Green Razor, Green Wash, Guilt Offset and Climate Change

In today's Green Razor there is a story on Green Business: "carbon negative" operations?

In my opinion, it is completely irreconcilable for individuals or a business to continue a bad practice, then buy offsets and think that it is all ok. In Green Razor, Fiji water are quoted as an example of a company going "carbon negative". Bottled water (in my opinion) is a complete waste of energy and resources. Bottled water from Fiji, shipped to developed countries seems so perverse when many people in Fiji do not have access to a wholesome Municipal supply or adequate designated places to poo. Fiji are frontline and centre for receiving some of the most serious consequences of increased incidences of extreme weather events.

The story in Green Razor states: "companies looking to brand themselves "green" are taking a new approach to reducing their carbon emissions: offsetting "double" their emissions. "The article goes on to discuss: "ecoigo, a "green" car service in London, offsets double emissions from every trip. Again, I personally find it irreconcilable that one can drive a car, knowing the connections between the peak oil and anthropogenic climate change.It shits me to tears that insurance companies like "ibuyeco" and NRMA insurance offer carbon offsets, while encouraging people to continue driving cars. Lord Mayor Campbell Newman persists with his "Tunnel Vision" for the city of Brisbane, entrenching the reliance on motor vehicles for decades to come.

The beef industry tells consumers that we were meant to eat red meat and our children will suffer learning deficits if they don't. In more recent ads, Laurie Lawrence evokes our sense of patriotism to encourage Australians to eat beef mince.....

Xstrata Coal Queensland are trying to buy favours with $750,000 over three years to improve medical and allied health facilities in the southern inland mining town of Wandoan, whilst extracting and selling coal with the full knowlegde of the likely connections between [CO2e] and extreme weather events.

For decades the tobacco industry denied the connection between smoking and health impacts. Regardless of one's views on thegreen house effect, one cannot look me in the eye and tell me that one does not think cars, cows and coal are causing immense ecological harm. One cannot tell me that there are no alternatives means of transport, protein or energy.


....end of rant...

Rowan Barber