I’m very keen on sustainable living and protecting the planet, but I’m wondering if there is a more radical Green agenda afoot nationally than just what is happening with Edinburgh City Council as per Jill Stephenson’s letter (5 June).
Look at the evidence: tourism minister scrapped, ferries to the islands in chaos, accommodation licences and tourism taxes to be imposed, persistently failing to dual the A9, and now marine protected areas to be enforced. In addition, a vegan agenda (and I speak as a non-meat eater) pushed when most farmers in the Highlands and Islands rear cattle and sheep – are they expected to grow avocados?
One more issue will be the coming ban on the sale or renting of properties falling below a C-rated energy efficiency, huge numbers are in rural areas. This list goes on.
While a few of these proposals, such as tourist tax, have merit and issues like energy efficiency need to be addressed, taken together it seems like a relentless assault on rural and remote areas, and indeed, ordinary people throughout Scotland, as many city dwellers value and cherish the Highlands and Islands equally as those in residence.
Perhaps the aim is to force us all into Green Party utopian city-based 20-minute communities and re-wild the whole of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland or cover them completely in wind turbines.
Lorna Thorpe, Alyth, Perth and Kinross
0 Comments