So you have decided to try an alternative to either MS Windows or MacOSX in the form of Linux or GNU/Linux as some say more fully describes the operating system. With so many distributions available, it’s hard to know where to start. There are so many listed on DistroWatch. But here is my take. First of all, I like to think of choosing a GNU/Linux distribution as similar to choosing a sports team to support.

Podcasts for Relaxing Before Bed (as well as out and about on walks) Energy Zero Ambitions Podcast (Demand Reduction) Local Zero Podcast Still To Be Determined Podcast (laid back chatty but informative) Watt Matters Podcast Electrify This! Podcast Energy Efficiency Council Podcast Rewired from Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Energy Transition Now podcast Titans of Nuclear World Nuclear News podcast DNV Energy Talks Podcast Everything about Hydrogen Podcast How Clean is Hydrogen, Actually?

Home Energy Ratings (EPCs) and Savings The CCC has published a letter on Reform of Domestic EPC Rating Metrics. Find your home’s EPC I think the EPC was really undermined by chaos of cancelling the whole house sellers pack they were originally meant to be part of, so undermine economics & careers of those providing them, having said that elsewhere there are similar problems. There was very listenable discussion of the French equivalent to EPCs on the Zero Ambitions Podcast.

Happy Winter Solstice Today 21st of December has the shortest daylight hours, of the year, in the northern hemisphere. I look forward to the longer days, in meantime good to get out at lunchtime, but probably not enough sun to get enough Vitamin D naturally.

Boiler Consultation BEIS at the UK government published last week the Improving Boiler Standards and Efficiency Consultation on boiler efficiency, hydrogen-ready boilers, and the role of hybrid systems.

Energy round up Energy is big in news with increased prices. Like many others I have not only turned down the thermostat last year but optimised the flow temperature, make sure boiler condensing and operating efficiently. There are several good videos on YouTube about this including those from Szymon Czaban (Urban Plumbers) and Heat Geek. I am also now taking cooler shorter showers, less often. My job no longer needs commuting but when I have to go into office it will be by either bus or bicycle with a train.

Web browsing tips. I recommend using Firefox to browse the web and install the extension(s) uBlock Origin and/or Privacy Badger. If you use YouTube like me then try Enhancer for YouTube™. It has many great features: As well as blocking adverts it can turn off autoplay, to try reduce the bad effects of the YouTube Algorithm, prevent videos loaded in background tabs from automatically playing; has extra feature buttons including one to remove the overlays at end which is great if they are covering something you want to see like credits; hide shorts which I find tend to be a big time waste; automatically expand the videos descriptions; automatically sort comments from newest to oldest; hide comments if you find you waste time being drawn into them, and many more tweaks to YouTube you may wish to make, I use the KDE colours based theme, and many more additional options for YouTube.

Happy Beltane / Merry Mayday I have not used this blog as much as I intended being busy with life. It is a pity did not get to the local May Day March although went past by on way through city centre for some family to get there covid jabs on other side of town, turned out as well as appointment they were doing walk-ins so maybe could have rejigged the timing to go, but to tell you truth I missed several announcements even though by emails and in WhatsApp group on, had come so only found out on the day.

Building on SGN’s Oban project and other recent Gas Quality research and industry review by the Gas Quality Working Group, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a consultation on revising the Gas Safety Management Regulations (GSMR). These proposed changes will reduce processing costs and remove a barrier to future diversification of UK gas sources to support progress towards Net-Zero.

There are many aspects of internet safety with an ever-evolving set of threats that need to guard against when using the internet. My understanding of internet safety has evolved both as the internet evolves and with my family using the internet. Parental controls are an area I have come to understand practically. It is well worth parents understanding them and properly setting them up even if can be a bit of extra work to deal with.