THE SPIRIT OF THE BLITZ

What Scotland must do to help save planet in peril (Ian Johnston, The Scotsman, April 6th, 2006)

Scots' current way of life is "deeply, deeply unsustainable" and has to change dramatically as part of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, according to the head of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

In an interview with The Scotsman, Dr Campbell Gemmell, the chief executive of SEPA, called for a revolution in building standards and micro-renewable sources of energy, such as mini-windmills for houses and the development of "clean-burn" waste incinerators to provide power and heat for local communities.[...]

"What we are doing is deeply, deeply unsustainable and it has to change," he said. "For us, that means, as soon as we possibly can, getting our resource use down to a fifth of the current level.

"We have got very dramatic changes to accomplish and we're not doing that well, but there are clear signs of things we could do to make things better. There's absolutely no room for any kind of complacency on this. We have got to do things and do things urgently in Scotland."

Dr Gemmell dismissed those people who deny that global warming is a real problem or claim that it is part of a natural planetary cycle, with man-made factors such as the increase in carbon dioxide playing only a small part. "It's a bit like the Creationist view at the moment trying to challenge Darwin," he said.

Just so. But, hey, let’s get serious, it’s time for we irrational creationist dinosaurs to face the music. The world is broiling and we are all faced with imminent doom if we don’t completely change our ways of seeing things and alter our lifestyles radically. It will hurt and we will all suffer unimaginable deprivations, but Mother Earth is fading fast and we all have to do our part. Want to learn how? Read on:

Five ways for householders to help save the Earth:

Renewable energy - install solar panels and small wind turbines to provide energy at little or no cost to you or the environment; if this is impractical, buy power generated from renewable energy sources such as wind farms.

Insulation - conserve warmth with roof-space and cavity wall insulation that can cut heat loss by up to 60 per cent.

Efficiency - use thermostat-controlled heating, buy A-rated energy-efficient appliances and fit energy-efficient light bulbs; they cost more but save money and energy over time. Get free energy advice from the Energy Saving Trust at www.est.org.uk or call 0845 727 7200.

Water - Scotland has plenty of rain, but providing clean treated water to your house uses a lot of energy. Don't leave the tap running when you are brushing your teeth; use toilets which flush more efficiently, using less water; and use full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine.

In the garden - avoid using garden sprinklers or hoses for long periods, and water your garden after sunset as less water will evaporate. Make compost from your biodegradable waste and use it on your garden.

Courage, people, courage.