“Biblical,” “monsoon,” “rivers in the streets”: just some descriptions of last week’s flooding, but I’m sure we all agree they were worst that many have seen in a very long time.

But maybe we should take such a cataclysmic deluge as a sign that we really need to take stock of our environment.

First of all, if the concrete streets around the Moor can funnel 28mm of rain into a three foot flood, perhaps our planners should wonder what will happen if we concrete over large swathes of our green hillsides to make way for monster developments above current houses, such as in College Valley or at Treluswell? 

Perhaps instead of celebrating 800 years the citizens of Penryn should be preparing an ark?

More pressing for all of the UK, the planet, and especially coastal regions like ours, we should be looking at how our behaviour affects our climate, and what we can do to change that.

As the polar ice caps shrink to the second-lowest ever summer coverage, we should consider what lifestyle choices we could make to halt what the world is slowly recognising is the biggest threat to us all: global warming.

Instead of worrying about wind turbines, can’t we embrace their Tellytubby charm? Instead of bemoaning ‘bike lanes for students,’ why not hop in the saddle yourself? And Cornwall Council, how about real green transport policy, not just lip service? While you’re at it, tell GWR to get real with their prices.