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increased energy use, which presents
even greater need to become wiser
about environmentally friendly
power sources.
“Coal and gas must be burned to
generate energy. This releases pollution
into the environment – including
carbon dioxide – that collects in the
atmosphere and acts like a blanket,
trapping the sun’s heat and fuelling
global warming,” explains Suzanne
Harter, Australian Conservation
Foundation (ACF) climate change
campaigner. “Carbon dioxide is also
responsible for chemical reactions in
our oceans, making them more acidic
and contributing to destruction of our
precious reef ecosystems.”
“Carbon dioxide is not the only
pollutant released when fossil fuels are
burnt. Many pollutants like mercury,
sulphur dioxide and particulate matter
damage health. Across Australia, the
annual health cost of coal-fired power
stations is approximately $2.6 billion.”
Not only is the burning of coal and
gas problematic, but also the process
of how it is obtained. As they can only
be burned and used once, constant
mining of coal and gas is destroying
wildlife, polluting and wasting ground
water, spoiling prime agricultural land
and contaminating soil.
So, what is the alternative?
Renewable energy – which ACF is
working alongside other groups under
the Repower Alliance to bring into
mainstream effect by 2030.
“Renewable energy is harvested
from naturally clean and abundant
sources: sun, wind, waves. It will
never run out. It doesn’t pollute the
air we breathe or water we drink, or
wreck our climate. Australia has some
of the best clean energy resources
and technologies to turn them into
sustainable, reliable sources to power
our lives. What we need is political
will to plan for a clean energy future
and set policies to accelerate and
manage the transition.”
So, how can we personally support
this transition? Harter suggests
installing rooftop solar panels and
buying green power from a retailer
“Sustainable living
essentially means an
average person or
family balancing a mix
of financial, social and
environmental needs as
responsibly as possible.”