Purpletigron

It is my considered opinion, based upon the evidence currently available that (1) human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are going to take the global climate system over some critical thresholds within the next decade or so, and (2) the supply of light, sweet crude oil is going to be in decline, causing serious economic instability over a similar timescale.

Therefore, I believe we need to use every sensible tool to build an environmentally and economically sustainable 'Green Industrial Revolution' for job security, energy security, food security etc. One of these sensible tools is wind energy, including on-shore community-scale wind turbines. However ...

The Vestas corporation is planning to close the only factory making wind turbine blades in Britain, on the Isle of Wight.

Vestas workers have today occupied their factory, and there is now a campaign by local people and factory employees to save the plant, and the 600 jobs it supports.

They're asking for emails of support for their campaign: savevestas@gmail.com

You can read more: http://savevestas.wordpress.com/

Edit I originally thought that Vestas IoW made entire turbines.

http://www.sustainweb.org/news.php?id=214

'This June as part of London Festival of Architecture 2008, City Hall will host a conference to tackle one of the biggest issues we will face in the coming years: Where will London get its food from? ...

'Ben Reynolds, from organisers London Food Link,[2] believes the timing is crucial: "Set against rising food prices and increasing pressures to tackle climate change, London seriously needs to consider putting aside more space for growing food. Not only will this help future-proof against food shortages and preserve the capital’s open space, but it will also educate and improve the health of Londoners and reduce the distance that London’s food has travelled*." ...'

I think that a fundamental motiviation for projects like this is the 'future-proofing' aspect. In uncertain times, you need Plans B, C and D to ensure the population aren't going to go short of food.

* Recent research (Weber and Matthews) in the USA suggests that the final journey to our plates accounts for about 10% of the climate impact of food (although more for air-freight). The climate change impacts of animal farming account for over 50% of the carbon footprint of the typical British diet.

Particularly calling all UK citizen, voters and residents:

[Poll #691330]

( Get your MP in the House this Fri 17 Mar!!! )

From New Scientist, quoting a paper in Nature:

Soil may spoil UK’s climate efforts

'Unexpectedly vast quantities of carbon released from British soils since 1978 may be critically reducing their effectiveness as carbon sinks ( 'The scary thing is that the amount of time that we have to do something about climate change is now smaller.' )

Can anyone access the original paper, and see whether agricultural soil management techniques make any difference at all? Journal reference: Nature (DOI:10.1038/nature04038)