Archive for December, 2008

“Science Holds the Key to Our Survival” Obama

US President-elect Barack Obama has nominated two leading global warming specialists for key science posts in his administration.

In his weekly address, Mr Obama said that “today, more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our security and prosperity as a nation”.

He said it was “time we once again put science at the top of our agenda” and that he was confident that the US could “lead the world into a new future of peace and prosperity”.

He has said that climate change is already causing widespread harm and has called for a more robust government response.

Mr Holdren will become director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the co-chair of the Council of Advisers on Science and Technology.

He will share the latter post with Nobel Prize-winning scientist Harold Varmus and Eric Lander, a specialist in human genome research.

Mr Obama, who takes office on 20 January, has now filled all the posts in the cabinet. However all nominees must still be vetted and approved by the Senate.

Leave a Comment

Obama picks Nobel man for Energy

Barack Obama named physics Nobel Prize winner Steven Chu as his and tasked him with finding alternatives to fossil fuels.

energy secretary

energy secretary

Mr Obama has pledged to make big changes in environmental policies.

After eight years, he said, the US could not accept more broken promises when the new administration took over on 20 January.

Announcing his environment team at a press conference on Monday, Mr Obama vowed to “move beyond our oil addiction and create a new hybrid economy”

He said these “urgent dangers” were only eclipsed by the long-term threat of climate change.

“Unless we act, [climate change] will lead to drought and famine abroad, devastating weather patterns and terrible storms on our shores and the disappearance of our coastline,” said Mr Obama.

He added that there were boundless opportunities to create new jobs in the environmental industry.

Comments (1)

New EU Climate Deal

New EU Climate Deal

New EU Climate Deal


At the Brussels summit, European Union leaders reached a deal on measures to fight global warming.

The plan is to set out how 27 member-countries will cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels.

EU 20/20/20 TARGETS
20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, compared with 1990 levels
20% increase in use of renewable energy by 2020
20% cut in energy consumption through improved energy efficiency by 2020

Scientists say carbon dioxide emissions need to be cut by 25-40% by 2020 for there to be a reasonable chance of avoiding dangerous climate change.

“Political systems in the developed world have become sclerotic – we have to overcome the paralysis that has taken over politics in these countries, rather than spending so much time on OJ Simpson and Paris Hilton and Anna Nicole Smith ” Al Gore

Leave a Comment

Warmroof Website updated…

In the last few months the Warmroof loft insulation website has had a few changes made to it. A satellite application has been added, pages revamped with colour and images and test simplified to help you understand how the rigid foam loft insulation and other Warmroof products can benefit you.

Improved pages include:
Loft Insulation
Transform your loftRoof Replacement - Flat RoofsLoft WindowsFree Online Quote

NEW! Satellite Images:
You can now view a satellite image of your home on the Warmroof website. This application uses the Google tools too help you analyze the state of your roof.

View a satellite image of your home

View a satellite image of your home

Leave a Comment

Arctic warming accelerates

Arctic ice cover in the summer has seen a rapid retreat in recently.

Artic Warming Increases

Artic Warming Increases

The minimum extents reached in 2007 and 2008 were the smallest recorded in the satellite age.

Scientists say they now have the evidence to conclude that the warming in the Arctic is actually accelerating.

Computer models have long predicted that decreasing sea ice should amplify temperature changes in the northern polar region.

Theory predicts that as ice is lost in the Arctic, more of the ocean’s surface will be exposed to solar radiation and will warm up.

If this process continues, it will extend the melting season for Arctic ice, delaying the onset of winter freezing and weakening further the whole system.

Arctic sea ice is currently being lost even faster than the models predict

Arctic sea ice is currently being lost even faster than the models predict

Leave a Comment

Climate concerns…

The Warmroof blog also likes to look at the latest news on climate changes. We want to keep an eye on what more we can do to help people cut their CO2 emmissions in their home. Not only can Warmroof help with installing a CO2 and energy bill busting Warmroof System loft insulation, but sister companies can provide other products to help too. Solar Home Enegy provide you with hot water heated by the sun, and Thermaseal will provide you with Flat Roof insulation and lining.

If you would like to keep an eye on the latest climate change concerns and breakthroughs keep an eye on this blog.

Leave a Comment

Weather Warnings – is your home secure?

Weather Warnings – Is your roof ready?

Headlines such as “Flash Floods” and “Snow causes disruption” are going to be more common as the winter settles in.

It is hard to predict such weather warnings so make sure you are prepared for the unpredictable.

Recent Events

More than 50mm of torrential rain fell across the region overnight on 12-13 December causing flash floods.

Forty flood warnings and 41 flood watches were issued by the Environment Agency across parts of England and Wales, with the West and Midlands worst hit.

The torrential rain comes as Britain is shivering through the coldest start to winter for more than 30 years, the Met Office has revealed.

The average temperature for the first third of December was a chilly 1.7C (35.1F) – compared with the long-term average of 5.2C (41.4F), figures show.

Climate scientists say 2008 will be the coldest year globally this decade.

With such plummets in temperature make sure your homes are kept warm and wind and rain proof. Warmroof want to help out in times like now – hopefully before things get worse for your roof.

The Warmroof wind and rain proof solution is their spray foam loft insulation. They have a Seasonal offer of up to 25% discount on their loft insulation to help subsidise the cost on the system. This also includes a reduction in VAT down to just 5%.

Not only will breathable membrane keep your house warm in the wither, but it will keep your home cooler in the summer. This sturdy loft insulation will reduce your energy bills and will keep your loft wind and rain resistant for a minimum of 10 years.

With the unpredictable weather always approaching, think about keeping yourself warm and dry with rigid foam loft insulation.

Leave a Comment

Climate Law Changes in UK and Recent find in Marine Life

The UK’s Climate Change Bill might represent a bad deal for taxpayers, as spoken by a Conservative minister.

Peter Lilley MP  said that the worst-case scenario could put a net cost of £10,000 on each UK household.

The government said the costs of not acting on climate change would be higher than the costs of acting now.

Mr Lilley says he does not oppose action to curb climate change.

“We all want to save the planet from overheating, just as we all want to save the financial system from meltdown,” he writes in the BBC’s Green Room series of environmental opinion articles.

“We accept that both rescues may cost us a lot.”

But, he says, the Climate Change Bill, which is broadly supported by the Conservatives, may not represent value for money.

Recent finds on climate change mean that marine life could be diminishing from acid threat.

Professor Wootton says the most troubling finding is the speed of acidification, with the pH level dropping at a much greater rate than was previously thought. “It’s going down 10 to 20 times faster than the previous models predicted,” he says.

Biology and climate change is affecting pH, through photosynthesis and respiration.

All this latest news is a big warning that homeowners should look to make bigger changes in the home and lifestyle to preserve what we have now with out resorting to government forcing us to.

Comments (1)