The Scalding Potato Of Shame

Hey, people of the world!
It's that exam time of the year again, which means for me, it's time to write a blog instead of revising! Today I thought I'd talk to you about... well, seeing as it's just been Christmas, I'll deliver it to you in charade form. It's two words...first word. Starts with C. Second word... starts with C...
To be honest, I think you guys could have guessed before I even started the charade. No-one wanted the charade! ... It's climate change, pretty unsurprisingly.

Now that we've cleared that up, I will launch into the main body of the blog.
I'm going to talk to you a little bit about emissions of a rather infamous gas. Gas and money, to be more specific. Let's get down to it.
Okay, so countries that emit the most CO2 are GENERALLY more economically developed countries (MEDCs). Not mentioning any names, of course. Hang on, I'm having a coughing fit... *coughs* *emits a cough that sounds strangely like "united states", then dissolves into a fit of chokes*... Phew, that was some coughing fit. Anyway, not mentioning any names, that is usually the case. They have more money, so more power. Power having a bit of a double entendre here - power in the political sense AND power in the energy sense. This, of course, leads to an insane amount of energy being consumed, and... well. Karma finally catches up with those icebergs that sank the Titanic.

However, it's not ALWAYS the case.
Perhaps I am all to keen to stick up for my people (I'm not American, but at the same time, as much as we try to deflect this on them, we're not entirely blameless either), but it's quite hard to overlook the fact that the HIGHEST CO2 emissions by country actually come from China. Which is not actually classified as an MEDC yet, although it's on its way there. Yet, whilst we're so busy throwing the blame around like a hot potato, it should be noted China has a much bigger population, and emissions of CO2 per capita (person) are actually MORE THAN THREE TIMES LESS than the USA's.

The potato is back in the USA's scalding fist.

(If that was not a dramatic sentence, believe me, there is not a sentence on this earth that is.)
And hang on, I thought you weren't mentioning any names? Shame on you!

But what about those who don't have a potato to their names? What about the really, cripplingly poor, less economically developed countries? Well, I'll lay out a few facts on the pitifully empty LEDC table. We'll pass a small potato, (perhaps a new potato) from fist to fist. 

 - On the one hand, we have the simple truth: these people do not have enough money to consume energy at the rate that MEDCs can. In metric tons of CO2 per capita, to put things in perspective, in 2009, the people of Sierra Leone had emissions of approx 0.2 tons per person. The USA had 17.3 tons each. 

 - LEDCs often have bigger populations than MEDCs - generally. The USA is something of an anomaly in this instance. India's a prime example, though. I think we can agree that it's somehow ironic that they STILL emit much less CO2 than us, can't we?

So far, the stats are looking pretty good for the LEDCs. They've barely received a glancing blow from the scalding potato of shame. But I think it's time to bring out the burn ointment now, because the potato's just landed in their hands. When these people do use energy, it's often not sourced by the most efficient or sustainable means. For those in LEDCs who don't have access to mains power supplies - 1.5bn people- often, fuels such as Kerosene/(Parrafin) are depended on to provide light and heat at night. For the amount of CO2 that's emitted by these fuels, they're not really getting the highest or most efficient energy output that they could get. And available alternatives to kerosene, like wood, is leading to forests in these areas being chopped down - and desertification happening as a result. It's a vicious cycle.

I think I've reached the general point in this blog in which the sentence '"So what shall we do?" I hear you cry' generally puts in an appearance (i.e. when the article comprises 70% ramble, 30% information).
I know you've been waiting for it, and who am I to disappoint?
"So what shall we do?" I hear you cry.
Well, now that you've so kindly asked, there IS something you can do.

As I was browsing the internet aimlessly as usual, (I'm sure you can relate), I came across this. I was so impressed that I actually 'liked' it on Facebook - probably a first for me on external links. It is genuinely a viable solution to the previous paragraph's dilemma - LEDCs have enough problems on their hands, and I'm determined that burns from the potato of climate change shame should not be one of them.
I'll give a quick summary to entice you in, but I'm not going to go to town on it, because I've already spent an hour and a half writing this.
It's called a GravityLight, and it basically uses the power of gravity to fuel an electric light. You fill the bag with rocks, hoist it up, and as the rocks are slowly pulled towards the earth, it generates electricity. No CO2. Minimal effort. Low cost. A genuine solution, n'est-ce pas?
The guys at the project need a bit of help with funding, so they've got this fundraising page-thing to collect funds. It's got all the information you'd want to know, so I'll link it.

The amount of time I've spent on this blog is getting ridiculous, and the smiling girl on the cover my Chemistry textbook seems to be staring at me in burning accusation. Ouch. I think even the potato was easier to handle than that. I think it's time to put the potato to bed now. In fact, let's just cut it up and share it. Like the famous Christmas song commands, we'll feed the world with it.

And now is the section of links:
Most importantly, here's the link for GravityLight: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/282006?c=home . Even if you're not planning on donating, all the information on there's good stuff.

As always, I like to link my good old WWF: http://www.wwf.org.uk/
Earth hour is coming up again! I'll probably do a feature on it later, but for the time being, the link to the Earth Hour site: http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/ and the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UywrjnOaUE

To view the Oxford English Dictionary definition of "Procrastination from Revising", check out www.savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com . You might want to share that link a few times, too. 
Arrivederci!
- SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen
(aka exam dropout of the future).

LEDC = Less Economically Developed Country. A random example would be somewhere like Ethiopia.
MEDCs = More Economically Developed Country. MEDCs are generally... YOU. Or wherever you live (I've seen my global audience stats).
I am a complete sucker for Geography, if you hadn't guessed. 

Words of an eight year old...

Just a quickie, people of the world!
I found my first ever 'climate change blog' from when I was eight years old on my computer.

We have used too much electricity and energy witch is producing carbon-dioxide and is creating global warming. You may have heard of this before. It means the earth is getting warmer and warmer. Sounds good to the sunbathers doesn’t it? NO!!! They won’t be doing sunbathing any more. By summer 2050 the temperature will have rose by 2 degrees. Not a lot. But it will melt Greenland’s ice cap and it will flood the south-east of England. Thats US, in case you didn’t know  . And it will cause more forest fires. SO WE BETTER BE CAREFUL!!    

Oh, you've got to love the bad grammar, excessive exclamation marks and Comic Sans font, haven't you?

I think we'd better heed Young Me's advice. 

We really had better be careful. 

Arrivederci!

-SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen

(yes, I know that was a very abrupt post, with a very abrupt end. It's designed to create impact.)

www.savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com 

If you could, can you share, tweet, facebook, comment or whatever on this?
Read my previous blog posts :)

Although the last one was decidedly a little dodgy. Perhaps ignore that one. 

An Ode To Dave

Hey, people of the world,
I just wanted to say a few words about one of my heroes: David Attenborough (how predictable!).Yeah, so it's no surprise I idolise him, but I don't think I can keep a conservation blog without mentioning him at least once. As he celebrates his sixty years in broadcasting, now seems as good a time as ever to compose my Ode to Dave.

Dear David Attenborough, 
Words cannot convey the vast extent of respect I have for you, so I wonder why I'm even trying. Where could I start? Perhaps I could start at how you're bloody amazing for your age, you dog! Honestly, I don't know many 86 year olds who get around as much as you.
I have to ask the question: where would the world be without you? You're almost singlehandedly responsible for saving whole species on some counts. Your work is accountable for making environmental issues a household talking point, in Britain if not internationally. Most personally to me, you have fuelled my passion for the environment, and my desire to just do something to protect the world that you have shown to be so beautiful. Maybe you don't even know yourself how instrumental you've been in protecting the planet to the level we have so far. As far as I see it, if you hadn't been on our screens and our radios for the past sixty years, the message wouldn't have got through to us, as a nation, until it was far too late. As it stands, the notice you gave us has borrowed us significant time. Of course, one picks up on the fact I said borrowed; that's not escaped anyone's notice. As this is an open letter, I'll address them too: yes, people. We have time. It is borrowed time, granted, but it's time nonetheless. Let's choose what to do with it wisely, eh? Sorry about that, Dave. Back to the letter. 
I don't know what else I can say except for the fact that I admire you so much. This is probably getting a little sickening now, but words, as aforementioned, aren't enough to express just how much your work has meant to me over the years. I mean, I turn on the TV and see you just casually sitting there right next to wild gorillas, chatting away beside the last ever giant Pinta tortoise (R.I.P, Lonesome George. We’ll fight in your name), not to mention gone to the bloody North AND South Poles for weeks of filming at the age of bloody 85! Sir David Attenborough, you are a legend among men. I don't think there is a person on this whole planet who I respect QUITE as much as I do you (Hmm, perhaps this makes me come across as rather disrespectful in general. I'm not. I realise this statement would create much more of an impact if you knew me. Well, if only! ... Okay, that was one step too far. Move on!). I think I will round this thing up due to risk of overkill. 
Honestly, if I could be half the conservationist you are, if I could just see a quarter of the things you've seen, God be my witness, I would die fulfilled. And no, I don't think I can finish this post without admitting that I really, really love you. 
Thank you, Dave / Mr A. / Sir David.
It has been life changing.


(N.B: I find it mildly amusing to think that whilst many of my peers are swooning over pretty-boy bands such as One Direction, I'm sitting here declaring my love for an 86 year old man. And believe me, folks, I wouldn't have it any other way.)

www.savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com

Hope, opportunity, and all that stuff comes to mind.

Hey, people of the world!
Yes, I am awful. How many months has it been since I last posted? I don't know, but too many. What kind of example am I setting to you guys?
Moving swiftly on from that unsubstantial apology, I have something exciting to share with you! Earth Hour 2013's official video!! (hmm, maybe that came as a bit of an anticlimax for some...) So I was Youtubing - when I probably should have been doing something productive - and I just stumbled across it. Watching it just felt like it was satiating a deep craving of mine to see people taking action over climate change. To feel hope for the situation. Because we should take action and we have to take some action, and I always find Earth Hour a really exciting time of year. Hope, opportunity and all that stuff comes to mind - they're always my favourite kind of emotions.
Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UywrjnOaUE&feature=g-hist
Even if you haven't got much time, it's three minutes. Watch and be inspired :)

This year, I'm probably going to have an Earth Hour party and get-together with my friends- I want to make it an occasion. And I want the difference we'll be making to be recognised with some kind of celebration. Why don't we all do something fun? I want the day to be associated with something good, not a day we have to inconvenience ourselves by turning out the lights just satisfy those tree-huggers out there. We do have hope - we do. We CAN stop climate change to some extent - we just need each other.
Fundamentally, it boils down the same situation our whole community has faced, that we've faced our whole lives. We can't do anything without each other, not really. But we HAVE each other - we have what we need to do this, and we shouldn't let ourselves forget that. Don't be too proud to ask someone to help you, for anything - they'll need help in their lives as much as we do.
So I'm going to swallow my pride and ask you now. I'm appealing directly to you, because, if we were face-to-face, whoever you are, whether you're a garbage man or the Queen, I would ask you straight out:
Will you help me fight this? Please?
Thank you.

(Even if you just said "NO!", I'm still thanking you for your consideration of even reading that far down in this blog).

This weekend, I think I'll go litter-picking. Yes, I actually have three exams next week that I should be preparing for, but do you know what, SO WHAT? Stuff it. Everyone wants a little piece of you, everything takes up a little portion of your time, but sometimes you just need to take a step back.
And realise what really matters.

Arrivederci, minions!
Oh, I shouldn't call you minions. It sounds too degrading.
Arrivederci, then, whoever you are :)
Don't forget to save the world!

- SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen

Share this link if you can - www.savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com
And, of course, the link to my favourite website ever: www.wwf.org

FREE FOOD

Hey, people of the world,
I recently heard this really neat little trick you can do to get a bit of free food every now and again. Apparently it's like magic! It seems with just the addition of plain water, you can actually create food from nothing! Isn't the world a remarkable place? Here's how it's done.

To claim your free food:
1). Get your hands on some seeds (OK, maybe I exaggerated just a tiny bit - it's practically free. At any rate, have you seen the price of food these days? Some fruit cost me like £3 last week. And there was not a lot of fruit in that salad).

2) Put the seed in some earth.
3) Water it regularly.

4) Wait a while.
5) Retrieve your free food.

Okay, so that was a GROSS oversimplification, I admit it. But the point still stands! Growing your own fruit and veg is so easy! I really don't understand why more people don't do it. It's low maintenance, cheap, and you don't need any experience or anything, really. It doesn't matter if you don't have a huge garden or an allotment.
Moreover, it is SO much better for the environment. Seriously. A trillion times better.
At the end of the day, my question to you is this:
Why not give it a go?

And if you can come up with a legitimate answer to that, which isn't some lame excuse, I will genuinely sit here in this kitchen and applaud you.

Arrivederci!
- SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen.

(the proud mother of many a seedling). 

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Denial is a beautiful thing

Hey, people of the world,
Again, apologies for not updating this blog in months- I have my GCSEs next week and so am busy studying. But I thought I'd take the time to drop you a few lines- nothing particularly amazing or inspirational, granted (also, exams have meant that my sense of humour has been surgically removed), but here you go.

Every so often, there comes a time when we need to do something, as the human population on this planet, that will help. We need to take part in something. Whilst in the vast proportion of the time, it's okay to sit passively on this planet and enjoy the ride, using the world as your vehicle, every so often, we need to stop riding in the vehicle and start driving it. If need be, we need to start mending it.

Wherever you are in the world, global warming will impact you. If you live on the coast, greater sea levels and thermal expansion will erode the cliffs or flood the land. If you live in a desert area, like Australia, you're going to be facing severe droughts and unbearable heat. If you live near a volcano, global warming can increase the chances of eruptions in certain places. If you're involved in any of these industries- agriculture, fishing, forestry, energy, construction, insurance, tourism - chances are, you'll be badly affected, maybe not in the very distant future. Low lying cities across the world: London, Amsterdam, Miami, Venice, New York, Mumbai, Singapore, New Orleans, Tampa, Essex and Tokyo to name just a few, don't stand a chance if global warming really kicks in. People don't want to get involved in fighting global warming because they don't want to make changes in their every day life. But change is imminent and unavoidable- whether you decide to make changes to your lifestyle and fight global warming, or whether you decide to kick back and relax- and let global warming swallow us up later.

Sorry, it's a bit heavy this time, but over the past few months I've done a lot of thinking. Denial provides a beautiful time in life, but destroys you later on. Ostriches have a fun time burying their heads in the sand, but it makes them vulnerable.
For me, all forms of denial stop at this point, the 8th of June 2012.
I'll leave you with this:


Global warming is our chance as citizens of the world to be part of something- something that will actually help. Once in every generation, or every few decades or so, there comes an opportunity where we as the people are needed for the cause- whether it's to help the people or the planet. In those times, we're called upon, and every decent person offers themselves to help. In the 1910s and 1940s, people were called upon to help with the wars, and people answered. When natural disasters happen, when international monetary aid is needed, people help. When people need us, we have a duty as human beings to do everything we can to help them.
When the people call, we're there.
Our planet can't call us. But we can still be there for it.

This is your call.



Share the link: www.savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com
Call the world, and say that we're coming for her.

Earth Hour on the horizon...

Hey, people of the earth,
This is just a quick post to say Earth Hour is this Saturday! Hope everyone's going to be turning their lights off for an hour at 8:30pm to help fight against climate change!

Arrivederci,
SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen

http://savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com
http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/