Thursday, 28 August 2014

Indoor burning negates point of closing stations

First published 11:00 Thursday 28 August 2014 in Oxford Mail

it is human to err and politicians are not exempt from making mistakes.
The 2008 Climate Change Act introduced by Ed Miliband made a few errors unfortunately. One of these mistakes was to target carbon emissions by encouraging the sale of diesel vehicles to unsuspecting motorists.
These diesel vehicles are now found to be responsible for at least 7,000 deaths a year due to the irritating arborne particulate matter form their exhausts. The Government is now trying to rectify this legislative mistake by trying to deter diesel drivers from entering London and introducing stricter exhausts emissions rules.
Another strategic error was the closure of our coal power stations in a bid to curb carbon emissions.
Again it is a similar error to that of the diesel vehicles. Most of the power station emissions were steam and virtually no particulate matter or irritating pollutants.
So now we have an unintended consequence of a looming power shortage that will result in even more dangerous airborne pollution.
When winter power cuts arrive many homeowners will open up their fireplaces and start to burn coal and wood to keep warm. This will release dangerous particulate filled smoke. The burning of these fossil fuels indoors also negates the whole point of closing the coal power stations.
SUSAN THOMAS
Magdalen Road
Oxford

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

Carbon scams are becoming widespread

First published Monday 18 November 2013 in Letters

YOUR excellent feature on the “carbon con men, Friday, November 8” should serve as a warning.
Investors have been paying thousands of pounds for overpriced carbon certificates said to be linked to environmentally-friendly projects such as tree planting.
There is no resale market for the certificates and investors typically lose every penny.
The UK’s Financial Services Authority has issued warnings about investing in the unregulated trade of carbon credits. One carbon credit is supposedly worth one metric tonne of carbon dioxide. An Oxford computer scientist stated it is not possible to reliably measure carbon emissions in tonnes at all so the whole concept is nebulous.
These scams are becoming ever more widespread due to legislation to decarbonise our energy supply and to invoke carbon budgets in the naive belief it will affect the climate.
It is another inflated South Sea bubble waiting to implode.
The Climate Change Act enacted by the Labour Party in 2008 has detrimental implications for our financial and energy security and played right into the hands of shady green entrepreneurs.
SUSAN THOMAS
Magdalen Road
Oxford

Absurd ideology

First published Tuesday 5 November 2013 in Letters

Sir – It seems that hardly anyone in power is on the side of the consumer regarding energy prices.
The EU directive to close working coal power plants was the work of an Oxford resident, Simultaneously, low-carbon business initiatives were founded in Oxford which would net Oxford entrepreneurs vast profits as a result of this EU legislation.
This suspect directive was then given support by the drastic energy climate legislation imposed by Ed Miliband who became Energy Minister.
At the time Ed was quoted as saying that even though it would be hard on the consumer financially, their bills would have to rise for this worthy cause. He was also encouraged by the Oxford lobby.
Finally the Coalition will not repeal this foolish legislation that is costing our productive country at least £250bn to pay for an absurd ideology.
The green levies presently make up 10 per cent of the energy bill but it is projected to rise to 20 per cent. Why is the Government not repealing the 2008 Labour Party Climate Act nor ignoring the bankrupting EU directive?
Susan Thomas, Oxford

Absurd ideology

First published Tuesday 5 November 2013 in Letters

Sir – It seems that hardly anyone in power is on the side of the consumer regarding energy prices.
The EU directive to close working coal power plants was the work of an Oxford resident Simultaneously, low-carbon business initiatives were founded in Oxford which would net Oxford entrepreneurs vast profits as a result of this EU legislation.
This suspect directive was then given support by the drastic energy climate legislation imposed by Ed Miliband who became Energy Minister.
At the time Ed was quoted as saying that even though it would be hard on the consumer financially, their bills would have to rise for this worthy cause. He was also encouraged by the Oxford lobby.
Finally the Coalition will not repeal this foolish legislation that is costing our productive country at least £250bn to pay for an absurd ideology.
The green levies presently make up 10 per cent of the energy bill but it is projected to rise to 20 per cent. Why is the Government not repealing the 2008 Labour Party Climate Act nor ignoring the bankrupting EU directive?
Susan Thomas, Oxford

School deserves better

First published Thursday 4 December 2008 in Letters

Sir – I sincerely hope that the cabinet member for schools, Michael Waine, is sucessful in his quest to obtain the funds from our Government to improve Oxford's schools. Cheney School desperately needs money for refurbishments and should go to the top of the list.
Parts of the school are in a ragged state of dilapidation. I recall attending a parents’ evening and noticing the pitiful condition of my son’s classroom. There were holes in the door and bits of ceiling tiles hanging down.
It is also a common practice at the school, for the pupils not to use the lavatories for the entire day. This is because there are no locks on the doors and the seats are missing.
A fire escape is also blocked, according to one of the parents I spoke with, and there are few recreational facilities at break times which can sometimes encourage bullying.
Despite the impoverished conditions at Cheney School, the pupils have achieved excellent exam results. This school deserves funds to bring the buildings up to date.

Susan Thomas, Oxford

Thursday, 28 August 2014

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

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