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Introduction
The years since 1945 have been some of the easiest for living in the whole of human history. The discovery of oil and natural gas in the late 1900s the technological advances brought on by WWII allowed us to exploit the resources of the planet to the fullest extent. In spite of all the plagues, pestilence and wars compared to the previous eras of social history here in the Lambourn Valley we have a lot for which we can be grateful. We are a small part of the world population of around 6 billion people in the world of today; according to most conservative estimates by 2050 the planet will have to support, 9 billion.
That means with all the best will in the world the Lambourn Valley and the Downland that creates and protects it will have to change, either by the hand of man in the quest for development or nature as the climate unavoidably changes in response to population and pollution increases. It is vital that we learn to manage this change!
Managing change
This is the challenge faced by us all at every level; internationally, nationally, regionally, locally and individually. No effort is too large or too small. The current thinking is that we can best manage this change through
‘Sustainable Development’. Now that is something about which we hear so much in the media and it is usually associated there by pictures and words of ‘sack cloth and ashes’. We are constantly told about all the things we must give up: our cars, flying on holiday, leaving our televisions on standby etc, etc. This sells newspapers and boosts programme ratings.
There is no doubt things must change, ‘
business as usual is not an option’ but do things really have to be as bad as the media would have us believe?
Since the beginning of the new century there has been some breakthroughs in debt and aid to the developing world; the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign in 2005 boosted our awareness of our interdependence with all the other nations and peoples. Gradually we have come to understand the scale of the challenges, technological and social that now confronts us. This campaign is a shining example of how ordinary people can affect change at any level of society.
Undoubtedly, for us, at the very local level, here in the Lambourn Valley the technological challenge is to cut our carbon emissions from our homes, our transport, and from our workplaces. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) has been identified as the principle and most common Greenhouse Gas contributing to Climate Change and Global Warming.
We have to learn how we can contribute to the national target set by government of a 60% reduction in CO2 by 2050. This may not mean much to you at present but over the coming years it will be one of the most important statistics in daily life; as important as the mortgage rate is today.
Welcome to the ‘One Tonne World’
Long before 2050 each person on the planet must learn to live within a personal carbon quota probably of one tonne per annum or less. To put that in perspective the average US citizen consumes enough resources to emit 7 tonnes of CO2 per year, this means that in relative terms the US requires 5 planet Earths just to support its own population, whereas in the UK we each average 3 – 3.5 tonnes (2.5 – 3 planets worth)
The, ‘trick, the secret’, is to know how to make these cuts without the consequences foretold in the media. To avoid the ‘sackcloth and ashes’ scenarios so loved those who would have us believe that sacrifice is the only thing good for our environmental soul. There are still those who for greed and self interest deny the phenomena of Climate Change; who want us to accept that the changes in lifestyles needed would destroy our economy. All in spite of the incredible number of scientific and economic experts that have now come to fully accept the facts; that mans economic and social activities are having some significant influence on the overall eco-system.
The Lambourn Valley Sustainability Forum believes that there is a better scenario, a better and an achievable way forward.
Welcome to our One Tonne World (1) based on:
· Value for money
· Lower electric and gas bills
· Better food
· Less hassle in getting to and from work
· Improved health
· More jobs in the cutting edge industries of the future
· Cleaner air
· Building a more convivial community
· More time at home – a better work/ life balance
· More connection and understanding of the natural world around us
Society has all the tools, the technologies, and now has to simply find the will to change. To paraphrase Al Gore in one of his interviews to introduce his recent film ‘The Inconvenient Truth’; the stone age did not end because we ran out of stone – we just found a better way to do things’ and we have again – it is called progress.
Knowing the cost of everything but the value of nothing
We have to learn to value things differently. In the Valley we still have a sense of community, probably the most valuable commodity that we have something that many inner city projects spend years and thousands of pounds recreating. We have clean air or at least cleaner than many towns. We have a health service with doctors and dental surgeries together with support services that many other communities can only envy. We have a Parish Council, giving us some autonomy in how our society is administered. Much of this is thanks to the dedication of the individuals concerned. The fact that they can be identified personally is a value beyond money. If you look you will find many other examples of this personal commitment to our community; it is on these people and their efforts we must build.
This is our map for Sustainable Development to take Lambourn into the future.
(1) Porritt J, ‘Capitalism as if the World Matters’, published by Earthscan, London, 2005, ISBN 10: 1-84407-192-8
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