More ETS

More interviews tonight on the ABC News. Again........complaining about the cost of this scheme to households and business!

Let me ask the following questions

1. What is the cost of not being about to grow food anymore due to a colapse of the ecosystem
2. What is the cost of running out of fresh water or hugely reduced water resources
3. What of the cost of wiping out flora and fauna that keeps the environment healthy and balanced
4. What about the cost of destroying the tourist attractions of the barrier reef, rainforests
5. What about the cost of not being able to go to the beach anymore
6. What about the increased cost in insurance as storms and droughts become more severe and regular

I could go on. Can we afford to gamble with the science. We need to take some pain now for long term gain?

Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)

Can you believe the government and their ETS, how soft. In todays Financial Review and in most other daily papers it outlines the fact that the government is going to bend to the opposition request and offset the impact on petrol through a reduction in excise, further to this they are going to compensate households and emission-intensive industries to soften the blow. How is this going to be effective??

This is madness, isn't the whole idea of the ETS to change behaviour, to encourage investment in new technologies. I get that we need to remain competitive until the rest of the world falls into line, however how is the government going to change behaviour if it continues to let people and business off the hook???

Don't get me wrong, I think the Rudd government is taking a huge step in the right direction, I just wish he had stuck to his guns!

Take a look at the Opposition, Brendan Nelson, what a complete knuckle head, the best he could come up with on the news tonight was 'Well the Rudd Government has just confirmed the introduction of a new tax on Australian families" what a complete idiot! This guy clearly does not get it.

The reality is that the cost of living will go up, tough.

I say we should include petrol and emission - intesive industries and use the money to build more train lines and buses, what about investing in R & D for new sustainable energy solutions or build a large fibre optic network to make workiong from home more realistic for those that can. We never hear the politians talking about this type of investment. The sooner we make it easier for people to buy green energy or catch more trains the sooner the supply/demand issues on pertrol will decrease.

There are some sensible and practical solutions available, they just require some investment.

Give me your thoughts on the ETS so far?

Green-inculous!

Hi there

This is a new posting. In this section I am going to discuss and highlight some of the more outrageous, left field and downright ridiculous environmental ideas and comments I come across. I would welcome every to post similar things and comment on these ideas and concepts.

Opening Remarks

Hi,

I have set up this blog because I have a personal interest in the environment and the issues facing all of us today. I believe I can make a difference through what I do on a day to day basis and publishing it for other people to read and hopefully find useful.

I have an opinion on most things environmental. I am an avid reader of the daily papers, email newsletters, the latest environmental books, relevant blogs and the broader internet. I always have or soon develop an opinion what is being said and while my wife and 9 month old patiently listen to me and my world view (I am a believer of educating our next generation early!) - I am keen to cultivate a wider audience and dialogue on all things environmental - and recieve feedback on my views from a wider community.

I am very interested in seeking other people's opinions and views both for and against the environment and would encourage people to express themselves. I will convey my general view on 'the environment' in my next posting.

I will openly share my sources of information and reference all sources correctly and would ask that everyone do the same.

What else will appear on this blog

1. I am in the process of taking the organisation that I work for to a point where we will be certified 'Carbon Neutral'. I will not disclose the name of this organisation, however I will publish regularly and keep everyone informed about our progress and insight into our initiatives and any issues we face along the way.
2. We are already a member of the "Rainforest Alliance' and are a Certified Free Trade Company.
3. I have also launched the 'Environmental Business Institute of Australia'. While I am building the foundations and in early stages, the website is taking shape. Visit http://www.ebia.org.au/ and take a look. I hope to have a complete site up and running over the next month or two.

That is all for now. As topics arise, I will publish them and add new sections.

Thanks