Coventry Telegraph

Farmland should be used for growing food not solar panels

- B. Arnott, Coventry.

VISITING my old home turf in north-east Warwickshi­re recently, I was saddened to see so much farmland has been covered in solar panels.

Farmers appear to be making the most of climate change alarmism - and now, electionhu­ngry politician­s’ daily virtuesign­alling - to grow a ‘crop’ that is guaranteed a good yield, courtesy of the taxpayer, who appears to have no say in the matter.

Far from saving the planet, solar farms further industrial­ise the countrysid­e, adding to the destructio­n that has already been caused over the last few decades by the building of oversized warehouses, service stations, and gigantic developmen­ts such as Magna Park on the outskirts of Lutterwort­h. Besides, solar can never meet our energy needs, and the future must lie with a mixture of nuclear and some fossil fuels.

While the Earth is undoubtedl­y experienci­ng meteorolog­ical changes, this should not be a handy excuse to further degrade an embattled bio system. Already in this part of the world - and I can speak from personal experience - a number of local extinction­s have taken place. Skylarks, yellowhamm­ers, corn buntings and lapwings were once common in the Churchover area, but can no longer be observed. Solar farms just compound this problem.

Farmland should be used for growing food, not just for ecological reasons, but also because it is the correct and logical use of soil that has sustained generation­s of human beings. If farmers cannot make a living growing crops for us to eat, then it is up to politician­s to create the financial environmen­t that will allow them to do so. Rendering green acres

devoid of wildlife just impoverish­es everyone, regardless of what the climate zealots insist is best for us.

J. Phillpott, Worcester.

Some way to go before people accept change

P. KINGS letter (CET 15th April) regarding our outdated voting system must have struck a cord with many citizens who think the UK “first past the post” leaves many, who bother to vote, with no representa­tion whatsoever.

I was an active member of the Labour Party during the Thatcher years and changing the voting system was always high on our agenda when in opposition which rapidly disappeare­d when we won the 1997 election with a massive majority. The 2011 referendum on electoral reform voted two to one against changing the system so there’s some way to go before people accept change but joining the Electoral Reform Society would be a start.

 ?? ?? The Northern Lights illuminate the sky just before midnight over St Aidan’s church in Thockringt­on, Northumber­land. Owen Humphreys/pa Wire
The Northern Lights illuminate the sky just before midnight over St Aidan’s church in Thockringt­on, Northumber­land. Owen Humphreys/pa Wire

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