Johans egen blog

Mariano Gago não quer práticas "fascistas e boçais" no praxe

2009-09-29T14:59:00.002+01:00

Ministro avisa reitores para não pactuarem com práticas "fascistas e boçais"

Lisboa, 28 Setembro (MCTES) - O Ministro da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, José Mariano Gago, enviou hoje a todas as instituições de ensino superior uma comunicação apelando à acção dos estudantes, professores e responsáveis pelas instituições de ensino superior sobre as «praxes» académicas.

http://www.mctes.pt/archive/doc/praxes.pdf

Ministro avisa reitores para não pactuarem com práticas “fascistas e boçais”
28.09.2009 - 20h36 Lusa
http://ultimahora.publico.clix.pt/noticia.aspx?id=1402779

O ministro da Ciência e Ensino Superior avisou hoje que não vai tolerar abusos nas praxes académicas, denunciando-os ao Ministério Público para responsabilizar quer os seus autores quer as direcções de instituições que permitam que aconteçam.

"Sempre que tenha notícia da prática de ilícitos nas praxes", Mariano Gago ameaça dar "imediato conhecimento ao Ministério Público" e usar "os meios aptos a responsabilizar, civil e criminalmente, por acção ou omissão os órgãos próprios das instituições do ensino superior, as associações de estudantes e ainda quaisquer outras entidades que, podendo e devendo fazê-lo", não tenham feito nada para as evitar.

Numa mensagem enviada aos responsáveis máximos das universidades públicas e privadas e politécnicos, o ministro frisa que "a tolerância de muitos tem-se tornado cúmplice de situações sempre inaceitáveis" com danos físicos e psicológicos. Mariano Gago repudia as "práticas de humilhação e de agressão física e psicológica" com carácter "fascista e boçal" infligidas aos caloiros no ensino superior, "identificadas ou desculpadas como ‘praxes’ académicas".

Pela "extraordinária gravidade" de algumas destas práticas, impõe-se "uma atitude de responsabilidade colectiva" que "não permite qualquer tolerância" com "insuportáveis violações do Estado de Direito" no meio académico. "A degradação física e psicológica dos mais novos como rito de iniciação é uma afronta aos valores da própria educação e à razão de ser das instituições de ensino superior e deve ser eficazmente combatida por todos: estudantes, professores e, muito especialmente, pelos próprios responsáveis das instituições", defende o governante.

Os responsáveis pelas instituições não devem disponibilizar, directa ou indirectamente, "recursos materiais ou outras facilidades" para a realização de praxes, mas "intervir de forma activa" junto dos novos estudantes, especialmente os deslocados, e dizer-lhes "com clareza" que podem recusar participar nas praxes sem recear perder direitos, recomenda Mariano Gago. Quanto às associações de estudantes, cabe-lhes promover "uma verdadeira integração na comunidade académica" e recusar acolhimento ou apoios a acções que "põem objectivamente em causa" a "liberdade e a dignidade humana".

Mariano Gago recordou que a lei que rege as instituições de ensino superior estipula sanções - que podem ir da advertência à expulsão - para actos de "violência ou coacção física ou psicológica" sobre estudantes cometidos nas praxes. O ministro recebeu na semana passada os responsáveis do Movimento Anti-Tradição Académica, que no domingo divulgou que a Universidade Lusíada de Famalicão vai pagar uma indemnização de 90 mil euros à família do jovem universitário que terá morrido na sequência de uma praxe académica.

There are no independent EFSA specialists?!

2009-07-07T12:20:00.003+01:00

Recently the president of EFSA, Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, said in relation to a question about the independece of her specialist: that if what necessary to remove all with ties to (the GMO) industry there would be no one left (Le Monde 2009-06-30 page 18), and that a good expert that has not worked in the industry would be suspicious. Which of course is peculiar since they are by EU law required to be independent of the interests they are evaluating ... So for now it seems one cannot truly expect EFSA to be really rigorous in its evaluation of new (and old) GMO products.

Industrial Farming is Giving us Less Nutritious Food

2009-06-23T11:21:00.001+01:00

The commercially grown vegetables, fruits and grains that we are eating today are significantly less nutritious than these foods were 100 years ago, or even just 30 years ago.

Plant breeders have increased yields in most crops, but this is causing our food´s nutrient content to decline. We now have solid, scientific evidence of this troubling trend.

Read full article here:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Nutrient-Decline-Industrial-Farming.aspx

Background info here:
Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What Is the Evidence?
Donald R. Davis
HortScience 44: 15-19 (2009)
http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/44/1/15

Shoes burn down the Amazon!

2009-06-08T17:24:00.002+01:00

I just took part in this campaign:

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/slaughtering-the-amazon

Top name brands implicated in Amazon destruction

New Greenpeace report shows how the cattle industry in Brazil is feeding demand for raw resources and “Slaughtering the Amazon”

The Greenpeace report “Slaughtering the Amazon” is the product of a three-year investigation into Brazil’s cattle industry, the country’s chief source of CO2 emissions and the largest single driver of deforestation anywhere in the world. Our investigation exposed the Brazilian government’s complicity in bankrolling deforestation in the Amazon, as well as several top name shoe brands – such as Adidas, Nike, Reebok, and Timberland – whose demand for leather may be supporting cattle ranchers that are illegally slaughtering the Amazon.

Protect the Forests

2009-05-28T17:11:00.002+01:00

Swedish old-growth forest destruction

– international wood and paper customers deceived

New organization confronts old-growth forest destruction
Sweden, which will take over the EU Presidency in July 2009, has a considerable proportion of Europe’s remaining old-growth forests. However, many of these forests are being ravaged. The Swedish government has reduced its budget for forest protection and proposes to increase forest production. At the same time, forest companies such as SCA and Stora Enso, log unprotected old-growth forests under the cover of environmental certification FSC1. Customer countries buying Swedish wood and paper products are being deceived.

Because of the critical situation, a new Swedish forest conservation organization, Protect the Forest, has recently been established to reverse the situation and to push the alarm button.

“We urge everyone concerned and customers in countries that import forest products from Sweden to put pressure on the Swedish government and forestry sector,” says Viktor Säfve, chairperson of Protect the Forest. “We immediately need to stop the destruction of Europe’s last old-growth forests and to do this we need to cooperate internationally.”

Forestry has transformed most of Sweden’s forests into plantations and young forests. More than 1,800 animal and plant species are endangered or near-threatened. Only around 1.5 per cent of Swedish productive forests, below the mountain region, are formally protected from logging. There is consensus among Sweden's leading scientists that the current Swedish forestry policy is a serious threat to biological diversity.2

“Sweden is committed to international conventions to safeguard its biological diversity,” says Amanda Tas, secretary of Protect the Forest. “Yet, the government ignores scientific facts and turns a blind eye to the devastation of forests with a high conservation value.”

A large proportion of all wood logged in Sweden is exported as raw material, paper, pulp and other products to countries such as the UK, Germany and USA.3 Customers in these countries are given false guarantees by the Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, and the Swedish forest industry that these products are produced in a sustainable way.

For more information, please contact:
Amanda Tas, Secretary of Protect the Forest,
+46 76 76 13 533, Amanda.tas@skyddaskogen.se

Viktor Säfve, Chairperson of Protect the Forest,
viktor.safve@skyddaskogen.se

Journalists interested in visiting the Swedish forest in the field, please contact:
Amanda Tas, Secretary, tel. +46 76 76 13 533

http://www.protecttheforest.se

Notes

1. The Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, is an international organization that certifies forestry and wood products, such as paper and furniture. The FSC label should guarantee that the forest companies’ timber and other products derive from forestry of high environmental standards. For more information, read the Greenpeace report “Under the Cover of Forest Certification”:
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/sweden/rapporter-och-dokument/under-the-cover-of-forest-cert.pdf

2. Debate article “Forest policy threatens biological diversity” in Swedish tabloid (Dagens Nyheter, 2008) written by 14 leading nature conservation scientists:
http://protecttheforest.se/en/skogen-i-media/40-vad-saeger-forskarna/432-dn-skogspolitiken-hotar-biologiska-mangfalden
free translation of the debate article)

3. Examples of Swedish FSC-certified forest companies:
SCA is a global company that produces personal care products (TENA, Libero, Libresse, Nana), tissue (Tork, Tempo, Zewa, Edet), packaging and solid wood products in more than 90 countries. SCA's eight largest markets are (in order): Germany, UK, France, USA, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands and Spain. In Sweden, SCA is notorious for its systematic loggings of high conservation value forests.

Stora Enso is one of the world’s biggest producer of paper and cardboard. Its products are mainly produced in Europe (including Russia), China and Latin America. Stora Enso has monoculture plantations in Brasil and China, which have caused environmental problems and conflicts between social groups and the company. Example of important consumer brands are MultiCopy (office paper) and Effex (wood paneling). In Sweden, Stora Enso logs old-growth forests and has ended up in social conflicts when logging forests that are socially valuable for the local population.

Bergvik is Sweden’s second-largest forest owner in terms of annual felling volume. In 2004 Bergvik acquired all of Stora Enso’s former holdings in Sweden. Bergvik manages forests and sell felling rights to Stora Enso.

Vídeo: Petição "Braga-Porto: 40 minutos" na AR

2009-05-13T17:54:00.001+01:00

Uma representação da Associação ComboiosXXI (antes designada por Comissão de Utentes da Linha Braga-Porto), esteve na passada quarta-feira 6 de Maio, na Assembleia da República, onde assistiu ao debate da petição nº 505/X/3ª, denominada “Braga-Porto: 40 minutos”.

A petição reuniu, em Abril de 2008, mais de 7.000 signatários solicitando a diminuição do tempo de percurso entre as duas capitais de Distrito, bem como um reforço da frequência das viagens e uma devida articulação com a restante rede de transportes públicos.

Praticamente um ano após o documento ter dado entrada na Assembleia, foi finalmente discutido pelos senhores deputados no hemiciclo, após a longa tramitação de avalicação que foi sujeita pela IX Comissão das Obras Públicas e Transportes.

Na discussão em plenário intervieram todos os partidos com assento parlamentar, registando-se a ausência da intervenção do governo. Todos os intervenientes começaram por saudar a iniciativa, considerando-a um excelente exemplo de cidadania. No decorrer das intervenções foram focadas as ligeiras melhorias recentemente introduzidas no serviço, mas todas elas foram unânimes em reclamar a necessidade de criar viagens rápidas na ordem dos 40 minutos, objectivo central da petição ainda por cumprir.

A associação, na sua deslocação a Lisboa, teve também uma reunião de trabalho com a administração da CP, representada pelo seu presidente Eng. Cardoso Reis e pelo administrador Dr. Ricardo Bexiga, que teve como finalidade abordar assuntos no interesse de uma cooperação mútua.

CLIQUE AQUI PARA VER O VÍDEO

http://www.comboiosxxi.org/

Petição "Fruta Sim! Biológica Melhor!"

2009-05-12T10:40:00.001+01:00

Destinatário: Governo

Petição "Fruta Sim! Biológica Melhor!"
http://www.peticao.com.pt/fruta-biologica

PETIÇÃO
FRUTA SIM! BIOLOGICA MELHOR!

Em Julho de 2008, a Comissão Europeia lançou uma proposta de distribuição gratuita de frutas e legumes às crianças do 1º ciclo, que visa o aumento do consumo destes alimentos. Esta proposta foi objecto de um acordo político dos Ministros da Agricultura da União Europeia, em Novembro.

Trata-se de uma importante iniciativa que pretende contribuir para a educação das nossas crianças e jovens, criando hábitos alimentares saudáveis, prevenindo a obesidade e outras doenças.

Antecipando o seu lançamento em Portugal a INTERBIO - Associação Interprofissional para a Agricultura Biológica, decidiu associar-se a esta campanha promovendo os produtos biológicos numa iniciativa designada: “FRUTA SIM! BIOLOGICA MELHOR!”.

Nas famílias portuguesas há já hábitos de consumo diário de horto-frutícolas, mas este está ainda longe do que é considerado recomendável, pelo que há necessidade de um sinal político que incentive as famílias e as crianças a aumentarem o seu consumo.

Por outro lado, nos últimos anos, resultado da transmissão às crianças nas escolas de valores associados ao ambiente, segurança alimentar ou reciclagem, estes entraram em muitas casas e passaram a ser uma realidade nacional. Nesta linha, é importante que as crianças conheçam o que são produtos biológicos, para que entendam os valores de preservação do campo e da protecção da natureza, as práticas agrícolas sustentáveis, a importância de pensar o futuro.

Através das crianças e jovens, futuros decisores do consumo, com a promoção da educação para o desenvolvimento sustentável, o consumo de hortofrutícolas aumentará, a incidência de algumas doenças diminuirá, os produtores biológicos sentir-se-ão mais compensados, o futuro será melhor!

Os frutos e legumes biológicos são, comprovadamente, mais ricos em nutrientes, e são livres de pesticidas, não só no produto final, mas em todo o seu modo de obtenção, constituindo uma opção saudável e amiga do ambiente. Portugal tem condições impares para a produção hortofrutícola biológica, que urge aproveitar.

Ao lançar esta iniciativa, a INTERBIO pretende que sejam, mais uma vez, as crianças e os jovens a chamar os adultos à razão, levando-os a aderir a uma agricultura em que as preocupações ambientais e de sustentabilidade estão presentes desde o primeiro momento.

“FRUTA SIM! BIOLOGICA MELHOR!” para uma alimentação mais saudável, para uma agricultura ambientalmente correcta!

No exercício do direito de petição consagrado na Lei nº 43/90, de 10 de Agosto, a INTERBIO – Associação Interprofissional para a Agricultura Biológica, vem por este meio expôr e peticionar a V. Exa.:

- Que o Governo patrocine a campanha “FRUTA SIM! BIOLOGICA MELHOR!”

Os Peticionários

http://www.peticao.com.pt/fruta-biologica

Swine flu breeding in pig factory farming?!

2009-05-07T14:37:00.004+01:00

Did you know that evidence is growing of the link between factory farms and swine flu? International organisations have been warning that these inhumane and filthy operations are breeding grounds of disease for years.

I just signed a petition calling on the the United Nations World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation to investigate and develop regulations for factory farming to uphold global public health standards. If we reach 200,000 signers, the petition will be delivered in Geneva with a herd of cardboard pigs. Sign below and tell your friends -- a pig will be added for every 1000 signers!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/swine_flu_pandemic/96.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

Thank you so much for your help!

Till världskapitalismens försvar, igen

2009-03-11T18:10:00.005Z

Har nu läst om boken Till världskapitalismens försvar av Johan Norberg.

Lite tekniska detaljer:
Han väljer att i början såga ner på brist användning av köpkraftsjusterade pengavärden, därefter så verkar som han själv strunta i att använda detta. Har ingen aning om hur alla figurerna ser ut om detta fixas.

Om han skulle vilja övertyga fler personer så borde han undvika att gå i fällan att tillbe tillväxt mätt i pengar (pengar per person) snarare än innehållet. Tillväxt är ju en effekt inte orsak till att folk får det bättre ställt (inte bara ekonomiskt). När han vill visa att anti-globalister har fel så tar han ju i många fall fram riktiga exempel på hur viktig det är att själv kunna bestämma sitt öde, med reell möjlighet till långsiktig planering etc. Mer sånt och mindre BNP per capita om jag får be! Det är hyfsat att lätt att hitta info på nätet om att just BPP/capita är tokfel av mer än ett skäl ...

I slutet drar han fram ett räkneexempel från Lomborg. "I en värld där tekniken ständigt utvecklas blir statiska beräkningar ointressanta, och felaktiga. Med enkel matematik konstaterar Lomborg att om vi har en råvara med hundra års användning kvar, en årlig efterfrågeökning på 1 procent, och ökar återanvändningen och/eller effektiviteten med 2 procent, kommer resursen aldrig att ta slut." Det verkar som att båda två inte har förstått att fabeln om haren och sköldpaddan är en paradox. "Effektiviten" i form av hur mycket produkt man kan få ut av en råvara kan visserligen öka med mer än 100% ( t.ex. har kiselbaserade solceller gått från mm tjocka skivor till tusendelsmillimeter kisel). Men en för en stålbalke finns ju en viss gräns för hur "tunn" den kan vara. En ändlig råvara kan av praktiska skäl aldrig utvinnas till 100%, det är alltid förluster i systemet. Fast råvaran finns alltid någonstans även om den inte är helt lätt tillgänglig. Utvinner man en förmodat uthållig råvara (t.ex. torsk) till 100% så har den tagit slut! Även om en ändlig råvara (ta vilken sällsynt metall som helst) har extraherats så gott det går från jordskorpan så kommer det alltid att tappas lite vid återvinning, som heller aldrig kommer att kunna komma upp i 100%. Vanlig hederlig termodynamik ... så enkel matematik kan ibland blir för enkel ...

Slutligen så tycker jag att det är synd att Norberg ser miljön och miljöhänsyn som antingen ett handelshinder eller något som man tar till lagar för att se till att de håller någon slags standard, snarare än att se just dessa som en förutsättning för en sund ekonomi med fortsatt utveckling, handel och en bättre tillvaro i största allmänhet (oberoende av vilken indikator som används). Den intresserade kan ju alltid ta sig an The Smart Growth Manifesto

MARCHA PELAS SETE FONTES

2009-03-03T16:55:00.002Z

Um apelo do JF S Vitor que eu recebi via quercus braga:

MARCHA PELAS SETE FONTES

Apelamos à participação de todos pois está em causa um património
valiosíssimo da cidade.

Junta de Freguesia de S. Victor
Municipio de Braga
1. A Junta de Freguesia de S. Victor tem ao longo dos últimos anos
dado provas do seu apego aos valores de cidadania com intervenções que
vão desde a área da ACÇÃO SOCIAL, apoio às Escolas, à Cultura, ao
Desporto, às Instituições de Solidariedade Social, numa espécie de
MISSÃO, que tem sido cumprida com a colaboração e cumplicidade
positiva de Instituições e de forma particular da COMUNIDADE que
representamos. De forma particular a questão AMBIENTAL e do PATRIMÓNIO
tem merecido atenção especial, não fosse o COMPLEXO DAS SETE FONTES,
classificado como Monumento Nacional também com o nosso contributo e
durante a nossa gestão,

2. E porque o COMPLEXO MONUMENTAL DAS SETE FONTES, não teve por parte
de quem tem responsabilidades directas nesta questão, cuidados
especiais para a sua protecção futura, tem de forma sistematizada a JF
de S. Victor e Instituições credíveis Bracarenses como a ASPA E JOVEM
COOP, feito eco das suas permanentes e constantes preocupações, quer
junto da Tutela, o Ministério da Cultura através da Direcção Regional
da Cultura Norte, quer junto da Edilidade Municipal, sempre que ali se
perspectivam intervenções que colocam em causa o valor Patrimonial
intrínseco desta obra de Engenharia hidráulica que nos chega através
de D. Rodrigo da Moura Teles e D. José de Bragança desde o Século
XVIII.

3. Nada disto seria necessário se os responsáveis Autárquicos não
tivessem elaborado para aquele local um espaço canal para a futura
variante à E.N. nº 103, que irá esventrar o Complexo, assim como
autorizado construção para o mesmo local de máxima densidade
construtiva que descaracteriza por completo toda aquela vasta área,
com condições de se poder tornar um Parque interpretativo da história
da ÁGUA, do melhor que existe na EUROPA.

4. Porque entendemos que o assunto de um Monumento Nacional que é de
TODOS e a TODOS diz respeito necessita de se valorizar, SENSIBILIZANDO
todos aqueles, que acreditam que é possível conciliar o PASSADO com as
necessidades do FUTURO, planeando e estruturando um desenvolvimento
devidamente sustentado:

5. CONVIDAMOS todos os BRACARENSES e todos os defensores dos valores
da nossa história a associarem-se a uma MARCHA de sensibilização para
a necessidade de preservar a referência material que liga as SETE
FONTES à cidade de BRAGA de à Séculos a esta parte e que se realizará
no próximo dia 08 de Março (Domingo), a partir das 9h30, com saída
desde o Largo da Senhora-a-Branca, até às SETE FONTES, lado do Bairro
da Alegria.

JUNTA DE FREGUESIA DE SÃO VICTOR
Braga, em SÃO VICTOR, 19 de Fevereiro de 2009 ( NI 07/2009)

Jovem Coop
ASPA
JF S Vitor

Perguntas e sugestões sobre a (falta de) politica ambiental na CMB.

2008-08-28T10:04:00.001+01:00

Exma Sra Vereadora do Ambiente da CMB e os outros Srs e Sras,

Gostaria em primeiro lugar reconhecer o difícil encargo de ter o a responsabilidade do pelouro do Ambiente numa CM com um tão forte politica de betão como a CMB. Felicito-a pela coragem.

Há no entanto, em meu entender, problemas de informação na política de ambiente da CMB. Quando cheguei em Braga há 4 anos atrás as paginas no site da CMB sobre ambiente, apenas dizia que Braga tem uns milhares metros quadrados com espaços verdes, mais nada. Agora este site está divido entre publicidade por ABRA (um grupo pouco transparente) e algumas dicas sobre como salvar dinheiro e melhorar a gestão de vários recursos. Como tenho algumas duvidas, perguntas e sugestões para quais queria respostas e pouca forma de as esclarecer via Internet, dirijo-me pessoalmente a si.

1. Ambiente em geral
a. Em qual sentido a CMB está a aderir as suas próprias dicas?

b. Municipios Portugueses celebram o Ano Internacional do Planeta Terra em 2008 (ver mais em www.anmp.pt). O que é que CMB está a fazer?

c. A CMB alguma vez participou na Agenda 21 (Local) ? Já tentei de pesquisar por “Agenda 21” usando o motor de busca no site da CMB mas não encontrei nada (2008-08-26). Houve uma sede para o movimento Agenda 21 para o Minho no Porto mas acho que este não existe agora. O site deles parece morto.
Ver mais info na http://www.cidadessustentaveis.info/ e
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/index.htm

Seria bom que a CMB vai abrir uma loja ou centro de informações sobre como melhorar o desempenho ambiental, dirigindo-se aos habitantes e às empresas em Braga. Isto seria também um bom ponto dentro uma Agenda 21 Local para Braga. Podia ser no mesmo edifício da Loja do Cidadão.

3. Energia
a. A CMB está incluída na Campanha Nacional de Auditores Energéticas aos Edifícios Públicos (e outros) Propriedade dos Municípios? Ver mais no http://www.anmp.pt. A CMB está activa aplicando essas ideias na gestão da energia dos edifícios em Braga?

b. Para quando vamos ter um aproveitamento dos lixos produzidos (que não podem ser reciclados ou re-usados) como fontes de energia? Não só o óleo alimentar usado para fazer biodiesel. Há muitos projectos na Europa que usam lixo para produzir bio-gas.

4. Transportes
a. Em Braga há muitas paragens dos autocarros sem lugares próprio para as paragens. Ao mesmo alguns lugares de paragens na realidade servem como parques de estacionamentos para carros! Seria uma boa ideia melhorar as situações, por exemplo no Rua Dom Pedro V (em frente do Talho Vasconselhos e Milenio BCP) e na variante perto o novo centro de nanotecnologias. E também os novos bairros (loteamentos, urbanizações etc) devem ter lugares para paragens dos autocarros.

b. Por qual razão os autocarros que usam “gás natural” se chamam “autocarros ecológicos”? Os combustíveis fosseis não são ecológicos nem sustentáveis! Claro que os autocarros são melhores amigos do Ambiente do que carros, independente de tipo de combustível. Ainda assim, quando vamos ter autocarros usando gás proveniente de lixo comum, lixo de jardins e sólidos dos esgotos?

c. As motas pequenas que alguns serviços da CMB usam têm piada mas com aqueles motores a dois tempos não são boas para o Ambiente. Vi na TV uma pessoa em Portugal (Aveiro?) que desenhou e construiu um carro pequenino que só usa energia solar via pilhas e paneis fotovoltaicos no telhado do carro. Esta alternativa seria uma boa ideia para a CMB.

d. Há alguns anos li nas jornais da nossa terra que Braga iria ter uma ciclovia junto do Rio Este, mas entretanto nunca mais ouvi mais nada sobre isto. Seria muito bom que todos os novos bairros tivessem ciclovias e bons passeios para peões. Isto é importante para o sustentabilidade da cidade de Braga. Apesar de ser difícil acomodar tais vias na rede viária existente acho que vale pena implementar uma boa rede de ciclovias em Braga.

5. Ruído
O site do CMB fala sobre ruído como um tipo de poluição. Faz muito bem! Mas o que e que a CMB está fazer sobre isto? No site também diz que é a forma de condução influencia o nível de ruído, mas o limite de velocidade num alguns sítios passou recentemente de 50 até 70 km/h. O nível de ruído naqueles edifícios perto a variante circular é alto demais . Já morei num destes apartamentos (quando o limite aínda era 50) e posso testemunhar que o ruído do tráfego é insuportável. Proponho que a CMB erga barreiras contra o ruído do tráfego para proteger e melhorar a qualidade da vida dos habitantes daqueles edifícios, os peões e os ciclistas.

6. Picoto:
Estou um bocado surpreso com a proposta de um hotel para o Picoto. Hotel Turismo de Braga tem 132 quartos. O tal hotel com 5 estrelas em Picoto vai ter 250. Aqueles quartos provalamente vão ser mais amplos e o hotel vai ter mais espaço de lazer e para congressos. Com tão grandiosidade de betão ninguém mais vai conseguir ver o pico do Picoto desde o cimo da Avenida da Republica. O que me pode dizer sobre este projecto e sobre o impacto ambiental?

Parece-me mau que o maior espaço verde (ainda público) no centro de Braga, o Picoto, vá ser transformado num hotel e mais betão. Os trilhos e o mini-golfe etc parecem-me ser apenas iscos para os bracarenses engolirem o tal monstro.

7. Sete Fontes
Continua planeada um variante que destruirá o património das Sete Fontes que já está homologado como um Monumento Nacional? Ou vai ser um espaço verde com todo o complexo actual bem conservado para o futuro?
A discussão pública (em Julho 2008) sobre as Sete Fontes na perspectiva da revisão do PDM nem sequer foi bem publicitada.

8. PDM e planeamento
a. Pensando na Campanha Nacional por uma Cidadania Activa acho que é estranho que a período oficial para submeter comentários sobre a revisão do PDM só durasse duas semanas (em Julho 2008). Caso a CMB aínda não tenha aderido nesta iniciativa, deve fazer.

b. A CMB pensa em usar uma Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG) para divulgar informações sobre os planos e actividades da CMB no cidade de Braga? Por exemplo usar Google Earth para divulgar os sítios e alterações à actual situação das classificações dos terrenos etc?

C. Quais são os resultados das análises de impacto ambiental dos todos as novas grandes superfícies em Braga? Para além de impacto ambiental, sabemos que esta política de grandes superfícies, injustificável num país com tanto sol e com crise no consumo, vai assassinar o centro de Braga. Não me refiro só ao comércio tradicional mas a toda a vida do centro da cidade.

d. Tenho desde há muito ouvido boatos sobre a requalificação do Rio Este, que significaria um rio mais natural sem tubos de betão. Isto seria muito bom para melhorar os espaços verdes (e lazer) e também o biodiversidade no cidade de Braga. Pode dizer-me alguma coisa sobre estes planos?

Com melhores cumprimentos,
Johan Benesch

Este email foi enviado no dia 2008-08-28 para
cultura @ cm-braga.pt (a vereadora do Ambiente)
municipe @ cm-braga.pt
comunica @ cm-braga.pt

high hazard deo

2008-05-16T20:37:00.002+01:00

Just bought Old Spice High Endurance deodorant long lasting stick whitewater.

the results on the cosmetic database was 7, or high hazard!

http://www.cosmeticdatabase.org/product.php?prod_id=179501

so this one goes to the trash bin!!!

The World Bank wants to "invest" in the climate

2008-05-06T09:48:00.003+01:00

The FOE are running a campaign against the proposed Climate Investment Funds suggested by the World Bank.

The two counterpoint are the both very long proven track record of flagrant lack of disregard for both environmental concerns and human right on the behalf of the World Bank. And also the fact the World Bank is largest lender towards construction of dirty energy plants, such as coal etc.

Read more in the campaign site.

Wackernagel: 'There is only one planet'

2008-04-22T10:35:00.001+01:00

Have you read the interview with Wackernagel on EurActiv?

"European nations, which use more than twice the amount of resources available on their territories, need to factor ecological assets into their national accounting systems in order to prevent ecological bankruptcy, says Mathis Wackernagel of the Global Footprint Network. He spoke with EurActiv in an interview."

Romania says NO to GMO!

2008-04-08T11:20:00.003+01:00

Yet another country makes a bold stand saying no to GMOs in their agriculture:

"Romania — In an historic move, the Romanian Government today (2007-03-27) announced it will ban genetically engineered (GE) maize and embrace organic agriculture. The move is particularly significant as GE maize is the only commercially cultivated GE crop permitted in Europe."

Read more on Romania bans GE.

Dirty car deals, climate destruction on wheels

2008-04-04T18:49:00.000+01:00

Dear friends,

This is really important, can you please take two minutes to sign our cars petition and send this email to your network of friends?

The heads of France and Germany are about to conclude a bilateral deal, which threatens to water down (already weak!) European legislation tackling CO2 emissions from cars. We've made a petition for the European Council's current President, demanding that he and other heads of state stand up for the climate.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION NOW.

We'll deliver the petition to the President of the European Council on Monday, and every day before 12 April when we have another 10,000 more signatures.

The German government is driving this--putting the immediate commercial interests of German luxury car-makers before the safety of the planet. Sarkozy is riding along with Merkel because he needs Germany's support for his grand plans for a Mediterranean Union.
Two wheels better than four,
Mel, Martin, Richard, Eoin and the car campaign team

P.S. Please remember to forward this email to friends. Together we can stop this!

Demand justice for the victims of Bhopal

2008-04-03T13:45:00.001+01:00

I just took part in this cyber action

"Please take urgent action to call for justice for the survivors of the 1984 Bhopal disaster who have once again walked 800km to Delhi seeking an appointment with the Prime Minister to seek redress for their long standing demands.

Two years ago, the Prime Minister only agreed to meet with them after they spent 21 days on the streets, including 6 days of fasting, after having walked to Delhi. He promised to deliver on their demands. Two years later, these promises have proven hollow."

Read more and act here:
http://www.foei.org/en/get-involved/take-action/bhopal-justice/

Mochovce

2008-03-24T12:57:00.002Z

Dear Commissioner Piebalgs and Commissioner Dimas,

Do you think that 20 year old construction plans for an outdated design for nuclear power plants with insufficient built-in security are anywhere near safe for European citizens? I think neither of you actually are of that opinion so I would hope that both of you work for that the European commission will give a strong negative opinion about the current plans for Mochovce 3 and 4 in Slovakia.

Furthermore, the foreseeable lack of funds for taking care of the nuclear waste of when the power plants themselves are scrapped would in itself be a strong enough deterrent for even thinking about approval of constructions of such plants. Indeed, the insurance that is required from the operator is only a fraction of that in most other Western European countries.

Also, I would urge you to urge the Slovakian government to perform an impartial environmental impact assessment that includes sustainable options (which nuclear power obviously is not). I see no reason why the people in Slovakia would have to suffer from lower levels of protection against the actual problems with both nuclear waste treatment and the running of nuclear plants than any other European citizen.

Slovakia does not have long-term storage capacity for the highly dangerous nuclear waste generated by its existing plants, nor would it for Mochovce. The Slovakian government has stated that it wishes to have a permanent repository by 2038, but as the country has had nuclear reactors since the late fifties, it seems unlikely that this will ever happen.

The pending “Euratom opinion” may well be the only opportunity for the European Commission to critically assess the Mochovce nuclear power plant. I therefore urgently ask you to issue a negative opinion on the plans for the third and fourth blocks of the Mochovce nuclear power plant.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Submit your thoughts as well HERE

I do not make trash

2008-03-20T11:17:00.001Z

or so is the translation of new Portuguese site hoping to encourage Portuguese to think about the trash they produce:

http://www.eunaofacolixo.com/

End the Nuclear Industry in Saskatchewan

2008-01-11T09:37:00.000Z

I just signed a petition to end the Nuclear Industry in Saskatchewan, Canada.

http://www.petitiononline.com/nonuc1sk/.

Do read their argument!
It is a quite interesting read!

Look out for the green washers!

2008-01-08T10:01:00.000Z

Read more in the article The Six Deadly Sins of Greenwashing provided by the Seventh generation.

See also full report on TerraChoice.

'Travelling food' causes environmental headaches

2007-12-18T11:28:00.000Z

'Travelling food' causes environmental headaches

Europeans' taste for processed food imported at low cost from developing countries has far-reaching environmental consequences, argues a study which aims to provoke discussion on the issue.

See study: European Food Systems in a Changing World:
http://www.esf.org/fileadmin/be_user/research_areas/LESC/Documents/FOODfinal2.pdf

Greenpeace in Portugal

2007-12-17T17:38:00.001Z

It seems that Greenpeace soon will start a 3 year long campaign in Portugal!

Yippiee!

global rich list

2007-12-17T12:38:00.000Z

I'm the 696,275,833 richest person on earth!

Discover how rich you are! >>

Stop the traffik

2007-12-17T11:37:00.000Z

STOP THE TRAFFIK is a campaign working to combat the fastest growing global crime, people trafficking—the buying & selling of people around the world today

* Exposing people trafficking
* Leading governments to action
* Unlocking freedom

http://www.stopthetraffik.org/default.aspx.

Be sure to sign their petition!

Ban the bulb, in Ireland

2007-12-07T16:26:00.001Z

taken from recent email from greenpeace:

" Ireland's Environment Minister announced a law yesterday to ban energy-wasting lightbulbs by January 2009. We did it!

The Irish Government's 2009 ban is the most progressive in Europe by far. They still need to really pass the law of course, and we still want at least one more country in the EU to follow suit -- setting the standards for EU legislation on energy efficiency."

Sorry out of gas

2007-12-05T11:30:00.000Z

cut and paste from Treehugger:

"In 1979, Jimmy Carter installed solar panels on the roof of the White House to heat water and save energy; a few years later Ronald Reagan removed them, insisting that there was energy enough for all. Reagan then presided over the start of what architecture critic Chris Hume calls "America's collective descent into amnesia."

We have forgotten how bad it was when OPEC turned off the taps in October, 1973. Hume reminds us that oil shot from $ 2.59 a barrel to a shocking $11.65. "The result was pandemonium: In Europe, driving was banned on Sundays; in North America, long lineups at filling stations degenerated into free-for-alls. Leaders went on television to address nervous nations alarmed that their very way of life was at stake."

Now the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal has mounted a provocative exhibition that revisits that period of panic. "

http://www.sorryoutofgas.org/

Ecological footprint in your mobile

2007-12-04T18:10:00.000Z

European Commission scientists launch first mobile application that uses your mobile phone to track your carbon footprint
mobGAS©® is a new mobile phone application available in 21 European languages that allows users to see how their daily choices impact on climate change. This smart technology, developed by scientists working at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, allows users to see the implications of the choices they make every day, in terms of the three major greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Information about everyday activities – cooking, transport, lighting, electronic appliances etc. - is put into the application, and calculations made of individual emissions. A user diary of daily, weekly and yearly emissions can be registered on a secure website, allowing a comparison with national and world averages. The application also includes an animation reflecting the user's contribution to the Kyoto Protocol target.

Individuals can have a significant impact on reducing emissions. According to recent Eurostat figures, 21% of emissions are related to industrial and associated processes, while 31% are from energy production, 20% from transport, 9% from agriculture and 3% from waste, and the remainder from other sources. All of this shows that individual behaviour, such as how we travel, the appliances we use or the food we eat, can make a real different to emissions. Lifestyle and consumer choices are a key factor, so it is important that people are aware of the implications of their personal choices.

By downloading the application to a mobile phone – something people carry with them almost all the time – it is possible to make use of quieter moments – travelling on a bus, or waiting for an appointment, for example – to input the data for that day. This could include the means of transport they took, how they heated their house, how long they watched television and what they ate.

From today, mobGAS is being made available free of charge to anyone who is interested. Communication networks and mobile phone producers will also be involved in rolling-out the technology at national level.

This technology will be demonstrated by scientists of the JRC at the EU pavilion during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali from 3 December.
To download the application:

http://mobgas.jrc.ec.europa.eu

GDP outdated as wellbeing indicator

2007-11-27T10:14:00.000Z

At last even the EU commission is going beyond GDP as an indicator of standard of living, wellbeing and life quality etc:

"The Commission is working on a new tool to measure the wealth and wellbeing of countries beyond the traditional GDP. The new tool will aim to measure 'true' progress, taking environmental and social indicators into consideration."

Read more.

PortGas, again ...

2007-10-04T11:43:00.000+01:00

I am moving into another flat. Today some guys came to install the gas counter from PortGas. They said there are not large enough holes in the outer walls. I was a bit amazed by that. If you have read my earlier post you know that PortGas promotes a tropical indoor climate. Now they want to have large holes in the walls to make sure you really spend lots of fossil gas to achieve those high temperatures ...

Rede Nacional de Consumo Responsável

2007-09-18T10:58:00.000+01:00

A criação de uma Rede Nacional de Consumo Responsável, com o objectivo de informar e capacitar para a mudança dos nossos hábitos de consumo.

A Quem é Dirigido?

- Jovens dos 2º e 3º ciclos do Ensino Básico e Secundário
- Associações de Pais e Encarregados de Educação
- Professores
- Organizações da Sociedade Civil com interesse na temática do Consumo Responsável

O Que Oferecemos?

- Formação (sessões de sensibilização, workshops, seminários e oficinas) sobre a temática do Consumo Responsável.
- Materiais didáctico-pedagógicos dirigidos a Professores
- Manual de Formação de Voluntários dirigido às Organizações da Sociedade Civil
- Apoio à construção de projectos locais sobre este tema.

O Que Pretendemos?

Divulgar e estender a Rede Nacional de Consumo Responsável a um universo alargado de Organizações e pessoas para que, de forma autónoma, de Norte a Sul do País se promovam iniciativas que contribuam para a efectiva mudança dos hábitos de consumo.

energy balance of nulear energy

2007-09-16T17:14:00.000+01:00

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark or rather how the nuclear power industry pushes itself as being the solution against further global warming. Alas, their counting of the energy balance is not as correct as it might seem. Or so the authors Storm and Smith has to say. In short: all the steps joint of making nuclear uses more energy that is delivered from the nuclear power plants and in the long run it would actually be better to burn the fossil fuel that is used to produce the nuclear fuel.

Bivalvia to the resuce

2007-09-11T22:05:00.000+01:00

It has recently been suggestion the bivalvia (in Swedish) should be farmed in the ocean to decrease the negative impact of over-fertilisation from agriculture leakage and household waste. The bivalvia use the waste as nutrients and can be sold on the fresh markets around Europe. The problem is more on the getting it on large scale enough for the distributors to accept you.

Mussles and french fries apparently is a delicacy in Belgium. Mussles boiled in white wine with finely chopped onions, garlic, dash of salt, cayenne pepper and parsley is good, really good!

Make sure you throw away the open ones before boiling, and the closed ones after boiling.

Volvo is repeating PML Mini

2007-09-10T12:01:00.000+01:00

Volvo Cars has been using the knowhow of PML FlightLink and their Mini QED to make a plugin hybrid, especifically the wheel motors and goes some other parts. True four wheel drive! But the cost if you want to buy a Mini QED now is in the neighbourhood of 200000 pounds sterling (or so says a friend that asked PML) ... the Volvo C30 plugin hybrid might be ready for sales in 5 years from now ...

Act of God?

2007-09-08T21:29:00.000+01:00

Bayer is blaming God for a case of GM contamination in the USA. What do the Pope say about that? Time for the Catholic church to start a defamation law suit against Bayer? That would be hilarious.

Anyway, probably the lamest excuse by the pro-GM lobby sofar.

btw
If Bayer would have blamed it on Allah (or Muhammed) their CEO would probably have been under a Fatwa by now ...

90 meters

2007-09-07T10:36:00.000+01:00

Using data from http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs2-00/ I estimate that if all land ice is molten the sea levels will increase with between 63 and 90 metres.

Data on ice volumes from above link and areas from Wikipedia.

If you wanna see how this impacts Europe see http://douweosinga.com/projects/sealevel

Too hot for nuclear!

2007-09-06T15:30:00.000+01:00

Nuclear power plants need water. Lots of water to cool down their reactors. But when it is very warm weather for long the waters in the rivers feeding inland nuclear plants also gets warm. Too warm to cool down their reactors. During the heat wave in France 2003 some nuclear actually were shut down because of the warm river water. Read more here.

So much for water cooled nuclear power plants to help fend off global warming...

The USA government will not subsidise the construction of nuclear power plants. Xlnt news!

Wangari on the lack of making links

2007-08-31T17:37:00.000+01:00

Quote of the Day on TreeHugger:
Wangari Maathai Speaks for the Trees

"Well, I don’t only think that the biosphere is in trouble, I know it is. I just have to look around in the environment, in which I live.

In my own part of the part of the world, I keep telling people, let us not cut trees irresponsibly. Let us not destroy especially the forested mountains. Because if you destroy the forests on these mountains, the rivers will stop flowing and the rains will become irregular and the crops will fail and you will die of hunger and starvation. Now the problem is, people don’t make those linkages."

Wangari Maathai in The 11th Hour

So lets look at the big picture!

Suzuki on GMO

2007-08-31T17:26:00.000+01:00

The quote of the day on TreeHugger:

"We have been told that genetically engineered (GE) material just disperses in nature, but in fact, it is remarkably permanent. Biologically engineered genes and DNA have been found to persist in soil organisms, in insects, pollen, and especially water, and have been found in agricultural ditches as much as a kilometer from the original site. The antibiotic-resistant marker genes used in the process have survived digestion by cattle and even bees, and therefore post a threat of increased antibiotic resistance up and down the food chain. This is one reason why the technology is under a de facto ban in Europe. The genes themselves are not confined to the original, patented plant, but can be spread by wind or pollen to other varieties of the same crop, and even to wild relatives.

Canada is already having tremendous problems with genetically engineered canola, which has not only spread its herbicide-resistant trait to other canola, but is now affecting its many wild relatives, creating what are being termed "super weeds." The situation is so serious that one reason the Canadian Wheat Board is actively fighting the introduction of herbicide-resistant GE wheat, apart from market considerations, is that the species has many wild relatives that could forever become contaminated with herbicide resistance."

David Suzuki and Holly Dressel, Good News for a Change: How Everyday People are Helping the Planet (2003, Greystone Books).

Do I even need to comment on this?

Sustainable is cheaper than you might think

2007-08-27T16:40:00.000+01:00

The cost of building energy efficent and otherwise sustainable buildings are not as expensive as many think. Many constructors think 17% of total cost, true value is closer to a third of that...

The UK Department of Transport has launched a site to make it easier to compare CO2 emissions from cars: Act on CO2. Browse through class, fuel and gear style. Also, suggestions for better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions just by better driving.

Better food additives?

2007-07-17T13:58:00.000+01:00

There seems to be some joggling with the EU regulations for food additives going on. The EU parliament wants environmental concerns to be included in the evaluation of food additives. In the current form of the proposal, currently authorised food additives will remain so but any additives not on the list will be automatically banned. One concern seems that the authorisation will be done by an external committe and not via the usual co-decision procedure. Some of you might remember the overly relaxed attitude that the EFSA has with regards to GMO products ...

No more incandescent light bulbs!

2007-07-12T14:03:00.000+01:00

Step 4 in the Greenpeace 7 steps:

Challenge lightbulb makers

Petition text:

“Dear Philips, Osram, GE and SLI Sylvania,
You cannot deny the scale of the climate emergency, and the need for urgent action including energy conservation. Some of the lightbulbs you make are energy savers, and some of them squander energy unnecessarily. Stop manufacturing inefficient lightbulbs by January 2010 at the latest.

P.S. Philips: As a sponsor of Al Gore’s Live Earth concerts, you should be taking the lead on this!”

Here is the place to do it u 2!

Here is my comment:
"Even better, put more emphasis on developing and selling LED based lights. At the moment they are even more expensive then the CFLs. So with the supposed “efficiency of scale” I guess you could slash those prices a lot. This would lead to even more energy savings and no heavy metal waste compared to CFLs LFs.

Perhaps you should view yourselves as providers of lighting solutions rather than light bulb vendors?!"

energy [r]evolution - Ban this bulb (I did)

2007-07-05T10:43:00.000+01:00

I joined GreenPeace energy [r]evolution campaign:

Take 7 (simple?) steps:

- First step: Ban this bulb (I did)
Replace normal incadescent bulbs for CFLs. But I already had done that so I replaced some in my gfs flat.
- Next step was to invite 7 friends. I think I invited twice as many.
- The third was to go public. So I choose to make a mention on some spots, like Flickr and now this blog.

Sofar the steps have been fairly easy so it is a campaign for all to partake in! Feel free to join us on http://greenpeace.org/7steps.

Compare these transports

2007-07-02T13:29:00.000+01:00

In DN.se today is an article about greening flights. They also mention a comparison of the greenhouse gas emission caused by a number of transportations in kg CO2 equivalents per person going between Stockholm and Malmö, ie ca 600km:

Plane: 132
Car: 96
Bus: 18
Train: 2

Time to cover 600 kms in hours (estimate from google maps, SJ.se and flynordic.com)
Train: 4.5 (X2000)
Car: 6.5 hrs plus resting highway - (11 hours with the scenic route - national roads)
Bus: Roughly same time as by car but more waiting at bus stops etc and waiting for connecting buses.
Plane: 1.2 hrs plus transport to and from the airports and delay for check-in and picking up luggage. Say 2.5 hrs.

Train is nice because you can also get internet access and a "decent" table and its more uninterupted compared to all others. From city centre to city centre.

Normal, light and zero

2007-07-01T19:37:00.001+01:00

Apparently one cannot sell a soft drink called light to men, it has be called something else, like zero. Normal Coca Cola contains sugar, caffeine, the secret ingredient, E338 and E150d, the sugar free version light and zero both contain E950, E951, E952, zero also contains E331 while light instead contains E330 and E221.

Common ingredients stated as E:
E338 - phosphoric acid - gives a tangy taste - can lead to lower bone density and can be used to remove rust
E150d - Sulphite ammonia caramel - colouring agent

Sweeteners:
E950 - Acesulfam K
E951 - Aspartam - could be carcinogenic upon sustained long time exposure
E952 - cyclamate

Preservatives specific to the sweetened versions:
E331 - sodium citrate - preservative and gives sour flavour
E330 - citric acid - preservative and gives sour flavour
E221 - sodium sulphate - preservative

Btw:
One of the current commercials for CC zero very much looks inspired by Michael Jackson's music videos. It is ok for a man to be androgyn or metrosexual?

Recycled paper in the toilet paper

2007-06-30T13:14:00.000+01:00

It is a premier in Portugal for toilet paper from recycled paper!!!

I found it in FeiraNova yesterday.

renovagreen - love & action
- 100% recycled paper
- non-chlorine bleached
- no colouring agents
- no fragrances

One might have thought that a new product would have been accompanied by a PR campaign. But no, nada and zilch ... even the websites (renovaonline.net and wellbeingworld.com) is devoid of any mention ... but perhaps not so surprising since this is from the same company that spent lots of money pushing their BLACK and RED toilet paper ... perhaps even more bigger surprise that they actually released this product. But perhaps it is made by a subsidy in Spain, France, Belgium or the UK? After all, the text on the pack is in French, Spanish, English Portuguese and Dutch.

EUtube and the Ardystil disaster

2007-06-29T11:07:00.000+01:00

EU has taken the step into Youtube on EUtube. One of the vidoes put out sofar is about REACH - the new chemical legislation REACH. It mentions a Spanish company Ardystil. Six workers died from inhaling toxic fumes from textile dyes, yet 72 more contracted serious lung disease and damage. The idea of the video is to show that REACH will make sure we will avoid any more Ardystil disasters.

I had look on internet about Ardystil. Most of it in Spanish. Not even Greenpeace had information about this disaster. Language barrier? This disaster happened 1in 1992. No mention on Wikipedia either (botn EN and ES).

One site talks about at the Ardystil syndrome. I quote: "In June 2003, a Spanish court issued its judgment on the 'Ardystil syndrome', one of the country's worst occupational health disasters,... The long-awaited ruling found that the employers concerned were clearly responsible, and that the public authorities failed to fulfil their role as a guarantor of safety. ... It is curious that even the Labour Inspectorate (Inspección de Trabajo) showed a scandalous lack of concern about the working conditions in these companies."

GM Contamination Register

2007-06-28T10:26:00.000+01:00

At last a register of GMO contamination events have been formed. Greeneace and GeneWatch UK has joined forces to make this register and update it. Of course only events that has been noted and the register has been informed of will be entered so one would expect that the register is a gross underestimation of all contamination events. Still, this should prove to be a powerful tool for the environmental movement.

From 1996 to 2006 142 events were publicly registered.

http://www.gmcontaminationregister.org/.

Too hot for nuclear power

2007-06-23T17:57:00.000+01:00

Nuclear power needs water. Lots of water to cool down their reactors. When it gets warm like during global warming it is too warm to be able to cool. So during a heat wave do not rely on nuclear power. Like in France 2003 heat wave 17 reactors were shut down. Read more here.

The UK government will not subsidise the construction of nuclear power plants. Would be great if all other governments would do the same. Including not subsidising the insurance the nuclear melt down and the tearing down of the nuclear plants. Read more here.

It is urgent to act upon global warming

2007-06-22T20:35:00.000+01:00

Or so it is the finding in Eurobarometer 67 pages 48-51. Even so 57% say it is very urgent for the European Union to have policies in place to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 20% until 2020. Not a very high target so should be fairly easy to met. Greece and Cyprus are in top with 86% totally agreeing that this is urgent. Sweden third place with 81%. Poland in the bottom with 40%.

Lets hope that the European Commission, Council and Parliament act on this! And lets not forget the national governments and parliaments!

Ecofamilies

2007-06-19T21:35:00.000+01:00

Quercus has made a study called Ecofamilias on 30 families with altogether 82 members. They measured energy consumption for 8 months. From that data they recommended some alterations, mainly turn off things on stand by, switching to low energy bulbs and choosing a better payment scheme from the electricity distributor.

As have been stated over and over again the first two very small switches can decrease the consumed energy quite amazingly in comparison to how simple it is.

Quercus will increase the study to 225 all over 9 climatic zones on continental Portugal during 2007-2008.

Notably most of the families in the first phase around Lissabon almost all had single walled unisolated houses...

Lets save the world in a conventional cotton T-shirt

2007-06-19T14:05:00.000+01:00

Just surfed into spreadshirt.com.

I like this design:

BUT it is only available in conventional cotton.
For all know it might be GMO!!!

Although spreadshirt have organic T's in their selection, but apparently not for this one ...

Lots more wind power in Portugal

2007-06-17T22:59:00.000+01:00

Reading an article in the national issue of Metro Portugal stating that the capacity of wind power in terms of installed wind turbines will increase from 1800 MW today to 7100 at latest in 2012. It also says that 1800MW is 7% of the "produced" energy in Portugal. So predicted 20% in 2012 from wind power alone.

There was an article the other day stating that too much alarmism in the media only will cause apathy. Thus no change will lead from exaggerated alarmism.

So this increase in wind power energy capacity in Portugal is a very positive sign of change.

Now we only have to be much better at using that energy ...

European solar map

2007-06-13T21:11:00.001+01:00

Here is a map that reveals the solar energy potential for the Europea, and part of Middle East and North Africa: 11 MB pdf file.

Perhaps not to anyone ones surprise: The Mediterrean countries have much higher potential than Northern Europe. But even in the southern parts of Sweden solar panels for heating up water can be economically viable with break even of investment already after 5-7 years. Considering that a good house should be able to used for 100 or more years is is reasonably quick. And most people that buy a house would probably live in it more much longer than 7 years.

Read more on euractiv and JRC PVGIS.

I guess that most of the OPEC countries could be energy self-suffiecient by going over to solar energy. Since the Arabic peninsula mostly is desert it should be no match for them to set aside land enough for this. Same goes for Marocko and Libya etc. Maybe Khaddafi should write a really green book?

Less chemicals in your water

2007-06-12T11:13:00.000+01:00

The EU parliament yesterdat voted for a legislation that increases the list of chemicals to be monitored in water. The water you drink will thus be less toxic in the long run. Or so is the idea I would assume.

The legislation lists substances of which some are priority hazardous substances and has to be phased out within 20 years. Here is the list of priority and priority hazardous substances.

The priority hazardous substances are:

Anthracene

Pentabromobiphenylether

Cadmium and its compounds

C10-13-chloroalkanes

Endosulfan

Hexachlorobenzene

Hexachlorobutadiene

Hexachlorocyclohexane

Mercury and its compounds

Nonylphenols

Pentachlorobenzene

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons

Tributyltin compounds

See, the world really is starting to come to its senses :-)

Read more here.

Sexual harassment is part of the academic tradition in Coimbra

2007-06-11T22:37:00.001+01:00

I just had a quick look through the "newspaper" académico 20070605.

Under the section "na regiao" Ricardo Rio makes a story about the majority in the city council in Braga not wanting to have an external analysis of their performance. Specifically in relation to (the lack of) sustainability thinking. And he ends with a very ironic touch :-)

Later on in this issue is an article that says that 3 out of 4 Portuguese students cheat on their exams. And those that cheat do that already at high school. One sociologist in the articles says that the teacher are allowed some room for alterations in the examinations. He suggest making the exams such that the students should apply what they are supposed to have learnt rather than just regurgitating memorised data.

On a note: students seem to sit very close to each other. One way to avoid is to randomise the order of the questions. At least one pair of students at UMinho have been caught just copying the answer in the numerical order. Funny, no thinking at all during the exam ... at least for some ...

The "council of veterans" at the university of Soimbra has punished two persons by "downgrading" them to freshmen status because they damaged the scrotum of one student and severly bruised another. In some kind of backwards defence the head honcho of hazers said that they were only supposed to shave off the pubic hair above the penis. The sheer stupidity of this José Luís Jesus is just amazing!!! One student made a complaint to this "council of veterans" which of course does not have any real power. The other made a much wiser choice and made a formal complaint to the police. I have an idea: all praxistas must be eunuchs!

Sign of the times?

2007-06-10T11:35:00.001+01:00

Before the G8 meeting Merkel said that Germany would take the lead in world to become a sustainable society.

In a comment in a Swedish after the same meeting it was stated that the USA is taking the initiative in the politics of curbing climate change. I guess Bush wants to end his last period as president on a positive note. There is a Swedish saying: "When the devil gets old he gets religious".

Also, the Vatican will install photovoltaic cells on one of its buildings very soon. And more is expected.

Is it a crazy world or is it finally coming to its senses?

An improved CITES is needed

2007-06-05T13:49:00.000+01:00

In early June, the 14th conference of the 'Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora' (CITES) will be held in the Netherlands.

The convention regulates international trade in endangered species and protects plants and animals from extinction. But Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth Netherlands wants CITES to do more - their proposed changes to the convention would make an impact on the international trade in destructively and illegally logged wood.

Send an email to the Dutch minister who is hosting a special meeting that will set the agenda for CITES.

Visit: http://www.foei.org/en/get-involved/take-action/cites

Also: I would recommend you to make some changes in the letter, just I did!

Shi Tao

2007-06-04T13:25:00.000+01:00

Apparently Yahoo.com helped the Chinese government agencies hunt down journalist Shi Tao. He was because of this helping hand by Yahoo.com Shi Tao was later thrown into jail.

Shi Tao has now been awarded the Golden Pen of Freedom award by WAN.

Ironically, there has popped up a number of Shi Tao groups on yahoo.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shitao/ and 18 more.

Make a search on http://groups.yahoo.com/ for Shi Tao
or open up this:
http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=Shi+Tao

Energy certificate

2007-06-02T19:27:00.000+01:00

In just a month Portugal will have implemented the first step of Directive 2002/91/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2002 on the energy performance of buildings. This year all new buildings with over 1000 square meters needs a certificate of their energy performance. As of 2009 all buildings irrespective of age needs such an energy certificate in order to be sold or rented.

Just reading the Portuguese news paper it only seems to be energy rating just as dish washer and similar already have (the A-E rating system). Hopefully this will encourage improved energy performance, ie better and more intelligent use of energy. It might even lead to more spread use of self sufficient houses. But as noted earlier such an transition might take up to 100 years. At least very old houses are with stones. But newer houses are based on a concrete skeleton with hollow tiles as walls. The life of those might only be 20 years so the turnover to efficient houses might be lower than 100 years?

And here is the Portuguese law. Both it and the EC regulation above mentions a minimum energy efficiency but no numbers are mentioned in either text?!

We shall see.

Even better, this legislation accompanied by a few other laws Decreto-Lei 79/2006 in its article 32 par 2 basically says that renewable energy such as solar panels on the buildings itself is mandatory unless the owner can show that it is not economically viable. What a shocker! I am stunned. This is absolutely amazing? Perhaps not the best way to get understanding for renewable energy, but still!!!

PeakPhosphorous and topten.pt

2007-05-31T11:40:00.001+01:00

In this article it is proposed that we will be running out of phosphorous fairly soon if we do not start using a bit intelligently. Time to talk about PeakPhosphorous just as one talk about PeakOil? They estimate 60-80 years of cheap mineral phosphorous. So we should start making use of all the shit and piss we "produce" all the time!

Quercus and EDP has just launched a new site called topten.pt. Aiming to be a Portuguese search tool to find the best sustainable choices of light bults, washing machines, cars, you name it...

slow travel and sustainable gaia

2007-05-29T22:10:00.000+01:00

Some glimpses from Portugal in Jornal de Negocios from 2007-05-29:

A group of more or less abandoned villages in Portugal has formed Rede de Aldeias do Xisto. Old houses will be recuperated and used to house tourists that look more for local colour and culture than speedy impressions. Slow travel. With a touch of sustainability.

Vila Nova hopefully will plan to become sustainable in the near future. Luis Filipe Menezes (autarca?) will put forward a programme for self reliance. He has invited the University of Aveiro to plan the city into self reliance in energy including waste management ie recycling. Lets hope Gaia will become a role model for the rest of Portugal! Something for Mesquita!!!

Castro inspire us to use smart buildings?

2007-05-22T10:05:00.000+01:00

In the article making buildings behave better in the Economist the market failure to reach smart houses is discussed. With smart I mean low over energy cost, ie both constructions and use. Since constructurs do not use the houses they build they also do not have to pay the electricity bills. Hence very little interest (from the constructors) to build smart houses.

In a recent newsletter from TreeHugger it says that "if every computer manufacturer sold sustainable green computers tomorrow, it would take only three years for the great majority to be green. If every car manufacturer sold only energy-efficient cars starting tomorrow, it would take ten years for almost all cars to be green. Yet even if every building was LEED Platinum starting tomorrow it would take a hundred years for the building stock to turn over."

Since the IPCC says that buildings are the biggest household culprit then of course the focus also should be on improving the current buildings ...

Pope says that Latin American natives welcomed Jesus?!

2007-05-19T15:32:00.001+01:00

Here is quote of the English translation of speech that the Pope did in Brazil in May 2007:

"Yet what did the acceptance of the Christian faith mean for the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean? For them, it meant knowing and welcoming Christ, the unknown God whom their ancestors were seeking, without realizing it, in their rich religious traditions. Christ is the Saviour for whom they were silently longing. It also meant that they received, in the waters of Baptism, the divine life that made them children of God by adoption; moreover, they received the Holy Spirit who came to make their cultures fruitful, purifying them and developing the numerous seeds that the incarnate Word had planted in them, thereby guiding them along the paths of the Gospel. In effect, the proclamation of Jesus and of his Gospel did not at any point involve an alienation of the pre-Columbian cultures, nor was it the imposition of a foreign culture." [my high lights]

Has the pope turned into a revisionist?

Vattenfall and CO2 emissions

2007-05-10T09:25:00.000+01:00

The Swedish energy "producer" Vattenfall has created a campaign site Moving towards a low carbon society. Their CEO has gone out strong with things that can be done to decrease human society´s impact on global warming.

But WWF in their top 30 list Dirty Thirty - Europe’s dirtiest power stations" put four of Vattenfall´s carbon power plants on the list (place 5, 11, 16 and 19). This makes Vattenfall one of the worst environmental crooks in Europe!!!

In a recent report by NyTeknik it is noted that Vattenfall only puts 0.04% of their turn-over (2006) into research and development of renewable energy ...

So when will the words of Lars Josefssons come into real action???

Soap nuts

2007-05-06T13:00:00.000+01:00

If you are looking for an all natural washing detergent, look no further, I have found it. Or rather people in India, Pakistan and Nepal have been using the shell of the fruits of the tree Sapindus Mukorossi for millenia. It is high in saponin that is a natural detergent.

The French company Ecoidées sell these fruit shells in Europe. I found them in NaturCoop in Campanha in Porto, Portugal.

I have used them on two washes and it seems to be working just fine, on moderately dirty clothes.

mars bar vs muesly bar

2007-05-04T22:49:00.000+01:00

Mars bar

Content........./100g...../bar (50g)

Energy.........1884kJ.....944kJ
Proteins.........3.7g.......1.9g
Carbohydrates...69.3.......34.7 g
Fats............17.4........8.7

Ingredients:
Sugar, glucose syrup, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, vegetable fat, cocoa paste, lactose, defatted milk powder, whey powder, low fat cocoa powder, butter fat, malted barley, salt, soy lecithin, egg white, hydrolysed mild protein

Hero muesly línea apple
(without added sugar)

Content............/100g....../bar (25g)
Energy.............1335kJ......334kJ
Proteins..............6.6g........1.7g
Carbohydrates........72.2........18.1
...Sugar.............12.5g........3.2g
...Polyalcohols......27...........6.8g
Fats..................5...........1.3
...Saturated..........3.4.........0.9
Alimentary fibres.....5.4.........1.4

Ingredients:
Cereals (oat, barley, wheat, rice and corn) (47%), maltitol syrup, dried apple (10%), salt, concentraded apple juice (7.6%), roasted coco nut flakes, vegatable oil, stabiliser (glycerol), malted barley, E471, citric acid, E450, E500.

Recommended daily energy intake: ca 10 MJ or 10000 kJ.
One mars bars is ca 1MJ and one Hero muesly ca 0.3 MJ
Anyway: one mars bar is 1/10 of the RDI of energy.
Eating muesly bars does not make you slim ...

Climate Prediction

2007-05-02T10:56:00.000+01:00

Today I installed the software for the Climate Prediction.net and joined the Portuguse team.

So now my laptop helps out to calculate predictions of the climate in the near future.

A sweater for your house?

2007-04-30T13:58:00.000+01:00

Why not give your house a sweater!

http://www.secondnatureuk.com/

Insulation made from wool!

Sounds so simple, at it seems to be that simple!

WB encourages deforestation?

2007-04-30T13:53:00.000+01:00

In a news tidbit from February it seems that the World Bank wants to encourage deforestation and ecosystem degradation.

"The World Bank has released a report encouraging the Indonesian government to create vast timber plantations that would damage local ecosystems and livelihood, in order to encourage economic growth."

Read more on:
http://www.theecologist.org/news_detail.asp?content_id=760

REN wants nuclear power in Portugal

2007-04-29T15:39:00.000+01:00

In Jornal de Negocios of 2007-03-27 was an article after an interview with the current president of REN (the electricity grid operator in Portugal) Jose Penedo.

He had some really amazing things to say:

"No cannot think that other countries will take of nuclear power. It has to be resolved by us". That would strike most people as a very weird statement since Portugal does not have nuclear power nor do the current government want to have it! So there is nothing to be taken care or be resolved...

Gladely he thinks that solar and wind power together will cover 50% of Portugal needs for electricity (current usage I guess). So instead of building nuclear power plants as Jose wants one should increase the efficiency of the use of electricity. Doubling the efficiency does not seem very much out of reach!!! At least considering the inefficiency of today ...

Furthermore Jose wants that someone should go to prison for not building a hydroelectric dam in Foz Coa. Jose thinks that UNESCO attributed Foz Coa as World Heritage site made Foz Coa into a prisoner. Go figure what is going on in the grey matter of that guy!!!

Since he is head of the only company in Portugal that distributes electricity he of course wants the company to stay in business. Solar panels and wind power (and wave power) would generate plenty of electricity for REN to distribute.

But it is a bit extreme to introduce nuclear power plants in Portugal and to drown a world heritage site just to stay in business ...

Agros

2007-04-25T14:10:00.000+01:00

There is a new organic milk in Portugal.
Agros (and Lactogal) has spent some money on putting up billboards about their organic milk in Portugal.

But the milk itself is made in France.

According to my favorite ecosalesperson it is because Agros and Lactogal does not want to pay more for organic than conventional milk. But of course they want to charge the consumer twice the price for organic compared with conventional milk. So one perhaps should not be surprised that there yet are no Portuguese organic milk (or milk derived products).

I wrote a letter to Agros some months ago but have yet not received any answer. The certifier says he wants to bring French organic farmers to Portugal, but as long as the farmers cannot expect better price nothing much will happen ...

Moreover, I cannot find information on their website(www.agros.pt), although they apparently has spent plenty of money on a PR campaign in Portugal.

Oddly enough they have a news flash from almost exactly a year ago stating that milk from organic production is not more secure nor better than conventional milk. This is also the only information on milk from organic agriculture on their website
(today 2007-04-25).

Read more (in Portuguese):

http://www.agros.pt/Noticias/noticia173.htm

Leite Biológico Não É Melhor nem Mais Seguro que o
Convencional
3/29/2006 2:04:00 PM

Um estudo da Universidade de Berna, na Suíça, que
comparou o leite biológico com o leite convencional,
concluiu que não existe nenhuma diferença entre ambos,
no que respeita à qualidade, valor nutricional ou
segurança para o consumidor.

Outra das conclusões da pesquisa, avança o
Agrodigital, é que as vacas biológicas produzem, em
média, menos 12% de leite, devido à sua alimentação
ser menos rica em energia, já que não é permitida a
adição de suplementos. No entanto, o consumo de
energia global por litro de leite é maior neste tipo
de produção.

Fonte: Agrodigital

black

2007-04-01T20:22:00.000+01:00

Seth Godin says in his post on the no impact man that "zero is the new black".

We have peaked ...

2007-03-31T20:03:00.001+01:00

Looking at this graph one easily gets the impression that we have reached the oil peak:

See the full store with some nice links on treehugger.

Chiquita - the arms smuggler

2007-03-29T09:53:00.000+01:00

Sometimes life really is so amazingly wicked. And then I mean evil, not cool.

Just the read a post from yesterday on GreenLaGirl about the fruit company Chiquita. It seems they have been smuggling 3400 AK47 to terrorist groups in Latin America. The reason they give is to protect their farmers ...

I am at loss of words ...

Save Sweden's Ancient Old Growth Forests!

2007-03-14T09:11:00.000Z

Yesterday I signed this appeal for saving ancient old growth forests in Sweden.

To the Swedish Government:

- Protect all remaining old growth forest in Sweden,
increase the funding for nature conservation and fulfill the
environmental goals for the forest! (Living forests-levande skogar)

- We want to protect the forms of nature conservation that are
safeguarded by law: nature reserves, biotope protection areas
and national parks!

It is very important that the last ancient old growth forests in
Sweden are under the administration of a non-profit authority,
rather than forest companies.

- An important part demand is that all forests with high value for
biodiversity which were found during the inventory of state
forest shall by protected from forestry!

Stop the clash of civilisation!

2007-03-08T16:07:00.000Z

Talk is rising of a ‘clash of civilizations’. But the problem isn’t culture, it’s politics – from 9/11 to Guantanamo, Iraq to Iran. This clash is not inevitable, and we don't want it.

So where to start? The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the key symbol of the rift between Islam & the West. It's time to step up and take the initiative.

Add your voice below and when leaders meet in late March, the message will be delivered in a way they can’t ignore.

Petition to Israeli, Palestinian & international leaders: The Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies at the heart of a global clash threatening to divide us all. People from every corner of the world want a just and lasting peace in the Middle East - and the international community can and must help bring all sides to the table. Start Real Middle East Talks Now, and stay at the negotiating table until we have peace.

Sign here!

Public consultation of GM maize in Portugal

2007-02-27T23:22:00.000Z

I just participated in an ongoing public consultation on GM maize in Portugal that is open until March 1 2007 (ie thursday). I sent my comments to "Exmo Sr Presidente de Instituto do Ambiente" via email to cpogm at iambiente dot pt.

Read about it here.

My letter is as follows:

Contributo do Johan Benesch para o processo de Consulta Pública relativo às notificações para a libertação deliberada multi-anual de plantas geneticamente modificadas –
Processos B/PT/06/06 e B/PT/07/01.

Espero e desejo que a decisão final sobre estes dossieres seja efectivamente norteada pelo Princípio da Precaução e que o aspecto da irreversibilidade de qualquer libertação ambiental de transgénicos, tal como reconhecido pela Directiva 18/2001/EC , seja sentido e prevaleça sobre miragens tecnológicas desnecessárias e arriscadas.

Abreviatura: GM - geneticamente modificado/a/os/as

Comentários em geral
1.Qual importância tem o Princípio da Precaução em Portugal? Se há uns casos óbvios para aplicação do Princípio da Precaução, são estes.
2.Avaliação destes tipos de projectos deve ser feito em base científica e experiências prévias.
3.O que diz a legislação portuguesa sobre os interesses ambientais na agricultura?
4.O que diz a legislação portuguesa sobre a comparação entre as tecnologias novas e as melhores práticas ( ou seja benchmarking) na agricultura?
5.O que diz a legislação portuguesa sobre a substitição dos métodos ou dos materiais que têm impactos negativos (na saúde humana e no ambiente) por métodos ou materiais que têm um melhor impacto para o ambiente? Ou seja, o Princípio da Substitução.
6.Por que são os sequenciais NDA (DNA) são classificados como CBI? Devem ser descritos nas patentes!
7.Ambos os pedidos não incluem expêriencias doutros países sobre os impactos ambientais destes tipos de produtos e especificamente destes GMs
8.Ambos pedidos não incluem os efeitos ambientais negativos que resultam do uso estes tipos de GM e que são muito bem conhecidos.
9.Especificamente ambos os pedidos não incluem os efeitos negativos ambientais que um uso mais intenso de herbicidas pode ter. Isto é muito importante por que ambas produtos são desenvolvidos para tolerar uso mais frequente e aplicações mais fortes de herbicidas! Também há um “factor de conveniência” que permite aos agricultores aplicarem mais herbicidas e mais frequentemente e que não está descrito nestes pedidos.
10.Usualmente plantas GM (para tolerância de herbicidas) são mais susceptíveis a períodos prolongados de seca de que plantas normais.
11. Experiências prévias mostram a ineficácia de um limite de 400 metros entre GM e os campos com plantas normais.
12.Em ambos os pedidos faltam quaisquer dados sobre os efeitos ambientais (negativos) do uso de plantas GM e em conjunto com o uso de herbicidas.
13.Em ambos pedidos faltam quaisquer informações sobre outros pedidos semelhantes noutros países europeus.
14.Em que sentido são +6 graus muito frio para milho?
15.Em ambos os pedidos faltam planos de seguros para pagamento e indemnização de custos por causa de contaminação GM nas plantas normais de milho nos campos circunvizinhos (Polluter Pays Principle).
16.Em ambos os pedidos faltam planos para monitorização de polém GM nos campos circunvizinhos.
17.Em ambos os pedidos faltam informações sobre os efeitos tóxicos ou nocivos, que podem afectar por exemplo a comida para gados.
18.Em ambos os pedidos faltam descrições sobre os planos de aplicações de herbicídas durante os ensaios (frequência, concentração etc).
19.Em ambos os pedidos faltam planos de estudo sobre os efeitos ambientais dos herbicídas que vão ser usados.
20.Em ambos os pedidos faltam planos de estudo sobre ervas daninhas e estudos sobre a insurgência (ou seja possivel aumento) de ervas daninhas com tolerância aos herbicidas usadas.
21.Até agora os GM de milho que foram desenvolvidos para serem resistentes aos herbicidas ainda não mostraram nenhum efeito positivo no rendimento da colheita no longo prazo. Provavelmente, muito pelo contrário, falham porque confiam somente em um mecanismo de combate às ervas daninhas que desenvolvem razoavelmente resistência aos herbicidas. GM plantas também são um custo adicional para os agricultores.
22.Syngenta e Pioneer parecem desconhecer literatura ciêntifica sobre os efeitos negativos para o ambiente destes tipos de GM e o uso em conjunto das herbicidas. Os seguintes relatórios são muito ilustrativos e contêm vários artigos de jornais ciêntificos:

I.“Impossible coexistence” de Greenpeace, Abril 2006;
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/impossible-coexistence
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/international/press/reports/impossible-coexistence.pdf

II.“Who benefits from gm crops? An analysis of gm crops (1996-1006) de o FOEI, 2007, http://www.foei.org/media/2007/0109.html
http://www.foei.org/publications/pdfs/gmcrops2007execsummary.pdf
http://www.foei.org/publications/pdfs/gmcrops2007highlights.pdf

III.“The Case for A GM-Free Sustainable World” de ISP 2003;
http://www.indsp.org/ISPreportSummary.php
http://www.indsp.org/A%20GM-Free%20Sustainable%20World.pdf

Especificamente por Syngenta
23.O uso do glifosato não é um novidade. É usado há algumas décadas (desde ca 1970).
24.Os objectivos são de avaliar resíduos de glifosato, selectividade e eficiência do glifosato para o GM milho GA21. A empresa Syngenta já sabe tudo sobre isto, do conhecimento que tem de outros campos com áreas semelhantes como seja o clima. Por que razão quer a Syngenta realmente fazer este ensaio?
25.Na análise sobre os efeitos ambientais falta qualquer referência aos conhecimentos sobre os efeitos ambientais negativos do milho com tolerância contra glifosato que também é provavelmente usado com mais frequência neste caso.

Especificamente por Pioneer
26.Este variedade de GM milho tem o dobro da resistência ou seja tem resistência contra dois tipos de herbicidas. Isto sugere a ocorrência de ervas daninhas resistente a um ou a outro tipo de herbicida. A empresa Pioneer esta a incentivar o ocorrência de super ervas daninhas, ou seja de ervas daninhas multi-resistentes?!
27.O Pioneer diz que efeitos ambientais negativos deste GM milho ainda não são registados. Mas como é que é os efeitos têm sido estudados? Há estudos sobre qualquer um estes tipos de tolerância?
28.O parecer da Plataforma OGM Fora de Prato de 2006 sobre ensaios de campo de Pioneer também contém informação muito importante sobre a empresa Pioneer e os ensaios dela.

600000 signatures, only 400000 to go

2007-02-17T15:05:00.000Z

The campaign 1 million against nuclear power has 600000 signatures.

Mine is on the list.
Why not add yours as well?
For a better future for us all!

Project Freesheet and müsli bars

2007-02-16T09:34:00.000Z

Looking around Braga for free sheets, ie issues of Metro, laying around to make a picture for the Project Freesheet and on Flickr. Anyway didn't find any.

Picking up an issue of Metro from one of the stands on Campus de Gualtar I saw in the fine print that the Metro in Portugal is printed on recycled paper. I think they are very lone doing that in Portugal. Not even the environmental NGO Quercus is doing that with its magazine...

In the 2007-02-15 issue of the National Metro in Portugal one article says that not all food rich in fibres are good. Perhaps low in sugar but might be full with fat. One the same note, Müsli bars usually are full with sugars. Hint: if the müsli bar is coated with white chocolate is has got both plenty of sugar and fat. So look for the label for how many calories they contain!

Just things Vol 2 Iss 2 is out!

2007-02-15T13:27:00.000Z

The recovered businesses of Buenos Aires:
http://justthings.info/alternative.

101 Ways, 360 and smoking ban

2007-02-14T09:36:00.000Z

Internet is full of lists on how to improve your environmental impact.

Here is one with 101 points.

Would you use a bank that cannot count?
In Portugal the BES - the holy spirit bank (sic!) - has a commercial saying that if you want a new direction in life you should take a 360 degree turn with them. It is just than turning 360 is making a full circle so you are back where you started. If they really wanted to make full use of the angle analogy they would choose 90.

A recent Swedish report claims that non-smoking personnel that work in bars have much less problems with coughing and red eyes after the smoking ban in bars and restaurants were implemented in Sweden.

A very close shave indeed

2007-02-13T09:33:00.000Z

Some people complain over buzzing sounds. It guess if you live so close to a power line that you can poke on it with a stick you are entitled to forward such complaints.

Found in Braga near this roundabout. Today the house was not on google maps, but you can see a faint shadow of the power line pylon.

The Portuguese regulations say around 1 metre for this type of power line (I guess it is 20 kV). The people at norverde probably thought that no one would notice the power line. Maybe some one will confuse it with the clothes line and put out clothes to dry on it ...

PS:
Rumour has it that the when the company that builds the new shopping mall on the plot between the green building and FeiraNova got their permit the head quarters of one of the political parties in Braga was started being refurbished. But, who believes in rumours ...

Plant 1000000000 trees!

2007-02-12T09:40:00.000Z

During UNs 12th climate conference Wangari Maathai and Prince Albert of Monaco with the support of UN launched the One billion trees campaign.

In the tropics there are 3 billion billion (18 zeros) trees. So it might seem like a very small drop.

The one billion trees are intended to impede erosion and provide income.

Westerners used to suggest plantation of eucalyptus but is so thirsty it will only dry out rivers. And honey from bees living in a native trees gives a lot more profit than one eucalyptus tree.

Unlike most actions in this your are yourself supposed to plant a tree (or even better many trees) and take care of them.

5 positive things about Portugal

2007-02-10T21:21:00.000Z

Just bough a copy (rather a big bag full of different papers) of the saturday issue of Expresso. The section called Unica containts 5 interviews with green entrepreneurs.

ValorCar - recycles old cars. Strips them of parts and recycle or reuse them.

Mario Sua Kay - architect that designs energy efficient houses. He says that we he started people were not impressed with his ideas. Now people are starting to pay attention but still very few environment friendly houses in Portugal.

AoSol - An all Portuguese solar panel company. They design, make and sell solar panels for heating water. All of it in Portugal. They are now developing solar powered systems for desalination of ocean water and purification of grey water. It is free energy they say.

MultiRecolha - They collect used deep frying oil from restaurants. From that they make either oils from machines or diesel.

Quinta do Vale Pequeno - Organic winemaker - Inspired by nature the owner (Luis Mendes) decided that agrotoxins were not necessary. Now they grow grapes and a large variety of fruits and vegetables using organic agriculture. From that they make wines, jams and conserves etc. All ecological!

Portugal really need some heroes, some good examples of how to use good practises. Here they are, enjoy!

Gore frenzy in Lissabon

2007-02-09T09:41:00.000Z

Two days ago Al Gore was i Lissabon to show his movie and give a talk. Going for the talk was something like 500€!

The day after (ie yesterday) Jornal de Negocios was full with articles about climate chaneg and related issues. The editorial said that it is bit too convenient to only put the blame on Bush. In stead we all contribute to the global warming so we all should contribute to get on the green wagon.

Also, RPT1 had a long interview with plenty of slides with some Portuguese scientists from various field describing what is happening, what is the cause and what we can do about it.

In short Gore frenzy!
Hope it will last, not just because of Gore.

KIVA - here is how you can be a micro-financier

2007-02-08T10:43:00.000Z

The Nobel Peace prize 2006 was given to Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank that he founde for their efforts to create economic and social development from below. It works by giving microcredits. But if you go the Grameen bank website you can only donate money ...

Instead if you on want to put up some money in order to provide micro loans KIVA is the choice for you. You can choose to whom and how much you are willing to lend. Typically one third world entrepreneur gets funding from many persons, thus spreading the risk for those that cough up with the money. Typically the entrepreneurs want to take a loan on 500 to 2000 USD with expected pay back within 6 months to 2 years.

Remember it is a loan.
So if you get the money back you can make them available to another micro-entrepreneur.

Modern art in Braga

2007-02-06T14:01:00.000Z

Here is a typical example of modern art in Braga:

This is an installation in a garden near the Gualtar Campus of University of Minho. In the corner of N103 (Nova Estrada) and Rua do Bairro Henriqueta.

You can just hear the kids:
Mom, why is there a modern statue in the garden?

Mom Silvia: - "Rui and Ana, dont play in the garden! Remember what happened when poor Eduardo was here last time..."

I guess this house has absolutely no value on the open market ...

No more bacalhau?

2007-02-05T09:35:00.000Z

The Portuguese still believe that there is endless amounts of cod fish with which they can make bacalhau, or actually the actual bacalhau (dried salted cod fish) is caught in the North Sea and dried and salted in Norway.

Greenpeace and WWF in last December were disappointed with the still large quota of cod fish that the EU fishing ministers agreed upon. The ministers claim that they need to think about both fish stocks and fishers. But Greenpeace and WWF say that the fishing ministers as usual are mocking scientific concerns that the quotas still are way above sustainable levels.

I think the price for bacalhau has gone up in Portugal the last years.

But anyway, the bacalhau is not the most tasty dish on earth. I for one would not be sorry if the Portuguese altogether gave up their bacalhau, and let the cod fish recuperate, at least for a decade or so ...

carbon dioxide negative biodiversity

2007-02-04T13:40:00.000Z

In stead of growing maize (corn) or soy beans one could use a mixture of grasses to make biofuels. Since the grasses catch more CO2 than will be released during production of the grass and biofuels transformation than is done with maize and suy. In the case of maize and soy only a small part of the plant is used. With grasses the whole plant, above ground, is used. Also, the grasses are much easier to grow since they are sturdier. This in part comes from the inherent biodiversity of having many grasses growing on the same plot. Even if one type does not produce so much the over all yield is more stable over time. Also these kinds of grasses can be grown on lands that are degraded. Introducing grasses is good because that will decrease erosion.

See the article on: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1133306.

Notably with the grasses the "need" for gene modification is gone.
And so the need for over-spraying with pesticides.

A reflection over performance and cap-and-trade

2007-02-02T09:19:00.000Z

In Jornal de Negocios2007-01-05 Franquelim Alves claim that cap and trade of CO2 emission will delay EUs development of alternative energy sources. That is a bit odd because it is aimed at encouraging companies to straighten up their or at least decrease their fossil fuel dependence.

He uses a graph in which the increase in CO2 emissions in the US has increased less in the US than in EU during 2000-2004. Has he missed that the eco-foot print per capita of the US is twice as large as in the EU? Between 1990-1995 there was actually a decrease in CO2 emissions in EU15. I wonder what we did right then? At the same time US increased its emissions by little over 6%.

He continues to say that encouragement rather than restrictions are vital to foster innovations in sustainable energy systems. He is at least half right. I say why not use both?! Cap and trade is an American invention that first was implemented in the EU. Nowadays there also exist voluntary cap and trade in the USA. Also, plenty of states and towns in the US have started to implement their own regulations and laws to meet the requirements in the Kyoto Protocol. Notably, a group of large energy "producers" in the US has recently confronted President Bush to implement the Kyoto Protocol on federal level. I don´t know if if is out of environmental concern or that different rules in all states will make it more difficult to compete on national level in the US (and of course having to comply with up to 50 sets of rules does not anyone happy).

Alves goes on to say that one shouldn´t indiscriminately put up wind power towers or start biofuel plantations everywhere because they may have negative impact on the local environment. I couldn´t agree more. If there are environmental concerns make an Environmental Impact Assessment! If not even those that claim to take environment concerns are able to do just that it would be really tragic ...

Things are moving, slowly

2007-02-01T16:55:00.000Z

It is fairly easy to get the impression that Portugal is an underdeveloped country when it comes to environmental issues and understanding. But the things are starting to look better.

In a recent article in the daily economy newspaper Jornal de negocios a comparison was made beyween the relative evolution of GNP and two environmental indicators, CO2 and sulphur emissions. And looks like this for 1995 and 2004:

In relative terms a very weak improvement CO2 per GNP and a definitive improvement in sulphur emissions in relative terms although they were on the same level. Because of EU directives the sulphur content of fossil fuels have gone down leading to improvements in energy "production" but instead transport and constructions has decreased the environmental efficiency over this period. It only points to fact that it is not economy but technology and effective regulations that govern environmental impact (many neoliberal economist want to claim the opposite).

That constructions is not efficient is fairly evident, things take time, quite literally, and newly build houses are falling part only 10 years after completion. An EU directive on certification of the energy efficiency of houses (similar to the labelling of white wares) came into force a few weeks, but there is a lack of technicians to perform the certification (Metro National Portugal 2007-01-26). Not to mention the lack of know-how on how to build sustainable and energy efficient houses and other buildings ... or rather the know-how has not been translated to the persons that own construction companies and those that lead the constructions. I have a feeling that the workers do as they are told even if they know the boss is wrong.

In the same issue of JdN it says that by 2010 half government and other authority competitions for constructions and other procurements should include environmental aspects. Again, the biggest hurdle is building up buyer competence.

On a more positive note S Pedro de Moel has been chosen as the first site in Portugal for the evaluation of wave energy. Also, energy wasting light bulbs is expected to soon be subjected to a CO2 emission tax. In more general terms the current government seem to positive to the increase of biogas and innovative solar energy installations.

Even so Portugal has just abided by to EU directives that demand environmental assessment and public feedback on programmes and plans that will have considerable environmental impact. I am not sure where they draw the line.

So, things are slowly moving in the right direction for Portugal.
Boa!

Congestion tax in Portugal

2007-01-30T20:52:00.000Z

Yesterday there was a sentence in an article about the recent statements from the Portugese governments on plans to become more sustainable that hinted that the government is not only positive towards congestion tax at least in the larger cities in Portugal but also started to talk with the mayors about it. Probably Lissabon and Porto.

Today came the reply in an article in Metro (national edition). On the front page it said that the municipalities do not want congestion tax. If you read the article the mayor in Porto basically says that congestion taxes are out of the question because their public transport system is lousy. His counterpart says that it is not a new question but cannot be discussed on its own. In short, they do not say no, but certainly not a strong support of the idea.

Quercus on the other hand says that congestion taxes are a bad idea as long there are cheaper ideas available such as making sure there are parking fees everywhere in the city or higher road tolls for people are alone in their cars. Putting parking meters all over Porto does not sound like a cheap deal, also Portugal has road tolls with a transponder, how do the propose to handle single drivers? In the US you can already buy inflatable "commuter buddies".

I think there is some kind of road toll for inner city traffic in Lissabon already, or at least part of the inner circular road (CRIL?). Should not be difficult to expand that.

In both cases the congestion tax could or rather should be used to improve the public transport system in the respective city!

Btw
Today I became a happy owner of two new books
State of the World 2007 Our Urban Future from the Worldwatch Institute and
100 000 000 Guinea Pigs Dangers in everyday foods, drugs and cosmetics by Arthur Kallet and F.J. Schlink writtein in 1932 printed in 1933.

The latter I managed to get hold thanks to amazon market place, but I do not understand why there are water tight sections between countries. I didn't find it on either .co.uk nor .de only on .com ...

36 11 66

2007-01-29T21:10:00.000Z

Some clips from Jornal de Negocios 2007-01-29:

The numbers above are the percental increase in wind, hydro and biomass power the Portuguese government aims at for 2010. Now that probably seems little especially (wind and biomass) since wind power is considered one of largest potential in Portugal. But one of the dams are planned to be on a World Heritage Site! Also, biomass energy probably could increase multiple times its current use if all rest products from agriculture, and energy crops where introduced.

Also, the government foresees plenty (50000 til 2010) of microgeneration installations! That is also part of distributed energy generation system that will be studied (and developed) by FEUP and MIT.

Even so, talk about congestion taxes for Lissabon and Porto has surfaced at government level! See the previous post.

Portugal just started to get interesting!

Btw:
University of Minho has to pay a fine of 700 000€ because some century old cork oaks (sobreiros centenarios) were cut down during a recent construction on one the campi. The story is not improved by the severe budget cuts from the state (ca 10% or is 20%), now the principal is soaking up all reserves that the departments have to manage this year. If nothing drastic happens until next, such as a large increase in students, the axe will probably swing next year ...

Lavera Basic Toothpaste

2007-01-28T17:49:00.000Z

Water (Aqua)
Sorbitol - a kind of sugar. Some may have concerns about but it is because often it is needed to labelled as a laxative, but one need to eat a LOT before that happens. Considered safe as food additive.
Hydrated Silica - NAS - I think it used as an abrasive agent.
Sodium cocoyl glutamate - NAS
Disodium cocoyl glutamate - NAS
Maris sal - sea salt
Sodium Fluoride - to help maintain the integrity of the tooth enamel. But avoid to swallow epecially if you are a kind and your tap water is fluorinated.
Xanthan Gum - a natural polysaccharide used to modify the texture. Quite safe.
Arnica Montana * - may lead to irritation if applied to broken skin. So avoid if your gums are bleeding. Also, if not prepared properly is not at all good. See wikipedia.
Echinacea purpurea * - Eastern purple coneflower. Some may be really allergic to this.
Menta piperita * - Peppermint.
Titanium dioxide - Probably to make the tooth paste white. Oddly there are concerns that it is cancerogenic. TiOx is formed on titanium implants and is the cause of its success in biomedical devices, but then it is big and not a powder.
Commiphora Myrrha - Myrrh - not yet approved as food additive.
Flavor (aroma) ** - Could as usual be anything.
Limonene ** - In the EU classified as irritating to the skin, skin sensitiser and dangerous to the environment.

* - ingredient for certified organic agriculture
** - natural essential oils

0.14% Fluorine - 1400ppm.

Strange that a company that sells products under the flag of organic culture that they include something that has been classified as dangerous to the environment!!! Also, this product is part of their "sensitiv" product line ...

I have sent an email to Lavera over a week ago but still no reply.

Well, sadly, the hunt for a good tooth paste continues!

Natyr Aloe Vera deodorant

2007-01-28T16:57:00.000Z

This time my attention goes to a deodorant marketed by the Italian fair trade distributor CTM Altro mercato: Natyr Aloe Vera deodorant with peach and camomile.

Water
Aloe barbadensis * - extract from Aloe Vera.
Aluminium cholorohydrate - the antiperspirant
Glycerin - moisturiser - probably safe.
Cetearyl isononate - moisturiser - probably safe but NAS.
Ceteareth-20 - moisturiser - probably safe - not safe on damaged skin, penetration enhancer and potential harmful impurities or decay products.
Cetearyl-20 - moisturiser - probably safe.
Cetearyl alcohol - moisturiser - probably safe but NAS.
Glyceryl stearate - moisturiser - probably safe but NAS
Cetearyl palmitate - ???
Cetereath-12 - No idea - but see C20 above.
PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil - probably safe up to a certain limit.
Prunus persica * - Peach.
Anthemis nobilis * - Camomile - allergen.
Benzoic acid - considerad safe as a food additive in which it is used as preservative. Allergen.
Dehydroacetic acid - considerad safe as food additive but there also are concerns about its environmental impact.
Perfume - As always that can be anything including nasty stuff like synthetic musks.

NAS - Not assessed for safety.

* From Fair Trade certified producer.

Overall it seems of low to moderate concern but contain two allergens: camomile and benzoic acid. Gladly for me I am not allergic to any of those. But the idea that it contains skin penetrations enhancers C20 (probably also C12) is kind of unsettling especially for people that unwittingly have allergies.

It would have been so much nicer if all ingredients were good, withouth any concerns even after high quality assessment, but some of the many of the cetearyl chemicals have not been assessed for safety! But that is a very common concern for household chemicals!!!

I have sent an email to CTM asking them to improve their product(s).
Notably the page on CTM with deodorant does not mention any of the non-fair trade ingredients!!!

This time I limited the check to EWGs Skin Deep.

Flygande Jakob

2007-01-28T12:40:00.000Z

Flying Jacob, Tiago voando ou Jacó voando
6 persons

Put the oven on 225 C.

1 kg grilled chicken filets (skinned)
150 g bacon
3 bananas
5 dl whipping cream
5 table spoons of Heinz chili sauce
1 1/2 peanuts
Basil and oregano.

Shred the chicken.
Cut the bacon in small pieces and fry crispy.
Put in an oven proof pan.
Sprinkle with spices, don't go shy on the spices!
Slice the bananas and put over the meat.
Whip the cream and mix in the chili sauce,
and pour over the bananas.
Sprinkle over the pea nuts.
Put in the oven for 15 minutes.

Serve with rice, salad and beer.

Notes:

The peanuts usually are salted so need to add more salt.
This is quite heavy stuff!

Everything but Heinz chili sauce can be found as organic produce!
Heinz can be replaced with ketchup and chilli, both which can be found as organic produce!
It is easier to buy ready grilled chicken, but not so likely to be from organic agriculture.
Instead buy an organic one, cut in small pieces and fry in the bacon fat.
Some try to make a low fat version by removing the chicken skin, but then there is whipped cream and bacon, and peanuts in there, plenty of fat!!!

Any Swede would take this as a flashback to the early 1980’s.

Expresso and CO2 offsets

2007-01-28T12:18:00.000Z

The Portuguese daily newspaper has set our impact on the environment as a theme for February 2007. Every saturday issue will include articles and interviews regarding global warming etc. Those 4 issues will also be carbon offset in collaboration with Carbono Zero. A project that lets you calculate your environmental impact in terms on home you heat your house, home garbage you produce and how and how much you travel to work. Then they calculate your CO2 emissions. Then give you the opportunity to buy carbon offets for purchasing trees in some (although unprotected) areas in Portugal.

Hopefully this will raise the awareness of the stakes at hand but buying offsets might be best way to deal with your own impact, although Portugal certainly has lost plenty of trees the last couple of years in the annual summer forest fires.

This also makes me wonder if Expresso have any idea where and how the trees than end in their newspaper are grown, and how the paper mass is produced?! As far as I know less than 5% of the forests in Portugal are certified. Also, I guess that most paper still are bleached with chlorine (sodium hypochlorite or chlorine gas). And certainly no recycle paper...

The Portuguese prime minister Socrates recently said that climate change is a global challenge and has thus proposed a package of measure to make sure that Portugal will be able to conform wth the Kyoto Protocol. Expresso 2007-01-27 mentions some examples of this package: 45% electricity from renewable sources in Portugal by 2010, 10% of public transport should use biofuels (no deadline mentioned) and to implement a system for taking environmental concerns in public procurements (again no deadline).

Also, the state energy company EDP (energias de portugal) has in a recent strategic meeting said that their investments until 2010 will be at least 50% on renewable energy sources.

Freesheet project

2007-01-26T10:04:00.000Z

Do you have any pics of freesheet (ie the one you do not pay for) newspapers littering streets, parks, lakes you name it? Post them on Project Freesheet.

'Paper comprises a third of the waste sent to municipal landfills, where along with other impacts, it breaks down and produces methane, a greenhouse gas with 21 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide' - the Alliance for Environmental Innovation

Help them to obtain 1.5 million of your freesheet newspaper images to highlight the effect of freesheets on our streets and our environment.

Tell Denmark not to support Japanese whaling

2007-01-25T21:24:00.000Z

I just signed up for the defending the whales campaign by an sending email to the Danish foreign minister Per Stig Møller asking him and Denmark not to support Japanese whaling by not be present at the Japanese pro-whaling early February. The idea is that their presence would be taken as a sign that Denmark is pro-whaling. And not being would be a sign to the contrary.