New Year's Eve in Sydney

Hello again - welcome to the last gazette of the month, the year and the decade! Who knew ten years ago how much the importance of environmental issues would be moving front and centre, for governments, for businesses and most importantly for every individual? It seemed that (for some) the 1990’s were about the last years of pure excess and waste and although people were conscious that the planet was being impacted it was but a quiet hum in the background for far too many. This decade has seen society raise its collective head above the parapet and invest in education and awareness. I think it would be accurate to say that the average person is much more informed now about reducing energy use wherever possible and making sustainable choices than they were a decade earlier.

So I would in summary call this the education decade in terms of the environment. The internet has revolutionised the way we learn information, our ability to explore the news at our leisure and seeks both points and counterpoints has enabled us to delve as deep into our interests as our hearts desire. There have been a rash of eco-documentaries (many rather good), we have more choice in terms of purchasing/buying than ever before and finally (FINALLY) North American car makers are beginning to understand that miles per gallon might be more important than the number of cupholders a vehicle has. We now look to our friends and family to follow our green leads - its not a ‘quaint’ or a ‘radical’ position to take now by announcing that you are concerned about the future of the planet and the generations to come. The companies we work for are understanding that eco-best practices are a corporate concern that can’t be ignored. In an economy that is lurching like a tired old man leaving the bar in the wee hours, one of the few areas of real growth is the green economy. I now see 95% of my neigbours in this street filling their recycling bins every Thursday. I’m seeing more economical cars being driven every time I head out the door and I hear the media bringing green issues to the top of the broadcast every night. So this is an exciting time - this is a time to invest in change - but if this was the decade of education we must heed the words of Socrates from many generations ago

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think”                    Socrates

So perhaps that has been accomplished in the last ten years which certainly helps me pinpoint what needs to happen in the decade that starts in just a few hours. This is no longer the time to think - this is the time to do. We’ll never (ever) have a better opportunity, the time to defer, confer and delay has long since passed us by. We are collectively responsible for the current condition of the planet and equally attached and invested in the future of it. If it means purchasing a stainless steel water bottle, switching off a light, car pooling, reducing plastic usage, adjusting the thermostat - whatever it takes. There are no small gestures now, we have over 6 billion participants holding a stake in getting this right over the next decade. Discuss these matters with your friends, they in turn will do the same. The world is smaller than ever with modern technology, share your ideas and thoughts. Plus our governments should be looking to get things changed based on how badly they all perform. This isn’t East vs West or G7 vs the World, this is about the planet that we all live on. The questions are all established so this decade we’re leaping into must be all about providing the answers.

Tags: 1990's review, eco-documentaries, end of the decade, environmentally conscious, fuel conservation, green economy, miles per gallon, new years eve, planet forward, Recycling, sustainable choices, Sustainable Living