The Blog of Adrian Hollister

The Greening Government ICT Strategy, posted in July 2009 claims to have made significant steps to improve the environmental impact of ICT in government. I'm not completely convinced though.

A good summary can be found from KableDIRECT "The chief information officers and chief technology officers have responded well to the first set of targets but they must now be increased," the reports says. "The strategy itself acknowledges there is a need to work with departments and industry to explore and invest in radical green ICT solutions for the ICT problem, but also consider issues relating to the life cycle impact and disposal of old IT hardware."

There are some nice things in there - such as extending the procurement cycle to 4 years and reducing duplication; but there seems limited commitment to renewable energies, re-use of technology, and the adoption or recognition that software has a great impact on hardware choice. If they were really thinking about this they would make each supplier's carbon targets as important as their service levels.

I would like to see West Berkshire Council take the lead here and help define policy that the whole of government seek to follow. Let's make IT value for money and value for the environment. They could easily start with: 5 year procurement cycles; re-use of hardware; procurement of software on environmental grounds; and local employment of staff and contractors.

Posted by Adrian Hollister

Tesco hides figures after missing target to reduce plastic bag usage. Article from the Times Online, but in summary "Tesco admitted that its figure had been calculated in a different way to the one issued by Wrap." and that "A senior source at Tesco said that the actual reduction had been significantly less than 50 per cent but the company was concerned about negative publicity."

Bad ole Tesco again. When will they learn?

Posted by Adrian Hollister

I was stunned today to hear that Richard Benyon doesn't read any of the letters we send in to him and bog standard replies are just sent out... at this Sundays farmers market in Newbury Richard Benyon spoke to our local Friends of the Earth campaigners. They were amazed to hear from him that he had heard nothing about the various early day motions (EDM's) that many of us (and a lot of FoE people) had written to him about. We all had letters back from him giving a standard party line - which in essence boils down to ... 'tory's don't support any of this real green agenda stuff now go away.'

I do wonder what the heck Richard Benyon is actually doing? Daddies funds have pushed him up the Tory ranks, but he seems to have largely forgotten that he is here to represent his constituency and it's constituents. Talking with the stunned FoE activists today, Adrian Hollister said, "He is so full of his own self worth and clear snobby loathing for for anyone that actually has to work for a living that he doesn't even read our letters to him. Democracy is dead Tory old boy style."

I did send him a letter asking for confirmation, though I suspect some unelected drone will reply...

"Dear Richard Benyon,

I was amazed to hear at this Sundays farmers market in Newbury that you
were not aware of the letters sent to you by supporters of the Green
Party and Friends of the Earth, discussing various EDM's on Animal
Welfare.

We all received replies 'from you'.

I am greatly concerned that you are not reading the letters that are
being sent to you from your constituents and that we are just being
fobbed off by unelected members of your staff.

Can you confirm that you actually read the letter's sent to you;
reassure me that you are interested representing the views and opinions
of your constituents; and let me know if your signature embedded in an
email or letter is to be trusted as your true opinion and source?

Yours sincerely,

Adrian Hollister
West Berkshire Green Party"

Posted by Adrian Hollister