Local Action on Climate Change

Find the issues involved in Climate Change somewhat daunting?

Wonder what on earth we can do?

A forum at the Byron Community Centre on Saturday August the 26th will discuss global warming and community action.

This forum, sponsored by the Byron Ballina Greens, will help you understand the consequences of climate change and get started on a path of efficient energy use.

Local high school students will be joined by NSW candidate for the legislative council Dr. John Kaye and radio personality Giovanni Ebono will lay out the facts of climate change. We are pleased to welcome Dailan Pugh, recipient of the Order of Australia and local spokesperson on environmental issues, particularly our recently gazetted Marine Park.

The forum will deal with the science, the politics and the actions that you can take at home and work, to save us all from stewing in our own juices.

Here's a taste of what you're in for.

We currently produce about 8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (or its equivalent) every year. That's a little over a tonne for every person on the planet. We need to get that down to three billion tonnes if we are going to avoid the dire consequences to us all of our planet heating up.

In Australia, we produce about 27 tonnes each. We need to slash the size of the cloud of carbon dioxide that we each produce to less than five tonnes, very quickly, as our contribution to this global effort. Yep, you calculated correctly. That is one fifth of the carbon dioxide you produce right now.

How?

Solar hot water will save about three tonnes. Using one less car in your family will save about five tonnes. Energy efficient appliances will save about two tonnes. Powering your home with solar power will save another three tonnes. Buying locally grown food and cooking it yourself will save about three tonnes. You can halve your own household carbon cloud, with these simple measures that will have a beneficial impact on your lifestyle.

We can get almost half way there off our own bat.

Other savings will come from replacing coal powered electricity with renewables, from building more energy efficient homes and workplaces and from urban and rural planning that reduces the amount of travel people and goods undertake. This is the harder part, because this is the part that involves getting government policy to change.

Most importantly we must make sure that our political representatives know we want action.

By voting green you are taking the powerful step of removing your support from a government and its tweedledum opposition that promotes the use of energy sources that damage the climate, the environment and the planet, as well as keeping our energy generation in the hands of monopoly business interests.

You can do your part to lobby industry through your consumer dollar. Buy green electricity from a broker like Byron's own climate friendly, or through your current electricity provider. Invest in ethical funds that avoid coal powered electricity, mining companies and huge electricity using industries such as aluminium.

Act now

Get to the forum and get informed.

See you at the Byron Community Centre on Saturday August the 26th. Be there at 6.45 for a 7.00pm start.