Green train - The challenge

Never has there been so much confusion regarding green issues. Recently there have been three announcements in the press that energy saving light bulbs are bad for your health.

People are sure that not using a plastic bag will help the planet, think that bio fuel from crops will enable us all to use cars for ever, rather than understand that current production is destroying natural habitats and livelihoods. As a result we feel its time to stop the green train and make it mainstream, that is ‘green’ should be the usual way of doing things, rather than the exception.

We thought that at least people believing in Climate Change helped put green issues at the top of the agenda, but all that has happened are the absurdities of impossible targets and trading in ‘pollution credits’ so that countries can pollute and buy their way out of the responsibility.

Bio fuels, as they are currently produced are actually bad news, as large tracts of land including virgin forest are being taken up to grow monoculture crops to be turned into fuel for high energy demanding processes.

We hear that over 60% of cod catches in the UK waters have to be thrown back dead into the sea because of fishing quotas, another absurd ruling.

The key issue is really about growth. The current world economic model says that we need to grow as quickly as possible to grow wealth and the benefits that brings. But any Worldwider knows that if there is growth that is not built on a firm foundation, including enough sustainable food, and then a collapse just as rapid will follow. I question whether growth is actually a good idea or whether what we need is sustainable development, which may mean growth in some cases and shrinkage in others. It is obvious that we can not just keep growing and growing for ever.

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