At times I’m annoyed about having to put up with all these environmentalists and their strident proselytizing. Then I think about the fact that most of my ancestors in Britain probably had to put up with deranged religious enthusiasts of one sort or another, and even religious wars. Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.

I now look on phenomena such as urban tramcar systems and wind farms as today’s version of medieval cathedrals. Their lack of value from an economic point of view is beside the point. They are primarily monuments to a faith.