Priorities?

 

It's difficult, even for folk with vested interests in oil and gas, to deny that global heating and climate change are occurring. Extreme weather events, like heatwaves, droughts, floods and violent storms, are globally increasing in frequency and intensity. One current line of argument is that climate change worries have been 'overblown' and that 'fuel poverty' must be a greater concern. There's certainly an increased demand for electricity, to power many aspects of modern life (including data centres for AI). If there's any merit in this apparent reversal of priorities, however, it can't logically follow that increasing the extraction of oil and gas provides an answer. That would inevitably exacerbate the problems caused by global heating by 'greenhouse gases'. Surely, a more rapid replacement, where possible, of gas, oil and coal usage (already very finite resources) by solar, wind, hydroelectric and wave power (much less limited in terms of availability and longevity) makes more sense?

Heathrow Row

Amidst all the fuss about another runway for London's Heathrow airport is the real concern that the extra carbon dioxide emissions it would produce will prevent the country from achieving its nett zero targets. The UK government seems to be relying on improbable  'technofixes' such as 'green fuels' and electric planes. They don't appear keen to charge the airlines for carbon capture and storage (an also, perhaps unrealistic solution). (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/01/labour-plans-offset-heathrow-expansion-emissions). They could, however, try to get short haul flights within the UK or to EU locations in France and Belgium replaced by trains journeys. This would, of course, require either making a) train journeys much cheaper and/or b) the heavily subsidised flights more expensive. The former would require more taxpayer's money and the latter would annoy middle-class voters. Neither appears to be likely to happen. 

Seeing the Changes 2176

 

In Bynea, Square-stalked St Johns wort (Hypericum tetrapterum); Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) and Scentless mayweed (Matricaria perforata) were in bloom.

Seeing the Changes 2175

 It's odd to have to record thing after a long break but certain plants are now very notable in the Loughor region. They include:- Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare); Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus); Common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea); Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense); Great bindweed (Calystegia silvatica); Great willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum); Rosebay willowherb (Epilobium augustifolium) and Small-flowered evening primrose (Oenothera cambrica).

For the Birds?

European leaders are urged by the current US President, to stop the proliferation of  'windmills' (wind turbines) in their countries. In addition to spoiling the vistas, he claims these electricity-generating devices kill birds (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/27/president-trump-administration-news-updates-today). Wind turbines can certainly endanger migrating flocks. Pet cats, however, kill many more birds. It's also certain that climate change is a bigger threat to bird life than either 'windmills' or cats. Tapping wind power to generate electricity, is certainly much better for the planet than fracking and/or extracting oil. In deed, the US itself could more than fulfil its entire energy requirement by solely depending on available wind power. Tilting at 'windmills' isn't an answer.

Seeing the Changes 2174

It seems a bit early, but there's already a decent crop of Blackberries (Rubus fruticosus) in Loughor.

Seeing the Changes 2173

 

I have (obviously) been out of the country for several months. Yesterday, however, I spotted my first Comma (Polygonia c-album) of the year at Langland.