Photo courttesy of the Kheel Centre, Cornell University
As the climate change debate heats up and the carbon tax policy threatens to divide a nation like never before, let’s pause and wind back to relive some of the milestones throughout our human history. Perhaps reflecting on our human achievements may change some of the right-wing views on this progressive climate policy.
Does anyone remember apartheid in South Africa? The laws in the country legally allowed for the oppression of the black population. Morally we know that laws that support racism and discrimination is wrong but it wasn’t too long ago when humans didn’t think so.
How about the roadblocks that women faced here in Australia in the not too distant past? Women earned only 75% of what men earned in the same job so after decades of campaigning, we finally achieved equal pay rates in 1972 (although pay parity is still not as equal as we would like).
What about the civil rights movement in the 1960′s that culminated in the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, colour and religion. This progressive policy was signed just 50 years ago!
And in the same decade we also discovered that smoking wasn’t healthy and could cause cancer. Remember, this was only 50 years ago!
So when I consider the progressive policies that the Labour government would like to introduce such as the Carbon Tax to make big business accountable for their pollution, I think back to these milestones and hope that people think about what is essentially ‘right’. Science has come a very long way in medicine and other areas of our lives and yet the science behind climate change seems not to have been accepted at all – especially from the right-wing voters. It is frustrating that much of the Australian population seem resistant to policies on pollution when it is clear that in the longer term and for the benefit of our environment, it is essentially the right thing to do.
And if you’re a woman like me and would like to join other women in the campaign to protect the environment, our climate, our community and our future than join the 1 Million Women campaign and inspire others to reduce their pollution and be conscious consumers. You can find out more at http://www.1millionwomen.com.au/
