Environment

	Environmental issues are all around us. They're in our food cupboards, in our gardens, on our driveway, at our places of work and in the streets. Yet the philosophy of looking after our blessed plot of land as a long-term project seems to have disappeared.
Our aim is to not just to provide a selection of quick fixes for current issues, but to provide the framework for a greener Britain, and educate future generations on the importance of their environment.
Topic Links www.saveenergy.co.uk
Our policies 1. Building a self-sufficient Britain. Energy is a fundamental part of life and our economy, but with our own oil, gas and coal reserves in rapid decline it is essential that we become independent of this type of natural resource. We plan to increase funding for research and invest in reliable renewable fuel sources, with a view to reducing Britain's dependency on expensive imported oil, gas and coal. Britain led the world by creating an entirely new industry to extract fossil fuels from beneath the sea. As that industry dwindles, we now have the chance to apply similar levels of investment and determination to gathering vast amounts of energy from the marine environment itself. The UK is uniquely placed to become self-sufficient in energy by exploiting deep sea wet renewables - a combination of offshore wind, wave and tidal power generation, developed to an unprecedented extent. We will aim to exploit the opportunity to build a new British offshore energy industry, on a scale at least as great as the development of oil and gas fields in the North Sea during the 1960s and 1970s. The difference is that wet renewable technologies will tap into power reserves which are inexhaustible and create virtually zero emissions. Unlimited, clean power is simply there for the taking.
2. A sensible solution. In order to achieve our aims above, we need to be realistic about Britain's energy requirements in the short-term. Therefore we will give consideration to building more nuclear power stations based on the passively safe design of nuclear reactor. Passively safe is a form of nuclear reactor that does not require operator action in order to shut down safely in the event of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) or other emergency. Some such reactors use the laws of physics to keep the nuclear reaction under control rather than engineered safety systems. Lately, there has been renewed interest in nuclear energy from national governments, the public, and some notable environmentalists due to increased oil prices, new passively safe designs of plants, and the low emission rate of greenhouse gas which will help the UK meet the standards of the Kyoto Protocol.
3. Green transport, not green taxation. We will offer incentives in the form of generous subsidies to people and businesses who invest in vehicles which utilise greener fuels. We will also aim to promote growth in this market by introducing wholesale deregulation, making it much easier and more profitable to buy and sell environmentally sound vehicles to end users. In addition to this we will fund government research into more efficient green engines, which will be more suitable to the British market. In accordance with our environmental aims we will not drop current fuel prices, as in doing so we would be contradicting our own policies. >>> What are Green Fuels?
4. No GM crops. No untested additives. Everyone has the right to enjoy a safe, healthy, balanced diet and we believe that it is the responsibility of the Government to secure this right. Our policy to leave the EU will make this possible, as it will free us from the diktat of the European Commission, which has been forcing GM crops into Europe over the heads of its member states. In addition to keeping Britain GM free we intend to restrict the widespread use of chemical additives in food, and we will ban any additives under a toxicological cloud pending a thorough review of their safety. Aspartame for example has been the subject of a vigorous public controversy regarding its safety and the circumstances around its approval. A few studies have also recommended further investigation into possible connections between aspartame and diseases such as brain tumours, brain lesions, and lymphoma.
5. Environmental education. We believe that developing a sound educational strategy is a vital part of raising environmental awareness. At present environmental education - a cross-curricular topic - is heavily balkanised and we would like to ensure that this is harmonised to create a far more cohesive layout. Our aim is to educate children about the importance of subjects such as energy conservation in the home, at school, in transport, and in commerce and industry. They will learn about recycling, renewable energy and fuels, and even waste management.