Global issues today

Branson to save environment

Sometimes I’m sad that I’m not a billionaire. Seriously. I sort of idolise Sir Richard Branson, he epitomises the kind of billionaire I’d like to be. I don’t follow him around and send him love letters or anything, but I do like the chap.

Good ol’ Branson has just pledged $US3 billion towards 10 year development of renewable energy. He also wants to use his lofty position to put pressure on the Australian Government to sign the Kyoto agreement.

It wasn’t all that many years ago that Australia was really leading in the greenhouse emission reduction. We were significantly under the “allowed” pollution index as laid out on the Kyoto protocol. But Australia got arrogant and decided since we weren’t the world’s worst polluters we could rest on our laurels and stop caring.

I hope Branson can convince the Australian government to get off their backsides and be proactive in trying to save the world from environmental destruction. We all know that if the world dies we die along with it, so why don’t we care a bit more?

Branson’s way of describing it was "What we have effectively got is a fire burning around the world which is getting stronger and stronger every year, and we have got to put that fire out".

In related news, the US state of California is suing six car manufacturers for polluting the world and causing health problems. The Deputy Attorney General said “we want to get the automakers to start to work out the problem and pay for whatever damages they may be a part of causing."

This is an interesting turn of events. I like the idea of pressuring these car manufacturers into getting with the program. At the very least, it’s helping to draw attention to the problem.

So that’s good news. Richard Branson and the State of California are cool. But don’t get lazy, don’t think “Let the billionaires and politicians figure it out.” We all need to work together.

My mission is to get hydrogen cars to Australia.

Related links:
Branson in the news, California sues car manufacturers, Arnie and Blair save the world

posted by Eliza @ 11:01 am