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Dear Western Morning News,
Whilst Mr Milton accuses me of being sanctimonious for having the temerity to criticise BP for its part in the devastation of a precious ecosystem (WMN 03.07.10.), he seems to entirely miss the point that it is from the environment that all our wealth and resources come and that, the more we trash it, the more precarious the position of the human race, and of all other species, becomes.
I make no apology for decrying the destruction of the natural world - it has inherent worth, as well as being fundamental to our survival, but we have somehow reached a point in our so-called evolution where we arrogantly assume that we can continue to abuse nature and that she will continue to support us - well she won't! Mr Milton is in finance and a lot of people in that arena seem to believe that economic theories are laws like, for example, the laws of thermodynamics - they are not - they are theories and, whilst they might have served the wealthier populations very well, they have done little for the majority of the world's population, other species or the environment upon which we all depend. However, the fiscal system could be overhauled to create a more equitable world where the environment is not exploited to the point of exhaustion, and the poor, especially in the Third World, achieve a fairer share of resources. The crisis in the Gulf of Mexico is a dramatic example of what is going on all the time - soil, water and air are being polluted constantly and for that we all pay - some more than others. It is essential that the people who cause pollution pay for the clear up - whether that is BP or any other large or small corporation and wherever it occurs in the world. In reply to Mr Milton's implication that the poor in the Third World would suffer disproportionately if oil exploration were abandoned - the gap between the rich and poor in the oil states such as Saudi Arabia and Nigeria is larger (and growing) than in other developing economies, for example, South Korea and Taiwan.
Oil is a finite resource - it is going to run out sometime this century, and the resources left are increasingly difficult, expensive and risky to access. In any case, we must reduce carbon emissions by at least 80% in the next 40 years. Business as usual is simply not an option - we have to make major changes in the way we live. However, these changes are not necessarily for the worst - if it results in a healthier, more active, more resilient and cohesive society then this may be just the wake-up call we need. But it will mean that the big corporations have to be reigned in - whether they are oil companies, car manufactures, mining companies, food consortiums or supermarkets, and we all have to look at how we live our lives.
And no Mr Milton - I have no intention of jetting off to Hawaii, or any other far-flung exotic location. It is no hardship to spend time in the beautiful westcountry.
Yours sincerely,
Lindsay Southcombe,
Mid and East Cornwall Green Party,
Baynards Villa
St Clement Street
Truro TR1 1EH
01872 241865 |
