How current events are changing how live and do things

[PreppingPingu]

I find it quiet interesting how current events are slowly shaping us. (Humans have always been the sum of our experiences.)

Take the meat/horse meat fiasco. A lot of people are now thinking more about what they put in their mouths. For some, it has meant that they have turned veggie (- a knee jerk reaction or a final prod along a path that was looking inviting anyway - who knows?), for others, it has meant changing what food is bought and for others, its made them think about cooking their own. I always make time to make my own food, the exception being breaded chicken, I don't always make it, often I do buy that But it does amaze me how much process foods people buy. It takes under a minute to make a salad dressing, so I know how much salt and sugar has gone into it and that there are not chemical preservatives yet a lot of people buy it ready made complete with all the crap that is in it. So what I am saying is the meat scandles of late are having a positive effect. Ok so it may take some income away from one area of industry but it increases another.

The current debates over fuel. Not going into the ecco or political debates, but just that it is forcing people to again think about fuel. Maybe it will encourage a few people to use less, or to change their lifestyle a little, or go for solar panels etc. Who knows, and maybe I am being naive here, but maybe it could help enourage more steps for the building industry to build new properties with ground scorce heating and hot water solar pipes on the roof? Surely there is a business to build on in this area - not talking about gov grants here or anything, just ordinary business.

The recent floods have lead to people being told to have things ready in the future - "to be prepared".

What I am trying to say is that as small crisis' hit us, we adapt, as humans have always done and it's what we are good at. Hopefully there will be possitive reactions to fall out from the negative stuff being reported. Or am I looking through my "rose tinted glasses" again?

(Sorry if this posted in the wrong area - wasn't sure where to post my ramblings )

[short circuit]

indeed we adapt. We do as many humans have done before we got here we change our way of thinking and still find things to injoy and laugh about. Everone of us as the power to change our ways/habbits and still come up smelling of roses it will be hard but not impossible.

[poppypiesdad]

Who knows, and maybe I am being naive here, but maybe it could help enourage more steps for the building industry to build new properties with ground scorce heating and hot water solar pipes on the roof?

This is a topic close to my heart and my job , we are finding that ground source heat pumps , are being installed incorrectly, mainly by the amount of ground loops fitted or rather no fitted ,we have stopped fitting them due to people with postage size gardens wanting them and the Ruth be told unless you've got 2-3 acres to bury your loops forget it .

Geothermal is a area we have started to move into but with little uptake , mainly due to the cost involved in a bore hole,last one priced was going to be £45k for a 450 metre , but that was through granite which is prohibitively expensive.

Solar roof panels are a great option providing tank after tank of hot water for nothing ( well system dependant a solar pumping station, low watt low loss)

The only thing with this and it all really is it all need electricity to work.

J

[ynotshi]

well i work in the readymeal industry as a chef i have not noticed any major problems yet, just two days when we were being investigated as was standard in the industry all over britain but in those few days veggie meals took an increase. which iam glad as a job these days is good to have, but i have often thought how sad it is that there is two generations and now a third being brought up when they hit adulthood they can not cook. i do not have children but i will be starting to teach my niece when she is about five the importance of cooking food and what everything is for (to keep healthy ). as for horse meat i do not understand how the british public is so ...........ignorant (i think thats the right word) as we as a country export a lot of horses to france for the the one thing that people are so disgusted in .... for food , i my self have tried horsemeat in france and the only difference is its slightly sweeter than beef so i am not worried, but as the population increases the more different meat we will have to resort to eating and dont forget before rushing in to the butchers its not illegal to buy,eat,or sell horse meat as long as your told, so many butchers might have also being selling horse meat instead of beef like the reports have said every part of the food industry is being tested as they dont know the level of corruption that has come to light. our goverment would not have done nothing if the label had stated it had horse meat in it.

as for fuel not sure about this one i think one house one car like it was when i was younger mum took dad to work, mum took us to school, mum went to work home time,mum drove home when finished, walked home from school and dad walked home this i know is a not possible for most people that are now used to having alot of cars but this would help in my opinion but yes to any eco improvments i would like wind turbines on my roof but i dont think my partner would like this

floods dont want to talk about as still flooded a bit down here be glad when i can see green fields again

as for you rose tinted glasses not that different to mine and most people on here as you have said we learn, adapt and move on

[12mp82]

Who knows, and maybe I am being naive here, but maybe it could help enourage more steps for the building industry to build new properties with ground scorce heating and hot water solar pipes on the roof?

This is a topic close to my heart and my job , we are finding that ground source heat pumps , are being installed incorrectly, mainly by the amount of ground loops fitted or rather no fitted ,we have stopped fitting them due to people with postage size gardens wanting them and the Ruth be told unless you've got 2-3 acres to bury your loops forget it .

Geothermal is a area we have started to move into but with little uptake , mainly due to the cost involved in a bore hole,last one priced was going to be £45k for a 450 metre , but that was through granite which is prohibitively expensive.

Solar roof panels are a great option providing tank after tank of hot water for nothing ( well system dependant a solar pumping station, low watt low loss)

The only thing with this and it all really is it all need electricity to work.

J

What do you think of the air source heating J?

Could solar hot water not be done with a smaller 12v water pump pushing the solar heated water through the heat exchanger to the thermal store?

[tshw1973]

Humans, like all animals adapt and evolve to situations that is nothing new.

I suspect a lot of reactions to horse meat in processed food is short term knee jerk reactions. People gravitate to cheap food for economic reasons. I personally have no issue eating horse meat laden burgers or whatever. I think a huge scandal in this is the amount of food that will be thrown away when there are hungry people out there.

Petrol prices are always now going to rise as it is a finite resource past peak production. Petrol is arguably relatively cheap when you consider that most people can still afford it ( compared to many years ago when it was a luxury).

Food is still relatively cheap ( compared to years ago when food costs were 20% income) but getting more costly.

Energy costs are all going to rise too.

What we need to appreciate ( which not many people do) is how good we have it now. We can't control the future, but we can prepare for it.

[tshw1973]

Double post.

[junmist]

Well I am taking my hat off to North Herts Housing as all there new builds are eco friendly solar and heat panels on there roofs.
Petrol? wish I could use the car less Its helped that I have now gone on to diesal but still need to use the credit card once a month if I'm realy carefull I can manage useing it once ever two months, as my wages do not cover my travel cost.
Food hasn't realy changed for us as unless its tins of soup I do use the ready meals in the veggi department though but thats becouse I do not know how to prepear veggi meals but I'm hoping to get better at that.

[12mp82]

My parents love their ready meals, Mum likes the Chicken and Dad likes the Beef/horse ones

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/ ... 660&Nao=20

At only a few pounds each it makes sense, also saves them their pension monies

[short circuit]

Poppypiesdad why is no one using thermoeletic power generation using simple TEG modules ect?
why is Thermolic Lecitin not used in heating modules? seems thermoeletic modules make power when hot or cold on a roof thay could work for you 24/7 heres a seed for your mind thermoeletic roof tiles