I like the fact that more governments worldwide are taking a closer look at our impact on the planet. I expect this is largely due to the fact that humans are starting to notice their impact on the universe. Before I get into the debate over the carbon tax, the fact that people are starting to take more care should be considered to be the winner at the end of the day.
Unfortunately, the word “Carbon Tax” in Australia has created a negative impact on why and how people can act green. Businesses negative spin on the impact of Carbon Tax and being green is complicating the bigger picture of sustainable living.
When it comes to the environment there should be no price big enough to commit to breeding a safer, happier and more sustainable world between humans and animals. As a liberal and business entrepreneur, being green does not have to impact business. In fact being green can create business opportunities and enhance GDP.
Before you and I start to pay almost $500 a year extra for a very complex “Carbon Tax” system in NSW, I want Australian’s to consider a $1million initiative before the government goes several BILLION.
While I agree, we need to tax business for their impact on our environment, if you voted for me; I would look to implement my 10 Steps to being green, costing Australians just $1 million, to inspire and encourage businesses to be green and sustainable.
Learn to Recycle or pay more.
We fine people for drinking too much, why don’t we fine people for wasting so much?
To date NOT all housing blocs have adequate recycling facilities for residence. In fact the last two
places I lived in Manly had sufficient recycling for just two apartments in a 13 flat apartment bloc.
All councils must impose recycling minimums and than impose fines on households, apartments and businesses that don’t recycling sufficiently as set nationally by Australia.
If we expect the Government and business to become greener, then we must expect each household to recycle.
This also go’s for business offices. Just like we impose OH&S standards for all businesses, we must establish high environment standards for all offices.
The government must make it cheaper and easier to recycle, more expensive to waist and reduce the amount waste each week from an office, apartment or household.
Solar Power & Water Conservation by law
By Law, all new households built in 2012 must be built with a minimum 1000L tank (more depending on garden size, proximity to forests to fire etc) and have enough solar power to maintain itself for at least half the day during peak sun levels.
By the end of 2012 it must be illegal to water your garden and wash your car with tap water.
Why should we build expensive desalination plants and nuclear plants when we have sufficient natural resources to maintain our existence within our own properties?
Gay & lesbian cannot have surrogate children, sorry!
I have nothing against gays and lesbians; they can do what you want I say. It’s your right do it how you want to! However nature never intended you to make children, so why are you trying to kid yourself.
The truth is the world has enough children dying, starving and homeless. If you choose to be gay and lesbian take the pro’s and con’s that come with the gig. Abiding by the strongest international laws, you may adopt children. However you may not create surrogate children in Australia or any country in the world. Breaking this law would allow the Australian government not to grant the child Australian citizenship and impose a fine.
Every mouth needs water, food and material goods; we need to listen to nature on reproduction to save our natural resources. This also goes to all you parents that cannot have kids, due to abusing their body by drinking, smoking and illegal substances.
Disclaimer: I am not religious or part of any NGO or into a radical group of nut heads; this view is based on my belief to respect nature’s way!
Environmental Tax
We tax ourselves to protect our health with private health schemes, yet we are happy to pollute the air and sea without conditions applied.
Its time businesses start spending more money on being GREEN and be rewarded for their efforts, or penalised for not. Like the health care system, business will be judged in 4 bands on their tax penalty. By hitting set sustainability targets, building sustainable buildings, reducing emissions and building a culture of recycling across all industries must be encouraged. Failure to hit these target s would mean you pay extra tax. Each band accounts for a higher tax. Those causing harm to the environment as businesses would be taxed an extra 2.5% on top of their existing tax.
Those being green and environmentally focused would pay 2% less tax. This tax incentive would only apply companies turning over more than $5 million annually.
Buy Smarter not more often
We ban the sale of products that don’t have a 4 or 5 Star energy rating. Get rid of the power gauging lights, water wasting washing machines and energy sapping fridges. Get rid of energy harming products that have no positive impact on our life. Reduce the landfills of “Chinese made” crap that is cheap and harmful on our environment.
Let’s make Australian a haven of energy and resource efficient products and people.
Compared with many societies, Australia can afford to pay a little extra. In fact, creating an economic environment based on superior product will enhance the Australian manufacturing and technology industries.
Bhutan judges their GDP on their “gross domestic happiness”, than let us be judged by our choices to live sustainably.
Rev heads must become Eco Heads
Let us begon with a culture of “Petrol guzzlers”… this era was born in time of misunderstanding.
While I enjoy watching F1, I am no car rev head, so what is the point of owning a V8 car that guzzles petrol or diesel in an over policed society that prevents you to drive fast than 50km in the city and 110km/h on highway.
Australia’s driving laws are hypocritical to what we allow people to buy and ride.
Education is the key
Sustainable living must be built into education on every level.
Mathematics, science, biology and English must incorporate sustainable living, environmental debate and forward thinking on how we as humans can be more proactive in working with the environment.
Attending the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg as a university student, I was made aware of the environmental impact of boiling a full kettle of water compared to boiling just enough for what I needed. As kids we need to understand and reason with our impact on society.
People pollute, waste resources and act in unstainable ways because they have not had the opportunity to consider the alternative, reason with their action and made aware of their actions on the environment.
We must build a new generation of kids who appreciate their actions on the environment.
Reduction of Road development by 50%
I want government to stop all expansion plans of major roads. We need to stop investing in roads for cars and start investing in smart, greener and more efficient forms of public transport.
I want faster trains, more public transport options, cheaper weekly tickets and more efficient service.
Why would you catch a train in NSW when its likely to be over crowded, costly, irregular and constantly having issues. I am tired of buying a ticket and not getting a seat on a train or bus.
While NSW Transport gets more marketing dollars from advertising every year, it continues to increase the cost of public transport. Trains are getting slower not quicker in moving people.
We need to invest more in public transport, make it more accessible and more frequent. New and better options need to be considered and trialled soon. The Chinese certainly understand that, and are at the forefront of discovering new ways to move their nation. The opportunity to find a solution is BIG BUSINESS for Australia and for the export market.
We need to alter all Australia’s belief in public transport, making them want to catch public transport first and foremost before using their car. That will start by enhancing the service we use.
Make it easier and cheaper to take public transport, and more expensive and difficult to ride your car.
Thinking Green, Building Green and Growing Green
What is the point of a roof? Australian’s spend millions on getting the right location, yet we waste the opportunity to maximise the space we have purchased to live well, eat well and find calmness.
I want stamp duty and other property taxes not to be relevant on when or what we buy, but rather how we utilise the space we have purchased or built.
Roofs must be flat; have garden and provide a sanctuary for offices staff, green thumbs and kids. Roofs capture water for the plants, fruit and vegetables for people to harvest organic products to eat. This type of environment will allow us to eat better, connect with nature and provide peaceful environment in a stressful society.
We must encourage and empower builders, buyers and architects to build green so people can grow green.
Finally… and more importantly.. let us brew sustainable beer with no preservatives.
I love my beer and so do many Australia’s. What I don’t understand is why Australia continues to ignore the impact of beer making on the Australian culture and environment.The government needs to make a stand, enforcing all beer sold in Australia to carry a minimum level 3 of 4 possible green leafs.
Presently major Beer companies Molson-Coors, SABMiller, Anheuser Busch, Heineken, Modelo all received 1 Greenopia leaf. Foster’s, Sierra Nevada, and Kirin received 2 Greenopia leafs, respectively.
Greenopia provides the market’s only independent rating and ranking of green services and products. For the environment, our health and sustainable production, we must embrace available green production facilities in the production of beer sold in Australia.
The global wine industry also has a tremendous impact on the environment, from production and manufacturing through transportation and marketing, and ultimately with the consumer who must deal with the resulting packaging materials.
As one of the worlds preferred suppliers we need to find a solution and place an industry acceptable level.
How does this cost $1m rather than the governments Billions?
I would hire 3 independent geniuses to deliver a framework that governs how we as a society act, educate and choose to be sustainable and environmentally conscious.
My ideas will not cost a cent otherwise. We already have the setup, the makeup and the structures to act in the most correct way, we just need to change the guidelines, structures and laws that goven how we act.
By incentivising what we buy we have the opportunity to build Australia’s green industry, increase R&D and export the technology overseas. Green Technology is in big demand and that demand will not end unlike Chinese demand on our metals.
We as a society need to take responsibility and continue to incentives society to desire to be environmentally conscious in all its actions.
Vote for me, I want your action not your vote!
