Waking up before it all go, goes

East Torrens Messenger
Wednesday 27/2/2008 Page: 20

Professor Ross Garnaut's interim report on climate change last week was described variously as a reality check, shock treatment and a wake-up call. In light of his call for radical reductions in carbon emissions, it's impossible not to feel that collectively, all our efforts to turn off unnecessary lights and the air-con have not made a speck of difference.

Government, industry and our own hip pockets are so totally greenhouse gas dependent, it's going to take a complete change in culture to disconnect the link between economic growth and greenhouse gas. We need to take a long, cold shower.

As Adelaide hosted the third International Solar Cities Congress last week, the State Government announced it would become the first carbon-neutral government, offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 by buying green power and other carbon offsets. The Premier wants to boost the renewable energy industry and inspire other industries and governments to switch to renewable energy sources.

Congress speaker Professor Peter Droege said we had to get rid of our "coal (powered) dependency." Lesser measures, he said, were "dangerous because they make us look like we did something... it makes us feel good but it's not tackling the main issue." Former Adelaide Thinker in Residence and solar energy expert Herbert Girardet, who gave the keynote address, provided a classic left-field idea that would dramatically cut emissions by SA drivers by as much as half.

After spending eight weeks here in 2003, he was familiar enough with local issues to recommend converting the soon-to-close Mitsubishi factory to manufacturing solar electric cars, which other auto companies overseas are gearing for. These cars could be charged overnight by the family home's solar panels, or even a backyard wind turbine. "It's a little bit utopian," Prof Giradet admits. "But that type of world can be within our grasp now in a matter of five to 10 years."