Lunchtime #1: Digital Dog Edition/lunchtime-1.adf/Magazine/articles/biosphere.blame

Text File | 1993-01-30 | 3.9 KB | 108 lines

106

   Electricity.  We take it for granted
really.  Turn on a light or a TV and there
it is.  But how often do we think about what
it is or where it comes from.
   As an environmental hazardÿ electricity
ranks well up there with CFCs and traffic
pollution.  Yet we consider it an essential
part of the way we live our lives.  Nowÿ I'm
not saying stop using itÿ that's silly.  But
we should give it more thought.
   Our primary source of electricity is coal
burning and just a moments thought will
provide images of slag heapsÿ strip-mining
and all of the other environmetal hazards
that the extraction of oil and coal cause.
So for this reason if no otherÿ we should
make efforts to cut down on our usage of
electrical energy.  Lower the juiceÿ lower
the demand for mines.

   But there is a more fundamental problem
which I would like to address at this point.
Privatisation.
   There was a timeÿ not so many moons agoÿ
when all of Britains power was supplied by
the Central Electricity Generating Board
(CEGB).  All went wellÿ until the advent of
the Conservative idea of de-nationalisation.
 The idea was simple.  Break the CEGB into
regional boardsÿ make them responsible for
their own affairs and let each one run
itself as a private company.  Cash for the
Treasuryÿ quick profits for the stock market
husslersÿ trouble for everyone.
   On the surfaceÿ it may seem like a good
ideaÿ but underneath we see the problems for
the environment that money causes:
   NUCLEAR POWER:  I make myself unpopular
in environmental circles by saying thisÿ but
there is no disputing that nuclear energy is
the most planet friendly means of power we

can reasonably expect to use.  They do not
tear away at our land like mines doÿ nor do
they throw noxious chemicals into the
atmosphere as burning does.
   Grantedÿ they create toxic waste whichÿ
at the moment we cannot dispose ofÿ but is
pollution which will not become a problem
for quite some time - and with the globe on
the brink of eco-breakdown what we need is
the time that nuclear power offers.  Speech
over.
   When the CEGB was a single entityÿ
nuclear plants provided a reasonable (and
increasing) share of our electricity needs.
But now that it isn'tÿ these power plants
are too expensive for regional boards to
operateÿ and they are falling into declineÿ
in favour of cheaper coal and oil burning
generators.

   HEAT ELECTRIC:  I also remember a time
when the CEGB was government funded and was
able to advise people on how to save
electricity and use it more efficiently.
Good PRÿ but also good ecology.  But nowÿ of
courseÿ each board is in it to make a
profitÿ to avoid being swamped under.  Power
is now in the cut and thrust business of
sellÿ sellÿ sell.  Thus we see adverts
telling us to by the latest appliancesÿ to
Heatÿ Cookÿ Eat and even Sleep Electric.
The boards are actively encouraging us to
use as much electricity as we canÿ and are
applying as much pressure as any other
company which drives the consumer wheel.

   SAFETY FIRST?:  On the subject of moneyÿ
but this time saving it not spending it -
consider safety requirements.  I have yet to
see a company of any type which does not cut
a few corners on health and safety when it

comes to saving money.  And the electricity
business is no differant.
   Just look at a power station and you will
see the sort of rubbish it is throwing out
into the airÿ the waterÿ the soil.  These
emmissions are being cut down by law over
the coming yearsÿ but it will do no good.
The few percent cuts in emmissions from
individual plants will be offset by the
increase in pollution elsewhere in the cycle
(see above).  And not just thatÿ but how
many of the plants are going to stick
exactly by the rules?  We shall see.

   So next time you turn on the Stereoÿ the
Toasterÿ or even this Computerÿ you can look
at your electricity share certificates and
feel secure in the knowledge that we are ALL
sharing the blame.