Veronika Wild

-Image by Copilot The queues at petrol stations are not new, and we have been told that even if the Strait of Hormuz reopened today the effects would linger for many months. As of early April 2026, ship transits through the strait had collapsed from around 130 per day in February to just 6 in March — a fall of about 95% — and some 230 loaded oil tankers remain waiting inside the Gulf. A temporary ceasefire was agreed on 8 April, but the Strait has not meaningfully reopened. In Part I we'll have a look at what people did in the past and what they are doing now. In Part II, we will look at how we could wean ourselves off oil and make sure that we aren't caught short again.  World War II Rationing Many people alive today remember rationing of fuel in World War II. Check out the wonderful British series "Foyle's War"  to get a flavour of the times. There were coupons and harsh penalties for those who were less civic-minded and needed to be reminded of the ...

  -Image by Copilot AI It was World Glacier Day on March 21, so it seems like a good time to be talking about the Cryosphere. By Cryosphere, we mean all those places on earth which are, or were until recently covered in snow and ice, not a place where you sit in the corner and cry your eyes out, though after reading all this, you may well want to do that too. Alpine Regions, Glaciers, Polar Regions and Permafrost Zones are all showing signs of global warming and Climate Change. This post will mostly be about Alpine Regions, their problems and some solutions. In 6b. we will move on to Polar Regions and Permafrost Zones.  For a very good overview of how Climate Change is affecting the European Alps see the excellent video by DW  (42 mins) it covers everything from Europe's diminishing ski fields and glaciers, to the way melting permafrost is destablising mountains and the impact on biodiversity. Unfortunately I didn't see this film until after I had written most of this...