Last week my personal equilibrium was assaulted by an idiot from Scottish Hydro. This was later followed up by a pointless email from their customer service department who suggested I go and buy a sticker and decorate my door with it and their sales reps *may* adhere to the reques but, since the sticker is not legally binding, then again they may not.

This week my personal space, and indeed my personal equilibrium, has been assaulted by a charity no less.

Plastic bags are banned from my home. People who bring them in, even my mother-in-law, are given them back as they leave. Plastic bags are a scourge to the environment, whether they have a supermarket logo on them, or indeed a charity logo. As a person who sees the impact of plastic rubbish on wildlife, I detest them.

Since we moved here I have become increasingly appalled at the sheer volume of plastic sacks that are shoved through my letterbox by various charities (and companies trying to appear as charities). Some weeks I find myself with five different plastic bags begging for my old clothes. No-one, not even me, has enough clutter to fill these sacks. Each time one appears I have to take responsibility for the plastic piece of rubbish that it becomes because there is no-one to hand them back to.

Today, as I wandered to the kitchen for a coffee, I noticed that some idiot had left one of these sacks in my garden. Rather than walk four feet further and climb a thigh killing three steps to my front door and letterbox, they decided to simply dump their piece of DiabetesUK plastic waste in my garden. When I had collected the rubbish from my garden, I placed a call to the number on the sack to complain. You could say I reached the tipping point.

It seems that it is not even DiabetesUK who left the sack there, but a company they pay to deliver them. This means that the hard earned money that people donate to their charity is actually being used to pay non charity litter louts.

Having made the call, I then noticed that it wasn't just my garden that had been treated with such disrespect - the property next door also had a baggy dumped - this time on top of the wheelie bin at the top of the stairs. This property is empty and no-one will be there to collect the litter. When the wind picks up, I wonder what will happen to that piece of plastic waste?

Have you heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Or the plastic islands in the Atlantic Ocean's Sargasso Sea?

Charity status should not mean these organisations are free to litter and pollute our world.

More »

Charity Pollution and Littering originally appeared on Taexalia on August 20, 2010.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Decline at biggest UK puffin site

Regular readers will know that I am a regular visitor to the Scottish Seabird Centre where I enjoy getting up close with the bird colonies that nest on the Forth Islands via some funky remote control camera links.

Sadly the Puffins in the Forth are facing challenges these days that put their longterm presence in the Firth of Forth at risk. Volunteers have spent winters cutting back the non-native Tree Mallow plants that have taken up root here. These plants normally grow in the Meditteranean but seem to have followed a warmer climate North. Tree Mallow blocks access to the Puffin burrows and if left to spread will result in the loss of a breeding colony.

Now the Isle of May, the largest puffin breeding site in the UK, is showing a decline in returning birds - and many of those that have returned are underweight. Experts believe the decline is linked to climate change and lack of food in the sea.

More »

Worrying Decline at Isle of May Puffin Site originally appeared on Taexalia on June 4, 2008.

This has long been a call to arms for nationalists in Scotland. I have even been known to mutter about the fact that Scotland is oft referred to as the only nation in the world to have struck oil and become poorer. I remember seeing graffiti as a youngster, I think it was on that railway bridge on the A96 that now has traffic lights (ye ken the een that has the 45 degree blin corner and sometimes a neddie in the field on the richt heading North?) - the graffiti said something like "Free Scotland, it's Scotland's oil."

Actually thinking about it, my memory may be melding graffiti memories - the "oil" graffiti may have been somewhere on the road to Crimond.

Anyway, back to 2008 and Alex Salmond is predicting Scotland's fury over fuel costs. He suggests that there's something amiss about the rising costs of petrol in Scotland and the extra monies heading to Westminster as opposed to Holyrood. Maybe he has a point. I don't know the full economics but it does seem unjust that an oil producing nation is paying such high fuel costs.

But then again how does all of this rest against claims that his government aim to reduce Scotland's carbon footprint?

It's a complicated topic even for me - a non driving non petrol igniting hippy - because rising fuel costs indirectly impacts me in other ways, and if the economy starts slipping due to uncompetitive business/fuel costs, well that isn't good for anyone. But if we are really committed to carbon footprint reduction then we really need to look a bit more closely at walking our talk. (Aye and that includes supporters of Trumpton)

Oil production doesn't just produce a carbon footprint, it also impacts the wildlife of the sea. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society are currently campaigning to protect one of Scotland's treasures - the most northerly community of Bottlenose Dolphins in the world who live in the Moray Firth. I am one of Rainbow's adoptive humans and have been for a few years, and I know that she and her friends and family are at risk from the proposed oil exploration in the Moray Firth. Can we really afford to lose our dolphins for the sake of driving to work? Or unlimited supplies of single use carrier bags?

More »

Oily Thorn originally appeared on Taexalia on May 29, 2008.

"Mr Salmond is forbidden to take part in the planning process."Salmond's Meeting with Trump Team

This is not my opinion, it is written into the role of First Minister and should be adhered to by anyone holding the role of First Minister. Since Alex Salmond has been very vocal this week in demanding Wendy Alexander resign over allegations of sleaze, I would like to ask Alex Salmond to resign because it seems to me that his actions are just as questionable.

Mr Salmond says ~ "As first minister I am excluded from the planning process and cannot make a public statement either for or against the decision."

The most important word in that statement is "public" - because it has been fairly obvious for months that in meetings with Trump and his organisation, he has quite a lot to say. This is sleaze plain and simple and I do not want to see our government becoming just another government that is a slave to corporate might.

I'm beginning to think the Scottish Government is as useless an institution at serving Scotland's people as the Westminster government is/was. I am all for independence but I am convinced that Alex Salmond and the SNP should have nothing to do with that process - how can this country be independent if its government is already in the pockets of the likes of Donald Trump?

More »

Salmond Met With Trump Golf Team The Night Before Ministers Called In The Application… originally appeared on Taexalia on December 9, 2007.

I have been thinking about *stuff* today, actually I've been thinking about *stuff* for some time. I mean I seem to be on a constant collision course with *stuff* - tidying it, organising it, de-cluttering it, recycling it, getting depressed about it and wondering just how we manage to accumulate it. I don't even buy that much, aside from books so I'm really not a big offender in the shopaholic consumer field.

This year I have donated bags and boxes of *stuff* to charity in an attempt to downsize and de-clutter, but right now I am facing the prospect of the post Christmas trauma - the day when, after all the relatives have gone, I have to begin the assimilation of all the new *stuff* into our lives and home.

Don't get me wrong, I like surprises and presents - but why is it that every year I am inundated with messages asking me for a Christmas list, or asking me to tell people what to buy for Himself? I mean I do agree that it's better to get something that I want or need, but doesn't the magic tarnish a little when it seems to be all about *stuff* and consumerism? That drive to go out and buy even when it seems the shopper doesn't actually know what the person they are buying for might like...

My favourite part is really having our closest family and the dog stuffed into out lounge laughing and talking, the accumulation of *stuff* is falling further down the list of priorities - gosh maybe I am growing up?!?!?! *pauses to consider this disturbing fact*

Nah, I'm not growing up - I think it has to do with the fact that *stuff* is the problem that needs to be tackled if we are in any way committed to preserving our natural world. I watched a wee cartoon today with Annie Leonard called The Story of Stuff and it made me think about how we have become programmed to consume, and even those of us with green outlooks can still be hooked into the *stuff* cycle.

I'm actually thinking about telling everyone not to buy me anything at all.

More »

*Stuff* originally appeared on Taexalia on December 7, 2007.

Original 106 Aberdeen - Martin Ford Podcast

This is a very interesting piece that was broadcast this morning. It is clear that the media in Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire is biased - listen to the interviewer interrupt Martin Ford as he speaks which is yet another form of bullying.

There is absolutely no need to build on the SSSI and the importance of the SSSI is the major reason this application should be refused. The issue of building on the SSSI is of importance to everyone in the UK - because if Donald Trump is allowed to build on it, then every other developer will expect to be allowed to build on SSSI's.

I simply do NOT believe that 400 minimum wage service jobs will be the economic saviour of the North East. I do not believe that if and when the oil and gas industry ends the people employed there will say "OK I need a job, I know I'll go and work for Donald Trump cleaning hotel bedrooms."

I do not believe that loss of unique habitat and species is the price to be paid for economic stability.

More »

Martin Ford Speaks About Decision To Reject Trump Plans originally appeared on Taexalia on December 7, 2007.

Well the controversy about the sand dunes at Menie Estate continues. Quite why people think it is OK to ignore the SSSI status of this site is something that concerns me because this is not just about Donald Trump, this is about the conservation of our natural habitat all over these islands - if the SSSI status of these dunes is ignored then how many more developers will argue their right to build on them?

Now the Scottish Government have "called in" the plans, and Martin Ford is facing a no confidence vote, and I am left wondering about how the planning process can be totally over-ridden in such a manner, and whether this is actually legal. It is highly unusual for ministers to call in a plan that was rejected.

It seems a little late to be deciding that the planning process, or the individuals sitting on committees, are not up to scratch - why were these questions not asked sooner?

I am deeply concerned by the involvement of the Scottish Government - I heard Brian Adam, the SNP MSP (say that fast five times!) for Aberdeen North speaking on Radio 2 today and one of the things he said was that of course Alex Salmond cannot comment on this issue because of his role as First Minister. If this is the case, then what exactly was Salmond doing having dinner with Donald Trump in October? Hardly being impartial, was he?

It also seems that anyone who voices their opinion against this development becomes a target for the language of the bully. I do not think objections come from small minds, nor people who need to get a life and I don't think the message really is that big business cannot be done in Scotland ~ these pronunciations and more are simply attempts to bully people into submission and I see right through them.

More »

Strange Happenings In The Corridors Of Power originally appeared on Taexalia on December 5, 2007.

Regular readers know my feelings about Donald Trump and his plans to annihilate a sand dune system to turn it into a golf resort resplendent with a monstrous hotel that would blight the landscape, hundreds of houses and some condo towers. The fact that these sand dunes are now a rare type of eco-system and have SSSI status seems to be ignored by Trump, his organisation and various people in Aberdeenshire.

It was a short moment of celebration when it was announced that the infrastructure committee rejected the plans because the news soon broke that Aberdeenshire Council had decided to call an emergency meeting with a view to overturning this decision.

This brings into question the ethics of the council and the validity of the planning process - what is the point of putting development plans before these committees if the council leader will pull strings to get her own desired result?

I say this because it is my understanding that Anne Robertson, Aberdeenshire Council Leader, opened last week's meeting of the Formartine Area Committee with a speech wholly supporting the plans - this is a very unusual way of opening a meeting of a planning committee and does not exactly foster open debate and decision making.

She has also failed, thus far, to speak out against the assault of one of her Councillors, Debra Storr, following her vote against the plans in the infrastructure committee meeting.

My belief is that there is a process in place for development plans, and this process needs to be followed - it cannot be re-arranged to suit specific individuals.

So the need to speak out against this environmental destruction continues and first port of call is to add your vote to the Poll being run by the (heavily biased) Press & Journal newspaper:

PLEASE VOTE HERE

You can also Digg the article for this poll HERE.

Sustainable Aberdeenshire would welcome the support of anyone who wishes to get involved with letter writing, awareness raising etc - and you don't need to be in Aberdeen or even Scotland

You can sign the following petitions:

• Downing Street (UK Parliament)
• Sustainable Aberdeenshire

More information about the proposed development can be found on these sites:

• Menie Scotland
• Menie Links

Thank you!!!

More »

Is Aberdeenshire Council Corrupt??? originally appeared on Taexalia on December 1, 2007.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7118105.stm

Breaking News - Donald Trump's plans to build tower blocks, houses and golf courses on 4,000 year old sand dunes with SSSI status have been rejected!

I am lost for words over how ecstatic I am to be typing this!!!!

YIPPEE!

More »

Trump Trumped! originally appeared on Taexalia on November 29, 2007.

I kid you not, I have just had a blast! I am now bereft because my wee abode only boasts three plug-holes and I am considering going door to door with my cup and ingredients offering to do domestics for free.

You see I am a child of consumerism, by the time I came along marketing had become big business and the simple pleasures in life had been obscured by catchphrases teaching us that the only way to domesticity was the use of the latest triple action wonder product. The problem is that your average triple action wonder product underplays the labels and symbols hinting at the hazardous industrial chemicals stashed in your wee pink bottle. Carcinogens, hormone disruptors, neurotoxic solvents and mood-altering chemicals abound - and that's just your shampoo, never mind the stuff you pour down your bog once a week.

So my quest for a chemical free life has just become exciting - almost as frothy as the language I may use for my NaNoWriMo novel! I decided to clean my drains. Now I don't think my drains are particularly dirty - the one in the kitchen has some brand new bits - and none of them are problematic. But I had all these old skool things and a method so I decided to give it a blast.

First, the method

Combine 1/3 of a cup of bicarbonate of soda with 1/3 of a cup of vinegar in a large container then quickly pour it down the plug.

If you read the link you may feel that there is some time delay before the fizzing starts indicated by the paragraph length and also the huge gap between paragraphs. This is not so. I put my vinegar into my cup and then poured my bicarbonate of soda in. Luckily the cup was vaguely over the sink because the explosion of foam was instantaneous!!! I whooped in shock!!! What fun!!

I immediately ran to the kitchen plug to try it again, then the bath had to have a go...

I think of all the years my mother spent arguing with me, trying to cajole me into helping with housework - how depressing the idea of a cloth and cleaner seemed. If only she had kept to the old methods and bribed me with this - "If you do the hoovering I'll let you clean the drains with bicarb and vinegar" - I would have been Little Miss Domestic!

More »

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Is The *Most* Fun! originally appeared on Taexalia on October 31, 2007.