I was on Church Street today, minding my own business, as I do, when some school-kids with a camera and a microphone asked if they could interview me.
Because I am nice, I said yes and and asked them what it was about.
With camera rolling, the interviewer told me that Hackney Council is proposing putting – wait for it – wind turbines on Hackney Marshes and was asked, “what’s more important, football or the environment”?
Because I’m not rude and don’t swear in front of young people, I did not ask which brainiac came up with the ridiculous idea that wind turbines will “save the environment” and which dumbass thinks it’s a brilliant idea to ruin football on the Marshes for a fricking publicity stunt?
Hey, I’m all for alternative energy – and I do get that we need to conserve resources and limit the pollution we create. I also however get that wind farms belong in isolated areas and not the inner city. If they must be in the inner city, can’t you find some disused brownfield site rather than spoiling the one green space they have to play football and learn teamwork and discipline?!
Let’s look at Hackney Council’s reasons “for”. Firstly, they say, “if the 120 metre high turbine goes ahead, it will offer Hackney the opportunity to buy green energy for up to 25 years, cutting carbon emissions significantly and potentially saving money. The Council could also receive rent for the land the turbine would sit on, which could be invested in sports and playing facilities on the Marshes”.
Hummm,they could also save money by not pouring millions of pounds down the pan “project managing” Clissold Leisure Centre and Park…
Notice that Hackney, “will have the opportunity to buy green energy“. Not get free green energy, merely have the “option to buy”. Hello, are you telling me they don’t have the option to buy green energy now? Bullshit.
As for Hackney Council’s brilliant negotiating skills and “getting rent”, we need only look to the Clissold Leisure Centre and ITNet before that to see those razor-sharp skills in action. Utter fucking fiasco.
As for the second reason, “the ODA is already going ahead with one wind turbine on Eton Manor in the neighbouring borough of Waltham Forest. If a turbine was built on East Marsh, the two together could generate enough green electricity to power Hackney¹s street lighting at night and all the main Council buildings by day”.
Oh, one’s going up in Waltham Forest anyways, so we might as well have one too? As for “the two together could generate enough green energy to power Hackney’s street lighting all night and the main council buildings by day” – yes, they could. They could provide the green energy IF WE PAY FOR IT. [not to mention that the energy generated isn't earmarked to light up Hackney - just that it could generate enough to light up Hackney]
Hackney Council propose to spoil Hackney Marshes in return for a nominal rent from the turbine owner and the opportunity to BUY energy from that owner. Brilliant.
Thanks, but no thanks, Jules: you’ve done enough already.
Yet again, Hackney Council’s going to get turned over by disingenuous morons who couldn’t run a bath.
