Hi Folks

Mum recently lent me a book on climate change by Tim Flannery 'We are theWeather Makers - The Story of Global Warming'. It was a great follow up tothe Al Gore documentary that Rebecca and I went to see 'An InconvenientTruth'. Now that I have a deeper understanding of this potentiallydevastating issue I feel it is important that I bring it into focus forthose around me. Some global warming facts:
- We in Australia are the largest greenhouse gas producing nation per headof population in the world and that's something I am personally deeplyashamed of.
- US is the largest greenhouse gas emitter world wide
- China's booming economy means that within a few years it will eclipse theUS as a greenhouse gas producer (they are building a large coal powerstation every few weeks in China). - Scientists are predicting the extinction of 50% of species worldwide
- As global warming increases so will the frequency and severity of El Ninoevents like we are currently experiencing
- By increasing evaporation, global warming will increase precipitation butit will be in severe more events (floods/storms)
- Warmer waters in the tropics will increase the frequency and severitycyclones, hurricanes and typhoons
- Some pacific nations will need to be evacuated
- Water shortages will worsenI could go on but it would just get depressing.

What kind of world willGeorgia, Matthew, Isaac, Angelica, Amelia and Harry and their friends inherit? It seems the time to act was 30 years ago and the time for drasticaction is now. The longer we wait the more costly it will be to clean upthis mess.

Reading the Tim Flannery book prompted me to look into the green poweroption at my electricity supplier TRU energy. I've gone with the 100% newwind energy option even though it was the most expensive because wind energyis one of the simplest and cheapest ways for us to turn mechanical energyinto electrical energy. It's going to cost us around an extra $5 per weekand I'm going to try and improve the energy efficiency of our home to offsetthat cost. I've started with the compact fluorescent light bulbs which savearound 80% of lighting energy. What kind of parent would I be if I didn't do everything I could for the future my children will be growing up in? I don't want them to be struggling for basics like food and water when we are livingin abundance.

Let's do what we can ourselves and encourage those around us to do the same.

Love to all.

Monte