Climate lobbying industry must get ordinary folk on side.

 

Climate lobbying industry must get ordinary folk on side

I’m not sure what the protocols are for commenting on a fellow columnist’s opinions, but I did find Matt Moss’s recent piece about not investing in electric vehicles (EV’s) for his company, a very good read - even if I disagreed with him!

 

I have recently touched on the very sparse electric vehicle charging network here in Suffolk, but I do want to revisit the broader issue of taking an objective view when making such decisions – just as Matt has.

 

The reason I emphasise the word ‘objective’ is because what distresses me the most on this topic, is the strident, borderline hysterical, and often religious-like fervour with which some climate activists berate and badger others who might not entirely share their climate ‘gospel’.

 

From the chaos of Just Stop Oil protestors, through to the simplicities of St Greta Thunberg’s world view, by way of the platitudinous nonsense coming of our local authorities declaring climate emergencies left, right, and centre, most ordinary folks feel disconnected and abandoned by the grim-faced climate lobbying industry.

 

My advice to them is to stop preaching about the big stuff, and start presenting the evidence as to how ‘going green’ doesn’t mean abandoning who you are, or having fun,  or even undermining your own quality of life.

 

In other words, don’t patronise your audience, inspire them! Don’t attempt wholesale conversions, rather, encourage people to adapt their lifestyles on the basis of what already motivates them.  

 

Unashamedly, I love techie stuff. I like what are frequently dismissed as ‘boys’ toys’. I’m not a Jeremy Clarkson or a Freddie Flintoff, but I do like the freedom, style, speed, and convenience of driving a decent vehicle. That’s my schtick, I suppose. Driving shouldn’t be an unpleasant experience, just to keep a PR-savvy Swedish agitator happy.

 

Although I am not an eco-loon, or a climate evangelist, I am an early, albeit not a first, adopter in driving EV’s. Why?

 

Admittedly, through years of experience, I waited for a while to better understand the technology, and its advantages, and disadvantages. And in spite of those charging challenges (and concerns about the environmental costs of battery production), I’m a pretty happy member of the estimated 700,000 electric vehicle drivers in the UK. And our numbers are growing - 17% of all new car sales last year were EV’s. 

 

The thing I love the most about my EV is the drive - it’s so smooth! Plus, the regenerative braking, which makes driving a one pedal only experience most of the time.

 

More broadly, I’m motivated throughout my life by a core belief that we should burn less stuff. As long as I can recall, I’ve felt an antipathy to polluting the air we breathe. It’s all about enjoying a good quality of life.

 

Therefore, I am 100% behind renewables – wind, solar, nuclear (YES, nuclear), tidal and hydro. In fact, I think my interest in energy was nudged forward a few times in my early career as an engineer.

 

As a 17-year-old, halfway through an OND course in Engineering Technology, I was taken to see two pumped storage hydro schemes in North Wales; Ffestiniog and Dinorwig, the first working, and the second in construction. Then, during my degree course, I visited Hinckley Point B when it was undergoing maintenance, and also got to see the only nuclear power plant in London … yes in London!

 

As a graduate engineer, I was an ‘Energy Planner’ for a large manufacturing company which  taught me how to make efficient use of resources, using controls such as timers and thermostats. Later, as a Young Members’ representative for the I.Mech.E in South Essex, I visited a CEGB research unit that was using robotics to go inside Magnox reactors to repair corroded thermocouple fastening clips.

 

All in all, I have had a broad interest in energy, and have advanced my beliefs based on evidence and science.

 

It is important that the green lobby learns to treat the likes of me, if not as allies, then certainly as rational people to be treated as adults, and not there to be subjected to constant hectoring!

 

It is going to be fascinating to see whether the new Green Party-majority, or Green Party-led, district councils in Suffolk want to browbeat people, or work with them in their ambitions. I’ll not be holding my breath!

 

First published on Friday 28th July 2023 in www.dissexpress.co.uk and Thursday 3rd  August 2023 in www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk