We went to Edwardstone at lunchtime yesterday to see the official 'turning-on' of the wind turbine at the White Horse Pub. The turbine generates enough electricity for two houses, and will be part of a scheme aimed at running the business without any dependence on fossil fuels. The turbine is pictured right, with Carey Fraulo (prospective Conservative Candidate for Boxford) and family.
Small scale environmental schemes such as these must be a good thing, regardless of what you believe about man’s responsibility for global warming.
Small scale environmental schemes such as these must be a good thing, regardless of what you believe about man’s responsibility for global warming.
I like the turbine for three reasons:-
Firstly it must be right to conserve the earth’s finite resources. Using wind power certainly helps to do this, although I do have reservations about the economic viability of heavily subsidised large scale schemes, and misgivings about the appearance of turbines and associated pylons marching across some of the most beautiful parts of Britain. I can see no objections to small individual schemes such as this one however.
Firstly it must be right to conserve the earth’s finite resources. Using wind power certainly helps to do this, although I do have reservations about the economic viability of heavily subsidised large scale schemes, and misgivings about the appearance of turbines and associated pylons marching across some of the most beautiful parts of Britain. I can see no objections to small individual schemes such as this one however.
Secondly we do have to find ways of reducing dependency on oil and gas, which is not only growing scarcer, but is increasingly found in areas of dubious political stability such as Iran and Russia.
Thirdly, development of schemes such as this is good for British industry and exports. Because we have taken fossil fuel conservation seriously in Britain we are apparently among the world leaders in developing small scale generation schemes such as the one in place in Edwardstone.
Recycling of refuse is another way of conserving the earth’s scarce resources, and is also essential due to the problems of overfull landfill sites. Babergh has quite a good record in this respect, but the aim must be to recycle more if possible. It is also important to ensure that the waste is actually properly recycled when collected.
Controversy in this area lies ahead however. The government is to give Councils the right to charge for the removal of non-recyclable rubbish, and a ‘spy in the bin’ is threatened to make sure that we all put items in the appropriate place. I think that this latter idea could lead to quite a lot of anger and resentment. I am a believer in carrots rather than sticks where possible, and would prefer to see a scheme which promised rebates to good citizens rather than big-brother punishment for the careless (or busy!) ones.
