MASCo garden yard at Christmas

Our new signs

We’re open this holiday – do come and visit

Tuesday 29th & Wednesday 30th December

Saturday 2nd January

10am – 4pm

 

English Heritage: a story of dubious ‘goings on’?

 

 

 

The Story so far

We blogged previously that English Heritage was reportedly instrumental in persuading Government Departments to repress planning legislation which required applicants to consider disposal and treatment of materials that might be affected by demolition at the time of new applications. This behind the scenes activity was recently commented upon in our blog at the time of the recent DEFRA consultation submission to Europe (Revisions to the Waste HierarchyPP115).

It seems, that what appeared at the time as the misguided action of  English Heritage, possibly for misplaced but sincere reasons, is only part of what, increasingly, looks like a broader policy of more serious intrigue.

English Heritage is arguably compromised

English Heritage has, according to Richard Girling in his Times Online article Fireworks over fireplaces, embarked for some time in  commercial activity that seems to compromise its independence and integrity. Arguably, this conflicts with public expectation of such an auspicious champion of conservation and heritage matters.

If Richard Girling is correct, English Heritage is very confused on matters relating to accurate historical architectural detail and not a little bit hypocritical, if not potentially fraudulent, in not declaring a vested interest when proffering advice on period fireplaces and chimneypieces.

Authenticity vs Commercial Advantage…you decide

How can English Heritage remain independent and free from external influence if it is advising on architectural matters of authenticity and at the same time recommending clients install reproduction fireplaces from a company with whom it enjoys commercial advantages?

This seems a straightforward conflict of interest without even considering the carbon footprint of importing manufactured reproduction chimneypieces from Turkey, Italy and China.

In 2010 , I think we need to re -examine the role of who, in English Heritage, is responsible for these disastrous policy decisions before the public loses all confidence in these former trusted champions of Britain’s precious heritage.

Read the full article by Richard Girling in Times Online: Fireworks over fireplaces.

Obelisks! Our latest acquisition

 

 

Fine limestone obelisks from Devon

Arriving in the New Year, these impressive architectural features have been acquired by MASCo from the grounds of an important Devonshire manor house.

For more Featured Items from MASCo, click here

Environmental Leadership and the way forward

The situation is clear: we have not  convincingly addressed the climate debate

In the race to rubbish Copenhagen we should perhaps recognise that in the real world solving any problem is complex. The initial emotional reaction to the frustration is to condemn our political leaders out of hand for their narrowness, self-interest and lack of vision. It most certainly is better that the resolution of the climate summit is not perceived as a significant progression. Painful as it may be, we are clearly not deceived by a smoke and mirrors, politicians’ spun version.

Even if Copenhagen had been genuinely successful, we still could not change events for the next forty years 

Our energy policies of the last three decades dictate, even if we achieved Zero Carbon today, events would not change perceptibly for the next four decades.

What we need to avert is reaching the tipping point of climate change, nominally 3 degrees, whereupon we may experience a free fall or utterly unpredictable potential collapse of all previously modelled outcomes.

All is not lost by the Copenhagen decisions, but it may take  a natural disaster of unimaginable magnitude to refocus international opinion rather than rational debate.

It is vital that measured, scientific opinion continues to gather the growing evidence and that a scientific breakthrough, as yet not discovered, might mitigate our inability to resolve matters by reasoned behaviour change.

Copenhagen is not a failure that should be  minimised

Our inaction will  have terrible consequences. History, however, demonstrates that change will take place and the probability is that human existence will continue. For some  nation states, communities and individuals the consequences will be disastrous. It would be a very conceited person who assumed that they or their particular self-interest would not be affected adversely.

It might not affect you but it will effect tens of millions and some of those people will ask WHY did we allow this to happen?

EXCUSES

Get your excuses ready  if you must, but they won’t change what you have enabled, unless we address the problems of climate and consumption today with even more vigour and determination. No Excuses.

Knowledge Exchange Network: House Of Commons Meeting

High expectations at the Knowledge Exchange Network…but were they met?

Set in the wonderful surroundings of the terrace bar restaraunt at the Houses Of Parliament, the Knowledge Exchange Network announced its coming of age.

Given the grandeur of our surroundings and 120 delegates and representatives from all walks of industry, expectations were high.

Sadly events went down hill after  MP Barry Sheerman’s motivational opening address, stressing the need for change and the imperative to understand that our present policies and patterns of consumption  cannot be sustained.

The Chairperson of the new group Environmental Sustainability KTN, Colin Drummond, Chief Executive of Viridor, called for a policy  directive to achieve 6% Energy from Waste from the present 1.5% base.  His proposition was well delivered and drove forward yet more backing for Incineration and Recyclates.

When will the authorities wake up to Reuse and Reclamation?

No mention in any literature, posters or speeches was made at any time in the entire proceedings about Reuse and Reclamation. So much for joined up government.

Only last month we had spent a whole day in Whitehall on the other side of Parliament Square listening to a DEFRA presentation on the need to change the Waste Hierarchy to comply with future European Waste Directive proposals. Yesterday, the only stated view was to do more of what already fails; the poor, hapless politicians were  trying to do their best but had no grasp of how, in their desperation to get things going, they were  sowing the seeds of failure.

Politicians need a reuse roadmap, not a commercial dead end

The good intentions of politicians who continue to believe down-cycling will remedy anything was palpably tragic given the cynicism of the commercial vested interests who were there only to control the opportunities that might come their way from Government.

I must stress, I have no doubt that the politicians present genuinely believe they are finding postive solutions.

They have no idea what the alternatives are because they are surrounded by commercial lobbyists who are concerned to promote only self interest. You cannot burn and crush your way out of the present over-consumption of virgin raw materials.

We, the reclaimers, need to do more

Why, on such an important ocassion, was there no reference even obliquely to Reclamation in any of the speeches, literature or wall posters?

The answer can only be the failure of the reclamation trade and sustainability lobby to convince  politicians that they are directed into a policy cul-de-sac that solves nothing. The financial and organisational muscle of the orthodox down-cyclers deafens all alternative voices.

We need to remove subsidy to the demolishers and recyclate industry and redirect priorities away from incineration as a central plinth of our campaigns for  Environmental Sustainability.

There will be a case for crushing and burning, but only on the margins if we are to recover the full carbon value of scarce materials.

Like the Olympic project, with all its fine words of support for sustainability, Reclamation has been substituted for Recycling. Valuable opportunities have, in reality, been ignored in favour of Down-Cycling.

Ten out of Ten for hospitality, charm and sincerity!  Nil points for change or improvement.

More about MASCo Sustainability

MASCo launches new website for Christmas

 

 

 

MASCo’s new website

Christmas comes early for MASCo Architecural Salvage with the launch of our interactive website.

Building on our new brand identity and the rapid growth of the business, we wanted a website that would really benefit our customers. At mascosalvage.com you will find:

• Online shopping and product ordering
• Special offers and discounts exclusively for our website customers
• Featured items showcasing our latest products and items of particular interest
• Case studies of our recent salvage and customer projects
• Most popular items being bought by MASCo customers
• Latest news from the reclamation industry and MASCo’s sustainability blog
• and an outline of our Services in sourcing, design advice, restoration and conservation.

Happy Christmas and Happy browsing!

Confusion or Conspiracy? A question of political will.

Events in East Anglia fuel the great debate

The events in East Anglia as they unfold have a double purpose for the delegates in Copenhagen. They may be a distraction from the central issues, either intentionally or accidentally, that provide conspiracy theorists and tabloids with much material to discuss, whilst more rationally they have  generated the much overdue opportunity for intensifying considered debate.

We depend upon accurate scientific data for endorsement and confirmation of policy and for ‘breakthrough‘ in resolution of problems that at any fixed point in time seem impenetrable without technological advance.

Cause & Effect: the politics of science and the consequences

Scientists did not take the decision to drop the first atom bombs, they enabled the political elite of the Western powers to exercise previously unimaginable force. The ability to understand nuclear physics was enabled by political resolution to bring together the best scientific research and resource the work with facilities and the determination to succeed. Thereby achieving their political purpose with considerable  strategic urgency.

The moral dilemma followed as the realisation of consequence registered in the aftermath.

Scientific evidence for climate consumption

Setting aside that all simplistic metaphors collapse under extended scrutiny, the parallel for today’s climate debate with the  creation and  commissioning of atomic weapons offers a useful illustration for the twenty first century’s great debate .

If the distraction of the media frenzy about periferal issues is ignored, then we should call on our politicians to act with clear political conviction. Sufficient credible scientific information exists to confirm that the world’s natural resources are being consumed in an unsustainable manner. The climate debate is intrinsically part of the discussion about consumption and the environmental consequences of profligate use of Earth’s resources.

Political good intentions with cataclysmic results

At the equivalent point in the second Great European war (1940-45), confronted by the uncertainty of victory in Europe and fearing the Japanese military determination to fight on, the allies persuaded and facilitated the escape from Europe of the scientist who came to be the scientific elite that enabled the succesful Oppenheim/Manhattan project to deliver the weapons of absolute destruction that incinerated Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Without resolution and political will these  cataclysmic events could not have been resourced.

As a young man in the 1960’s, I met East German and Czech scientists who claimed that the nuclear projects of LOS ALAMOS could  never have been sustained without the broad base of scientific knowledge that the allies enjoyed and the Nazis could not obtain from their narrow science base, denied by the  allies  ’spiriting away’ talent from occupied Europe.

It is time for another brave political decision – before we run out of time

I do not choose to venerate a decision that I privately find morally difficult to defend from the comfort of a new century, but rather to recognise that the events that confront us today may similarly not be resolvable without broad international co-operation and determined political will. Furthermore, resourced with more urgency than we have yet deployed. 

In the present context the greater problem, and parallel, remains the issue of political judgement in the light of conflicting forces that may provoke a fatal hesitation.

If climate change is as advanced and critical as most scientific opinion believes, then those in denial are not exercising a responsible democratic judgement but rather an obstructive and potentially lethal distraction, even if they are sincere.

MASCo Christmas Competition with Period Living

Win a staddle stone in our Period Living Christmas Competition

MASCo has teamed up with Period Living for a special Christmas competition, and the prize: a beautiful staddle stone from our garden yard collection of reclaimed architectural features, garden ornaments and statuary.

All the details are here on the Period Living website, simply login and answer the question for your chance to win.

Good luck!

MASCo adds its voice to the United Nations debate

 

Steve Tomlin’s blog goes to the Copenhagen Conference

Many of you have kindly read MASCo MD, Steve Tomlin’s post today: Better A Failure in Copenhagen 

Now you can read it on the United Nations COP 15 website where Steve’s blog has been included in Climate Thoughts, an interactive globe showcasing different climate opinions and thoughts from well-known climate debaters.

Click on the link below to access the globe, then click Show The Latest Published Thoughts. Better A Failure in Copenhagen should appear, until a new flurry of thoughts are posted.

Better a failure in Copenhagen

United Nations Climate Change Conference Dec 7 – Dec 18

In a week when Tesco’s CEO Sir Terry Leahy recognised the significance of sustainability on BBC’s Panorama, it is important that the Copenhagen summit fails rather than fudges. The gravity of the need to purposefully change with well resourced commitment is no longer a matter for genial debate. Whilst climate deniers like holocaust deniers trade distracting insults to the clamour of media attention, the tipping point has been exceeded.

Strip mine the planet and face the consequences

Even if you cannot persuade yourself the scientific basis of climatic hiatus is not sufficient imperative to call for change, we cannot continue to consume virgin raw materials at the present rate. Sustainability is a need to be commercially thoughtful and measured in the way we manage our planet’s resources. Without even considering the competing claims of others to have access on grounds of economic and social justice, we cannot afford to disregard the consequences of strip mining the planet without restraint. The Earth’s material resources are finite and deserve to be utilised more decisively while they last.

Political convenience stores up trouble

Copenhagen offers an opportunity to recognise the now critical need for immediate and determined reversal of our polluting consumption. A fudge for political convenience, and the short term needs of politicians cowed by industrialists without vision, will rebound and advance environmental disaster even more inevitably.

Gradualism will be justified on grounds of political pragmatism and the need to be ‘realistic’. Is it realistic to act ineffectually and indulgently?

Politicians who fail to grasp the gravity of our situation will have only themselves to blame in the company of Nick Griffin, Ian Plimmer and Nigel Lawson if Copenhagen fails. You cannot window dress the climate /sustainability debate, our survival depends on it.

Marginalising George Monbiot, and other warning voices, will not absolve our political masters of blame.

Better that our politicians are exposed as not having solutions than we trust in smoke and mirrors.

Read more from MASCo sustainability