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The Way I See It column
- Just make it greener!
Dr Shahrar Ali member of
Brent and Harrow Green Party, philosophy teacher and Green Party Policy
Co-ordinator for London explains what we can do to save energy, make the
world greener and halt global warming
Let's look at energy-saving from the standpoints of the environment,
technology, and politics. I'll have something to say about economic
values, too.
The environment. There is consensus about the negative impact humans
continue to exert on the environment with grave implications for our own
and other species' survival. We know that CO2 and other greenhouse gas
emissions contribute to global warming and climate change.
Whilst we may bask in sub-tropical temperatures this summer, melting ice
caps look set to eventually divert the Gulf stream that would otherwise
shield the UK from sub-zero temperatures.
So we can anticipate Arctic conditions later this century - or why not
in our lifetimes, if Mr Economy Stupid continues to get his way? And for
the time being, once hospitable parts of the planet, such as sub-Saharan
Africa, will simply continue to bake.
Thus frames our basic motivation for seeking to drastically reduce our
emission of the main greenhouse pollutant, CO2. Abating our consumption
of oil, and reducing our overall reliance upon other carbon-based fuels,
is just one environmentally necessary goal that the promotion of
energy-saving technologies can contribute towards.
Technology. By making use of renewable energy sources, such as
photovoltaic (solar) cells and wind turbines, or by harnessing wave
energy, the UK could take a lead in abating its carbon emissions.
Instead we lag behind the modest steps already taken by our Western
European counterparts, often with less abundant renewable sources to
boast of than we have.
London alone has an environmental footprint the size of Spain, thereby
contributing an environmental impact some 2.3 times the world average.
Alongside the instalment of such technology in buildings (old and new),
we need to get wised up in our selection and use of electrical
appliances. However our energy gets sourced, it makes sense to reduce
our consumption of it in order to reduce the non-renewable mix.
Moreover, if decentralised renewable energy systems were producing more
power than was required locally, the surplus could be exported via the
national grid.
Conventional light bulbs are as efficient at converting electricity to
heat as to light. So let's replace these with low energy light bulbs at
every opportunity.
In the average household, the refrigerator is one of the main offenders
of high electricity consumption. For any new model, make sure you can
identify its EU-energy rating on a scale of A-E; then accept only an A.
The consumer will observe that saving energy can also save money.
However, I believe we should be cautious about playing up any economic
advantages.
Sometimes it will not be cheaper, or it may end up overall cost-neutral,
to switch to renewable systems or energy-saving appliances. Yet a lack
of financial incentive cannot be the decisive factor for at least two
reasons.
Firstly, current economic values rarely factor in, let alone equate to,
the true cost of our consumption. If I know that my serving Alexandra
ice-cream will have a knock-on effect on her next dental bill, why not
discount that from the price of Häagen-Dazs at point of purchase?
Yet nobody would deny that dental health is a human good.
Secondly, environmental goods are clearly invaluable in a way that
conventional economic goods are not. Nobody in their right mind could
put a price on a beautiful sunset. And were we offered the chance of
being transported, Total Recall-style, to a future in which natural
beauty could only be accessed through a perfectly simulated recording, I
know which reality I'd go for.
You can switch your household electricity supplier to renewable sources
right now, but don't let non-renewable suppliers tempt you away by price
comparisons. It's the true cost to the Earth that counts.
Politics. Whilst some political parties have got busy rebranding
themselves as the latest green activist - marrying environmentalism with
wealth creation, if Cameron is to be believed - the Green Party has been
winning the electorate over with its radical vision year on year.
Isn't political action on green policies (such as carbon trading) more
likely to come from the original advocates than from Johnny-come-lately
imitators with their bolt-on additions?
In the 2006 borough elections, Greens increased their tranche of
councillors across London from one to 12.
This year, Greens on the London Assembly secured funding for a raft of
Green measures following an agreement with the Mayor, Ken Livingstone.
The measures include a Green Home Advice Centre to help people install
solar panels, wind turbines and energy conservation measures.
As a recent Green candidate in Brent, I would like to end by promoting
an initiative for Mapes House. In return for having phone masts erected
on their roofs last year - which the majority were justifiably upset
about - residents were offered a sum on an annual basis, to be invested
as they so chose.
The residents have already submitted a petition to Brent Council
requesting that their sizeable funds be spent on solar panels. I shall
be lobbying for this wise initiative on their behalf instead of Brent's
blueprint for a Mr Economy Stupid Super-casino.
PS. Thanks to Nic Hartley for showing me around his battery car pictured.
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