The British Library has installed the country’s biggest solar heat project, with panels providing hot water and heating to their iconic building in central London.
On the subject of solar, Octopus continue their steady string of energy innovations with a pioneering form of philanthropy. Under their new scheme, people with solar panels will be able to donate their surplus to those living in energy poverty instead of selling it to the grid.
The government has confirmed that it will ban single-use vapes from next year, a relatively new waste problem that has become something of a scourge. Hat tip to Laura Young for her tireless campaigning on this.
Fancy a truth sandwich? The New Scientist explains a simple technique that fact-checkers use to counter false information.
The Guardian covers the book World Without End, which I reviewed here a couple of weeks ago.
I’m going to mention Bookloop again, since I’ve tried it out and been paid and can confirm it works very well. If you have books that you’re done with and that are in good condition, sell them on through Bookloop. Post them off for resale, and you’ll be paid in credit that you can use on Earthbound Books.
While I’m at it, don’t miss the chance to throw your hat in the ring for Bookshop.org’s annual ‘golden bookmark’, which gives you free books for life.
This week’s articles
Now is Not the Time, by Brett Bowden
Publishers are wary of short books, as I’ve discovered when trying to pitch them. Apparently they feel insubstantial and subconsciously poor value for money to prospective buyers. But sometimes a short book is exactly what a topic needs, and this extended essay on tempocentrism is a good example. I don’t need 400 pages on it.…
The injustice of temperature related deaths
As global temperatures rise, the risk of heatwaves will increase. As we know, heatwaves can be deadly, especially to the elderly and vulnerable. At the same time, warmer temperatures will reduce the risk of cold related deaths and that annual winter crisis in the NHS. There are few who would champion this second fact as…
How to reuse an old airport
Here in Luton, we await the government’s decision on whether or not the airport can expand. I fully expect them to wave the plans through, as they did with Stansted last week. Many of Britain’s airports are expanding at the moment, emissions be damned. But for a brief moment, there was a possibility of an…
The Earthbound Report 