November 2nd 2008

Dear Sir or Madam,

When the bosses of Robin Hood Airport say their expansion plans will not be affected by the credit crunch (Star 31st October) they are missing the
point. They can have all the sunny daydreams they want for what will happen in 2030. By 2030 the oil will be running out and international air travel will be for the privaledged few, limited further due to the need to reduce climate change. Their rosy forecasts of x million travellers by 2016 and y million travellers by 2030 are the same sort that landed us with a trillion dollar debt explosion and a world economy that has tanked.

What is needed is investment in sustainable, local businesses that will see us to 2300, never mind 2030. What is needed is a change of mindset from the same old "boom boom boom" mentality that thinks the world can somehow always get more more more without any drawbacks. Tomorrows flourishing businesses are the ones that see todays challenges and work with them, not cover their eyes and ears and carry on regardless into the blue yonder.

Yours faithfully,

Jason Leman
Sheffield Green Party