Polluting power giant EON have sponsored an ice rink in the market square....very pretty you might think. But in all the statistics on the advertising there is no mention of how much electricity the rink takes to run, nor the carbon cost of this, nor of who is paying for it!
Freezing and maintaining a huge slab of ice outside in ambient temperatures of around 8 degrees must take huge amounts of electricity - presumably supplied by EON's local Ratcliffe on Soar power station, one of the most polluting in the country, especially as it burns coal, the most problematic fossil fuel in terms of CO2 emissions. (Protestors took direct action to close this power station down last April...see www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/367679.html for details. They are on trial for this in Nottingham Court in January.)
So, maintaining this bit of artificial ice in the market square for a few weeks will be helping to deplete arctic sea ice (rather more important for planetary health!), essentially permanently. Nice sense of irony, EON! And it's not as if Nottingham is particularly short of ice-skating opportunities - the National Ice Centre is 10 mins walk from the market square!
Another interesting question - who is paying for this waste of energy - EON, or the Council Tax payers?
So, maintaining this bit of artificial ice in the market square for a few weeks will be helping to deplete arctic sea ice (rather more important for planetary health!), essentially permanently. Nice sense of irony, EON! And it's not as if Nottingham is particularly short of ice-skating opportunities - the National Ice Centre is 10 mins walk from the market square!
Another interesting question - who is paying for this waste of energy - EON, or the Council Tax payers?
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Hmmm
06.12.2007 13:12
We have to stop forgetting that the world goes on, and that we use energy. We have fun. We enjoy a life that is made better by entertainment.
Should we shut anything that isn't necessary?
As for the irony, I think it is appropriate for an energy company to support the initiative. It implies it is thinking about the future.
You killjoys just moan all the time. And you forget about the electricity and petrol cost of ferrying all your crusties to events to wave banners and shout.
All the demo's in the name of climate action actually cause huge extra waste of resources in thier impact.
I love skating in winter, me.
Chicken
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cluckcluck@egg.com
previous item on this
06.12.2007 18:06
see below for the previous item on this
Gulliver
Mmmmph
07.12.2007 14:15
All very different amounts I would think. What's your point? If it's that we shouldn't ever think about how much energy anything uses but just bury our heads in the sand and wait to fry then you're a very silly chicken indeed.
"We enjoy a life that is made better by entertainment. Should we shut anything that isn't necessary?"
Sometimes. A lot of the crap that the leisure industries pump out is not exactly life enhancing and no one will be able to enjoy anything once the climate's screwed. It is possible to have fun without using loads of fossil fuel you know.
"As for the irony, I think it is appropriate for an energy company to support the initiative. It implies it is thinking about the future."
Why? Looks to me like they're just thinking about an easy bit of marketing.
"You killjoys just moan all the time. And you forget about the electricity and petrol cost of ferrying all your crusties to events to wave banners and shout."
Yeah, that's right "we" are all killjoys and crusties and all we ever do is moan. I think you know that really we're getting massive kicks without fossil fuels and you're just jealous!
"I love skating in winter, me"
Oh well, never mind.
Hungry Fox
hmmmm
07.12.2007 18:45
Even your daily bread is courtesy of power stations pumping leccy to industry.
You just think you are.
Wake up. We use energy. Like the dinosaurs, we may as well enjoy it before the cold snap comes back.
It will, you know. Global warming is part of life's rich cycle. In the future there will be more ice ages.
It's all about timing, and we are lucky. Am I skating on thin ice?
I'm off to switch all my lights on at home... help me "see" better.
(that bit was faceatious)
Chicken Lickin
e-mail:
c@b.com
Suck Bernard Mathews cacky pustules,Council Kill Joy sucker!,$ice$skateboarders?
09.12.2007 15:23
The new water features are good, but why the waste of millions on chinese stone instead of more trees, thats what nottinghams famous for.
Anyway maybe your right, profits for the rich, laws protecting nimbies^ fun for the few should come before anything else?
blade
We already have an ice rink
11.12.2007 23:57
I object to the fact that Eon have used loads of kilowatts powering their rink in Nottingham Market Square. They have the capitalist nerve to screw their customers with massive energy bills for daring to have some heating and hot water. Before you say "well choose another supplier", other energy companies also charge extortionate prices. The solution is re-nationalisation of our gas and electricity.
....And by the way, the energy used to switch on my PC and write this reply is a lot less than the energy used to keep an artificially frozen block of ice in the Market Square.
piggeeheehee88