Dear Dr. Avery
While it is undoubtedly the case that lead is a “bad thing” in general I have one good example of where the removal of significant amounts of lead from the environment has led to some very unwelcome environmental harm locally.
For several years now, following the purchase of our home here in Tunbridge Wells, we have used a large lump of lead, presumably left over from some past building project, as a door-stop holding open the gate to the snicket (or twitten in your part of the world perhaps?) down the side of our house. It was fashioned by myself a few years ago into a rather fine green man face, though this had slumped into an ugly toad-faced gargoyle of late. It still held the gate open effectively, though with less evidence of my talent as an artist.
Having resolved, as a result of misguided information from, amongst many others, yourself, on the importance of removing lead from the environment, I finally found time and inclination to take the lump of lead, weighing some 2 kilos, to the recycling centre, where it was was efficiently and effectively recycled (perhaps into something useful, like lead shot for the control of harriers and other vermin?).
Within two nights, a storm whipped up in these parts, and without the restraining benefit of the lead gargoyle…the gate was whisked off its hinges whereupon it has scratched into my wife’s car, leaving me out of pocket and with, I hope, only temporary withdrawal of marital privileges.
I remain, Sir, unconvinced of the need to remove lead from the environment as this is likely to be only one of the many unforeseen consequences of its withdrawal from service
Yrs in high dudgeon,
[registration_form]
Ok, so somebody is going to have to explain to me the 7 dislikes. It’s humorous, tongue in cheek, witty, playful, get it!
Is it the fact that he turned into the green man, a pagan symbol, that you don’t like?
Is it the fact that his wife turned into a toad face? (Ok, I may have that bit wrong).
Tell me. Explain to me. 7 dislikes?
Ah, but you were in denial that non-toxic alternatives like brick or stone actually work with less harm to the environment yet would still be in keeping with the rich cultural tradition of you building and not causing utter collapse of the rural economy. You could even commission a talented stone mason to carve one in the shape of a Hen Harrier.
Dear Anonymous
I am sorry to hear about the misfortunes that have befallen you since doing what you thought to be ‘the right thing’ and sending your lead gate-stopper to the recycling plant. However, I think you are mistaken in characterizing this unhappy (for you) sequence of events as ‘unforeseen consequences’. On the contrary, the disposal of your lead weight has, as intended, yielded immediate environmental benefits: first, your wife’s car, having presumably been taken to a body-shop for repair, will be off the roads for several days and therefore not contributing to emissions of NOx, particulates and other air pollutants in the Tunbridge Wells area. Secondly, the withdrawal of marital privileges that you refer to will prevent you – for the duration of this privation – from adding to the over-population of the World.
Of course these consequences of your actions will only bring temporary respite to the environment but it is to be hoped that further refinement of the campaign for removal of lead from the environment will yield more long lasting beneficial effects.
Meanwhile I hope that you can take solace from the fact that although your noble act has come at some personal cost it has made the world a slightly better place.
Not long until April 1 . . .
Dear Anonymous of Tunbridge Wells,
It is, perhaps, a measure of how far this great nation of ours has fallen since the heady days of Empire that you seem not to be disgusted by the events you describe ….
I’ve never been to High Dudgeon, is it near Tunbridge Wells?
Should have taken a lump of lead to a scrap metal merchant rather than a recycling centre. You’d have got a whole shiny pound, maybe even £1.50, for a two kilo lump.
I assume that is the price for processed lead? Any idea of the price of galena? We in the caving club are always helping to remove it from the environment when visiting the old mines by putting it some unsuspecting colluege’s bag.
Whatever you can get for a lump of it on ebay will be what it is worth, I suspect. Either that or it is worth the price of a pint which you buy for that colleague to show no need for hard feelings for the prank. In some areas of the country that could run to quite a price, or so I’m told. I’m only know the rough value of old lead flashing and similar.
Why do you know the value of old lead flashing? Hand yourself in.