This blog was originally based on a course ran by Professor Nick Gray of the Trinity Centre for the Environment at Trinity College Dublin who also wrote a textbook for the module Facing up to global warming: What is going on and what you can do about it. Now working as an independent consultant, Nick continues to work in the area of environmental sustainability and looking at ways of making a difference without recriminations or guilt. Saving the planet is all about living sustainably.


Sunday, July 26, 2015

How do climate scientists really feel about global warming!




This remarkable video explores how Australia’s top climate scientists personally feel about global warming induced climate change.  They were asked t respond to the question, “How does climate change make you feel?” by Joe Duggan who has compiled their handwritten responses in an exhibition to be shown in August.


posted: Nick Gray

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Germany achieves new energy generation from renewable levels

Germany is making enormous strides in developing its use of renewables for energy generation which reached 23.4% in 2014,and being one of the few countries to have a geothermal power station.  For a full breakdown and analysis visit

Nick Gray 




Tuesday, July 14, 2015

U.S. Ecological Deficit Day

Today is US Ecological Deficit Day...for those of you who know all about ecological footprints then you know that we in the developed world are all guilty of exceeding our personal one planet allowance.  Today is the day  when the US exceeds its national biocapacity and goes into the red (i.e. deficit). Each year it gets earlier and today is that point in the Nation's ecological footprint balance.  More information.  Should every country adopt an Ecological Deficit Day...you bet they should!

Nick Gray
@nickgraytcd

  

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Trash is for Tossers: say NO to trash

‘Trash is for Tossers (say NO to trash)’ is the blog of  Lauren Singer who is trying to live a zero waste life in the heart of New York City.  She is sharing her journey towards this excellent goal, although I suspect it is going to be a tough one. She has one great quote ‘I really decided that I not only needed to claim to love the environment, but actually live like I love the environment’.  She also gives two really interesting and helpful definitions:

Waste …’a  point source, meaning it is discarded by its holder with intent of it going to landfill. Trash is anything a person plans to throw away or anything a person deems obsolete that is then discarded in a manner where it will not be intended for re-purposing or reuse even if it unknowingly will be at some point in the future. ‘

Zero Waste means that I do not produce any garbage. No sending anything to landfill, no throwing anything in a trash can, nothing. However, I do recycle and I do compost. 

Lauren is really on the right path here and I for one will be following her journey and learn from her experiences.

@Trashis4Tossers

Nick Gray 
@nickgraytcd

Saturday, July 11, 2015

World Population Day


On the 11th July 1987 the global population reached 5 billion and to mark this important milestone the United Nations decided to designate this day each year as World Population Day.  On this day organizations around the world raise awareness of our growing population and the issues that surround a rapidly growing population.  But is also about celebrating our achievements as well as bringing to our attention the plight of groups of people around the world.  The theme this year is raising the awareness of vulnerable woman and children in emergencies. More information

Nick Gray
@nickgraytcd