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I’ve been pondering on recent questions posed in discussions with some friends … “What can Hastings and St. Leonards-on-Sea do to meet the 21st Century head-on” ... “How will we be perceived in ten years from now—will our major assets still be our heritage or would it be worth embracing a broad philosophy of ‘sustainability’ and exploring the possibilities for our future inherent in that route?”

Even with recent news that domestic UK energy bills could rise by 60% by 2016 (in a worst-case scenario identified by the energy regulator), and that there is a “significant risk” that global oil production could begin to decline in the next decade … most of the ideas we’ve discussed to date present many obstacles for “St.Hastings” local authorities that would need to be addressed with some urgency and passion!—and in recent discussions the issues associated with these “large systems integrated” sustainable ideas seemed almost insurmountable …

… however, when discussing these “obstacles to progress” with another “environmentalist” friend, he responded by sending me details about a Malawian boy (William Kamkwamba) who used junkyard parts to build windmills to generate electricity for his village.

In William’s book he said: “A windmill meant more than just power—it was freedom”. Only two percent of Malawians have electricity, and the service is notoriously unreliable. William decided an electric windmill was something he wanted to make. Illuminating his house and the other houses in his village would mean that people could read at night after work. A windmill to pump water would mean that they could grow two crops a year rather than one, grow vegetable gardens, and not have to spend two hours a day hauling water.

So I’m still wondering what we could achieve if we set our minds to a broad philosophy of “sustainability” and just got on with it? | Top |