Clean Air Zones

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Nov 11, 2009
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However strange that a council that is supposed to be responsible for our environment allows it to be grown on the islands. They probably will have not qualms about introducing a congestion charge, but allow a plant to damage the environment and kill off local plant lie. This applies to all councils that allow this type of plant to be grown on property managed by them.
Pampas grass as been grown here for years and not once have I seen any mention of it doing the things that you are referring to. Personally I don’t like it but there are far more invasive species around which grow far faster than pampas grass.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Pampas grass as been grown here for years and not once have I seen any mention of it doing the things that you are referring to. Personally I don’t like it but there are far more invasive species around which grow far faster than pampas grass.
I never knew either until I read up on it yesterday. It was first introduced into Europe via the UK. Bougainvillea is another invasive plant. In South Africa in some areas like Durban you were paid to remove it from your property. When we removed the plant from a property we had just bought, our garden area increased by more than a metre along the fence. Took a week to remove it all.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I never knew either until I read up on it yesterday. It was first introduced into Europe via the UK. Bougainvillea is another invasive plant. In South Africa in some areas like Durban you were paid to remove it from your property. When we removed the plant from a property we had just bought, our garden area increased by more than a metre along the fence. Took a week to remove it all.
I've tried growing Bougainvillea in UK but it doesn't survive unless given heat during winter, and our summers aren't really hot enough to encourage it to grow properly. Had better results though with Oleander but stoped growing them when I read that every aspect of the shrub is toxic to animals or humans. So after ten years or so with much sadness as they were from plants I had collected in France ,out they went. The plants not the dogs or grandkids.

As per Dusty's comment my wife bought me a Chilean bamboo which was really beautiful. But unfortunately after 'its adolescence' I started to find stems coming up in flower beds, or the lawn and these stems would appear anywhere up to 3-4 metres from the parent plant. So out it came as I don't think the neighbours would have been too chuffed. Last year I planted a semi mature black bamboo, which I surrounded with a rigid butyl liner set 2 ft into the ground. It has taken very well and makes a splendid focal point already at 3m tall. But like one that I had in our last house I would go around it annually to dig out any laterals that thought they could go walk about.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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OH has two avocado trees growing in big plant pots. One is about 8-9 years old and the other about a year younger. Grew them from the pips. At least they are environmentally friendly. We used to have a massive avocado tree in the garden in SA when the avocados were up to 6 or more inches long like butternuts unlike the piddly little ones you see in supermarkets.
 
Sep 24, 2008
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I never knew either until I read up on it yesterday. It was first introduced into Europe via the UK. Bougainvillea is another invasive plant. In South Africa in some areas like Durban you were paid to remove it from your property. When we removed the plant from a property we had just bought, our garden area increased by more than a metre along the fence. Took a week to remove it all.
Regarding Bamboo, my Sister has them and the local wild life centre use to come and cut them for the animals
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I agree with Raywood earlier comment: We will see more and more cities,towns or conglomerated areas introducing LEZ's and other measures to reduce vehicle usage and to increase revenue for the local authority.

The prime issue is too many vehicles trying to use limited space in towns and cities. This has two main effects congestion, and poor air quality which is made considerably worse by the congestion.

Otherclive made the point that authorities now have a lawful duty to control air quality, but they only have limited tools they can use.

Obviously the best way to reduce pollution is to limit the use of processes that produce it in the first place, in this context that means identifying the sources and either stopping them, or cleaning them up or reducing the number of them.

We tend to focus on vehicles in this forum, and that's understandable, but when restrictions fall on us we obviously see and feel them more intimately and are perhaps not fully aware of how the measures affect other people or businesses.

Air quality has been an issue for some areas since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, For example the area in the West Midlands and South Staffordshire which is known as the "Black Country" got is name due to the way the whole area was smothered with dust and debris from the uncontrolled pollution from the industries that sprang up there. There are similar stories across country and beyond.

The London Pea Souper fog of the early 1950's were noted for causing about 12,000 premature deaths annually in the city. This prompted Parliament to begin formulating the Clean Air Act introduced which was introduced 1956. It was further enhanced in 1968 to prompt more local authorities to do more to reduce smoke. By about 1980 the skies were much clearer from burning coal. Further tightening of smoke regulations were introduced in 1993 and have continued to be revised.

But along side this the numbers of road vehicles have been ever increasing, Back in the 1950's cars were probably far more polluting than todays ICE vehicles, but there were far fewer of them, so their impact on air quality was very small compared to the levels from coal fires etc.

But as time has passed the numbers of vehicles has grown massively, and whilst individually they are all probably far cleaner than the mid 20th century vehicles, the numbers have grown so much that they represent a somewhat bigger proportion of the pollution than before, and that makes then a target for intervention.

Certain types of pollution have been clearly linked to poor health, so it makes sense to try and reduce these emissions, especially where there is a high population density, and natural means of mitigation are limited.

I believe it is almost certain that over time further restrictions will be applied and ultimately (maybe a number of decades away) we will see a very different picture of how motor vehicles can be used.

If nothing else, the Covid-19 Pandemic has demonstrated two things very clearly. The first was how pollution dropped during the hard lockdown due to the vastly reduced number of vehicle journeys, and how we don't all need to travel to a place of work every day.
 
Jun 20, 2005
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If nothing else, the Covid-19 Pandemic has demonstrated two things very clearly. The first was how pollution dropped during the hard lockdown due to the vastly reduced number of vehicle journeys, and how we don't all need to travel to a place of work every day.

Very true Prof but at what economic cost to the nation?
Over 50% of the working force are still working from home today, my daughter included.
We need to be careful. Any one ,any where ,can deal with people on the phone or email. We may see our jobs shipped out to cheaper labour Countries. I cite Amazon. Ring up with a query and a very articulate person in the Philippines resolves your problem on line efficiently.
Sadly the Worlds major polluters will not be attending
the COP so you really wonder if it is of any true global value other than EVs and Heat pumps😵‍💫😵‍💫
Going off at a tangent😉it is a shame HMG haven’t pursued the faster roll out of all the Covid anti viral drugs currently available. That may avoid a further lockdown.
 
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Ern

May 23, 2021
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😉it is a shame HMG haven’t pursued the faster roll out of all the Covid anti viral drugs currently available. That may avoid a further lockdown.
[/QUOTE]
Any facts behind this?
 
Nov 11, 2009
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If nothing else, the Covid-19 Pandemic has demonstrated two things very clearly. The first was how pollution dropped during the hard lockdown due to the vastly reduced number of vehicle journeys, and how we don't all need to travel to a place of work every day.

Very true Prof but at what economic cost to the nation?
Over 50% of the working force are still working from home today, my daughter included.
We need to be careful. Any one ,any where ,can deal with people on the phone or email. We may see our jobs shipped out to cheaper labour Countries. I cite Amazon. Ring up with a query and a very articulate person in the Philippines resolves your problem on line efficiently.
Sadly the Worlds major polluters will not be attending
the COP so you really wonder if it is of any true global value other than EVs and Heat pumps😵‍💫😵‍💫
Going off at a tangent😉it is a shame HMG haven’t pursued the faster roll out of all the Covid anti viral drugs currently available. That may avoid a further lockdown.
On your tangent my BIL hasn’t been able to get his booster in Coventry nor friends in West Wilts. The GPS hadn’t received any since last week in September. I tried to book BIL on line for a Center in Coventry but despite inputting all of the required details the booking line rejected the application because he had not yet received an NHS invite. Yet for us two we received invites from our GP practice, a text message invite from national NHS and I even received a personal invite from NHS national to my email address. So whilst Mr Javid is exhorting the oldies to come forward for booster of the five of us only myself and my wife have been and had our booster jabs. 40% success rate of the willing is pretty poor. Somewhere someone(s) have taken their eye off if the ball. As demonstrated by the daily vaccination figures.
 
Jun 20, 2005
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😉it is a shame HMG haven’t pursued the faster roll out of all the Covid anti viral drugs currently available. That may avoid a further lockdown.
Any facts behind this?
[/QUOTE]
Yes. Google an excellent scientific paper written by Dr Penny Ward , visiting Professor at University College London or read page 23 of today’s DT
 
Jun 20, 2005
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I’m sure it’s a postcode lottery Clive. I had an NHS invite for the booster this Thursday. Get jabbed next week👍👍
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I’m sure it’s a postcode lottery Clive. I had an NHS invite for the booster this Thursday. Get jabbed next week👍👍

Guess your right, but compared to the performance of the original roll out programme this current one lacks momentum. Anyone eligible fir a booster should be able to book at a non GP Center as all that’s required are your personal details and the NHS data base should hold details of when you had a second vaccination. If that is six months or more “ please come in Sir/Madame”. No invite required.
 

Ern

May 23, 2021
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Any facts behind this?
Yes. Google an excellent scientific paper written by Dr Penny Ward , visiting Professor at University College London or read page 23 of today’s DT
[/QUOTE]
Great! Dr Ward is attempting to build momentum for a home administered anti Covid pill, which her members (she is figurehead of one of the pharmaceutical industry members associations -a bit like the caravan industry NCC). Oh! Yes It hasn't even been produced and trialled yet, so certainly isn't available.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Oxford University are working on anti virals via the Moonshot Project but it’s still early days and industry insiders estimate it could be 2-3 years before these third line drugs become available. Even then there’s the problem of knowing which ones to administer at what stage of a persons infection. Given the speed of covid infection compared to HIV it’s a far more difficult challenge, and more so if the covid virus changes. It’s thought by the OU that the initial beneficiaries of anti virals could be people not able to be vaccinated but still vulnerable to covid. Early days but it looks very promising. Look how HIV was controlled.

There’s only one covid specific anti viral drug available so far but also an HIV/AIDS one, and some have been purchased by HMG, but it’s not a panacea for all patients. A useful first step though assuming they get regulatory appproval.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...viral-treatments-for-covid-in-time-for-winter
 
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Mar 14, 2005
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If nothing else, the Covid-19 Pandemic has demonstrated two things very clearly. The first was how pollution dropped during the hard lockdown due to the vastly reduced number of vehicle journeys, and how we don't all need to travel to a place of work every day.

Very true Prof but at what economic cost to the nation?
..
First of all I made it clear that it was not necessarily true for everybody by saying "we don't all need to travel" If there is an economic or practical need, then some people may have to travel. But the reality is a many businesses and other organisations have discovered that with modern means of communications, some jobs can be more than adequately completed without a permanent places of work. That implies there is no economic cost in those cases.

Citing the movement of aftersales service to out of UK locations is a bit of a red herring as it was a common experience before Covid-19, and was almost certainly driven by the bean counters. I have to say that I have had very varied experiences of dealing with such off shore services, from the absolut abysmal and totally ineffective (A telecoms business who doesn't like to Talk to its customers) to somewhere as you relate the service was almost seamless.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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One of the side effects of LEZ in towns and cities is that people start using out of town shopping centres and the High Street dies. I cannot recall when last we shopped in the High Street in any of the towns or cities near to us, but this was mainly due to parking issues.
 
Nov 16, 2015
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In our local village which is only two miles from our closest shopping center. We have a Tesco Express, a Co-op, 3 coffee shops, 3 hairdressers, 2 barbers, Opticions, 5 restaurants, 2 takeaways, a Hardware shop and one wonderfull old style convience shop. And 5 pubs.
Thankfully we don't need to drive out of the village to get anything, unless it is a new TV or fridge freezer. Buy local.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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In our local village which is only two miles from our closest shopping center. We have a Tesco Express, a Co-op, 3 coffee shops, 3 hairdressers, 2 barbers, Opticions, 5 restaurants, 2 takeaways, a Hardware shop and one wonderfull old style convience shop. And 5 pubs.
Thankfully we don't need to drive out of the village to get anything, unless it is a new TV or fridge freezer. Buy local.
Are you sure that you live in a village and not a city? We live in a village and nearest shop or convenience store is just over 2 miles away. Nearest coffee shop about 14 miles away. No idea on nearest takeaway as we never buy takeaways unless in the caravan. Nearest pub is about 2 miles away. Hardware store(B&Q) again about 14 miles
You are a very lucky person in some ways to have that all on your doorstep! :D
 
Nov 16, 2015
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Are you sure that you live in a village and not a city? We live in a village and nearest shop or convenience store is just over 2 miles away. Nearest coffee shop about 14 miles away. No idea on nearest takeaway as we never buy takeaways unless in the caravan. Nearest pub is about 2 miles away. Hardware store(B&Q) again about 14 miles
You are a very lucky person in some ways to have that all on your doorstep! :D
It is a very sought after area, house prices stupidly high, and with more houses being built nearby. Still classed as a Village,
 
Jun 20, 2005
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Cricklade with a lesser population has always been classed as a Town since Saxon times. Three miles away we have Ashton Keynes with a population of 2/3rds less. Known as a village. And now Southend on Sea is a City. Mind blowing all this rural stuff😉😉
 
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Jul 18, 2017
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It has been my understanding that at one time to become a city there had to be a cathedral, but is there a cathedral in Milton Keynes?
When does a hamlet become a village, a village a town and a town a city?
 

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