Back in the saddle

I'm enjoying holidaying in the UK so much at the minute that I'm not missing flying around the world at all.

Last week I took the famous West Highland train from Glasgow to Mallaig, stopping off for a couple of nights at Arisaig. On my full day in the latter, I took a boat trip to the island of Eigg (which has gone zero-carbon - more in later posts when I get my photos back), did some walking and saw seals, dolphins and two whales en route. When I got to Mallaig it was a short ferry to Skye where I did more walking, another boat trip, and bagged a Munro to boot. Back on the mainland I took the equally stunning train from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness and then down through the Cairngorms to Edinburgh and home.

All using public transport or on foot, with stunning scenery, wildlife, great food and excellent service in the B&Bs I stayed in. Travelling by train and bus gave me much better views than a car would have done and the whole journey was part of the holiday - no airport-stuffy 'plane-airport-transfer nightmare. Of course being the West Coast of Scotland there was always the risk that it would have poured down for the the week...

Off on holiday for a week...

... no planes, no cars, you'll be glad to hear.

Blogging of a familar quality will resume on my return.

This will make you stop and think...

According to WRAP, every day in the UK we throw away:

5.1 million whole potatoes
4.4 million whole apples
2.8 million whole tomatoes
7 million whole slices of bread
1.3 million unopened yoghurts and yoghurt drinks
1.2 million sausages
1 million slices of ham
0.7 million whole eggs
0.7 million whole bars of chocolate and unwrapped sweets
0.3 million unopened meat-based ready meals or takeaways
0.3 million unopened packets of crisps

Weekly Tip #14: Unplugging

Everyone knows that you should switch off your electrical equipment at the plug, but if your gadget has a battery (eg laptop, PDA or phone), you should disconnect it completely or the battery charge will leak out slowly through the earth connection.

Will green taxes be the victim of Gordo's woes?

Everyone and their dog knows that Gordon Brown is in trouble. What bothers me is the informed speculation that the increased car tax for polluting vehicles and pilots into pay-as-you-throw are at serious risk as the brooding PM tries to claw back some lost ground. Green taxation has already dropped under the Labour Government.

I was giving a speech on climate change to over a hundred energetic older people at an University of the 3rd Age meeting yesterday, and plenty thought that the Government were using it as an excuse to raise taxes. It's like this barmy idea that speed cameras are an infringement of civil liberties.

Let's make it simple:

Don't speed => no speeding tickets

Don't pollute => no green taxes

How can it mean anything else?

Weekly Tip #13: Grow Your Own

Now spring has sprung - why not plant some food plants in your allotment, garden, yard or windowbox. Zero food miles, organic and tasty (your own food always tastes better).