TFC has been caught passing a little bit too much judgement in an earlier column 'Letting off steam' - being a bit previous in his previousness no less.

However, the "offended" party (although I think they came to this conclusion based on what was written between the lines) has, fortunately, not yet summoned TFC to the head master's office. Instead of an encyclopedia being needed down the trousers for protection, an alternative meeting is going to be held to educate TFC in the ways of community brokerage funding. Top banana to the person who has extended the invite and all TFC can say at this time is, "what a great guy - that chap who is going to invite TFC into his inner sanctum of knowledge. TFC will probably retract any naughtiness, explicit or otherwise., as a result."

TFC shall of course be watching out for any dodgy handshakes and if he comes out alive, who knows what could end up being reported next......(Love me or hate me, just don't call me "nice")...

So what is keeping TFC awake at night apart from a heavily pregnant cat? Well the oil debate rolls on, as reported a couple of weeks ago. How long before the next oil war kicks off one wonders? Maybe this time it will take place on the forecourts of the UK's supermarkets. TFC is convinced that his father (an oil business bloke) told him a while back that there is as much oil still in the North Sea as has already been removed - it's just deeper and up to now they haven't had the technology to get at it.

Which makes anyone (with a conspiracy theorist tendency) think, why does the government push for the non environmentally friendly nuclear option and/or is the supply of oil being controlled in the same way as the diamond market controls supply to inflate the value? Maybe the Head of the Governors will be asking TFC to attend a detention too.

But here's a great CSR backfire (taken from Metro 29 May, so must be true).

You may recall that TFC has slagged off Plan A in previous scribblings. Plan A is the 100 environmental actions being taken by M&S. TFC thinks it is good in intention, but not always great in application (as demonstrated by the number of lights left on when their stores are closed and the fact that bag for life is a ploy to cut out the cost of "giving away" billions of bags every year - although this didn't stop them missing their profit target - even Stuart Rose didn't get his full bonus, not that a few plastic bags saved really have much impact anyway - M&S would be better off buying only local produce and giving away roof insulation). 

Phew. Rant over.

The paper reads - "Local Government Association found up to 38% of packaging in supermarkets cannot be recycled.........The chief culprits are M&S and Lidl who had only 62% recyclable packaging against an average of 68%".

M&S claim that the survey was on a tiny sample and that 91% of food packaging was recyclable.

Feels like a "he said, she said" and you can make up your own minds (have a look at the pre packaged pastries, grapes or strawberries for clues).

So the point? If you want a eco-product go to the local market (76% recyclable packaging). Haven't we as consumers simply got too picky and the supermarkets have responded to what they see as a customer demand?  When TFC was a kid, in-season and local fruit and veg came from the fruit shop (remember those?) in brown paper bags. Sometimes it came off trees, or out of the allotment. If the fruits of this labour were badly bruised by the time they got home they got juiced or turned into cider.......happy days.

CSR theory looks at supply chains. All supply chains start with a consumer demand. So let's not allow the tails of government and big business to wag our dogs any more. - being a bit previous in his previousness no less.

However, the 'offended' party (although I think they came to this conclusion based on what was written between the lines) has, fortunately, not yet summoned TFC to the head master's office.

Instead of an encyclopedia being needed down the trousers for protection, an alternative meeting is going to be held to educate TFC in the ways of community brokerage funding. Top banana to the person who has extended the invite and all TFC can say at this time is, "what a great guy - that chap who is going to invite TFC into his inner sanctum of knowledge. TFC will probably retract any naughtiness, explicit or otherwise., as a result."

TFC shall of course be watching out for any dodgy handshakes and if he comes out alive, who knows what could end up being reported next......(Love me or hate me, just don't call me "nice")...

So what is keeping TFC awake at night apart from a heavily pregnant cat? Well the oil debate rolls on, as reported a couple of weeks ago. How long before the next oil war kicks off one wonders? Maybe this time it will take place on the forecourts of the UK's supermarkets. TFC is convinced that his father (an oil business bloke) told him a while back that there is as much oil still in the North Sea as has already been removed - it's just deeper and up to now they haven't had the technology to get at it.

Which makes anyone (with a conspiracy theorist tendency) think, why does the government push for the non environmentally-friendly nuclear option and/or is the supply of oil being controlled in the same way as the diamond market controls supply to inflate the value? Maybe the head of the governors will be asking TFC to attend a detention too.

But here's a great CSR backfire (taken from Metro 29 May, so must be true).

You may recall that TFC has slagged off Plan A in previous scribblings. Plan A is the 100 environmental actions being taken by M&S. TFC thinks it is good in intention, but not always great in application (as demonstrated by the number of lights left on when their stores are closed and the fact that bag for life is a ploy to cut out the cost of 'giving away' billions of bags every year - although this didn't stop them missing their profit target - even Stuart Rose didn't get his full bonus, not that a few plastic bags saved really have much impact anyway - M&S would be better off buying only local produce and giving away roof insulation). 

Phew. Rant over.

The paper reads - "Local Government Association found up to 38% of packaging in supermarkets cannot be recycled.........The chief culprits are M&S and Lidl who had only 62% recyclable packaging against an average of 68%".

M&S claim that the survey was on a tiny sample and that 91% of food packaging was recyclable.

Feels like a "he said, she said" and you can make up your own minds (have a look at the pre-packaged pastries, grapes or strawberries for clues).

So the point? If you want an eco-product go to the local market (76% recyclable packaging). Haven't we as consumers simply got too picky and the supermarkets have responded to what they see as a customer demand? When TFC was a kid, in-season and local fruit and veg came from the fruit shop (remember those?) in brown paper bags. Sometimes it came off trees, or out of the allotment. If the fruits of this labour were badly bruised by the time they got home they got juiced or turned into cider.......happy days.

CSR theory looks at supply chains. All supply chains start with a consumer demand. So let's not allow the tails of government and big business to wag our dogs any more.