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ARE THE BRAZILIANS NUTS?

For a country that successfully hosted what was probably the first latter-day world summit on global warming in Rio in 1992, Brazil’s recent decision to lay bare even more of the Amazon Rainforest seems totally irresponsible.

These vast areas are described as the “Lungs of the Planet” because they constantly recycle carbon dioxide into oxygen. They are also home to numerous indigenous tribes who live and survive under the forest canopy, plus millions of plant species, animals and insets.

But Brazil is not a wealthy country and the major road it plans to build across the rainforest will help its economy by releasing more timber into the hands of avaricious multi-national logging companies and others who seek to expand there fortunes in this region.

Surely it’s time for the world’s wealthier nations to arrive at some financial solution to kerb this rampant destruction of our life blood by subsidising the Amazon Rainforest countries, including Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru? There are numerous wealthy individuals who could well afford to shed some of their fortunes in this direction too!

A REALLY BLACK SABBATH FOR OZZY BUT USA IS REAL THIEF

Last Sunday night’s visit by thieves to Ozzy Osbourne’s Buckinghamshire retreat must be condemned and we offer our sincere commiserations to himself and wife Sharon. Although the loss £1.5m to the Osbournes is probably nowhere near as distressing as an OAP loosing their pension book.

The Osbournes must be quite adequately insured but if they are not then Ozzy can possibly make up his loss with the proceeds from just a single Black Sabbath gig.

They both said it would never have happened in LA! But what they've really missed out is that the whole world is being “turned over” by the Bush-lead American administration which refuses to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

Unless he changes his tune, George Bush will surely go down as the 21st century’s Ali Baba for his blinkered attitude to global warming which for every day he procrastinates is robbing our planet of its future!

IS THERE POTENTIAL IN THE AUSSIE JUNGLE?

What a waste of time and resources in the Australian jungle where the ten so called TV celebrities are all trying to “get out”! Instead of lolling around for days on end getting on each others nerves, not to mention the effect on the local wildlife, they could be doing something positive towards beating global warming, writes Al Nino.

For instance, if they had an appropriate scientist in their midst they could be mustering vital information on how best to harness all the hot air they’re generating. Or they could build a wind turbine from bamboo or develop a new motor fuel from human dung. There must be plenty of it thereabouts.

Or perhaps they could build a big hamster wheel linked to a generator then all climb aboard and at least for a few weeks provide the local Aussies with some free electricity.

Come to think of it, if all the TV reality shows going on simultaneously around the world were linked together they could all be made to disappear up their own exhausts. And that would be a major boost for energy efficiency!

NOW WE’RE REALLY BUSH-WHACKED!

These are dark days for the Americans and even darker days for our Planet. The re-election of George Bush as US President is one major step for mankind down the wrong road.

With his “mandate” from that gullible 52% of the American electorate who returned him, he is most likely to make an even greater mess of things over the next four years than he has already done during the past four.

His only foreign policy is the bomb. Self-preservation is his priority and now that he is in his final term of office he’s got nothing to lose.

He has turned his back on the Kyoto Protocol, so America will continue to belch out more carbon emissions than anywhere else on Earth. And as the world’s eco-system is already delicately poised on the edge of the abyss another four years could bring us to the point of no return!

Like many of his terrorist adversaries Bush, too, is a religious fanatic who, by his own admission, takes advice from “above”.

So if there is anybody up there, God help America and the rest of us!

BULLY FOR HRH

BULLY FOR HRH

It’s good to read that Her Majesty has joined the global warming fray. She could really let her hair down on this crucial issue and make some positive steps towards bringing quite a few international renegades into line.

For a start she could strike George Bush from her Christmas card list. But first, perhaps, she must put her own house (or houses) in order.

Buckingham Palace, for example, is outrageously expensive to run and in the winter consumes nearly as much energy as Victoria Station, just down the road. Then there’s draughty Balmoral and equally energy inefficient Sandringham. They all need state-of-the art condensing boilers or ground source heat pumps or wind turbines - plus double glazing.

And are they well insulated in the roofs and cavity walls? And does she just boil enough water for two cups of tea rather than the entire royal household?

Then there’s the cars and the kids. Perhaps the world’s most travelled car – the gas-guzzling regal Daimler should be down sized to one of the new hybrid, super-efficient VW Golfs that are soon to come off the production line. And maybe the royal estates’ various Land Rovers should be substituted by a greater preponderance of horses which are probably the most sustainable form of transport ever available to mankind.

Prince Charles, with his positive Poundbury links, must have Highbury performing with as much as changing the guards. But, most certainly, HRH’s second son’s obsession with chasing golf balls around the globe using various military and civil aircraft to reach his destinations, has to be reined in. Flying is one of the greatest polluters of all!