https://www.bennee.com/~alex/2010-04-19T11:00:00+01:00the wanderings of a supposed digital native2010-04-19T11:00:00+01:002010-04-19T11:00:00+01:00alextag:www.bennee.com,2010-04-19:/~alex/blog/2010/04/19/apropos-my-last-post/

<p>Struck by a desire to know I penned the following:</p> <pre class="literal-block"> Dear Geoffrey Van Orden, Richard Howitt, Stuart Agnew, David Campbell Bannerman, Vicky Ford, Andrew Duff and Robert Sturdy, I noted with interest today the news that the EU transport ministers held a video-conference to discuss the response to the paralysis …</pre>

<p>Struck by a desire to know I penned the following:</p> <pre class="literal-block"> Dear Geoffrey Van Orden, Richard Howitt, Stuart Agnew, David Campbell Bannerman, Vicky Ford, Andrew Duff and Robert Sturdy, I noted with interest today the news that the EU transport ministers held a video-conference to discuss the response to the paralysis of the air transport network by the results of the eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull. While I by no means think that every EU conference could be held by video link I did wonder how often ministers take advantage of modern telecommunications technology. As my representatives in Europe I would like you to find out: * how many meetings could be held by video conference? * how many meetings are actually held by video conference? * what is the environmental impact of holding physical meetings where video ones would do? Europe takes a leading role on environmental matters which I applaud. However I hold a sneaking suspicion our European institutions could do a better job of leading by example. Yours sincerely, Alex Bennée </pre>