Comments on: Things I have been sent http://www.easywaystosavetheworld.com/2007/07/18/things-i-have-been-sent/ My efforts to try and be greener Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:51:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Reuben van Bemmel http://www.easywaystosavetheworld.com/2007/07/18/things-i-have-been-sent/#comment-6509 Reuben van Bemmel Sun, 12 Aug 2007 10:53:21 +0000 http://www.easywaystosavetheworld.com/2007/07/18/things-i-have-been-sent/#comment-6509 Whilst what someone can do on a personal level to ameliorate climate change is good, politicians and corporations wield the most power and thus we enter campaiging... You see, if you campaign, you are in essence doing the most effective climate change action. In Melbourne (Australia), I face (along with the environmentally minded people) an uphill battle against politicians. However, these issues are unique to Melbourne. One very omnipresent one is against a train operator called Connex. Let me explain. I am in support of rail as an important climate-change fighter. Transport emissions are the fastest growing and since Australia has the highest emissions per capita - it makes little sense to build roads. And yet we are! Not only are the government wasting money on entrenching car dependence which thus lowers the liveability of a city (Melbourne used to be the most liveable in the world. Now it's the 14th), promotes obesity and fuels congestion and climate change; the little money they give to public transport goes straight to the pockets of Connex. Commuting in Melbourne is strenuous as it is unpredictable. Infrequent, unreliable and patronising train operators only make little pathetic gestures as commuters as each year the fares rise. Subsidies for Connex (for doing absolutely nothing) top AUS$500 million per annum. Connex might tout these costs as benefiting commuters, yet somehow has enough money to have a 'don't hold others back' campaign against commuters who block doors (probably because there's no other room). Anyway, I'll leave the rest of the explanation to the site below which also includes a petition against Connex which I hope that you will sign, even if you live in the UK. Afterall, wasn't Connex kicked out of London twice? www.linkupmelbourne.org.au Whilst what someone can do on a personal level to ameliorate climate change is good, politicians and corporations wield the most power and thus we enter campaiging…
You see, if you campaign, you are in essence doing the most effective climate change action.
In Melbourne (Australia), I face (along with the environmentally minded people) an uphill battle against politicians. However, these issues are unique to Melbourne. One very omnipresent one is against a train operator called Connex. Let me explain.

I am in support of rail as an important climate-change fighter. Transport emissions are the fastest growing and since Australia has the highest emissions per capita - it makes little sense to build roads. And yet we are!
Not only are the government wasting money on entrenching car dependence which thus lowers the liveability of a city (Melbourne used to be the most liveable in the world. Now it’s the 14th), promotes obesity and fuels congestion and climate change; the little money they give to public transport goes straight to the pockets of Connex. Commuting in Melbourne is strenuous as it is unpredictable. Infrequent, unreliable and patronising train operators only make little pathetic gestures as commuters as each year the fares rise. Subsidies for Connex (for doing absolutely nothing) top AUS$500 million per annum. Connex might tout these costs as benefiting commuters, yet somehow has enough money to have a ‘don’t hold others back’ campaign against commuters who block doors (probably because there’s no other room). Anyway, I’ll leave the rest of the explanation to the site below which also includes a petition against Connex which I hope that you will sign, even if you live in the UK. Afterall, wasn’t Connex kicked out of London twice?

www.linkupmelbourne.org.au

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