Our Climate, Our Challenge
This beautiful wind-turbine was built between 1974 and 1976 by the teachers of the schools in Tvind near Holstebro in Denmark. The building work was done together with a group of volunteers who were all passionate about showing that wind energy was part of the future – a renewable energy source. TVIND CRAFT showed the way forward. It was innovative and it was courageous. It was the first of its kind constructed by a group of volunteers and, 42 years later, it is still working. TVINDCRAFT – AN EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE POWER!
“How could we build what was then the world’s largest wind turbine—a machine that has operated for over four decades and remains in service to this day—when Boeing, Westinghouse, General Electric, Hamilton Standard, Kaman, Messerschmidt-Bölkow-Blohm, MAN and others had failed at that time with their turbines dismantled and sold for scrap?”
We could achieve it because our motivation was much greater than profiteering. The Tvindkraft success contains purpose, and autonomy.
I was part of this group of volunteers, and it was the start of a life where I have used my work and energy to raise funds combating global warming and climate change and standing shoulder to shoulder with the poor in the developing world, who are always the ones who suffer the most.
Today I work as part of the management team in Planet Aid UK. We raise funds by collecting used clothing. As a social enterprise all our surplus is used for the purpose: combating climate change and working together with people in the poorest parts of the world.
We are part of a worldwide NGO, Humana People to People, active in 45 countries within teaching, health care and food security. For many years combating climate change has been one of our main focuses.
You can read more at www.humana.org and www.tvindkraft.dk
When I drive through the landscape of the UK and in Europe seeing the growing number of wind turbines turning and producing energy, makes me feel proud and happy to be part of this movement.
I want to say to all of you young people, who go on strike on Fridays, ‘Thank you for demonstrating’ and ‘Thank You’ to Greta Thunberg who stood firm and did what she believed in.
This is the most important movement ever, which is now growing all over the world and it will not stop!
40 years ago we were up against the authorities, the government, and the big businesses who wanted to build nuclear power stations in Denmark.
THEY DID NOT SUCCEED.
Torben Soe
You are welcome to contact me:
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
