Australia used to ride on the sheep’s back. We were the biggest wool exporter in the world at one stage. Today, we are famous for our mineral exports, and bloody big holes in the ground.
What do we dig out of the ground? Well many minerals like iron ore, nickel, copper, bauxite for aluminium, and fossil fuels. Fossil fuels mainly in the form of coal. Here in Victoria, it is mainly brown coal, but it is so polluting that no one wants to buy it from us, so we burn it to make electricity instead. How wonderful!
The other type of coal is black coal. Now further north in New South Wales and Queensland, we have gigantic deposits of the stuff. So much so that our coal exports are now Australia’s biggest contribution to climate change. As the Arctic sea ice melts to record lows, our coal exports are reaching record highs. Something is just not right in the land of Oz.
Here is the skinny from Greenpeace Australia about Coal World;
So do we really need these billionaires getting richer while our planet continues to warm up and melt? Personally, I don’t think so.
Did you know that if Australia’s Galilee Coal Basin was a country, it would be the seventh biggest emitter of carbon dioxide pollution from fossil fuels in the world. If you want to learn a bit more, read the full report, ‘Cooking the Climate, Wrecking the Reef’. It is eye opening.
We have those ‘programmes about monster size trucks and plant equipment and they are always based in Australia – huge scars in the planet xxxx
Hi Froogs, those trucks and excavators are massive. My younger brother used to work in one of those coal mines driving the ore trucks. The tires are two stories high!
And you are right about the scars. A blight on the landscape.
Gav x
Thanks for the post Gavin. I will have to link to your post as I know many people who don’t understand the whole coal thing and this video could educate them.
Thanks Linn
Great link Gavin. Very Scary Stuff.
Indeed Fiona. It is scary where this will end up. We need to be a bit more vocal in opposing such developments.
Gav x
Hi Gavin,
It frustrates me no end that this country has immersed itself so much in the coal industry. But as long as it is portrayed as the big provider, offering huge salaries to it’s workers people will continue to accept their existence.
The fact that we live in one of the sunniest countries in the world with a huge expanse of barren land and it’s not been used for solar power makes my blood boil. Australia may be touted as the lucky country but there are many days when I think of it as the dumbest country.
I agree Nevyn. We could be so much more if we just stopped doing the same thing. Embracing renewable energy and kicking up a stink when a new coal mine is proposed is a step in the right direction.
Gav x