Valuing our Environment

We are privileged to live in a beautiful county BUT in a country which is very London-centric. The COVID19 pandemic has proved our economic vulnerability on hospitality which has proven to be a threat to so many businesses, individuals, families and communities. We now face real pressures on all public services as the lockdown is relaxed: transport, policing, and in particular health provision as we face a possible increase in infections in the far south-west.

We really must argue for better public services and employment opportunities for local people, but do this with sustainability in mind. Rural poverty is hidden from public view, and education will be the key to creating a newer, cleaner and more sustainable economy for Cornwall. Fairness is an important part of this and the injustice of loading the cost for water, sewerage and beaches onto local people needs to be addressed, as does the issue of local people being able to move around the county. None of this is new - but if our local economy is to thrive we need infrastructure that is fit for purpose and does not unnecessarily burden local people financially.

Eden has produced the most wonderful example of a business that showcases environmental issues - we should aim to make Cornwall the 'Eden of England' with extensive attention being paid to rural sustainability: that is clean water, clean food, clean energy and extensive bio-diversity. The Duke of Cornwall has long argued for this approach and the Duchy business model is likely to be attractive to overseas visitors - but perhaps more importantly with an environmental vision for Cornwall as the 'Eden of England' we could have a very powerful advocate for building a county around bio-diversity and sustainable living - BUT only if we can access our fair share of public infrastructure investment. Visitor centres and educational facilities; children engaged in environmental education etc. We have started to pay attention to when hedgerows and verges are cut to increase bio-diversity etc but without libraries, education for sustainability, major changes in our approach to human and ecological diversity - nothing is likely to change. It is time to put Cornwall first and for us to lead the way in encouraging local provision for recycling, water saving and everything sustainable. Lets value what we have - encourage all the keen gardeners by putting in place a major plan for bio-diversity etc. We MUST start by challenging the idea that any child should go hungry and use our best asset to find innovative ways of growing food in community gardens etc. Every child in our county should matter, every person, every bee, every tree (enough said for now I think)