Jo doesn't 'believe' in climate change, but she BELIEVES in science

Former Melbourne
 Age, science writer,
 Jo Chandler.

Jo Chandler doesn’t believe in climate change, but she does believe in science.

The implication of that observation for the former science writer at the Melbourne Age is that the science of climatology illustrates conclusively that humans have changed the world’s weather patterns.

Ms Chandler, who only took voluntary redundancy at The Age last month, was one of two speakers at the University of Melbourne’s “A conversation on the climate crisis”.

Her fellow speaker at the seminar was the author of the Garnaut Climate Change Review, Professor Ross Garnaut. His 2008 report was then presented to the Australian Government and updated last year.

Ms Chandler told the more than 100 people who joined the conversation that family and friends often asked her why she believed in climate change.

She said she doesn’t, rather she believes in the clear, unambiguous and evidence-based findings of science that illustrate the reality of the changes we have made to our atmosphere.

Professor Ross Garnaut, who presented his review to the then Australian Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd, came to the recent conversation with an unparalleled understanding of the economic impact of climate change on Australia.

Prof Garnaut appears a naturally conservative fellow and even when exploring the most damning scenarios of our changing climate, talks in a kindly way and seems to avoid observations the might “scare the horses”.

Ross Garnaut.

Despite that, Prof Garnaut was unable to avoid the facts; facts that point to a certain two degree rise in earth’s temperature (we are at less than one degree at the moment) and explore realities suggesting even the two degree number is conservative.

Leaving the seminar feeling somewhat euphoric about having been a part of reasoned and respectful conversation about a crisis not yet understood, I walked straight into a Melbourne that is what it is because of business as usual, a paradigm that underpins our changing climate.

The dichotomy was evident; some understand, recognise and want action on the crisis, but even within that mindset there appears to be a reluctance to let go of the good life.

That made me think of Homer Simpson, who in trying to pilfer a soft drink from a dispenser, became trapped and after significant effort it was realized that if he loosened his grip on the can, his hand could slide free.

Humanity is locked in the “Homer Simpson paradigm” and until we are prepared to let go of our lavish life-style, scale it back and accept a simpler life we, like that cartoon hero, will remain trapped, and doomed to difficult times.

I stand with Jo Chandler and, like her, embrace science and align myself with the likes of Ross Garnaut enjoying his respectfulness and kindly behaviour.

 

Story erodes our city's image

Shepparton’s image emerged pretty much in tatters from a story published in the “Extra” section of yesterday’s Melbourne Age.

The Furphy water cart - made
famous in World War one.

The story was, in itself fine, but the image it portrayed of Shepparton, illustrated a city that was limping toward, or has, decided difficulties.

Writer Peter Munro diligently excavated and illustrated all those facts that suggested Shepparton, all of Shepparton, was living on “the wrong side of the tracks”.

Obviously the story was planned and written not to present a rounded picture of life in Shepparton with Munro zeroing in on events, programs and statistics that illustrate the city is socially dysfunctional. It is not.

Ironically, on the same weekend as Monro’s story appeared in The Age, throwing doubt into the minds of readers about Shepparton’s civility, the city hosted and saw the conclusion of eleventh staging of the biennial presentation of the Australian National Piano Awards.

The mission statement for the awards says: “The Australian National Piano Award Shepparton Inc. has the mission of promoting and directing a competition which embodies the highest of national and international music standards, recognises the pursuit of excellence at a professional level, offers educational benefits to performers and provides challenges to the participants.”

Further, the weekend just gone saw a host of events throughout the city for the Joseph Furphy Centenary Commemorative Festival that recognized and acknowledged the work of Joseph Furphy who, writing under the pen name of Tom Collins, wrote the famous piece of Australian literature, “Such is Life”.

The dichotomies between rich and poor cannot be denied as they most certainly exist, but not to any degree of more significance than that of any other regional Australian city or, for that matter, any state capital.

A water bird sits on a log
 close to the centre
of Shepparton.

In fact any journalist worth his or her salary and allowed the time could certainly uncover circumstances similar, or worse, in our capital city, Canberra.

Shepparton, as is most certainly the case with most other towns and cities, is unquestionably feeling the effect of a static economy a fact that is reflected by empty shops in the central business district.

It is, despite the rather troubled outlook portrayed in Munro’s story – “Rolling with the punches” – a city with decided spirit, a city in which its citizens will quickly bond to see off most any difficulty.

Having a daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons living on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, I have occasionally considered and moving to live there, but the call of my community, this community, saw such thinking quickly abandoned.

Interestingly, Munro is correct, but it is not until you live here, and that gives me a distinct advantage, that he is grossly wrong.

Warnings ignored as government worsens entropic pace

Manifest warnings about the increasing entropic pace of the human infrastructure pass largely unnoticed.



Coal is the villian
in climate change.

Many who discussed evolving difficulties, including the head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City and the climatologist who first warned of our changing climate, James Hansen, were roundly criticized.

He was, in the 80s, something of a voice in the wilderness and despite the views he expounds now having the support of nearly all the world’s scientists and fellow climatologists, legitimacy still eludes him in many circles.

The world he envisages is not encouraging with its extreme weather events, being droughts, huge dumps of rain, a broad increase in temperatures;  changes in traditional and well understood weather patterns, meaning once productive areas will no longer be so; and seasons foreign everywhere and disrupting life of every form.

The practical infrastructure and weather on which humans depend is under direct threat.

Today’s decision makers are governing for today appealing to short-term thinkers, but those more expansive thinkers among us, Hansen was one, understand the importance of us acting now to ready the world for the testing decades ahead.

A story in a recent issue of Melbourne’s Age discussed the intent of Victoria’s State Government to spend billions of dollars establishing a massive newcontainer port in Port Phillip Bay.

The argument, it seemed, was about where the port should be when it really should have been about whether the Victoria of tomorrow even needed such a facility.

Governments, State and Federal, need to invest in infrastructure, but rather than spend heavily on what is already obsolete we should be spending those billions on building a resilient Victoria; a Victoria able to cope with the rigours of a future in which communities will bounce and ricochet through times decidedly different from anything ever experienced.

Entropy is only forestalled when energy is applied and initially it was slowed by tireless human effort until we uncovered the secrets of fossil fuels to reshape the disorder brought on by entropy, but unaware for decades that the resultant carbon dioxide it produced was hurting our atmosphere.

The export of coal, the greatest villain in the carbon dioxide stakes, is the prime reason for the proposed new container port, but beyond that will be the State Government’s intention to ensure business continues as usual.

Rather than maintaining failed 20^th Century policies we should be investing in infrastructure such as sophisticated public transit; consider rating and taxing structures that favour small business; the refurbishment and reinvigoration of neighbourhoods and communities on which our future will depend; and an end to corporate subsidies; reduce our military commitment and distribute more fairly the wealth arising from Australia’s natural resources.

Working for nearly 20 years to help keep GV Swap Meet moving

Kris Healey - she has been
 working behind the scenes for
 nearly 20 years to help
organize Shepparton's
anuall GV Swap meet.

Kris Healey has been working behind the scenes on the annual GV Swap Meet for nearly 20 years.

Kris and her husband Lloyd has been members of the Goulburn Valley Motor Vehicles Driver’s Club (GVMVDC) for about 27 years and naturally moved into having key roles in the event’s organization.

The meet began in Numurkah in 1971 and has been to Congupna, Shepparton’s DECA and the trotting track on Melbourne Rd before settling at its present home at the Shepparton Show Grounds.

It is, however, not a complete stranger to the showgrounds as it had first been there, but relocated while the whole facility was restructured, reshaped and, finally reopened as fresh public facility ideal for such events as the annual swap meet.

The swap meet is the major public event held each year by the club.

Saturday before the Sunday swap meet and the showgrounds are alive with people busily preparing for the rush to come later in the day when the sites are opened to those planning to show their wares.

Kris said the sites, of which there are more than 600 for exhibitors with an amazing array of goods for sale and swap, sell for just $20, which includes to passes at $5 each.

Kris had seen the meet go from an intense day out for the blokes with its seemingly endless collection car and motorcycle bits and pieces, to an event with an increasing emphasis on goods that interest women and children.

 

Our understanding of phases and words frustrates the pedestrianization of our towns and cities

An entrenched way of living and our understanding of phases and words are just two things that stand in the way of making our towns and cities pedestrian friendly.

The freeways of the world have no
 consideration for the pedestrian.

Progressive thinkers sense that our way of life is herding us into a cul-de-sac and the way in which we think about and understand any possible solutions is only worsening the over-crowding.

A revolution that started in the late 19^th century with the arrival of the first motor car has since enveloped the world – the coup that has reduced humankind to passengers (literally) is complete.

Our towns and cities have been taken over by motor vehicles and despite adventurous ideas and enthusiastic attempts at securing our liberation we continue to huddle in the shadows while we afford absolute freedom and the joy of life in the sun to the motor car.

We conceived of the car as a tool to make our lives easier and more comfortable – it was, at first, our servant and now roles are reversed with us living in a way that ensures the motor car has the run of the world.

We built the car, a mindless mechanical thing, with the thought that it would free us, but something quiet to the contrary has happened. We have given the car freedoms and rights we afford to almost nothing else and as it rampages around the world, we stare out from the gloom almost like refugees on our own planet.

Roads of tar and cement spill around the world looking like a tangled and heartless mess and what were once beautiful spaces are turned into soulless parking areas for these modern day monsters.

The car has the world in a sleeper hold and we can’t even talk our way out of its embrace for we can no longer understand the language. Everything we do, every decision we make is tinted by this strange dilemma – the car tightens its grip and we begin to lose ours.

Mention pedestrian friendly to a community and immediately most see the job as done – that is that the community is already pedestrian friendly – it has a few walking paths, a couple of pedestrian crossings and a few pedestrian refuges that allow a few moments relief as the behemoths of the road surge by.

There is a distinct difference between walking for relaxation or exercise to walking as a part of daily life – walking to work, walking to shop, walking to school, walking to see a friend or walking to and from social events.

It is this difference, along with our failure to understand how we need to look at our towns and cities again with the need to reconsider our designs relegating the car to its rightful position of servant and the pedestrian becomes elevated, honoured and respected, making it easy and desirable.

Australian towns and cities are suffering from a similar difficulty as many in the population – obesity. We are becoming grossly overweight, spreading as we shouldn’t, while we should be trimming up, ensuring our towns and cities are taught and trim like a fit athlete.

Rather than sprawl we should be designing for compact communities that not only encourage walking, but make it possible, rewarding and so enhance our wellbeing as we walk our way to healthier and safer towns and cities.    

Defining, understanding and identifying courage eludes most

Courage is as difficult to define as beauty.

It is something that has been on the minds of many following the tragic deaths recently of five Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.

Courage - as difficult to define as beauty.

Notwithstanding this, danger awaits anyone who questions the popular idea of courage and dare suggest they were not courageous rather, just doing their job, a job they the knowingly and willingly signed up for.

What is courage? Where and why does it emerge? Why is a soldier, whose prime task, when all the finery is stripped away is about killing other people, more courageous than the soul down the street who wrestles with life’s daily dilemmas?

The institution that is our armed forces removes many of life’s risks and so in essence the only thing a soldier is gambling with is his or her life.

Our symbolic soul “down the street” gambles not only with their life, but also, particularly if they question the status quo, their broader wellbeing, and that of their family, without having the vast and resourceful infrastructure of our armed forces to support them.

Enlistment is a clear indication of person’s values and beliefs and as they equate with most in the country, rarely, if ever do they have to put their head above the parapet to contest popular opinion.

In fact, as demonstrated repeatedly those most at risk in our society, certainly psychologically and if at times not physically, question the status quo and wonder publically if life would not be better if we were more conciliatory rather than militant.

Life’s truly courageous souls are those who ask the questions most would prefer to avoid and have us listen to answers we would rather not hear.

Socrates, an habitual questioner, had a passion to “know” and because of that interrogation was considered socially disruptive and so put to death.

Socrates had the opportunity to escape his persecutors, but being a believer in the rule of law, stayed, drank the hemlock and died. That was courage remote from the battlefield.

Soldiers fight for the values of the society to which they belong and that act demands a certain type of courage, but our true unsung heroes demonstrate an unrecognised courage using little more than words, and art in all its forms, to protect human rights, be it at the primary school through to those who seek asylum in Australia.

Humanity’s golden years appear to the crumbling as a burgeoning population strains earth’s resources and with our market driven economy in disarray, a few courageous souls talk of alternatives, risking reputation as they confront entrenched ideologies; ideologies that have brought the good life, but which are now unravelling.

It takes courage to discuss new ideas, it take even more courage to adopt them.

Bank's result should be applauded, but questioned, seriously

Australia’s Commonwealth Bank should be applauded for its reported profit of $7.1 billion.

The Commonwealth Bank
 as it was in 1912.

The bank has fulfilled its “reason” beautifully and because of that epitomises the essence of the capitalistic customs in which civilization is enmeshed.

The bank is performing and behaving exactly in accordance with those behaviours; yardsticks set by the community, both here and overseas.

Considerations of the past year of operations by Australia’s biggest bank are neither right nor wrong, but find their place in either camp when subjected to personal ideologies.

The Commonwealth Bank Act in 1911 resulted in the founding of the bank in 1912, empowered then to conduct both savings and general banking business.

Today, the bank has grown to a business with more than 800 000 shareholders and 52 000 workers in the Commonwealth Bank Group.

The Commonwealth Banks Restructuring Act of 1990 converted the Commonwealth Bank from a statutory authority to a public company with conventional share capital and part-Government ownership.

On 17 April 1991, the organisation became a public company with a share capital governed by the Corporations Law and then was fully privatised in three stages from 1991 until July 1996.

So, as a private company the bank has adhered to the philosophies and ideals on which it is built in that it has enriched stakeholders, been a good corporate citizen and portrayed itself as a beacon of decency in the financial dynamic.

Detached from the intricacies of the financial world and remote from its demands and urgencies, criticism can easily and quickly percolate to the surface, particularly, if one is immune to the fascinations of finance.

Stripped of all its finery and various ornaments the world of money has supressed the beautiful intricacies and wonder of being human and is little more than sophisticated gambling in which the main players rarely lose.

The finance industry is the engine of “business as usual” and buttressed by distorted constructions of what is best for man, a few grow fabulously rich and many equally poor, as we roar, with our eyes shut, our breath held and our good sense stilled, toward the abyss.

Shrill and comforting adages leap from the lips of the business as usual boosters, but they take no account of mounting environmental costs; debts that are beyond payment by the world’s existing financial infrastructure.

The way ahead is about restructuring and retrofitting our financial system, saying “good-bye” to existing, but costly social, resource and environmental good times and putting out the welcome mat to an austerity that will bring with it an enriched way of living we don’t yet understand.

Profits of $7 billion; more for many corporations are something our earth can no longer afford; we should demand that people have priority over profit.