May I offer some words of comfort to Frank Keightley about the future of living our diesel guzzling, smoke polluting lifestyles (Letters, 23 February). As the 40% funding cut from government is likely to impact the basic maintenance of our canals and towpaths, many of us boaters will be forced to conclude our time afloat due to these costs being passed on to the boat owners, with unaffordable increases to the annual licence we pay. Obviously, this will be good news to those who enjoy walking or cycling the towpaths without our smelly old boats ruining their experience, but once funding cuts have taken effect, I’d suggest that Frank and his chums carry some cutting gear on their days out to hack a way through the undergrowth.
Frank Keightley raises the potential pollution problem caused by canal boat users. Not to worry – I have the answer, with multiple benefits. First, instead of using nasty diesel, propel the boats using shire horses or Suffolk punches. Among the benefits of this will be reviving endangered species, lowering unemployment (more blacksmiths needed), and reviving canalside pubs. Then there is the added benefit for users of the boats. They don’t take the horses through tunnels, so those sunbathing on the tops of the boats can leg the boats through the tunnels (walking their feet along the roof). Just think how fit they’ll get. Then there is the added benefit of gathering the horse droppings … a boon for organic gardening.
Even factoring in woodburning of locally collected timber and the use of diesel engines to move around and fuel the basics, people on narrowboats live lightly on this planet without the high carbon levels embodied in bricks and mortar, and high energy usage needed to keep houses and apartments running. Words of advice? I suggest, don’t mock people trying to do the right thing, and words of comfort for canal boat owners, if needed, would be to carry on in the knowledge you are still way greener than most of us landlubbers.