Brownfield sites

[Matsukaze]

Interesting articles on the main BC site at the moment, particularly for fellow fans of the Dizzy Skippers:

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/d ... rence.html

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks for this post Matsukaze - definitely an interesting read and something worth keeping an eye on. Although some items are rather "scary", the desire to protect otherwise unprotected brownfield sites (to some extent) has to be welcomed!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Padfield]

I agree - this is both encouraging and scary. In the short term of course we welcome the fact that developers are taking an active interest in biodiversity and preserving wildlife. This is to be applauded. But in the long term (actually, the sooner the better!) a paradigm shift is required in the way national and local governments think about development, regeneration and economic growth. The present paradigm will, without a shadow of doubt, squeeze all the non-human inhabitants of the British Isles (or wherever) into the little corners we leave for them for our own benefit and enjoyment, and those corners will come under greater and greater pressure as fewer and fewer people remember what it used to be like. Every generation accepts an incrementally diminished natural environment as the norm and makes further inroads into it, speaking of 'balance'.

In my opinion we have an absolute duty to halt and even reverse development, whatever the perceived cost to human interests, rather than congratulate ourselves on continuing to develop 'ecologically', whether on brownfield sites, greenfield sites or in the inner cities. Softly softly will not do - it will merely prolong the dying agonies of wild nature. Unfortunately I see no way this kind of view could ever become politically viable. The political system favours cowards and sycophants.

Guy

[Martin]

The political system favours cowards and sycophants.

Guy

Hear here !

[Piers]

The political system favours cowards and sycophants.

Guy

Hear here !

Come on then guys...!

Are you going to rise to the challenge and enter politics yourselves (since you're both so dissatisfied with the relative merits of the Swiss and English political systems) or are you happy to remain arm chair critics and simply pour scorn on those who do...?

Felix.

[Padfield]

Are you going to rise to the challenge and enter politics yourselves (since you're both so dissatisfied with the relative merits of the Swiss and English political systems) or are you happy to remain arm chair critics and simply pour scorn on those who do...?

Somewhere between the two, Felix! I agree that pessimistic commentaries are not constructive in themselves, but the fact we make them doesn't mean we do nothing else. I, for one, am not cut out to be a politician, but on the local scale I frequently influence decision-makers directly and indirectly. I won't detail how, because that would look as if you had put me on the defensive, Felix!!

I'm also writing a book at the moment. Perhaps it will help tip the scales in favour of the paradigm shift I seek, or perhaps it won't.

But I will certainly continue to pour scorn on NuLabour because ... well, do I need a reason?

Guy

[Piers]

But I will certainly continue to pour scorn on NuLabour because ... well, do I need a reason?

Guy

Mr Brown and co. give us all the reasons we could ever possibly require...!

Besides, I was half joshing. I say half, because I have two friends who have chosen to enter politics nationally (one of whom is an MP) in order to stand for their principles, and I have to say they work bloody hard for their money. Forget what you read in the Red Tops about 'expenses', being a humble back bencher is not a particularly lucrative profession, and certainly one with very few perks and very little job security!

I can only speak for the two gentlemen that I know personally, but what I see is that it's a thankless task, with appalling hours and very little reward. I certainly don't have the stomach for it !!

Felix.

[Martin]

When I see this government, or any other in the future, actually improve our lot (our being the British public), I will be the first to praise them. Until that glorious day I will exercise my free and democratic right to heckle from my armchair

Martin.

[Pete Eeles]

Until that glorious day I will exercise my free and democratic right to heckle from my armchair

You've not heard about the latest "armchair tax" planned for 2010 then?

Cheers,

- Pete