Clown Alan's energy gags are no joke

WITH reference to Alan Cookman's article 'Student power could become reality – with a treadmill' (Sentinel, November 17), regarding Keele University's sustainable energy plans.

Very funny, Mr Cookman, but it is ill-informed clowns like you that prevent people who know what is really going on in the world.

Not only is there climate change to worry about but also, the deeper worry of oil and gas running out, it is called Peak Oil and is known to the Government who have seen fit to keep the public in the dark about it. It will mean that communities will have to learn to live in a more local and self-sufficient way.

The magic date of 2013 keeps being bandied about for oil descent to have reached an all-time low, but who knows what is round the corner? We could be using oil and gas much faster than predicted and what would happen if we suddenly found ourselves without any fuel or power tomorrow morning?

Luckily, people throughout the world are working towards protecting themselves. It is our duty to start to produce our own electricity and hot water, to live and work locally and to become able to be our own bosses and run our lives as a community. A movement called Transition Towns is rapidly gaining momentum here in Britain, at Totnes in Devon, Lewes in Sussex, and Leek and Stafford.

More locally, we have started to form a Wolstanton/Porthill Transition Village. We, at least, will be prepared when something happens.

I say go for it Keele. Let's see who has the last laugh. Wind turbines, like electricity pylons, will be part of the countryside, and they will have to be or we will be in dire straits. Councils and the Government will have to change planning laws once again to make sure we are not left behind in the energy generation stakes. Changes will have to come if this planet is to survive.

ANN BEIRNE Wolstanton