Several times a week I see some feel good video about the next process or invention that’s going to save the world. In reality most of these are not a final, fully natural solution. In many cases, they can reduce the amount of fossil fuels being used, or plastics getting to our oceans and into our food chain – but a lot of the time, it is at best a stop gap solution and at worst pure greenwashing. It is a way for people to make a quick buck off the niche popularity of “environmentalism”.
Although I am quite an optimistic person, I look beyond the click bait headlines, to what’s really involved. Who is behind the breakthrough, is it actually a breakthrough, are they unintended consequences?
I’m always torn about solutions that involve recycling plastic and synthetic materials, be it shoes made from plastic taken from the ocean, to third world housing made from plastic bottles. These projects come mostly from a proactive and positive point of view, but the issues arise, due to:
- The microplastics that arise from the use of these products, often in places where this type of pollution wouldn’t normally be
- The prolonging and justifying of the use of plastic.
A prime example of this is waste incinerators. A great idea in theory, but one which removes any incentive to reduce, reuse or recycle – sure why would you bother when the waste just “disappears”. I know that new plastic will be in production for a long time yet, due to the lack of alternatives, but especially recently, great advances have been made. These ideas can be justified, as a temporary measure, to bridge the gap from now, to when we can realistically live free from fossil fuels. But, as happens time and time again, the money invested in these, often expensive projects, has to be recouped and then some. They all too often get propped up in government contract clauses, or big corporate PR, that ensures their use for years beyond what’s practical or good for the environment.
The use and location of Wind Turbines, throughout Ireland is another example. I think that wind turbines can be a great way to generate renewable electricity, but each case has to be based on facts and human rights, rather than political and corporate swindling. When the precious metals, steel, enormous amounts of concrete for each turbine are taken into account, along with the roadways and massive amounts of stored CO2 released back into the atmosphere from draining our Carbon sink bogs, is there really that much of a net gain to be made? Combine this with the absolute disregard for human health inflicted on homeowners, who have had these turbines installed meters from their homes. Shadow flicker, noise pollution, home devaluation are just some of the issues being faced.
Recent Comments