Antarctic Expedition

[geordie graham]

I would just like to inform everyone about an antarctic expedition which my daughters partner is currently on.He is there with Sir Robert Swan and they are staying on St Georges Island and using nothing but renewable energy using wind turbines and solar tubes.If you want to know more then log on to 2041.com and click on ebaselive.

Graham

[kielder]

Have just taken a look Graham, it is inspirational footage, bet there were some interesting stories on the return.

Helen

[geordie graham]

Hi Helen he has been back a few months now and it has drastically changed his life.He works for N Power and because of the enthusiasm and knowledge he showed before,during and after the expedition he is now helping to push forward the company's renewable energy programme.He is now the only person in the world to install solar panels and wind power generators on the antarctic.I think we all need to look at renewable energy not as a government tax excuse but as something that needs to be implemented in the near future.

[kielder]

I think it is fantastic what he has done, and I agree it should be given consideration and personally implementation.

[ChrisJB]

I am afraid I can only view wind turbines here in the South Pennines as erratically rotating carbuncles that have destroyed some pretty decent upland peat mosses. But just ignore me, I'm bitter and twisted and am always harping on about the destruction of my beloved moors!

Regards, Chris

[kielder]

No, I agree with you Chris :-) , I think the government need to look at this issue, but not put them anywhere.

[geordie graham]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

I am afraid I can only view wind turbines here in the South Pennines as erratically rotating carbuncles that have destroyed some pretty decent upland peat mosses. But just ignore me, I'm bitter and twisted and am always harping on about the destruction of my beloved moors!

Regards, Chris

They are no more a carbuncle than a nuclear or coal fired power station which non country folk have had to put up with for decades.Sooner or later if you want the power then some of it is going to have to be generated in your own area.Think of the job opportunities.

Graham

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by geordie graham

They are no more a carbuncle than a nuclear or coal fired power station which non country folk have had to put up with for decades.Sooner or later if you want the power then some of it is going to have to be generated in your own area.Think of the job opportunities.

Graham

I aint 'agin' 'em full stop, it is insensitive positioning I can't stomach. As far as I am concerned it is folly to destroy rare and precious habitats in the name of saving the planet, and when they are stationary for long periods, it rubs a bit of salt into the wounds. Silly, silly, silly! That is what I say!
It also sounds like you like the idea of a bit of payback for country folk as well, which is rather petty if so. The means are available to 'lob' a few clusters of windmills out to sea, and for the good folks of town and country to benefit without wrecking fragile and sensitive ecosystems.

Regards, Chris

[geordie graham]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

I aint 'agin' 'em full stop, it is insensitive positioning I can't stomach. As far as I am concerned it is folly to destroy rare and precious habitats in the name of saving the planet, and when they are stationary for long periods, it rubs a bit of salt into the wounds. Silly, silly, silly! That is what I say!
It also sounds like you like the idea of a bit of payback for country folk as well, which is rather petty if so. The means are available to 'lob' a few clusters of windmills out to sea, and for the good folks of town and country to benefit without wrecking fragile and sensitive ecosystems.

Regards, Chris

Hi Chris
As soon as you lob a few out to sea then the fishermen,surfers,marine biologists etc will start whingeing.The problem is that everyone wants energy whether it be ordinary or renewable but nobody wants it to affect their way of life,hobbies countryside etc.Eventually something is going to have to change and some people are going to be upset.I wasn`t having a go at country folk it just seems at the moment they say that traditional countryside work is being eroded and that the younger family members are leaving the villages to find work.The running and upkeep of renewable energy stations would give much needed work and money to those areas that are struggling and help keep families and villages together.People need to diversify into non traditional jobs.It has happened in a lot of other villages where families had relied on coal mines,shipbuilding,steelworks etc.(sorry about the amount of etcs).

Graham

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by geordie graham

Hi Chris
As soon as you lob a few out to sea then the fishermen,surfers,marine biologists etc will start whingeing.The problem is that everyone wants energy whether it be ordinary or renewable but nobody wants it to affect their way of life,hobbies countryside etc.Eventually something is going to have to change and some people are going to be upset.I wasn`t having a go at country folk it just seems at the moment they say that traditional countryside work is being eroded and that the younger family members are leaving the villages to find work.The running and upkeep of renewable energy stations would give much needed work and money to those areas that are struggling and help keep families and villages together.People need to diversify into non traditional jobs.It has happened in a lot of other villages where families had relied on coal mines,shipbuilding,steelworks etc.(sorry about the amount of etcs).

Graham

Of course the marine folks will start moaning, I'd be disappointed if they didn't, but the simple fact is, there is a lot more 'watter' than upland peat mosses across the globe. Therefore, no contest. And yes, things are going to have to change, but the real change I would like to see is a sustained global assault on overpopulation, then maybe we wouldn't need to ruin quite so many habitats, marine, moorland, or otherwise. As for the running and upkeep of wind farms, I can assure you that during the rare occasion I have seen engineers on site, they aren't locals, but 'outsiders' as the 'natives' call them. Wind turbines are not going to keep the rural economy afloat. It is diversification into sectors such as tourism that will help to do that, catering for people who love glorious and wild landscapes and seeing the wonderful wildlife that call it their home.
I could weep when I see the rubbly scars where the golden plover, the dunlin and the red grouse once bred and long will I continue to be active in campaigns that challenge such outrages.
Good this innit!

Regards, Chris

[geordie graham]

Hi Chris
I hope you don't think I am "for" the destruction of our countryside or "against" the preservation of habitats you so obviously care about because I care about these same things myself. I go up onto the moor regularly to see those same golden plovers, red grouse etc and to just absorb the wild peace and beauty of those same landscapes.
What I am is a realist who can see that our world, not just our country, is running out of energy resources such as coal and oil. Renewables make a lot of sense to me, not just wind turbines but also wave power and heat generated from within the earth. No one would advocate moorland being the only site for wind turbines, there are many sites including the possibilities of putting them alongside motorways. The most I have seen in one place though are actually in a farmers field near me, I would think this would generate income for him and possibly even make the difference in him being able to keep his farm running.
Unlike nuclear power which seems to be the other popular choice of government to create our future energy, renewables give out no emissions to pollute our air, no radiation to cause illnesses, they would not be a target for terrorists and if they did 'leak' or 'blow up' for any reason they would not poison our earth for countless years and render hundreds of miles around poisonous to wildlife and humankind alike. Yes, wind turbines are not the prettiest sight but they won't be everywhere or every few feet and not only in the countryside, there will still be lots of our beautiful countryside left to enjoy and we would not be held to ransom by other countries trying to increase prices of a rapidly diminishing resource if we were able to produce a good proportion of our own power. After all everyone's homes, workplaces, schools,leisure pursuits and means of transport need power whether they are in the countryside, town or city and we are all going to have to share responsibility for that if we want our children and grandchildren to have a future.

Graham

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by geordie graham

Hi Chris
I hope you don't think I am "for" the destruction of our countryside or "against" the preservation of habitats you so obviously care about because I care about these same things myself. I go up onto the moor regularly to see those same golden plovers, red grouse etc and to just absorb the wild peace and beauty of those same landscapes.
What I am is a realist who can see that our world, not just our country, is running out of energy resources such as coal and oil. Renewables make a lot of sense to me, not just wind turbines but also wave power and heat generated from within the earth. No one would advocate moorland being the only site for wind turbines, there are many sites including the possibilities of putting them alongside motorways. The most I have seen in one place though are actually in a farmers field near me, I would think this would generate income for him and possibly even make the difference in him being able to keep his farm running.
Unlike nuclear power which seems to be the other popular choice of government to create our future energy, renewables give out no emissions to pollute our air, no radiation to cause illnesses, they would not be a target for terrorists and if they did 'leak' or 'blow up' for any reason they would not poison our earth for countless years and render hundreds of miles around poisonous to wildlife and humankind alike. Yes, wind turbines are not the prettiest sight but they won't be everywhere or every few feet and not only in the countryside, there will still be lots of our beautiful countryside left to enjoy and we would not be held to ransom by other countries trying to increase prices of a rapidly diminishing resource if we were able to produce a good proportion of our own power. After all everyone's homes, workplaces, schools,leisure pursuits and means of transport need power whether they are in the countryside, town or city and we are all going to have to share responsibility for that if we want our children and grandchildren to have a future.

Graham

Oh Graham! We agree on so much! Of course renewables are a way forward, even the 'work's cat' surely understands that. I will say though, that I suspect we will need to tap into the nuclear option. Renewables might be clean, but as yet, they don't have the greatest consistency and reliability to cater for an overpopulated group of isles like ours. That is unless we cloak our glorious nation from top to toe with turbines and the like and we can't have that now can we.
No, the cornerstone of my umbrage I shall emphasise again: under no circulstances should we be erecting turbines on our mountains and moorland. The sea....marvellous, intensive prairie-style agriculural expanses....lovely, the hard shoulder of the M62...I like it. But, destruction of a globally rare habitat, no way. Crivvens! British heather moorland makes up over 70 per cent of the global amount, and then we have the peat mosses, a colossal store of organic carbon. It deserves better.
Arguments can be cloaked with apocalyptic language and talk of 'future generations', but I'll never be convinced that urbanisation of our uplands is all for the greater good.
Now back to the footy and a can of ale!

Regards, Chris