New environmental spill response training video

I've published new environmental spill response training video which I enjoyed making.

DIEM Ltd SWMP environmental alert 30 March 2011

Site Waste Management Plan - update March 2011

DIEM Ltd swmp environmental alert 30 march 2011

View more documents from DIEM Ltd.

Landlord energy

Been visiting a variety of rented offices and it amazes me how little there is in terms of sustainability from landlords.

There is still the halogens, inefficient heating and air conditioning. There seems to be a gap in the market of well environmentally managed premises.

Climate change rescue boat

I've been reading a rather common sence article acout climate change adaptation at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12302555

It is time we look to the future adaptation for the future. Having been involved with working with clients in this area, we must make investment rather than the current view of that the emergency services will help us.  Careful business management and location is key and much of it common sence.

The days of the excuse of saying that climate change adaptation is simply some other organisation will rescue us must go. A rethink of infrastructure engineering must happen, which the reality of having mainly Victorian or 50's/60's infrastructure must be addressed.

That was the age of the train

After surviving the holdays, especially 10 days in bed with swine flu I'm on the train after my first long journey after being ill to London.

As I sit on the train, just having a meal the difference strikes me on how I get off the Pendolino and could be getting on some squalid Sprinter back home.  Luckily for me there are no early trains to Preston to meet the 06:00 to London so I drove. Saying this, I wouldn't trust the local trains, especially when one got "lost" last year. I was waiting for a train, again to Preston and the train from Leeds was delayed then vanished from the screen. Is there a Class 158 sitting there somewhere?

As I joke, there is a serious point in this. We talk about high speed rail links, rising fuel prices and sustainable transport, but the basics aren't right in terms of local services, and not just in East Lancs, are often shocking. Actually in East Lancs, the now Chief Exec of Blackburn with Darwen BC said 5 years ago there would be a "high speed rail link to Manchester Airport" and failling that the restoration of twin tracks between Blackburn & Bolton.  As of 2011 no high speed link and still and average line speed to Manchester of 25mph.  Sadly not much has changed since the "Beeching Axe" removed one of the lines, but I bet the rolling stock wasn't much worse. The local trains are filthy, with encrusted grime everywhere, slow, unreliable and giving just an awful journey.

I'm not just blaming the TOCs, as they only operate within their franchise, but it's OK having good services to London, when local services are so infrequent and squalid.

Jimmy Saville was brought in by BR in the 1970's to save BR, but sadly I don't think Jim could fix it for the railways in 2011.

Halloween free zone

There's not been one single knock at the door for trick or treat tonight. Is this a sign of simple door knocking for sweets is not fashionable in today's age of organised events. Is it the unwillingness of parents to either take their children out or let the children roam around on their own (as I did at Haloween in the 80's). Or, is it the weather!

New website nearly completed tonight, so I've been glad of the lack of distractions.

Thought for the day

In this world of 'green' it's better to look at what you do well in terms of your operations. Building on this is better to manage your environmental performance than bombarding clients with legislation and regulation.

 

Building on good practice empowers clients to develop their environmental performance rather than be daunted by the prospect of audits and other requirements often of their supply chain