Letter from the Editor

If only engineers had worked out how to generate electricity from political spin the world would be a better place – there’d be no need for climate change, for a start. We’d regard politicians and environmental activists in a different light – the more they spun the more cost effective and fuel efficient they would be; and enormous conferences such as that which has just concluded in South Africa would no longer be derided by the mainstream media.

Published 6th September 2002

Save

Register for free and continue reading

Join our growing army of changemakers and get unlimited access to our premium content

Login Register

However, despite this fog of depression that is the Johannesburg hangover, the edie news team has vowed to remain optimistic. This week we have, unusually, two stories about innovation in the ‘UK’ section. One is about a company that will, by this time next year, be selling 3.4 billion degradable plastic carrier bags around the world. The second concerns a new steam-powered boat engine that makes little noise, requires no propeller, nor oil, and has lower emissions than more traditional motors.

Elsewhere in the world, the EU has announced €69 million funding for innovative environmental projects, such as a solar-powered railway in Italy and organic fertiliser made from Greek olive oil. And German scientists have announced that they have been able to speed up the efficiency of a process to produce biogas from sewage sludge. It can now take only five days to produce the gas, rather than 20 to 30.

After reading about all that, the generation of electricity from political spin doesn’t seem so far fetched after all. The future seems brighter already.

Kind regards

Helen André

Editor

Topics

Tags

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe

empowering sustainable business