An unheathy Health system?

Recent figures published by the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest that the output of the National Health Service has increased, but productivity has fallen.

NHS output rose by 3.8% a year from 1995 to 2006, according to the estimates. By 2006, output was some 50% higher than in 1995, before allowing for changes in quality.

However, inputs grew at a faster rate, and productivity actually fell by1.0% a year.

Miles further

The 'public' is becoming concerned about food miles - the distance food is transported before it reaches the table (from field to processor to distributor to supermarket, for example). The actual 'carbon footprint' of such journeys is hard to work out and hard to compare to alternative (perhaps less efficient) ways of processing the food

This is of little concern to most of the public - they are concerned on principle and often emotionally rather than logically.

Food processors and retailers have to take this into account.

It may be that after 20 years of demanding strawberries year-round, the public will only expect them when in local season.... and the customer is right as we know!

And Costa Rica was ...

So, Costa Rica is beautiful .. and rich and diverse in terms of flaura and fauna. But you knew all that. Did you also know that the boom in property is causing a garbage disposal crisis .. how to collect it, where to put it, how to move it??

Regional and national government is trying desperately to balance the need for economic expansion with the need to protect the environment and to ensure adequate infrastructure.... sometimes they get it wrong!

Reminds me of many companies who crash ahead in one direction without thinking of the unintended consequences.

Big issues and big decisions need thinking through!!