“Climate change” did not pass anyone’s lips

Events seemingly unrelated, but in reality inextricably connected, happened in the past week.

About 1000 people rallied at Shepparton’s showgrounds to consider SPC/Ardmona’s decision to substantially reduce its intake of fruit from Goulburn and Murray Valley suppliers and yet the words “climate change” did not pass anyone’s lips.

A few days later, it was reported that carbon dioxide concentrations in the earth’s atmosphere had reached 400 parts per million.

That, it was noted, is a number from an absolutely different era and is not something humans have every before experienced.

Ironically, a fact sheet handed out at Thursday’s Shepparton rally said; “Our farming community has experienced difficult times with the prolonged drought followed by unseasonal wet weather, diminished confidence in water security, locust plagues, extreme weather patterns and variability, the global financial crisis, the high Australian and input prices increases, particularly for water, fuel and fertiliser”.

That “fact” Shepparton’s Beneath the Wisteria convenor, Mr Robert McLean said; “Sounds like a broad description of climate change”.

“Present farming processes depend almost entirely on a heavy and concentrated use of finite resources, many of which are become severely depleted and so causing industry-damaging rising costs,” he said.

Beyond that, Mr McLean pointed out; many of those finite resources that make modern farming possible are among the villains that worsen the circumstances that result in climate change.

Those eager to understand more about climate change, identify the opportunities and incorporate them with their lifestyle, and join a community conversation, have been urged by Mr McLean to attend a June 6 forum in Shepparton, “Slap Tomorrow – A Wake-Up Call

The free or gold coin donation forum will feature Climate Commissioner, Prof Veena Sahajwalla; the chair of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Anna Rose; and environmental consultant, Rob Gell; with Victoria’s Sustainability Commissioner, Prof Kate Auty, as the moderator.

Rose, who has travelled the world exploring climate change, has a grasp of how younger people can be involved and subsequently act; Sahajwalla, as an engineer, understands how we can take what exists and reapply it to our advantage; and Gell has long been immersed in many aspects of the climate and will encourage community engagement.

The forum will be held at Shepparton’s Eastbank auditorium with the doors opening at 6:30pm allowing people to see a display of projects and products applicable to a different future before the forum starts at 7:30pm.

 

Further information is available at 0400 502 199 or at the Slap Tomorrow Facebook page.