Seth Conway of ITV Westcountry wishes to encourage debate on how to save the planet from climate change.
Having proclaimed in Seth’s Soundbite in the spring edition of North Devon Direct that we must do “something” to tackle climate change, Seth Conway now proclaims – in reply to a letter of mine regarding his soundbite – that we must do “anything and everything”.The crux of his argument seems to be in his question on industrial wind turbines: “Isn’t it better to generate at least some natural electricity now rather than continue to pump more and more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere?”
However, if for the same money – and it is our money collected through an un-itemised charge in our electricity bills – we can reduce our CO2 emissions by many more times this amount through other mechanisms, I think Seth would agree that this would be a better course of action.
He surely demands best use of our money in tackling climate change?
The good news is that Ofgem, the National Audit Office and the Carbon Trust say that we can.
I suggest that reducing the amount of energy we all use is a more effective way “to save the planet”.
This would also have the advantage of lessening this country’s dependence on often unstable, unpredictable sources of oil and gas.
We could, for example, audit and cut emissions from vehicles; we could improve efficiency in aviation fuel use; design new low-carbon products and services to help customers cut emissions, and use more efficient heating and cooling systems in houses, offices and industrial buildings.
Another concern is amplitude modulation. When amplitude modulation from wind turbines 900 metres from a farm has forced its inhabitants to leave their home, and when 18 months down the line the Government not only remains impotent to stop the problem but also ignores research recommendations for further investigation on the causes of AM, we can either keep our fingers crossed or fight for our homes before it’s too late.
Richard Delf
Knowstone
11 April 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/04/11/save-the-planet-by-using-less-energy/