District Environment Officer

President Ewen Allan welcomed members and Presidents of other local Rotary clubs who were having a regular meeting later, at the Club's weekly meeting in the Best Western Scores Hotel. Arrangements for the Club's Polio Day coffee and soup event in Holy Trinity Church on Saturday 18th February were being finalised and it was hoped to have a good public support. The evening's speaker was Malcolm Rooney from Kirriemuir Rotary Club who is the District's environmental officer. He gave a very interesting and thought provoking talk instancing rising temperatures as a global challenge with causes such as pollution, drought, burning fields, deforestation and surface mountain top mining. Locally it is a challenge for the Scottish Government with warnings of increased rainfall affecting agricultural and forestry productivity. Drought situations can cause increased diseases. Sea levels could be affected by arctic ice melts which could cause a decrease in sea salinity, affecting the Gulf Stream which in turn could have a serious effect on our climate. St Andrews University has identified local situations which are causing infrastructure problems. Simple things like mono blocking drives can lead to blocked drains as rainwater is not being absorbed into the ground. Malcolm reminded us that we all have a responsibility to look after our environment for the future through a change of mind and thought and it is encouraging to see more Green Flag schools being created. Brian Gray expressed the Club's thanks for an excellent presentation.