• About
  • Archive
  • Contact
The Greening of Gavin
  • Home
  • Our Green Shop
    • Little Green Workshops
  • Green Workshops
    • Cheese Making
    • Soap Making
    • Soy Candle Making
  • eBooks
    • Clay Oven eBook
    • Keep Calm and Make Cheese eBook
  • Podcast
    • TGOG Podcast
    • TGoG Podcast Archive
    • Little Green Cheese
  • Vlog
  • Cheese
  • Green Living
    • Chickens
    • Gardening
    • Soap Making
    • Recipes
    • Climate Change
    • Peak Oil
    • Solar Power
  • Resources

Common Sense Required

June 2, 2011 @ 21:07 By Gavin Webber 13 Comments

With so much political rhetoric and media hullabaloo from opponents of the carbon tax or any such action on climate change, I thought I would let everyone know my thoughts on the current political debate being held across Australia. 

I believe that a good dose of common sense is required to understand the real issues.   A dose of common sense to decipher the media bullshit and political one-up-manship that is being thrust at ordinary Australians every single day in the mainstream media.  A dose of common sense to get back in touch with the reality of it all with the realisation that the furor of anti-climate action is being created by vested interests who choose short term profits and greed over the future of our children’s children.  A dose of common sense about the true meaning of not acting on the voluminous amounts of carbon dioxide and the five other greenhouse gasses that we spew into the atmosphere and oceans every day.

As far as I can tell it all comes down to risk management.  We make a choice based on the risk of action or inaction on what we are doing to our home.  Here are the four choices as I see it.

A.  If the majority of scientists are correct and man-induced climate change is happening and we do something about the cause to lower emissions, then great, it was money well spent and we have a future.  No issue.

B.  If the majority of scientists are incorrect and man-induced climate change is not happening, and we still do something to lower emissions, then no great loss, we have a clean planet to live on, species decline may stop and we begin to care about our planet.  Money well spent.  No issue.

C.  If the majority of scientists are correct and man-induced climate change is happening and we do nothing, then we spend no money and we are stuffed.  Changed climate, species loss including our own, and a general shit storm if the IPCC reports are anything to go by.  It’s life Jim, but not as we know it!

D.  If the majority of scientists are incorrect and man-induced climate change is not happening and we do nothing, we party like it is 1999 and we spend no money on reducing emissions, we still end up with a shitty place to live with a polluted environment for our children’s children.

Our choice is simple.  A nice place to live as in choice A and B, or a shitty place to live as in choice C or D.  The vested interest would like us to choose the latter.  I personally choose A and B, and am doing something about it in my own special way.  Our capacity for inaction in the face of the facts about climate change continually stuns me each day in this country.  It could be all of the media hype, which is hard to avoid these days, but I have weighed up the research and have made an informed risk based decision.

Now because I choose A and B, I will be attending one of the many family oriented rallies being held throughout our great land on Sunday, 5th of June.  Check out the Say Yes Australia video below for more information or click on the link.

This rally is great but lets not stop there. I find that you can influence other at a more personal level.  Think of it like this.  One person starts doing something out of the ordinary (taking waste coffee grounds home from the office for the garden, keeping chooks, turning off their work PC overnight, whatever), and then a whole bunch of other people will start doing it.

It’s almost like nobody wants to be the first to go out on a limb, but once that first person has broken the ice, it’s suddenly much more socially acceptable for others to do the same.  We really are social animals.

So lets get social and lead by example to tackle it from both angles!

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: climate change, Green Psychology, risk managment

← Cover Boy for the Sustainable Living Movement??? Climate Change Rally Melbourne →

About Gavin Webber

Gavin Webber's daily goal is to live a more sustainable lifestyle, in an effort to reduce his family's environmental footprint so we can all make a difference for our children & future generations to come.

Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Comments

  1. Sonia says

    June 2, 2011 at 21:13

    I cannot thank you enough for putting things so simply and clearly. Because I sometimes I get so bl*&^y confused by the politicians – go figure…

    Reply
  2. HAZEL says

    June 2, 2011 at 21:34

    the current political situation in Oz is dreadful. A government made ineffective through the fear of losing the balance of power and almost too scared to do anything. …if they would just do something amazing they may find they would have most of the country cheering. …and don’t start me on the Press!

    Reply
  3. HAZEL says

    June 2, 2011 at 21:35

    Oh, and ‘miaow’!

    Reply
  4. Lani at Edible Urban Garden says

    June 2, 2011 at 23:26

    Well put Gavin!

    Reply
  5. gullygunyah says

    June 3, 2011 at 08:56

    I’m sorry but I disagree. A tax or emmisions trading scheme is just an instrument to take from the pockets of the little guy and put money in the pockets of the wealthy yet again.
    If strict emmissions regulations were introduced(They already do this with cars) then that would actually have the desired purpose. Of course costs to reduce would be passed on to the consumer but it would be attacking the problem at it’s source.
    On the other hand if you want a tax then the people issuing carbon credits will make a nice little fortune out of it. And no surprise who has vested interests in these offices. And the consumer will be filling these people’s pockets while having little to no effect on emmissions.
    Of course the government is being sneaky about the whole thing because a lot of people are being distracted from the fact that we will have a market system on carbon dioxide in a couple of years after the introduction of the tax that will allow speculators to manipulate the price and we’ll have fluctuating prices further burdening households.
    If they say it will cost households 10 dollars a week at a price of 25 dollars a tonne then what happens when the market drives the price to 250 dollars a tonne? that would cost families 100 dollars a week.
    I cannot believe the gullability of environmentalists that believe
    an instrument designed by economists for people like goldman sachs & co is for the benefit of the planet.
    Of course we have no choice as the little guy has been screwed by the big guy since the start of time and through deception we will get an ets.
    Because it’s the new tech boom or housing boom or gold boom. Sound familiar?

    Reply
  6. africanaussie says

    June 3, 2011 at 09:04

    Personally I don’t think moving money around is going to achieve anything. Why doesn’t the government invest money in providing solar panels and solar hot water heaters to everyone. Lets get using an alternative energy source! I cant for the life of me understand why they are stopping the solar rebate scheme.

    Reply
  7. angela says

    June 3, 2011 at 09:55

    You are so right Gavin, lets err on the side of caution. So solar panels going up as I type this.

    Reply
  8. Gavin says

    June 3, 2011 at 10:30

    @ Sonia, Cheers. It takes me a while to figure out what they are saying as well, which is why most of the time I ignore them.

    @ Hazel, miaow to you! I had to look up on google on what you were refering to, and I had a good laugh when I saw the footage.

    @ Lani, thanks for the email.

    @ gullygunyah. Fair enough, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Howerver, at this stage of the game, any action on climate change would be a step in the right direction as far as I am concerned. Direct action has not worked so far, so what makes you think that it would work in the future. Most people just don’t give a shit, and will carry on like scenario C & D regardless. A good point to note is that we are the ones that lead the government, not the other way around. They bend to the will of the people and if there is enough opposition to their plan they will stop and do nothing. Back to square one again with the climate getting warmer every year.
    P.S I love the veil of anonymity you hide behind.

    @ Africanaussie. Fair point. Not wanting to offend, but don’t you think that the industries that pollute the most should either be forced to curb their emissions via an ETS with a reducing cap or some mechanisim rather than the government using taxpayers funds to put solar on every roof. That would be as bad as subsidsing the fossil fuel industry that cannot stand on its own two feed without government assistance. The type of power you use is your choice right now. Switch to GreenPower if you haven’t already to promote renewable energy tech.

    @ Angela. Cheers and well done. Once you make the choice of solar you never go back.

    Reply
  9. tylasnan says

    June 3, 2011 at 21:43

    Well, well Gavin, just bought my copy of Grass Roots today and who do I see but Gavin Webber of the Greening of Gavin with an article in same. Way to go Gav you are surely getting the message out there. Funny how we take ownership. I was thinking “there’s our Gav out there” Great article. Keep up the good work mate.

    Cheers, Karen near Gympie.

    Reply
  10. Greener Me says

    June 5, 2011 at 11:05

    I am off to Sydney’s rally today and plan to write a post tonight about it. Enjoy World Environment Day Gav!

    Reply
  11. nevyn says

    June 5, 2011 at 11:51

    Common Sense and politics, nope, can’t see it ever happening. Same with the media.

    I still struggle to comprehend why people are fighting so hard not to do anything about climate change.

    Do you remember the Dodo bird scene in Ice Age where they all follow each other off the cliff? That’s us.

    Reply
  12. Darren (Green Change) says

    June 6, 2011 at 09:40

    Bang on, Gav, that’s exactly how I think too! Every individual person that does something positive, however small, will have some kind of snowballing flow-on effect on those around them.

    It’s time to give the snowball a shove!

    Reply
  13. SherryGreens says

    June 8, 2011 at 06:03

    “Our capacity for inaction in the face of the facts about climate change continually stuns me each day” It stuns me too. I-don’t-get-it-I-don’t-get-it-I-don’t-get-it. It is shocking really. Are we not rational people?

    I agree that we are social animals, and we have to be the change in our own lives to inspire change in others. I might not do it if I see a media ad to conserve, but I might follow the lead of friend.

    Congrats on the magazine cover.

    Reply

Comments build lively communities. Let me know your thoughts, but keep it clean and green! Spam is removed instantly. Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search This Blog

Follow my work

About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

Delve Into the Archives

Visit Our Online Simple Living Shop

Little Green Workshops

Latest Podcast Episode

Subscribe on iTunes

Top Posts & Pages

Strawbridge Family Inspiration
The Seven Stages Of Change
How To Remove Scaly Leg Mites
Growing Queensland Blue Pumpkins (Winter Squash)
Repeat After Me. I Will Never Plant Potatoes With Pumpkins Again
Black Aphids On Garlic
Planting Australian Purple Garlic
Broad Bean Rust
Building a Wicking Bed on Concrete
Soap Making

Recent Awards

Recent Awards

Local Green Hero

Categories

Favourite Daily Reads

Debt Free, Cashed Up, and Laughing

The Off-Grid Solar House

Greener Me

The Rogue Ginger

Little Eco Footprints

Down To Earth

Surviving the Suburbs

Little Green Cheese

Eight Acres

The Witches Kitchen

TGOG Readers On-line

Podcast Reviews

  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

  • ms
    July 22, 2016 by Ketaea12 from New Zealand

    I really enjoy listening to Gavin, he has a kind lovely voice. He covers some great relevant topics for the everyday greenie. With lots of tips or how to or what not to do. Thanks Gavin, love it!!

  • Well worth your time to tune in
    October 23, 2015 by A Vision Splendid from Australia

    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

  • very good
    June 28, 2015 by Scared pax from United Kingdom

    This is a great podcast if you want to improve your life in so many aspects and become a more sustainable person. I love the soothing voice, the good pace, and it contains lots of useful information. Recommended!

  • opened my eyes
    May 25, 2015 by Gorn4lyfe from Australia

    A wonderful show!

  • Inspiring
    April 30, 2015 by Alan Whelan from Ireland

    This is a great podcast if you're looking for practical info on saving money by living more sustainably from someone who's made that journey over the last few years. Told in a nice, easy conversational style

  • Green Living, inspiring and practical
    January 8, 2015 by EliseMac from Australia

    Thanks Gav for sharing what has (and hasn't) worked along your journey for living a greener lifestyle. Inspiring and achievable for anyone, I look forward to this podcast weekly.

  • Local food equals less waste
    December 27, 2014 by allotmentadventureswithjean from Australia

    Another brilliant podcast from Gavin Webber encouraging us, and showing us how, to cut down on food miles, growing our own food, and cutting down on food waste. Gavin is a really interesting speaker, showing us how to eat better, growing our own food and how to live more sustainably.

  • Honestly australian
    December 15, 2014 by HodgepodgeOz from Australia

    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

  • Morning motivation
    December 8, 2014 by Bunnyworm from Australia

    Gavin has a great passion for living this greener lifestyle that motivates others to do the same. The podcasts are always interesting and informative. :)

  • Passionate Advocate
    October 18, 2014 by BoomOpGirl from Australia

    Gavin's enthusiasm and passion for creating a more sustainable world is nothing short of contagious. Thanks Gav, you are my weekly source of motivation for living a sustainable life! :)

  • Gavin speaks from the heart
    October 13, 2014 by Green gavin from Australia

    Gavin's podcasts are required listening for anyone planning to live a more sustainable life. He doesn't preach, but tells you his story from the heart. You'll laugh, smile, share in his concerns and along the way you'll pick up some great tips on living a simple life.

  • Green thoughts, so well iterated
    October 9, 2014 by Kwasikwami from Australia

    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

  • Easy listening inspiration on being green
    September 24, 2014 by Broomedy from Australia

    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
    August 31, 2014 by Honeywoodmilk from Australia

    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

  • Enjoyed those ideas for staying warm
    August 15, 2014 by enduringdragon from United States

    Like you we are having winter here in Chile—brrr! Every bit we can save on heating we will.

  • Green Podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Carneu from Australia

    Excellent podcasts, which are full of information to help get started on a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Practical ideas and inspiration
    July 19, 2014 by HeathrowHeath from Australia

    I highly recommend Gavin's podcast and blog. Down to earth, entertaining and inspirational. Thank you.

  • Interesting & easy to listen to
    April 27, 2014 by Velocity3 from New Zealand

    Gavin & his guests make this green journey lots of fun.

  • Great green listen
    April 18, 2014 by Obscurenickname from Australia

    Gavin is a great down to earth, tell it like it is aussie with a passion for sustainability and growing food and making cheese

Carbon Offset website

Copyright - Gavin Webber © 2023