NHS - Green, plus,
Going Green, II
It would seem that, in Britain, the NHS (that's the National Health Service, for non-Brit readers) is responsible for 1% domestic waste in the UK which goes for landfill. In case Readers are thinking "1% isn't much", looked at as a number (which I don't have at present) it's an awful lot. So the NHS is being tasked with doing something to reduce it's waste. Hmmm, what next? Re-usable syringes? You know, the old glass ones which have to be sterilised after each use? Though, maybe, that isn't such a daft idea. Time was when that was what was used; and all food scraps from the canteens & patient meals were collected for pig food. Though I 'm not sure whether modern pig-farmers would a) want to, or b) be allowed to feed pigs such stuff for food production.
Then, apparently, 5% of road trips are NHS related - presumably that's staff travelling too & from work, ambulances, visitors etc. So they're being told to sort that too. Hmmmm, in West Sussex, where they currently have three major hospitals, there is talk of down-grading two, perhaps even closing the A&E & Maternity units in one. Now that's really going to cut worker/patient/visitor miles, isn't it? Not to mention the length of time it will take an ambulance to get there in an emergency.
For that matter - there's the heating bills too. Last time I was in hospital - visiting H when he broke his ankle a few years back - the wards were so hot patients were asking for windows to be opened, in February. If they just turned the hospital thermostats down a few degrees, or even had ward thermostats which could be altered . . . There now, if turning down our home thermostats can save us money, just think of the savings the NHS could make!
There's more, but you can look here for that.
Meanwhile the US Senate have passed a bill requiring greater fuel efficiency for new-build vehicles by 2020 - which will be something, I suppose, provided that the number of vehicles on US roads hasn't risen by then to cancel out any benefits!
Hope you all had a good Longest Day yesterday. Here it was overcast to begin with - there were wonderful red clouds in the morning at Stonehenge too - & rained in the evening. So, effectively, it appeared shorter than the previous days! Such is the weather in this country. Suppose it's all downhill now til Winter Solstice. Heigh ho! *Sudden brainwave* Of course it's raining now, Wimbledon is approaching! It always rains for Wimbledon. Why, one year Cliff Richard got to play Centre Court!
On a, slightly, different track, fifty years ago various items were sealed into a time capsule in Oklahoma in a "nuclear attack proof" vault, which was re-opened last week. Reckon there may be some very disappointed competition winners! Go check the link. Then, maybe, go check your nuclear bunker. Cos if the rain can get into it so can radiation.
A little something, though I would advise Readers of a nervous disposition to skip this link. You've heard of "Snakes on a Plane"? Now "Snakes in Suits". There are times when I'm very glad I work from home! Just one thing, though. It's all very well saying that psychopaths are 'amoral' but, these days, what is 'moral'? I mean, is there any agreed basis for behaviour these days? Are there any standards of what is 'acceptable' or 'unacceptable'? And how stable are they?
Hmmn, after all that better find you something cheerful. *Goes looking* There now, two for the price of one.
Y'all have a good day now!
It would seem that, in Britain, the NHS (that's the National Health Service, for non-Brit readers) is responsible for 1% domestic waste in the UK which goes for landfill. In case Readers are thinking "1% isn't much", looked at as a number (which I don't have at present) it's an awful lot. So the NHS is being tasked with doing something to reduce it's waste. Hmmm, what next? Re-usable syringes? You know, the old glass ones which have to be sterilised after each use? Though, maybe, that isn't such a daft idea. Time was when that was what was used; and all food scraps from the canteens & patient meals were collected for pig food. Though I 'm not sure whether modern pig-farmers would a) want to, or b) be allowed to feed pigs such stuff for food production.
Then, apparently, 5% of road trips are NHS related - presumably that's staff travelling too & from work, ambulances, visitors etc. So they're being told to sort that too. Hmmmm, in West Sussex, where they currently have three major hospitals, there is talk of down-grading two, perhaps even closing the A&E & Maternity units in one. Now that's really going to cut worker/patient/visitor miles, isn't it? Not to mention the length of time it will take an ambulance to get there in an emergency.
For that matter - there's the heating bills too. Last time I was in hospital - visiting H when he broke his ankle a few years back - the wards were so hot patients were asking for windows to be opened, in February. If they just turned the hospital thermostats down a few degrees, or even had ward thermostats which could be altered . . . There now, if turning down our home thermostats can save us money, just think of the savings the NHS could make!
There's more, but you can look here for that.
Meanwhile the US Senate have passed a bill requiring greater fuel efficiency for new-build vehicles by 2020 - which will be something, I suppose, provided that the number of vehicles on US roads hasn't risen by then to cancel out any benefits!
Hope you all had a good Longest Day yesterday. Here it was overcast to begin with - there were wonderful red clouds in the morning at Stonehenge too - & rained in the evening. So, effectively, it appeared shorter than the previous days! Such is the weather in this country. Suppose it's all downhill now til Winter Solstice. Heigh ho! *Sudden brainwave* Of course it's raining now, Wimbledon is approaching! It always rains for Wimbledon. Why, one year Cliff Richard got to play Centre Court!
On a, slightly, different track, fifty years ago various items were sealed into a time capsule in Oklahoma in a "nuclear attack proof" vault, which was re-opened last week. Reckon there may be some very disappointed competition winners! Go check the link. Then, maybe, go check your nuclear bunker. Cos if the rain can get into it so can radiation.
A little something, though I would advise Readers of a nervous disposition to skip this link. You've heard of "Snakes on a Plane"? Now "Snakes in Suits". There are times when I'm very glad I work from home! Just one thing, though. It's all very well saying that psychopaths are 'amoral' but, these days, what is 'moral'? I mean, is there any agreed basis for behaviour these days? Are there any standards of what is 'acceptable' or 'unacceptable'? And how stable are they?
Hmmn, after all that better find you something cheerful. *Goes looking* There now, two for the price of one.
Y'all have a good day now!