As you already know there are two countries which haven’t signed the Kyoto Treaty, the US (surprise surprise) and Australia!

What a shame! Some 120 + countries managed to sign it!

For a country that is really quite mordern and forward looking in its approaches, it is unbelievable that Australia will not support such a treaty. And why?

Simple. “It would cost jobs”, according to John Howard. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that the US didn’t ratify the treaty either. Either way,what a joke, saying it would cost jobs. I remember years ago, actually now decades ago, someone saying Australia had the potential to become a banana republic. Maybe that comment, in light of its current stance on global warming is not so far from the truth.

Australia has so much potential to become a leader in environmental issues. It should already be leading the solar energy race, but it isn’t. It is far behind Western Europe on many other environmental issues. Australia is one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world on a per capita basis.

What a shame - isn’t it time to do something against this????

Well you can, but start small:

- Reduce your impact AT HOME
- Reduce your impact WHILE ON THE MOVE
- Help bring about change LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY

Here are some quick facts about the affects of global warming:

- The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.
- Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.
- At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles

For more info look here or here www.stopglobalwarming.org

I found something pretty appalling this week.

Do you remember the Cronulla riots? They were an embarrassment to this country and more specifically to Sydney. In general, Australia has a pretty good record for welcoming migrants from all over the world, who usually come here either for the opportunities or to escape oppression.

In most cases, people have found this country to be a haven, but unfortunately the swing towards Right-Wing thinking in world politics, led largely by the US, has created a nationalistic paranoia in Western countries. All the hype around terrorism, the Middle East and Islam has given uneducated nationalist yobbos an outlet for the dissatisfaction they feel with their own lives. “Lets blame the Arabs”.

Cronulla was just the result of years of tensions. Both “sides” have plenty to answer for, but it wouldn’t have happened without all the hype. This week I read that a board game has been released called Cronulla Monopoly where players play to “win back Australia”.

It was also this week that I read about a drunken football team who bashed a Jewish guy in Caulfield after yelling racial abuse at him and his kids out of the window of their bus.

Where is this all heading? It’s a serious question. I don’t understand what’s happening.

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I cursed and screamed like a spoilt little brat last night when I went to have a shower at the end of the day and discovered there was no hot water! I couldn’t believe that at a time when I wanted to wind down and have a rejuventing hot shower, I couldn’t.

I thankfully gained some perspective this morning. I can’t say that I will never take things for granted again but I am trying…

In support of the Make Poverty History Movement, I’d like to share with you a short video with a huge message. Even if you don’t share the same view, please show some click love and watch the video - The miniture earth. At the very least is well made.