ethical custard

Broadcaster, follower, friend

2011-09-30T13:10:00.001+01:00

So, you’re on Facebook right? Tell me, how do you use it? Do you share, share, share with your friends? Or simply spectate?

Here’s something I’ve noticed. Social networks give us a way to express ourselves and communicate with a large number of people. As a by-product they turn some of us into (admittedly small-scale) broadcasters. Broadcasting may make us feel important, particularly if we have a lot of followers or friends, but it’s not without problems.

When you’re a broadcaster, it’s a one-way relationship. You talk; people listen. Or so you hope. Sure, you may gain some satisfaction, or recognition, but it’s still a one-way relationship. Your words aren’t directed at an individual. Your entire audience isn’t sharing with you at the same rate as you’re sharing with them.

It’s like the relationship you have with a popstar, or politician, or A-List actor. You may know them quite well. You’re seen their speeches, examined their work, read the stories about their life.

Imagine you bump into them in the street, and start asking about their year. That would be weird wouldn’t it? Do they know you? No. It’s a one-way relationship.

The danger of one-way relationships is that the other half never invests. There’s never that return of energy that is the bedrock of friendship. It’s ironic that Facebook enables us to find old friends, and can seriously distort those rekindled relationships.

So, you did you hear my Lewis tale? Or my take on 27 dresses? Or that trip out with my wife? Why don’t you let me know? It’d be great to hear what’s up with you.

And if you’re all talk, talk, talk on Facebook, then might I suggest some balance? Once in a while write some news on a friend’s wall, or message them instead. They’ll know you’re talking just to them. And your friendship will grow.

The 10%ers

2010-02-02T13:44:00.003Z

Normally I'm too lazy to think about New Year's resolutions. I'm a sucker for self-improvement, but I'm tired of the inevitable failure. However, this year I had a resolution that was hard to refuse.

Photograph by The RSA, used under Creative Commons

Heard of 10:10? It's a campaign to kick-start climate action, and get climate change on the agenda of this and every other country across the world. The idea is that we cut 10% of our harmful carbon emissions in 2010, and show Government how slow they're being. For a climate-worrier like me this is hard to ignore: activism meets personal development.

By comparison a New Year exercise regime seemed rather inconsequential. So I signed up, like Colin Firth, Delia Smith and, err, Cardiff.

Shortly after Christmas I sat down to contemplate my commitment. Where would I start? After all, I've done the obvious stuff.

Luckily I found a handy article by Chris Goodall to assist. According to him:

"Every year, each person in the UK is, on average, responsible for about 14 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. (The government's published figures suggest a lower amount, but they omit things such as international aviation.) So, if we want to make a genuine cut of 10% across the board, we need to reduce our emissions by about 1.4 tonnes each. Let's call it 1.5 tonnes, just to be sure."

Now I like to think I'm greener than the average UK person:

I cycle, or get the bus, to work 4 days each week.
I never holiday abroad.
My house is stuffed full of insulation.
I eat local organic vegetables (and grow them myself in the summer months).

With this is mind, I guess that I'm responsible for about 12 tonnes of green house gases each year. So, I need to cut 1.2 tonnes of carbon out of my life in 2010. Gulp.

I've got a few plans. I'll keep you posted.

In search of a creative climate

2008-10-05T14:21:00.004+01:00

Every few months I go to my local art gallery. Sometimes I'm taken by the imagery, other times I'm repulsed. But the quality isn't what beckons me: I'm in search of provocation. The art refracts me.

I've discovered that my creativity (don't laugh) is fuelled by my surroundings. I need to engage with interesting people, places and ideas to to stop the spring running dry.

I bring this up because I've been following a most illuminating idea: if you were to take 40 amazing creative people to the Arctic, and show them climate change as it happens, wouldn't that experience ignite their creativity? Cape Farewell have done just that.

Photo by Emily Venables

I'm glued to the blogs of those on board. And I can't wait to see what they do next.

The secrets of the airing cupboard

2008-09-23T21:14:00.008+01:00

It's your turn to wash the dishes.

Approach sink. Turn on hot tap. Add washing-up liquid. Smile at bubbles. It's a bit hot. Add cold water.

Stop. Don't move a muscle. How many time have you done this? And every time you add cold water. Me to.

Then I read Mel Rimmer's blog. She said:

"if you always have to add cold water to your bath or washing-up water, then your water thermostat is too high"

Oh yeah. Why didn't I think of that?

Now hot water matters. You know why? Take a look at this chart from the DTI:

As you can see lighting only makes up only 3% of average household energy use. That's tiny, isn't it?

I don't get out of bed for 3%. I want to save 30%. Now hot water, there's an area with potential.

So I decided to turn my hot water down. Here's how to do it if you have an electric immersion heater:

Turn off the power
Find where the electric wire enters the hot water tank
Unscrew the plate/cap that hides the join
Adjust the thermostat with a screwdriver

Mine was set to 60 degrees. We do most of our washing at 40 degrees, so 60 felt a tad excessive. I went for 50 degrees.

That was easy. Cost: nothing. Time taken: 5 minutes. Impact on my lifestyle: nil. My energy-saving campaign is off to a roaring start.

A Fine Balance

2008-08-29T22:10:00.000+01:00

It's India in the 70s. A state of emergency is declared as the prime minister tries to cling to power. We follow four characters on their individual and shared journeys, as they grapple with life in their rapidly changing country.

Rarely have I encountered a book which distils all the richness of life. It's intriguing, tragic, romantic, shocking and funny. I was captivated by the depiction of a country in turmoil, gripped by the drama surrounding the characters, and moved by the exploration of change and perception. A Fine Balance is a marvellous book with many depths to explore.

A revelation in row 14

2008-08-05T14:00:00.000+01:00

Last night the scales fell from my eyes. I realised that I'd grown satisfied by the adequate blockbusters of recent years. But then I discovered new meaning, a film bursting with life: The Dark Knight.

Photograph by John Vetterli, used under Creative Commons

Here was a film that gripped, that scared, that provoked, amused and exhilarated. A film that talked about humanity. A film that confidently let its hero share the limelight.

I even had a spiritual moment. That's right, a spiritual moment in the cinema.

SPOILER ALERT - I'm going to give the game away, so stop reading if you haven't seen the film (and you should, you know).

Harvey Dent, Gotham City's crusader for justice, is dead. The city has lost its hero, who took a stand against the criminal underworld. He turned psychotic before the end, crazed by grief, and attempted to kill Commissioner Gordon's family.

What will Gordon and Batman tell their fellow citizens? All his good work will unravel; Gotham's criminals will walk free. The city will lose its source of hope.

Batman takes the blame. He claims Dent's crimes as his own, and is reviled by the populace. The innocent takes the punishment for the guilty.

And it struck me: that's what Jesus did. He allowed himself to be executed for crimes he didn't commit. The innocent takes the punishment for the guilty.

Which leaves me - one of the guilty - amazed, thankful, overjoyed, and sad. But free.

Beyond the ethical plateau

2008-07-23T22:18:00.000+01:00

I'm no slouch when it comes to climate change: I've fitted my light bulbs and turned off my applicances. I've even invested in an energy efficient kettle. Impressive, eh?

Well no, not really. You see I've reached what you might call an ethical plateau. I've done enough to feel like I've done enough. I read incessantly about the complexities of climate change, but rarely move to actual action.

Photograph by jonlk, used under Creative Commons

When I read about the projected increase in electricity bills, a perverse joy birthed in me. Here was a challenge: an opportunity to prove my green credentials. It's simple: rather than pay higher electricity bills I'm going to reduce my energy consumption. My stretched finances will jump-start my ethical ambitions.

I'll be recording my progress right here. So stay tuned for adventures in insulation.