Welcome + being true green (and answering calls)

Hello and welcome to my new blog.
I'm not going to restrict my comments to only 'green' things - I'm going to share my thoughts on a range of social topics as well which is why my first post (prior to this welcome note) is about solo sailor Jessica Watson and Australia's Tall Poppy Syndrome (TPS).

I worked with Jess last year - staged her first media conference and did her first media training (as a favour to Don and Margie McIntrye) before introducing her and her family to the 5 Oceans Media crowd. They've done a terrific job with her sponsorship - all of which would have been redundant if she hadn't succeeded - so all cudos to you Jessica. Congratulations!!

Last Friday night I attended the Sydney Writers' Festival and heard Tim Flannery, Bill McKibben, Clive Hamilton and Ross Garnaut talk about Australia's biggest issue - inaction on climate change. Over 2000 people at Sydney Town Hall were overwhelmingly in support of action now to put a price on carbon and help reduce our emissions. We need a 25% reduction by 2020 and a 90% reduction by 2050 in CO2 emissions if we are to try and mitigate the effects of global warming.

It was a bit depressing to be honest - I tend to subscribe to the view that despite all the best efforts of over one million environmental NGOs in the world, and those responsible corporate and government leaders who want to change things....not much will change until there's a major catastrophe which forces governments to act. Let's hope I'm long gone before that happens.....

Clive Hamilton remarked at the lecture "Kevin Rudd has shown himself to be a manager...not a leader" or words to that effect with reference to the Labor Government's abandonment of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. I think Australian's respond well to true leadership - they want their leaders to be strong and have real vision. Why aren't we the biggest solar energy producer in the world? Beats me. I wonder if there was a website dedicated to 'Australia's Climate Criminals' if there would be more action. Most of those Climate Criminals are probably grandfather's afterall and I'm sure their grand kids would be so proud of them!

So leadership is needed - strong and committed leadership. That's why I'm off to Canberra this week to attend the National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development at Parliament House. Over 200 business leaders will gather to talk to the pollies about the need to put a price on carbon and to create clarity about the way forward for business. Tony Abbott will be there, so will Penny Wong, Peter Garrett and Tony Bourke.

Let's hope we'll see some action!