Let the symbolic step turn you greener

Newcastle Herald
Wednesday 26/3/2008 Page: 9

EARTH Hour is well on the way to capturing the hearts and minds of Australians. The action of turning off all unnecessary power for one dedicated hour is a powerful symbolic step towards a smart energy future for our region and our planet. And we can use it as a catalyst to make every hour energy smart. We already know about the simplest things that can be done around the house and at work; these will only begin to make a difference once we set them in motion.

These are the commonsense actions such as turning off the beer fridge, changing light globes, completely filling dishwashers and washing machines, limiting air conditioning use, turning off appliances at the wall, buying fewer packaged and imported goods, and using the car less. Community group Climate Action Newcastle has been urging local households and businesses to go further and make the switch to 100 per cent accredited GreenPower.

A 2007 Hunter Valley Research Foundation poll found that more than 90 per cent of people in the Hunter are willing to pay more for renewable energy. Significantly less have put their money on the line, although most energy retailers now provide accredited GreenPower. GreenPower comes from entirely renewable sources such as solar and wind energy; and the more of us who buy it, the cheaper it will be as investment flows into development of these exciting industries.

Renewable energy technologies currently receive 28 times fewer government subsidies than the fossil fuel industry; and a recent Newspoll found that 78 per cent of Australians were unaware of this, and 90 per cent want at least equal funding. Renewable energy will continue to be more expensive without a level playing field provided by state and federal governments.

More GreenPower also reduces the need for coal and gas-fired plants. In fact, climate change academic Dr Mark Diesendorf points out in his 2007 book Greenhouse Solutions With Sustainable Energy that if domestic off-peak electric hot water systems were replaced with solar or gas boosted solar in NSW, we would not need another baseload power plant for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, the terms of reference of last year's Owen inquiry into the future of NSW electricity precluded this. Instead, the NSW Government insists on selling off all responsibility for the state's electricity this year.

It's easy to use less energy from the grid. Government rebates are available for solar hot water (up to $1500), solar energy panels (more than $8000), and ceiling insulation (up to $300). Households should be jumping at these offers of substantial cash incentives to reduce their energy use, which will also reduce power bills. All of these actions will significantly reduce the contribution to climate change, while saving household dollars. Earth Hour is an important meeting of minds. We all need to recognise the urgency of addressing climate change every hour, every day.