Embrace the Revolution

I've always taken this blogsite as an excuse to talk to you all- the world at large- about whatever is on my mind. Today, it's electricity. More specifically, it's the worrying amount of carbon dioxide we put into the air to make elctricity.

Now, I'm not against industry. I'm no earth-worshipper. If anything I lean the other way, regarding the earth as something to be tamed, and turned to our purposes. But what we're doing to the atmosphere at the moment is somewhat akin to stuffing used twix wrappers into the fuel tank of a 747 at altitude. No-one's really sure what'll happen, but it might be a good idea to stop.

We could recycle our wrappers, and in this context that means carbon capture. And that's good. We could also eat less, and by being more effecient, we can do that. Trouble is, any more than a fraction of use is going to mean not having as many consumer goods. And I like consumer goods. So let's try the others, first. We can use things that don't come with such big wrappers in the first place, and this means Renewable energies.

Most of our renewable energies are at a fairly expensive/ inefficient stage of development. In a socialist utopia this wouldn't be a problem, but never let it be said that I'm blind to the realities of society. I personally think Micro-solar is very promising, geothermal space-heating has great potential and fusion is, of course, the modern equivalent of the philosopher's stone.

There's one technology that is now on a par with conventional power stations, and is ideally suited to our wet and wild islands. Yeah, today I'm asking you to think about wind power.

You probably have your own opinions. I know there are disadvantages. But note this.

According to the RSPB, the occasional bird that gets made into mid-air confetti isn't that big a problem. Far less of a problem, in fact, than climate chainge and air pollution.

You might think they're ugly. The question is, are they more or less ugly than a few thousand tons of carbon?

In fact, the chief objector to the planned wind expansion is the MOD. They complain that the turbines interfere with radar, meaning that if we're ever invaded by Holland again, we might be at considerably less than full fighting strength,

I say that's a risk we've got to take.

You probably have your own opinions. All I'm asking is that you have a look at this site. It'll take ten minutes at maxiumum, and you get the opportunity to have your name written on a turbine.

Now don't tell me that ain't cool.

Song in my head: "Planet Telex" by Radiohead