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Going Green
The environment is one of those issues that just isn't going away. There are daily reports of the impact we humans are having on the natural order, and of the consequences of those impacts.
Flooding is on the increase in South West Devon and the results are serious and difficult to control. The main reason for the abundance of floods is the increasing amounts of concrete and other impenetrable materials, which leave less surface area for natural drainage through the soil. This coupled with Global Warming and a rise in sea levels can only mean a recipe for disaster.
Locally we are already working hard to improve our environment where we can. New recycling measures mean a huge potential reduction in landfill sites and waste and the efforts in reusing rather than simply discarding mean natural resources should last longer.
We need to do more though- carbon emissions are still far to high and it is up to both us as individuals and the governments of the world to tackle this.
But what do you think? Do we need higher penalties for those who pollute more than most? Or is a reward system for using public transport and recycling the way to go? Or is the impact we're having on the environment grossly exaggerated in your opinion?
I'd love to hear your views!
Yours,
Gary
posted by Gary Streeter M.P. on Monday, January 15, 2007
2 Comments:
We in the UK are in great danger of grossly over-estimating the effect it is possible for us to have on global warming. The UK emits only 2% of the harmful greenhouse gases. If we became carbon neutral tomorrow, China would have replaced our emissions in about 13 months. Our sacrifices would have been in vain and would have no effect whatsoever in halting global warming, whereas we would have bankrupted ourselves in the process from the high costs of having our country powered by only wind and water and our industries would have become uncompetitive and failing.
So let us retain a sense of perspective please.
I am happy to buy local produce, recycle where I can and catch public transport where it exists. I know you will appreciate how difficult that has become of late down here in the West Country. But I am not happy to hand additional so-called 'Green' taxes over to the Chancellor whenever I fly, or to pay yet higher fuel duty. We are the highest taxed country in Western Europe already and I am very unhappy about how our money is being squandered by the government at present. Council taxes in particular are grossly unfair as they tax people on where they live and not on their income with the result that pensioners who are on a relatively modest income currently have the highest tax burden overall. Thanks to the manipulation of government in calculating the real rate of inflation, older people are also swindled into having poor rates of increase in their state pension that is further depressing their standard of living.
It especially annoys me when I see people in government jetting all over the world and expecting me to think that is OK because they are important. It smacks to me of 'Do as I Say', not 'Do as I Do'. In fact I have decided to aspire to the carbon footprint of Tony Blair! I have quite a lot of travelling to do to catch him up.
One important thing that the UK should have already started to drastically cut our emissions of greenhouse gases (and therefore to do our bit to save the world) is a programme to build a large number of nuclear power stations - to eventually replace all the coal and gas powered ones that currently give us electricity. This will also save us from the worst effects of Russia turning off the gas and oil pipelines as it is bound to do in the future and safeguard us from political pressure from the former Soviet Union, or indeed from our partners in Europe. It is clear that the interconnector from the UK and the EEC isn’t working as it should meaning that the UK has already paid something like 2 billion pounds more for its power than it should last winter. Let us stop our reliance on other countries, near or far, be self-sufficient again, and reduce our carbon footprint in the process by becoming a nuclear powered nation like France.
Another thing would be to encourage the retail trade to stop over-packaging all the stuff we buy, or to pay a green levy for the materials that cannot be recycled. I am always hearing people berating individuals to do better, but large supermarkets and their suppliers seem to be untouchable in this respect.
One last thought – do you know what is actually done with mountain of plastic bottles etc that we recycle but can’t deal with in this country? Last I heard it is being shipped to China - what happens to it then and how clean is the process I wonder?
But in reality, unless the rest of the polluting countries like the USA, China, India and Soviet block take any action to reduce their harmful emissions, we should start thinking about how to mitigate the inevitable effects of a warmer world.
I do not know "Carol from Ivybridge" but I must say how much I enjoy reading her postings on this blog. She is clearly a very intelligent and pragmatic person with whom I can empathize on most of her submissions. Her comments on "Going Green" exactly match my own views and I am therefore unable to add any additional comment except that the debate appears to be over. The question mark as to whether man is contributing to global warming has finally been removed and scientists are almost unamimous in asserting that we are indeed damaging the planet and urgent action is called for to prevent a global disaster. I particularly support Carol's enthusiasm for more nuclear energy capacity. It is clean and cost effective. The one worrying aspect for me is the current threat to such installations from the activities of international terrorists. Providing due consideration and protective measures are included to deal with such a horrific scenario I would still support the provision of more nuclear powered energy stations. The question of the safe disposal of nuclear waste would also require even more stringent safeguards than at present but I am certain we have the capacity to achieve these objectives.
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