IT is good to see Barrow moving with the times by making an electric charging point available for motorists.

But elsewhere, these have been commonplace for years so there’s little doubt the town looks slow out of the starting blocks on this issue.

Barrow Borough Council is in the running for a significant grant to introduce more carbon-reducing schemes, but don’t bet on a mass climate conversion overnight.

As wholesome and worthy as these efforts are, many would point to other pressing problems we need to address.

Something is going on with our weather and our creaking drainage infrastructure - just ask the flooded people of Millom and Haverigg.

They would say “sort that first,” and they would be right.

Some people genuinely need a car and couldn’t afford an electric one, even if they wanted.

Others don’t put the heating on in winter because they can’t afford it, not because they have a choice over energy consumption.

The debate has veered very close to unrealistic guilt-tripping rather than proposing genuine ideas which allow those of all financial circumstances to contribute.

If we’re not careful, there’s a danger that carbon reduction becomes brownie points for the wealthy that the less well off cannot afford.