Flooded London: Maps and Visuals

Scene of the movie "The Flood" (2007) by Tony Mitchell

What would London look like if sea levels rose further? There are a numer of maps in the web which let you imagine in what extent different areas of London would/will be affected by the flood. Not all maps show the scenario of the Thames Barrier breaking and releasing tidal waters to the city centre which would have an even more dramatic impact.

Maps:

Environment Agency Flood Map
Type in your postcode and see if you were affected by the flood. 

A Google Maps Overlay


Global Warming Art Sea Level Explorer 

Economics of climate change

Nicholas Stern, Chairman of the the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the LSE, and author of the Stern Review, has argued that it is far more responsible to look at ways to invest in moving toward a low-carbon economy now, rather than wait to deal with the effects of climate change in the future.

He makes this argument through an economic analysis of the costs of investing in reducing carbon emissions, compared to dealing with the costs of floods, famine, water shortages, refugee crises and other hazards stemming from climate change. A webcast of his presentation for the session, 'Business as usual is not sustainable,' at the U.S. Climate Action conference is available here.

On a related note, the LSE hosts a number of events related to sustainability and climate change. There are 'Sustainability in Practice' lectures taking place this spring 2010, and there are also podcasts of past talks on the LSE events archive.

Devices making energy use visible_2

This is designed to make householders aware of their energy consumptionon a daily basis.

This clock visualises the daily energy rhythms of thehousehold and reminds householders of the ordinary kitchen clockin its form, place and use. the clock indicates electrical use of its environmentin real time.

Devices raising awareness of energy use :Wilting Flower"

This flower wilts as you consume power. It allows consumers not onlyto be conscious of their energy consumption, but also to realise theimpacts their energy use has on the environment.

A British designer has come up with the Wilting Flower as a way to raise awareness of home energy consumption. The device is shaped like a flower that provides a visible reminder of how much energy is being used at the moment. When low amounts of energy are being consumed, the flower stands tall and blooms open. Flick on more lights and turn on the TV or video game and the flower wilts and closes up.The prototype is expected to cost about $90 when it comes to the market. So why would someone buy this novelty device when a simple energy monitor would do the exact same thing? Designer Carl Smith, who came up with the Wilting Flower, told the Daily Mail that he hopes people will become attached to the flower and keep it in bloom by changing their energy consumption habits. Other products display energy use on small LCD units which are not as attractive, he says.A wireless connector is connected to the household electricity supply and when more appliances are turned on, the amount of current drawn increases and is relayed back to the Wilting Flower. When the flower displays a blue and greenish light, that means power usage is low. Purple is a bad sign and an indication that the flower is about to wilt and it's time to turn off some of those appliances.

Devices making energy use visible_1

Electronic Cord, designed to make electricity visible.

With regards to saving electricity consumption, it is important to be aware of the use of electricity. Generally, energy is invisible so consumers are unconcious in using energy.

This type device allows householders to realise they are using energy.

*Source_Visual voltage exhibition at design vlaanderen, brussels

Visual voltage is an exhibition which explores the use of energy through smart design.the show is meant to give insight into electricity, energy consumption and environmental issues.the projects on show are all developed by swedish designers and artists, expressing their creative roles as a means to generate awareness and debates on essential issues such as sustainability and energy consumption, shedding new light on how we use electricity.

http://www.ageofstupid.net/

The UN climate summit will meet in Copenhagen in December 2009 to finalise the successor to the Kyoto Treaty. If the new deal is not as strong as the science demands - massive cuts in global emissions starting very soon - then it will be nothing short of a suicide pact. Right now, the most ambitious plans being put forward by any rich nation would give us a 50% chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change. We think humanity deserves better.

Today: The Bigger Picture | Festival of Interdependence

Just stumbled upon The Bigger Picture Festival while checking 350.org for some action today, the international day of climate action. See the detailed programme here. See you there!

UPDATE: Some great impressions of the festival can be found on NEF's or Kate Andrews Flickr site.

http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home.html

This is the TV advert I was talking about this morning.You can find it on the Home page of "Act on CO2" website.

MA in Design and Environment course blog