Our concerns should come from common good

UNDERSTANDABLY residents of this and many other areas of the country are concerned when they come up against new and at times innovative projects that are designed to reduce the country’s dependency on fossil fuels for our energy.

In many cases the residents express that concern by raising formal objections with the planners to such projects.

In some cases these objections are perfectly valid and deserve to be fully examined and addressed by the planners and developers before an adjudication is made.

Inevitably some objectors are singled out for criticism by those who should know better, for the reality is that we are all in favour of any project that may be seen as intrusive as long as it is not on our doorstep.

This applies with the erection of wind turbines both on land and in the sea, solar energy projects and most likely energy saving projects that are still in development.

Of course we can’t have it both ways for we all know that we have to dramatic reduce or carbon footprint to redress the environmental catastrophe that is looming.

Increasingly we see incidents of climate change in our own country with wetter winters resulting in extensive flooding and warmer summers, but we are fortunate in that we do not experience such dramatic extremes of climate change as many other third world countries.

That does not excuse us from playing our part in helping to reduce our carbon footprint for we all have a responsibility in

IN LOUTH WITH A LENGTHY COASTLINE AND THE COOLEY MOUNTAINS CAN EXPECT MORE ENERGY SAVING PROJECTS TO BE MOOTED

this regard.

We here in Louth with a lengthy coastline and the Cooley mountains can expect more energy saving projects to be mooted in the coming years.

Our approach to these projects should be based on reason and the common good, for once the genuine concerns of objectors are given proper consideration, we must be prepared to live with some inconvenience or perhaps a blight on our landscape to play our part in protecting our cherished way of life for our children and children’s children.