Solar lowers reliance on imports

GUY Barnett’s Talking Point patting the government on the back for its renewable energy policy belies reality (“Signing off on our clean energy plan ,” October 21). His government advisers still refuse to give people who invest their own money in clean solar energy adecentfeed-intariff.

If every household was financially encouraged to install solar, it would reduce our need to import electricity. Instead, government is going ahead with privatising our energy production by allowing private companies to build wind farms and cables connecting us to the Australian market. Currently Hydro/ Aurora are making more per kWh from solar than those who produce it, buying it for 8c/kWh and selling it for up to 26c/kWh. Instead of trying to make money by exporting clean energy, we should be reducing power costs and attracting industry to Tasmania, the original intention of the hydro system. The argument that producing more is going to drive down prices is only true if there is relatively stable demand and that is not true of energy. Too often we see assets exported as relatively cheap raw materials to support other industries. JeffJennings

Bridport

RE THINK KANGAROO BAY

WELL done to the University of Tasmania for listening to students in 2015 and working towards no longer investing in fossil fuels in three areas by 2021 as it works towards “the phased withdrawal of present investments in fossil

fuels related industries and activities” (Mercury, October 19). It would be wonderful if it was consistent in its admirable goals and considered carefully before investing in a hospitality course at Kangaroo Bay with C ham broad Australia International Pty Ltd. Bloomberg notes its parent company Chambroad Petrochemicals Co. Ltd, “produces and sells gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, and lubricant… also offers petroleum refining services ”. Association with the development seems to be in conflict with UTAS’s positive climate change policy and a zero-carbon economy. Toni Byers West Hobart

GIVE US GREEN RECOVERY

PETER Boyer’ s article is a reminder we need a green recovery when our economy is rebuilt (“Our abysmal climate record on trial ,” Talking Point, October 13). There has never been a greater need to build healthy environments, resilient economies and communities. Unfortunately the Australian government is facing the wrong way. Change is beginning to happen in some businesses and agriculture. Oil-producing countries are preparing for a time when oil is no longer a source of wealth. Sweden has dumped Australian bonds over our climate change record. Costa Rica put the right to a healthy environment in its constitution in 1994. They have become one of the greenest countries and plan for complete decarbonisation by 2050. I am afraid Australia will be left behind unless our politicians recognise the gravity of the situation.

Over-exploiting nature has allowed for the emergence of COVID-19. A green recovery and care for the natural world is what we desperately need. Kerry John stone Battery Point

CLIMATE CYCLES

MONDAY’S Talking Point welcomed everyone to join in (“Why UTAS is climate leader,” October 19). Academics and green groups herald impending doom to mankind by way of climate change. Doomsayers proclaim the destruction of our planet if we fail to accept their theories, the end is nigh. I present another view. As researcher and author of many ancestral books plus volumes dealing with house histories, I have researched events in all states and New Zealand. My books are about people, houses and buildings.

To add colour and events affecting early generations I include events since the 1780s. This finds evidence of climate cycles rather than climate change. For example, fatal bushfires in Tasmania occurred with astonishing frequency, from the time Lieutenant David Collins quit the shores of Sorrento to establish a township on the River Derwent to present day. Before Collins, there were many European sand Americans along the Derwent who may have accidentally caused fires. Since time immemorial Indigenous folk burnt hundreds of acres to cook a Sunday roast for their families. Climate cycles occur for many reasons. A famous example could be the ice age millions of years ago.

Larger populations building houses where no caring folks would, add to the problem today. People must think where to build and clear vegetation too close to any building. This will reduce stress on SE S volunteers and fire staff. Barry Campbell Blackmans Bay

TRASH OR TAKE FOR GRANTED

OVER half the world’s wild animals have become extinct or lost their habitats since 1970, and our oceans are clogged with plastic sand being emptied of fish. So when a climate change denier tries to tell me human activity has nothing to do with climate change, species loss, resource depletion or massive land and water pollution, it’ s all I can do not to shake my head in disbelief. Only when humans start to take responsibility will the planet be given its best chance of remaining a suitable place to live for the humans who exploit it, trash it or simply take it for granted. Michael McCall Primrose Sands