Leeds and Yorkshire is going gargantuan greenYgrey this week. It is not in celebration of this website unfortunately, but is for a great reason. Yes, the Tour de France start (Le Grand Depart) is in Leeds on Saturday morning, and after the first day finishes in Harrogate, the second day will see the 198 cyclists whizz south through emerald summer dales from York to Sheffield. The third and final day in Britain will travel from Cambridge to London.
Tour de France Le Grand Depart
Hi, it’s Martin ‘Werewolfie’ Adams, satirical comedy sports reporter inspired by darts legend Martin ‘Wolfie’ Adams.
The greenYgrey’s promotion of yellow rebranding has of course been developing for several years – before the Le Grand Depart was awarded to Leeds; but the Tour de France has of course been awarding the iconic yellow jersey to the race leader for much longer.
So, although the greenYgrey and Tour de France have no direct links or influence on each other, they are meeting this weekend in Leeds and Yorkshire in a time-travel cultural-connection Le Grand Coincidence.
Our ol’ pal Marc Latham of course wrote two articles about the Tour de France and Leeds for Go Nomadand TravelThruHistory.
Leeds and Yorkshire Tour de France Images
There have been some great greenYgrey images this week, as Leeds and Yorkshire prepares for the Tour de France, and here’s a few:
Blue sky city park days could be a thing of the past if humanity continues to pollute the planet. Ross McGuiness reported in the Metro last week that Beijing’s pollution level has hit Orange for the first time: ‘The World Health Organization says the presence of tiny pollution particles – known as PM2.5 – should not exceed 25 micrograms per cubic metre. In Beijing, the levels were recorded at close to 400.’
World Health Organization building from the South-East, Geneva (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Johnson and Osborne’s U.K. Future
Hi, it’s Wolf Whitzer with the Greenygrey News. London mayor Boris Johnson and UK Chancellor George Osborne of course cited China as a role model for the U.K. after visiting there last year.
Beijing China in Three Bands (Photo credit: sjrankin)
I think China can be an example of hard work, innovation and industriousness, but Beijing and other cities pay for industrialisation with terrible smog: reminiscent of Victorian London.
Johnson also used Harry Potter to try and bind the nations together, as Potter had a relationship with a Chinese girl called Cho Chang.
The article also reported ‘a British architecture and design firm based in London has a plan to let people breathe in clean air. A team at Orproject is currently working on bringing a park enclosed in a bubble to Beijing. The design proposes housing a botanical garden under a bubble dome-like structure, which could also cover office buildings, retail outlets and apartments…’ up to a whole city.
Here’s what it could look like, as featured in the Metro:
While it could be good for the Greenygrey brand to get more coverage, and is creating work, we hope humanity tackles pollution rather than having to use bubbles for clean air.
Hi, it’s Greenygrey. I’ve heard that Kate and William have been receiving congratulations from around the world for the birth of their son, so I thought I would add my congratulations from the Greenygrey world. And I’d also like to thank Kate for holding on until the greenygrey weather returned to Blighty for the birth.
New Star Foretells Birth? Lightning Follows
This blog starts with lightning photographed after the royal birth, and ends with an image of a new star seen early on the day of the birth.
Angelic Lightning over Manchester within a day of the royal birth.
Royal Baby Name Update
The odds on Greenygrey being chosen as the royal baby’s name must have shortened with all the greenygrey weather.
Æthelwulf in early greenygrey represention in the Genealogical Chronicle of the English Kings, a late-13th-century manuscript.
We also think that the weather conditions could be remembered in the name.
So that brings us to our final name proposal for the royal baby, and our hope that in the late twenty-first century there will be a King Greenygrey Æthelwulf Thunderylightning I sitting on the throne.
Pagan Representative
There was a representative from the animal kingdom there this morning, making it seem quite pagany.
It wasn’t a wolf unfortunately, but it was just about the next best thing: an eagle.
It was apparently brought to the palace after people were disappointed it was not the messenger of the royal birth, after people mixed eagle up with easel: news of the birth was first presented on an easel.
Eagle not the messenger.
A Bright New Star Foretold the Royal Birth
I thought the royal birth might happen yesterday when I saw a bright new star appear in the morning Sky… oh no, it was in fact the BBC.
Hacker in the BBC Breakfast Studio with Bill Turnbull and Susanna Reid.
It was Hacker T. Dog, the brightest new anthropomorphic star we’ve seen since Alexandr Orlov burst onto our screen in the Compare the Meerkat (Market) adverts; and best puppet since Gordon the Gopher.
Hi, it’s StellaLagerwolf–Bruno, fashion correspondent at the Greenygrey. The Greenygrey took the Greenygrey fashion team down to the London Fashion Show last week, and it was great to rub shoulders with today’s leading fashionistas, such as Ga Ga, GG and RiRi. Moreover, the Felder-Felder twins put on a fantastic FF impersonation of GG.
Reading too much into this photo, and trying to twist everything to fit into a greenygrey theme, we believe they used black and white to keep the true greenygrey message under the surface, where only greenygrey connoisseurs will be able to deconstruct the intended depths… of satire we were born.
While I checked out the clothes, I sent Paco Wolfsang over to have a look at the accessories. He brought back a video and photos of a great Anya Hindmarch greenygrey display and collection.
The video is available on the London Fashion Show website, and here’s a couple of highlights from the handbags-dominoes display (we hope no Greenygreys were hurt in the making of the handbags, and especially the Stella ethical consumer in me!):
Hi, it’s Martin ‘Werewolfie’ Adams, sports correspondent at the Greenygrey. I’ve just about recovered from my marathon coverage of Olympics 2012, after my colleagues have found lots of great greenygrey stories to entertain you with since the closing ceremony.
Tonight will see the Olympic stadium filled again, as the London Paralympics 2012 gets under way. The Greenygrey will be there again.
london 2012 paralympics / olympics countdown clock (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Superminds as well as Superbodies
If the Olympics showcases the fastest, strongest and most skilled athletes competing in most of the sports, the Paralympics features those with the superminds to overcome physical problems and compete at a high level in the same sports.
Paralympics (Photo credit: AudreyH)
Some of the paralympians’ achievements are truly amazing, and we wish them all an enjoyable and successful games.
Their endurance and determination is a great example of what humanity can do when it sets its mind to it, and all in a positive way.
Hi, it’s Greenygrey, thanks a lot to ‘Werewolfie’ for his greenygrey sports coverage of Olympics 2012. Of course, there are a lot of other issues to consider with such a big event, and the environment is one that is very close to our hearts here at the Greenygrey.
Green Heart (And the Green Grass Grows All Around, All Around) (Photo credit: CarbonNYC)
Olympics 2012 the Green(ygrey)est Ever
While it would of course be greenest not to have an event such as the Olympics, at the Greenygrey we think that balance is best, so we think it’s okay to have a little grey when the positives outweigh the negatives, as stated on the services page of our website since the beginning of time (of the Greenygrey website):
‘The green and grey are also symbolic of the divide between nature and human construction, one of the burning issues in the twenty-first century world.
Although the Greenygrey recognises the need for buildings and transport links, it hopes the impact on the environment can be kept to a minimum, and that the remaining green spaces can be preserved and protected.
It thinks this is not only important for the wildlife living in such areas but also for human welfare, as most people need to see more than just endless grey.’
Richard Black, environment correspondent at the BBC, seems to think that Olympics 2012 has been quite good for the environment in London, and helped green some previously grey areas.
Of course, such a big event is bound to leave a big carbon footprint, but this is inevitable, and the positives of the Olympics seem to outweigh the negatives, so eking out some environmental pluses, and promoting the greenest games possible, is welcomed by the Greenygrey. Here’s Richard Black’s verdict from the BBC website:
Forecast: Most “green” issues were clear ahead of time, although there was talk that air quality might suffer owing to extra Olympics-related traffic.
Verdict: A number of reports concluded that the London Olympics lived up to their pre-race billing as the “greenest ever games”. Novel building materials and techniques were deployed to minimise use of natural resources, everything from steel to water was recycled, and the use of temporary arenas reduced the carbon footprint of heavy construction.
The greenest part of the legacy is local. The area where the Olympic Park now stands used to be a wasteland of fetid drains, derelict factories and polluted ground. As well as cleaning it all up, the authorities have re-tooled the waterways into wildlife habitat, running between the upper Lee valley and the Thames. Birds and small mammals should enjoy the new green spaces as much as people.
Amid all the low-carbon hype surrounding London, however, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the biggest climate impact of any Olympics comes through the necessity of flying thousands of competitors and officials half way round the world to take part – not to mention the thousands more who come to support them.
Hi, it’s Martin ‘Werewolfie’ Adams. Olympics 2012 is certainly hotting up, with Jessica Ennis setting the athletics alight for the UK crowd under a sunny sky on the first morning, with a 100 metres hurdles time that is a:
British record.
Best heptathlon time ever.
Equals the winning time for the individual 100 metres hurdles in the last Olympics in Beijing.
The skies have been alternating between grey and blue all morning, so we’re not sure just how greenygrey the Olympic stadium was at the time.
Hi, it’s Andy Wolfhol. The Olympics 2012 opening ceremony lived up to Greenygrey expectations, with the average British weather of dry and cloudy providing comfortable and authentic conditions for the spectators, and setting the tone for a very pleasant spectacular.
As the grey skies darkened it was time for the lights and fireworks to star, and the Greenygrey could rest knowing it had done its job; and what a fine stint it put in.
Good on Humanity, no Animal Representation
It was nice to see all the UK represented in London 2012, but a shame that no wild animals were symbolically represented.
It was a great occasion on the human side though, and nice to see the Queen joining in with humour (in the film anyway!), the NHS and builders represented, those lost in 7/7, and the future generation lighting the torch. It was also great to see Team Ireland wearing a spectacular Greenygrey uniform.
Here’s our Greenygrey photo highlights from the Olympics 2012 opening ceremony:
The Red Arrows fly over the Olympic Stadium:
Greenygrey Britain is represented as an ancient pleasant land:
A Greenygrey cauldron:
Team Ireland choose a Greenygrey uniform for the opening ceremony:
Hi, it’s Andy Wolfhol. They brought me in for today’s blog, as ‘Werewolfie’ is probably going to have a lot of sport to report in the next fortnight, and today’s Olympic opening ceremony is more art than sport. And what a greenygrey spectacular Danny Boyle‘s essence of greenygrey UK creation looks set to be.
Olympic Opening Ceremony Photos
They say a picture speaks a thousand words, and I am more artist than writer, so here’s a few thousand words worth of what could be the most spectacular display of greenygrey ever!:
Hi, it’s Martin ‘Werewolfie’ Adams, I think I’m in for a busy fortnight with the Olympics 2012 opening ceremony tomorrow, and the ladies’ football getting the games under way yesterday. Congratulations to the Team GB women for their 1-0 win, and apologies to the North Korean ladies for the Boratish (see yesterday’s blog) mistake with their flag!
We think the architects and builders have done a great job in capturing the essence of greenygrey in the Olympic stadium and park, with lots of greenery and water to offset the construction, and it’s also supposed to be the most environmentally friendly Olympic stadium.
So we’re proud to bring you several photos here that highlight that. They are mostly from the London 2012 site, apart from the second one, which is from the Guardian; found after a google search.
Our favourite photo at the Greenygrey is the futuristic UFOesque/diving dolphin Aquatic Centre, which really shows the greenygrey in its best constructed state:
And it’s even greenygrey inside:
Here’s a close-up of the greenery and water outside:
This night shot captures green grass between grey cloud nature and grey construction stadium:
And if you want to find your way around the stadium for the opening ceremony you can download this greenygrey map by clicking on it:
mistYmuse 