With blistering summer temperature around much of Europe, it may be hard to convince people to think about heat pumps . But a push for more renewable energy plus the ongoing war in Ukraine and the curtailing of Russian gas and oil means there has hardly been a more pressing time. A heat pump is a system that moves around thermal energy. There are a number of different types of devices based on what they use, including exhaust air, ground and water. Ground-source heat pump equipment taps into the nearly constant temperature below the soil's surface. These geothermal heat pumps draw heat into a building in winter and remove warm air in summer, acting like an air-conditioner. This type of system uses a network of water-filled pipes that are either laid horizontally a few feet underground or pipes drilled vertically much deeper into the Earth's core. Advocates say the systems can be used nearly anywhere and are cheaper to run than other heating and air-conditioning systems like … [Read more...] about Can heat pumps be the answer to higher energy costs?
Why net zero energy building
Bioplant experts say Feilding waste-to-energy plant will work as intended
A duo of experts consulting for a company wanting to turn rubbish collected in Manawatū into various useable products says the technology is sound and will not pollute the environment. Bioplant NZ has applied to Horizons Regional Council for resource consents it needs to build a pyrolysis plant on land leased from Manawatū Regional Council in Feilding next to the town’s transfer station. According to the Ministry for the Environment, pyrolysis involves heating waste without exposure to oxygen, which then produces gas, liquid and solids. Bioplant needs consents from Horizons to discharge gases to the air. READ MORE: Air quality experts say Manawatū pyrolysis plant will have almost no impact Manawatū waste-to-fuel plant touted as way to turn rubbish into energy Feilding pyrolysis plant consent process to be publicly notified Concerns over Bioplant's resource consent for waste-to-energy plant Scientists doubt pyrolysis plant is as green as marketing suggests … [Read more...] about Bioplant experts say Feilding waste-to-energy plant will work as intended
Scottish independence: Greens back general election route to indyref2
Published 1 hour ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing The Scottish Greens said there would be no alterative to a single issue general election on independence if formal consent for indyref2 is not granted. Co-leader Patrick Harvie said it would be the only option if both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Supreme Court block the request. Opposition parties have criticised the strategy and its timing. It comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week proposed holding a referendum on 19 October 2023. The UK government said it would examine the first minister's proposals, but stressed that its position that "now is not the time" for another referendum had not changed. It has also said that it is "clear" that the constitution is reserved to Westminster. Scottish independence: 19 October 2023 proposed as date for referendum Is there a mandate for an … [Read more...] about Scottish independence: Greens back general election route to indyref2
How bottom trawling hurts ocean life and speeds up climate change
When Bryce Stewart dived after the toothed, steel-weighted nets of a scallop dredger rumbling over the bottom of the Irish Sea 22 years ago, he witnessed destruction he could never have seen from a boat. "Half crabs. Smashed up sea urchins. Starfish missing some of their arms," said Stewart, a marine ecologist at the University of York. "There was literally a trail of dead and dying things on the seabed." Bottom trawling — a powerful practice in which heavy nets are dragged along the floor of the ocean to catch fish and seafood — is one of the most harmful ways to feed the world. It destroys ecosystems and sweeps up unwanted marine life that gets thrown overboard. From 1950 to 2014, bottom trawlers discarded $560 billion of bycatch, which was more than the value of all catches from longline fishers over the same period. Metal bars and toothed nets wreak havoc on ocean ecosystems Now scientists fear another environmental disaster bubbling under the surface: climate … [Read more...] about How bottom trawling hurts ocean life and speeds up climate change
Rafael Nadal speaks out after fiery exchange with Wimbledon opponent
Rafael Nadal has a chance encounter with Serena Williams Sign up for FREE for breaking Wimbledon news and player updates SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Rafael Nadal has admitted he was in the "wrong" after he called Lorenzo Sonego to the net to discuss an issue during their third-round match . The Spaniard ended up winning 6-1 6-2 6-4 and continued his discussion with the Italian at the net after disagreeing with his opponent's request to close the roof and turn on the lights. Related articles Rafael Nadal coasts past Lorenzo Sonego at Wimbledon Nadal in 'angry' Wimbledon exchange over 'disrespect and etiquette' Nadal and Sonego appeared to be caught up in heated discussions towards the … [Read more...] about Rafael Nadal speaks out after fiery exchange with Wimbledon opponent
‘You can smell where the money is’: Graeme Hart and his innate sense of commerce
Graeme Hart says he was a “terrible” student who was encouraged to leave school as soon as he turned 15, but once he found what he loved – business and commerce – there was no stopping him. Now 67 and New Zealand’s richest man, Hart says he looks back on his early experiences and on reflection finds them “entirely predictable”. A very independent person, he didn’t enjoy school, but outside of the classroom he had a “wicked” work ethic, and was always working after school and in the school holidays. He funnelled his energy into buying and fixing up cars, pulling apart engines in the family lounge and filling the garage with tools and cars. So after the career guidance counsellor at Mt Roskill Grammar took him aside and suggested he might like to leave school the following day on his 15th birthday, it was a natural transition to get an apprenticeship as a panel beater. READ MORE: Business Hall of Fame: Kiwi entrepreneurs honoured New Zealand's richest person donates … [Read more...] about ‘You can smell where the money is’: Graeme Hart and his innate sense of commerce
Nature in crisis: How can we prevent biodiversity loss?
The world is currently witnessing biodiversity loss at a rate and scale unprecedented in human history. Over 1 million species are at risk of extinction. Many are disappearing before we have had a chance to discover them. Climate change, pollution and disappearing habitats are among the forces that have pushed nature toward a cliff edge. The situation is so severe that scientists say we are facing the " sixth mass die-off " — the scale of which has not been seen since the dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago. Yet 2022 presents a window of opportunity, with the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Canada set to bring together world leaders to discuss a road map to deal with the crisis in nature. In our latest Global Ideas web special we take a deep dive into why protecting biodiversity is so critical, and what the concrete and effective solutions are to tackling the problem. 'Biodiversity loss is the greatest threat to humanity' What impact does … [Read more...] about Nature in crisis: How can we prevent biodiversity loss?
I have OCD, Tourette’s and autism – my brain is constantly exhausted
‘What do you mean you’re tired? You’ve been at home all day!’ ‘Wait until you’re working 60 hours a week, then you’ll know what exhausted really feels like!’ ‘Just come out, you don’t have to stay for long. Stop being boring!’ I’m certain most of these things – and the countless others that have been said to me over the years – were spoken without malice but that doesn’t make the words sting any less. As someone who was diagnosed with Tourette’s and OCD at 18, autism at 23 and, in the years following, has found it easier figuring out what mental health difficulties I don’t have as opposed to the ones I do, I consider myself someone with an above average knowledge of mental health and mental exhaustion. Take two of my most common tics. The first I can only describe is a noise you’d make when attempting an impression of a dissatisfied horse. The second, meanwhile, sounds like you’re having all the oxygen squeezed out of your lungs. Now, unless you’re … [Read more...] about I have OCD, Tourette’s and autism – my brain is constantly exhausted
Census 2021: Can Richmondshire’s population drain be reversed?
By Andrew Barton & Tom Airey Published 1 day ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing The Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire may be as picturesque as they come, but it also has one of the most rapidly declining populations in the UK, according to the latest government census. So why are people deserting the district and what is being done to address the problem? BBC News spoke to people in the sprawling and historic Yorkshire Dales idyll to find out. "I don't think people can afford to live in Richmond itself. It has gone up considerably in the last three or four years," says 57-year-old Sarah Uludole. Stopping for a moment on a side street off Richmond's bustling cobbled Market Place, Mrs Uludole pinpoints that rising house prices are one of the biggest issues facing people who are wanting to stay in Richmondshire - and especially in Richmond itself. … [Read more...] about Census 2021: Can Richmondshire’s population drain be reversed?
Carl Froch wants to “shake hands and have a kiss” with Amir Khan to bury feud
Boxing is a ruthless sport, and that was evident after Carl Froch told Amir Khan to hang up his gloves following his defeat to rival Kell Brook in February. His comments sparked some row, with Khan's wife Faryal Makhdoom even getting involved , branding Froch "rude and annoying". Their beef remains unsettled, but now The Cobra has admitted he is willing to leave things in the past. During a chat with IFL TV , Froch said: "I’m not a***d about it, all I’ve done when I’m broadcasting his fights is what I always do and that’s be brutally honest. My honesty sometimes gets me into trouble because I tell it how it is. READ NOW: Carl Froch says Anthony Joshua "needs a brain transplant: to beat Oleksandr Usyk “When he fights he’s got a bit of a dodgy chin. When he fought Brook he was all over the place, so I just said it how it was. Sometimes it upsets people but I haven’t got the energy or the time to have beef with Amir Khan. “He was a fantastic fighter who had an … [Read more...] about Carl Froch wants to “shake hands and have a kiss” with Amir Khan to bury feud