Here we go again....

Let's look at another Green classic shall we?

You all know that we are about to receive a 5% hike in ESB charges this winter. The timing could not be worse, the reasons for this being self-explanatory. The main cause of the increase is the levy surcharged to support the burning at our peat-burning power stations, for which there are various legislation that insists we must operate. Typically, this is to ensure that we have an independent power source in case our importation of fuel sources are ever shut off.

This perspective is of course, so 1970's. The Russians are not going to turn off the gas, OPEC is not going to shut down oil supply and we are busy building inter-connectors to the UK and beyond for nuclear power amonst others.

So what do we know about electricity derived from burning peat?

Well, we know that it is the most expensive format we have in producing electricity.
We know that it is the worst polluter and CO2 transmitter of all our energy sources.
We know that the EU has legislation and is bringing in further restrictions to reduce and then stop the use of peat bogs for fuel purposes as per the various EU directives on the protection of habitats.

Eamon Ryan has been the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources for over three years now. He is perceived as the least incompetent Green TD, and certainly as an able minister compared to John Gormley.

And yet, one would think that the first thing a Green Minister of Energy would do is seek to repeal the archaic laws on peat burning stations. After all, it's too expensive, it's too polluting and it's environmentally unacceptable. So for three years the minister sits on his hands while his colleague, Mr Gormley, fully enforces EU laws on protecting habitats by making it unlawful for turf cutters to cut their turf on their own land.

This is a perfect synopsis of Green policy. They don't get the big, medium or small picture. They don't understand basic ideology and policy changes that deal with big issues and conveniently ignore small ones (like small time turf cutting and use of commercial vehicles).

They are the worst, hypocritical, Neanderthal, moronic policy makers in the history of this State, because unlike FF who enact policies to make FF look good whilst lining the pockets of themselves and their friends, they enact policies or make statements that they firmly believe in, without actually thinking them through.

Please ensure the extinction of this species at the next election.....

John Gormley and the Poolbeg Incinerator

It was interesting listening to Gormley's interview on RTE just recently. Sean O'Rourke noted that Gormley has a 'no incinerator here' sticker on his home window. 'How can you be so sure' says Gormley. 'Well, do you have one or not?' 'Yes, but interesting to know that' says Gormley obviously horrified that some media people are looking to see what's he stuck on his windows.....

Anyway, Gormley says he is not politically motivated in trying to scrap or reduce the size of the incinerator, which is totally untrue. Actually, and John, you can go after me for this, you're lying. This is completely politically motivated and anybody who thinks otherwise is using complete SPiN.

The really, really funny thing was Gormley complaining that DCC had pushed through the deal  before the election, so they could say they were following government policy. That's terrible. That's almost as bad as Dick Roche signing off the papers for the N3 bypass before Gormley could take his ministerial seat.

Also, Gormley was on about the fact that he wants to concentrate on MBT plants (Mechanical Biological Treatment) to handle certain waste materials, and indeed opened one only recently in Navan. Who operates this plant? Why Panda do. Is there a connection? No, other than the fact that Panda are one of the companies that raised the recent successful objection to try and halt the site or reduce its capacity.

This is big business talking here, We've got a battle against the existing waste management companies and a new bully on the block in the shape of Covanta. Then we have the political fallout between DCC and John Gormley. And now we have other government agencies involved like the National Development Finance Agency that agreed that the project was good value for money in 2007 and now the ESRI have made Gormley look like a complete mug.

This all stinks, and I mean that in every phrase of the word.

On Bees - this one from P.ie 10/11/09

http://www.politics.ie/environment/118208-bees.html

 Some years ago I was on a fruit farm in north county Dublin, which was cultivating strawberry plants out of season in plastic tunnels for the multiples. We were discussing a lot of issues, mostly multiple related, when the talk revolved around the more technical aspects of fruit growing.

It was the first time that I stated to understand the real importance of pollination, because the 'farmer' was using imported bumblebees to propagate his crop. In this particular instance, the advantages were that the bumblebees worked in relatively cold temperatures and operated in twilight hours, both very useful in an Irish climate.

So on a wider level did you know that bees, and honeybees in particular, pollinate the following crops: apples, pears, tangerines, peaches, soybeans, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, carrots, broccoli, avocados and almonds?

In US terms, this is equivalent to $15b worth of crops. The US, in terms of bees is a basket case. On average 30% of hives have died off over the last three years owing to a variety of reasons, the most serious being Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD.

In CCD, the hive adults just simply vanish leaving the queen and a few hatched young workers. What makes it more unusual is that the hive remains untouched by neighbouring ones, who normally would plunder the honey and resources of hives affected by parasites and diseases.

As the bee genome has been completed, scientists researching the issue have identified differences between healthy and unhealthy colonies. It turns out that most of the various camps were right, although on a limited basis. So in other words the factors involved are viruses, fungi, pesticides, varroa mite and nutrition. Essentially, honey bees are under attack form all sides because increasingly they are operating in an artificial environment.

In the rest of the word, honeybee propagation of commercial crops is estimated as €215b. In Europe, CCD in conjunction with the varroa mite has decimated hives, but the carnage is far worse in the wild and native colonies. The dreadful effect of this is to reduce the pollination of wildflowers which in turn reduces the quality and quantity of honey produced.

Here in Ireland, where bees are reckoned to contribute €85m to the economy, the last three summers have been disastrous for our native and bred colonies. The key period of growth in hives in late June and July have coincided with the worst weather imaginable. The varroa mite has still to work its way through the existing colonies leaving behind more resistant strains.

In terms of a functioning population, our bee colonies are dying. There is very little or no commercial beekeeping in this country as we cannot compete with the more commercial and weather friendly countries in Europe, Australia and South America. All that remains is a steadfast group of hobbyists determined to maintain an ancient and essential tradition. CCD has yet to effect this country, one can only hope that our diverse spread in agriculture will ensure this won't happen.

So what can we do? I don't expect you all to become apiarists, but for those of you that have gardens or terraces or patios, think a little about what plants and flowers you will grow next year. Put a little time and effort into creating a wild area for flowers, or just plant flowers that are rich in nectar and bloom in the more productive months.

Bees are like canaries in a mineshaft, we need to take heed the damage we are causing to our environment.