The latest on low carbon...

[pezzae]

The pollies have wheeled and dealed and changes have been made to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (formerly known as the Emissions Trading Scheme)...
Environment Victoria notes that the changes are both good and bad: the conditional-on-the-rest-of-the-world target is up to 25%, which is better than 15%, but still inadequate for 2040, and the

Comments

[nessbrain]

I'd *really* like that commonbike system to be set up here, it would make it quite doable to not drive to work when dropping A off at childcare! I may try and get in touch with some people in useful contact areas :-)

[asmodel]

-insert rant on carbon policy-

I'm this far off cancelling my green power because I'm not really sure it's doing anything anyway, and I may as well save the money.

[asmodel]

I recall having similar issues in the past. I'm not entirely sure that Origin put me on 50% like I asked when I connect. I say this, because the guy seemed so convinced on putting me on the 25% plan, and when I say convinced, I mean he spent about 10 minutes trying to convince me to go 25%, and saying he'd just put me on 25% to begin with, even when I said I wanted 50%. ???? They must get less profit on higher %s of green power.

[daharja]

That's extreme crapitude. Complain again, and then leave. Then sign on as a new customer with someone else who does Green Power, and make sure your credits count.

All this sucks. Badly.

[originaluddite]

Or worse - the government proposes something that fits some of your ideals... like revenue sufficiency for public services and emulating the social-democracies of Scandinavia that have had VAT alongside income tax for ages without any particular controversy. Anyway...

[daharja]

What happens if you stop using Green Power, then sign on again as a new customer? What happens to your carbon credits then?

If you don't know, try contacting them to find out, or your Rep.

And please let me know. I'm curious.

[pezzae]

Huh, I totally hadn't thought of that. I don't know if credits will be associated with any customer who signs up after 2009, or if the number of 2009 green power customers are subtracted from numbers for later years and the power company get the credit for any increase... will have to check this out.

[daharja]

On the common bike thing though, that will be very cool for when I next visit. Whenever that is.

[asmodel]

Common bikes would be wonderful. The other thing I wish they would do is have smart cars in outer suburbs. This means that you still have access to a car when you really need it, but you don't automatically take the car to the end of the street. People know you shouldn't, but if you have a car parked out front, it's so easy to. At the moment, smart cars are only available inner city.