Scientists tell us that the maximum safe level of CO2 in the atmosphere is 350 parts per million. It is already 390 ppm. And our government is "doing something about it" by passing an emissions trading scheme which commits us to increased emissions at a cost of $110 billion by 2050.
This isn't just madness - it is dangerous madness, which threatens the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the globe. And its time it stopped.
Politicians will only obey us and act in our interests - rather than those of their corporate polluter backers - if they fear de-election. One way of generating that fear is by protests. Another is by petitions. The more people who join in, the greater the perceived depth of public feeling, and the greater the fear generated. we saw a demonstration of this just this week, when the government backed down on ACC levy rises because angry motorcyclists flooded Parliament.
Which brings me to the point of this post: Nicky Chapman, an ordinary mother in Port Chalmers, has launched a petition demanding stronger action on climate change. It will be presented to the government on the eve of Copenhagen, so the timeframe is tight: there are only two weeks to gather signatures. But it is also important that it gets a lot of signatures. So, download the petition, sign it, get your friends, family and workmates to sign it - fill the sheet! - and send it back by Wednesday, December 2. The more signatures it gets, the more fear it will generate. So, make politicians afraid, and help save the global climate.
