Intended for government funding brings homes and solar energy for Yorkshire

Brilliant idea. There is money for the installation of solar panels and the money from them. Photography: Simon Burt/PA

In the harsh climate of public expenditure, it is good to learn from two initiatives for housing North: 800 new 'affordable' houses are planned for the region of the city of Leeds in the next four years; and up to 3000 York Council-owned houses available free solar energy.

Yorkshire housing has obtained funds for affordable housing in the Government for the next generation will be shared among the 11 tips to Leeds CR: Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York.

It is a small light in a bad world, such as Ged Walsh, director of Yorkshire housing development and the business, says.

With the building cut off by 63% and desperate shortage of affordable housing for the House budget is a welcome news for the region of the city of Leeds. We have identified some sites for new housing, but it will be working with our partners of the local authority to commit the money to build houses where they are better placed and they are most needed.

Home foreclosures and dations were up 17% at the national level last year photography: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The plan comes from similar funds for rescue system of mortgage of the hostel that estimated that 250 homes have maintained since 2009 in houses that otherwise would have been returned. The money should provide similar protection for another 220 customers over the next two years, along with the properties ' affordable ' 16,000 which administers the hostel.

Yorkshire housing is one of the 146 Council participate in Government's plans to build new houses 80,000 in 2015, about 8000 of them in the North East and Yorkshire and Humberside and housing associations. Us to maintain control over the progress made.

Meanwhile, in York, the Council has retention of money through in-feed of the Government to get solar panels installed in homes of their property. Working with energy EM, York estimated income of power generated by the 'solar houses' will provide revenue to expand the scheme or widely or help pay for other sustainable projects in the city.

Houses need to have properly at an angle to the right way for the benefit of roofs, and initial surveys have arrived at the figure of 3000. It can be downgraded as a third additional, more rigorous testing, or because the tenants do not want to through the discomfort of the installation of the panel. All eligible to receive a letter this week explaining the offer and the relatively small disruption involved, but it retains the right to refuse if they so wish.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Cabinet Member for York for health, housing and adult social services, says:

Ultimately, although he tries to help tenants save money, reduce your bills for electricity and solar energy generates about 40% of all energy used so this could actually lead to some dramatic savings.

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Journal of the country: South Uist

"But the wings that make me my breath" - a Dragonfly with morning dew pearling his wings. Photography: Frank Krahmer / Frank Krahmer, zefa/Corbis

On a stone by the edge of the rough track a Dragonfly is taking the heat of the afternoon sun in the afternoon. Wary that it could take flight if I approach most closely, step back and focus my binoculars down as they go. The image focuses to reveal a long and Brown ochre body, a characteristically powerful chest and a pair of enormous complex Brown and yellow eyes. But the wings that make me my breathing. A network intricate support veins it is divided and subdivided its apparent fragility in lace in small groups, and a combination of light and angle opportunity has created a patchwork of brilliant Golden spread through la Plata.

This exquisitely winged creature is a female common darter, and she is not alone, because it seems that this route through the grass and heather is a territory of favorite Dragonfly. Protected from the wind but exposed to the Sun throughout the day, makes his way past several small pools, their surfaces with a scattering of leaves of grass and its low banks lined with clusters of reed.

Dragonflies are everywhere: on the wing, red-orange of the male common Darter bodies are as bright as the Sun so that they appear at first as a different species altogether from the female. There are dragonflies of Monterrico on the road, in swimming pools and skimming on the heather. In a large sloping rock, a Squadron is at rest. All face the same way, females were lined up in a range spaced unevenly, males forming a more flexible group but with the latent threat of attack helicopters, waiting for the next mission. Darter, like all dragonflies are predators, launch - as its name suggests: attack sudden a situation or a favorite vantage point that will return with their prey.

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Adoption of measures to reduce our paper trail

Purchases of role will diminish as GNM is moving towards a more digital future. Photography: Robert Giroux/Getty Images

While the guardian moves increasingly to become a company digitally, yet their purchases of paper represents greater environmental impact of the company.

Periodic purchase switch led to 9 per cent drop in demand for newsprint and magazine paper in 2010/11, in line with the rest of the industry. It is likely to continue as documents of will continue to seek to reduce the page, especially given that the cost of paper is increasing considerably.

In the past year, the Guardian and the observer used 65,000 tons of paper, with other companies in the Guardian Media Group, consuming more than 20,000 tons.

The continuing high volume of paper explains why continues to be a focus on ensuring that sustainable supply is the heart of the role of newspaper and magazine paper purchase.

Guardian Media Group (GMG), purchase role of Guardian News & Media (GNM), as well as other companies within the Group traditionally has focused on issues such as recycled and certified content Virgin.

In fact, during the past year, 96% of newspapers and 82 per cent of grade magazine paper used for the guardian and the observer was recycled or certified virgin fiber used.

However, a new approach in the past 12 months has been the carbon footprint of the paper we use. He is the elder of what gets measured gets manipulated and no doubt it has been true in this case.

As a result of a deeper understanding of the effects of carbon, GNM was able to reduce their supply of paper 29% average greenhouse gas emissions to 294kgs per tonne in the financial year ending March 2011.

This has exceeded our 10% reduction target and also meant that GNM was able to fulfil their commitment to 10: 10 to reduce their emissions global carbon by one-tenth by 2010. This is important, given that the guardian was a co-founder of 10: 10 campaign.

The reduction was made possible by a quarter of a role of newspaper the guardian of switching to the Norske Norway company, which depends on hydroelectric power. In fact Norske produces 9. 45kgs of CO2 per tonne of paper, compared with our previous UK supplier that had produced more than 100 times that amount.

GMG is not to be complacent in its document of purchase activities, in the spring of 2011, invited to WWF and Greenpeace to come to the Guardian and the criticism of our performance.

Since often Guardian noted and commended the work of NGOs in the portfolio companies to take into account their environmental impacts, us has thought it only fair and right that we expose ourselves to the same rigor.

Both NGOs commended our compilation of data, the fact that we are taking into account all the major risks, and that we are taking an active role in changing our patterns of purchases in an attempt to reduce the carbon footprint of paper we buy.

But the main criticism is that we are taking the easy approach through the acceptance of different certification schemes to nominal value, instead of "get our hands dirty" actively working to put pressure on our suppliers to improve the standards.

Of particular interest to them is the PEFC label covering Scandinavia and North America. This is because the label FSC, PEFC, is a group and there are a number of variations in how it operates, depending on which country came the role.

As a result of this vote, GMG Steve Gould paper buyer arranged a meeting with the directors of the PEFC system.

Also discussed the issue with our paper two Tomorrows advisers who believe that although is not perfect, the process control of PEFC is in line with good practice.

It has been particularly useful in tracking our progress has been collecting data in real-time to allow GMG see each month how much paper we are buying, the percentages of virgin fiber and recycling uses, certification levels and carbon intensities.

We also have a policy document which sets annual targets for improvement, which are signed by the Board of shopping. It is a variety of areas including recycling and the supply of virgin fiber, for the environmental performance of paper mills.

GMG has a commitment to maintain the levels of recycling of newsprint in not less than 80 per cent of total tons of fiber acquired.

In the final exercise of March 2011, the content recycled for the guardian and the observer was 86%, a reduction from the previous year caused by the commutator of Norske supplies.

For GMG as a whole, total recycling rose from 78 to 88 per cent as a result of the sale of our Division of regional newspaper that had used a large percentage of virgin fiber. The objective of 80% is based on the fact that the loss of fiber in the manufacture of recycled paper requires an annual contribution of around 20% virgin fibre to be sustainable.

GMG made a bold objective of progressively increasing the content of their paper document certified virgin fiber press and magazine with 90 per cent by the year 2012.

The figure in the last financial year actually fell marginally from 85% to 79% for the sale of our regional papers, which uses PEFC paper of 90%. The percentage of certified role of Norske is likely to increase this year and GMG still make every effort to meet the target of 90 per cent in March 2013.

GMG will continue to ensure that at least 95% of the mills that supply paper are certified to the ISO 14001 environmental management system.

GNM has worked with Polestar for the certificate chain of custody for the weekend and Observer Magazine magazine. GNM has completed a final certification procedure to allow that our magazines show the PEFC logo.

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Making great progress in the improvement of our environmental footprints

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An investment programme, combined with better management procedures, were responsible for a continued improvement in the Guardian's environmental performance in the last financial year.

GNM's reporting of environmental performance aims to cover all aspects and impacts within the boundaries we can control. However, we acknowledge that it may be impossible to cover all areas. We are continuing to try to expand our knowledge and data but our priority impacts are:

Carbon footprint – emission sources of carbon from across the business and supply chain

Resource footprint – water use, paper sourcing, operational consumables and materials

Waste footprint – sources of waste generation across the business

Not only did we lower our carbon emissions and water consumption last year, but we also improved recycling rates and made advances in sustainable sourcing.

As a result, GNM more than met its 10:10 commitment to reduce emissions by a tenth in 2010. In fact, we reduced our measured carbon emissions by 27% in the year ending March 2011.

Given that we co-founded the 10:10 campaign, which urges individuals, businesses and organisations to reduce their carbon emissions, it was only right that we were able to show leadership by lowering our own impacts.

Our environmental performance has been acknowledged by GNM becoming one of the first 500 organisations in the UK to be awarded the?Carbon Trust Standard?(CTS), in recognition of its work to reduce its climate change impacts.

The standard is awarded to organisations which have shown carbon reductions and put effective systems in place for carbon management, ranging from policies and investment to people and training.

Achieving it involved an audit of three years of data at the Guardian's offices?and?print sites?and an assessment of how carbon thinking is embedded into business culture and practice. The certification process confirmed that the GNM reduced CO2 by 4,422 tonnes or 28% over the past three financial years ending March 2010. For more information click here.

We have expanded GNM's carbon footprint to include a wider boundary of our impacts, which now embraces paper manufacture at the mills, print wholesale distribution1 and the printing of our magazines2 by contractors.

The continuing expansion of this boundary through our supply chain means that our baseline footprint has changed in the last year and will continue to do so over time. For example, our offices in 2009/10 represented 41% of our footprint and now reflect just 13%.

Based on this wider boundary, the emissions captured in our footprint rose to 31,869tCO2 in the financial year ending March 2011. But on a comparative basis, carbon emissions fell by an impressive 27% compared with the previous year. The biggest savings were achieved through purchasing paper from mills with lower carbon emissions.

Looking through a slightly different lens, we reduced carbon intensity by 19% to 14.6 tonnes of CO2 per ￡100,000 of turnover, based on our wider boundary.

In terms of our directly owned operations, including offices, print sites and business travel, we saved 9% against last year. This was achieved through a combination of investment, improved efficiency, environmental management and reduced operations.

Our two Guardian Print Centres in Manchester and London (Stratford) achieved efficiency gain of 1.7% in emissions per copy, even though the number of printed copies fell. London achieved 16.3gCo2 and Manchester 21.1g per copy in 2010. London GPC's emissions per copy is lower than Manchester due to efficiencies available through economies of scales. London prints 50% more copies than Manchester.

However, business travel emissions rose by 15% due predominately to increased journalist flights to and across the Middle East during the Arab spring and trips across the Atlantic to set up our expanded New York office.

GNM is producing a carbon inventory to identify where GNM's business activities are linked with the generation of greenhouse gases and other environmental impacts. The process sets out all the activities that are directly and indirectly related to GNM businesses covering print media, digital media and our other commercial ventures. These activities may generate greenhouse gases as a result of the material inputs they draw into the system, the processing or activity itself, the intended outputs and waste generated.

These activities have been grouped into five distinct areas or stages that occur within the media process and form GNM's Media Life Cycle (see fig.1):

Production of traditional print media, digital media and other commercial outputs.

Delivery of printed newspapers, of digital content through the Internet and of exhibitions, events and other publishing Use or consumption of GNM content, services, products by the customer.

Enabling the customer to take an action or inform opinion change.

Whist we will ensure a comprehensive picture of GNM's potential total carbon footprint, it is not realistic to maintain a carbon inventory that includes all emission sources. In line with best practice, GNM has set an initial inventory boundary that seeks to cover its primary emission sources, with the aim of progressively expanding the boundary over consecutive years.

Resource Footprint

Water is a precious resource and we are conscious that we must improve our understanding and monitoring of usage. In areas of the business where we do monitor water, we are managing to reduce it.

The two print plants achieved actual water reductions of 14% or 1.6 million litres between 2009/10 and 2010/11. This was achieved by a reduction in leaks, more efficient cleaning processes and the introduction of PIR sensors in the toilets.

We recognise that the effects of our consumption of natural resources has effects beyond what we see in our waste bins. Sustainable sourcing as well as more considered or reduced consumption are essential to our sustainability ambitions.

Both print sites have significantly reduced their use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in our printing process by eliminating the use of solvents in the press cleaning process and font solutions. VOCs are dangerous to both humans and the environments.

Paper consumption is not only our number one carbon source but also our largest direct impact on the environment. In the last financial year, 96% of the newsprint and 82% of magazine grade paper used for the Guardian and Observer was either recycled or used certified virgin fibre. We also invited both WWF and Greenpeace to come to the Guardian and critique our performance.

Our catering suppliers, Baxter Storey, have minimum targets on how much food is sustainably sourced, including local, organic and fair trade produce. Through Global Generation, one of our community partners, local young people studying for a BTEC in horticulture take our canteen waste, grow food and sell it back to us for use in the staff canteen.?

Anglo, our office suppliers, have an agreed aim to identify opportunities to reduce environmental impacts of the products they purchase on our behalf. Currently, 48% of products purchased for GNM by Anglo are from recycled or certified sources. This includes office paper, stationery and catering supplies.

While office waste has a relatively low environmental impact, compared with our other activities, it has a high visibility for staff. In fact, the issue came up repeatedly in workshops held with departments across GNM to look at sustainability objectives.

GNM has had a chequered history in this area and it was discovered in 2010 that while we were collecting waste in four separate bins, when it was being picked up at the back door, it had all been dumped into just two separate containers. Another issue is that some staff contaminated the recycling bins with food waste and the metal recycling bins had sharp edges which often meant waste spilled out and could therefore not be recycled.

Despite this, a concerted effort meant that we just exceeded our target of increasing office waste recycling to 65% in the financial year ending March 2011.? No waste now goes to landfill and waste to incineration fell by 47 tonnes. This success was tempered by the fact that total waste volumes are increasing. For example total paper waste increased by 114 tonnes. Investigation is on going to understand why more paper waste has entered the system.

In an attempt to improve the efficiency of our waste and recycling, we recently launched a new scheme at the Guardian's headquarters building in Kings Place called Love Your Waste. The campaign is an attempt to show staff that what they throw away is not rubbish but represents a valuable resource. We have also streamlined the waste collection, improved siganage and replaced the bins.

Initial results show that the improved signage are helping to reduce contamination.

Our Manchester print site operates a closed loop recycling scheme with one of our paper mills, Palm. Waste paper is collected from the print site and taken to a local mill where it is processed back into newsprint. In addition, the Manchester site is investigating how best to segregate waste streams to maximise their financial value.

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China is on the train faster than disaster | Isabel Hilton

A train crash in the Zhejiang Province of China killed to at least 32 people and wounded 200 more. Photo: Aly Song/Reuters

China high-speed rail seemed to symbolize the unstoppable rise of the nation: from the first line was opened in 2007, which has built more than 6,000 kilometers of track and seemed ready to spread the magic in overseas markets, bidding aggressively against established international players. Yet this week, families were mourning the 39 dead and tending the 200 injured in the accident on Saturday, the episode latest and worst in the fiasco of high speed train. A project to show that China was prepared for leadership in advanced technologies, said collapses in death, anger and shame.

How went so badly wrong takes some dark lessons for China. It is a story of corruption and cut corner and responsibility passed around a bureaucracy opaque and untouchable. It is also a lesson in a habit of nationalist "Digest" foreign technology, as a railway official said, then change it, to claim the result as a Chinese invention.

The lines have been plagued setbacks; the track, according to foreign experts, is mediocre and is likely to crack. The Minister of railways has been sacked and is under investigation for corruption, and the costs have tripled. Bloggers say that the Government is committed to cover until a research.

These are not just coming home to roost the chickens. A series of scandals has deleted million from the price on the part of several Chinese firms. Revelations of accounting fraud in China have shattered the confidence of investors. Do with the railroad, this has raised questions: no more accountability and transparency, is really willing to take measures following, difficult to China? How a system that allows little objective analysis can be achieved each time that responsibility?

These are questions that interest both to the partners of China as do them to the Government. Corruption has destroyed confidence in China's prestige projects. Corruption also kills: killing children in Sichuan in 2008 when their school collapsed and migrant workers in Shanghai last year when his apartment building turned into a deadly Inferno; He killed the infants who received thousands of drivers in collapse of bridges and milk poisoned each year with vegetables irrigated with polluted water.

Corruption is an issue highlighted in the speech of President Hu Jintao for the Communist Party recently 90 birthday celebrations, as it has been in the speech of the leader almost all for decades. But still without touching the conditions that make this endemic corruption: the monopoly of power in the hands of an untouchable institution. The prosecution of persons, without however high-profile trials, it has not done anything to change that.

Economic rise of China 30 years has been impressive, but suspicion about basic data makes it virtually impossible to determine how sustainable. The speed of construction of the railway's boastful recalls the great leap forward in the late 1950s, when officials set goals absurd for the production of food, and duly reported met them. Some 30 million people died of starvation until his death. Leadership response to each of these disasters has been the same: Delete discussion, silence for the victims and paint himself as the solution, not the problem. Last week, when local witnesses protested that railroad officials had hastily buried damaged carriages, there was outrage but little surprise. China Digital Times reported that the central propaganda department instructed the media to "quickly must report any information is released by the Ministry of railways".

Unless systemic lessons are learned, there are more afraid. China is embarking on expansion fastest in the world of nuclear energy. The world should pray the industry in any way will be immune from the curse of cutting corner, secrecy and corruption - or possible implications are chilling.

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Pakistan: after the floods - video

Floods last year in Pakistan are considered to be one of the worst natural disasters in history. As a result of heavy rains, more than one-fifth of the country was under water. A year later, the NGO WaterAid visit the provinces of Punjab and Sindh

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IPCC: critics ignore the real scandal

The IPCC showed the world the reality and the danger of climate change, but has been the subject of a cloud of public relations in recent years. Photography: First/zefa/Corbis

The world really awakened to the threat of climate change on Friday 2 February of 2007 when a report of the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change concluded that the activities of mankind are - beyond all reasonable doubt - dangerous driving global warming. Remains the seminal moment and the IPCC's work was recognized with the Nobel Prize in peace, shared with Al Gore.

How things change. Since large part of the recent reports of the IPCC's work, it would be forgiven for thinking that it is a group of tinpot green fans, rather than the greatest feat of global scientific cooperation never seen. Their reports are approved and backups of all the Nations of the planet, which is absolutely unique and authoritative.

It was the most recent "dispute" on the special report of the IPCC on renewable energy. "Its release was kidnapped by Greenpeace, with the report buried until weeks later," cried critics. Here is it not, for any reason, to tell.

1. The summary for policymakers (SPM) was released before the full report for the same reason that gives the IPCC single influence. The SPM was discussed and approved, then all 194 countries, meaning that some changes are made to the project. Those changes must then be woven into the full report, 1000 pages in this case. It takes time, but the SPM is already widely available. Delete the SPM until made revisions to the full report is simply impossible.

2. The scientist working for Greenpeace, Sven Teske, was one of nine authors for the corresponding chapter, one of whom worked for an oil company. The ultimate responsibility for the chapter, one of 11 in the report, was with two authors of coordination. General, 120 scientists the author of the report, there were 269 contributors and reviewers of 340 or something as well.

3. The research suggesting that they could generate 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2050 was a report by Greenpeace. But much more saliently, also was peer reviewed and published in a respected scientific journal. It was the last, not first, which was part of the IPCC report.

4 Press room for the special report on renewable energy sources makes it clear that examined more than 160 scientific scenarios for the expansion of green energy, with four sources examined in depth. The most optimistic suggests the use of 77 per cent in 2050, less optimistic, quoted in the following paragraph - suggest that only 15%.

Has the IPCC made mistakes in its communication? Without a doubt. The response to the revelation that a 3,000-page report there was an erroneous assertion that could melt the glaciers of the Himalayas to 2035 was extremely clumsy and counterproductive. The lessons have been learned and to try to prevent future repetitions, although no system will be infallible in a gigantic effort by.

Crucial work of the IPCC does over the journalistic scrutiny or criticism? Absolutely not. Journalists should work without fear or favour, and I have done the same in relation to the information in the cables U.S. diplomats obtained by Wikileaks on how some IPCC personalities were appointed.

Some critics went as far as to suggest that non-governmental organization scientists have place as authors of IPCC reports. You might think that nature, the world's most prestigious journals of Science Editors, would agree. But it is not the case. In fact are quite the opposite view. An editorial in the August issue of States of nature climate change (free registration):

Expand the circle of knowledge and information that contribute to the IPCC is essential for the evolution of the Organization, and welcomes in this regard the report [renewable energy]. Some of the major revelations on how we deal with climate change could come from this diversity, be in the form of industry authors or links of promotion, sources of information outside of magazines or meta-analysis

It is true that a perception of bias can be harmful, even if it is unfounded. But that perception comes from partial, censoring of proper context and omission of key facts reports.

The IPCC scandal is entirely different. For a body of such unique global significance, its secretariat is shockingly tiny – only 12 staff. Not long ago it was half of that number. Its annual budget is just a few million dollars, with only a single communication professional. It is a miracle that nothing out.

How can this be? Ironically, once more gives for the same reason that the IPCC his sole authority. If you plan to get 194 Nations to agree on global warming, try to get 194 Nations to agree to increase its subscription fees.

The IPCC certainly needs to communicate better and that the resources to do so. That, in my opinion, is something worth shouting about.

Note: in item 2 above in the original post that was not used exact terminology of the IPCC for the role of different copyright, i.e., the lead and the main Coordinator. Now be corrected. Thanks to Richard Klein.

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A life's work: the gangmaster

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Michael Pawson: "If you treat people right, they work hard for you." Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian

It is 5am on a grey, drizzling Monday in Spilsby, Lincolnshire: hooded figures carrying rucksacks and smoking rollups drift into the car park of the George and greet each other. One man is chatting on the phone, saying "tak, tak" in a determined way.

They are waiting for Michael Pawson, their gangmaster. Pawson, known to everyone as Ciggie, runs four teams, two British and two Polish, seven people in each – a tractor driver, four cutters and two packers.

At 5.15am he rolls into the car park in a Range Rover and jumps out: he is a trim, quietly spoken man dressed in wellies, jeans and a camouflage-style gilet. Two vans have already arrived and departed, taking the Polish workers to the field where they are working for the day, and now the British workers climb into their two vans, and we set off. Half an hour later, after flying through empty roads and bumping over farm tracks, we arrive in a huge field – 50 acres, Pawson estimates – full of broccoli.

There are two rigs – a tractor with a conveyor belt contraption to carry the vegetables to the packers waiting in the covered trailer behind – and one is instantly nabbed by the other team, leaving the packers in our van looking disgruntled. Not only is the remaining rig not their usual one (Pawson broke the door on that one driving through a gateway last week), meaning they have no music while they work, but this is the one cutting broccoli for Tesco.

Why is that bad? "Tesco requires us to put plastic liners in the trays," says Pawson. "It slows the packers down and when it's windy like this it's a real pain."

I jump up on the trailer with Beverley and her son, Jermaine, who are packing. They each shift a stack of plastic trays to the front of the trailer, prop another tray at an angle on the stack and lay a liner over the top. Beverley sits a set of electronic scales to one side. Then, even though the temperature is cool with a steady breeze blowing, Beverley strips off her coat and jumper. I soon learn why: as soon as the tractor starts up, the conveyor belts starts whizzing around, carrying large heads of broccoli up for Beverley to snatch up and slam into the tray in front of her. As soon as the tray is full, she plops it onto the scales, picks one head out so the tray weighs between 10.2kg and 11kg, then literally runs down the trailer to stack the tray at the back. She then hares back with an empty tray in her hand.

In the meantime, Jermaine has been loading broccoli into his tray. As his mother resumes her position at the front, he goes through the weighing and stacking process. Soon the back wall of the trailer is covered, and they start on a second layer.

Pawson walks in front of the tractor and its conveyor belt, in a line with three other cutters. They are all wearing waterproof trousers and carrying razor-sharp, long knives, and only stop to hack the tops off broccoli plants, trimming the leaves off and then popping the heads in the conveyor belt cups. Small heads are left for another round of cutting in two or three days' time, while those that are already too big for the supermarkets' tastes are slashed through the middle and left to be ploughed back into the soil.

Pawson is an unusual gangmaster in that he works alongside his employees. "I'd need five or six gangs to make it work financially if I didn't cut. But I don't mind doing this," he says.

He taps the conveyor belt with his knife when he wants the tractor to speed up. It's very physical work, and I'm surprised the cutters don't get bad backs from stooping down to the plants all the time. They certainly won't be getting fat any time soon.

He started operating as a gangmaster in his early twenties, after working as a farm labourer and a short sojourn in the movie industry doing special effects in Shepperton Studios. "I got fed up because the money wasn't excellent. Especially when you consider I was living in London," he says.

The term gangmaster is, for many people, associated with the Morecambe Bay tragedy in February 2004, when 21 Chinese workers who were part of a cockle-picking gang were caught by the tide and drowned. The ensuing trial of their gangmaster proved it was his criminal negligence that led to their deaths, and he was convicted on 21 counts of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years in prison. However, he claimed that the ultimate responsibility lay with the clients, blaming frequent price-cutting by middlemen for the harsh regime. One of the surviving cockle pickers told the court he was paid ￡5 per 25kg of cockles.

The Morecambe Bay tragedy led to the introduction of the Gangmasters Licensing Act 2004 and formation of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority. This regulates all labour providers that place workers in agricultural, forestry, horticultural and food processing and packaging work and shellfish collection, ensuring that the people they recruit receive a written contract, the national minimum wage, decent accommodation, safe and legal transport and working conditions, and to be treated fairly and equally. Gangmasters who break the rules or operate without a licence can face up to 10 years in prison.

Has this made any difference to the way Pawson operates his teams? "Not really, we've always operated like this," he says. "If you treat people right, they work hard for you."

The owner of this particular farm pays a lump sum to Pawson, out of which he must take his share – 29%, weekly pay for the gang, and their tax and national insurance. Pawson's partner sorts out the tax and NI payments, and unlike many gangmasters, Pawson does not charge his employees for transport to the fields.

The farmer also subcontracts the running of the farm to different managers: Pawson's brother has for 35 years managed the green crop part of the farm, talking to the retailers about their requirements each day and sorting out which crops are ready for cutting. This is no small job – the farm comprises several thousand acres and gangs cut crops there from the end of February through to the end of November.

Far from chopping and changing workers, the gangs are very consistent in their makeup. Beverley has worked as a packer for this gang for nearly 34 years. She says: "I've done other things, but the money is too good here. It's a decent firm – everyone gets paid the same amount. You hear of some where they don't pay the foreigners as much."

Her son started working alongside her for the first time last month and looks likely to stay. Pawson says: "I thought we'd give him a try, and he's worked out very well."

The downside is that there is usually just one day's notice that the work is going to end, even though they have annual contracts. Employees are then left to find alternative work or sign on until they are needed again. The Polish workers tend to go back to Poland for the fallow period, but return once the work picks up. Pawson's two Polish teams are run by a married couple: the wife leads one team, her husband the other. "They originally worked in Boston, but were being ripped off. They heard about me so came and just turned up one day to ask if they could work for me: luckily I had some jobs going. They got married soon after and had a littl'un, and have worked for me ever since," says Pawson. They supply the other Poles in the teams – all of whom have worked for Pawson for several years now.

How is Pawson's Polish? "Non- existent. But their English is good. I have had a vodka or two with the team on evenings when we're not working the next day. You drink the vodka first, and then this much of coke or juice afterwards," he says, measuring out a depth of four fingers on his hand.

Suddenly Beverley exclaims and holds her hand, which is dripping blood. "It's these trays – they are the only ones that cut you if you catch yourself on the side," she says. She calls to Pawson and the rig and cutters stop to wait while she applies a plaster: Tesco will reject the broccoli if it has blood on it, she says.

We are near the end of the row, and Pawson decides to take a break while waiting for the other rig to catch up. The gang settle down in the back of the trailer with tea and their sandwiches, and chat companionably. One of the cutters teases Pawson: "Where's our music then, Mick?"

It's really not what most people would expect. Far from being exploited, underpaid and poorly treated, these workers seem happy, have a good relationship with their boss and are contented with their wages.

Undoubtedly there are still gangmasters who take advantage of their workers, but it's not happening here in this Lincolnshire field. Thankfully, we are a long way from Morecambe Bay.

Michael spent a year in his early 20s doing special effects for films, including the 1985 drama The Emerald Forest, directed by John Boorman: the dam that features in the film was built in Spilsby. Michael has an apartment in southern Goa and spends three weeks every winter in India, but he doesn't like curry. He loves fishing, and spends nearly every day sea fishing while on holiday in Goa. He keeps about 25 chickens in his back garden, but can't face growing vegetables.

Pay Pawson gets the equivalent of 29% of his employees' earnings. In a good week they get a piece rate of ￡400 gross or more. In a less good week they get an hourly rate of ￡6.80 (normal hours) or ￡9.86 (overtime). He earns whatever the cutters are earning, and rents out accommodation to seven of the Polish workers at ￡475 a month. But he runs four vans, paying ￡2,800 a year for insurance and ￡1,000 for fuel every month, plus ￡100 a month to a man who sorts out his DVLA paperwork.

Hours The teams start cutting when the sun rises and continue until the day's order is complete. That may take a couple of hours or all day, but usually they are finished by noon.

Work/life balance Pawson is often in bed by 7.30pm and only sees his partner for an hour in the evening.

Best thing "The money. If you work hard you get a decent living."

Worst thing "Rain. We're equipped for it, but you can't escape."

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Letters: The end of economic growth

Noting that the economy "has flatlined for nearly a year," report that "Cameron provides defenses before the storm on growth [lack of]" (July 26). Instead of fighting it, it is not a time that the Government, opposition and trade unions began to plan how flatline with social justice?

Illustration: Gary Kempston

Put an end to the economic growth? Yes, it is inevitable. In 2000 the Labour Government set up a Commission of sustainable development. In 2009 Professor Tim Jackson, Member of the SDC report prosperity without growth. He wrote: "every society clings to a myth in which he lives." Ours is the myth of economic growth... "It is totally at odds with our scientific knowledge of the basis of finite resources and the fragile ecology all depend for their survival". The SDC was closed by the Government in March.

There are a lot of ideas about how flatline: income of citizens to protect the people out of work; a take home pay differential of 1 to 10 (severe taxation of the opulent) to cut the deficit; a week for four days for the majority of workers share in the available work; development of the community to protect the vulnerable and sick; a massive development of allotments to move towards self-sufficiency in food; reduction of energy as "most uses, the greater the burden of unit" to move towards energy self-sufficiency; and all this supported by adult education through the media that explains the dire situation of "a finite resource base" and "fragile ecology".

These measures can disrupt the lives of most of us, especially the rich, but we are preparing for serious uncertainties in the near future and make sense of the statement of the Prime Minister that "we are all in this together".

Michael Bassey

Newark, Nottinghamshire

? Economy of supply of Julian Glover claims is of little help in the current crisis because it takes years to provide an economic rebound (comment, 25 July). In fact, offer economy is useless because the problem is not with the economy's supply. Rules of procedure of the Court and business taxes is not necessary because there is excess in the economy's supply capacity. The problem is with the demand: consumers are jittery and the Government is cutting its own spending drastically, thus taking a huge piece of liquidity demand in the economy. It is not surprising that the growth in the second quarter figures are close to zero. Nor was the current crisis caused by excessive demands: financial or regulatory: the economy's supply side; quite the contrary: was the lax regulation of financial services that allow our banks to assume risks that ultimately, the taxpayer rescue them to. The economic slowdown was not caused by the "bureaucracy". However, the party came to Office with a doctrinaire commitment to offer economy and is using this crisis to that programme, whatever the cost to the rest of us.

Mary Ryan

Nottingham

? Larry Elliott recommends five steps to a growth of United Kingdom (Great Britain cannot grow if the North lags, 25 July), but need to add a sixth: a tax of solidarity from the North: a 5% tax on higher incomes, with the product used to treat the weak infrastructure and poor housingincrease competitiveness and the attraction of life/work "towards the North". Far-fetched under the Coalition? Germany conservatives introduced this tax for 20 years to deal with their differences East/West. €200Bn has raised so far. Given the rate of growth of Germany, 3.5% last year and forecast even greater this year, hasn't done much damage.

John Rigby

Berlin

? Vince Cable is right to call for a use "more imaginative" of quantitative easing (report, 25 July). In our report Green quantitative easing propose that the next batch of billions of printed e pounds invested in a carefully budgeted programme of energy efficiency and renewable energy that covers all the buildings in the UK. The policy can create hundreds of thousands of green jobs. It is also one of the best ways to ensure the eventual reduction of public debt through the taking of an increase in tax and benefit less than bill.

Colin Hines and Richard Murphy

New Green Deal

? The resolution Foundation report on living conditions unequivocally demolishes the myth of the "trickle-down". It clearly demonstrates that the loss of purchasing power has become much longer than since the last recession. In fact it was diverting money from the pockets of the vast majority of the population and those of the richest 1 per cent and particularly the financial corporate sector, for the whole of the first decade of this century. A more egalitarian society, I suggest, would be much more resilient totally avoidable crisis we are experiencing. Rather than acknowledge this and set a course for a more equitable distribution of income and wealth, creating feeds us with claptrap about us are all in together. It is not true now, and it has not been true for a long time.

Neil Blackshaw

Little Easton, Essex

? David Cameron and George Osborne may say what they want, but the truth is that the British economy is dying as a direct and inevitable consequence of its policy of public spending cuts. Does Cameron says "the path of growth will be difficult", while Osborne said that "there are risks for current and future growth", so it does not take defence of Murdoch's "I didn't know", you can? But revealing, Osborne said that he has "become Great Britain a safe port in a storm". A safe harbor for those who: financial agiotistas that made us all into this mess?

The truth is: United States and the euro area also in difficulties due to the stupidity of these financial markets: bond dealers and various other financial fiddlers have no where going. What you can do is the unity of the world into recession, with the help and instigated by Cameron, Osborne and the Tories. Court is not the way of growth. Vince Cable is correct, but are the other Lib do the right thing and throw the switch to this disastrous Coalition? That could and should be - and if they don't, we know that they are part of the problem.

David Reed

London

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The crisis in the Horn of Africa is a warning to the world | Jeffrey Sachs

Newcomers tail of Somali refugees in tents by the charity of the Lutheran World Federation on the side of the Dagahaley in Dadaab, in Kenya refugee camp. Photography: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

The crisis in the Horn of Africa is a profound human disaster in the making and a warning to the world. More than 11 million Africans, primarily pastoralists in dry land of Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and neighbouring countries, are at risk of dying of starvation after two seasons of rain has failed. They need urgent help to survive, and the Governments and non-governmental organizations are in place to deliver that aid if the necessary funding is confirmed immediately. An estimated $mil is urgently necessary, equal to $1 for each person in the world of high income.

The warning is clear. The Horn of Africa is the region's most vulnerable worldwide, beset by poverty, hunger and global climate change, in particular a drying and warming of the climate during the last quarter of a century. These scourges are leading to the spread of violence and war, and war is contributing to global instability. If fail to meet the challenges of the Horn of Africa in its causes: poverty and the vulnerability of pastoralists and nomadic populations of the agro - we will face increasing violence in the Horn of Africa, Yemen and beyond. The world could be severely endangered and trillions of dollars that would eventually be spent on military responses would be useless to prevent unrest. Hunger cannot be overcome by violence.

West has contributed to the crisis in the region through global climate change to sexual life and livelihood of the population of the region. It is high time that we act to help strengthen the economies of the pastors of these environmental threats to the region. We must not only provide emergency relief but go beyond, to help these poor regions out of extreme poverty and to be more resilient to climate change. Support the sustainable development of pasture in the Horn of Africa is not only save lives but help to put an end to the war and the spread of global instability.

"Traditional donors", including the United States and the European Union, have fallen much promises made at the Summit of the G8 in L'Aquila, Italy, in 2009 to help small farmers, including pastoralists. United States and the EU are in a deep political and financial crisis, meaning or is likely to step forward with the scale of emergency and long-term aid to the Horn of Africa that normally expected to comply with.

In this situation, it is encouraging that the Gulf countries, including members of the GCC, have demonstrated willingness to intensify its assistance to the Horn of Africa, across the Red Sea. These countries are experiencing an impressive increase in income from exports this year, giving them the opportunity to expand its regional and global leadership as well. The Islamic Bank of development, the leaders of the 57 countries of the Organization for cooperation on Islamic (OIC), the financial institution has also shown impressive and inspiring dynamism, as well as a commitment of countries in crisis in the Horn of Africa.

New donors, in the end, step forward to help meet the urgent needs of the Horn of Africa. The time is very short and the needs are great. Generosity and speed are of the essence.

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Jon Huntsman can configure itself as Republican green kamikaze | Suzanne Goldenberg

Many people have already written out Republican Jon Huntsman for the White House term. But their willingness to defend his record as ecologist - at a time when other Republicans fleeing theirs - suggests that Huntsman himself does not assess their chances in the race for the party nomination in 2012. Perhaps determined to go out with their guns blazing: a Republican green kamikaze.

Huntsman, a former Governor of Utah, which until a few months ago Barack Obama Ambassador to China, was the keynote speaker at a dinner organized by the Republicans for environmental protection on the night of Thursday.

Huntsman used the appearance to reaffirm its conviction in the preservation and to review their efforts as Governor of Utah to switch official vehicles to natural gas.

"Conservation is conservative," Huntsman told the group that had less than 200 people at the dinner. "I am not ashamed of being conservation."
He added: "Also I think that science should lead our discussions on climate change".

Let's be clear: Huntsman, during his time in Utah, not anywhere near as green as other Governors even Republican colleagues as Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The event on Thursday night was sponsored by the nuclear and natural gas companies. -only allies of Greenpeace. and Huntsman actually uttered the words climate change only once in the 20-minute speech.

He also left the mention of its previous support for CAP and trade. Huntsman appeared in television commercials urging Congress to pass a climate bill. He has since said cap-and-trade would be a major drag on the economy in a recession.

But by Republican standards of the day their points of view on the environment make him a heretic.

Republicans in the House of representatives are using debt crisis to push deep cuts to the budgets of medium environmental. They want to scrap of light bulbs for energy saving, opening of drilling close to the Grand Canyon and strip the protections for manatees.

As Huntsman joked in his speech: many people had been asking him why he dared even to upload. The Republicans for the protection of the environment, already a group of marginal in the party, made an enemy of the conservative party's dominant tea when he publicly demanded they vote against light bulbs. David Jenkins, an official representative, said that it was a "silly bll based entirely on ignorance and false assertions". As the event got underway, a truck in a circle the hotel with posters denouncing Huntsman as a Republican wrong, a whiner "climate" and "Of Utah to the Gore".

So why does he do it?

Huntsman can really believe in what he is saying. Can you believe that it can help their chances establishing himself, apart from other candidates. It can be through this career as a simulacrum of the 2016 elections - and with the hope that the Tea Party movement will have burned it at the time. Or you can think that it would be futile to try to flee from their record of all forms. In this case, it could also occur by its principles.

What do you think? Huntsman destroyed his race for the White House, or he is a man ahead of his time?

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Do good Hinckley C: nuclear power station? | John Vidal

Hinkley to central nuclear, now because of low control room. Photography: Martin Argles the Guardian

This week company to State French EDF received permission to start the preconstruction "hinkley C", the third nuclear power station in Somerset in the Bristol Channel coast and is expected to be the first nuclear power station to be built in Britain in more than 20 years. This will involve the removal of more than 400 hectares of land and dig more soil and rock that was excavated for the Olympic Games in London.

Nuclear is considered by the Government to be a source of electricity, totally safe, cheap and predictable, ideal for working with less predictable wind energy to provide 80 per cent of electricity of low carbon Britain should generate by 2050 to meet its ambitious targets legal climate.

Hinckley is one of the eight sites now for a new generation of nuclear power plants. All are located next to the existing stations, which means that there is an available workforce and less opposition from local communities who have come to rely on nuclear power for the employment and income.

Hinckley (c) and a station of twins at Sizewell in Suffolk, if they must provide each around 1, 600MW of power of third-generation, twin-unit European pressurized reactor (EPR). Prototypes of these stations are under construction at Olkiluoto in Finland and Flammanville in France.

Both the French and Finnish prototype stations have doubled its price to around ￡ 6,000 each and are taking twice as much: six years: to build than expected. Hinckley c would be generating electricity 2018, but is now considered unlikely. No commercial nuclear power plant never has built in Great Britain in time or in its expenditure and city analysts do not think that EDF will be able to build cheaper nuclear power plants in Britain than in other places.

Nuclear critics argue that climate goals may be met with renewable energy sources and that of the nuclear costs have been distorted because the companies do not have to pay for insurance, or storage of the waste for thousands of years. In addition, they say that costs may increase even more due to the disaster of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, which raises issues of safety in all nuclear power stations.

Nuclear advocates say that only nuclear can now provide the amount of energy needed for the next 40 years. But critics point to Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Japan, that have turned back at the source of much-disputed food.

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Lost penguins Happy Feet recovering well - video

Emperor Penguin appeared in the North New Zealand island after swimming in Antarctica passed his last medical check-ups

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Cribsheet 29.07.11

Unions say workers in the sector public forced strike even more once the Treasury announced details of the increases in pension contribution. Photograph: Sang as / AP

Officials consider more strikes on reform of public sector pensions

Nearly 900 students suspended from school every day violence

They are the owners of the news of the world fit and proper people for running schools? The New Statesman has an interesting feature in Michael Gove meetings with several members of the Murdoch Empire. Gove has met staff from Murdoch 11 times during the past year. And Murdoch last month said it would be "happy" if 10% of the News Corp income come from education. Cribsheet expected subeditors of the Sun, the people who gave us "the Sun Wot won" and "gotcha" not allowed near the English lessons.

Independent has a lively story about a school that has been configured in the stadium of Sunderland Football club. Schools used love disruptive pupils in football to improve their attitude towards education. Students start their day with a walk through a tunnel with Prokofiev dance of the Knights (the club theme tune) playing in the background.

A charitable organization which aims to highlight cases of scholars who could be the subject of violations of human rights says is "deeply concerned" by the Vietnamese Professor Pham Minh Hoang. Pham is a Professor of mathematics at the University of Ho Chi Minh City. He has been accused of "attempted to overthrow the Socialist Government" and will be judged on 10 August. It has been held in custody since August 13, 2010. His supporters believe that Pham has been stopped because it was critical of the decision of the Vietnamese Government to leave controversial mines of bauxite of China implementation in the central highlands of Viet Nam. Vietnamese environmentalists believe that there is a significant danger that the toxic waste from the processing plants in the water supply.

Scholars at risk is urging the education professionals to write the first Vietnamese Minister and ask him to consider the circumstances of the arrest of Pham.

If you are visiting Europe with (or without) your students this summer, or planning of lessons for September, there are many great lessons in French, German, and Spanish for all ages in the network of your teacher.

Learn how to buy food at France, or book a hotel and order some food in a restaurant in Germany, or how to get the most from a visit in the tourist information office in Spain.

Live chat: working abroad in higher education

What can academics and employees in foreign countries tell us about life in the foreign sector? Try countries, culture and higher education in foreign countries. Join the live chat on Friday, July 29 at 1 pm

Is crowdsourcing affect research?

Crowdsourcing funds and experience is becoming a widespread practice in the academic world. But it affects the quality of the results?

The guardian would like to highlight your pupils GCSE and a level of success this summer. We are asking schools to answer some quick questions about the results of their students, as soon as they - will receive the Scottish August 18 for level and 25 August. Please take note of the following web pages and return them to fill the results in those days:

Tell us the GCSE results

Tell us the results of a level

We want to tell our readers how their students have done and have desire assignment to the success of young people throughout the country.

Does thinking about doing a PhD?

This seminar provides information and independent advice on developing a research proposal, the process and pitfalls of a degree and career prospects for research.

September 9, London.

Taking maximum advantage of media opportunities to improve their school profile

If you're sharing good news or a crisis management, provided and school management teams must be able to handle the media in all its forms. This seminar one day in partnership with the NAHT is essential for new and aspiring chiefs and established school leaders wishing to update their knowledge. It includes a session on social media.

20 September, London.

Using social media to improve the student experience

As enrollment increase rates, so too do the expectations of the students. Social media is an effective and inexpensive way to manage this challenge. This seminar explored newly designed best practices, techniques and strategy for the entire staff of higher education: academic, communications, recruitment, marketing and strategy.

22 September, London.

Life after a Ph.d.

If you are getting published, convince an employer that is transferable skills or ensure an academic post, should be fully prepared to achieve their goals. This course will help you to identify career opportunities for those with specialized knowledge and research skills.

4 And 5 October, London.

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Scientist of the Arctic suspended on "integrity matters"

The official offshore oil tax in Alaska, he said that a scientist in the upper Arctic was suspended due to "problems of integrity" outside of his work in polar bears.

Charles Monnett, a biologist at wildlife of U.S. Government that first exposed to the threat of polar bears that raises the melting ice of the sea, he was suspended on 18 July.

His team's defense, which was not informed of the specific charges against Monnett - said that suspension may be linked to an investigation of months of possible scientific misconduct in his work of polar bears.

But Michael Bromwich, who heads the Government agency where she works Monnett, told staff in an e-mail that the suspension was due to totally different integrity issues that came to light during the course of the investigation.

Earlier, an official of the Bureau of ocean energy management implementation and regulation of the Bromwich told The Guardian, in an e-mail: "Agency placed Mr Monnett administrative leave for reasons that have nothing to do with scientific integrity". The Agency said the suspension of the Monnett had nothing to do with his work on polar bears.

Also denied suggestions that Monnett, which managed about $ 50 million (￡ 30. 5 m) in research projects of the Government in the Arctic, was being marginalized to speed up the way for offshore oil drilling.

Suspension of the Monnett has produced very different reactions. Fox television commentators cite the incident to try to discredit the science on climate change.

The Monnett defenders say he is subject to a smear campaign.

Jeff Ruch of public employees for environmental responsibility, which is to serve the legal team of the Monnett, suggested the work of the Monnett placed under a microscope at the behest of the oil companies to drill in the Arctic.

Ruch, "I think it is an excuse to close the store of science", said on Friday.

Documents suggest the investigators are reviewing Monnett research methods, as well as the importance it attaches to its discovery of polar bears in the Arctic channels in 2004.

But the investigators of the Office of the inspector general in the Department of the interior of United States, said during a formal interview last February, that they were impacting its methodology, displays a transcript of the session. "Basically wrong numbers, calculation errors," said one of the researchers, Eric may, Monnett during the formal interview.Monnett protested. "It is not scientific misconduct." If "nothing is sloppy, the transcript quotes him as saying.Scientific misconduct suggests that we did something deliberately to deceive or change it. We are sure that I do not see any indication of that in what you are asking me about. "

Monnett was on a flight from research whale monitoring in 2004 when he and a colleague, Jeff Gleason, saw four dead polar bears floating in the water after a storm. It was that first scientists of the Government time had recorded deaths by drowning polar bears, Monnett told investigators.

He and Gleason published his observations in 2006 in the journal Polar biology. The paper used the number of corpses seen polar bears on the flight to suggest 25% of the bears had drowned swimming between solid sheets of ice. They wrote: "Drowning deaths of polar bears may increase in future if it continues the observed trend of regression of ice or over open water sessions."

Monnett told investigators that he was cautious in his framing of the polar bear event: in view of the prevailing views of the then administration of George Bush.

"We are working for an agency that, above all, very hostile to the concept of climate change, which is hostile to the idea that had effects in all that we do nothing," is quoted as saying. Elsewhere in the interview transcripts, researchers ask Monnett how he was able to clearly identify the dead polar bears from the air, how their calculations are carried out and how it could be some of those deaths did not occur on a regular basis.

In his interview with Gleason, carried out in January, the researchers were methods for identifying and registering animals. They pointed out that the scientists took photos of only one of the dead polar bears. Monnett told investigators that he had spoken to a colleague who had overseen the whale survey flights from 1987 to 2003. The colleague allegedly told Monnett that he did not remember see polar bears killed on these trips. Gleason, in his interview, said researchers who had consulted a database that they did not show any records of drowning polar bears 30 years.

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I'll stick with our "disposable society" in the days of the washer tub twin Chunga

A which? members reported that their Kenwood mixer was still strong today. Photograph: Fox photos/Getty Images

The double Hoover washing machine tub played much in my childhood in the 1970s. Washday (almost every day, as it was one of eight children) to prominence in our kitchen fogged-up pipes and hoses precariously attached to faucets and Sinkholes and SOAP residue floating on the odor and worrying grey water swivel.

They broke every month, more or less. The kitchen then became a workshop of deleted panels, motor parts, rubber seals and washers. I took this as normal things until that in our 24-inch Bush color TV, I saw a documentary in Japan. Out of Tokyo had a mountain of rubbish discarded videotape recorders. We couldn't afford a VCR from one of the new optional had equipped with washing machines. But here is a country which launched to perfectly working device to update the latest model.

Now we are all Japanese. In 1970, the cost of a washing machine was equal to 8% of the average annual income. Today it is only 1.5 per cent. Do the manufacturers, who?, each time over design of low-cost products to be disposable rather than repair.

The latest issue of its magazine tired asks: "Is nothing built to last?"

Some things are. A place will be the Chef Kenwood (above), begun in 1950 at a price of ￡ 19, equal to almost 500 pounds today. One be? Members still regularly uses his Chef in 1971 with original Bull.

Fridges can also maintain bulging of 50 years or more. Is a 1957 Westinghouse "never gave us any problems", a which? members of Surrey wrote. Two Truvox 74 still beautifully polished parquet floors for its owner of Middlesex, few years older than the machine itself same.

But the reality is that there was no golden age when things better and were built to last. In 1971 that? It found that half of all the washing machines broke in its first year. A cold storage room needed repairs, too.

Today, consumer goods have collapsed in price, but their reliability has improved considerably. The possibilities of a washing machine breaking in his first six years now is only 12 per cent. The workshop of repair of high street has been closed, not because we live in a disposable society, but because the work there. But I'm not about to add to moaning them about our disposable society. Only I am grateful that I don't have to fight with a tub of twin Chunga. Some things have got better since the 1970s.

? But not trains. Congratulations to the railways Chiltern, which this week took a step to simplify the absurd railway of Great Britain, ticket system. The problem with the railroad of prices is not a lack of low fares. For example, I'm going to Edinburgh for the festival for the return of ￡ 43. It is cheaper, mile by mile, than in most of the railway networks in developed countries. But I have to play the system - just buy three months ahead with rates online alerts. The real problem is the rates on the day, that of Edinburgh are only € 150, and over 200 pounds, second class. As it has organized mugging. We do not accept payment 15 to go to a stop on the tube because we forget booking 12 weeks ago. By what should we accept because the journey is a long distance train.

p.Collinson@guardian.co.UK

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AN airlifts of food in Somalia - video

The United Nations has brought its first shipment of emergency food to hungry children in Mogadishu million at risk of starvation as drought in the Horn of Africa

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Grants deadline units UK power boom

The solar panels which is installed in the Park of Sun, Fen Lane, Conisholme. Photography: Paul Marriott to Ecotricity

Despite the sky gloomy for much of the country this summer, Britain has boomed Sun - solar energy capacity has increased by more than 18 since the last year as homeowners and businesses rush to take advantage of subsidies.

From April to June this year, nearly 34 megawatts (MW) of new solar generation capacity added to the UK grid - the largest number in a single room, what the total capacity of United Kingdom to almost 122MW. This represented more than 14,500 new facilities in the last quarter alone, compared with the total capacity of United Kingdom of 2,700 only solar panel systems in use at the end of March 2010, according to figures just released from the Department of energy and climate change.

New feed in tariffs (Fits) Government have fueled the boom, making photovoltaic panels an attractive for investment as the owners receive a steady stream of income for the energy they produce, as well as use to offset their energy bills.

However, the boom is in danger of waver in the coming months, as the changes in the rates of food start to bite. Larger farms or parks face solar sharp reductions in available subsidies, the Ministers decided to restrict most of the funding to small installations, such as households and small businesses.

The changes - entry into force of the August 1 - mean that large facilities, rather than the capacity of 50 kilowatts (kW), enough to cover a large field, around 20 houses and a typical school - you will lose the higher subsidy rate and be only one lower tariff that some developers say that it is not enough to make them economically viable. Projects completed before Monday will continue to qualify for the highest rate, at least until the next review, offer companies an enormous incentive to build more quickly.

Solar experts say that developers hoping to build large facilities have been launched to install their systems before the deadline next Monday. Octopus investments said it had funded the installation of 11 sites of solar energy on a grand scale in England before the deadline, through its partner of renewable energy from light source, which has installed some 118,000 solar panels that should deliver a hours 26 gigawatt of energy annually - enough to power 7,400 houses. All sites qualify for the adjustment to the rates of the original. Paul Latham Octopus said: when moved the date limit of rating is adjusted, posed some important challenges and there was much sadness among developers and providers of funds." "Our approach was to look at what could be built within the deadline to qualify for the program."

Installers have had to speed up work: EOS energy managed to install a 3 million pounds 1. 15MW solar farm - one of the largest in the Southwest - Hendra holiday park near Newquay in just seven weeks to the deadline.

Gehrlicher Solar connected your project near Plymouth. The Langage Solar park, developed with the power of Carlton, is even greater at 100 kW.

Some companies have managed to obtain a temporary respite, of type. A gap in the media of regulations that can add facilities than kW connected prior to August 1 - who are eligible for the highest tariff - for up to a year later, with the arrangements of disks additional also be eligible for the highest tariff, at least until the regulation can be amended. This has led to a rush of developers trying to so many projects more complete kW possible next week, in order to add more panels in more free time after the deadline on Monday.

However, companies are reluctant to own up to this to avoid the wrath of the Ministers, who have tried to close the loophole.

The deadline has also stimulated the development of projects SMEs - larger than the roof of the House but less than the line point. In Cornwall, the charity of the energy community, and on Thursday announced a Fund of ￡ 20 million to help more than 300 local organizations - including schools, charitable organizations, farms - to install solar panels and buildings of the community. The charity estimates that eligible buildings could save up to ￡ 7,000 per year on their bills for energy if you use all the energy generated, or an income of ￡ 2,400 annually for export to the national grid.

Neil Farrington Energy Community said: "we have developed this scheme in response to the challenge faced by many non-commercial organizations put their own projects of renewable energy in the ground." "Many lack of the initial investment to buy an absolute winner system but also of the limitations of a ceiling rental offerings."

In addition, feed in tariffs are not the only factor driving the United Kingdom boom - the price of solar panels has plummeted, making it more attractive, the investment and the costs of the facilities are also down. HSBC estimates that the cost of solar cells - the key component in the panels - has fallen by 70 per cent from September 2008.

This downward trend could mean high rates of installation of solar panels in the last few months to continue beyond of the mini-boom created by changes to the regulations of the Fit.

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Localism Bill sacrificing our countryside to the forces of the market | Simon Jenkins

"Direct action of a new army of Swampies may soon be only defense of conservation". Photograph: Christopher Thomond the Guardian

With Parliament in recess the Government this week sneak to the most surprising change the face of England in half a century. A "national planning policy framework" replaces all the previous regulation and encouraged the construction provided that the market has fundamentally in two thirds of the rural England outside national parks, green belts and areas of natural beauty. Farms, forests, hills, valleys, coasts and estuaries are at the mercy of a "presumption for sustainable development". The "default answer" for any planning application is to be "Yes".

The Sustainable Word should never appear in an act of Parliament. It is a weasel word, an adjective does not qualify a noun but her slightly cleaned with vague political approval. Sustainability is the kind of Blairism which gave us reduction of humanitarian intervention in the war and looting. The only sustainable meadow is a meadow. Sustainable development is a contradiction in terms. It means development.

Localism bill now before the Parliament pending a straight from the developer. Drafted by the Secretary of local government, Eric Pickles, the Secretary of business, Vince Cable, emphasizes business and "national economic policy" on the conservation at all times. It is the result of intense pressure from the construction industry. Pickles and Cable are mere suppliers of construction plots to capitalist classes. The words and business development occur in the draft law 340 times, the word four field.

The draft law and adding violate the basic principle of planning, long-term of the Earth, the scarcest of resources use should take precedence over the right of an owner of benefits. Why there are no bungalows in the white cliffs of Dover and not wind farms in the Chiltern. That is why, when you see the Severn Valley, don't see Bristol merged with Gloucester.

Great champions of the rural areas, such as Octavia Hill, Oliver Rackham, Clough Williams-Ellis and Marion Shoard, sought a regime in which rural England kept its head above the tide of urbanization. Protection enshrined in the city of 1947 and law of the country and planning a presumption, given the irreversibility of urbanization, building on the ground.

All my life I have read bills parliamentary, but one Localism is the surrender of more horrible for a single lobby group that I know. It is a lot of garbage from cliché. States that the building should be acceptable "for the prosperity...... the people and places". Only needs to be sustainable economically, socially or environmentally: "components in an integrated manner, looking for solutions that offer multiple objectives", which means. Development need only show it is "planned and carried out in a responsible manner." There is no definition of "responsible way". Such vagueness puts every acre rural work such as "worth to try it".

Planning, once that proudly independent, is now effectively an arm of the Department of the Cable. It is said that "it should not act as an impediment to growth". This is the purpose of planning, which is to protect the public interest, irrespective of the market forces in his head. Its goal is to be an impediment.

Under the draft law the old top-level regional objectives and spatial strategies are scrapped, with the local authorities to write new based on what you want "local population". It is guided by "business forums" and Parish Councils. It can be any group of 21 people who "live or work" locally. These bleak, self-selected individuals are charged do not determine the local opinion, but the allocation of plots for the construction and promotion of even "more development in the local plan". In particular it should help to "offer" a 20% increase in land available for housing.

Does it must be a neighborhood so imprudent as to want to protect their environment, the planning authority is obliged to "satisfy the needs of local development" with "sufficient flexibility to respond to rapid changes in demand".? This confusion of the need and demand is an elementary economic HOWLER.

Still worse. Half of the Councils in England have no strategy plan at all. In this case, approval of planning is assumed. Also is to assume "provided that the plan is silent, indeterminate or if policies are obsolete," an impressive Orwellian phrase.

This Bill is philistine, an abuse of the local democracy and an invitation to corruption. His impact statement accepts that local voters can "resist development proposals that are not in keeping with its aspirations", in other words, can opt for conservation. However, when the appeal of the developers, the inspectors say that his duty is to grant to replace the national politics. The bias is shameful.

Two groups, in addition to the developers, will benefit. One is planning to lawyers, who will be rubbing their hands in glee and St. Eric saluting and San Vicente. The other will be a new army of "swampies", which will defend the England rural with the same anarchy as he is attacking it with Pickles. With the field against a return to the tape of options-and-expansion of the 1930s, litigation and direct action will be only defense of conservation.

There is no argument that the planning is too slow. It does not justify throwing baby, bath water and everything. There is no evidence that land shortage impedes growth. Casa-constructores and hypermarkets already hold large land banks. There is no "need" to build sites of green field anywhere in Great Britain. It is simply a "demand" for those who wish to benefit from it.

Now Earth probably more development of manufacturing and lying unused in England that never in the history. It is mostly served with infrastructure, housing, schools, and a population of working hand. It is by definition more sustainable countryside Virgin. It is there that planning must address the development.

Field needs sentimental defence. The majority of Britons are beautiful and wish to preserve. When Chipping Norton as a whole see what they have unleashed on its displacement acres it shall undoubtedly be horrified. But back to the NHS, forests, and education ministers hastily exploited by pressure groups in the brand.

This time is really important. So the field without protection to become the lasting victim of the credit crunch is tragic. Vince Cable last week had sponsored America be a slave to "some right nutters". So is he.

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How the plans of Germany to succeed in a free, low-emission nuclear carbon economy

Germany has made some fundamental energy decisions in recent months, which are interesting to study and learn from other countries. The most "famous" decision has recently been phase out nuclear power over the next ten years. This movement is based on years of debate and a social decision Japan Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident away from nuclear energy.

There has been much less attention, however, about the staggering of other energy sources. Not there has been much focus on the way in which Germany can remain Europe's economic power and the second largest exporter to eliminate an important source of energy from the grid in the world.

This gradual story is vital to understand, especially taking into account that Germany plans to meet ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals while to stage nuclear energy. So how is this working?

The coalition that ruled Germany from 1998 to 2005, led by the Social Democrats and the Greens, launched a series of policies to expand renewable energy sources and gradually nuclear power. Last year the coalition Government new and current (a more conservative mix) decided on a new concept of energy which consisted of two main elements.

1. According to the phase of nuclear power, but in a slower time. So they decided to extend the duration of 17 German nuclear power plants for eight to twelve years.
2. According to an ambitious set of short- and long-term energy and climate change policy objectives including:

* a 40% reduction of emissions of GHG by 2020 along with a goal of 80 to 95% of longer term by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels),
* a massive expansion of renewable energy sources in all sectors, for example, an increase of renewable energy in the generation of energy from 17% in 2010 and 35% by 2020 and 80% by 2050
* a target to reduce the energy consumption in buildings by 2020 20% and 80% by 2050.
* A target to reduce the energy consumption in transport in 2020 10% and 25% by 2050.

However, after the nuclear accident in Japan Fukushima, there was a decision to return to the original removal of 2000 timetable, while maintaining rather than the goals of energy and climate change the Government had established the previous year. This approach was endorsed by a large majority, with 85 per cent of parliamentarians to vote in favour of a more rapid elimination and a series of measures (see below) in the gradual of clean energy.

Germany energy transition is based on three strategic criteria.

First, energy efficiency

Although efforts will focus on improving energy efficiency in all sectors, there is a strong emphasis in the construction sector. This is important because of its long-lived capital stock and renewal cycles long at Germany. In other words, Windows of opportunity to change the buildings that remain around decades do not see very regularly, by what you have to understand them when they do so. If you lose window in buildings energy efficiency measures will be more expensive or even impossible.

The approach is twofold. Firstly, is the European Union directive on the energy efficiency of buildings, which provides that all new buildings should consume energy almost zero from 2020 onwards. Germany should of course follow this regulation too. In addition, Germany has been rather than new incentive programs to support the renovation of the buildings. In addition to using revenues from the auction by the regime of emissions trading European ("cap and trade" system for Europe) programme of renewal, Germany has also all reductions of excise for the renovation of the buildings. Together 3.4 billion euros will be allocated to an energy lower consumption, building modernized in Germany sector.

Second, free energy of carbon in all sectors

To achieve the objective in the long term of decarbonization, all sectors must transform its base of fuel to carbon-free energy. In the electricity sector, the focus is on renewable energies, linked with the ambitious objectives indicated above. For some sectors, electricity and heating will play a role if produced by renewable sources of energy or low carbon emission.

In the transitional period will be probably built new plants of highly efficient and flexible gas as energy. New coal fired plants are highly unlikely. With the significant increase in renewable energy sources and the fact that there will be full of auction of emissions under the EU emissions trading scheme, the economy did not add.

Given the important role of the electricity for the decarbonization for many sectors, the early and rapid transition from the renewable energy sector is a key pillar of the transition of the energy system. As noted above, the new objectives of renewable energy are being implemented with regular reviews.

In the transport sector, Germany must implement the EU auto efficiency standards. In addition, Germany has launched a strong innovation program for electric mobility with the aim to have one million electric cars on the market in the year 2020 and six million in 2030. There are currently 42 million of traditional cars on the road.

Third strategic focus on long-term objectives

As noted above, the policy focuses on the reduction of emissions in sectors with the capital reserves of long life, for example, buildings and power plants. These sectors structured gas emissions of greenhouse effect and the demand for energy during long periods of time.

However, one must ensure that the infrastructure of this transition is in place. Therefore, Germany has launched a new legal process for the development of the "target 2050 network" which includes all put infrastructure in place and required settings for a system of dominated electricity from renewable energy sources.

This planning process creates based on the related licensing regulators related investments and offers certainty about the future of the grid. Efforts will be made by special to adjust and roll-out of the necessary infrastructure, including transmission networks that will transport wind energy in the northern regions of the country to the South, intelligent distribution networks that can manage large shares of electric cars and production of energy from decentralized sources, as well as sufficient information storage options to deal with large shares of variable energy sources.

This package of proposals is the basis for the confidence of Germany that can remove a source of energy and phase in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The combination of a combination of policies (emissions trading, rules, regulations, incentives) with the planning and investment in infrastructure in the long term is the way it has chosen to Germany.

While this mix will not necessarily be the same in each country, other countries can learn from the different parts of the German set for the transition to an economy of carbon economically strong and low.

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July wound

Inverted Wenzhou's "harmony" move that if declared bankruptcy comes to power.

The disaster is killed or injured more than 200 people, pressed to gradually reveal the terrible truth: man-made disasters. We know that it is so it can only do this. But obscured in smash the Ministry of railways, finally a little truth, we will still have the joy of a trace of the winner.

Microblogging forced media, media create public opinion, violates the prohibition of control brains, the truth to emerge. A people who are tired of the process, because the results from the very beginning, also will get a grip on power. In such a country, most controls the mouth, eyes and ears, except decisions with powerful information leaves, to one of your own effects already entrusted to the truth of the great depression was in the media and the media. But this summer, conscience no longer afraid of melting pulp, mantle mean enough to empty out detention, to the raging flames, seemed to burn throughout the old world.

The Ministry of railways, the symbol of autocracy and corruption, CAME tumbling Collapse in the examination of the population, less than a week, infestations of iron and steel giant eye stones, because he will be tried in people.

A few days ago, he was a monster with arrogant and persecuted, I turn a posture of the railways I call the shots. People in the compartment seems to be his hostage and slaves, their use and revile dignities. This militarization and planned economic system breeds of freaks, that State within a State: he has his own system of courts, there is a hegemonic subject to the public, independent and high above, no one can shake their domination of the Kingdom. Justice and citizens ' rights is not in the scrutiny of the column, he was drag racing pleasure. With former Director Liu zhijun rail Kingdom controlled, clean, exclusive works even the direction is the direction of the railway.

LiU zhijun drag China corruption Group at high speed as bait and tie up the Government in this crazy high speed travel to wagon-this is not a destination. High speed, fast, self-service sth different types of high-sounding reasons, appears to be the only railroad into a road of independent innovation, no arrivals after an unprecedented rapid development path, looking for landing point of China's economy opens up a new road, that officials agree without prior consultations to seek employment and economic growth and political demands. The agent shot in required of officials, Liu zhijun easily get unfettered power.

Faster, better, stronger, over mainland China suddenly of Olympic Games a strong self-confidence, they want to hasten to catch up with world powers. Speed near perverted obsession, led to a great leap forward movement of the railway. Speed speed increased again, by car, followed by the rail system. Land of moaning, behind the driving rail wheel all the way, was tears of relocation of people. Road movement sweeping the continent, home to many Chinese. On the front of the dazzling speed, people's knees.

No output, Monster Shuttle, road vehicle exchanges, people can't see the distant, more do not know what is at the end.

Last year a home visit, see set up a root in the Guanzhong plain thick concrete severed post, Qinling mountain of sight inquire., I have been cutting pain, I know that the development of the beast has been claimed to be able to slam the oil lands. Acquaintances said high-speed train project oversight, everything on the site is a boss in charge, he is afraid of technical problems with print quality and was forced to resign. I understand the great leap forward will leave infinity affected rail system.

Fixed is for what? Why are we so fast?

Allows for high-speed civil aviation does not guarantee the construction of the airport after the destruction of so much land, several high-speed destroying more land, and the only to pull the same group of people. More people flow, means more land barren, inflation is not going to stop. Wheat, maize, sorghum, soya beans are produced on the road from you?

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Mobile bad habits

Inverted Wenzhou's "harmony" move that if declared bankruptcy comes to power.

The disaster is killed or injured more than 200 people, pressed to gradually reveal the terrible truth: man-made disasters. We know that it is so it can only do this. But obscured in smash the Ministry of railways, finally a little truth, we will still have the joy of a trace of the winner.

Microblogging forced media, media create public opinion, violates the prohibition of control brains, the truth to emerge. A people who are tired of the process, because the results from the very beginning, also will get a grip on power. In such a country, most controls the mouth, eyes and ears, except decisions with powerful information leaves, to one of your own effects already entrusted to the truth of the great depression was in the media and the media. But this summer, conscience no longer afraid of melting pulp, mantle mean enough to empty out detention, to the raging flames, seemed to burn throughout the old world.

The Ministry of railways, the symbol of autocracy and corruption, CAME tumbling Collapse in the examination of the population, less than a week, infestations of iron and steel giant eye stones, because he will be tried in people.

A few days ago, he was a monster with arrogant and persecuted, I turn a posture of the railways I call the shots. People in the compartment seems to be his hostage and slaves, their use and revile dignities. This militarization and planned economic system breeds of freaks, that State within a State: he has his own system of courts, there is a hegemonic subject to the public, independent and high above, no one can shake their domination of the Kingdom. Justice and citizens ' rights is not in the scrutiny of the column, he was drag racing pleasure. With former Director Liu zhijun rail Kingdom controlled, clean, exclusive works even the direction is the direction of the railway.

LiU zhijun drag China corruption Group at high speed as bait and tie up the Government in this crazy high speed travel to wagon-this is not a destination. High speed, fast, self-service sth different types of high-sounding reasons, appears to be the only railroad into a road of independent innovation, no arrivals after an unprecedented rapid development path, looking for landing point of China's economy opens up a new road, that officials agree without prior consultations to seek employment and economic growth and political demands. The agent shot in required of officials, Liu zhijun easily get unfettered power.

Faster, better, stronger, over mainland China suddenly of Olympic Games a strong self-confidence, they want to hasten to catch up with world powers. Speed near perverted obsession, led to a great leap forward movement of the railway. Speed speed increased again, by car, followed by the rail system. Land of moaning, behind the driving rail wheel all the way, was tears of relocation of people. Road movement sweeping the continent, home to many Chinese. On the front of the dazzling speed, people's knees.

No output, Monster Shuttle, road vehicle exchanges, people can't see the distant, more do not know what is at the end.

Last year a home visit, see set up a root in the Guanzhong plain thick concrete severed post, Qinling mountain of sight inquire., I have been cutting pain, I know that the development of the beast has been claimed to be able to slam the oil lands. Acquaintances said high-speed train project oversight, everything on the site is a boss in charge, he is afraid of technical problems with print quality and was forced to resign. I understand the great leap forward will leave infinity affected rail system.

Fixed is for what? Why are we so fast?

Allows for high-speed civil aviation does not guarantee the construction of the airport after the destruction of so much land, several high-speed destroying more land, and the only to pull the same group of people. More people flow, means more land barren, inflation is not going to stop. Wheat, maize, sorghum, soya beans are produced on the road from you?

View the original article here