{"id":7922,"date":"2021-07-06T07:57:29","date_gmt":"2021-07-06T07:57:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/?p=7922"},"modified":"2021-07-06T07:57:29","modified_gmt":"2021-07-06T07:57:29","slug":"britain-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/edswahs\/2021\/07\/06\/britain-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Britain Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have learned that we've been failing to Keep Britain Tidy since 1954. \u00a0This Wikipedia page<\/a> shows the timeline of mergers and identity change since that time. \u00a0The strategy keeps changing, but remains ineffectual. \u00a0Are we just a very dirty people and is there no hope?<\/p>\n

I hear there are plans for pupils to be regularly weighed in primary schools in England in order to determine how much they have learned. \u00a0This is informed by the widely-accepted accumulating brain mass theory. \u00a0The measurements, designed to alert parents that their children are at risk of developing a learning problem, were cancelled in March 2020 as the country entered the first coronavirus lockdown. \u00a0Experts fear that since then a combination of homeschooling, less regular mental exercise and easier access to brain deadening snacks and ready meals has had a detrimental effect on the nation\u2019s children.\u00a0But they say that since the National Child Learning Measurement Programme (NCLMP) was halted they cannot know the full extent of the problem. \u00a0Get those scales out!<\/p>\n

My local council issued a questionnaire about the desirability (and route) of a proposed new cycleway. \u00a0It was 30 questions long but you had to answer 28 about personal circumstances before coming to the two questions (Qs 29 & 30) about the cycleway itself. \u00a0I was asked how many cars I had, how much I earned, how old I was and what my gender identity was. \u00a0There was nothing about whether I'd use the new facility (which I shall).<\/p>\n

There are puzzling proposals that we should pay for heating in the same way many now pay for music. \u00a0This \"heat as a service\" model is explored here<\/a>. \u00a0The report (from The Conversation) says that a\u00a0recent report<\/a> by the International Energy Agency forecasted that fewer than 5% of the total emissions reductions needed to reach net zero by 2050 can be expected to come from behaviour changes among the general public. Rather than expecting households to buy heat pumps, states and energy utilities should offer them low-carbon heating as a service.<\/p>\n

I've long given up on supposing that global temperature rise can be kept at 1.5 degrees C about the pre-industrial norm and cannot understand why we persist with this wishful thinking. \u00a0I noted with interest, therefore, a report from the University of Hamburg (in the Conversation again) which says<\/a> that keeping the rise below 1.7 degrees is now \"not plausible\".<\/p>\n

The DfE has announced that the school bubble system is to be abolished which will mean that a whole class load of students will not be sent home if one of their number tests positive for the virus. \u00a0Ironically (I think) this will take place on the first day of the summer holiday period. \u00a0The smack of firm administration at last.<\/p>\n

I'm not sure what this has to do with sustainability, but here goes: Instagram influencer, Oli London<\/a>, has transitioned to be Korean and changed their name to Jimin. \u00a0And why not you might think, if you have the cash for the zillions of plastic surgery ops that are needed. \u00a0Their reasoning was logical: if you can change your sex you must be able to change your race\/ethnicity. \u00a0Also see this commentary<\/a> on the issues by Jordan Tyldesley<\/a>. \u00a0If only stopping being a Cumbrian was so easy.<\/p>\n

A nice cartoon to end with; picture three contestants in a quiz show. \u00a0The host says: \"Sorry Arthur, your answer was actually correct, but Paul shouted his opinion louder so he gets the point. \u00a0And an extra bonus point goes to Sue as she was offended by your answer<\/em>.\" \u00a0 \u00a0Just so. \u00a0Britain today.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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