Climate Change with Aunt Simone

Welcome to 2010 kids!

Who knows what this year will bring but I guarantee it will have something to do with climate change.

Legislation will either be passed and we can all feel like a planeteer or it will get shot down and we can all diss the opposition for just being the opposition, the greens because they don’t seem so green after all (at least that’s what the government wants you to think), or finally we can blame the government for not negotiating harder to get the legislation through.

To me, the idea of climate change is somewhat topical seeing as currently at 8:00pm it is still 38.3 degrees Celsius, with 43 forecast for tomorrow.

It seems to me that normal Australians want to do something about climate change, for instance, installing energy saving appliances and using public transport, riding a bike or walking instead of taking their cars. Australians are also wary about water usage, with water restrictions in place and people becoming more water wise in their behaviour.

I too try to limit my impact but I have often wondered aloud, along with friends, what businesses responses and responsibilities are. I know that at fast food restaurants water is used as if it is an infinite resource when cleaning. Yes, I understand the restaurant must be cleaned thoroughly but really, is it too much to ask of your staff to perhaps not keep scrubbing something that is already clean?

Likewise, with the government’s proposed ETS, which I will confess right n Global Warming Cartoon ow, I do not understand very clearly, it seemed that business were getting a free ride to keep polluting because they could buy their permits. While this was occurring it would be normal Australians, the wannabe planeteers, who would be disadvantaged. I seem to recall the government saying that they would compensate low income earners 120%. This is good, but why the need for low income earners, or anyone really, to be disadvantaged financially?