Environment Forum
Global environmental challenges
from Commentaries:
Water down the tube in London heatwave
London's transport bosses are telling travellers on the tube system to beat the heat by carrying a bottle of water with them when they venture underground.
But how many of us are refilling our bottles with tap water rather than pouring money down the tube -- not to mention the cost of recycling the plastic bottles -- by buying a new bottle of water each day?
Cue the National Hydration Council whose eye-catching advertising campaign to encourage people to buy more "naturally sourced bottled water" -- on health grounds -- featured prominently on the underground network earlier this year.
The worrying thing for the bottled water lobby is not that people are doing what would appear to be the most sensible thing and refilling their bottles from the tap, but that Britons are replacing bottled water with sugary drinks instead.
Ghost bikes appear with spring in London
Spring is making a cautious appearance in London now and with it a growing number of cyclists are venturing out onto the streets of the capital.
I also noticed, as I rode south towards the Smithfield meat market last week, another less welcome sign of the season — a ghost bike. This one had only been there for a few days.
