Turns out that the USA were torturers and liars all along...

Everyone likes to be right sometimes but when you were right about a concentration camp set up a country which advocates itself as the 'land of the free' and the 'leader of the free world' one can't help but wonder where the American Dream started to turn into a nightmare.

The government of the United States has done more to fuel terrorism than all of us. Their hypocritical preaching of democracy and religion can be destroyed by the poor examples they have given us:

• Torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib
• Masacare of civilians in Iraq
• Guantánamo bay

Need I go on??? (Just read this Iraqi girls blog to get a real insight into what is going on in
Baghdad)

This week the US Supreme court ruled that tribunals at Guantánamo were actually illegal and in violation of the Geneva Convention. (Guardian, June 06) I look forward to a War Crimes tribunal but seriously doubt we'll get one even though this would be the right and just thing to do.

Bandar Bush has said he would like to close the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay and send many detainees back to their home countries.

However, he said not all the inmates would be returned - some would need to be put on trial in the US because they were "cold-blooded killers". (BBC)

To be honest with you if I was subjected to the same treatment as the prisoners of Guantanamo I also think I would turn into a cold blooded killer simply through rage alone.

All in all it really does make you wonder who the real criminals are! It leaves little to the imagination as to how easy it must be for terrorist organisations to recruit and channel people's anger at the US into violent action. The USA is its own worse enemy it just unfortunate that not all its people realise that.

Take a look at this trailer; it's about three British people that were incarcerated there for no reason. Yes three British people... People of my country....

http://www.roadtoguantanamomovie.com/video/official_small.html

Death of the Nuclear Family

Yes we all know that the nuclear family is a rarity nowadays but what about the family relying on nuclear power. Sadly this beast is still alive a kicking strong.

When I was a student I remember participating in a debate in which I argued for Nuclear Power stations to be built in order to tackle climate change.

Actually I never considered the larger picture and I've now changed my stance. After months of thinking about it logic has prevailed.

Nuclear Power prances around selling its self as a clean energy source, but clean it is not.

Just look at the facts below:

Nuclear power is still unsafe and cannot help the UK meet its pollution targets. Here's the low-down on an energy a former Environment Minister says we need 'like a hole in the head'.

• Expensive
• Dangerous waste
• Environmentally unfriendly
• Security threat
• Real alternatives

Expensive

• Costs more than wind - In 2002 the Cabinet Office estimated that nuclear could cost over 40% more per kWh than on/off-shore wind.
• Waste of money - Construction costs are large and unpredictable with delays causing greater losses. Windfarm costs are known, smaller and falling.
• Hits taxpayers - Disposal of existing waste will cost around £56 billion. More reactors mean more waste, with no guarantee that costs won't be passed on to the public.

Dangerous waste

• Highly radioactive - Nuclear waste can remain dangerous for tens of thousands of years.
• Deadly inheritance - No one has yet demonstrated a safe way of disposing of it.
• Accidents do happen - Leaks and near misses cannot be ruled out.

Environmentally unfriendly

• Way off target - Doubling nuclear power would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at most eight per cent.
• Not emission free - Mining and transporting uranium, building nuclear plants and storage of nuclear waste all produce carbon dioxide emissions.
• Only electricity - It will not replace petrol and diesel - currently responsible for around 22 per cent of UK carbon emissions.

Security threat

• Weapons - Uranium enrichment plants can be misused to make nuclear weapons.
• Vulnerable - No nuclear reactor could withstand a direct hit from a jumbo jet.
• Nowhere to hide - A successful attack could have an impact 40 times worse than the explosion at Chernobyl.

Real alternatives

• No need for nuclear - The UK's vast renewable resources combined with simple energy-saving tactics provide a safer, cleaner and more sensible solution.
• Secure supply - Renewable sources could generate more than half our current electricity needs by 2025.
• Quick technology - All the major renewable technologies can be implemented within three years. We'd be waiting at least ten for nuclear.
• Bright idea - A programme to phase out inefficient light bulbs could save a whole reactor's worth of electricity by 2020.
• Forward thinking - We could save fifteen reactor's worth by investing in the potential of using waste heat to generate electricity.

Source: http://www.foe.org.uk/resource/faqs/questions/nuclear_energy.html

The real problem is our continued plundering of carbon resources to fuel our energy inefficient lifestyles. If all the carbon locked up in the Earth was released the Earth would be inhospitable. Actually we might as well just move to Venus which is a clear example of a planet undergoing an uber-greenhouse effect.

Now carbon isn't the only problem. Actually methane is even worse than Carbon Dioxide as it heats the earth more and stays in the atmosphere longer (Guardian, 2005). Let’s discuss that one another day.

We must think about the future! Nuclear energy is not sustainable. Think small act big.

We need to engender a society based on self-sufficiency. It can be done now. Solar panels, wind turbines... it's not just green clap-trap. It's a way of saving a fortune, living cleanly and giving future generations... well a future.

So what am I doing? Well not a great deal. I moved to a carbon neutral energy tariff but after reading the July 06 New Internationalist, I'm now of the belief that carbon offsets are a farce. I'll be looking at getting my energy from 100% sustainable providers as soon as that next pay-rise comes through in a couple of months. As for my car, well it’s still a petrol whore. I feel guilty at my hypocrisy but I am making changes. I'm currently on the look out for a cheap used LPG car. LPG isn't great either but it’s the lesser of most evils and once again it will save me a fortune in petrol.

Going green usually means saving money in the long-run - which is great for tightwads like me :)

Now if anyone knows the environmental cost of creating LPG please let me know!

3 weeks where was he!

3 weeks since I last posted here. Apologies for that. The last 3 weeks have been crazy! I've been sorting out further sponsorship for my trek, creating a website (www.ChangeTheWorldNow.co.uk) and making preparation for a Video Horse Racing Night which I'm running as my largest fundraiser for WaterAid this year. On top of that I've also been taking a bit of R&R. The Isle of Wight festival this year was amazing! It was also great to see the presence of Oxfam there and Coldplay flying the colours for Make Trade Fair (www.maketradefair.com).

My quest to live ethically continues, as well as switching to environmentally friendly household cleaning products from EcoVer (www.ecover.com) I have started to get most of my food delivered to me by Abel and Cole (Thanks to Claudia for the recommendation) . Abel and Cole (www.abel-cole.co.uk) supply organic, fair trade foods straight to your door. Receiving deliveries at work is great! I get to save the environment, support British farmers and fairtrade co-ops and it saves me going out shopping as much. I've had to change my eating habits slightly by differing the things I eat but overall I'm really enjoying it. (plus I'm saving time shopping and don't have to fight the crowds at the shops either!) I recommend them to anyone!

The increasing energy prices have made us re-think energy use at home. We've now coverted all our bulbs to energy saving ones. Hopefully that will save the environment as well as a few pounds. Think small act big! It may only be a few lightbulbs but if we all did it, we could all make such a difference. I found some halogen replacement bulbs (search eBay for megaman GU10 bulbs) so instead of running a light at 120w (3x 40w) it now runs at 27w. I also treated myself to a new LCD computer monitor. Proving that saving energy doesn't alway mean we need to make concessions.

Needless to say we're just one household. I haven't got kids but i'm alreaDy thinking about the world future generations will inherit.

As for those selfish bastards in 4x4 cars who reason that their climate-killing-mobiles are to 'protect their children' maybe they need to think again! Get an LPG conversion folks and advertise it. If you really care about your kids then think of what the world will be like in the future when the climate really changes. Trust me it won't all be about warm summers!

• Increased insect populations
• Disease
• Water shortages
• Coastal flooding
• Damage to homes
• Reduced food due to flooded farmland

THINK!

Secretly I can't help that it is too late and the only way for people to listen will be when it is too late. Much like we see people only wanting to save Africa when we see pictures of death our own salvation will only become important to the ignorant or selfish when they too start to die. Whether that be physical death or the death of their lifestyle remains to be seen .... But big changes are coming so get ready!