London Fields vs South Bank, 17 July 2010
On a sunny Saturday, the Fielders gathered at the South Bank University playing grounds. Unfortunately, your correspondent cannot report on the first five overs, due to a inability to read Google maps and a lost hour wandering the leafy streets of Dulwich looking for 10 men dressed in white. Nevertheless, trusty Steve employed his trademark sweet touch and Carl, his heavy stroke play to get the fields off to a solid start.
However, it wasn’t long before alcohol induced lethargy caused the mighty Lacis to plant his feet and swing his blade a moment too late. The removal of his middle stump brought the irrepressible Alec to the wicket. His style reminds one of the great power hitters of the MLB as he preferred to send the ball into the distance rather than being forced into a speedy double.
The pair’s complementary styles soon caused consternation among the ranks of the opponents as their first change bowlers were duly dispatched over the boundary for a number of massive hits. The run rate sky rocketed and the boys were filled with hope as the pair in the middle piled on the agony. Unfortunately, the south bank lads were a wily bunch and had several quality bowlers saved for later in the innings. Steve fell for a magnificent fifty, holing out to mid-wicket in what could only be described as self imposed retirement. Alec followed soon after, one boundary short of a well deserved half century.
This bought two new boys, Isaac and Thomas, to the crease. While Isaac showed his experience and patience, Tom slogged away with gay abandon. The addition of some quick runs was vital but in the end Tom fell for a quick 18 runs. Just as Isaac’s innings was gathering momentum, the lower order began to splinter and after a few quick wickets, even the steadfast Isaac was found wanting. His 38 was a valuable contribution as the Fields posted 194.
Fortunately, there was a was a hearty lunch to revive our sagging spirits and we took to the field with renewed vigour. Ty opened the bowling and looked dangerous from the off. The man from Gimpy claimed two important upfront wickets, one with a ball that proved the saying, s**t gets wickets, the other with an absolute blinder that moved away from the batsman and took the top of off stump.
At the other end, Ryan kept it tight as always until he unexpectedly got hit for one of the biggest sixes in many LF memories! The fielders looked on in dismay as the new cherry disappeared into the distance, never to be seen again. Not one to dwell on such an immense belting, Ryan hit back immediately as he made the decidedly less shiny replacement ball work for him and bowled the dangerous looking Southbank opener.
The opening pair were well backed up by some tight bowling from Ben and Dave as the fields applied the brakes and claimed some valuable scalps. Meanwhile, Isaac was getting plenty of exercise in the field, standing at third man at both ends and being regularly called upon to to move the sightscreen by the Southbank boys, “a little more to the right please, no no the other right!” Nevertheless, he came steaming in and produced some excellent bowling for a tight spell at the death.
Unfortunately, we never had enough runs and the Southbank team triumphed thanks to a fifty from Havi. A fair few pints were enjoyed after the game and even the mighty Lordy showed up sporting an impressive ‘tache. Thanks to Southbank for a good game and the promise of even more fixtures in the future!
Posted by Dave under Uncategorized | Permalink | No Comments »Dissolving Differences: Conclusion
The governance of water is a cross cutting issue that impacts on every human entity from the poorest of the poor to the most powerful of governments to the richest of corporations. In the same way every human entity has the responsibility to ensure that every last drop is used as efficiently and sustainably as possible. It should be the objective of every person who has an ounce of influence to strive for cooperation until resources can be apportioned equitably and reasonably amongst all earth’s inhabitants.
This informative graphic from our friends over at good magazine shows how easy it is to save water and the extent to which efficient water use can be reduced 
to an individual level. The huge amount of virtual water we consume, often without consideration, has a huge impact on the availability and quality of water resources and the importance of using available technology to minimise our impact on the environment is clear for all to see. It is really interesting to see that a pound of beef takes 70 minutes of showering to produce and it is increasingly important that our decisions contribute to the welfare of all organisms and the environment.
As we have learnt from our study thus far, weaving the structure of international water law around pillars of moral strength such as integrity, unity, equity and reason provides the grounds for unprecedented legitimacy. The importance of legitimacy goes far beyond its utility and it is crucial that the IEL regime and international law more generally, build up a base of legitimacy to enhance it’s influence on the international community.
Any legal system based on integrity must find its roots in pragmatic reality as well as idealistic possibility. Water law has failed to properly balance the ever-growing nature of water demand with the finite resources at our disposal. To achieve these ends, it is important to establish a rules-based regime in order to exert jurisdiction over water conflicts and ERU is central to this. By establishing primary principles, such as those seen in the WTO, the IWL self contained regime can compete against more established regimes and seek primacy for its ends. Water is an area where business withdraws a large amount of greatly undervalued environmental services and so is an ideal starting point for regulating trade within environmental law.
Elevating ERU to jus cogens status would bring it under the ambit of UNSC activity and provide a way for the UN to exert greater force in environmental affairs and for other environmental bodies to gain parity with the WTO. By enforcing environmental norms, the UN can succeed in holding trade bodies and corporations accountable for actions that damage the natural environment and have a negative impact the poor’s ability to withdraw valuable environmental services. Few could deny that meeting basic needs of people must gain priority over almost all other concerns and ERU is integral to meeting these ends and promoting primacy. Thus ERU should carry at least as much importance as WTO regimes.
As Brierly noted, the legitimacy in international law is dependent on annexing some areas of domestic law, in line with current trends. It is possible that water law, and IEL more generally, provide a means of allowing international law to penetrate the domestic setting. As much of the damage caused to the natural environment happens on a national level, it is increasingly imperative that multilateral bodies utilize means to exert influence within these jurisdictions. Sustainability is a concept vital to fulfilling this end and, when coupled with equity and reason, we have a principle with the potential to compete with other regimes and gain parity with trade law.
It is important that we allow environmental norms to become factors in international public policy and limitations on organizations that act beyond the jurisdiction of the nation state. Being such an entity, it is crucial that the UN finds a means to enhance its legitimacy and it seems that the global water crisis provides just such an opportunity. Through providing basic needs and ensuring peaceful interactions over water the UN can go a long way towards improving the lives of the global poor and meeting the desires of much of the world’s population. By acting with integrity when making decisions the UN will greatly improve its reputation and its ability to regulate international environmental actions.
It is imperative that we properly utilize ERU’s tendency to promote cooperation. Equity is the only possible climate for cooperation and ERU could act as a catalyst for opening cooperative consultations between nations and thus contribute towards security of the planet. The UN remains the focus of our hopes for a more equitable and peaceful world and, if it properly utilizes the opportunity offered by the water crisis and the concept of equitable, reasonable and sustainable utilisation, it can improve governance actions regarding the environment and as a result, help to legitimize existing global hierarchies.
Dissolving Differences Chapter 8: The utility and status of Equitable and Reasonable Utilization
So far our study has indicated that IWL is the product of intense and comprehensive debate which has pointed out several controversial aspects. Three central issues dominating the drafting of the UN convention were:
- The status of existing treaties and the effect on existing and future agreements
- The relationship between the principles of “equitable and reasonable use” and the no harm rule.
- The ability of a framework agreement to house compulsory dispute settlement clauses.
A discussion of these issues will aid our understanding of IWL and assist us in visualising future norms capable of adequately tackling the challenges facing the legal regime governing interactions over water resources.
8.1 The Convention in its Relation to Existing and future Watercourse Agreements
The discussion around the relationship between the UN convention and treaties yielded some of the clearest indications of the status of the principles housed in the UN convention. It was at this point that some riparian states, notably Portugal and Ethiopia, first argued that some parts of the UN convention must be considered not only as existing customary rules but as rules of jus cogens and as such, could not be derogated from by any other norm of international law, including treaty provisions. Under art 64 of the VCLT this could have meant the lapse of all existing watercourse agreements with contradictory rules. This point was emphasized by countries such as Egypt, France and Switzerland which argued in favour of the retention of existing treaties and the compromises they house. It is interesting to note that the opposing parties contain states from both upper and lower riparian states. This demonstrates that the issue was not affected by geographical positioning as much as which nations were well served by existing watercourse agreements.
Africa's many river basins are often shared by multiple riparians.
Eventually a deal was struck and the text of article 3(1) provides that “[n]othing in the present Convention shall affect the rights or obligations of a watercourse State arising from agreements in force for it on the date on which it became a party to the present Convention.”
This meant that states wishing to maintain existing treaties carried the day but, as a concession to those that wished to do away with them, art 3(2) urges states to align approaches and “…may, where necessary, consider harmonising such agreements with the basic principles of the present convention…”
However, this concession is virtually without substance. The language used in art 3(2) contains the hortatory “may” as opposed to the more obligatory “shall” and it is clear there will be little harmonization. If jus cogens status were conveyed it would require the amendment of existing treaties with or without the consent of States Parties in conformity with the law of treaties. The convention is too vague when implying which basic principles should be applied in this harmonisation and it indeed would be up to the states involved to do so which can be accomplished only by consent. In short art 3(2) does not go much beyond stating the obvious that existing agreements may be amended with the consent of all the states parties to them.
The relationship of the convention to future agreements was again hotly contested yet art 3(3), which deals with this issue survived virtually unchanged from the original ILC drafts. The article provides that states “…may enter into new agreements which apply and adjust the provisions of the present Convention to the characteristics and uses…” of the specific watercourse.
While the verb “apply” seems to indicate a requirement of homogeneity between future agreements and the convention, the following verb “adjust” would suggest that a degree of deviation is acceptable. This view is strengthened by the words “may enter” which imply that whoever is free to conclude a treaty based on the principles of the convention is as justified in entering a convention which departs from them.
Thus the gathered states took the view that ERU was not to be considered jus cogens but Article 3 and the acceptance of the UN convention by the international community at large dictates that governments need to consider the provisions of the treaty when interpreting their existing agreements. Any treaty that contradicts the principle of equitable and reasonable use surely is contrary to IWL and a breach of international law, yet the net result of these conclusions about art 3 were that states were allowed to negotiate their own water sharing agreements but must consider the provisions of the treaty when formulating any new measures or interpreting old ones. The principles housed in the convention are consigned to the status of guidelines and the conventional freedom of States is fully maintained. Read the rest of this entry »
Amsterdam, November 2009
Amsterdam must surely be along the quaintest of major cities in Europe with the beauty and romance of clustered buildings and endless canals. There is in fact, so much water they don’t seem to appreciate it. In London and other cities, waterfront properties are prized above all others yet here the space along side the canals are dedicated to roads and cycle tracks not bars and restaurants.
In some ways Amsterdam is the most contradictory city I have ever visited. There is no doubt that the Dutch are a most cultured and intelligent people yet the undercurrent of sleaze is always just below the surface.
Coming from Paris, the lack of public smoking and the organised nature of the streets was immediately obvious. However
, at night the truth is revealed with drug dealers and drunken tourists out in force and the obvious attraction of the red light district competing with the museums and galleries on the outskirts of the city centre.
That said the architecture is beautiful and there are some castles that seem to be straight out of a fairytale! The streets are well organised and easy to navigate. From a cyclists perspective, it is one of the most pleasant cities to take a spin in as the miles of cycle tracks make it a stress free experience. On foot, it is quite a different experience as they tend to treat pedestrians as London treats cyclists, seldom given right of way and with foot paths that end in surprise.
Strangely, there was a lack of local cuisine. Beyond some exceptional chocolate and baked goods, I found the food quite boring and mostly derived from other European traditions. The Dutch seemed a little sensitive when I broached this subject and pointed to their rather bland varieties of cheese as evidence as a culinary tradition.
Another subject that seemed to upset them was the link between Dutch and Afrikaans and they tended to deride Afrikaans as being extremely simplicistic and a juvenile 
derivation. Perhaps it is the rascist history of the Afrikaans nation that makes them feel this way but Dutch culture is not entirely free of the racial blemish either.
All in all, Amsterdam is an exciting city with enough culture to keep traditionalists happy while providing a good night life and enough good old fashioned debauchery to keep thrill seekers coming back for more!
Posted by Dave under Travels and Travails, Uncategorized | Permalink | No Comments »Promoting sustainable development
The shared principles of Sustainable development are:
- living within environmental limits
- Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society
- Achieving a sustainable economy
- Using sound science responsibly
- Promoting good governance
There are several ways in which central government can encourage and help the community sector to work towards sustainable development:
1. Establishing partnerships for common ends:
Government and the community sector share many objectives and it is important to build upon these common aims to develop a strategy and effective movements towards a sustainable future. Trough our shared challenges we can develop community capital and mutual investment that promotes sustainable development.
2. Targeted behaviour change in excluded communities:
It is often the poor and disadvantaged that bear the brunt of environmental problems yet it is those same groups that are neglected by the government in educational and regeneration schemes as they are perceived to contribute less to damaging activities. Government must target this under utilised and regulated group to improve conditions.
3. Greater emphasis on the power of the collective:
Government needs to shift its emphasis from the individual to the collective as civil organisations play a major role in shaping attitudes and actions while reinforcing domestic empowerment. It would also help alleviate dissent and conflict to have collective buy-in.
4. More support to initiatives and community regeneration:
Increased realisation that community organisations posses extensive networks that engage large numbers of people would help spread the message of sustainablty. Furthermore, the sector supports worthwhile projects that would only benefit from government support.
References:
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ‘Uk govt sustainable development – what is it, and how can I do it?’ available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government/what/principles.htm(accessed Feb 2009)
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ‘Definition and Components of Sustainable communities’ available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government/publications/pdf/strategy/AnnexA.pdf(accessed Feb 2009)
B Hughes ‘Toward a Defra Third Sector Strategy – Consultation Document’ available at http://www.bassac.org.uk/system/files/dms/documents/8/Defra_Third_Sector_Strategy_bassac_response_Feb_2008.doc(accessed Feb 2009)
Posted by Dave under Environmental issues, Uncategorized | Permalink | No Comments »Greening small business
Individually, the impacts from small and medium sized businesses may be relatively small but collectively they make up a large proportion of environmental damage. In fact, due to the fact that SMEs supply consumers with the bulk of goods and services, the impacts of their products are keenly felt and they produce significant amounts of pollution.
In addition, the threats they pose are largely unregulated and thus extremely problematic. In recent years the enforcement inspections for small businesses have become strict and fines are getting larger. An EMS is a way to help businesses make sure all regulations are being met, while also finding ways to save money.
Because smaller business have fewer employees, an EMS can be an easier way to track what laws apply and insure that the company is operating properly. Also, it can be easier to develop and maintain an EMS at small companies because communication and access to management for employees is easier.
To properly influence the upper management of small to medium sized businesses, it is important to determine what influences management opinions and how best to convince them that an EMS will help with the functioning of their organization. It is often the best route to point out the benefits of a proper EMS and how EMSs have helped other companies achieve their objectives.
The benefits of proper environmental management include:
- · Improved environmental performance
- · Enhanced customer trust and positive PR
- · Reduced costs due to greater efficiency
- · Improved access to capitol due to increased investor confidence
- · Reduced insurance costs
- · Regulatory compliance
It is also of use to indicate that upper management plays a key role in delivering an effective EMS and the fact that they retain control of business functions. It is imperative that management understands the role they play in directing, driving and participating in environmental management. The engagement of management of is crucial as only they have the authority to properly implement an EMS and their ongoing commitment is vital.
References:
USC school of Environment ‘Environmental Management Systems and Small and Medium Sized Businesses’ available at http://www.environ.sc.edu/industrial_ecology_network/ems.doc(accessed Feb 2009)
A Arbor ‘Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations’ available at http://www.epa.gov/OWM/iso14001/ems2001final.pdf(accessed Feb 2009)
EMS implementation workshop ‘Getting (and Keeping) Senior Management Commitment’ available at http://www.ofee.gov/ems/training/intro_training/4EMSTrainingMgmt.ppt(accessed Feb 2009)
Posted by Dave under Environmental issues, Uncategorized | Permalink | 1 Comment »Paris, November 2009
It was with g
reat excitement that I jetted off for my first trip to gay Paris and what I found surpassed all expectations. I really couldn’t believe the beauty of the ageless buildings and the depth of history that seems to put even spectacular London in the dark. What made it all the more beautiful was the accessibility of the culture and history and the ease with which you can come into contact with some of the greatest masterpieces in history. Seeing the Louvre from the outside was enough of a treat
, the inside was a fantasy of artistic expression. Rodin’s garden was another artistic highlight, where you can wander the garden discovering hidden sculptures in the dark leafy nooks or staring at the infinite detail of “the gates of hell”. This lovely little jewel is cheap as chips and a must for all art lovers. You can find it near the wondrous Invalides building. With all the hype surrounding the Eiffel Tower, I was a bit dissapointed when I visited it as I feel there are so many more incredible buildings to spend your time staring at. The Opera house for instance is a monument to music, all gilded angels and marble sculptures paying tribute to the greats of classical music. The French were no less generous in their homage to God and Notre Dame cathedral is surely one of the greatest buildings on the face of the planet. There are so many statues and decorations that it took hours just to get the detail of the outside. I was staring with wonder and thinking that someone could spend their whole life research
ing the meanings of the icons and not cover one wall of this awesome cathedral. The inside was just as spectacular with huge stained glass windows casting colourful refractions on the classical wooden panelling and small niches paying homage to individual saints. The food was equally satisfying and perhaps the place where you can save the most money in Paris. The baguettes seem extra crispy and are really cheap at 6oc. The cheese is superb and extremely varied from the orange or red northern cheeses to the flavoursome comte to the creamy chevre goats cheese. The markets produced varieties of olives I had never seen and were more like a fruit than any olive I’d sampled before. However, eating out in Paris can be treacherous. We were fairly lucky with a success rate of 2 from 3 nights eating out. Our first meal out was at the funky gnome themed eatery Totalement a l’est near the gare de l’est station to the 
north of the city. We chose this place because of the proximity to our hotel but the food ended up being excellent. Em’s 3 cheese pizza had half a pound of the most delicious cheese on it and my moules frites were bathed in a fantastically creamy sauce. Night two was undoubtedly the highlight as we visited Les Parigot on Rue de Republique. French service is notoriously sloppy but the food more than made up for it as my Confit de Canard was the crispiest poultry I have ever eaten and Em’s Caesar Salad was gargantuan and extremely tasty. The third night was less successful as we decided to sample a Morrocan restuarant to the south of Republique. My “steak” was more like a piece of shoe and extremely small for the price. For tourists on a budget I would always advise finding a hotel in the north of the city. The proximity to the gare de l’est and gare du nord provides easy transport links, while there is superb access to highlights in the centre of town, as well as the charm of Montmartre and gr
andeur of Sacre Coeur. This is the area to find the cafe featured in classic Parisian based movie “Amelie” and the original Moulin Rouge. It is slightly on the seedy side with hundreds of sex shops lining the boulevard. A favourite scene in Amelie is her skipping stones on the Canal St Martin and our most rewarding day was spent wondering down the peaceful waterway to the bustling area of Bastille. Another huge monument marks the spot of the most famous chapter in French history, the French Revolution. Bastille is also home to a high quality market, selling all manner of delicacies. Naturally there are a few down sides to Paris such as the manic roads, which even an experienced cyclist such as myself would be hesitant to set wheel upon, and the thousands of beggars thronging around the tourist attractions. I even had to brush off my Afrikaans to say “Kannie verstaan” to the loads of street dwellers asking if you speak English before guilting you out of your cash. The streets were also ridiculously dirty and the huge number of smokers seemed to trample on the EU smoking ban. I regularly saw violations that would have been severely punished in the UK. Nevertheless, the people are much more welcoming than I expected and are genuinely pleased when you attempt to speak French, no matter how much you butcher the pronunciation and grammar. I thoroughly enjoyed Paris and it surely ranks as the most exciting city that I have visited. Vive Le France!
The cost of climate equality
A few days before the start of the Copenhagen conference on climate change, I was greeted by the cheering news that Greenpeace had successfully closed down a logging operation in the heart of the Indonesian rain forest. As the Email correctly reminded me, “…deforestation is a root cause of climate change – contributing 1/5 of global greenhouse gas emissions…” At first I was elated but further reflection revealed that the situation sums up one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of a Global Carbon Reduction Pact: How can the developed world stop the developing nations from following the very same path that led them to prosperity? Surely, the principle of sovereignty over natural resources allows each nation to develop it’s resources in a way that maximizes gain? As Indonesia is generally lacking in other resources and lumber represents the greatest chance of fighting poverty and improving the life of it’s population, should they not be allowed to turn a profit in much the same way as the developed nations have done for centuries? Well the answer is an unequivocal NO! Yet the required response to this dilemma remains unclear.
As problems become more complex and nations’ well-being become more intertwined, it is imperative wealthy states begin to invest in social and environmental welfare projects beyond their borders. Nowadays, a threat to human security anywhere on the globe translates into a problem for nations across the wealth divide. With basic food prices set to sky rocket at a rate far above normal inflation in the drier future, the developing world is once again set to bare the brunt of developed world’s profligacy.
The economic growth at all costs attitude of the vast majority of nations is under threat as climate change deters all but the most optimistic investors in the developing world. Commercially driven options for investment in carbon reducing technologies have been explored and found to be untenable as a resolution to the climate problem. At this point, uncertainty over profitability has put off private sector investment and it is time for the governments of the developed world to throw their financial and regulatory weight behind the push towards a carbon neutral future. Various estimates have put the cost of climate change in the trillions of dollars and collective action is required to save the global community endless suffering caused by loss of viable ways of living.
At the UN Climate summit in Copenhagen, delegates are set to discuss methods of strengthening the capacity of the third world to adapt to the impacts of climate change. While adaption strategies remain high on the agenda, the high 
likelihood of increased conflicts over scarce resources forces the developed nations towards compensation of poor nations and the adoption of increased investment beyond Copenhagen. While the delegates are unlikely to agree to drastically reduce carbon emissions, it is looking increasingly likely that they are set to explore methods of halting deforestation. It is possible that an agreement of this nature could lead to a new branch of the carbon credit market. However, it is my belief that it is unlikely to bear fruit before meaningful approaches are set up to protect those parts of the rainforest most at risk. In the past, the world has seen periods when huge quantities of money were invested with no intention of turning a profit and it is time to return to the collective financial and technological effort that put a man on the moon. It is time for large scale investment in third world technology and infrastructure. Joint implementation projects such as the one enhancing South African capacity to produce biofuels, backed by a German university, are likely not only to cut emissions but to restart the stalled global economy on a more solid footing. Such a move would be a coup for the economy, the governments that drive it and the global community as a whole. How can we avoid taking such sensible action any longer?
Rise Against! Brixton Academy, 22 November 2009
Reflecting on the past decade, it seems that the noughties produced a string of bands so practiced in their arts that they seem to have taken their genre to the absolute peak. Having learnt from the mistakes of their predecessors in the nineties, this decade’s stars have produced albums and brands so burnished they seem to make a mockery of all that has come before. Yet, towards the end of the decade, it has begun to feel like this feast of perfection has become a rather bland popularity contest. From before the first chord, it is clear that Rise Against are massive stars. Legions of devoted fans lined the streets on the way to Brixton Academy and choked the entry to the venue. It could be a sign that any band that has Poison the well and Thursday opening for them have clearly reached the pinnacle of their art and Rise Against’s stage presence is testament to their commitment to relentless touring and continual innovation. They have reinvented modern hard rock and managed to find an entirely new sound that doesn’t fit well into any established genre. Not quite punk and not quite prog rock but certainly still part of the underground, Rise Against could perhaps be best described as taking the torch from Bad Religion in the intellectual hard rock states and taking political anthems to a new level. Yet, somehow I found this show somewhat unfulfilling… maybe it was the feeling that Rise Against have forgotten their roots and turned their backs on the hardcore stylings of their early albums. Maybe it was the feeling that they had played the same set 100 times in the last 3 months. Or maybe it was just the crap seats in one of london’s worst music venues. Never the less, Rise Against are rock stars for a reason and they banged out their angst filled, fist in the air floor fillers with their typically polished and poised delivery. I just wished I had seen them in their mid-decade prime rather than the end of the road for the noughties and my passion for the band.
What are the pros and cons of landfill and incinerators?
Landfill:
Negatives:
- · The cost of lining systems, leachate collection, leachate treatment, covering and capping is prohibitive
- · Costs tend to drive the building of regional mega-landfills which excite intense opposition from host communities
- · Release high concentrations of methane and water pollution
- · Unpleasant odours and visual impacts affect surrounding communities
Positives:
- · Can hold large amounts of waste in inert condition
Incinerators:
Negatives:
- · Large amount of air pollution and ash generated
- · Generation of hazardous residues
- · Large impact on surrounding communities that must deal with unpleasant side effects
- · Loss of potential recyclables
- · Large investment required and long lead time before operation
Positives:
- · Energy reclamation
- · Reduction in volume of waste
- · Long-term security of waste handling
Comparison:
Although both are less preferable than recycling or re-use, landfills are easier to manage and produce less harmful pollution, especially in high tech situations when most methane is captured and reused. This offsets the main positive of incinerators in that methane collection has the potential to generate as much energy as incineration of waste.
Resources:
Green yes archives ‘Incinerators vs Landfill’ available at http://greenyes.grrn.org/2004/03/msg00149.html(accessed Feb 2009)
L Bontaux ‘The Incineration of waste in Europe: Issues and Perspectives’ available at http://www.ejnet.org/dioxin/eur18717en.pdf(accessed Feb 2009)
Grist Environmental news and commentary ‘On Landfill and Incinerators’ available at
http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2007/03/07/trash/(accessed Feb 2009)
Posted by Dave under Environmental issues, Uncategorized | Permalink | 2 Comments »