-06T10:27:00.003Z

The web was initially designed, by Tim Berners-Lee, to be an open exchange of information and ideas. When one group of people can control access to that exchange based on their own bias it becomes censorship.

That's just what the US Government has done with regards to Cuba. What's worse is that the sites it has blocked are European ones, where there is no embargo on Cuba.

The article mentions the fact that the US controls the top-level domain naming system (something I've posted on before). I think it's time for the UN to step in.

A typically British security setup

2007-12-17T14:10:00.000Z

HMRC manual on data protection was protected data

What? Really? No!? I suppose it proves that they at least have a security policy...

Amnesty International calls for imroved human rights on the internet

2007-11-12T13:17:00.000Z

Amnesty International believes that numerous allegations of corporate involvement in suppression of human rights necessitates both companies and governments taking their responsibilities more seriously. The organisation is calling on governments to halt prosecution and legislation aimed at limiting freedom of expression online and to release prisoners held on the basis of their online political expression. Amnesty also calls on governments to commit collectively to human rights standards as the essential basis to prevent violations online.

More information can by found at Amnesty International.

'Gimmie' the interface I want!

2007-11-05T13:37:00.001Z

Many Operating Systems have been losing their cohesiveness and continuity over the last few years. Ubuntu, for example, has a number of redundant links in its menus and an inconsistent feel to its many applications.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of open-source/free software and use Ubuntu as my operating system of choice, but when that software no longer adheres to its founding tenets, something needs to change.

Architect Fantasy has a critique on Ubuntu's visuals and behaviour and mentions a project that may help the problem of menu redundancy, at least: Gimmie (worth a look).

Google's OpenSocialFacebookMySpace Project

2007-11-02T09:04:00.000Z

Most social networking sites are closed, locked-up enclosures for your information.

Google plans to create an Open Source API that would allow developers to access the myriad networks using one, straightforward tool; improving compatibility and creating new possibilities for your data.

Wired has more information on Google's OpenSocial.

Web Apps, but not on the web, but….

2007-11-01T09:39:00.000Z

Mozilla Labs have been busy with their latest development:

Mozilla Labs is launching a series of experiments to bridge the divide in the user experience between web applications and desktop apps and to explore new usability models as the line between traditional desktop and new web applications continues to blur.

Called “Prism”, the new development makes it look like the days of application dependencies are over.

Take a look at Prism

What's in store?

2007-03-16T10:00:00.000Z

What will the future of the web and the internet at large hold for us?

Tristan Louis, a veteran of the first web boom (and bust), has some predictions for 2007 and they seem pretty realistic.

I'm interested in his ideas on the disappearance of the "web page" and a change to a more "feed-based" web.

Make a difference

2007-01-18T15:50:00.000Z

Carbon-offsetting is in the news again with the Govornment's attempt to be percieved as green while doing the complete opposite.

We have UK companies involved in carbon-trading scams.

We have government agencies in the pockets of big companies, or at least ignoring the problem, while supermarkets, like Tesco, screw more ethical companies like Co-Op.

It seems the govornment isn't going to help, so it comes down to us to do our part. And I don't mean by using carbon-offsetting, which does absolutely nothing to stop global warming - only exacerbates the problem and makes some peaople rich (usually the wrong people).

I mean through real solutions, such as Richmond Council increasing the road parking fees for 4x4s; Ecocentra - an ethical/environmental version of e-bay.

We also need to ensure we carry our actions into the workplace by implementing the same energy/waste-saving techniques we use at home - many people leave their green habits at home.

The world we live in...

2006-12-15T15:53:00.000Z

...and the people who run it.

The Board Game of the stranger-than-fiction reality

2006-12-14T15:54:00.001Z

Bought a copy of War on Terror, the boardgame and took delivery yesterday. I haven't played it yet, but did try on the 'Balaclava of Evil'... but not the 'Axis of Evil spinner'.

The whole point of the game is to demonstrate how absurd and hypocritical this, so called, "war" is. Given that, it's amazing to discover some of the ridiculous responses the game developers have received from retailers.

Kudos to Firebox for stocking it and the designers for creating it.

ICAN'T

2006-10-02T12:26:00.001+01:00

After a "brief" hiatus it's back to blogging.

If you've been following the on-off-on battle to make ICANN independent, you may be interested in the latest update.