Comments for Muswell Hill Sustainability Group http://mhsgroup.org A local website for a global problem Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:15:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Electric bikes in the Low Carbon Zone by Josef http://mhsgroup.org/2011/09/electric-bikes-in-the-low-carbon-zone/#comment-533 Josef Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:15:19 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=1247#comment-533 Hi Spencer, just spotted your positive reply. I wonder if we could partners some how with http://a2b.ultramotor.com/en (arguably the best electric bikes and now available to hire from Hertz). Hi Spencer, just spotted your positive reply. I wonder if we could partners some how with http://a2b.ultramotor.com/en (arguably the best electric bikes and now available to hire from Hertz).

]]> Comment on 16% carbon reduction this year in our 100 Homes project by 16% carbon reduction this year! – Muswell Hill Sustainability Group | Muswell Hill Media http://mhsgroup.org/2011/12/16-carbon-reduction-this-year/#comment-529 16% carbon reduction this year! – Muswell Hill Sustainability Group | Muswell Hill Media Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:17:53 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=1371#comment-529 [...] We’ve been working with an initial set of 50 households, mostly in Muswell Hill, but some in Fortis Green and Alexandra. Each household had a detailed ‘baseline’ carbon footprint performed in Summer 2010 and over the last …Via mhsgroup.org [...] [...] We’ve been working with an initial set of 50 households, mostly in Muswell Hill, but some in Fortis Green and Alexandra. Each household had a detailed ‘baseline’ carbon footprint performed in Summer 2010 and over the last …Via mhsgroup.org [...]

]]> Comment on No to Biodegradable Plastic Bags by Alan Morton http://mhsgroup.org/2009/10/373/#comment-526 Alan Morton Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:46:21 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=373#comment-526 Biodegradable bags are not the best answer. Yes, they will decay eventually so they are not so much of an eyesore. But along the way they will have produced CO2 so they contribute to climate change. A better answer is to make sure you re-use any bags you have as many times as possible. That way we might help reduce the 6,300,000,000 single-use bags given away each year in the UK. Biodegradable bags are not the best answer. Yes, they will decay eventually so they are not so much of an eyesore. But along the way they will have produced CO2 so they contribute to climate change.

A better answer is to make sure you re-use any bags you have as many times as possible. That way we might help reduce the 6,300,000,000 single-use bags given away each year in the UK.

]]> Comment on Reduction in Feed-in-Tariff by David Shepherd http://mhsgroup.org/2011/10/reduction-in-feed-in-tariff/#comment-515 David Shepherd Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:40:15 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=1333#comment-515 1. The propsed cut in Feed In Tariff from 43.3p to 21p/kW from April Ist is draconian & greater than 50% since the 43.3p figure will rise with CPI from April. A 30% reduction would be acceptable >50% is not. 2. Registration for new systems must be completed by December 12th & this means that virtually all installations started after November 1st will fail to meet this target since registration can take 6-8 weeks partly due to Government Dept involvement. My recently completed home installation took 40 days to be registered. Far fairer would be a registration completion date of March 12th 2012. The existing proposal could kill off 80% of solar instalation firms immediately. 3. To have a registration completion date two weeks before the end of the consultation document appraisal period cannot be legal. 4. Currently for home systems of less than 4kW output the energy companies pay an exit tariff of 3.1p/kW, whereas my company charges me 11.1p/kW I use. Surely there is a case for raising the exit tariff rate to 6 or 7p/kW & payable on 75% of our production rather than the current 50% which doesn't reflect the reality of the situation. 5. The majority of the population are lukewarm over green energy saving proposals, but for home solar panel installations there has been tremendous enthusiasm. The current tariff reduction proposals will kill this off. 6. Finally why the moral objection to the existing generous tariffs for home solar panel installations when landowners who install wind turbines are paid subsidies at an obscene level. "Joe Bloggs" is not to be allowed to profit, but "Lord Joe Bloggs" is. This is discimination. David Shepherd 1. The propsed cut in Feed In Tariff from 43.3p to 21p/kW from April Ist is draconian & greater than 50% since the 43.3p figure will rise with CPI from April. A 30% reduction would be acceptable >50% is not.

2. Registration for new systems must be completed by December 12th & this means that virtually all installations started after November 1st will fail to meet this target since registration can take 6-8 weeks partly due to Government Dept involvement. My recently completed home installation took 40 days to be registered. Far fairer would be a registration completion date of March 12th 2012. The existing proposal could kill off 80% of solar instalation firms immediately.

3. To have a registration completion date two weeks before the end of the consultation document appraisal period cannot be legal.

4. Currently for home systems of less than 4kW output the energy companies pay an exit tariff of 3.1p/kW, whereas my company charges me 11.1p/kW I use. Surely there is a case for raising the exit tariff rate to 6 or 7p/kW & payable on 75% of our production rather than the current 50% which doesn’t reflect the reality of the situation.

5. The majority of the population are lukewarm over green energy saving proposals, but for home solar panel installations there has been tremendous enthusiasm. The current tariff reduction proposals will kill this off.

6. Finally why the moral objection to the existing generous tariffs for home solar panel installations when landowners who install wind turbines are paid subsidies at an obscene level. “Joe Bloggs” is not to be allowed to profit, but “Lord Joe Bloggs” is. This is discimination.

David Shepherd

]]> Comment on Muswell Hill Sustainability Group supports Haringey Council in successful bid to DECC for the Low Carbon Communities Fund. by Jeremy http://mhsgroup.org/2009/12/muswell-hill-to-be-one-of-uk%e2%80%99s-first-low-carbon-communities/#comment-483 Jeremy Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:28:10 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=780#comment-483 Hi Sara, there is a 'Contact Us' link at the top of the page, which brings up a form. That really does work. Jeremy Hi Sara, there is a ‘Contact Us’ link at the top of the page, which brings up a form. That really does work.

Jeremy

]]> Comment on Muswell Hill Sustainability Group supports Haringey Council in successful bid to DECC for the Low Carbon Communities Fund. by sarah knightley http://mhsgroup.org/2009/12/muswell-hill-to-be-one-of-uk%e2%80%99s-first-low-carbon-communities/#comment-478 sarah knightley Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:20:42 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=780#comment-478 some contact details on the website would be helpful some contact details on the website would be helpful

]]> Comment on Electric bikes in the Low Carbon Zone by Spencer Ivy Electric Bikes http://mhsgroup.org/2011/09/electric-bikes-in-the-low-carbon-zone/#comment-474 Spencer Ivy Electric Bikes Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:00:21 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=1247#comment-474 Great post Jeremy. The transport evening was a great idea and it was a pleasure seeing so many people willing to get onto the saddle of an electric bike. We've just celebrated our first anniversary and are giving away an electric cycling holiday for two in the Brecon Beacons. More details here: www.spencerivy.com/blog. @Josef An electric bike sharing club would be ideal for the locations you mention and below are just a few of the ways people can benefit. - parents can take their children to school with ease (reducing the emissions as highlighted in the previous article http://mhsgroup.org/2011/09/back-to-schools) - people can take it shopping replacing the need for their cars (the effort of carrying the heavy shopping would be significantly reduced) - tackle the infamous surrounding hills - go for long rides on the weekends (The bikes are now capable of 86 miles assisted per charge) Would be interesting to see what the MSHG thinks and if they could register people's interest. Great post Jeremy. The transport evening was a great idea and it was a pleasure seeing so many people willing to get onto the saddle of an electric bike. We’ve just celebrated our first anniversary and are giving away an electric cycling holiday for two in the Brecon Beacons. More details here: http://www.spencerivy.com/blog.

@Josef An electric bike sharing club would be ideal for the locations you mention and below are just a few of the ways people can benefit.

- parents can take their children to school with ease (reducing the emissions as highlighted in the previous article http://mhsgroup.org/2011/09/back-to-schools)
- people can take it shopping replacing the need for their cars (the effort of carrying the heavy shopping would be significantly reduced)
- tackle the infamous surrounding hills
- go for long rides on the weekends (The bikes are now capable of 86 miles assisted per charge)

Would be interesting to see what the MSHG thinks and if they could register people’s interest.

]]> Comment on en10ergy Social Enterprise Company by Zackary Mccarver http://mhsgroup.org/2009/10/test/#comment-382 Zackary Mccarver Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:31:30 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=718#comment-382 It is really a nice and helpful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing. It is really a nice and helpful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.

]]> Comment on Electric bikes in the Low Carbon Zone by Josef Davies-Coates http://mhsgroup.org/2011/09/electric-bikes-in-the-low-carbon-zone/#comment-380 Josef Davies-Coates Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:50:36 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=1247#comment-380 I've been thinking that perhaps Muswell Hill, Highgate and Hampstead would all be great places to set-up an electric bike sharing club along the lines of what http://www.streetcar.co.uk/ do for cars? What do others think about this idea? I’ve been thinking that perhaps Muswell Hill, Highgate and Hampstead would all be great places to set-up an electric bike sharing club along the lines of what http://www.streetcar.co.uk/ do for cars? What do others think about this idea?

]]> Comment on No to Biodegradable Plastic Bags by Louise Lewis http://mhsgroup.org/2009/10/373/#comment-302 Louise Lewis Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:23:09 +0000 http://mhsgroup.org/?p=373#comment-302 All I know is that when Haringey gave out biodegradable for vegetable waste a little while ago, they didn't biodegrade and were in my compost two years later. Apparently, they need to reach some outrageously high temperature to break down! All I know is that when Haringey gave out biodegradable for vegetable waste a little while ago, they didn’t biodegrade and were in my compost two years later. Apparently, they need to reach some outrageously high temperature to break down!

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