Sustain Myself

Welcome to Blog Action Day 2009. This years topic is ‘Climate Change’ which is a fairly hefty topic that covers to many different areas. Last year was more concise and focussed on Homelessness, I contributed to that BAD also. As the Americas are still in their slumber, I thought I’d get my post in early.

Climate Change is many things to many people. Most people tend to focus on a small aspect of it while others tackle the entire thing head on. Others, strangely enough and despite all scientific eveidence to the contrary, simply choose not to believe it. They have their own reasons for that and in my opinion, thats fine, as everybody is entitled to their own beliefs and opinions. This post is not going to try to convince people of the existence of Climate Change, I may as well be trying to convince staunch Christians that there is no God. Its not going to happen.

Here is what I am going to do though. I am going to try to make you think about your impact on the earth. Not from a ‘Climate Change’ perspective, but from a sustainability perspective. Our worlds population is growing at a phenomonal rate, Australia alone is set to increase in population by around 50% in as many years! That is a big number and you can’t help but think about how we will support this ever growing mass of humans on the planet. At the rate we are going, we simply can’t do that.

Forests get destroyTags: Climate Change, Sustainability, Blog Action Dayed to plant soya or graze cattle (who emit methane) for an increasing number of hungry mouths,  oxygen is created by trees (sustainability), trees are homes to many animals (sustainability), trees also store carbon (Climate Change).

Eat less red meat, or, eat Kangaroo, they produce less methane, do less damage to the ground and are in abundance in Australia. Beef is not sustainable at the rate that humans consume it and also contributes to Climate Change through methane emissions, baron land (which cannot use plants to store carbon) and transport from interstate.

We drive cars everywhere. Cars burn oil which is not sustainable, exhaust fumes contribute to climate change. Walk, catch a bus, ride a push bike or even a motor bike (as I do because I am too far from work to cycle.)

We power our homes with non sustainable energy such as coal. Burning coal contributes to climate change. Get some energy efficient bulbs, some free insulation (as we just did) to keep heating and cooling down, install a solar water heater or even solar panels. Look into a sustainabilty report and interest free green loan.

Start buying locally. Food that has to be shipped internationally or even interstate, needs to be flown, driven and craned around the place. People don’t realise how much oil they burn when they buy vegies from interstate. Or, even better, grow at least some of your vegies yourself. Less oil = more sustainable and less climate change.

See where I am going with this? By concentrating on trying to be sustainable (which is a completely separate issue from Climate Change) you will also help the Climate Change issue whether you believe it or not. My father once said to me that we should be looking after the planet regardless of whether you believe in Climate Change, it shouldn’t matter and it doesnt matter. The fact remains that if you want to leave a healthy planet for your children and their children, you need to think sustainably and you will also assist in the battle against Climate Change. Whether you are right or wrong in your beliefs you will be doing the right thing. Isn’t that satisfying? Imagine being able to sit on the fence in other areas of life and know that you are doing the right thing either way.

To keep this post short and simple, I am going to leave it there. I dont want to try and convince people of the existence of Climate Change, if the scientists and Al Gore have been unable to do that so far, then I am not going to be able to. I just want people to live sustainably and leave a happy, healthy planet when they move on.

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