Subscribe to this blog's feedThe British Environment and Media Awards were the scene of controversy this week when anarchic campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (or SAS, geddit?) used the glitzy ceremoney to mount a guerrilla protest against Northumbrian Water.
Northumbrian is a long time sponsor of the BEMAs, which recognise journalists and other "meeja" types who campaign or otherwise give the oxygen of publicity to environmental issues.
Northumbrian staff at the bash were however shocked to have a "golden loobrush" award thrust at them by two short-wearing surf dudes who were on stage to collect a gong for Best Website.
The loobrush was, the surfers claimed, a protest against Northumbrian "turning off the sewage treatment in winter" along the east cost. What left the company's people at the bash so incensed was the fact that all they are proposing to do is stop the energy-guzzling UV treatment of wastewater in the winter months as it is even more unnecessary when a) no-one (other than a few zealot surfers) is actually in the water and b) the rough seas make it totally unnecessary.
Disconnector can't help wondering how, when global warming is threatening the planet's very existence, UV treatment of waste water can ever be justified, never mind along the freezing north east coast of England in the depths of winter.
