Maidstone Goes Green

Letter in the Kent Messenger (4th July 2008)

Dear Editor,

It was great to see the coverage of Maidstone Goes Green in last week's KM, especially along side the figures for car journeys in and out of the town.

With climate change meaning that this year ships will be able to sail to the north pole for the first time, and with fuel and food prices hitting all time highs, going green is essential. As the credit crunch and oil prices bite pushing the economy into recession, going green will help us cope with the increasing demands on our cash by reducing our consumption, however, what is essential is radical action by government to help us make these changes.

The phenomenal amount of journeys noted in the KM demonstrate this clearly. Over half a million car journeys in and out of Maidstone each week plus hundreds of thousands more around Maidstone suggests that we have a very long way to go before we become green.

Sadly in this country, society has been built around the car making it essential for everyday life. Until we begin to make services, jobs and entertainment closer to where we live and begin to provide cheap, reliable and convenient public transport, no amount of recycling and carrier bag avoidance will make an impact.

It is time for the ruling politicians to make it easy to go green. This will not only reduce our impact on the planet but will help us avoid the worst of the credit crunch and the rising cost of energy.

Stuart Jeffery
Green Party parliamentary candidate for Maidstone