Category Archives: Energy
Spirit of Ireland – Divine wind or hot air?
Last week, something pretty unusual showed up in a number of national newspapers. This was a full-page advert under the title ‘Spirit of Ireland‘. This tied in with the launch of a website and a big PR push through the … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Irish Focus, Nuclear, Sustainability
Tagged carbon, CO2, electricity, Energy, Ireland, John Gibbons, nuclear, Spirit of Ireland, Sustainability, Walton
7 Comments
A grandfather’s appeal to Obama
Politicians worry about the next election; business people worry about the next quarter. Who does that leave to worry about the longer term future? One top scientific expert believes the people who really do think ahead are parents, more specifically … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged CO2, emissions, environment, EU, Ireland, Jim Hansen, John Gibbons, NASA, Obama, Sustainability
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John Bull takes climate change by the horns
We’re the ones with the Greens in Government, yet it’s Britain that has gone and set up a new department of Energy and Climate, headed by Ed Miliband. The UK is also to adopt a more severe target to cut … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Sustainability
Tagged Britain, carbon, climate change, Coal, emissions, Greenpeace, Miliband, Poland
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Half-baked Alaskan science bears closer scutiny
They say the first casualty in war is the truth. The same surely applies to elections, and none more so than the crucial US election on November 4th next. Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin has shown a startling contempt for … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sceptics
Tagged Bush, climate change, CO2, Energy, environment, Exxon Mobil, global warming, Newstalk, Palin, sceptics
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Not watching the road
Today FM’s The Last Word yesterday evening featured two items with a climate twist, I was involved in one (a discusssion as to why, according to a UK survey, people who profess green credentials still engage in lots of long-haul … Continue reading
Eco nuts/clowns deliver a message to Michael
In July I wrote what I thought was a fairly measured article about the environmental impacts of our culture of low-cost flying. The main focus of the piece was on comments made by Aer Lingus boss, Dermot Mannion decrying EU … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged aviation, emissions, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair
3 Comments
Labouring under some misconceptions
What has meat go to do with climate change? At first glance, not a lot. But dig a little deeper and you’ll soon find that the sharp increases in meat consumption in the last decade or two is a major … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged agriculture, CO2, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, emissions, IFA, IPCC, Labour, meat, Sherlock, Tuffy, vegetarian
4 Comments
Thumbs down for Top Gear
The TV license currently costs €160 a year. That money allows RTE to deliver its public service commitment, including expensive programming such as Prime Time that, were cost and crude ratings the only consideration, might be ditched in favour of … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged fuel, Prius, RTE, Top Gear, TV3
4 Comments
Taking the Mick on aviation and climate change
A week ago my column in the Irish Times dared to suggest that maybe, just maybe, dirt cheap aviation à la the Ryanair model (now aped by our former national carrier as well) is perhaps not the world’s best idea … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged Aer Lingus, airport, aviation, cheap flights, emissions, EU, KLM, Michael O'Leary, pollution, Ryanair, subsidy, travel
6 Comments
Only treehuggers need apply?
Once upon a time, the phrase ‘green’ implied wide-eyed extremism. You know the types, living in the trees in the Glen of the Downs or rolling in the mud at some bizarre eco hug-in festival in deepest rural Roscommon. Yes, … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged DDT, Gaia, green, Irish Times, John Gibbons, organic, science, Sustainability, UCC, William Reville
10 Comments
A big step backwards for Europe
And so the electorate has spoken. It’s a resounding ‘huh?’, with misunderstanding and misinformation carrying the day by a 9% spread. The clearest message to emerge even at this early stage is that Lisbon has split along class lines, with … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus
Tagged Bali, Copenhagen, Kyoto, Libertas, Lisbon, referendum
9 Comments
Weaning ourselves off the fetish of growth
A cynic, according to Oscar Wilde, is a person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. He could have easily been talking about economists. It’s hard to open a newspaper or turn on the radio these … Continue reading
