It's not rocket science

The MOD have had enough of surfers at a certain break not so far from Bournemouth ignoring them and are reputed to be closing all access to the break. The locals have had enough of people blocking access and speeding through the village as well.

It's not exactly a secret spot, thanks to the likes of Wannasurf and many of the guidebooks, but the real problem is ignorance. The local crew have been quietly enjoying (and respecting) the place for years. Everyone should do the same, whether they're going to the middle of nowhere through a firing range or rocking up at Fistral.

When faced with a classic yet fickle spot doing its thing, where's the sense of awe and respect gone?


Magic Seaweed discussion (the usual ranting)

cut the crap

I went into NatWest to ask them to stop sending me paper statements. They said they have to send one per year by law, fine. I'm still getting statements, and also now getting the declaration of interest in a separate envelope! I bank online, hardly use that account anyway, and am trying to save paper and time! I went in again today and apparently they might have to carry on sending the interest statements by law. Why? Smile don't.

Their tagline is 'making life easier'. I think not. Which is why I switched to Smile.

global warming - risk management

The risks of doing nothing far outweigh the risks of action.

humpback whales

Treehugger has an article saying Japan aren't going to hunt humpback whales this year. A good start!

I do adore Treehugger. I'd read it all day if I could. A gadget to make weaveable ribbon out of plastic bottles? Amazing.

fixed

Whatever the hell was wrong with my surfing seems to have fixed itself! The last three surfs have been great. One at dawn on my own at North Fistral on 22nd Dec, one at Watergate a week or so ago, and yesterday at Tolcarne where I found the longest left I've had in ages as well as a really good right. Happy!

Camera seems to have fixed itself (it got over its hangover...) so I will start taking it down the beach again.

Japan are up to their shit again.

My trip to the Dominican Republic is coming up really soon. My passport isn't back, I haven't had my jabs, I have no reef boots - I'm totally disorganised. I guess it's because I can't quite belive I'm really going somewhere so amazing!

let me out

Can't wait to get out of the office and go home! Hoping there will be some small swell around in West Wales but not really couting on it...nothing here now and it's absolutely icy. I did have a Saturday surf and caught three okay ones, but now the rest is definitely doing me good.

Been thinking a lot about plastic, and woke up with an idea. Then I saw this and sighed. Unfortunately it's obvious to anyone who's been on a beach in the last few years that this is a serious problem. I might have to do something about it!

It's just one of a few things taking up my thoughts though, so we shall see. At the moment I'm not feeling very inspired because endless data entry numbs my brain :-(

I Surf, I Fly

This sticker is to point out to the US government how many surfers (and Surfrider Foundation supporters) are voters. Strikes me we should have an I Surf, I Fly one and start sticking it in airports - on BA checkin desks, for instance. Bonus points for getting on the side of a plane, or a baggage handler's truck.

BA bans surfboards - sign petition

Sheep Poo Paper

Paper made from sheep poop! Love it! A really good environmentally sound idea executed in a super-cute way! Can you tell there's no surf? I'm getting really random.

Save the Dolphins

I'm sorry, I know this is a hideous picture. I can't look at the sites for long as I get too upset so I won't tell you I'm the most informed protester but it's so wrong. Please join Rasta's petition and check out Save Japan Dolphins

Blog Action Day

This is my new USB pen drive (in wristband form) coming out of its packaging. It's the small blue thing in the middle of the second pic. How much packaging needed???? I've recycled all of it but the plastic, but seriously - not necessary.

bike

'Spending money on encouraging cyclists could actually save the government money, as well as combating climate change, according to a new report. Getting more cyclists on the road could save the UK taxpayers £520 million, according to government-backed cycling group, Cycling England.' Via Treehugger

Love my old pink Raleigh; must oil it up and get on it, it's less time spent in the freezing cold (walk usually). Two bike posts this week!

Blog Action Day

Join in

windfarm

There's a proposal to build a 350-turbine windfarm about 15 miles off Devon which could power 53% of the southwest's homes and offset 2.3 million tonnes of C02 emissions. New planning policies, previous successes and the developer's inclusion of plenty of environmental research (RSPB and Friends of the Earth are happy) makes it sound damn good to me. Am writing a news piece for CARVE on it.

It seems so win-win, and avoids so much of the Wave Hub type 'loss of swell' fuss.

green energy

http://www.surfhog.com/

too fucking right

bags

Being a bit thick, forgot to mentino that we don't seem to have anywhere that will take plastic bags for recycling round here. And I'd rather not use them anyway.

No surfing today - hail and wind wind wind. I've never seen the Bay so story. Ah well - off to the Bore tomorrow if my van comes out of the garage!!

bags

So I've got a stacker and a hessian bag for my supermarket trips. I feel eco-good. But then it occured to me that even Lidl, who don't hand out placcy bags, still make you put your fruit and veg in a thin little bag. I buy a lot of fruit and veg. What to do? Shall I start re-using them? Cos they inevitably just break. I might get some little tubs instead, light as possible. Marg tubs? Hm.

I also think this should be brought to people's attention. A 'bag for life' is not enough if you really wanna reduce plastic consumption.

Must think on it when it's not 6pm and I still have an hour at work. At least. Deadline hell.

Black Google

Did you know that a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor uses about 74 watts to display an all white web page, but only uses 59 watts to display an all black page? Worldwide, about 25 percent of the monitors currently in use are cathode ray tubes, which means that they waste energy displaying white backgrounds. This can add up for sites with a global audience.

Take at look at Google, for instance, which gets about 200 million queries a day. If each query is about 10 seconds, Google is running for about 550,000 hours every day. That's about $75,000/year. from Treehugger

trash vortex

The trash vortex - plastic floating about, the size of Texas…