The last of the leaflets

Today I posted the last of the leaflets into the letterboxes of the electorate around Macquarie Hills. There’s a fair few hills in them thar Hills on the other side of Munibung.

Macquarie Hills is one of the chunks of Charlton that are changing. There was the full spectrum of views, beaut bits of bush, birds, lots of hills and innovative stormwater management.

There have been a lot people pounding the paths this week, and a big thank you to all of them, my mum, my friends and Greens supporters of every shade. Everyone wanted to do something to change the way things are and one step at a time was one way to do it.

The largest event of the campaign

Today I went to the monthly meeting of the Morisset Senior Citizens and Pensioners. It was the largest audience of the campaign, and apart from getting diverted by detours and not realising I had 10 minutes to talk all went reasonably well.

The 10 minutes contained a bit about me, a lot about Climate Change, a few policy points and some examples about my experiences with seniors. We had a very scrumptious morning tea and I got to talk to a few people.

It's been a bit of challenge to get the word out but thank goodness for active seniors and the internet.

Local Candidates understand local issues

Just heard some news that Mr Combet, Labor's candidate may not be living in Charlton. Is this an issue?

Well I think it's one to consider because how can you understand the importance of a 40-60 minute commute to Newcastle if you never have to do it?

Is the health care crisis critical if you don't have to wait a week to see a GP?

Can you understand the need for public transport if your area is serviced by it?

Can you appreciate the importance of the local environment if you're not emmersed in it?

I guess there is an argument that you don't have to experience everything first hand to understand it but surely when it comes to representing people there is a strong case for living in the area to experience the issues and be motivated to attend to them.

Charlton Choking on its own Greenhouse Gases

Eraring Power station is the highest CO2 emitting power plant in Australia, producing 18,321,400 tonnes of CO2 annually from a ‘dirty’ style power plant according to the Carbon Monitoring for Action Database at the Centre for Global Development that went online this week.

“The carma.org website makes it easy to see who is producing how much CO2 and it’s certainly a shock to find out that we have a major global issue on our doorstep” said Greens Candidate for Charlton Suzanne Pritchard

“We all new that Lake Macquarie was the best place is Australia but being best at producing a major greenhouse gas is not good for the region or the planet” Ms Pritchard said

New South Wales is home to the two largest CO2 emitting power stations in Australia, and worldwide our nation is ranked 7th according to the CARMA database.

“There is unequivocal evidence that greenhouse gases are responsible for global warming. The local impacts of rising lake levels, increased storm surges, floods and bushfires are going to be major challenges for the future. Unless there is political will to set us on a new course the course we’re on will doom us all.” Ms Pritchard said

“The coal and power industries are heavily subsidized by the government, they have three centres for research and yet the renewable energy industry has been starved of funds to the point where our international edge and expertise is hanging on by a solar cell. The Greens will invest in renewable energy research” Ms Prichard said

“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently stated that current global warming effects that we are experiencing can only be matched by the models if the ‘worst case scenario’ is followed and that is a 6 degree rise in temperature. The Greens will base all climate policy on constraining global warming to less than 2 degress” Ms Pritchard said

“Politicians have a duty of care not just for the economy but to ensure there is a planet to live on now and in to the future, the current policies of both the major parties are ignoring the fact that the planet is in crisis. They are concerned about interest rates from 20 years ago and yet have no interest in the next 20 years.”

“We get the politicians we want, and we will get the planet we want as well at this election. We have to start turning the titanic mindset of the politicians or we will hit the iceburg, we may not sink but the rising sea levels will get us anyway.” Ms Pritchard said.

Some good news at last!

It is possible to save the world from devastation and disaster and make it a better place for the future if and it’s a very big if, there is political leadership on implementing renewable energy strategies and putting some resources into research and development.

That is the message that Dr Mark Diesendorf is trying to get out and he did it very convincingly at a public lecture last night at city hall organised by Climate Action Newcastle.

I’ve got to admit that whilst in my heart of hearts I knew renewables were the way to go I was often put in a position of doubting my gut instincts when the news was bleating ‘Clean coal and nuclear solutions’. I was sceptical and there didn’t seem to be any news about the alternative scenarios.

Dr D put it all into powerpoint perspective though and cleared the clean coal haze that had been swirling around my non nuclear noggin. Below is some of what he had to say.

The first message that we were given was the urgency of the ‘Greenhouse amplification issue’ also known as global warming. There are many things happening on our little planet that when combined are real worldly worries.

For example the ice melting around the poles isn’t just bad for polar bears and penguins it also affects how much heat is soaked up or radiated back into space. White surfaces reflect heat, dark surfaces absorb heat and so melting ice means heat is being retained on earth not bounced back into the great unknown.

And there’s more …the permafrost, frozen ground that use to be frozen ground for a large part of the year, also use to hold greenhouse gases in it. So you guessed it, defrosting not-so-permafrost is now releasing greenhouse gasses.

But wait there’s more…and it’s not a set of steak knives but our lives at stake, because warmer air holds more water and water is a greenhouse gas too. These three things and a few more once they kick in, they can keep amplifying the greenhouse effect, and the signs are already there that it’s starting to happen. So it becomes very important to have targets that everyone can work towards to slow down these well known processes.

The people in the know reckon to have a liveable world we need a long term target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. To get to this target we’ll have to be working towards 30% less greenhouse gases by 2020. To get to this target action has to start now or in the next 6 years at least.

This is where it’s important to understand the problem with the ‘Clean Coal’ conundrum. The technology will not be viable before 2025, so it cannot contribute to the short term target. It is also very expensive to develop and no one knows at this point in time if it’s going to work. Dr D reckons that it should be a big superpower to actually do the R&D to get it up and running not a relatively small economy like Australia.

Other on the ground problems are ’clean coal’ still depends on burning coal and so still contributes land degradation, air and health problems and if it leaks out of its capture cavern all animal life forms in the immediate area suffocate. So if we have to try and save the planet depending on something that isn’t there and may not even work it seems like a pretty risky option.

The other nightly news solution that has been offered is ‘new generation nuclear power’. The facts on that one are it doesn’t exist either. To build a new nuclear power plant it would be of the 1970’s style. It would also be expensive and very slow to build and if reducing greenhouse gases is the aim of the game the process of getting 1kg of uranium out of the ground from low grade oar requires 10tonne of rock to be extracted crushed and mushed, a very diesel and digger intensive process, i.e. lots of greenhouse gas production. So this option doesn’t help with meeting the short term targets either.

But don’t despair because we have the technology to make a difference and it could be rolled out the day after the election if the political will was present. Genuine solutions exist in energy efficiency, renewables and natural gas. It seems so simple you have to wonder why we aren’t doing it, of course the answer is there is no political leadership in fact the renewable energy industry has been cut up, drawn out and dehydrated of funds thanks to Johnny H and his coal compatriots.

Back to the good news…
Energy efficiency is the cheapest and fastest way to reduce greenhouse gasses.
It also involves education and saving money and helps us all to realise how to live in a greenhouse world. Things like pointing your house in the right direction, insulation, efficient appliances and heating can make real in roads in to reducing emissions. If all off peak hot water systems were changed for solar hot water ¼ of the energy demand would be gone. These approaches can help meet the short term greenhouse gas reduction targets, they are doable now.

Renewable Energy options are also ‘now options’.
One of the technologies Dr D is an expert in is wind power. The pooh-pooh people reckon it can’t do ‘base-load’ but Dr D begs to differ. A large scale windfarm, spread over hundreds on km can capture enough wind continuously to provide energy efficiently and if you really want to make it super base load compliant like coal, a gas turbine peak load assister is all that’s needed.

The base-load argument is a bit of a furphy really because most demand for power is in the day time when the sun is a shining and so solar photovoltaic is part of a solution. The exciting news on the horizon though is that solar thermal electricity where the suns rays are used to store heat in water, rocks, graphite or salt is capable of providing the baseload power that the Power People want and this technology will be up and running way before the first clean coal carbon atom is captured or the ninth neutron is annihilated in a nuclear reactor.

Other exciting renewable options that won’t kill if unsuccessful are hot rock geothermal, a process as simple as two holes in the ground. Water in-steam out-turbine turns and it’s a closed system so it’s not water intensive. France and Australia are blazing the hot rock trail.

So after an hour of Dr D I felt a bit better about the future. What became very clear though was that what is driving our political processes is not the people’s will, climate change is an issue to most mere mortals, but the Power & Industry perpetrators who have the government’s ear and chequebooks.

If we are to meet the short term targets government policy has to change within the next two terms, and the sooner the better.

• An integrated public transport system will reduce dependence on cars
• No new coal powered electricity stations should be built, they have a 40 year legacy that we cannot afford to take on.
• Energy ratings should be on all energy consuming appliances, buildings and equipment
• Mandatory renewable energy targets need to be set.
• And research funding needs to be supplied.
  

It is a sorry state of affairs when there are 3 research centres for coal and not one for renewable energy. Australia has been leading the world in many areas of renewable research only to have their projects and prospects thwarted by a coal crazy government who cuts funding quicker than you can say ‘make it count in this election’.

I’m really glad I went to hear Dr D. What was really inspiring though is what he was saying is what the Greens are campaigning for. I even bought his 2007 book Greenhouse Solution with Sustainable Energy. It’s on the to-do list for after the 24th.

Charlton's Officially Unofficial Campaign Song- The Magic Position

Evey campaign needs a tune that makes you want to change the world...one that inspires and makes you perspire and features xylophones!

Patrick Wolfe's Magic Position does it for me and it's so relevant to the magic position that the Greens could be in with a strong presence in the Senate. I've spent many a commuting hour constructing the perfect campaign clip but alas due to copyright and a virtually non existent promo budget the images will have to be supplied by your imagination.

So imagine the the perfect pictures to the (campaign commentary) and enjoy the catchy tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeR9_7cACUc
The lyrics are bold and my commentary(is in brackets and italics)

The Magic Position by Patrick Wolfe

(Kids running along a beach and being free and happy, the woosh whoosh of waves and squawking seagulls- Greens Senators standing on the middle of a a see-saw and rocking it from side to side with Labor and Liberal party heads on each end)

So let the people talk this Monday morning walk

(thousands of people walking against warming
then Johnny Howard in his tracky dacks)

Right past the fabulous mess we're in

(glaciers breaking up, drought parched land, floods
v's Johnny H and his dollar signs)

It's gonna be a beautiful day

(seas of windmills and
photovolatics shimmering in the sunlight)

So do the bluebirds sing

(Sacred Kingfisher-kookaburras laughing)

As I take your hand, And you take my kiss (kids)

(Smiling Green people running along the beach with kids)

And we take the world

(Montage of all the Green politicians and people across the globe
at every level in every democracy)

'Cause out of all the people I've known

(Dalai Lama, Al Gore, and other famous folk)

The places I've been

(Scenic pix of Barrington Tops, Tasmanian wilderness)

The songs that I have sung

The wonders I've seen

(More pretty pix of all the beautiful places under threat by global warming)

Now that the dreams are all coming true

(Bad dreams of the melting iceburgs, bushfires)

Who is the one that leads me on through

(puzzled person deciding who to vote for
walking through the election day throng)

It's you

(Insert image of self,
feeling strong,
empowered and happy )

Who puts me in the magic position, darling now

(Greens Senators on a see saw)

You put me in the magic position

(Image of self ticking the Greens #1 on the Senate ticket)

To live, to learn, to love in the major key

(Senators on the See Saw and the words of Greens Principles wafting by
"Social & Economic Justice,
Grassroots Democracy,
Ecological Sustainability
Peace Non Violence and Disarmament")

a Major key, a Major key

(Senators see sawing holding a big green key with an Australia on the end)

And I know how you've hurt

(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,
refugees in detention)

And been dragged through the dirt

(People marching for Your rights at work)

But c'mon get back up now , It's the time to live

(People marching for peace and
walking against warming)

As you give your love to me

(Happ yvoter lodging their Greens #1ticket)

I'm gonna keep it carefully

(Greens Senators sincerely thanking you)

Deep in the treasure chest below my breast

(A Green triangle treasure chest morphing into a Green heart)

'Cause out of all the people I've known

(all of your friends and family, young and old))

The places I've been

(all the wonderful, beautiful places you've been to)

The songs that I have sung

The wonders I've seen

(the best of the most beautiful places you've been to)

Now that the dreams are all coming true

(your beautiful places underwater,
or parched or destroyed by the impacts of global warming)

Who is the one that leads me on through

(Bob Brown, Kerry Nettle talking in Parliament
and challenging George W Bush)

It's you... Who puts me in the magic position, darling now

(Image of self ticking the Greens #1 on the Senate ticket)

You put me in the magic position, darling now

(Sentors filling up the seats in the Senate)

So let me put you in the magic position,darling,

(Senators standing up and speaking for you in the Senate)

'Cause I'm singing in the major key,the major key, the major key

(A great big green key, with an Australia shape on the end,
opening a door labelled 'democracy')

Let me put you in the major key

(on the other side of the door is you)

Walk Against Warming- I was an O

On Sunday hundreds of people gathered and strolled along Nobby's beach to make a human sign saying 'Vote for the Climate'. I was part of the 'O' in 'for' but it was also great just being around other like minded people that come in all different shapes sizes and letters.

Can you ever hear enough about Climate Change?

Well I guess it depends on who you’re hearing it from. Recently I had an opportunity to listen to a public lecture with three speakers that are on the UNs Intergovernmetnal Panel on Climate Change. They talked about the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of what we’re in for.

The good news is that there is no doubt that people are responsible for the warming of the earth, the bad news is that unless there is political will things will get ugly. The ugly part does have a good bit though and that is there is a fair bit of work going on in ‘adaptive management’.

The first of the Climate Change speakers was Scott Power waving the Bureau of Meteorology flag. He gave us the low down on the temperature warm up and its effects.

There is an unequivocal acceleration and rise in sea level over the past 50 years, there is an underlying upward trend towards hotter temperatures and the only way to explain these aspects of climate is with models that fit the ‘people input factor’.

We have been experiencing these effects in Australia as a decrease in rainfall, especially in the South West of Australia; the Murray-Darling Basin is having its driest and warmest year on record, and there is a weakening of the global, thermal, tidal patterns.

Scott’s take home message was major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions are needed to avoid ‘dire projections’.

Hmmmm. Things were starting to seem a little gloomy at this point of the proceedings but then Kevin Hennessey a CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Scientist stepped up to the podium. He’s been working on global adaptation and vulnerability.

The back room boys have been undertaking a scientific review over the past 4 years to try and work out what might actually happen on our little blue and green ball we call Earth. They reckon that the negative impacts of climate change will become more severe, and the positive one is that the northwest passage will be open to shipping ‘cause the ice will have melted.

So what is in store? More heatwaves, more fire, droughts and storm surges. More intense cyclones and hail storms. Less snow and frost. Large areas of the mainland will have less soil moisture.

• Potential impacts-Water
  o 45% less stream flow in Victoria by 2030
  o 25% less water in the Murray Darling
• Potential impacts-Ecosystems
  o Kakadu will get saline infiltration
  o Bleaching of coral reefs
• Potential impacts-Agriculture
  o Decline due to drought and fire
• Potential impacts-Coastal
  o Exacerbate risks due to severity and frequency of storm surges
• Potential impacts-Industry & cities
  o More blackouts
  o Increased storm and fire damage
  o Less water for coal based power stations
• Potential impacts-Health
  o Increased deaths from heat stress
  o Mosquito borm diseases increase
  o More food borne diseases
• Potential impacts-Tourism
  o Some tourist destinations may be more favourable
  
  As far as adaptation goes us 2-legged folk have a real advantage over the natural systems and wildlife. Natural systems that are fragmented and urbanised don’t have a lot of room to move, especially if there are no corridors.
  
  People can adapt because we have the ability to change our environment. We can reduce demand, conserve and become more efficient in our energy and water usage. We can build dams and desal plants.
  
  The really scary part of Kevin’s session though was the revelation that current global warming effects that we are experiencing can only be matched by the models if the ‘worst case scenario’ is followed and that is a 6 degree rise in temperature. The take home message, we need action NOW, in the next 5-10 years..
  
  The best was saved till last, Roger Beale. He was tasked with the message of hope and there is some because the technologies already exist that can make a difference, they just have to be implemented. Under the current political policies greenhouse gas emissions are still rising at about 25%.
  
  Some of the areas where greenhouse gas reductions are possible include
• Energy supply and building design. Reductions in greenhouse gasses can also be achieved by fuel switching and renewables
• Transport solutions include Biofuels(next generation), higher efficiency, hybrid vehicles, Landuse planning and Cycling
• Buildings need better Heating lighting insulation and Information about design
  
  The goal that Roger was aiming for was emissions trending downwards by 2015-2030 and to avoid the really nasty future it has to be well and truly on the way down by 2020.
  
  Politically Roger offered some solutions too. Climate change is a global problem so we all have to take action. It has been costed that 0.05% of global GDP would address the issues that need to be tackled to get things under control. I Googled the current world military spending, it is 2.5% of global GDP.
  
  Roger mentioned some other political incentives that were needed to get things moving in the right direction included climate change policies, regulation by taxes and charges, tradeable permits, financial incentives and funding for research and development of renewables.
  
  Whilst it appeared that Roger could see some solutions and there was a way forward his final statement was that he felt there was too much inertia in the system to meet the needed targets and he predicted that a 3 degree rise was probably what we were going to end up with, in which case ‘we better have a very good adaptation plan’.
  
  This public lecture was sponsored by the Office of Corporate Development and Community Partnership and Tom Farrrell Institute for the Environment
  

A good reason to vote Green...a future

A vote for the Greens is an opportunity to send a strong and direct message to the major political parties that urgent decisive action addressing climate change is needed. It is a double value vote with the full value being passed on to who ever you choose as number two on your ballot paper.

As a scientist I am in no doubt that our future is hanging in the balance and this election is at a critical time. There is no real leadership being taken by the major parties to address the current climate chaos creating conditions that are jeopardising not only our children’s future but the world as we know it today.

At a recent forum in Newcastle, CSIRO scientists outlined the findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and it was truly scary. Climate change is happening. It is happening in line with the worst case models and there is still more change to come due to the expansion of the global economy being fuelled by coal fired energy, the lag that exists in the global climate system and fewer forests to soak up the greenhouse gases. You have to wonder ‘why are the major parties fiddling while the planet warms’? The Greens oppose the expansion of the coal industry and federal takeover of ports to accelerate coal exports.

The claims that Australia’s economic future depends upon ‘coal business as usual’ are not true. Australian wind technologies are delivering huge profits in Germany, Australia’s competitive edge on solar panel production has been reduced to a mere ray of hope for industry support. The Greens support the creation of a regional hub of sustainable and renewable energy industries in the Hunter. The Charlton electorate is well placed and has the professional capacity to be a part of this new energy future.

The only hope we have to ensure our future is to demand action on addressing climate change. It is up to the community to take the leadership role on this issue and that can happen by voting Green in both houses. A Green vote for the Senate will ensure that there is a diversity of political debate and a progressive and independent body. This is the only possibility for taking real action on climate change.

The Greens policies are underpinned by the principles of Social & Economic Justice, Grassroots Democracy, Ecological Sustainability and Peace, Nonviolence & Disarmament. It is a party that has a true belief in empowering people, respect for all and I urge you to look at the rest of the policies at www.greens.org.au. Most sincerely Suzanne Pritchard , Greens Candidate for Charlton

Candidate Announcement...I'm back

Suzanne Pritchard is standing as a Candidate Charlton because she wants to provide people with the power to have their voice heard. The Greens offer credible economic policies and a political paradigm for empowering people.

Suzanne has a passion for science and the environment and is Director of her company Springboard Science which presents hands-on science shows to children and undertakes environmental education projects with community groups.

Suzanne has a Science Degree from Wollongong University, which provided a foundation of learning about the state of the planet, a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Newcastle University which gave insights into the world of mass media which dominates our lives.

Suzanne describes herself as a teacher and learner and empowering people through knowledge sharing is at the core of all her undertakings. She has been working with Trees In Newcastle for the past two years has been employed by Lake Macquarie City Council supporting Landcare groups to learn about the environment and has been President of the Coal Point Progress Association for 12 years.

Suzanne’s voluntary role as a community advocate initiated her political interests dealing with local government, advocating for the resourcing of the community’s needs and engaging in the constant battle against inappropriate developments.