With the elections coming up members of our group are busy monitoring how the major parties and local candidates are responding in terms of recognition of ‘human induced’ climate change and sustainability issues.
It seems that human beings faced with uncertainty, such as about climate change, have a psychological tendency to wishful thinking; that they are more likely to change views about topics such as climate change when they have personal meaning. Noticing incremental changes as part of daily living –switching on our main heating source later than usual; heavy wool coats and jumpers rarely used; changes in our gardens –can be important first steps in becoming concerned about climate change.
Our farming community is particularly involved in monitoring climate on both a daily and an incremental change basis. Scientists who are skeptical about human induced climate change are a very small minority, but they have an impact by increasing uncertainty in the community.
The sustainability 'wise old owls' in our class are certainly looking out for informed leadership on this topic. We continue to find the Coalition government response rather mixed and be more optimistic about our State and local government response. Benalla Rural City council has published two important documents related to climate change and is clearly receptive to community feedback. This month our facilitator, John Lloyd, presented a BSFG proposal to council on developing a community energy project for Benalla. This proposal incorporates current thinking on many of the topics we have discussed in class. A copy of John's presentation can be found on our webpage.
As a bit of fun, at our last session John introduced us to ‘Jobson Growth’ who has been featuring in The Age letters page recently ...May 6 ‘A few years ago I taught a little boy who wrote that he liked Jim Nastics. I assumed it was a little Greek friend until I found out he liked exercising. Now I want to meet Scott Morrison’s friend Jobson Growth’. ...May 13 ‘when will the libs introduce the wife of Jobson Growth, Laura Norder?’ and May 17 ‘Dr Jobson Growth and his esteemed CSIRO colleagues have been sacrificed on the altar of Ignor Amus....’ It was good to have a laugh together!
It seems that human beings faced with uncertainty, such as about climate change, have a psychological tendency to wishful thinking; that they are more likely to change views about topics such as climate change when they have personal meaning. Noticing incremental changes as part of daily living –switching on our main heating source later than usual; heavy wool coats and jumpers rarely used; changes in our gardens –can be important first steps in becoming concerned about climate change.
Our farming community is particularly involved in monitoring climate on both a daily and an incremental change basis. Scientists who are skeptical about human induced climate change are a very small minority, but they have an impact by increasing uncertainty in the community.
The sustainability 'wise old owls' in our class are certainly looking out for informed leadership on this topic. We continue to find the Coalition government response rather mixed and be more optimistic about our State and local government response. Benalla Rural City council has published two important documents related to climate change and is clearly receptive to community feedback. This month our facilitator, John Lloyd, presented a BSFG proposal to council on developing a community energy project for Benalla. This proposal incorporates current thinking on many of the topics we have discussed in class. A copy of John's presentation can be found on our webpage.
As a bit of fun, at our last session John introduced us to ‘Jobson Growth’ who has been featuring in The Age letters page recently ...May 6 ‘A few years ago I taught a little boy who wrote that he liked Jim Nastics. I assumed it was a little Greek friend until I found out he liked exercising. Now I want to meet Scott Morrison’s friend Jobson Growth’. ...May 13 ‘when will the libs introduce the wife of Jobson Growth, Laura Norder?’ and May 17 ‘Dr Jobson Growth and his esteemed CSIRO colleagues have been sacrificed on the altar of Ignor Amus....’ It was good to have a laugh together!
