The UK Green Police have arrived!

[WBU ALUM]

I wonder if they'll have to ride bicycles to their assignments? Of course they won't. It will be "Do as I say, not as I do."

Environment Agency sets up green police

The boys in green are coming as the Environment Agency sets up a squad to police companies generating excessive CO2 emissions.

The agency is creating a unit of about 50 auditors and inspectors, complete with warrant cards and the power to search company premises to enforce the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), which comes into effect next year.

Decked out in green jackets, the enforcers will be able to demand access to company property, view power meters, call up electricity and gas bills and examine carbon-trading records for an estimated 6,000 British businesses. Ed Mitchell, head of business performance and regulation at the Environment Agency, said the squad would help to bring emissions under control. “Climate change and CO2 are the world’s biggest issues right now. The Carbon Reduction Commitment is one of the ways in which Britain is responding.”

[BobHelm]

Interesting that you quoted only the "jokey" piece of this report & completely ignored the serious side. The legislation is actually sensible & rewards companies that reduce their carbon output.
You could argue that this is un-necessary (to reduce carbon output) but you would be in the huge scientific majority if you did. Hence the resorting to "jokes" in the hope that the seriousness of pollution is ignored to the great god capitalism....

[WBU ALUM]

Interesting that you quoted only the "jokey" piece of this report & completely ignored the serious side. The legislation is actually sensible & rewards companies that reduce their carbon output.
You could argue that this is un-necessary (to reduce carbon output) but you would be in the huge scientific majority if you did. Hence the resorting to "jokes" in the hope that the seriousness of pollution is ignored to the great god capitalism....

I posted the link and an excerpt. I didn't read the whole article. Just posted the first three paragraphs as the gist of the article.

Is the title ambiguous or misleading? Did I misquote anything?

I didn't state an opinion either way. I just posted news under the 'World News' topic. Better to let readers decide.

[konstabel els]

I do have a concern about certain types being issued with warrant cards and unforms, I prefer the old hippie types - one who actually converted me to the green cause - he said 'if we let this carry on there will be no more parks and and green fields for your children to play in' - it certainly got me thinking

[BobHelm]

You did actually make a couple of "jokey" comments as well WBU - which was why I thought it necessary to point out the serious side of the newspaper report.
I feel that full blooded capitalists or believers in the truth of market forces solving all issues are struggling completely with the concept of pollution control. By its very nature "pollution control" is an anti-capitalist concept. I have never seen any piece that explains how "free market capitalism" solves this issue. Not having an alternative strategy or policy they rely on pointing fun at the problem in the hope that people will not recognise its seriousness.
If I am incorrect WBU then I would be interested to read any free market solutions to pollution, or is it something that just does not exist???

[konstabel els]

You did actually make a couple of "jokey" comments as well WBU - which was why I thought it necessary to point out the serious side of the newspaper report.
I feel that full blooded capitalists or believers in the truth of market forces solving all issues are struggling completely with the concept of pollution control. By its very nature "pollution control" is an anti-capitalist concept. I have never seen any piece that explains how "free market capitalism" solves this issue. Not having an alternative strategy or policy they rely on pointing fun at the problem in the hope that people will not recognise its seriousness.
If I am incorrect WBU then I would be interested to read any free market solutions to pollution, or is it something that just does not exist???

Bob, all the same I think it's dangerous to attempt to give warrants to people who will have no clear understanding of law, I've just got this feeling that they will be a bit to 'Gung Ho '

[jackspratt]

Interesting that you quoted only the "jokey" piece of this report & completely ignored the serious side. The legislation is actually sensible & rewards companies that reduce their carbon output.
You could argue that this is un-necessary (to reduce carbon output) but you would be in the huge scientific majority if you did. Hence the resorting to "jokes" in the hope that the seriousness of pollution is ignored to the great god capitalism....

I posted the link and an excerpt. I didn't read the whole article. Just posted the first three paragraphs as the gist of the article.

Is the title ambiguous or misleading? Did I misquote anything?

I didn't state an opinion either way. I just posted news under the 'World News' topic. Better to let readers decide.

WBU ALUM on July 6, 2009, 9:20 am
You must have not liked the part that said............:

The formation of the green police overcomes a psychological hurdle in the battle against climate change. Ministers have long recognised the need to have new categories of taxes and criminal offences for CO2 emissions, but fear a repetition of the fuel tax protests in 2000 when lorry drivers blockaded refineries.

The central unit, based in Warrington, Cheshire, can call on the agency’s national network of hundreds of pollution inspectors, many of whom will soon be trained in CO2 monitoring.

It will also be able to demand energy bills from utilities without the companies under investigation knowing they are being watched.

Perhaps most worrying, for managers will be the publication of an annual league table ranking companies by performance in cutting emissions. The government hopes the potential shame of a lowly placing will drive organisations to greater energy efficiency. .............

[WBU ALUM]

If I am incorrect WBU then I would be interested to read any free market solutions to pollution, or is it something that just does not exist???

It's the UK, Bob. I don't know enough about what goes on there to take any stand, and I don't have a stake in it.

I just think it's hilarious and sad that countries in general are penalizing their own people and their own productivity like this.

But I posted a news story, not an issue to debate. I should have probably posted it in the 'jokes' thread. I just keep getting this vision of these little guys with bowlers and green jackets pedaling around blowing whistles and shaking their fingers at people farting and emitting too much carbon dioxide.

[BobHelm]

& if it was to go into small businesses I would agree 100% KE. However they are for medium to large businesses only - the sort of people you don't push around without good cause - also the sort of people you may well need to "raid on the spot" if the cause was there...

[BobHelm]

Thanks WBU point proved 100% I think.....

[jackspratt]

You did actually make a couple of "jokey" comments as well WBU - which was why I thought it necessary to point out the serious side of the newspaper report.
I feel that full blooded capitalists or believers in the truth of market forces solving all issues are struggling completely with the concept of pollution control. By its very nature "pollution control" is an anti-capitalist concept. I have never seen any piece that explains how "free market capitalism" solves this issue. Not having an alternative strategy or policy they rely on pointing fun at the problem in the hope that people will not recognise its seriousness.
If I am incorrect WBU then I would be interested to read any free market solutions to pollution, or is it something that just does not exist???

Bob, all the same I think it's dangerous to attempt to give warrants to people who will have no clear understanding of law, I've just got this feeling that they will be a bit to 'Gung Ho '

Is there anything in the article to indicate they won't have appropriate training, and a clear understanding of the laws which they will be empowered to enforce?

Is there anything to indicate there won't be appropriate checks and balances to ensure the powers have been used in accordance with the law, and not abused - much as have been introduced to hold the police and other law enforcement agencies accountable?

[konstabel els]

& if it was to go into small businesses I would agree 100% KE. However they are for medium to large businesses only - the sort of people you don't push around without good cause - also the sort of people you may well need to "raid on the spot" if the cause was there...

Point taken

[konstabel els]

& if it was to go into small businesses I would agree 100% KE. However they are for medium to large businesses only - the sort of people you don't push around without good cause - also the sort of people you may well need to "raid on the spot" if the cause was there...

Point taken

Bob , trust me upon this, I have seen it so many times, they will only go for the weaker target, as opposed to the big boys - they would not dare upset somebody who is well connected, I maybe an 'alky' nowdays, but I do have previous experience of this