What can Australians do to preserve our natural environment?

Question

I am very involved with environmental awareness and in my latest TV documentary on Foxtel I will be travelling around Australia to take a close look at the damage that has been inflicted on beautiful locations such as Tasmania's Blue Tier Rainforest, Western Australia's Crystal Caves, Queensland's Heron Island, the Murray River in Victoria and Kakadu National Park.

You can read more about my passion for saving the environment in this week's New Idea magazine - www.newidea.com.au

Answer 1

Don't drive unless its necessary.

The exhaust gas pollutes the air.

Answer 2

a really easy start would be to stop littering....I just don't understand how someone can think its ok to throw their rubbish on the ground.  Not only does it harm the environment it is a filthy and disgusting thing to do.  Throw it in the bin where it belongs people no matter what it is....this applies to anyone in Australia....tourist, resident, politician....

Answer 3

To the average Australian, preserving our environment in such radically changing and advancing times, can seem like such a daunting experience. If every Auzzie pitched in we could do wonders for our beautiful and unique Flaura & Fauna., and I believe it starts in our own back yards !!

Planting Native trees and shrubs helps to preserve our natural Plants, cuts back on water consumption and attracts, feeds and creates homes for our Native animals. Be a responsible pet owner, Keep our Dogs and Cats in a safe secure environment and it will keep our native animals safe too !.

If you have the space, create a pond in the yard. Our Native frogs are becoming scarcer in numbers and yet are such a valuable part of our ecosystem, a well planned pond will create habitat and a safe breeding environment to help increase our frog populations.

Last but not least install as many environmentally friendly devices such as solar panels/ hot water, energy saving light globes & Water Tanks. Reducing our carbon emmissions can go a long way to preserving our environment and ensuring the next generation will be able to enjoy Australias beautiful environment.

Answer 4

get aussies to stop being so selfish and greedy and pretending it is all aussie to destroy the bush and puffy to want to save it  you  tell politicians to stop telling big lies that we cannot reduce the emissions and reduce power bills we can it is a lie  You are  a very decent person mr Thorpe do not be used by those who will   they are trying to monopolise th power industry  and increase profits by getting us use to the idea that we must reduce our usage but at the same time telling us our power bills will rise this is to help pay for the increase in power production it will not do any thing to reduce polution remeber Mr Thorpe the Interest on debt is pollution the biggest problem the pollies are facing, is the fear people will gain as time goes on at the same time more and more people will not be able to afford rents never mind buy a house so the pollies are trying to pretend they can do something to save us all, and by the way the thing you want to save is Austalia's ecology,  its time people began speaking english,     in other words one cannot save an environment environment is what,?  a rock in the road has an environment the bush is an ecological system ,  stop being greedy do not get into debt or share markets do not invest in property it creates poverty so ruins someones environment , stay impartial  what we need is a little commonsense and a lot more honesty, look lad they are trying to use your celebrity status as a distraction say away from politicians  save your own environment

Answer 5

I agree with that other guy lol stop breeding, wtf how funny,

nah I reckon all the small things help Like recycling magazines and having shorter showers, would do it easily ih everyone done it. but I guess people are slack, Its like they care but not enough to help which is a big pitty, everytime we pick rubbish up at scholl I am one of the first to jump in I pick up the rubbish and my friend holds the bag we make a great team. Its pretty funny.

Answer 6

People have to act politically, not just as individuals- there's no point in 'leaving nothing but footprints' if you then effectively vote to send in the bulldozers.

Treat nature like the social resource it is and beware of attempts by private individuals to buy it for their own advantage.  Often, attacks on our environmental heritage are enabled by carefully arranged legal definitions that hide what's being done.  As you would know, the Blue Tier is a forest of amazing beauty with many giant trees.  But in Tasmania it is not classified 'Old Growth' (and hence protected) because there was limited logging in it decades ago.  It is defined as mere 'native forest' like any old scrub, and can be- and is- clear-felled, burned and exploited.

A big congratulations to you Ian for taking and interest in this issue, and for drawing attention to the Blue Tier in Tasmania in particular.  I notice the usual band of corrupt cronies from the local ruling classes have attacked you, despite the very measured, restrained and responsible way you have approach the issue.

Rest assured you have many, many supporters who are just not as noisy, wealthy or powerful.

Answer 7

Good question Mr Thorpe, what can we do about nature and climate change, who really knows?What can we also do about water pollution after flooding, for eg.Warragamba dam, Sydney west, now has bugs in it again, same as about 10 years ago I beleive, with the sudden wets that no one "expects". My answer is a question ,which frustrates me, but why dont we have some some filtering system on all inlets to stormwater that runs into dams, I know ground run off is different, but surely something can be done! Maybe  similar problems cause the dramas in your areas?

Answer 8

I don't think the ordinary person can do very much on there own - although, younger people than me have a better chance of being heard by rallying and protest. (I'm over 60).

It is important just to appreciate the area around you - the diverse birds in the trees and on telephone lines, the beautiful grass, the beautiful Australian sunsets, just to wonder at the amazing circles that ants go in on the ground . People don't seem to appreciate the little things that we have all around us.

I must admit I didn't know Kakadu was in danger - you learn something everyday! Haven't seen or even heard that the other places mentioned  were threatened.

I'm into doing my little bit - ie growing vegetables, trying not to buy stuff that is wrapped in triple packaging, etc.

My whinge is all the magazines and newspapers that are proliferating every week. You see another new magazine every week. Stop this waste of resources making junk mail and delivering two local newspapers when one would do (they usually have practically the same content)!!

I am sad that a great many of my generation have little interest in people like Al Gore - in fact, quite intelligent and nice friends of mine just sort of ignore me when I talk about climate change, permaculture, or poverty in other countries!!!

Answer 9

One part of your answer could be more telecommuting. At 6am traffic is virtually standing still until 9.3am and the same scenario all over again from 3pm till 6.30pm in all major cities. Many of these travellers can work from a location other than there office. They could work from the beach, back yard, in the hills, from home, any where any time. The Australian government has a great infrastructure for businesses wanting to go this way. Have a look at http://www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Ca... or http://www.pajamanation.com.au for work in Australia or any where in the world. Thank you for your question, this will make a difference. Small steps?!

Answer 10

The people up top need to understand the bigger picture. No world = no money. Why try to accumulate as much as possible when it will end in our destruction anyway?

Go back to basics - join Clean Up Australia Day (and clean up as you go the rest of the year), plant native plants in your garden and dig out noxious weeds (notice I didn't say poison them) and also join a Landcare group. A little bit of effort from each one of us will make a difference.

Stop thinking that someone else will fix it. Donate to an Australian environmental charity.

Switch to a hybrid vehicle, public transport, ride a bike, car pool or walk as much as possible instead of driving.

Support Australian (and international) companies that are environmentally conscious, even if for now they cost a bit more.

Answer 11

Stop people from littering and get the goverment to subserdise "green cars". it will all help.

Answer 12

Lets start at the beginning. We have become a self centred and selfish society, and look at only what is good for us.

Recently, huge worldwide environmental issues have started to turn our heads, but it's our HEARTS that need a transplant.

We need to get back to basics. The world was here first, and it cares for us. Without the world we can't exist. We have to look after the world.

"CARE FOR CREATION, AS CREATION CARES FOR US"

Creation has a Creator, and nothing is a mistake. It all fits, and we should fit in with it.

Answer 13

Grow trees, boycott all packed food and canned  food. They produced billions of tan of waste every year.

Answer 14

good ? ian stop building in timber and start building in steel

Answer 15

Respect the environment and mother nature.  Don't use pesticides overuse erodes the land and is not good for us.  No logging apart from pinewood forests; It destroys natural habitats for animals .  The damage inflicted is caused by man polluting, destroying the landscape by deforestation.  Salinaty in the water makes the water undrinkable for plants, animals and humans caused by chopping down trees near river embarkments, overfarming, chemicals.  

Nature has created by God is beautiful, goes in cycles   with all living things. We cannot go on destroying forests, rainforests, woodlands land clearing lots of animals that are on the extinct list will become extinct.  We have to protect what we have and not go on destructing without the foresight of the consequences which would be horrific.  If all the animals became extinct then what.  Nature is in perfect balance bees have been around for millenuims help pollenate plants without bees there would be no pollenation of plants. In America because of chemicals sprayed on crops there has been a rapid decline in bee numbers. Some say bees are from prehistoric times.

Trees are the lungs of the earth and we need more of them not less some trees are older than the settlement of Australia and it takes generations for these trees to grow to maturity.  

If you pollute the river it would take generations to clean up. Look at plastic bags then takes decades to become biogradeable.  Plastics in rivers, seas choke sea creatures if they become entangled in it.

Answer 16

Stop being so greedy, and feeling so entitled to everything you want.

Answer 17

you could all leave the country!

Answer 18

Not much. The majority of Australians these days take our country for granted and have no idea the effect they can cause on these areas.

And as much as i hate to say, it's the tourists that cause the most damage - both Australian and international tourists.

Answer 19

Within the communities of Australia exist many different cultural backgrounds originating from all over the world. Because of these diverse backgrounds, the now adults that are indirectly running australia have different views on what is important and were taught different concepts from a young age. These concepts include how to spend money, look after themselves while also looking after the environment in which they live in. The different views of conservation retained by the Australian people is vast in comparison to a nation that is not as multicultural. This is why it is believed that when asked the question of how australia can preserve its natural environment, it is believed that the australian people should increase the awareness of the current problems as well as list viable solutions. This way a variety of options will be available for the government to implement as well as informing those that do not know of the various problems the environment is faced with. Over time, this will result in the increased preservation of the natural environment in Australia and it is likely for the solutions to spread across the world.

Answer 20

The key is to make sure people realise that each time they visit they are potentially causing harm to the environment. Remind people to take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints and kill nothing but time.

Answer 21

I am very concerned about our environment, especially here in Tasmania, with the Pulp Mill row on in our beautiful state at this point in time, I was born in Burnie Tasmania, and of course was raised with the pulp mill in Burnie, I myself had a heart attach at the young age of 29 so naturally do not want to see the mill go ahead I blame the smog from the Burnie Mill for my problems, I was very fit at the time, and was playing hockey with the Tasmanian team, It is great to see People getting on the band waggon endeavouring to stop Pollution, We have to get through to the Gov. and Business people alike who are building these big factories that do all the polluting

They can only see the Dollars and cents and don't use sense

Answer 22

For that to happen. Every body there haves too be willing too.

Answer 23

There are lots of ways that you can help preserve Australias precious natural environment.

In your garden

identify and remove weeds from your garden

if you have remnant native bushland on your property, think about entering into a Voluntary Conservation Agreement

plant native species in your garden – Brisbane residents can collect two free plants each year through the Council’s free plants program, other states need to do the same thing

In your local community

join a local environmental group, such as a catchment group,

go along to one of the Council’s Green Choice Gardening Expos, where you can see displays by local environment groups, hear guest speakers and pick up free plants. Green Choice Gardening Expos in your area are advertised in your local paper

join a Land for Wildlife program

Answer 24

Australians need to stop sucking on the teet of the coal industry, for starters.

Answer 25

Hi Ian Thorpe! i love your fox8 show. i once sent a letter to you *i'm sure one of your secutaries or something wrote the reply*, i suggest we declare more forrest and bush land to be resevered.

Answer 26

Oh wow thankyou for supporting our natural enviroment.  I read alot of answers but I think people missed the point.  It is what are we going to do.  I live simply with three tanks not town water.  I recycle my water three times over.  Having a shower putting the plug in bucket it into a twin tub washing machine with white vinegar the rest of the water in my bath is the rinsing water.  I wash once a week.  There is no need for a towel everytime we shower hang it up to dry.  After that I bucket the water onto my plants.  They love it.  Also I have planted trees with poly pipe running down to the roots so my water is not wasted on top of the ground.  I have no landline phone to my home or any town water.  There are so many different ways we can live but the world cant do without water and rubbish is wrong yes but we need our water.

Answer 27

if people stop throwing there rubbish around and had more respect for our planet we need to educate people more.i know this might sound a bit of but for every person i know that passes away i plant a tree in there memory.we need to stop clearing our Forrest's.there is so much we can do if only we could educate people to do it

Answer 28

There are so many conservation societies that run weekends for volunteers to help re-establish Australia's native plants and wildlife, everybody is welcome, families with children too. My partner works for Greening Australia in Western Sydney, they plant native trees, rebuild creeks and waterways and help remove weeds and invasive plants around Sydney.  It's these little things that can help your local areas. It's often not just planting a tree, but planting the right tree that helps.

Greening Australia are also trying to start dealing with Carbon Credits - the amount of carbon corporations produce is credited through planting trees, thus making them "carbon neutral". It's a small step, but with thousands of corporations taking part, and millions of carbon credits, it might just make the difference that is so badly needed. Everyone can help by enlightening others, taking a 4 minute shower, only having one car per family, turning off electrical appliances when they are not being used. Just little things that really make no difference to our standard of living can equal huge differences on the grand scale.

Good luck!

Answer 29

Why not start by filling swimming pools with sea water [instead of chlorinated fresh water]?

Answer 30

Hi I am an artist that came up with a show titled " The Make Friends with Mother Earth Show" an environmental, educational entertaining show....  We toured central Queensland planted trees and taught the youth about recycling, tree planting and world peace....  contact me.

I need your support to do it all again...

Answer 31

we can stop littering, clean up our waterways and just generally be more responsible after all it is our environment and we have been very complacent about it when all we have to do is look around and see how beautiful it is and why it needs preserving