Found an interesting Green blog sent on by a friend & Blogger Darragh Doyle. It is called The Written One and worth a look as had this great little video on it too.

Yours Sustainably
CO2.ie

In case you have been living in a fridge, the Irish government is spending millions telling Irish people about the challenge of climate change.

They have a nice new TV Ad featuring none other than Eamon DeValera & Michael Collins who overcome their generations challenges in chillier times.

We hope it is money well spent and 2008 sees the beginning of a new Green era in Ireland which CO2.ie has been pioneering anyway.

Word is they won’t have much change out of €12 million in their advertising budget so it had better work!!

Please check out www.change.ie

Yours Sustainably
CO2.ie

Ben & Jerry’s are working globally on a great initiative for young people interested in keeping the planet cool, expecially the icy bits where the polar bears hang out.

Ben & Jerry’s Climate Change College exists to inspire grass-roots practical action on climate change. Each year one candidate per participating country wins a place on the Climate Change College to put their own creative solution on climate change into action.

The prize consists of a 9 month business mentoring programme (worth €21,000 per participant, including e-learning modules, a 3-day workshop in London and a 2-week Arctic trip) and a €7,000 monetary grant to launch your project! This year, 8 countries in Europe are joining the adventure.

Click here to read more about the Ben & Jerry’s Climate Change College ambassadors. Take a look at previous campaign ideas from last year’s students here.

Well done to Ben & Jerry’s ! Moo Moo !!

Yours Sustainably
CO2.ie

We see that we are getting more visitors now with Google searches for VRT & the impending new laws for VRT & CO2 emissions coming into effect on 1st July 2008.

We are currently preparing our content and talking to some of the major car companies so watch out for our new & improved Green Autos section soon.

Planned Irish VRT Bands from 1st July 2008

The current VRT system uses engine size as the criterion to determine the VRT rate to be applied to a car. Under the revised VRT system the CO₂ emissions of a car will replace engine size as the criterion to determine the VRT rate payable on the car at point of registration.

Lower emission cars will attract reduced VRT rates and higher emission cars will be liable to higher rates. The VRT rates will continue to be applied to the Open Market Selling Price of the car. The revised VRT system will take effect on 1 July 2008.

The following Table sets out the CO₂ Emission Bands and the relevant VRT rates under the revised VRT system. (Source SEI)
These are divided into seven bands, labelled A to G:

Band A: cars that produce 0-120g/km CO2 - 14 per cent VRT - €100 road tax;

Band B: cars that produce 121g - 140g/km CO2 - 16 per cent VRT - €150 road tax;

Band C: cars that produce 141g-155g/km CO2 - 20 per cent VRT - €290 road tax;

Band D: cars that produce 156g-170g/km CO2 - 24 per cent VRT - €430 road tax;

Band E: cars that produce 171g-190g/km CO2 - 28 per cent VRT - €600 road tax;

Band F: cars that produce 191g-225g/km CO2 - 32 per cent VRT - €1,000 road tax;

Band G: cars that produce 226g/km CO2 and over - 36 per cent VRT - €2,000 road tax.
Yours Sustainably
CO2.ie

Here is an interesting article on ‘Green Snobbery’ from the Irish Independent.

“There’s nothing wrong with cultural snobbery per se, and even if there was, it will always be with us because it’s one of the ways we establish our place in the pecking order. The trick is to keep up with what’s in and what’s out.

Smoking was once sophisticated, then an unspeakable evil, now it’s finding greater tolerance. Flaunting your wealth used to be taboo in Ireland, whereas today everyone thinks it’s compulsory. A bull-headed determination to drive home after 20 pints used to mean a car-full of people cadging a lift. Not any more.

But while smoking and drink-driving are clear-cut health and safety issues, a mastery of eco-snobbery requires a more nuanced approach because we’re into treacherous and uncharted territory. (Remember when the planet was on the verge of destruction by acid rain, the ozone hole and, of all things, global cooling?)”

Read more >>
Yours Sustainably
CO2.ie

Green issues are very much in the news at the moment. Times have changed and attention to use of energy and consumption of raw materials is no longer the preserve of environmentalists and radicals. In many European countries, government policy continues to be shaped by the green agenda, a trend which has now reached Ireland with the recent election of two Green Party TDs to the Cabinet.

With energy prices rising and more stringent restrictions on manufacturing and waste disposal, it is clear that Irish business will need to adapt to this new environment. But where there is change there is also opportunity.

Read more about Green Investments in Ireland on Simple.ie

Yours Sustainably
CO2.ie

Yeah, we agree that Tax is prettty un-exciting generally but we took note when on the RTE web site this week and noticed an article about Carbon Tax.  It is about a new government commission / talking shop about tax -
“The commission is being asked to look specifically at how the tax system can encourage savings, the balance between taxes on income, capital and spending, and options for financing local government. It will also investigate measures ‘to protect and enhance the environment’ including a carbon tax.”

At the end of the consultative process in 2015, hundreds of trees will be felled to print off inumerable copies of the massive report on the findings.  I hope they at least use Green ink

Yours Sustainably
CO2.ie