Carma reports that the power plant in Concentaina, run by Molto Reig SA is a dirty ol’ plant. , and receives a red rating. Nice one.
Archive for January, 2008
Biodiesel and rising food prices
I feel frustrated by the news this week that the EU is re-thinking its targets for biodiesel in light of the rise in food prices partly prompted by the channellling of grain to gas production. Frustrated because biodiesel isn’t a panaceae but it’s a start and it’s getting kicked from all sides before its even gotten started. Frustrated because the EU’s targets were modest in the first place and hardly enough to dent CO2 emissions. But I am mostly frustrated by the veracity of this: yes, if we grow grain for use as fuel, it’s not going to get eaten. But we vegetarians have been decrying diversion of grain for fuel for years – when it becomes fuel for ruminants, for the cows and pigs that meat-eaters choose to put in their shopping baskets and mouths. It’s an unjust calculation, when you think of all that food getting fed to animals destined for early death when children die daily for want of a bowl of gruel.
Sea levels in the Mediterranean may rise half metre in 50 years
A study by the Spanish Oceanographic Society predicts an uncertain future for the Spanish coastline: sea levels rising up to 50cm in 50 years, which would threaten large swathes of prime tourist real estate. In this article in El Pais, scientists report that the Mediterranean sea has risen by 8 cm since 1950, shallow waters have warmed by 0.12-0.5′C and that salinity has also increased. This finding is in concordance with the reports by the International Panel on Climate Change during their meeting in Valencia in 2007.
My personal observation is not scientific at all, but here in Altea, I walk past a stretch of beach that was once passable on foot but which is now permanently underwater. However, it is in reclaimed land what is the beach today was underwater 15 years ago, before we paved our way to parking heaven.
Plastic people in Valencia
No, not the ones coming out of the cosmetic surgeon’s office (there are a lot of oldies round here).
The plastics industry is very important here. Some of the world’s best polar fleece is made here, as well as paints and other plastic things. But, as we all know, plastic does not biodegrade. At best, it photodegrades, getting smaller and smaller but remaining plastic in it’s heart. The story of the North Pacific Gyre, with it’s continent of floating plastic is enough to make anyone think twice about chucking that water bottle. But what to do?
Well, in a nice model of sustainability, a number of plastics manufacturers are cashing in and also recycling their products. The association Anarpla is based in Valencia and represents some 70% of plastics recycling in the country. You’d have to be pretty informed on plastics to get much joy out of this site, but it’s nice to know it exists. I’m gonna see about finding some nice pile fabric…
Camps plays lip service to sustainability in the Comunidad Valenciana
A few days ago now – my where does the time go? – Franciso Camps, President of the Comunidad Valenciana and also head of the Partido Popular (right-wing) in this autonomous region gave his end-of-year speech. In it, he promised sustainable development for the region:
“… la sostenibilidad, la prosperidad y el futuro de la Comunitat”1
In the same speech, he goes on to state his support for the canalisation of the Rio Ebro from Catalunya south to Valencia. This project was first proposed by the then-governing PP in 2000 as a solution to Spain’s chronic water shortages. The Iberian peninsula is the driest part of Europe, (2) and the southern/Mediterranean regions are the driest of all.
It seems funny yet wholly appropriate that a politician should both vouch for his commitment to that lovely keyword “sustainability” whilst maintaining the status quo with regard to development. Wouldn’t the sustainable solution be to implement water-saving measures, recycle grey water and stop building golf courses in the desert for heaven’s sake?
Sarbide – great sustainable business model
I really like the ingenuity of Sarbide, up in the north of Spain, near Bilbao. Their main business is CD and DVD duplication, but they’ve cleverly branched out into CD and DVD recyling by creating CEDERIKA RECYCLING SOLUTIONS S.L. they have the Indoor Green Point, which is a recycling box with data destroyer, and the Urban Green Point, which is a multi-box for recycling batteries, light bulbs, printer cartridges and of course, CDs and DVDs.
