Thursday 5 June 2008

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Today, evidently, is world environment day, someone just told me. Ha, that's a laugh. No mention of it here, in Australia, or on anything I have read so far this morning. Typical. A missed opportunity perhaps or just another excuse for selling T-shirts that say 'I care' or plastic hose fittings that have a stupid trigger which stops working after 5 minutes. Do I sound pissed off? Well, why wouldn't I be? Everyday so much common sense is washed down the drain of life that it is no wonder there is hardly any left. Are we - the 'Ether People' - the only ones left with any understanding of what is happening to our environment and the only ones with some ideas - actually common sense - to see what needs to be done? Sadly, I think so.

World Environment Day; I can't be bothered looking it up. I am sure it has a lot of nice language and some ideas for saving the planet, like turning off your lights and your computer.....at least my chooks are happy - I can see them scratching about, from where I sit at this life-line of sanity - and sometimes I think I would like to come back as a chook in a nice, chook-friendly place like mine. I always thought it would be great to be an otter but who knows now - their habitat is probably ruined and they are probably on the brink, like the poor old polar bears.

Today is dry again but at least it is not sunny. I break the law every day by watering my future meals with water from the hose, instead of using a watering can. (I don't mean I water the same things everyday, it is just that there is always something drooping...) Do you see the growers of massive food crops out with a watering can? No? Well I am not going to use one either. I don't know of any watering cans that have a misting nozzle for seeds, for a start. And I am saving my back for more useful things. If someone dobs me in, I will get a fine and you can probably guess what I will have to say about that! Now they have stopped the rebates for people installing solar panels, except for people whose income is less than $100,000. Please explain to me how someone whose income is below that amount could afford to spend $20,000 on a decent number of solar panels? Holy valotta! This is more madness. One step forward and 100 steps back.

So, I continue to be pissed off. One day soon I will get my thoughts together about something worth-while again. But, just for now, and maybe until it rains, I feel totally uninspired to even care.

6 comments:

Veggie Gnome said...

Foggy, cold, drizzly, miserable up here.
Our rain gauge registered 2mm + 1 snail this morning.
The snail is a laugh - there are thousands of them plus thousands of slugs at the moment. They are feasting on everything that doesn't move. You have to be fast as lightning out there. I am staying inside today. :)

Pattie Baker said...

That was news to me about World Environment Day, too, Kate.

chaiselongue said...

I didn't know either, Kate! When I googled it I found the UN website about it and apparently the events are being held in Wellington, New Zealand, this year. But shouldn't every day - and everywhere - be a world environment day. I'm not at all surprised you're pissed off!

Rachel said...

I am really peeved about the solar panel rebate cut, because it just seems so poorly thought out. Not at all what I (perhaps naively) expected of this government. the point on the solar panel rebate, from what I understand, wasn't "welfare" or a tax break for the wealthy, but rather to goose along the solar panel industry, achieve economies of scale and perhaps drive the prices down such that one wouldn't have to shell out $20,000 for panels to outfit a household. That's a totally different philosophical reason and one I was on board with, and not only out of a sense of self interest (I so want to install solar panels).

It's hard to feel inspired/hopeful sometimes, but I try not to surrender. I get e-mails every day talking about how many more people are getting on board with the backyard-gardening movement, I hear from friends and family in the US about how they're trying new things to reduce their footprint (my parents bought a composter and a Bokashi bucket. Another friend has bought a bike to swap her car commute for the two-wheeled variety). People are noticing and changing their personal behavior. There is always reason to hope!

Kate said...

Ok, Ok, it is just that my brain is shrivelling without rain. Laugh you may but it is in my blood (what? rain? - no, the need for it!)because my father, who was a nurseryman used to, on the one hand, complain when it rained because it would keep the customers away but also complain when it didn't becuase then everything had to be watered by hand - the whole 7 acres of potted plants. So, you see, I am doomed! We used to call him VOD = voice of doom!!

Chook said...

Our playgroup knew about World Environment day yesterday. Each week they have a different craft activity. Instead of a craft yesterday, each child got to plant a seedling in a pot and take it home.