GreenerPolitics

By Helen Briggs, BBC News

An important step has been taken in the quest to create a synthetic lifeform.

A US team reports in Science magazine how it built the entire DNA code of a common bacterium in the laboratory using blocks of genetic material.

The group hopes eventually to use engineered genomes to make organisms that can produce clean fuels and take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Publication of the research gives others the chance to scrutinise it. Some have ethical concerns.

It sets the stage for what we hope is going to be a new approach to engineering organisms.

Read the rest of the article

It was interesting how receptive people were to the idea that environmental problems are best solved with political solutions and how an environmental message, while similar in content, could be modified to be attractive to people of varying ideologies.

We talked about the need for tax shift, full cost accounting, the encouragement of energy efficient solutions. These are ‘old school’ green ideas.

We talked about the new agreement between MDI and Tata motors to produce compressed air vehicles for the people of India.

I had a good chat with Connie C. about the need for business to integrate themselves with their communities.

 I’ve started a Forum to keep discussion going during the interrim between meets

The next Green Drinks is February 19. See you there!