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Dinosaurs, blind mice, light sabres – and Enron.

Dinosaurs, blind mice and light sabres – all make an appearance in the stage production of Enron.

It’s based on the story behind what was, at the time, the largest corporate bankruptcy in American history (Lehman Brothers now hold that dubious accolade).

It's fast moving and entertaining – and most amazingly seems to explain the complicated accounting practices that Enron employed in simple terms even a five year old could understand!

Before its bankruptcy in late 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications and pulp and paper companies, with claimed revenues of nearly $101 billion in 2000. Fortune named Enron "America's Most Innovative Company" for six consecutive years.

But at the end of 2001 (soon after the 9/11 attacks) it was revealed that its reported financial condition was sustained substantially by institutionalised, systematic, and creatively planned accounting fraud, now known as the "Enron Scandal"

For those who know little about the story, this production is an entertaining education even if you have to allow for a certain amount of artistic licence. For example the character of Claudia Roe is fictional and included to add a little female glamour to an otherwise predominantly male cast.

The staging is inspired with neon lights, Perspex chairs and a large cinema style screen, creating sets that, despite their minimalist design, manage to conjour up the decadence and opulent lifestyles of Enron’s directors.

The dinosaurs are a wonderful way to give a visual image to the accounting practices that Enron used to hide its massive losses. And the Lehman Brothers as Siamese twins in a single suit is certainly worth a few laughs.

Verdict: A fun and surprising night out – with a bit of education thrown in!

Enron is at the Noel Coward Theatre until 14^th August and then goes on tour. Check ENRON website for more information.

Latest news about the oil spill from the BP press office

This is the latest press release from BP (issued 6th July 2010)...


BP today provided an update on developments in the response to the MC252 oil well incident in the Gulf of Mexico.

Subsea Source Control and Containment:

Two containment systems continue to collect oil and gas flowing from the Deepwater Horizon's failed blow-out preventer (BOP) and transport them to vessels on the surface.

The lower marine riser package (LMRP) containment cap, installed on June 3, takes oil and gas to the Discoverer Enterprise where oil is collected and gas flared. The second system, which began operations on June 16, takes oil and gas to the Q4000 vessel on the surface where both oil and gas are flared.

On July 3, a total of approximately 25,198 barrels of oil were collected or flared by the two systems and 57.0 million cubic feet of gas were flared. Specifically, the LMRP containment system connected to the Discoverer Enterprise collected 17,022 barrels of oil, and the Q4000 flared an additional 8,176 barrels of oil. To date, the total volume of oil collected or flared by the containment systems is approximately 585,400 barrels. Information on the volumes of oil and gas that are collected or flared is updated twice daily on BP's website; www.bp.com

Preparations continue for the next step in containment operations. Work on the first floating riser containment system planned to be connected to the Helix Producer was delayed by heightened sea states caused by Hurricane Alex as it passed through the Gulf of Mexico. The floating riser system is designed to allow more rapid disconnection and reconnection of the system, reducing the time that collection may be impacted in the case of, for example, inclement weather. It is currently anticipated that this first floating riser system will be available to begin first operations towards the end of the week.

Plans also are being developed for additional containment capacity and flexibility. These projects are currently anticipated to begin operations around mid- late July.

The LMRP containment cap system, the Q4000 system, and the planned additional containment systems have not been deployed at these depths or under these conditions, and their efficiency and ability to contain or flare the oil and gas cannot be assured.

Work on the first relief well, which started May 2, continues. The well reached a depth of 17,725 feet on July 4 and a sixth 'ranging' run was completed. The second relief well, which started May 16, has now reached a measured depth of 13,871 feet. Both wells are still estimated to take approximately three months to complete from commencement of drilling.

Surface Spill Response and Containment:

Work continues to collect and disperse oil that has reached the surface of the sea, to protect the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico, and to collect and clean up any oil that has reached shore.
Approximately 44,500 personnel, more than 6,563 vessels and some 113 aircraft are now engaged in the response effort.

Operations to skim oil from the surface of the water were temporarily placed on hold for approximately three days because of the effects of Hurricane Alex. To date, these operations have recovered, in total, approximately 673,497 barrels (23.5 million gallons) of oily liquid. In addition, a total of 275 controlled burns have been carried out to date, removing an estimated 238,000 barrels of oil from the sea's surface.
The total length of containment boom deployed as part of efforts to prevent oil from reaching the coast is now almost 2.9 million feet (550 miles).

Additional information:

To date, almost 95,000 claims have been submitted and more than 47,000 payments have been made, totalling almost $147 million.

The cost of the response to date amounts to approximately $3.12 billion, including the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs. On June 16, BP announced an agreed package of measures, including the creation of a $20 billion escrow account to satisfy certain obligations arising from the oil and gas spill. It is too early to quantify other potential costs and liabilities associated with the incident.


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Nine key lessons for sustainable development from Brazil’s Amazon

Brazil’s Amazonas state has important lessons for the rest of the nation and other developing countries as they search for green and sustainable economies, says a new report published by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

It was written by Virgilio Viana, the former Secretary for Environment and Sustainable Development in Brazil’s Amazonas State who is now head of the Sustainable Amazonas Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation.

Viana has spent the past decade promoting sustainable solutions to development challenges in Amazonas. During this time the vulnerability of Amazonas to threats from deforestation has declined. The state now sustains real value-chains in forest-based goods and services that confer ecological, social and economic resilience.

In the report, Viana details the following nine key lessons that have emerged from his experiences.

1) Change the ‘natural resource liquidation’ paradigm of development by making forests worth more standing than cut;

2) Create political support for sustainability and the environment by focusing on jobs, income, votes and other mainstream incentives;

3) Place environmental and sustainability concerns at the centre of policy design and implementation – expanding environment institutions to become catalysts of sustainable development;

4) Pay people for environmental services rendered – such as through the Bolsa Floresta scheme. This fights poverty and protects biodiversity by rewarding forest households with monthly payments into credit card accounts for practicing ‘farming without fire’, which is monitored by satellite;

5) Invest in good communications – especially relations with the media by helping journalists to bridge to politicians, the public and the forests;

6) Provide simple and attractive green solutions: engaging the public in identifying and developing solutions that most help them and the forests;

7) Demote “problemologists” and promote “solutionologists” – changing the paradigm from a problem focus to solutions;

8) Make bureaucracy and regulation work for people – not the other way around;

9) Invest in partnerships for policy implementation – NGOs connecting government and local organisations.


Viana says: "I would like these lessons from Amazonas to be a source of inspiration that encourages greater South-South cooperation on sustainable development."

He see the biggest political challenge as “changing the paradigm that guides public policies and private investments – forests have been seen as obstacles for development, not as opportunities”.

He says the practical challenge is to “develop solutions that are scientifically based, but which ordinary people can easily understand — solutions that fire the imagination, are simple and attractive, and have wider benefits for as many stakeholders as possible”.

James Mayers, head of IIED’s Natural Resources Group, says: “For decades, Brazil and the Amazon in particular have been synonymous with a ‘frontier’ style of development that has destroyed forests. Professor Viana has led a unique experiment to explore and implement more forest-friendly forms of development.”

Mayers adds: “The ideas Viana has developed and honed are both timely and inspiring – for Brazil as a whole and indeed for many other countries, as they now search for new green economies.”

The report describes many schemes that are beginning to surmount the political and practical challenges.

It is schemes like these that offer real lessons for taming the potential tsunami of international forest and carbon funds, so that they contribute to local sustainable development, rather than submerge other local needs.



Download Sustainable Development in Practice – lessons learned from Amazonas

You can hear more interviews with the IIED on PASSION for the PLANET

Could Kevin Costner save the Gulf of Mexico?

From Good Morning America...

Many in the entertainment industry have spoken out about the devastation caused by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and a few have offered to help, but actor Kevin Costner has spearheaded the development of a machine that can separate the spilled oil from the water, and oil giant BP is testing it.

Although an initial test of the machine failed, Costner said adjustments were made and the device works as it should.

Costner has spent the past 15 years and more than $20 million of his own money into developing the oil separator, a powerful centrifuge that he claims can separate oil from water and dump the oil into a holding tank, leaving the water 99 percent clean of crude.

Costner told "Good Morning America" anchor Sam Champion that he became inspired to work on the device after making the film "Waterworld" and after watching coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

That spill occurred off the coast of Alaska when the supertanker Exxon Valdez hit a reef in 1989. Approximately 11 million gallons of oil spilled into Prince William Sound, causing widespread harm to the local wildlife, environment and economy.




"When I saw everyone on the shore with rubber boots and pitch fork, trying to clean up the problem that they didn't create, you know, the images of the birds, it was all very sad," the "Field of Dreams" star said, speaking of the devastating effects of the Exxon Valdez spill.

In the interview on "Good Morning America," he added: "So I went ahead and said, 'does this have to happen?'"

With his scientist brother, Costner started his own company, Costner Industries, and bought the patent for the technology.

"If 20 of my V20s would have been at the Exxon Valdez, 90 percent of that oil would have been cleaned up within the week," he said, referring to one of the models of the oil separators.

The devices, which can be taken to the spill site via barges, come in different sizes. The largest can clean water at a rate of 200 gallons per minute, according to the firm.

Depending on the water-to-oil ratio, the devices are capable of extracting 2,000 barrels of oil per day from the gulf.

The actor and representatives of Ocean Therapy Solutions , the firm that developed the machine, demonstrated the centrifugal device for BP officials in New Orleans last month.

"The machines are basically sophisticated centrifuge devices that can handle a huge volume of water and separate at unprecedented rates," said Ocean Therapy Solutions CEO John Houghtaling. "They were developed from older centrifuge technology. Normal centrifuge machines are very slow and sensitive to different ratios of oil to water mixtures at intake."

During the initial test, the machine failed to work because the oil had been transformed to a peanut butter-like thickness due to the effects of the dispersants. The machines were then adjusted to handle the thick consistency, and now they work as intended, Costner's publicist said.

Costner hopes the machine will be headed to the Gulf soon.

Read the full article here

AUDIOBLOG: Fes Festival 2010 [Sandy McCutcheon]

We're in Morocco for the 16th Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.

Highlights this year have been the spectacular Burundi Drummers, the charismatic Epi from Mongolia, and the amazing Amadou & Mariam, who had even the posh seats bum free as the whole of Bab al Makina danced late into the evening.

The Fes Festival is more than just music. In the mornings some of the planet's keenest minds meet before an audience in the grounds of the Batha Museum. Beneath an impressive ancient oak tree they discuss various topics. You can hear some of the experts at http://www.passionforfreshideas.com/.

Author, broadcaster, and the man behind the blog A VIEW FROM FES, Sandy McCutcheon spends much of the year in Fes, and has experienced many of the festivals. he's seen some interesting changes ...

CLICK FOR INTERVIEW.

You can hear more interviews on air and on demand at www.passionfortheplanet.com

and you can find out more about Fes and the festival at http://riadzany.blogspot.com/

Legal Tender - Facts & Fiction

TRUE OR FALSE - SCOTTISH NOTES AREN'T LEGAL TENDER

From the end of June 2010 the old style Edward Elgar £20 note will be withdrawn from circulation, meaning you can't use it, though you can trade it in at a bank.

Unfortunately what is, and isn't, acceptable is oft-shrouded in mist - mainly because the term 'legal tender' is pretty spectacularly misunderstood.

Here is some useful information from Martin from www.moneysavingexpert.com

• Are Scottish bank notes legal tender? No, not even in Scotland, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be used. It simply means most people don't understand what legal tender is. Bank of England notes are only legal tender in England and Wales, meaning there are no legal tender notes in Scotland at all.

• What is legal tender? It simply means if you have a court order against you for money, the person you owe cannot turn down your settlement if you offer to pay by legal tender.
• Trivia time - Is 22p of 2ps legal tender? No but 18p is. For pub quiz use only, be aware that with coins the amount counts. So you can settle court debts of up to 20p in 1ps and 2ps; up to £5 in 5ps & 10ps and up to £10 in 20ps & 50ps. However, £1 & £2 coins are legal tender to any amount - in England, Scotland, Wales & NI.

• What if a shop refuses your cash? There's little you can do, shops don't have to sell you goods, whatever you offer for payment.

Let me finish with a quick word to English shopkeepers - please DO accept Scottish and Northern Irish notes. While not legal tender, they are UK Parliament approved legal currency, which makes them a perfectly acceptable way to pay.

For money saving tips visit www.moneysavingexpert.com

For more interviews about how to save money, invest your money, get out of debt or build a money making business visit www.passionforfreshideas.com

AUDIOBLOG: Is Your Pet Psychic [Lynne McTaggart]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Lynne McTaggart.

Many pet owners claim their pets are psychic but is there any evidence for this? Lynne McTaggart is from Living The Field and she has had her own psychic pet experiences.

CLICK FOR INTERVIEW.

You can hear more interviews on air and on demand at www.passionfortheplanet.com

NEWSBLOG: Bouncing Bridge Over The Volga

BOUNCING BRIDGE BAFFLES BOFFINS
Anne Rutherford, Moscow

Motorists have been left terrified and experts baffled after a bridge over the Volga River seemed to take on a life of its own. In an incident reminiscent of Hollywood’s special effects wizards at their best, asphalt waves sent cars bouncing across the 7 km long bridge on Friday. However, not only was no one hurt during the half hour long incident, but the bridge itself remained intact, with officials afterwards announcing that not even the paint has cracked.

While engineers have linked the problem to high winds, they remain puzzled as this is the first time this has happened to a bridge of this kind.

The bridge, opened eight months ago, cost almost 4 million US dollars to build, most of which came out of federal funds.

FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

Swap Old FM Radios for Future Radios

RADIO INDUSTRY LAUNCHES FM RADIO AMNESTY
Use your old FM radio to get money off a new DAB radio

The UK radio industry has launched a major cross-industry consumer initiative and marketing campaign – the Radio Amnesty – offering consumers a discount on a new DAB digital radio in exchange for their analogue radio, which will be reconditioned and given to needy children in Africa.

The Radio Amnesty, which has industry wide support will see discounts offered on selected models from Alba, Bush, MagicBox, Panasonic, Philips, Proline, PURE, Roberts and Sony. Participating retailers include Argos, Comet, John Lewis, Tesco and leading independent stores. Analogue sets handed in will be donated to charities working in Southern Africa, or will be recycled.

The scheme runs from 22nd May to 26th June 2010, and is being supported by a major marketing campaign developed by Digital Radio UK on behalf of the UK Radio Industry, which will feature on-air promotions voiced by Stephen Fry, Gaby Roslin and Noddy Holder.

The portable analogue radios collected during the Amnesty will be reconditioned by RadioFix and sent to Southern Africa to support projects set up by the Children’s Radio Foundation and UNICEF, where they will support the personal and intellectual development of children through giving them access to radio programmes for children. Radios which are beyond repair will be recycled under the WEEE Directive.

“DAB radio is the future for UK radio and the Radio Amnesty gives consumers even more reasons to get digital radio. This is an amazing summer of exclusive sports and music on digital radio and also a great opportunity to support children’s charities in Southern Africa. It is a wonderful example of the UK Radio Industry coming together to support digital radio and a very worthwhile cause.” says Ford Ennals, Chief Executive of Digital Radio UK

Elizabeth Sachs, President and Founder, Children's Radio Foundation is excited about the scheme; “Giving children radios is in fact giving them access to a world of information, ideas, and inspiration. Radios connect young people to each other and broaden their horizons. Our radio production workshops with young people give them the chance to tell their stories...to voice their concerns, and to share their triumphs and strategies for success. We're proud to be working with the UK radio industry to provide young Southern Africans with radios, as it allows even more young people to hear these powerful stories and to be inspired themselves."

For more information see: http://www.getdigitalradio.com/digital-radios/radio-amnesty/


You can hear PASSION for the PLANET RADIO on DAB in London and the South of England, or worldwide via the internet using a Wi-Fi radio or by going to PASSIONforthePLANET.com

AUDIOBLOG: Oil In Uganda [Phil Vernon]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Phil Vernon.

Oil has been discovered in Uganda. So what impact will that have on country? Phil Vernon is from peace building NGO International Alert.

CLICK FOR INTERVIEW.

You can hear more interviews on air and on demand at www.passionfortheplanet.com

NEWSBLOG: Return Of The Zil

REVIVING THE SOVIET ERA LIMO
James Ellingworth, Moscow

They were one of the most famous symbols of the Soviet politburo - vast, luxurious limousines for the dictators of the proletariat. At almost 21 feet long, Zil limousines dwarfed anything else on the Moscow roads as they sped down special lanes reserved for top officials.



They have, however, faded from view in recent years, and the number produced by the Zil factory, which usually specialises in buses and trucks, in the last five years has been precisely zilch.

Now they could be set for a comeback. Vladimir Kozhin, who is in charge of Kremlin property, has told Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy that President Dimitri Medvedev had issued "an instruction to investigate in detail the question of buying new Zil model cars for the presidential car pool". He did not say when the new Zils might be available.

Russia’s leaders currently favour top-of-the-range BMW and Mercedes cars, although Prime Minister Vladimir Putin owns a Russian-made Lada jeep for off-road driving. The current ageing stock of Zils is usually restricted to appearances at the annual Victory Day parade, where Defence Minister Dimitri Kosygin this year saluted the troops from the back of a convertible model.

FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

Raising Eco Minded Kids

RAISING ECO MINDED KIDS

Inspiring your children to care for the environment is a gift that will last a lifetime.

Recent research confirms that getting children outdoors is the most powerful way to develop their desire to preserve the natural world.

Environmental educator David Sobel states, "One transcendent experience in nature is worth a thousand nature facts." Children who have an immersive experience in nature, between the ages of 5 and 10, are more likely to develop a deep love of the environment. A love that they will carry with them their entire lives, which in turn significantly increases the likelihood that they will actively work to preserve the environment as adults.

In addition engagement with nature has other positive cognitive effects, including improved performance in school, moral development, and a greater involvement and concern for community well-being.

A recent survey of 300 of the world's most innovative thinkers and leaders showed clear links between childhood immersion in nature and out-of-the-box creativity and commitment to society.

Fortunately, there are lots of easy ways to give your children this precious, green gift.


Take walks outdoors. Nature walks, even in the local inner city park are a great way to get children in touch with the natural world. For ideas see http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/learning-kids/Pages/children.aspx .


There was a time (not that long ago!) when people knew the names of all the plants native to their local area. This was considered essential knowledge and was passed down, generation to generation. Children learnt which plants to avoid, because they were poisonous, and which were edible or had medicinal properties.


So use your walk as an opportunity to learn. See how many trees and birds you can identify and if you’re not sure, look them up when you get home. It’s always more fun to learn together and the more children know about nature the more likely it is that they will appreciate it. As biologist Elaine Brooks says, “Humans seldom value what they cannot name.”


Grow a garden. It’s a sad fact that many children grow up never knowing how food is produced or grown, or where water comes from (other than from the tap). Don’t assume your children understand these issues – take time to explain them.

Better still grow some of your own food. This simple activity will help your children discover where food comes from, how plants grow, and the role that creatures, great and small, play in the natural world.

It doesn't have to be a huge garden - a small window box will give them plenty to observe. Get them involved in all stages of the process, from choosing what to grow, sowing the seeds and then caring for the plants. This will help them develop a greater appreciation for where food comes from and, let’s face it, watching a seed turn into food, is a pretty awe-inspiring process to witness. http://www.gardeningwithchildren.co.uk/

If a garden is not possible then instead of buying a container of pre-packed berries at the supermarket, take your children to a pick your own. http://www.pickyourownfarms.org.uk/


Tackle the Truth About Meat. Many children become concerned about the ethics of eating meat when they find out what meat really is. As raising animals for mass production of meat is an environmentally damaging and wasteful process, it is an important topic to cover, however it may need to be approached gently, depending on the particulars of your family’s diet.

Even if you don’t wish to get into the details of intensive meat farming, children will quickly understand what it means if you tell them how much grain goes into the production of a single pound of meat, and how that grain could be used to feed people.

If your family is not vegetarian, then consider reducing the amount of meat you eat. Have a look at http://www.munchlessmeat.co.uk/ for some fun challenges and perhaps involve your children in a brainstorming session for meat free meals that the whole family would enjoy.



Get them involved in recycling. Give your children responsibility for collecting the household waste paper and rinsing out plastic bottles to put in the recycling. http://www.recyclezone.org.uk/. Put them in charge of making sure you have re-usable carrier bags with you when you go shopping. Perhaps make these actions a game or competition and link it to their pocket money. Once they have the recycling habit – they will keep it for life.


Get composting. There is something about the magic of banana peels, apple cores and grass cuttings turning into compost that appeals to children. Expect them to get even more excited about the addition of a wormery – most children are fascinated by mud and creepy crawlies! By letting them see how potato peelings and autumn leaves can be turned into something useful it will make them think about “waste” in a completely different way. See: http://www.thekidsgarden.co.uk/LearningAboutMakingAndUsingCompost.html





Read books and watch movies about animals, plants, and the environment. Whether its fiction or nonfiction, stories (books and films) about plants and animals, the weather, different climates, or other cultures are all wonderful resources for helping children make the connection that they are a part of a larger community, and that each of us has a part, negative or positive, to play.


Energy Saving. Get your children involved in making your home a "green house". Almost any age can understand why leaving a light or the TV on when you are not in the room is wasteful. Encourage them to look for other areas where you are being wasteful in the home – children are full of ideas and its very likely they will find a whole host of areas where you could save energy and save money. See http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/ and http://www.energyhog.org/childrens.htm


Teach by example. Children suck up what’s going on around them. If they see you being wasteful and ignoring your impact on the planet – they will do the same. So adopt as many planet-friendly habits as you can; recycle, re-use, save energy, use other forms of transport than the car, create a compost heap, be kind to animals, get involved in your local community, make friends with your neighbours, exercise your right to vote, munch a bit less meat, go shopping less, choose to spend time outside in nature not inside in front of the TV or computer... there are so many ways to easily teach by example, many of them will save you money and all of them will put your children in good stead for the future.


These ideas can be easily incorporated into even the busiest of schedules. They take only minutes to give – but the gifts lasts a lifetime.


You can hear interviews with many of the UKs leading conservation organisations on PASSION for the PLANET

AUDIOBLOG: Balancing Hormones [Patrick Holford]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Patrick Holford.

Balancing your hormones can have a positive effect on your health? So which ones do you balance and how? Patrick Holford from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition and co author of the book “Balancing Your Hormones Naturally”.

CLICK FOR INTERVIEW.

You can hear more interviews on air and on demand at www.passionfortheplanet.com

NEWSBLOG: How Is BP Helping Fishermen?

BP, THE SPILL, AND THE LOCAL FISHERMEN
Nathan King, Venice, Louisiana
As efforts continue to stop the leaks, British Petroleum, responsible for stopping the 5,000 or more barrels of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, has said that it will pay all the clean-up costs and pay all legitimate claims against the company. Many law suits have been launched and the company says it has already spent hundreds of million of US dollars since the spill began in April. But the greatest cost to BP could be its image. With that in mind BP has dispatched a team of people to Louisiana to try and help local people as best they can.

CLICK TO LISTEN TO REPORT.

FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

Change Your Business With Tea & Cake

HOW A TEA POT AND A CAKE COULD CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS

There are two criteria with which I judge every hotel room;
(1) the fancy toiletry bottles in the bathroom
(2) the tea and coffee making facilities, with biscuits earning extra points.

I guess I now take these for granted whenever I stay in a high end hotel and I certainly feel short changed if they are missing.

On a recent trip to Austria to stay at the Wiesenhof Wellness Hotel in Pertisau I was met at the airport by owner Alexandra Entner, and as we made the drive through the beautiful countryside she asked me what I look for in a hotel room, so I happily told her. There was a moment of quiet as she considered this and then replied that she’d never considered tea facilities. The bulk of her guests are continental Europeans and it’s just not something they’d expect or want.

When I arrived at my room (having stopped off at a lakeside heuriger for a snack) everything was perfect – the large wooden four poster bed, the balcony with a view across the valley, the fluffy white bathrobe, the stack of towels in a wicker basket so I can carry what I need down to the sauna, the bottles of Tiroler Stone Oil toiletries in the bathroom ...but, no tea making facilities.



I dumped my bag and headed downstairs so Alexandra could show me around and I could book some treatments in the spa. They have a range of different saunas and steam rooms and treatments that are designed around local traditions and products including the unique Tirol Stone Oil. I can recommend the sound bed and the large Jacuzzi bath with views of the mountains.

On returning to my room – guess what I found? A tray with a kettle, cups, a jug of milk, a basket of tea bags and a plate of home-made biscuits. Perfect.


Rather than sticking with the usual format, Alexandra had listened to her guest and responded. I felt welcomed and valued. This small act, which probably took very little effort and cost next to nothing, bought them a fan and a very happy customer; something that simply having a “nice hotel” and providing the service you feel you’ve paid for anyway, will seldom do on its own.

And this attention to detail and customer care did not stop there. When I checked out there was a Mohn Strudl waiting for me. I had happened to mention how much I liked Mohn Strudl (a soft strudl stuffed with sweet poppy seed) and that whenever I visited Austria it was a must buy on my shopping list. They serve Mohn Strudl in their restaurant and so Alexandra made sure I had one to take home with me. Again, a small act, probably around 5Euros of cost – but an act that I will remember and talk about. To use that advertising cliché – priceless.

So it made me think – how can we, in our business, add that bit extra to make our clients feel special? Perhaps cake and tea isn’t the answer, but there will be something – and we’ll know what it is if we LISTEN to our clients.

How much better do you think our interactions would be in business if we all behaved like Alexandra at the Wiesenhof? Would your customers recommend you more often? Would they order more frequently? Would they push you less on price? How would you feel if your suppliers gave you that little extra and listened to what you told them?

Sadly this seldom happens – more often it’s a struggle simply to get what you’ve paid for or to get a supplier to listen to the simplest request. But when I meet people like Alexandra and stay at places like the Wiesenhof it inspires me and gives me hope that maybe customer care is still alive and well.

You can hear more about the Wiesenhof and Stone Oil on PASSION for the PLANET


For lots of interviews full of fresh ideas and useful advice visit PASSION for the PLANET

AUDIOBLOG: Why 5 A Day? [Yvonne Bishop Weston]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Yvonne Bishop Weston.

We're often told to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetable per day – but why is it so important? Yvonne Bishop Weston is a nutritionist from Foods for Life.

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NEWSBLOG: Hung Parliament

NOW THE FUN STARTS
Olly Barrett, London Bureau
Britain has its first hung parliament since 1974, with the Conservatives as the largest party, but that doesn’t mean David Cameron has the keys to number 10 in his pocket. The Liberal Democrats have not had the election results recent polls suggested, but their leader Nick Clegg could still find his party has done well enough to become involved in the next government.

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FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

NEWSBLOG: UK Election Day

TURNOUT EXPECTED TO BE UP
Catherine Drew, London Bureau
Voters in Britain go to the polls today in one of the closely run political races in decades. Incumbent Prime MInister Gordon Brown hopes to win a mandate for his Labour Party however opinion polls show the opposition Conservative party lead by David Cameron might well become the next Prime Minister. And this election has also seen the rise of the third party, the LIberal Democrats as a viable force in British politics. With all this going on, it's thought turnout could be up from recent elections.

CLICK TO LISTEN TO REPORT.

FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

Freezing Fun

TWO KNIVES & SOME ICE - I MUST BE MAD

You have to wonder at your own sanity as you don a pair of ice skates and step out on to that frozen expanse of water. Is this really a good idea to wear unstable boots, with such a small contact area, on such a slippery surface?

However, it’s amazing how quickly you get the hang of it and even more amazing is the friendly spirit of the other skaters. I spent an evening skating at Queensway Ice Rink where people actually smiled at each other (and yes this is in London!), complete strangers offered struggling beginners tips and encouragement, and there was always a helping hand as you tried to skate from one support barrier to the next.

I remember skating many years ago when it seemed that the sport was to knock over the beginners, but that certainly wasn’t the case this time.

It was inspiring to watch some of the skaters; a pair of girls delicately and repeatedly practising ice dance moves; one guy spending the entire session perfecting his backward skating skills (or perhaps he still hadn’t mastered going forward yet); a father with his young son hand in hand as the youngster bravely toddled his way across the ice; a very tall, lanky, long-limbed chap who struggled his way along the edges, arms and legs waving in all directions like a demented windmill in a storm; and a couple of young lads clowning around, at first glance looking as though they’d never skated before but on closer inspection it was clear they were very much in control and their “Laurel and Hardy” bumbling was just a rouse.

I spent the evening wobbling around in a pair of blue, rather ugly, plastic skates, and soaking up the friendly atmosphere. I had expected to have a fun evening but I had never expected to find such bonhomie and spirit tucked away among the bowling lanes and fruit machines.

If you’re tempted to try it out, Monday is just £6.50 for the session including skate hire, and there are adult lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays for around £12.

See: Queens Ice and Bowl

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AUDIOBLOG: Greening A Business [Mark Hands]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET.

This week, Mark Hands. Greening your business may be the “right” thing to do but will it actually deliver any tangible benefits to the business and its bottom line? Mark Hands is manager of The Doubletree by Hilton Cadbury House Hotel in Yatton and they have embarked on an extensive programme of environmental improvements. So what have the business benefits been.

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Keep Your Grass Longer

DON'T CUT YOUR GRASS TOO OFTEN

Wildlife experts are appealing to gardeners to reduce their mowing and keep grass a little longer for wildlife this summer.

The distant hum of lawnmowers can be heard constantly again with the warmer weather, but it seems that slightly longer lawns are a valuable home and food source for birds and other creatures.
And if you can leave some of the wildflowers that grow in lawns too, these are an additional source of food and nectar for bees.

For those that love a neat lawn, don’t panic. They are not suggesting you never cut the grass, just that you mow it a little less frequently and when you do, you set the blades so the grass isn’t quite so short.

According to experts cutting back on the mowing is one of the easiest and most beneficial actions you can take to help wildlife at this time of year. And you’re even saving yourself a job!

If you do require a shorter lawn for pets or children, then simply leaving a small patch uncut could make a big difference and will likely be populated with worms and insects which will provide food for all sorts of birds.

Many garden favourites will ground feed in long grass, including song thrushes, blackbirds, dunnocks, finches and house sparrows.

For lots of interviews full of fresh ideas and useful advice visit PASSIONforthePLANET.com

Do We Want What JFK Wanted?

In his speech to the Democratic National Convention at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on July 15, 1960 John F. Kennedy famously said, “We stand on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of unfulfilled hopes and dreams, a frontier of unknown opportunities and beliefs in peril. Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.”

Four decades have past, yet Kennedy’s speech is as relevant today at it was on the day it was made. Then, as now, there are men and women that embrace change and choose to boldly go where none have gone before. Then as now, there are men and women who chose to resist change and whom, fearing the unfamiliar, stay within the confines of established boundaries and limits.

The bold can easily criticize the fearful. The change-makers can easily find fault with the change-resistant. Consequently, debates between the two often digress into tit for tat style arguments in which insults are slung to and fro. Sadly, this is the scenario we see all too often when issues including climate change, biodiversity loss, natural habitat destruction, water scarcity and poverty are debated, be it around a dinner party table, on a television debate or in the House of Commons.
Wind the clock back four decades to the day of Kennedy’s New Frontiers speech. Upon giving his speech to the Democratic National Convention, the future president clearly understood that if he wanted to win the hearts and minds of his nation throwing insults at his opponents was not the way to go about it. Kennedy knew that societal-level change is not born of debates. Nor of legislative amendments and bureaucratic reshuffles. Polished his appearance and speech may been, but there was no spin, no hype, no PR machine driving this man.

Kennedy was driven by a vision. A vision of a better future. A vision so big, so bright and so beautiful that it inspired a whole nation. At noon on 20th January 1961 Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the United States of America. The day marked the start of a paradigm shift with such momentum behind it that it’s still gaining strength today. Kennedy urged the nations of the world to join together to fight the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." Many imagined that Kennedy’s assassination would stop this paradigm shift in its tracks. How very wrong they were. Kennedy became an Icon of the 20th Century and a man remembered for many generations to come.

Over the coming days, as the General Election draws closer, we will see the party leaders all attempt to take a leaf out of Kennedy’s book, not least during the final Leaders Debate – it was after all his strong performance in the four televised debates with Nixon that anchored Kennedy’s term of office at the White House. So far we haven’t seen a performance in the league of Kennedy’s from any of the party leaders. Nor have we witnessed any world-changing speeches. However, whatever the outcome of the forthcoming General Election, the paradigm shift triggered by John F. Kennedy’s vision will continue to take hold.

NEW FRONTIERS is the name of the new national sustainable innovation initiative environmental scientist Matt Prescott and I launched in January 2010 with the message New Year, New Decade, New Frontiers. The initiative’s name came to me literally as soon as the concept of creating a catalyst for innovation in sustainable design popped into my head, back in the autumn of 2008. However, it was only in the run up to General Election that the words of John F. Kennedy took on great significance and relevance to the initiative.

Kennedy said, “The New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises — it is a set of challenges”. Likewise NEW FRONTIERS, which challenges those working in sustainable design, architecture, engineering, urban planning, chemistry and materials science to work together to stretch the boundaries of possibility. We invite both professionals and students to embark with us on a journey to stimulate truly sustainable design solutions fit for the social and environmental challenges of the 21st Century. We are working with leading universities, professional institutions, NGOs, government agencies and pioneering global brands to embed a strong understanding of sustainability; form new collaborations; and promote the best innovation for this new and fast-moving sector.

NEW FRONTIERS is focused is on interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge sharing, capacity building and public discourse in a programme comprising seminars, scholarships, mentoring, a participative digital platform and other planned elements, culminating in a prestigious biennial national prize. We cannot be sure of the outcome of these various endeavors, for to quote Kennedy “We stand on the edge of a New Frontier” and “un-chartered areas of science and space”… and of design, engineering and technology too.

Brown, Cameron and Clegg take note: great political speeches connect not only with the electorate in any given year; instead their message resonates down through the decades, centuries and ages. Great political speeches don’t just win votes; they change the world.


Melissa Sterry, Founding Director of NEW FRONTIERS and Societás.

I ran the marathon – but will I ever do it again?

Well, I did it! In under five hours, but only just.

The first 12 miles believe it or not go very quickly. There was an African band under the bridge at Woolwich that should have it's own record label. They were utterly brilliant and so much of what the runners needed at mile 22 (see below).

I saw one legged runners and runners who looked in their 80s (or perhaps it was just years of running in the sun that made them look that way) who were incredibly humbling. There were others who had photos of their loved ones, usually toddlers, pinned to their shirt backs, who were running because they had lost them for one reason or another.

A wave of deep heat or whatever it’s called washed over the waiting area at the beginning and everyone talked to everyone in the way they do when you are on a particularly rough flight and you think you're going to die.

Up to 18 miles I had managed to jump over all obstacles and smile Cheshire Cat style at the fabulous spectators who I applaud for getting up and being selfless on a Sunday morning. You are all utterly amazing.

I saw sides of London and Londoners I never had before. I only wish we had politicians who deserved us. If they could only capture the positive energy behind that 26 mile run, when everyone seems to be going in the same direction, running through the pain, for the good. They're not the ones that just say they're going to do something, they're doing it.

At mile 14, we were going in one direction when the elite runners were running toward mile 22. Despite the fact they must all be very fit, they all looked like death, as though they were in a lot of pain, which wasn't as reassuring as I'm sure it should be (if THEY are in pain, what the hell are the amateurs gonna be like at mile 22?).

At 18 miles, a red head pushed in front of me and sent me (and her) flying in the air (think Run Fat Boy Run), both of us landing flat on our faces. Thankfully I was wearing knee guards. I got up hoping that the ankles hadn't been twisted but they were fine, it was my nerves that took the most bashing. She was ok, but I've got her number!

At mile 22, I hit what they call 'the wall'. It is not a wall, it is a huge overwhelming slap across the face of common sense when the body tells the mind 'I'm tired, this hurts, this is not fun' and the rest of the organs tell you they don't want to be inside this body any more.

There was also an overwhelming feeling that the body isn't meant to do this. Not run this distance. It's not normal, natural. Not for a SW woman any way who hasn't trained enough!

There were LOTS of casualties. I know because I saw the stretchers and ambulances. Lots of very healthy looking runners with painful cramp, and people falling over water bottles that had been dropped on the road by previous runners. I took round some energy gel which has an intriguing consistency with a belt I bought at the Excel Trade Fair, and I looked like a cowgirl ready with her ammunition. I was covered in Vaseline head to toe which kept me both warm (it rained hard while we were waiting to start) and free from getting sore.

I walked for half a mile, perhaps more, when negative thoughts set in, as they do, one after another, and heard all those hateful voices and negatives that are thrown at me every day - and then focused the mind like I had the body. The body gets you round the first twenty miles, the mind does the last six. It really does.

I saw men and women literally fold like tissue paper as they were running toward the Mall, as though their bodies and legs were made of jelly. Their bodies just gave up. I just kept very focused, kept thinking of all the positives in my life, of which there are many, and all the inspiring people I know.

My son wasn't there to see me at the end - but I was thinking of Tom and his face beaming at me when I crossed the line. I didn't feel elated which I am told some people do when they finish. I felt utter complete relief and really quite tearful. The medal felt heavy.

The smiles and 'well dones' very welcome and the jelly sweets in the goody bag at the end eaten with the speed I would have eaten them at five not forty five.

Everyone was stretching and too tired to talk, even to TV reporters who were trying to get sound bites. I am amazed people have enough energy to say anything, let alone a sound bite.

I laughed as I watched others like me attempting to climb the steps at Pall Mall. We all looked very very old. And sitting down was hilarious. Simply couldn't be done. I fell on some steps and slowly bent the legs and talked to a guy called Jamie who was in the same state as me but who wasn't a virgin marathoner and had done it four years before. He still found it tough.

I beat Branson, Princess Bea and Natalie Um...whatever her name is. And I beat the giraffe but not the ice cream cone.

So I seized the day and the day seized me right back and whacked my thighs hard and kicked my ankles and my body is doing what it said it would do as I ran those last four miles. 'I will get you there Sarah Tucker, but I am going to get you back.' It certainly did it the next day; sore feet, knees, legs, thighs, back. As for my organs, I am told they are all bruised, but hey, I've had a broken heart before, so a bruised one, will mend and be stronger (which I'm told actually it will!!!)

Will I do it again? No. Monday it was an 'absolutely not'. Tuesday it's a 'no'. Perhaps running a marathon is like childbirth. Perhaps it will be a 'may be' in a few days time. Perhaps you eventually forget the pain and like after the low of mile 22, you have to focus and think of all the positives in your life. Only with childbirth you run the marathon every day....

Sarah Tucker is a best selling novelist. Her books include “The Control Freak Chronicles” which features PASSION for the PLANET and the highly acclaimed “The Playground Mafia”. See: http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/PftP1053sarahtucker.htm

You can hear more interviews with Sarah Tucker on PASSION for the PLANET www.passionfortheplanet.com

AUDIOBLOG: Search Engine Optimisation [Marc P Summers]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Marc P Summers.

Everyone talks about driving visitors to your website, the importance of traffic and search engine optimisation … but how important is it really? Marc P Summers is from Monkey Design House and is author of “How To Get More Visitors To Your Website”.

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