Atmospheric problems

 

Atmospheric problems

I was triggered into this topic by reading a recent paper in New Scientist on nitrogen problems. But before I get onto that I would like to spend some space to write on other problems in the atmosphere. We here so much about CO2 these days that is easy to forget there are other issues. It is encouraging that some have been at least partly resolved by international efforts. The carbon issue is so massive that it would be easy to become discouraged and while other problems have been smaller they show that solutions are possible.

The first I want to discuss came to prominence in the mid 20^th century. It was acid rain such that mildly acidic rain was adversely affecting long lived vegetation such as trees. The cause was exhaust plumes from high chimneys from such as power stations were pumping sulphur in the form of oxides into the upper atmosphere where is combined with water in clouds or rain to acidify rain precipitating many hundreds of miles away. The obvious solution was to remove sulphur from the fuel. Treatment in the smokestack is possible but expensive. There is an awareness nowadays of the more local issues and petrol and diesel fuels are now commonly desulphurised.

The second issue coming apparent towards the end of the 20^th century was ozone depletion. Ozone is an important part of the upper atmosphere where it blocks some harmful solar radiation. The ozone loss was caused by chlorofluorocarbons ( CFC’s )  released by such as aerosol cans and refrigerators. Particular types of CFC were the major problem. CFC’s were comparatively new ( mid century ) and had properties which were very desirable in other ways. For example carbon tetrafluoride was an excellent and widely used cleaning solvent. I was personally very much involved in researching replacements. An international agreement ( the Montreal Protocol ) was made in 1985 to limit as far as possible the worst chemicals. There was no single solution for all the applications and many factors such as efficiency and toxicity had to be taken into account.

As far as atmospheric carbon is concerned carbon dioxide gets the attention but it isn’t the only problem. Methane ( CH4 ) is more potent although shorter lived. Methane is a natural gas and as such is the gas network fuel. The gas network is imperfect and leaks occur at all the points in the chain of exploration, production, transportation and use. Methane is a versatile relatively clean fuel and many believe it is an essential bridge fuel to a low carbon future. When used as a fuel it produces less CO2 and much less of other contaminants.

Methane is not just produced as a fossil fuel. Natural decay of organic material also produces methane. Ruminants particularly cattle also belch and fart methane during their digestion. This a major source of methane and has led to interest in synthetic meat and calls for a decrease in meat production.

Nitrogen is the major component of earths atmosphere, some 79%. Nitrogen is very stable, and is nearly inert as a gas. However nitrogen is an essential ingredient of all animal and vegetable life. Legumes( such as peas, beans ) have symbiotic bacteria which take atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into soluble form which can be used by plants. This is known as “fixing” nitrogen. Farmers by experience learned to rotate crops so that the nitrogen fixing ability of legumes was exploited. Nitrogen was obtained by mining niter and guano on tropical islands.  However it was realised that a method of fixing atmospheric nitrogen would enable crops to be fertilised more effectively. One of the triumphs of early 20^th century chemistry was the development of the Haber-Bosch process which did precisely that. The process is very energy intensive but it has enabled a big increase in crop yields. The New Scientist paper suggests it enables 2 million people not to go hungry.

The availability of nitrogen in the form of ammonia ( NH3) enables a range of fertilisers to be produced  Much is in the form of urea, (NH2)2 CO. Because nitrogen fertiliser is cheap and readily available it is over used. Some is released as nitrogen oxide a potent greenhouse gas. There are other issues with fertiliser such as over use. Again nitrogen oxide is an ozone deletant so acts as discussed above. Also excess fertiliser is washed from the soil and finds its way into rivers and the sea. In these waters it fertilises the growth of algae, which depletes the dissolved oxygen and results in fish death and foul smelling water.

This general process of algal growth polluting water is known as eutrophication. I was involved with this issue with another vital fertiliser ingredient, phosphorus. My interest was the use of phosphates in cleaning products where they are safe, effective and economical but potentially have this eutrophication problem. There has been widespread legislative misunderstanding as detergent phosphates are comparatively minor part of the problem. Phosphorus from agriculture and other sources ( Including human sewage ) is the major problem.

Incidentally nitrogen oxides are pollutants formed when motor fuels are burned. The demonisation of diesels results from their production of more nitrogen oxides that petrol engines while diesel also produces less CO2. It has been suggested that nitrogen oxides also aid the production of fine particles of carbon ( soot ) in diesels. Modern diesel engines are modified to avoid this using particle filters which trap and burn off the particles.

There are two main approaches to alleviate the nitrogen oxide problem in fertiliser. One is to apply in more efficient ways using less. The other is research into fixing nitrogen using more efficient methods than the Haber-Bosch process. Work is underway to produce symbiotic bacteria which will enable more plant species to a behave like legumes.

The really encouraging feature of this history is that international agreement has removed the ozone depletion problem. Action by industry ensured that acid rain has stopped being a problem. Vehicle missions are very much an ongoing issue although a combination of legislative and industry action has seen big improvements. Given the will the carbon and climate change problem can be solved.

George Melly and jazz

 

George Melly

He was ( died 2007) a jazz singer and multi talented writer and critic. Never handsome and looking decrepit in later life it was his expressive face which turned his songs into near theatrical events. By later life his voice which was never great had subsided into more like  rhythmic speech. However his acting out became more dramatic. He could draw out double entendres from almost non existence which delighted his audience.

He wrote 3 volumes of autobiography, “Scouse Mouse” covers his Liverpool childhood, “ “Rum, bum and concertina” his short time in the Navy and “Owning up” which covered his career as a jazz singer from 1948 to 1973. They were actually written in reverse order. During his jazz career he sang with most well known jazz bands such as Mick Mulligan’s Magnolia band. He retired from jazz singing  only to return in later life mainly with John Chilton’s Footwarmers.

Extravagantly bisexual “Owning up” is partly about his heterosexual exploits while a jazz singer. In contrast his Navy book is mainly about his homosexual relationships. Both are remarkably frank and clearly Melly was rather proud of his sexual adventures..

I saw Melly at the Liverpool Playhouse late in his second career in jazz. By that stage there was little pretence he was a singer as he was a celebrity and performer. He appeared in a suit in black with copious white trimming in the style was called a “zoot” suit, complete with black trilby. The best description is a prohibition era Chicago gangster garb. The hat took an important role as he acted out his songs. The songs were taken largely from his very well worn repertoire but his comic presentation amused and he brought out all the smutty parts.

I associate George Melly with Peter the sales manager of the small firm I joined after leaving Castrol for the first time. I had been recruited by Steve  his partner in co-owning the company. They had ambitions to float as a public company and they saw me as lending credibility to this as technical manager. Some years previously while working for one of their suppliers I was able to make some product improvements they needed so my stock was standing high. This was enhanced because working in my spare time I was able to exploit some novel technology on their behalf. I learned of this technology from a translated Russian paper. I was able to turn it into a product in which they saw great potential

Peter in late middle age was a chunky individual; a youthful athlete gone to seed . Normally we had little contact but occasionally we went on customer visits together. Invariably I drove in Peter’s rather smart saloon. Peter wasn’t very talkative and his method of direction was by hand signals while saying nothing. I found this very disconcerting and never got used to it.

Peter did however admit to an interest in jazz. Thinking he would enjoy it I loaned him a copy of “Owning up”. His only comment was later to say “ I shagged ( well known lady singer ) under the stage once”. I was quite gobsmacked by this rather unlikely story and I just didn’t know what to say.  I was unimpressed by his boast, and I couldn’t say I didn’t believe him as he was, after all, the co -owner of the company.

There was a sad coda for Peter. He became seriously ill, got back with his divorced wife, and I last met him shuffling along on her arm in Burton-on -Trent I was happy to sit and chat  with them in large supermarket except that I was paged over the public address as Annette was taken ill ( nothing serious). I was forced to dash away promising to see them again. Sadly Peter died not long afterwards.

Most of the famous jazz singers such as Bessie Smith or Ella Fitzgerald are female and George Melly was the only male singer who comes immediately to mind. I suppose Louis Armstrong in later life is the only other I can recall. Melly was as much an actor and character as a singer.

The history of jazz is very convoluted. To greatly oversimplify it grew out of Storyville ( the poor district of New Orleans ) as predominantly coloured music with an informal improvisational style which grew out of piano rags.. It developed into a big split between white, big, commercial bands playing dance music and those who sought the more “traditional” sound played to fans.. This split occurred in the 40’s. The dance band style perhaps reached its peak with Glenn Miller before almost dying out with the style continued briefly in the UK by such as Henry Hall. Much disagreement among the traditional styles led first to the bebop style with such as Charley Parker and Dizzy Gillespie

By the 50’s traditional jazz, meaning  the development of the Storyville style, became quite popular. This was the era when George Melly was with the Mick Mulligan band. Jazz had its popularity in part because of its raffish associations and was much beloved by students and the like. I vividly remember walking through Clock Square in Leicester on a Sunday evening, after seeing Annette back, listening to jazz coming from an open window  I notice that folks my age or somewhat older are still a big cohort of fans.

Trad jazz enjoyed a brief revival at the start of the 60’s but jazz music is now very much a minority taste. I had reason to visit New Orleans for a conference. Some local restaurants had resident bands but the ultimate was to visit Preservation Hall. This is a bare building where a band plays in original New Orleans style. It is very cheap to enter although you had to queue ( stand in line as Americans say ) for some time to gain admittance as it is small.. Seating is on wooden benches, sitting on the floor, or standing round the sides; I found it hideously uncomfortable and the ambience somewhat museum like. I’m afraid I left at the interval. The players were a mix of elderly mostly black men and young , mostly white. I’m glad I went as a piece of living history.

Unichema

 

Unichema

At the end of the 70’s I began to wonder about my future. I had spent 15 years with Unilever Research and suspected I was in danger of outstaying my welcome. There was an unofficial policy of “get on or get out”. There were a couple of long term folk in my division that the divisional manage referred to half jokingly as his “old lags”. Predominantly however URLPS was staffed by young people, certainly at below section manager level..

A job was advertised at Unichema, a sister Unilever company, and I applied. The selection procedure was thorough and extremely long drawn out. Unichema at Bromborough had  another wing at Emmerich in Germany and my final interview was there. I felt as though it was as much an initiative test as interview. To reach Emmerich one flew to Schipol airport in Amsterdam, transfer to Amsterdam station,  train to Emmerich, taxi to the hotel arriving late evening . Interview the following day then repeat in reverse. Fortunately by this time I had decent rapport with the Bromborough team and I was given a lot of tips on managing the journey.

Unichema was a chemicals manufacturing company. It had originally been Prices Candles based in the London East End in the mid 19^th century. The owner was a Victorian philanthropist who decided to move to Merseyside and establish a model village way before the more famous Port Sunlight. Much had been demolished but rows of terraced houses remained. I was to find many, including my immediate boss, had been brought up there.

Unichema suited me. Instead of my previous 5 minute walk I was now looking at 20 minutes but we had no need to move. Although my grading and salary increased a little the responsibility was much greater with a group of 6 to manage. However I had hardly arrived before intimations of change began. In addition to the two Unichema sites Unilever also part owned a joint venture at Gouda in Holland, Unilever-Emery. This did  similar things to Unichema and so when Unilever took over the whole of the joint venture it made clear sense to merge the two.

Unichema had been forced to make big changes in the years before I arrived. Essentially their business took tallow ( all fats, although rendered cattle were a big part ) and split it into fatty acid and glycerol. This was essentially a low margin commodity business which was supplemented by making speciality products for the Unilever detergents business and also by making esters. Esters are made when fatty acid reacts with various alcohols. The ester business had been bought from BP some years earlier. One special ester blend was a whale oil substitute. In essence the objective of my job was to develop high value products for the ester business.

Ironically I was distracted away by some low margin but surprising business in animal nutrition. Residues from tallow cracking were found to have some value in cattle feed. This market was a highly technical one and I found myself attending nutrition meetings where I was out of my depth.

The big intimation of change came late one Friday afternoon. I was called into the site managers office to be told that all my staff were sacked( well made redundant ) although I was assured about my future. Because of the fears of Merseyside Militancy all those leaving were told to collect their personal belongings and leave immediately with all formalities completed later.

I was left high and dry by this. A few weeks later I was told to go to Emmerich, telling no-one, to spend a day. This I did to meet a German manager who openly said that although he had vacancies he preferred a German national who spoke the language. This talk was cut short when I was summoned to leave immediately a to join a senior manager going by car to Schipol.

I was angered by this and among other things composed a long fax of protest  to my own senior managers at Emmerich. What I didn’t realise was that this was automatically copied to the site manager at Bromborough. He was upset at what he chose to see as a severe breach of protocol. To this former military man I was apparently supposed to just salute and keep quiet.

It became very obvious that I was persona non grata and I reacted by cutting myself off from the rest of the Bromborough site except my immediate boss who was supportive but ineffectual. I felt I had been treated very badly and as a long serving Unilever employee I deserved better. I now spent much of my time job hunting.. When I found a job I rather childishly insisted on serving out  full notice. The final months I spent largely preparing for my new job with a very small company on Teeside.

There was one particularly bizarre episode when long service awards were given at a celebratory lunch. By virtue of my previous service in Unilever Research I qualified for a gold watch. As the only manager getting an award I sat with the top brass from Bromborough site. Annette managed a few barbed remarks in the course of the meal.

Although it caused a lot of heartache at the time eventually it turned out very well for me opening doors I probably would otherwise never have entered.

Its been some time since I added a joke or limerick to a post. This was one of my mother’s favourites

A wonderful bird is the pelican
Its beak can hold more than its bellycan
It can hold in its beak
Enough for a week
I don’t know how the hellican

Millennium

 

Millennium

We are fortunate to have lived through a great milestone in human history in the turn of the second millennium. In our village we determined to do something to mark the change. It is true that it’s only a date in an arbitrary calendar but it had symbolic importance. A villager took the initiative and called a meeting in 1997 to discuss what form this might take. He rightly emphasised that it was necessary to raise money to fund any plans.

Many and various ideas were suggested both for celebration and fund raising. The first fund raising venture was a night hike. A route was plotted out and marked with glow signs with the help of a nearby army base. This major base was only to anxious to assist in community events. The idea was that walkers would follow the route arriving back at the community centre in time for a hearty breakfast.. Although it was mildly competitive the main idea was an unusual countryside hike; partly on byways partly on footpaths.

I took an important role in the second night hike. Unfortunately I slightly misjudged the speed of two very competitive walkers and arrived at my marshalling point after they had passed and headed up the wrong route. They were not pleased at having to retrace their mistaken route.

A more unusual fund raising event was a dice game to win a car. I was rather dubious about this but it grew into a big money raiser. The idea was that in a dice throw you had to throw six sixes to win the car. It was possible to insure against the risk by an insurance costing the low hundreds. What I didn’t realise initially was the insurance carried an excess if the car was won. Our organiser got an attractive spot in the shopping mall of a nearby town. What we hadn’t expected was one young man accompanied by an admiring young lady who was determined to win the car. He must have spent at least £100 and came very close with five sixes. Alarmed by this the winning score was raised to seven sixes after he had left.

Our village is close to some attractive woods. We organised a family walk to be followed by a picnic. Food donations were pooled. We had a small children’s competition to observe things around the woods. I remember one walker was seen not partaking of the picnic. When I enquired it turned out he a had a special diet and his contribution had been mixed up with all the others. He wasn’t put off and became a stalwart of the organising group.

Our Millennium  group met monthly from mid 1998 on. We had a minor embarrassment when the chairman just stopped attending. He didn’t say he was resigning just stopped coming. It turned out he had organised a village disco in the village club which had been a fiasco with few attending. He was apparently disgusted. I was honoured by being elected as chairman in his stead.

By this stage we had dropped to a hard core of maybe a dozen. We held our meetings with the village playing field committee. This gave rise to the most controversial decision of the group. We were asked to donate £500 for playing field fencing and on a show of hands agreed despite a number pointing out that funds were only intended for Millennium celebrations.

There was a lot of talk of the “Millennium Bug”. This arose because early computing had allocated only two figures for years. Thus 77 instead of 1977. There was a fear that some unchanged programs would revert to 1900 on the year 2000. I had attended a course on the bug and I was able to give a talk to the group. A lot of time and money was spent updating software and in the event most rolled over quite smoothly; the feared chaos did not occur. I was quite relieved when we had no problems with our computers at work. Intensive preparation paid off.

For the Millennium celebrations I was able, with help, to republish an account of a villagers life through 1915-1985 and also his daughters reminiscences of her village childhood. This home printed booklet also featured a ( rather far fetched) story about a boyhood prank by a local author and a village history from pre Norman Conquest to the present day.

An additional idea was to gather together as many old photos as we could find, print them A4 size, and display in a marquee we called Memory Lane.

We held our celebration in June 2000 alongside the Village Playing Field events day. We began with a short introduction by Anglican and Methodist priests who usually held services at the village church and chapel respectively. The Millennium Group contributed several events in addition to Memory Lane.  These included model traction engine rides and hiring a local band. The Memory Lane marquee inspired many visitors into remembering their association with pictures shown.

An amusing incident occurred when I had left Memory Lane in the care of another group member. She came panting through the crowd and with agitation implored me to return as there was, she said, a lord visiting, and I should greet him appropriately. Somewhat bemused I returned to find the visitor was in fact a villager who had purchased an ancient lordship of a manor and wasn’t an aristocrat. I privately thought it very pretentious to use the title.

Among many gratifying features of the day was that members of the family of the villagers whose accounts we had reprinted in our booklet arrived and were very appreciative. One small issue was that they wanted to purchase a number of booklets which I had to reprint later.

There were many ideas for a permanent memorial. In the end we settled for a custom made circular bench around an oak tree planted for the occasion. We were able to have the seat made by a local company which was headed by a villager who also arranged for it to be installed.