It's not easy being green

[ICB]

I think I may have caught this last night. If we were watching the same thing then I definitely agree with you.

That's the one

He makes his crust, and I make mine- he's an ex army Major- does that mean anything?

It means he used to be a ranking officer in the army.

As far as I'm concerned it also means he's lacking a proper understanding of how the world works, or a proper conscience, as such a job is ethically untenable to my way of thinking. Perhaps he's just discovered ethics hence his new interest in being green all of a sudden. Then again perhaps he just fancied being on TV. I really don't care very much but if they'd wanted to make a serious programme about the challenges of living greener this wasn't the way to go about it.

 

[Snoop69]

It means he used to be a ranking officer in the army.

As far as I'm concerned it also means he's lacking a proper understanding of how the world works, or a proper conscience, as such a job is ethically untenable to my way of thinking. Perhaps he's just discovered ethics hence his new interest in being green all of a sudden. Then again perhaps he just fancied being on TV. I really don't care very much but if they'd wanted to make a serious programme about the challenges of living greener this wasn't the way to go about it.

So because he doesn't share your view of the world his views and methods are invalid?

 

[gentlegreen]

watched most of it, was interesting, water wheel was great but would've like to see how much power it actually did produce. .

I was quite impressed - the average person plodding along the road on a pushbike is inputting about 70 watts - 1/10 horsepower and that wheel looked like it might be chucking out a fair bit more than that - although it had been raining. So let's guess at 150 watts. Last time I calculated it, my average domestic electric power useage is 500 watts.

they should put that bloke from peckham with the solar panels on london tonight with his 'exporting to the grid' display and the other stuff he had. might flash £ signs in front of more peoples eyes as that's the only way you'll get em to do it.

Still difficult to justify the expense - he must have had a grant.
I'm a houseowner with a large expanse of south-facing roof and I'd gladly go for it if it didn't cost a small fortune.For now I content myself with buying "green tarrif" electricity at 10p a unit.

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[ICB]

So because he doesn't share your view of the world his views and methods are invalid?

"Validity" is for logical arguments, licenses, things like that, not views or values.

I don't know what his views or methods are, I just know what he did and does for a living and that I wouldn't do it on moral grounds.

I'm not saying you, or he, have to subscribe to my view, I'm saying I have it.

Clear enough?

 

[Sid's Snake]

he's lacking a proper understanding of how the world works, or a proper conscience, as such a job is ethically untenable to my way of thinking.

Are you saying that anyone unfortunately enough to be employed in a "ethically untenable ( profession ) to ( your ) way of thinking" lacks a proper understanding of the way the world works.

So, I would assume that yourself, in a job where you conscience is appeased to the extent that you feel beholden to pass judgement on others is in possession of a full and complete understanding of the way the world works?

Am I right?

 

[Snoop69]

"Validity" is for logical arguments, licenses, things like that, not views or values.

I don't know what his views or methods are, I just know what he did and does for a living and that I wouldn't do it on moral grounds.

I'm not saying you, or he, have to subscribe to my view, I'm saying I have it.

Clear enough?

It is now, thanks.

I really don't care very much but if they'd wanted to make a serious programme about the challenges of living greener this wasn't the way to go about it.

I agree, but I don't think it was meant as a 'serious' programme, rather it was trying to balance education with entertainment, something which is very hard to do without peeing off large chunks of the potential audience.

 

[boskysquelch]

no one has mentioned the timing of this programme and the announcement given by the Blairernment this morning...have they?

just in case. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4854886.stm

too little ..too late.. tough shit

 

[WouldBe]

I will be interested to see how the program develops. I'm not interested in family and their interactions with each other which I though was over emphasised.

I'm interested in the various 'technologies' and how they could be adapted / scaled down to suit other properties and lifestyles.

When they were roofing the property they wanted to use tiles made from re-cycled car tyres but weren't allowed to. It would have been useful to see what the proposed tiles looked like.

I don't think the budget they are working to really matters as the family are switching over to 'as green as possible' lifestyle and that is bound to cost. Would be nice to see costs for alternative technologies mentioned in the program.

 

[gentlegreen]

no one has mentioned the timing of this programme and the announcement given by the Blairernment this morning...have they?

just in case. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4854886.stm

too little ..too late.. tough shit

There was something in the budget about solar panel grants for social housing.

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[boskysquelch]

There was something in the budget about solar panel grants for social housing.

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That was also discussed this morning on R4...and the upshot was that they want "businesses" to grow witrh the new technology available and the 80 mill to be given over to that would be "targetted"...at schools.

To educate future generations...LMFAO!

eta::btw the estimated cost of a typical property was given as approx 12k for solar...1.5k for a windturbine...neither of which you can definately get planning permission for...primarily this social housing is newly built properties which by definition will negate the contribution they will make towards energy saving.

AND slates come form Wales and the Lake District tooo dontcha know...and the expense of cost is LABOUR RELATED...strange it's unaffordable inttit?

 

[madzone]

erm... apology accepted madz, but for the record, it is very patronizing to call someone dear.

Ermm...well I'd be loving to make a programme for the beeb about green issues actually, not about me though, 'cos I'm far too shy , but trouble is it doesn't work like that, does it? It's hardly an open access chanel is it? Unfortuantely.

But how do any programmes come about? You may not have the resources or the wish to be directly involved in the making of a programme like that but what about if everybody interested just wrote to C4 or somthing. Give someone else the idea and let them run with it. I'm not suggesting that the media is an open door by any means but I don't think it's as closed as we seem to think. I think it's very valid to highlight that most of the progrmmaes we see about sustainability and general green issues seem to be aimed at the middle classes (though I'd still argue that we poor, maligned middle classes (can you be middle class on sickness benefits? ) use more resources and should therefore be targetted - phew!) and suggest that it's something to be remedied.


And btw - I only call people dear when I'm being nice to them

 

[madzone]

The only thing I took from the programme as being an absolute positive was the segment with the guy who lived in a terraced house in Peckham. Far more people are likely to be in a position to be able (and willing) to do what he has done. It's not like the tens of millions of people who live in towns and cities can all move to the countryside en masse is it?

And the millions of us who live in the country aren't able to move into cities en masse either.

I posted a link to that Peckham blokes site btw - he has a book that looks very interesting

 

[WouldBe]

And btw - I only call people dear when I'm being nice to them

[derail] If 'dear' is patronising don't come to Derbyshire where every sentance has 'love' appended to it. [/derail]

 

[madzone]

I'm interested in the various 'technologies' and how they could be adapted / scaled down to suit other properties and lifestyles.

When they were roofing the property they wanted to use tiles made from re-cycled car tyres but weren't allowed to. It would have been useful to see what the proposed tiles looked like.

I don't think the budget they are working to really matters as the family are switching over to 'as green as possible' lifestyle and that is bound to cost. Would be nice to see costs for alternative technologies mentioned in the program.

I agree with all of that. Maybe the programme will develop along those lines now we've been introduced to the main characters.

 

[madzone]

As far as I'm concerned it also means he's lacking a proper understanding of how the world works, or a proper conscience, as such a job is ethically untenable to my way of thinking. Perhaps he's just discovered ethics hence his new interest in being green all of a sudden. Then again perhaps he just fancied being on TV. I really don't care very much but if they'd wanted to make a serious programme about the challenges of living greener this wasn't the way to go about it.

If the techniques he used were useful and valid and addressed global warming etc why would it be of any relevance what his original ethics were?


As it happens, if you read the article in the Independent online he says why he got into it. I'd rather watch someone who is well informed and able to come up with the goods (and I don't think we can accuse him of not doing that) who claims they 'don't give a shit about the planet' than someone who has all the right 'credentials' but none of the practical skills.

 

[boskysquelch]

Someone tell her?