In defence of insulation and food growing

Nearly 300 people have been to see the Camden Eco House at 17 St Augustine’s Rd since it was finished in July. That shows how much interest there is in low carbon exemplars and how right we were to create this one. It’s a real shame therefore that Mike Wells, writing in last week's Camden new Journal, was so determined to be negative about it. What’s more many of his claims are simply plain wrong. For example, no Camden money was spent on the eco measures. Our extremely imaginative Housing Officers brought in outside funds to pay for the eco work. In my opinion the Camden Eco House is a huge success story. It proves that installing something as simple as insulation can bring massive gains in terms of reduced carbon emissions. The Lib Dem-led administration is now working on measures to insulate all Council homes and to encourage owner occupiers and private landlords to install insulation.

Personally I’d like to see an Eco House in every ward so that residents can see what’s possible. In due course we’ll be opening a Camden Eco Centre to showcase things we can do to reduce our impact on the environment. In the mean time I encourage as many of you as possible to go along to St Augustine’s Road. It’s open every Sunday from 2-5pm until October.

As for ex-Belsize councillor Jonny Bucknell, writing in the same edition about “eco follies” such as local food growing proposed by the all-party Camden Council Sustainability Task Force – all I can say is that he needs to get out more and talk to residents. The waiting list for allotments in Camden is now 12 years. I have been inundated with emails and calls from residents either wanting to grow food or supporting our proposals. With food prices rising because we’ve reached the end of the era of cheap oil it makes sense for us all to try to grow some of our own food and cut our bills. It also makes sense in terms of reducing our carbon emissions and combating climate change. But then Mr Bucknell doesn’t believe in manmade climate change – he thinks the world is heating up because of sunspots.

I say to Conservatives like Mr Bucknell – you can believe whatever you want, that climate change is caused by solar activity, that scientists will ride to our rescue, that someone, maybe Boris Johnson, will think of something. To me that smacks of fiddling while London burns. If I’m right and you’re wrong, and you advocated doing nothing… well, personally, I don’t think it’s a risk worth taking. That’s why I and the Lib Dems in this administration are fighting hard to bring in measures to reduce carbon emissions such as the installation of insulation in all homes and the introduction of food growing sites wherever possible, both policies which will also help to reduce household bills.