DOES global climate change exist? Are we being swindled by The Guardian with tales of an iceless future, or by The Mail who triumphantly claim it’s the biggest con since the Ponzi scheme?
Does it matter?
We can argue the stats either way, throw about historical references to the Romans growing grapes in Kent, but the fact is living a greener life is better for you, your family and your future, whether you dispute its effects on the planet or not.
Money
A gas guzzling car versus a bike, free solar energy versus increasing energy bills, growing your own food versus buying it.
It’s hardly revolutionary to write about how living a sustainable life is cost effective, but many people still live beyond their means when a few simple changes could make big differences to bank balances.
There are small things like turning off switches, draft-proofing windows and taking showers instead of baths.
Then there are bigger things, like investing in renewable energy, which offers an 8-12% return-on-investment and allows you to create your own energy for free, while receiving payment from the Government.
We may think fossil fuels are cheaper than renewable sources but, as it has only been too apparent this winter, they are becoming more and more expensive, whereas the cost of renewables are dropping.
Breathing
A study ten years ago by Kings College, found the high levels of pollution meant if you spent 24 hours outdoors in a UK city, you would inhale the equivalent of 12 cigarettes.
High levels of pollution cause breathing disorders, asthma and strokes, so cutting down is not about preventing climate change, it’s about protecting our lungs, our children’s lungs and keeping our country healthy.
The fewer lung problems in the UK, the less we need to spend treating them.
Our bodies
If the prospect of tar filled lungs, ruined wildlife and a depleted bank balance isn’t enough to help you make some green changes, then perhaps vanity might.
Living a greener lifestyle is better for your body. If you swap a car journey for a bike ride or a walk, you are burning calories without even thinking about it, and the less pollution you breathe in the better your skin looks.
Our children
Of course, there is also the simple truth that fossil fuels will eventually run out, coal takes tens of millions of years to form, and we need to find another way to power our country safely and reliably.
We need to ensure the next generation has a secure energy supply, clean air to breathe and a habitat worth living in.
Serious damage
And what happens when it all goes wrong? The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 cost BP about $40bn to clean up, not to mention the terrible impact it had on the environment, fisheries and tourism in the area.
Spilled sunlight or wind cost? Zero.
