LETTER: Green holidays

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 24th May 2005

Andrew Dakers (Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth) with Mike Cox (Parlimentary Spokesperson for Hillingdon) and Sally Hamwee (London Assembly Member) at the protest outside the CBI in London

Dear Editor, Yesterday morning I found myself once again pounding the streets campaigning for a sustainable economy and use of our environment resources. With fellow Liberal Democrats, Sally Hamwee (London Assembly member), Mike Cox (Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson in Hillingdon) and Sarah Ludford (MEP), I was supporting the protest against a third runway and the new lobby group Future Heathrow. Disappointingly Clive Soley (former Labour MP and now Lord) has decided to take up the role of Campaigns Director for this organisation. Some have accused him of selling out -- I just see a complete lack of vision or understanding of the fragility of our planet.

What we now required to address the challenge of future growth of Heathrow is: 1) recognition by government that our local economy can develop without being entirely dependent on Heathrow airport; and 2) tough decisions in our personal lives. A local economy dependent on Heathrow will be less resilient to future recessions, increases in oil prices or changes in the way business is done internationally (for example video conferencing further establishing itself). So why not instead invest in diversifying the local economy?

In Brentford, Chiswick, Hounslow & Isleworth many of us will have taken cheap flights. A practical step we can all consider is first of all off-setting our CO2 emissions through organisations like www.futureforests.com who are planting forests (carbon sinks) to compensate for the emissions we all generate in our lives. A second more radical step of course will be to start taking more holidays in the UK. Whilst I believe international travel is a great way to discover and understand the planet we live on, this must be balanced with the environmental impacts we generate. This is why when I take my first break after the election campaign I will be heading north to Manchester and Newcastle to spend a long weekend exploring these great British cities.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Dakers

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth