Thursday, July 31, 2008

Rising fuel costs make the case for green electricity

With gas and electricity prices rising, one would hope that it would make green electricity (i.e. from renewable sources) more attractive. There is no reason for the price of green electricity to rise, as it is not related to the cost of gas. (You can sign up for green electricity here.)

When are either Labour or the Conservatives going to make a firm commitment to changing tax policy to make green energy the same, or cheaper, than conventional electricity? Until they do, they cannot be taken seriously on their "commitment" to cutting carbon emissions. They should have voted for an 80% cut in emissions by 2050, because 60% is not enough).

Indeed, the Lib Dem policy is to work towards a Zero Carbon Britain. See also carbon-free transport policy paper (PDF)

Lib Dem call for action on rising energy costs

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Is your council prioritising positive activities?

Many of us are concerned about all the targets that central Government sets for local government. But while they are still all there, perhaps it's worth taking a look at which of the optional targets a council chooses to prioritise. Tim Davies asks Is your council prioritising positive activities?

I was particularly interested to note that only 77 councils are prioritising positive activities for young people; 45 have child poverty as a high priority, and fewer than that are focusing on other targets for young people.