Isn’t it wonderful how, with a good idea, momentum can build.
As well as two excellent posts from Cameron McNeish and Chris Townsend, New Year’s Eve saw support coming in from Darren Christie. New Year’s Day brought Alistair in with a great piece that made you feel like standing up and shouting “Halleljuah!” and today has seen some fantastic writing coming in from Andy Howell, Byways, and Janet Donnelly.
I would commend you all to have a read of each one as each has their own take on the protest and is very well thought out.
We also have two excellent chaps investigating the possibility of getting a coffin and getting us a website with all the artwork and literature designed for free. We will need a techie chap to put the website together… I just need more hours in the day…
Thank you everyone.
10:40pm: EDITED TO ADD: And this fine post this evening from Bearded Git. (quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson, no less!)
Excellent stuff! I'll try to come along if I can make it.
ReplyDeleteAs for the campaign more generally, a couple of things, if I may:
- Salmond has committed this country to a doubling of the number of onshore turbines within the next 9 years. The preferred option is expansion of existing plants, including, of course, the soon-to-be Dunmaglass one. They're holding back construction of quite a few key new plants until after the May elections. If they get elected, there'll be no stopping them. The plants are already there, they'll argue: what's a few extra turbines at each of these plants?
- Expect this reaction to your campaign: walkers are selfish whingers, moaning about the loss of some amenity in their fake-wilderness playground (cue Iain Stewart to hop along arguing it's all man-made anyway and the turbines are just one more bit of tinkering with the landscape). They'll be telling you that walkers should take it on the chin and think of future generations. Every turbine saves x tonnes of fossil fuel for future generations. What's the loss of a few unspoilt views compared to the loss of the planet? They'll say, look, we're not touching Glencoe, Torridon or the Cairngorms [even though I doubt there are many Munros left from which you can't see at least one wind plant], what are out complaining about?
Also, bear in mind that those holding the key to voting patterns are likely to be holidaying in Spain anyway and don't have a clue where the Monadhliath is (or that it exists, even...). You won't get much sympathy there.
Add those walkers who jump on the high horse and tell you turbines are all right and better than nuclear anyway (tell that to the Chinese who've just developed a new generation of nuclear that does away with the problem of nuclear waste altogether!), and the picture is a bit bleak.
I'm not sure there's an answer to any of these points, but then again, what's the alternative to not fighting it tooth and nail?
I commend your initiative and wish you all the best. As I say, I'll try to come along if my commitments allow it.
Though this Timesonline article dates from 31 Jan 2010 it shows the scale of threat Scotland´s wild upland areas are faced with.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article7009778.ece
As a keen lover of the Scottish Highlands whose grandeur is world-class I´m hoping that the outcry against this money-propelled devastation will grow over the next couple of months.
Alan, thanks a lot for your commitment. Hoping that you will find overwhelming assistance and help for your cause.
Markus Petter
Dornbirn
Austria
Forgot to say, Alan, that for all you turbine-hating challengers, there's an unpleasant surprise in store at the end. Back in April, a wind farm went up on top of Garvock Hill, between Laurencekirk and St Cyrus. Haven't been back to St Cyrus and I don't intend to, but it looks to me as if the turbines will dominate the beach now. Seven of them, I think. 120m tall or so. Just thought I should warn you in advance...
ReplyDelete