Did you think BP was a British oil company? There’s a good reason why they’re just called ‘BP’ now, and are only formerly known as British Petroleum – there’s not much British left about the company. BP is a global conglomerate of 1,568 subsidiary companies. Of those, 276 of them are registered on the British [...]
Archive | October, 2011
The Transition Companion, by Rob Hopkins
If you’re a transitioner yourself, chances are you’re well aware of this book. You may even have a hand in it somewhere, having sent in a story, a photo or a quote. You may have read the draft chapters as they were posted on Rob’s Transition Culture blog, or suggested a title. The Transition Companion: [...]
What’s the economy for?
Looks like an interesting site, making new economics accessible. Check out Econ4 here. HT Josh
Ignore your debts, and save the economy
[Disclaimer: the title of this post is sarcastic. Don't actually do that.] I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse another UK politics post, but for the second time this week, I’ve heard something from a national politician that doesn’t quite make sense economically. The first was the Transport secretary’s claim that an 80 mph speed limit [...]
Work begins on the world’s largest solar bridge
On my way into London I cross Blackfriars Bridge, which is undergoing something of a transformation at the moment. It’s a Victorian rail bridge adjacent to Blackfriars station, and it dates back to the age of steam. When work on it is finished, it will have been brought decisively into the 21st century and will [...]
Track your energy usage with iMeasure
With the price of energy on a relentless climb, more and more people are struggling with their energy bills. Yesterday a survey came out that suggested that 28% of Britons would consider moving to a smaller house to lower their energy costs. That may be a little drastic, especially when you consider how many people [...]
Why 80 mph speed limits won’t help the economy
“Britain’s roads should be the arteries of a healthy economy and cars are a vital lifeline for many. Now it is time to put Britain back in the fast lane of global economies and look again at the motorway speed limit.” That was Transport Minister Philip Hammond last week, staking the future of the economy [...]
23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism, by Ha-Joon Chang
Ha-Joon Chang is a Korean economist with a knack for explaining the blind spots of his discipline. In his latest book, he rounds up a series of common but mistaken assumptions about the way the world works, and knocks them down one at a time. It’s written in an accessible and often entertaining tone, drawing [...]
What we learned this week
Wales has gone ahead and banned free carrier bags in shops. They will now cost 5p. Come on England, get with the programme. Journalist George Monbiot has declared his earnings in a challenge to his profession to come clean over vested interests. Without wanting to make light of the individuals and communities affected, job losses [...]
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