1. wepVad asked Richard Dodd: "Retailers, particularly large supermarkets, appear to be profiting from the sale of more robust shopping bags while doing little to encourage reuse. Are proceeds from these sales monitored and are they..." Show more »"Retailers, particularly large supermarkets, appear to be profiting from the sale of more robust shopping bags while doing little to encourage reuse. Are proceeds from these sales monitored and are they actually applied to environmental issues or are the supermarkets getting a free boost to their bottom line?" Show less »
2. Richard Dodd answers: "None of this is about making money for retailers. Actually they are using awfully lot of money for recycling and for the facilities for recycling; they are offering customers incentives like reward points..." Show more»" None of this is about making money for retailers. Actually they are using awfully lot of money for recycling and for the facilities for recycling; they are offering customers incentives like reward points and so on. They are spending money on days when they are handing out those bags for life that can be used over and over again. Stores are not making money out of this, they are heavily investing on this and it is all costing them. In terms of encouraging reuse, this can not be one sided. "Show less«
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Dec 05 2007 4:50:05 PM

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1. wepVad asked Darren Johnson: "Direct charges for bags have proved to be a simple, effective means of encouraging individuals to be responsible citizens. Why can't we implement an equivalent scheme here rather than waste time and ..." Show more »"Direct charges for bags have proved to be a simple, effective means of encouraging individuals to be responsible citizens. Why can't we implement an equivalent scheme here rather than waste time and resource discussing the problem while bag pollution continues?" Show less »
2. Darren Johnson answers: "I just came back from Dublin. I was so impressed, where the tax of plastic bags has had a dramatic impact reducing plastic bag usage over 90 percent. Because the way they did it with the VAT tax return..." Show more»" I just came back from Dublin. I was so impressed, where the tax of plastic bags has had a dramatic impact reducing plastic bag usage over 90 percent. Because the way they did it with the VAT tax return there has not been extra burden for retailers and actually retailers have made profit on the scheme because now they have to spend less money on the bags. There has been big cultural acceptance from day one, it has created the cultural shift. I am really impressed with Ireland. I do not see any reason why this could not work in UK. If you can introduce some sort of tax which cuts usage by 90 percent, it is clearly effective and I see no reason why it could not been introduced in UK. I just do not see why the government is so timid over the issue, if they want to introduce some simple effective green measure that would be something they could have done a long time ago. "Show less«
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Dec 05 2007 4:20:48 PM

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1. mcbryde22 asked Representative of easyJet: "Why do you think airport expansion is more important than a 1000 year old forest and its wildlife?"
2. Representative of easyJet answers: "Economic growth is NOT more important than the environment, however it is essential we find the right balance, as economic growth gives us the choice and opportunity to be more environmentally conscious..." Show more»" Economic growth is NOT more important than the environment, however it is essential we find the right balance, as economic growth gives us the choice and opportunity to be more environmentally conscious and active. "Show less«
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Nov 28 2007 2:20:01 PM

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1. mcbryde22 asked Representative of easyJet: "What is the evidence that denying airport expansion is harmful to the country?"
2. Representative of easyJet answers: "Airport expansion means a huge economic contribution to the local area, in the form of jobs, but also for inbound tourism and the development of business links. "
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Nov 28 2007 2:09:14 PM

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1. mcbryde22 asked Representative of easyJet: "How many planes must there be in the sky/on the ground before a series of major crashes happens with alarming regularity?"
2. Representative of easyJet answers: "This is a ridiculous statement. The UK CAA is one of the world's strictest aviation bodies in the world, safety is absolutely paramount at easyJet and safety standards in the aviation industry have never..." Show more»" This is a ridiculous statement. The UK CAA is one of the world's strictest aviation bodies in the world, safety is absolutely paramount at easyJet and safety standards in the aviation industry have never been higher. Air travel is by far the safest form of transport. "Show less«
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Nov 28 2007 2:08:20 PM

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1. keithwhu asked Representative of easyJet: "If the proposed expansion of Stansted Airport goes ahead, it will significantly add to your companies' carbon emissions - what steps are you taking to counterbalance this increase?"
2. Representative of easyJet answers: "The expansion of Stansted would not significantly increase our emissions, as we are always looking for the latest technology to ensure reductions. easyJet emits 27% less Co2 than a traditional airline,..." Show more»" The expansion of Stansted would not significantly increase our emissions, as we are always looking for the latest technology to ensure reductions. easyJet emits 27% less Co2 than a traditional airline, due to the nature of our business - high loads and modern aircraft. This means flying low-cost is a more environmentally efficient way to fly. "Show less«
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Nov 28 2007 2:06:27 PM

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1. PikkuMemy asked Representative of easyJet: "EasyJet and Ryanair fly 80 % of the flights in and out from Stansted. So they are the companies who profit most from the expansion. What "good" are you going to do with the extra profits? Give them to..." Show more »"EasyJet and Ryanair fly 80 % of the flights in and out from Stansted. So they are the companies who profit most from the expansion. What "good" are you going to do with the extra profits? Give them to some environmental organisation or charity?" Show less »
2. Representative of easyJet answers: "easyJet is also at the forefront of environmental impact planning, working with Government, agencies, the industry and manufacturers etc to ensure a sustainable future. easyJet flies an average load ..." Show more»" easyJet is also at the forefront of environmental impact planning, working with Government, agencies, the industry and manufacturers etc to ensure a sustainable future. easyJet flies an average load factor of 85%, as a quoted company on the London Stock Exchange we have a commitment to shareholders to ensure growing profits, which will also allow us to continue to grow and innovate to ensure a sustainable aviation industry. "Show less«
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Nov 28 2007 2:04:25 PM

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1. paul576 asked Representative of easyJet: "Have you any plans to increase not only your aircraft fleet, but the size of your aircraft, which will mean in theory, you will be transporting more people with a smaller carbon footprint? "
2. Representative of easyJet answers: "easyJet will continue to grow at a rate of 15% year on year and will maintain Europe's most modern and fuel efficient fleet by bringing in the newest kind of aircraft and retiring the old ones."
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Nov 28 2007 2:03:43 PM

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1. frogp89 asked Representative of easyJet: "Have you any plans to fly any trans-atlantic or far-east routes out of Stansted?"
2. Representative of easyJet answers: "easyJet is a low-cost short haul schedule airline, our focus is Europe, we will not fly long haul / transatlantic as this is a different kind of business model."
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4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Business   |   Email to friends   |   Nov 28 2007 2:02:55 PM

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1. Londontowner asked Carol Barbone: "Carol, cheap foreign holidays are enormously important to many people. Do you believe we should take fewer holidays overseas in order to reduce the need to build additional runway capacity?"
2. Carol Barbone answers: "80% of all flights are taken by 11% of the population. It's not the annual summer holiday that needs to be curbed but there must be a question mark over whether it is sustainable for a minority