Community Fuels
of the future Fuels
of the future We
all need electricity. Most electricity generation in the However,
the Early
efforts to expand the renewable sector were hampered by
poor planning guidance, uncertainty for investors and
problems with the National Grid. Since 2002, with
increasing worries about climate change, the economics of
renewables have improved and the sector is forging ahead. Following
successful pilot projects, onshore and offshore wind
farms are multiplying. Most solar projects have so far
been small-scale but there is great potential for
integrating solar into domestic housing. Looking to the
future, there will be huge potential for wave and tidal
power generation, with Government support through a
scheme called the Marine Renewables Challenge. Another
promising source of ‘clean’ energy is biomass,
which creates heat, electricity and biogas from organic
waste. All
suppliers of electricity are now obliged by law, under
the Renewables Obligation, to obtain ten per cent of
their electricity from renewable sources by 2010 (and
higher percentages after that). While
we should all still continue to do our best to save
energy (installing low-energy light bulbs is one small
step we can take at home), it may be that efforts to deal
with global warming need not necessarily mean drastic
cuts in living standards. Faith
And Values In Our Schools A hot
topic at present is the extent to which the State should
support ‘faith’ schools in the Christians
can be justly proud of the good record of church-sponsored
schools – for example, in terms of academic success
and parental involvement. However, those who do not want
to see an expansion of the sector hold that while it is
rooted in good intent, there are dangers. At a time when
terrorists are hi-jacking the name of Islam, people worry
in particular about Muslim schools being infiltrated by
extremists for their own purposes. “The
problem with faith schools is not their purpose but their
consequences,” said Rabbi Jonathan Romain [writing
recently in The Times]. “They may be designed to
inculcate religious values, but they result in religious
ghettos, which can destabilise the social health of the
country at large.” Of
course, many faith schools try to reach out to the wider
community -- but also segregate Jewish, Muslim or
Catholic children, who then grow up in what Rabbi Romain
calls an educational apartheid system. Lack of contact
can lead to ignorance of each other, which breeds
suspicion and even hostility. Parents are affected, too,
as they are denied opportunities to form friendships with
mothers and fathers from other traditions in the way they
would where they meet at the school gate. Think of what
has happened in Perhaps
the solution is to encourage more schools that are cross-religious
and inclusive, where faith is taken seriously but where
no one tradition is assumed to have more of the truth
than other noble traditions? The tradition and values of
a particular community can be imparted mainly in the home. 2005
- an epic sporting year Stuart
Weir of Christians in Sport looks back on the highlights As
2005 comes to an end we can reflect on what a magnificent
sporting year it has been. Whether as players, spectators
or even armchair TV viewers, there has been a lot to
celebrate. The
emergence of In
tennis Roger Federer continues to set new standards.
Andre Agassi says Federer is the best player he has ever
seen – and he has seen a few. The emergence of
Andrew Murray has been a breath of fresh air for tennis
in the For
most people the highlight of the year was The
announcement that As
Christians we believe that sport is part of God’s
creation, something to be enjoyed as we honour the
creator who has given us bodies to compete and enjoy
sport. Sport is also a wonderful way of making friends
and sharing with them the good news of Jesus. Stuart
Weir of Christians in Sport; www. christiansinsport.org.uk Help
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