THE tragedy that ran its course in the flooded counties of the South Midlands forms the greatest warning we have had in this country, though not in the world, regarding the inadvertent tampering with nature which our lifestyle represents. We have taken trillions of tonnes of carbon from where it was stored since long before animal life become dominant on the planet and dumped it back into the atmosphere. So we have global warming, climate change and the predicted bizarre and destructive weather. It is no comfort that many other regions around the world have experienced similar or far worse problems this year. Added to the direct problems of the flood, food production for us all is being hit all over the country and, indeed, the Continent, so food prices will be increasing as supplies fall. This stands as a further testament to our vulnerability and lack of integration between the natural (real) world and our material expectations. Gordon Brown and his political colleagues in all parties must stand back in ?shock and awe? and realise that the age of free disposal of carbon must end and that carbon rationing, first here then around the world could offer solutions for our sustainability (survivability) as well as our quality of life. To that end the future should be planned to strengthen local communities? ability to meet their own needs in terms of food, energy and transport. The measure of success must be the dramatic reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that the Government?s own advisers have strongly recommended, though which are yet to make a visible difference on the ground. That difference would mean fewer cars, chainsaws, cows, less air travel and less unrealistic long-term material expectations. The flip side of that would be better local communities, reforestation, better diets and stronger local economies. We can and should design a better society. Security for our children should override all other aspirations. The industrial revolution has, over the last two centuries, disconnected us from some of the harsh realities of nature as well as its beauty. However, that disconnection was always an illusion as the unfortunate people near some of our great rivers have realised. Dr Colin Bannon Stokehill Lane Crapstone