This is a link to the trailer for the International Uranium Film Festival. I think it is absolutely brilliant! (It's very short). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUTjJ_drmp0
The festival is held in Rio de Janeiro a few weeks before the FIFA world cup football.
Also promoted on Nuclear-News
Sunday, 4 May 2014
Saturday, 3 May 2014
Red sand from the Sahara
A few weeks ago a mixture of fine red sand and dust blew into Britain from the Sahara. It travelled thousands of miles before it landed and, within a few days, there were people complaining of grit in their eyes and warnings were put out for anyone with respiratory difficulties. Schools in affected areas were advised to keep children indoors during lunch and playtime.
Apparently, once lifted from the ground by strong winds, clouds of dust can reach very high altitudes and be transported worldwide, covering thousands of miles. The U.K. met office gave an elegant description and put up a short video of the route the dust took..
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather/weather-phenomena/sahara-dust
I read that dust from the Sahara has been blown as far as Florida, five thousands miles away.
As usual, this set me thinking.
We know that the sand was there, because we could see it, feel it, cough it, sneeze it. It was definitely there. We also know that one of the ways radioactive particles can travel is in dust blown into the air and carried in the same way as the sand. We can't see them and we may not know that they are doing us any harm until years later, but there they are, hitching a lift in a dust storm and no passport control can keep them out.
This week Mochizuki posted in Fukushima Diary that 10,000,000 Bq of Cesium-134/137 are emitted from 4 crippled reactors every single hour
http://fukushima-diary.com/2014/04/fukushima-prefectural-gov-shrank-fallout-survey-still-10-million-bq-of-cs-134137-emitted-from-fukushima-every-hour/
I don't think that the radioactivity is just going to stay around Fukushima. Meanwhile, you can understand why some parents who actually live in the area are unhappy about letting their children play outside.
How do you find out about what's really happening to people affected by the nuclear power chain? One way is from films. From May 14th to May25th, the International Uranium Film Festival in Rio De Janeiro is showing films chosen from all those submitted, at the Modern Art Museum.
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/
It's the place to go, but if like me, you can't get there, the festival has a great website and, from past experience, once the films go up, you can learn a lot about them. They also have a good archive of films, and one of them is Abita a short animated film about children who can't play outside because of the radioactive contamination. It's about their dreams and realities and you can watch it at this link.:
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/arquives/films/462-en/past-iuffs/iuff-2013/usa-2014/new-york-city/sunday-feb-16/at-1-30pm/1121-abita-children-from-fukushimaI
Abita is a beautifully told story, full of poetry and imagery. I just wish it hadn't had to be made.
Apparently, once lifted from the ground by strong winds, clouds of dust can reach very high altitudes and be transported worldwide, covering thousands of miles. The U.K. met office gave an elegant description and put up a short video of the route the dust took..
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather/weather-phenomena/sahara-dust
I read that dust from the Sahara has been blown as far as Florida, five thousands miles away.
As usual, this set me thinking.
We know that the sand was there, because we could see it, feel it, cough it, sneeze it. It was definitely there. We also know that one of the ways radioactive particles can travel is in dust blown into the air and carried in the same way as the sand. We can't see them and we may not know that they are doing us any harm until years later, but there they are, hitching a lift in a dust storm and no passport control can keep them out.
This week Mochizuki posted in Fukushima Diary that 10,000,000 Bq of Cesium-134/137 are emitted from 4 crippled reactors every single hour
http://fukushima-diary.com/2014/04/fukushima-prefectural-gov-shrank-fallout-survey-still-10-million-bq-of-cs-134137-emitted-from-fukushima-every-hour/
I don't think that the radioactivity is just going to stay around Fukushima. Meanwhile, you can understand why some parents who actually live in the area are unhappy about letting their children play outside.
How do you find out about what's really happening to people affected by the nuclear power chain? One way is from films. From May 14th to May25th, the International Uranium Film Festival in Rio De Janeiro is showing films chosen from all those submitted, at the Modern Art Museum.
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/
It's the place to go, but if like me, you can't get there, the festival has a great website and, from past experience, once the films go up, you can learn a lot about them. They also have a good archive of films, and one of them is Abita a short animated film about children who can't play outside because of the radioactive contamination. It's about their dreams and realities and you can watch it at this link.:
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/arquives/films/462-en/past-iuffs/iuff-2013/usa-2014/new-york-city/sunday-feb-16/at-1-30pm/1121-abita-children-from-fukushimaI
Abita is a beautifully told story, full of poetry and imagery. I just wish it hadn't had to be made.
Tuesday, 1 April 2014
The EU consultation on state aid for the proposed new nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point C. Quick copy and paste submission. Closed 7/4/2014
The consultation closed 7/4/2014. THANK YOU to everyone who wrote in.
This is the submission done by Global 2000 ,which they say you are welcome to copy and paste - Just add your name, email address and the date at the end. Send to stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
You don't have to send it all and if there are any other points you want to raise, the scruffily put together facts in my last blog might be useful. There are some good links there too.
This is the submission done by Global 2000 ,which they say you are welcome to copy and paste - Just add your name, email address and the date at the end. Send to stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
You don't have to send it all and if there are any other points you want to raise, the scruffily put together facts in my last blog might be useful. There are some good links there too.
To: EU
Commission - Directorate-General
for Competition
E-mail: stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
E-mail: stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
Subject:
Hinkley Point C
I am very
concerned about the current plans of the UK government to make a new nuclear
power plant possible by granting enormous support for it.
We would like
to encourage the EU Commission to stick to its clear analysis, because we as CITIZENS/ NGOS/ BUSINESS in the UK do not want to be forced into paying a
fixed high electricity price to EDF for several decades, with no chance of the possibly
of making use of lower electricity prices.
It does not
seem fair to me, that one type of energy receives this amount of support in
addition to the fact that EDF would get this size of contract without even
having had to win a tender, because EDF simply received this deal
competition-free.
The supplier
AREVA became known in the past years for having severe problems with the
construction of its “flagship reactor” EPR on time: The ongoing cost increases!
Delay of completion is ongoing both at Olkiluoto and Flamanville, so it cannot
be expected that EDF would complete the EPR reactors at Hinkley according to
schedule. The delay at the Finnish site Olkiluoto is already 5 years, Areva was
reported as having left the construction site a month ago, so no new reliable
date is known.
There are many
more possibilities to secure the electricity supply for the UK. It does not
enhance energy diversity and independent supply if the enormous amount of up to
£17 billion in public subsidies is spent on two units of EPR.
We are
convinced that the state aid for Hinkley Point C would be at the expense of
other energy forms in the UK, because the money set aside for the support of
low-carbon projects up to 2020 (counterparty body) will be spent mostly on the
new NPP.
The Carbon Connect report[1] shows that the investors can expect bigger returns on
the Hinkley project than with comparable projects thus proving that the Hinkley
Point C project would not only receive state-aid, but to such a high level,
that it is over-compensation.
Furthermore the EU Commission made clear that the existence of market
failure need be doubted, because in Finland and in France the reactors were
ordered without granting state aid as is now planned for Hinkley. The UK government’s plan for the next NPP,
is utterly incomprehensible to us, because the EU Commission characterized the
chosen financing model (CfD – Contracts for Difference) with the following
words:
”…the CfD is conceived to entirely eliminate
market risks from the commercial activity of electricity generation, for a
period of time, the initial 35 years of operations of the plant.”
This is an extreme preference for one type of
electricity generation, one specific project of one specific investor, which we
believe the EU Commission will not see as compatible with the rules of the
Common market.
From.
Email:
First name:
Last name:
Date:
Monday, 24 March 2014
Your voice in the EU. about the proposed new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point C in Somerset.UK
A few weeks ago, Global 2000, part of Friends of The Earth, Austria, contacted me about writing to the EU commission for competition. They already have a brilliant, fast, submission for people to send, but it's in German, so here are some scruffy facts and a quick DIY guide for people I've put together in English. It would be lovely if lots of us wrote.
*****************************
Update: "copy and paste letter" now available in next post http://dandelionithappens-dendelion.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-eu-consultation-on-state-aid-for.html
**************************
The EU commission opened a public consultation on March 7th for a month about the U.K. state aid case for the new nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point C.
The EU
Directorate- General for Competition would really like to hear from you!
*****************************
Update: "copy and paste letter" now available in next post http://dandelionithappens-dendelion.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-eu-consultation-on-state-aid-for.html
**************************
The EU commission opened a public consultation on March 7th for a month about the U.K. state aid case for the new nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point C.
The more people who write, the better; you don’t have to be an expert.
You have until April 7th
to write and it’s an opportunity to tell them how the possibility of higher
electricity prices will affect you, especially if you are running a business. *Help on how to
write at the end of the post!
Background: The government would give EDF a strike price
of £92.50/MWh … (around twice the current rate) for the electricity. This would
be index linked and fixed for 35 years from the time the nuclear power plant is
supposed to start production in about 15 years’ time.
This means that householders’,
businesses’, industries’, schools’… electricity bills might have to cover much
larger energy costs than from renewables, as well as their suppliers’ costs.
The UK government would also give EDF a very large loan to help build
the nuclear power plant as well as other benefits. If they, later, build two more of the same
design at a second site at Sizewell B in Suffolk, the strike price would fall
to 89.50/MWh.
Meanwhile, the cost of solar and wind are falling and expected to go
on falling, as are the costs of other low carbon renewable energies.
Solar energy:
”The
STA [The Solar Trade Association] has asked
for a strike price of £91/MWh in 2018 and expects this to fall to £86 by 2019,
falling year on year thereafter, paid over 15 not 35 years and with no nuclear style
small print permitting a possible increase in strike price once those terms are set.”
…Quote from Seb Berry, head of public affairs at Solarcentury and board member of the STA.
…Quote from Seb Berry, head of public affairs at Solarcentury and board member of the STA.
(Ref page 6 Item 7)
http://www.nuclearpolicy.info/docs/nuclearmonitor/NFLA_New_Nuclear_Monitor_No34.pdf
http://www.nuclearpolicy.info/docs/nuclearmonitor/NFLA_New_Nuclear_Monitor_No34.pdf
Why did the Government fix a higher strike price for 2019 than they asked for?
http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/decc_unveils_new_solar_strike_prices_for_2015_onwards_2356
http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/decc_unveils_new_solar_strike_prices_for_2015_onwards_2356
Wind energy
The European Wind Energy Association says
onshore wind costs could fall to £48/MWh by the 2020s potentially making it the
U.K.’s cheapest power source.
(Also from page 6 Item 7)
And that’s just mentioning two of the low
carbon renewable energies!
The EU commission commented on the affordability of electricity from
the proposed new nuclear plant:
“The
measures, moreover, could hardly be argued to contribute towards affordability
– at least not at current prices, when it will instead and most likely
contribute to an increase in retail prices….”
Also, If you have any connections with the renewable power industry,
or you know anyone who has….the EU Directorate-General would especially like
to hear from you and them.
One of the points the
commission made was:
“The Commission notes in this
respect that a support mechanism which
is specific to nuclear energy generation might crowd out alternative investments
in technologies or combinations of technologies, including renewable energy
sources,………”
The NFLA,CNFE and Stop Hinkley
Media release says:
“Renewable technologies
will be unfairly constrained by the size of the Levy Control Framework funds available,
the bulk of which will probably be used up by Hinkley Point C after 2023,
despite the fact that solar and offshore wind are likely to be cheaper by then.”
Expert opinions have already been submitted, but this
truly is a public consultation.... Will you be able to export to Europe if other countries are paying a fraction of
our electricity costs by 2023? If
someone comes up with a great idea for a new renewable product are the funds
going to be there to help?
This is a real chance for people power .... don’t let’s waste it! You can ask the European Competition Commissioner to declare the State Aid which the UK
Government proposes to give to Hinkley Point C as illegal.
*How to write to the commissioner.
There is a list of important
points you might like to add in the media release below. Use one point, or use them all, it
doesn’t matter.
Your letter
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
To
The European Commission
The Directorate-General for Competition
State aid Registry
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
1049 Bruxelles/Brussel
BELGIQUE/BELGIË
The European Commission
The Directorate-General for Competition
State aid Registry
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
1049 Bruxelles/Brussel
BELGIQUE/BELGIË
Email: stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
From
first name *
Last name *
Email *
first name *
Last name *
Email *
Your Message
subject *
subject *
opinion *
Date
Date
__________________________________________________________________________________
There is more information on each of the points at
and facts at No 2 Nuclear Power
‘From “No Public Subsidy “ to “State Aid”’
And a Greenpeace briefing http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/press-releases/hinkley-c-greenpeace-statement-and-briefing-20131021
and this is the link to the full EU document!
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
See it, even read about it, don't miss it.
As I write this blog, it's around one o'clock in New York City, and it's around six o'clock in London. This means that if I were planning on what to do, if I were New York City this afternoon or evening, I'd perhaps have time to think about going to a film.. and if I was going to a film, I know where I'd be heading.
Today is the last day of the travelling Uranium Film Festival's stop over in the USA.
Film after film by courageous, innovative and talented directors have been shown over the past few days and culminate in an evening of three films, "08:15 de 1945", "In My Lifetime" and the film based on the famous book of the same name, "Quietly Into The Disaster"...
To find out more, go to the festival's website, http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/traveling-festival/usa-2014/new-york-city/wednesday-feb-19
Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, a report which has taken two years to compile was launched by NIS, The Nuclear Information Service, and Medact. It states that over fifty (over one third) of British Universities have received funding from the Atomic Weapons Establishment. http://www.nuclearinfo.org/article/awe-aldermaston/atoms-peace-investigation-int-links-between-uk-universities-and-atomic
I am so grateful for the people who keep showing us what is happening, when a whole lot of other people would rather they didn't!
Today is the last day of the travelling Uranium Film Festival's stop over in the USA.
Film after film by courageous, innovative and talented directors have been shown over the past few days and culminate in an evening of three films, "08:15 de 1945", "In My Lifetime" and the film based on the famous book of the same name, "Quietly Into The Disaster"...
To find out more, go to the festival's website, http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/traveling-festival/usa-2014/new-york-city/wednesday-feb-19
Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, a report which has taken two years to compile was launched by NIS, The Nuclear Information Service, and Medact. It states that over fifty (over one third) of British Universities have received funding from the Atomic Weapons Establishment. http://www.nuclearinfo.org/article/awe-aldermaston/atoms-peace-investigation-int-links-between-uk-universities-and-atomic
I am so grateful for the people who keep showing us what is happening, when a whole lot of other people would rather they didn't!
Thursday, 6 February 2014
Listening to the director of the film discussing it.
If you are in Washington DC or in New York City in the next couple of weeks, there is a rare chance to see some films you may not have come across. You may also be able to hear several of the directors of the films discussing them as part of a panel about the theme they are in.
At a time when old fashioned copyright can be transformed into a form of modern censorship, when concealed censorship is probably as common as direct censorship in some countries...but at a time when, happily, there is so much protest against the disregard for individual privacy, liberty and the freedom to know... then this is perhaps a good time to find out from films, that history which governments would perhaps prefer we did not know.
This chance is being brought to the USA by the travelling Uranium Film Festival. The films are being shown at the Goethe-Institut, Washington DC from February 10th-12th 2014 and at the Pavillion Theater in NewYork City, from the 14th-19th February 2014.
One of the films to be shown is "Nuclear Savage: The Islands of Secret Project 4.1". This is about the nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands in the 1950's and the subsequent treatment of the people of Rongelap. Another is "Tailings", about a 200 acre heap of toxic uranium waste.. just outside Grants, New Mexico where after 30 years of failed clean up, the waste has contaminated the air and the water.
Both directors will be on the panels for themed discussion and there are other excellent films to be seen and discussed. More details are on the Uranium Film Festival website; the Washington and the New York City films are there with pictures and links to previews, and there is plenty of real information about all the films.
At last, some countries are waking up to the bright and powerful future of solar and wind power... If ever there was a cogent reason why this is so utterly necessary... as well as being wonderful (!) I would suggest that you visit the website to find out...or better still, if you are in Washington or New York and can make it....see the films.
At a time when old fashioned copyright can be transformed into a form of modern censorship, when concealed censorship is probably as common as direct censorship in some countries...but at a time when, happily, there is so much protest against the disregard for individual privacy, liberty and the freedom to know... then this is perhaps a good time to find out from films, that history which governments would perhaps prefer we did not know.
This chance is being brought to the USA by the travelling Uranium Film Festival. The films are being shown at the Goethe-Institut, Washington DC from February 10th-12th 2014 and at the Pavillion Theater in NewYork City, from the 14th-19th February 2014.
One of the films to be shown is "Nuclear Savage: The Islands of Secret Project 4.1". This is about the nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands in the 1950's and the subsequent treatment of the people of Rongelap. Another is "Tailings", about a 200 acre heap of toxic uranium waste.. just outside Grants, New Mexico where after 30 years of failed clean up, the waste has contaminated the air and the water.
Both directors will be on the panels for themed discussion and there are other excellent films to be seen and discussed. More details are on the Uranium Film Festival website; the Washington and the New York City films are there with pictures and links to previews, and there is plenty of real information about all the films.
At last, some countries are waking up to the bright and powerful future of solar and wind power... If ever there was a cogent reason why this is so utterly necessary... as well as being wonderful (!) I would suggest that you visit the website to find out...or better still, if you are in Washington or New York and can make it....see the films.
The London (U.K.) Underground strike.
Usually if there is something which is causing problems in a lot of people's lives, you hear complaints, grumbling, muttering. Having been out and about today in London... and queued for longer than usual at the bus stop, I didn't hear one complaint by people about the strike by underground workers... not one.
People weren't enjoying it and there was a lot of quiet information being offered on which bus to catch or how long the wait would be...but no complaints... Just a determined stoicism.
This backs up a survey done by the RMT, from which I quote:
The survey of a thousand tube users demonstrated overwhelming opposition the proposals to close ticket offices.
• 71% of tube users would be quite concerned or very concerned if ticket offices were closed down
• 52% of tube users had experienced being unable to buy tickets from a machine because it was broken
• Tourists , essential to the London economy , are even more worried about ticket office closures with 81% either quite concerned or very concerned.
• Amongst those who voted for Mayor Boris Johnson in 2012 56% said that they would be less likely to support a candidate for Mayor who acted to close ticket offices after pledging to keep them open.
• 78% of regular commuters said that they thought current fares are too high.
I personally think people are also very concerned about safety at tube stations and not finding help when they need it.
There is a leaflet put out by the RMT, "Why we are striking". It is downloadable from their website as a pdf. They are asking people to email London Mayor Boris Johnson mayor@london.gov.uk and Mike Brown, MikeBrown@tfl.gov.uk
For suggested text for an email visit www.rmt.org.uk/everyjobmatters
People weren't enjoying it and there was a lot of quiet information being offered on which bus to catch or how long the wait would be...but no complaints... Just a determined stoicism.
This backs up a survey done by the RMT, from which I quote:
Tube Users Oppose Ticket Office Closures
RMT Commissioned Survation to seek the views of Tube users to find out their views on Ticket Offices.The survey of a thousand tube users demonstrated overwhelming opposition the proposals to close ticket offices.
• 71% of tube users would be quite concerned or very concerned if ticket offices were closed down
• 52% of tube users had experienced being unable to buy tickets from a machine because it was broken
• Tourists , essential to the London economy , are even more worried about ticket office closures with 81% either quite concerned or very concerned.
• Amongst those who voted for Mayor Boris Johnson in 2012 56% said that they would be less likely to support a candidate for Mayor who acted to close ticket offices after pledging to keep them open.
• 78% of regular commuters said that they thought current fares are too high.
I personally think people are also very concerned about safety at tube stations and not finding help when they need it.
There is a leaflet put out by the RMT, "Why we are striking". It is downloadable from their website as a pdf. They are asking people to email London Mayor Boris Johnson mayor@london.gov.uk and Mike Brown, MikeBrown@tfl.gov.uk
For suggested text for an email visit www.rmt.org.uk/everyjobmatters
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