Hot under the collar? That'd be because your body is holding more solar energy than panels we have erected in our sunburnt country of Australia.
Travelling around the world and particularly Europe you encounter time and time again solar panels and wind farms. These are countries that for the most part of their year see rain and very little sunlight compared to our sunburnt country yet these countries demonstrate a commitment to helping the environment. As a tourist when other travellers question if Australia is tapping into the healthy gold mine of green energy it is extremely embarrassing to state that in fact our nation's leaders do nothing. It's about time we start questioning why our government is happy to endorse the devastation of habitats by failing to be green.
Each year Australians experience on average 8 hours of sunlight, 18-24 Megajoules of solar exposure per square metre and an average wind velocity of 6-15km/hr. Our continent is the driest in the world with 20% land that is officially desert. A staggering 70% of our nation receives less than 500millilitres of water a YEAR. How is it that we sit on our hands with little to no solar or wind farms? Call me crazy but for an economically strong country we are squandering our chances to leave behind a healthy country for future generations or a place that is affordable to live for others.
Currently Brisbane, Queensland is the second most expensive city to live in second to London; our nation has privatised electricity companies and couples can pay up to $700 for 3months of electricity. Previous governments have put in place solar enticing opportunities but due to privatisation the energy companies have started to steal money from even the energy conscious. Wake up to yourselves parliament our nation isn't experiencing record breaking floods and droughts from no fault of our own. You cannot buy the environment.
In one generation's time it is highly probable children will be using google to comprehend what wildlife and world heritage Australian sites once existed. In decades stunning cities like Venice only able to be witnessed via diving expedition, if you dare enter the water. Cost of living in Australia will be exponentially increased by a domino of natural disasters year in year out. What will it take to prioritise the environment? Will you stop thinking superficially about landscapes and start turning toward a mindset that acknowledges landscape extinction born of your inaction if change doesn't happen now?
The 'littering' of solar panels and wind turbines are a positive reminder that our society, you, value our environment. It acknowledges that humans recognise they are one piece of the universe's puzzle. The only eyesore, red faced blemish Australia faces is the worldwide knowledge that we do not appreciate our amazing, naturally diverse landscape and we demonstrate this through failing to act on climate change. Politicians it's time you felt hot under the collar, got your act together and made changes for the good of your society. I dare you.
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