My moan of the week - 14 July 2007

Damp, positively wet in places and damn expensive. That's how I'd describe the UK these days.

OK, what link you may ask. Something I was talking about with my partner last night - that's what. We get taxed on this, taxed on that, blamed for all the things wrong with the climate, smokers, drivers, industry, commerce, leisure - it's all taxed and the claims that the reasons for this tax is to 'help the environment' Blah!!!!

The earth is evolving. The population is increasing. We are belching carbon monoxide into the atmosphere at a phenominal rate. All this to live.

I'm not an earth warrior, but am becoming increasingly political as I get older, or maybe just as my country becomes more intolerable to 'live' in.

The industrial revolution took place in England almost 2 centuries ago (correct me if I'm wrong there), and we've been developing technology to 'improve' life ever since. From manufacturing and construction, to transport and leisure - all positive industries that have improved our day to day life. Technology came along to enhance each of those with computerised manufacturing, automated transportation and the world of iT in leisure. But all this is shifting the balance of nature. All these man made things are affecting the natural balance of our planet. So, the fix, as the government sees it is to tax us. Raise prices. Make it more expensive to 'enjoy' the technology that WE have invented.

Animals are evolving. You get wild animals in urban areas now. Urbanised animals are seen as 'affected by man'. We have changed this planet. We have 'destroyed' it. Hang on, haven't we improved technology to improve our lives? Why should the people of the planet be taxed for the way our governments have squandered our money in their attempt to improve our lives. Why are we blamed for advancing our existence.

Invent the internal combustion engine, then make us pay hand over fist to enjoy it. Tax the fuel to run it. Tax the purchase of the vehicle itself. Tax the use of the vehicle on the road. Tax us again to use it on specific roads (tolls). Fine us for using it when we most need to (congestion charge). Tell us when and where we may use it, how fast we may drive it - what's next - how often we may start the engine.

Not just cars of course. All motor vehicles from agriculture to aeroplanes and motorbikes to ocean liners. Taxed and taxed and taxed again, because they belch atmosphere killing gases into the air, killing us, the flora and fauna, the very planet at the same time. The fix is to tax us? What BLAH!

If we have the technology to create these things in our 21st century world, then surely we have the technology to adapt. Fuels that don't emit the damaging gases or other residue into the environment. Ways to enjoy our life as we have created it without penalty. They say leisure is the new industry, but with all this tax on everything we do, there's no money or time left to enjoy this 'leisure'.

It's a 21st century world, let's apply the technology we have gained since the industrial revolution to fix what we have destroyed and adapt to what can be changed.

Surely, we, the 21st century human race, have the ability to enjoy our existence. Use the technology we have created to better our planet. Look forward, not back. Create new. What's gone is gone, but if we have done all this and nature is no longer in control, we must replace that control with our own intervention.

Climate change is natural. We have merely enhanced it, for good or bad, but surely we have the power and knowledge, technology and ability to create the fixes we need to create. It's the 21st century. Why are we still in the dark ages when it comes to running UK PLC.