Most exploitation of geothermal energy to date has occurred in the volcanically-active regions of the world, where it has been used primarily for the production of electric power. Until recently, little attention has been paid to environmental consequences in these often remote locations and the results—though spectacular—may be unattractive. This paper is concerned more with the consequences of trying to exploit the lower grade geothermal resources found in Northern Europe and the UK and suggests that with a little care the environmental consequences of development in these areas should be negligible.