Joe Blake
19th February 2007, 19:22
After years of denying that climate change even existed (right up until about November 2006!!!) the Australian Federal Government has finally decided to take a step in the right direction:
(From ABC Newslist)
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*Turnbull to pull plug on light bulbs*
Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull is announcing today that conventional, incandescent light bulbs are to be phased out over the next three years and replaced with energy-saving globes.
He says this will save up to two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Australia over the next few years.
Mr Turnbull told Channel Nine this action could also make an enormous impact globally.
"If the rest of the world supports us, does what we've been doing here, follows our lead, this will reduce an amount of energy, in effect make the world more energy efficient to the tune of five times as much energy as Australia consumes, so this is a little thing but it's a massive change," he said.
The Queensland Greens have welcomed the plan.
Greens spokesman Drew Hutton says he cannot see the plan causing problems for people who still use the bulbs.
"As long as you've got a proper phase in period, and as long as you've got the alternatives there, then I don't think there'll be much difficulty at all," he said.
"This is one of the easiest things in fact, that is going to be able to be done.
"A lot of people are shifting over from incandescent light bulbs already.
"I don't think we've got any left in my house, for example."
The Government is not the first to flag a ban on incandescent bulbs; last month, lawmakers in California proposed a bill to phase out the traditional light bulbs in the state by 2012.
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Call me cynical, but I know it's an election year, and for some strange reason climate change has suddenly appeared on their radar.
It's a small step, and one which I feel could have been taken years earlier.
Oh, well. The longest journey etc.
Joe
(From ABC Newslist)
*******************
*Turnbull to pull plug on light bulbs*
Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull is announcing today that conventional, incandescent light bulbs are to be phased out over the next three years and replaced with energy-saving globes.
He says this will save up to two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Australia over the next few years.
Mr Turnbull told Channel Nine this action could also make an enormous impact globally.
"If the rest of the world supports us, does what we've been doing here, follows our lead, this will reduce an amount of energy, in effect make the world more energy efficient to the tune of five times as much energy as Australia consumes, so this is a little thing but it's a massive change," he said.
The Queensland Greens have welcomed the plan.
Greens spokesman Drew Hutton says he cannot see the plan causing problems for people who still use the bulbs.
"As long as you've got a proper phase in period, and as long as you've got the alternatives there, then I don't think there'll be much difficulty at all," he said.
"This is one of the easiest things in fact, that is going to be able to be done.
"A lot of people are shifting over from incandescent light bulbs already.
"I don't think we've got any left in my house, for example."
The Government is not the first to flag a ban on incandescent bulbs; last month, lawmakers in California proposed a bill to phase out the traditional light bulbs in the state by 2012.
*******************
Call me cynical, but I know it's an election year, and for some strange reason climate change has suddenly appeared on their radar.
It's a small step, and one which I feel could have been taken years earlier.
Oh, well. The longest journey etc.
Joe