Take out your Hob Nail Boots

Greenies beware. A paradigm shift is taking place in Australia.

Over the last couple of years quiet and no so quiet changes have been taking place in many States and Federal Realms. More are planned.

Greenies need to unite and take out those boots 'mean't for walking'. Now is the time to start protesting loudly, effectively and clearly against:

1. Taxing the Sun : sign Solar Citizens Petition and email your local State and Federal Members.



2. Protest against removal of Environmental impact review by the Federal Government. See the Conversation's article here on the current patchwork of laws.
Our environment has been subjected to so much already. Watch carefully.

3. Fracking  & Coal Seam Gas - Victoria's moratorium is to be ? reviewed, ? removed? Just what will happen. A Watch and Alert notice here.

Unhappy Koala

Happy Koala

4. ACF Infographic on various environmental views held by the parties at the recent Federal election




4. National Park development : Read the Guidelines for Tourism Investment Opportunities of Significance
in Victoria's National Parks! Is Cattle Grazing considered here as well?


Time for some Halloween Candy perhaps??

Give and Take : Household Budget Roundabout

Recent media reports are suggesting housholders may receive a savings of $550 on their electricity bills as a result of the probable repeal of the Carbon Tax.
This is more than my actual calculated cost of the Carbon Tax.

Other commentary continues with an estimate of how much Direction Action will cost each householder - $1200. This claim also needs to be subjected to scrutiny, see the link to Polifact's Checking service in August 2013, in terms of the estimated, detailed, modelling. Unlike the Carbon Tax I don't have any details to do my estimates and its out of my calculatability league anyway.

So I'll believe neither estimate until I get my actual figures and can compare them.
But of course, by then it will be too late.

A bit like real action on Climate Change and a realization that fundamental reforms to the way we conduct our lives and businesses are needed now to allow us to transform to a decarbonized economy, reduce the costs associated with extreme weather events, and build green jobs for those people who are suffering from the decline in manufacturing, retail and now agricultural jobs. And also to allow the little people, like me, some ability to control their costs other than switching off and pulling out of the economy.

The Australian's article, Ben Packham from: The Australian, October 15, 2013, mentions "The Prime Minister said liable entitles - like Clive Palmer's Queensland Nickel, which owes $6.2 million for carbon permits - should pay their carbon tax obligations until then. "

Were you wondering why Clive Palmer entered politics??  His investment in the 2013 election may have a good return perhaps? 

Climate Council: Tune In on You Tube

Regarding the Climate Council's Live You Tube Stream on October 3rd.

Did anyone who was not already a concerned Climate Change citizen tune in?
Are we only preaching to the converted ( to use the quasi religious terminology our critics accuse us of?)
Can we reach the small number of deniers?
Can we reach the larger but still quite small numbers of not-quite-sure's?
How many are there of the 2 categories above and why to do they have so much influence in today's media environment.
What can you do to combat the influences of the powerful and entrenched!

Sit back and watch it unfold.

Quieter Times

I've been a bit quiet on the blog front lately. Although there have been lots of reports on Global Warming, more bushfires in Sydney including a grass fire at Homebush Olympic stadium which incinerated quite a few cars, I've fallen into a bit of a blue funk.
It suddenly seems a bit pointless to care whether the globe is warming or not. After all the Australian Federal and State governments have now decided that other things are more important.

Hopefully my slightly depressed view will change with the arrival of more regular warm weather. We have been having lots of rain, wind and occasional cold days to remind us that summer is not here yet. And yet all the records keep tumbling around Australia indicating the climate is indeed hotter. The recent Climate Council QandA with Will Steffen was very interesting.

As a result of the wind and rain yet another fence is half fallen down, so I'll have to get my fencing contractor back again after talking to the neighbours. That's 3 fences this year!
The new Liberal Government is quietly going about its business, preparing for the repeal of the Carbon Tax and trying to talk down its softening of policy on "Stopping the Boats" after Prime Minister Abbott was lectured on respecting Indonesian sovereignty. Perhaps some mending fences for them as well
ABC's Clark and Dawe's take on this was hilarious.

But I surprised myself by agreeing with Joe Hockey, our Federal Treasurer today "There's a salient lesson here for the rest of the world in what's happening in the U.S. The world must live within its means and you cannot wait until five minutes to midnight to deal with the massive debt burden left by previous generations"

I hope he also understands you can't take the environment services for granted without leaving his children and grandchildren in environmental "deficit"
Somehow I don't think he sees the fiscal economy as a rogue subset of the real global natural economy.

Its time for a glass of wine and chocolate! Halloween soon!