This is My Truth - a climate change presentation by Anna Tran

THIS IS MY TRUTH.

by Anna Tran
Year 10 Hurlstone Agricultural High School

“We swallow greedily any lie that
flatters us, but we sip only little by
little at a truth we find bitter. ”
Denis Diderot

Here is the truth: the climate’s
changing, on a long term basis.
changing, on a long term basis.

Another truth: it’s destroying our
planet. Rapidly.
planet. Rapidly.

…but without action, their
words are cheap.

Here’s the facts they tell you

“ Our climate is changing, largely due to the observed
increases in human produced greenhouse gases... found to
be the primary cause of observed changes in the climate
system over the 20th century. These changes include increases in
global average air and ocean temperature, widespread
melting of snow and ice and rising global sea levels. The
extra heat in the climate system has other impacts, such as
affecting atmospheric and ocean circulation, which
influences rainfall and wind patterns...Another serious
impact... is ocean acidification. Around a quarter of human-
produced carbon dioxide is absorbed by the oceans...the . the
carbon dioxide dissolves in sea water it forms a weak carbonic acid,
making the ocean more acidic. There are early indications that
some marine organisms are already being affected by

ocean acidification. ”
–Department of Climate Change and Efficiency
Department of Climate Change and Efficiency

Here’s the facts they don’t

“Coal takes a million years to create”
interestingenergyfacts.blogspot.com

“The duration period for carbon dioxide molecules
in the atmosphere is somewhere between 100 and 500
years...not all carbon dioxide molecules will stay in the atmosphere
that long, but on average the duration may be around 200-

300 years. ”
Argonne National Laboratory

“World coal consumption is more than 5.3 billion tons annually
of which three quarters are used for generating electricity...”

“Coal is mined in more than 100 countries.”

“There is enough coal to last us around 119 years at current rates
of production”
World Coal Association

“Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of human-
generated mercury pollution in the U.S....Mercury
emission...continues to rise...Mercury in mothers’ blood
and breast milk can interfere with the development
of babies' brains and neurological systems and can lead
to learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, problems with

coordination, lowered IQ and even mental retardation ”
Coal is Dirty

“The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 12,000 coal
miners died from black lung disease between 1992 and

2002”
Coal is Dirty

“Coal mining requires an estimated 70 to 260 million gallons
[265 to 984 million litres] of water every day.”
Coal is Dirty

“Coal is inherently higher-polluting and more carbon-
intensive than other energy alternatives”
Pew Center on Global Climate Change

“Australia is the world’s largest coal exporter. It
exported over 259Mt [259 000 000 tonnes] of hard coal in
2009…Australia is also the largest supplier of coking coal,

accounting for 54% of world exports. ”
World Coal Association

“In 2006 The Australian Government gave $175
million [of] taxpayer dollars to large coal
companies...The funds were…for untested and unproven
technologies that are likely to be decades away from
commercial implementation. These companies are highly
profitable and quite capable of funding their own

research and development without taxpayer’s help. ”
About Carbon

“Avoiding...the adverse effects of climate change...will
generate direct benefits for species and habitat conservation,
saved lives...limiting future increases in atmospheric CO2...would
reduce 21st century global warming...effectively avoiding the more
Lower stabilisation levels...[of]
extreme climate changes.
CO2 would reduce future warming even further...For
Australia…would give natural ecosystems...greater time to
adapt to changing environmental conditions, reduce the
likelihood of major adverse consequences for
agriculture and forestry, help ensure Australia’s
public health infrastructure can keep pace with
emerging health challenges…prudence dictates that GHG

[greenhouse gas] mitigation activities be pursued ”
CSIRO

“However, coal is so inexpensive that one can spend
quite a bit on pollution control and still maintain
coal’s competitive position. ”
Pew Center on Global Climate Change

“…Australia’s annual average temperatures are projected
to increase 0.4–2.0 °C above 1990 levels by...2030...Average
precipitation..projected to decline further... Australia’s
coastlines will experience erosion and inundation from
an…increase in global sea level...changes in climate will have
diverse implications for Australia’s environment,
economy, and public health. The biodiversity, ecosystems,
and natural habitats..will be exposed...the Great Barrier
Reef...has experienced unprecedented rates of coral
bleaching...additional warming of only 1 °C is anticipated to
cause considerable losses...of species associated with coral

communities”
CSIRO

“Australian crop agriculture and forestry…changes
in precipitation and, subsequently water management, are
particularly critical factors affecting the future productivity
of the Australian landscape. The declines in precipitation
projected over much of Australia will exacerbate existing
challenges to water availability and quality for
agriculture as well as for commercial and residential
uses ”
CSIRO

“Future changes in climate extremes…would degrade
Australian infrastructure and public health…Global
large-scale singularities, such as…the collapse of the ice
sheets of West Antarctica or Greenland, would also have important
long-term implications for Australia’s climate and
coastline ”
CSIRO

People we forget to think about

“...scientists have intensified their studies of…the effects
of
climate change on humans…the world is a very
unequal place...people most at risk from climate
change live in countries that have contributed least to the
atmospheric buildup of carbon dioxid...[the] most
vulnerable countries also tend to be the poorest. And
the countries that face the least harm - and are best
equipped to deal with the harm they do face - tend to be the

richest.”
New York Times

“ ‘The idea was that we were all in this
original
together, and that was an easier idea to sell,’ said Robert
Mendelsohn, an economist at Yale University.
‘But the research is not supporting that. We're not in it
together.’ ”
New York Times

“ ...a bigger factor [as to why developed countries are more resilient]
wealth - wealth built at least partly on a century or
is their
more of burning coal, oil and the other fossil fuels that
underlie their mobile, industrial, climate-controlled way of life. ”
New York Times

“ The United States, where just 4 percent of the
economy is in agriculture, can endure a climatic
setback far more easily than a country like Malawi,
where…about 40 percent of the economy is driven by rain-

fed agriculture. ”
New York Times

“Disparities..have prompted a growing array of…experts
on climate, environmental law and diplomacy to insist that the first
world owes the third world a climate debt.
‘We have an obligation to help countries prepare for
the climate changes that we are largely responsible
for,’ said Peter Gleick, a co-founder of the Pacific Institute for Studies
in Development, Environment and Security in Berkeley, California.
...wealth ..enabling some countries to gird against climatic and
coastal risks whilepoverty, geography and history are
placing…world's most crowded, vulnerable regions

directly in harm's way ”
New York Times

One truth we must never forget
about

We, as people, can always do something.
It is never too late to act.

A Greener Existence

Take steps towards creating a more environmentally-friendly
environment in your home and workplace. Some tips
available at the Greenpeace website.

There are also several consumer guides available at
Greenpeace that can help you to make green choices that
will impact the environment less:
•Truefood Guide: find food brands that are free of
genetically engineered ingredients.
•Good Wood Guide: buy ecologically responsible timber
using this online guide.
•Energy Retailers Guide: see how your energy retailer
rates on coal.
•Seafood Red List: know which fish to avoid buying.

Act Out - From the Safety of Your
Home
You don't need to get off your seat on the couch or in front of the
computer to help us defend our planet Earth. You can write letters,
send emails, voice your opinions in online media debates, call talkback
radio and use your powerful social-networking powers (ie. MySpace,
Facebook, Twitter, Flicker, Bebo, your blog/s etc.) to spread the
environmentally-friendly word for positive change. In fact, there are a
number of web campaigns and online petitions on right now that you
can sign and become a part of and many will give you email updates
about their happenings.

Home
Fight Back Directly at the Scene with Greenpeace
You can sign up with Greenpeace as an activist, meaning you will
actually be present at the scene.
"Peaceful, non-violent direct action is at the heart of Greenpeace's
environmental wins. From closing down dirty coal-fired power stations to
confronting pirate fishers on the high seas, our non-violent direct action
is what makes us unique." Greenpeace
There are also jobs available in their offices and many stations around
the world, both paid positions and volunteer work. This is a great
opportunity, and to learn more, visit the Greenpeace website.

Home
Act Out - In Your Community (Bring Your
Friends)
Want to do more than just clicking a
button? Then you can become a
community activist. That means getting
mobile around your neighbourhood and
spreading the news around. You can
organise events, rallies and information
stalls; visit your local MP-office or
participate in rallies and community-based
events.
Greenpeace can help you get started with
tips, information and the materials you
need:
Register as a community activist on the site
Read their tips on starting starting and
running campaigns in your local community

Act Out - From the Safety of
Your Home
Donate to a Good Cause
Many independent organisations like Greenpeace, We Can Solve It and
GetUp depend on donations to continue to fund projects and campaigns.

Home

Hold Your Own Fundraiser
Let loose and hold a fundraiser for organisations such as Greenpeace, We
Can Solve It and GetUp. It's easy and fun, and your whole family can
become involved.
Create your own fundraising page

Don’t Be Afraid

Don't be afraid to voice your opinion,
whether they be for or against what others
tell you is right and wrong. Don't be afraid to
act out and don't be afraid to want a better
future.

The one they don’t mention
in their speeches.

The one they don’t remember
as they burn their coal.

And this is it.

I want to give my children a
future. Not just any future, but
a beautiful one. I want to give
them a beautiful world where
they’ll never feel uncertain
about what lies ahead of them.
A world of trees and flowers
and oceans and beauty.

And I want my grandchildren to
look outside their windows and
know that the beautiful blue sky
they see is the same one their
grandmother saw as a girl.

And I want them never to be
afraid of losing the planet they
love.

Not the sugar-coated one that
we are fed to calm our nerves
and win our votes

Not the embellished one we
are told to distract ourselves as
they reach for our wallets.

Not the understated,
underplayed one that we tell
ourselves to justify our own
wrong doings.

Not a change in location of
‘global talks’ such as
Copenhagen, that do nothing
but waste time chattering,
whilst the world is left to burn.

Not a change in channel or a
simple dismissal.

The world needs a change in
attitude.

The world needs a change
within people.

One where everyone will
selflessly change to save the
world we have left.

WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSORS OF THE
2010 CREAM OF THE CROP COMPETITION
PLATINUM GOLD SILVER

BRONZE

This is My Truth - a climate change presentation by Anna Tran

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