Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Carbon Footprint Australian Government Not Doing Enough

When it comes to fostering the use of renewable energy, it is an undeniable fact that the Australian Government are all talk and very little action.

The Australian coal industry is the beneficiary of a taxpayer-funded $300 million discount on diesel fuel. At least $9 billion of taxpayer subsidies are palmed across to fossil fuel industries, greenhouse gas increasing, polluting, carbon footprint bloating fossil fuel giants.

Meanwhile the development, construction and funding of renewable energy in this country creeps along at glacial pace with little or no help from our State or Federal Governments.

For heavens’ sake, we are a renewable energy goldmine here in Australia. With our hot climate and endless open spaces we have enough sunshine (plus room to capture it) to power the entire country hundreds of times over. We’re an island with endless coastal breezeways that would be wind farm paradise. And, did I mention we’re an island? Tidal and ocean current energy sources completely surround us. We have got renewable energy potential coming out of our proverbials.
Instead, the Federal government directs public money at the ratio of 28:1 towards fossil fuel use over renewable energy use.

All it takes is a government with the gumption to divert the funds away from the coal, gas and oil industries and into the renewables industry. The Howard Government has left us languishing behind the rest of the world and it seems no-one is willing to make the effort to catch up.

To give you an example of how pathetic some of our governments around the country are, you need go no further than the New South Wales Government’s sorry excuse for a Renewable Energy strategy. What does the Iemma government come up with? Committees, billions pumped into new baseload power stations, calls for private sector to fund infrastructure costs. And when they get to Clean Energy, the first thing mentioned is Clean Coal – in other words carbon capture. Rather than reduce the use of coal powered power plants, the Iemma Government wants to
  1. Increase their use and
  2. Rely on an, as yet, unproven form of locking away the carbon emissions they will produce.
On December 10, 2007 the NSW State Government announced a total of $160 million in additional funding for clean energy. You know what $160 million will get you? If you’re lucky you may just get an 80MW wind farm out of it. Basically, a good start.

But wait, you keep reading and of that $160 million, the state government is setting aside $100 million of it for the Clean Coal Fund. So once again, the coal industry gets the bulk of the funding rather than putting it where the future lies, in renewable energy.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Are CRAGs the Latest Fashion?

The spread of Carbon Rationing Action Groups (CRAGs) across Britain is a sign that the idea of reducing your carbon footprint is becoming more firmly entrenched in the psyche of the wider community. According to Andy Ross who is said to have reduced his own carbon emissions by more than 80% over the last 2 years, there are around 16 groups in the UK with the same number in the process of forming.

How Does a CRAG work?

Essentially, everyone who becomes a member of the group adheres to a carbon ration. The group has a nominated carbon accountant who records each member's car mileage, household bills, air travel, etc. This is then converted to CO2 and recorded.

As a point of reference, the average carbon footprint for Britons in 2005 was 5.5 tonnes. This is then used as a baseline for group members who then aim to reduce their footprint by a certain amount per year, say, 10%. Some groups then set up a fee system whereby they pay a fine for every kilo they break their ration by. This fine acts as a kind of carbon offset.

At the moment it's a small proportion of the population who have become CRAGs but it's an important demonstration of the public will and it also sends a faint message to the government that people are willing to take action towards the global warming issue.

For some CRAGgers, the changes to their lifestyle are going beyond simply fitting an energy efficient lightbulb or turning down the thermostat. Some are selling the car and car-sharing, others are thinking of selling their single occupancy flats and sharing with friends.

Lifestyle changes are the most difficult to catch on, but it's these small steps that could generate a greater wave of change. Watch out for the new CRAG in your neighborhood.