Coal vs renewables? A Valentine's verdict!

In Federal Parliament, our wise and far-sighted Government ministers, totally uncorrupted by any donations they've received from fossil fuel industries, joyfully pass around a lump of coal. They've rebranded it as 'clean coal', and they tell us it's wonderful, harmless stuff. Of course we've got to burn the stuff to provide our electricity! Forget this pesky Paris agreement thing we signed up to!










I understand it got as far as the heavily pregnant Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, who refused to handle it!

Meanwhile, the local Greens were out on the streets, gauging  public opinion about fossil fuels, and about the need to drastically increase the renewable energy target. They spent a couple of hours at two northern Sydney train stations on Valentine's Day, organising a Valentine's Day card for local MPs from their constituents. 'We love Renewables' was the message.

And so many people wanted to sign! I've never seen a political action as popular as this.







The cards were subsequently delivered to the relevant State and Federal members. I think they're actually well aware they're on the losing side of history. But maybe not quite aware of  just how far behind public opinion they are. As Greens candidate Emma Heyde put it, if MPs are not thinking of our (clean) energy future, then they should start thinking about their own futures.



 

(Parliament pictures stolen from The Australian and Australian Financial Revue.)