Friday 25 July 2014

I'm Always Chasing Rainbows #hope #newbeginnings

From time to time there in the sky before us, is the wonder of nature, that is the rainbow! Then our mind turns to things material and we dream of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and we share these dreams with those around us. Whoever it is we are with at the time - mother, father, child, lover, or friend. When alone, we simply dream on!!

Rainbows are seen as a new beginning, a celebration of the skies after the rain. They are a sign of hope. A sign of how wonderful our world really is.  Rainbows are indeed glorious.  But let's stop and think about it for a minute, unless we are kinder to our environment there will be no rainbows, there will be nothing to dream for. There will be no one with which to share our dreams, our hopes, and our pot of gold.
en.wikipedia.org


Yes, there are pots of gold to be made out there, but at whose expense?  Everyday we see another plastic gadget come on the market to make our lives more simple. We rush to the stores to buy, then they wrap it in the very trees that give us the oxygen to breath.  Meanwhile, the factories that are making these gadgets, and their pot of gold, are pumping needless toxins into the air. We then rush home to our air purifiers, our air conditioners, our Ventolin puffers, not noticing that the trees that give us our breath are disappearing as fast as that new gadget's life span. And, believe me they don't last long, not as long as the toxins last in our air.

I am not being an advocate smokers here but, we have banned them from public places. We are confining their polluting ways to areas that cause less discomfort to others. We have made them carry packets that show graphic illustrations for the damage that they are doing to their own bodies and the bodies of those affected by their second hand smoke.  I can understand the reasoning behind this onslaught against smokers, but do we see graphic pictures of damage on most of the products we get in the shops? The pollution caused by these manufacturing processes is just as damaging as second hand smoke! Do we see pictures of cities being destroyed by the pall of  factory smoke that hangs over them forcing the residents to wear surgical masks? Do we see pictures of buildings and crops destroyed by acid rain which is simply this factory pollution washing back to Earth in the form of sulphuric acid?? Do we see pictures of the forests destroyed in the making of the paper packaging products? Not only are these trees unable to produce lifesaving oxygen but, the carbon that is locked up in the tree as cellulose is now unleashed on the world as carbon dioxide. I here you say, 'We only use recycled wrapping paper.' But is it necessary to even use wrapping paper in the first place?

There are farmers struggling for a living, when they could be growing natural products to wrap our products.  There is bamboo, pineapple leaves, cotton, and lilies to name a few that can be grown to make products to wrap our treasures in.  But it is trees, the very things that are our carbon sinks, that give us the oxygen we breathe, that provide food and shelter for countless creatures, that we destroy to provide us with packaging and, the manufacturers with their pots of gold. We have a choice to say 'no' to the wrapping. We have a choice to say 'no' to another plastic gadget.

There is no choice but to tell our children our friends and loved ones to stop this raping and pillaging of our environment.  We have no choice but to tell our governments to battle the war on wastage. Our landfill sites are at tipping point with disposable rubbish. When we go to the doctor and we see those disposable sheets covering their surgical beds, we must say no, we want a natural product not something that adds to the pollution of the planet on every level.                                                 

Yes! we want to see the rainbows. We want our children to benefit from a healthy environment. We need to think before we make easy choices.  All of us need to act in a way that benefits Planet Earth, not just ourselves.

Lets not be just chasing rainbows and looking for the little blue bird. in vain. Look and see the sunshine, see the glorious planet we have inherited and leave the legacy of a rejuvenating and sustainable future.

Firm Believer,

Winc Spurt.

Contact: leeadmin@wincwrspincotton.com    

I'm Always Chasing Rainbows - Judy Garland                                    

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Solar On! #sustainability #climatechange #carbonpollution #globalwarming

A few years ago when climate change was the new religion and its following was reaching mass hysteria proportions, governments told us that unless we changed the way we lived we were all doomed. We were the bad guys. How dare we begin to use all these new fangled electrical goods that had become embedded in our lives. I am not an air-conditioning fan as you know but, how dare people actually turn on, run, and keep cool with these things they have paid money for, and installed for that very purpose!!!! Our carbon footprint, whatever that really is, was bigger than that of a Yeti. We were told that we had to reduce our electricity consumption. Government incentives and subsidies were all put in place to encourage everyone into the renewable energy cycle.

theguardian.com

As with all things subsidized by governments, I have no doubt prices were artificially inflated but the average Joe off the street took on the pain of climate change and embraced solar generated power. They saw it as a way to keep their electricity bills in check, and do their bit for the environment as well. The fact that as much if not more CO2 is produced in the production of the solar panels than they will ever save in electricity generation their lifetime is something that not many people realize. And so, they go about their business of installing solar panels on their roof. Might I add, that this is at considerable cost to themselves, many even taking out loans. However, the contracts that governments entered into meant that over time you would recoup your costs, have cheaper electricity bills, help the environment, and even save the government having to build new power stations to keep up with demand.

So why now, are those that have solar panels on their roof, the bad guys? It makes perfect sense in sunny Australia that we should have as many as possible. However, all these solar panels highlighted a serious flaw in the nation's electricity network. Successive governments ripped the profits out of the electricity generating industry and put it into consolidated revenue so they could afford their extravagant, wasteful ways.The end result being the electricity distribution network was seriously run down, and not designed to have all of these solar panels feeding electricity into the grid. Firstly, the powers that be decided to limit the number of solar producers to so many per street. Then, they changed that policy to limit the size of the unit you were allowed to install, with no restriction on who could install them. Now we have street upon street of solar panels. Why shouldn't we? It is a free country with limitless sunshine. But because of the failure of successive governments to do anything with our infrastructure this oversupply of generating power is having serious repercussions for the electricity grid.

When big business and governments do their forward planning and expenditure budgets they project their future revenue base. This future revenue base has taken a serious hit. Why? Because the average Aussie took all this environmental stuff on board and embraced energy efficiency and renewable energy. We not only generate power and pump it back into the grid, we also do not use as much. This has left the distribution companies with huge shortfalls in their projections!!! Hence, they then come up with all sorts of fancy accounting procedures of fixed charges for nothing and begin a smear campaign to deflect criticism away from themselves.

Australia in recent years has become embroiled in a tug of war between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'. This conflict is the perfect platform for the smear campaign - after all only the rich can afford solar panels, right?? Wrong! The average solar panel owner is simply that - average. We were told we should do this. Often at great expense to ourselves. Nobody gave them to us! We paid for them! But now we are the rich and we are ripping off the poor because we are being paid under a legal and binding (until the government changes it) contract for the electricity we generate. We are told we are selfish because we do not contribute to the poles and wires. I have paid my electricity bill for the last however many years and had solar panels for 2. But no, that does not count!! I will give them count. Get rid of some of the bureaucrats earning more than $500,000/annum and then we will see real savings.

Electricity prices in Australia are fast becoming the highest in the world. With our plentiful supply of (dare I say it) coal, countless days of sunshine and another taboo subject, uranium, our power generating capacity is assured almost until the end of time. So, why should we have to pay this ridiculous amount of money for this essential item for everyday living. Sheer incompetence, and empire building is why!! It is time for all politicians and bureaucrats to be held accountable. It simply is not good enough when they make these huge messes and sail off into the sunset without even so much as a backward glance.

So stop bashing the solar panel owners who were trying to do the right thing. I am tired of, and resent, being made out to be this rich, non-caring person who is simply ripping off those less fortunate than myself. We are just the average Jo who is trying to make ends meet the same as everyone else. Solar power makes sense, especially in industry where they consume any power they generate. However, they do not have a mortgage on solar power cos it also makes sense for everyone. We just have to get those in power (pardon the pun) to stop building ivory towers and begin looking to the future with our infrastructure and make sure it is up to the task required of it. 

My thoughts!

WinC Spurts
en.wikipedia.org

Thursday 10 July 2014

Public Transport #congestion #commuter #environment




Brisbane Story Bridge (en.wikapedia.org)

I will be the first to admit that I am not the greatest of public transport people, but living with someone who does not have a license is quite an exhausting exercise for those who need help them commute. I have seen public transport in many cities, in many countries, in the world and I really think that Brisbane is by far one of the worst when it comes to effective public transport.  Yes, the trains and buses are neat, clean and uncluttered and there lies my problem. On the few occasions that I do travel with him, there is comfort. There is a feeling of unclutteredness and that, is because no one seems to be using them!  Or if they do, they are only at peak time! This is well and good but, during those in between times, there is practically only us on the things.  

The State and Local Government are begging us to leave our cars at home. But, do these government officials actually use public transport and if they do, are they in 9-5 jobs?  Not everyone has that benefit.  We have a city developed over a river that is curved by nature and if we could go as they say, 'as the crow flies' it would be easy as.  They have built tunnels, gateways, and the like for the motor vehicles but, very few bypasses for anything that resembles public transport.  We have a ferry cat system that is great but do we see a park and ride anywhere within closeness to most of them?

We have buses that run everywhere but in a straight direction.  We had a tram system before my time but for some reason that was axed. We have built cute bridges for the foot commuter but they appear to be there  for the tourists and those already in the city confines.  They are great if you want a walk for lunch and get away from the city bustle and join the ibis on Southbank etc.  We have built two gateway bridges to connect sides of the river for vehicles, we have built two bridges for those on the peninsula. Town planners have designed disability bridges to our inner city railway stations but, sometimes, you look at the structure and think, if  they straightened from their convoluted inclines they could actually begin at the front gate of the elderly and the disabled in the suburbs.  I know this is because the incline cannot be more than 19 degrees but there surely has to be a better way. Maybe a few stair climbing chairs could be the answer, or a lift for those in wheel chairs, but for now you almost need a winch and a power source. 

The next bridges that should have precedence over all others are some rail bridges! Hasn't anyone heard of clip ons - surely they played with lego or mechano or haven't they looked at other places in the world for ideas?  A short flight to New Zealand and they can see the benefits of what is locally called the Nippon clip-ons.  We needv to build rail links that stop congestion, that are easy to use and actually go from Point A to Point B in the least amount of time. Instead we build one that goes half way (as it seems) around Australia just to get to the north or south side.  I realise that I am just a interior designer but I wonder sometimes, if I designed their house with such a long way to the bar fridge, would I be employed. And if I took so long to design something that was not user friendly would they hang me out to dry like those commuters that use our public transport systems.  

Why not have 24 hour public transport?  Why not add clip ons to existing bridges? Why not add more park and ride stations?  

I ask for your opinions on this matter.  How can we make our system better?  
en.wikapedia.org

My ideas for an easier system would be build bridges that attach to existing bridges for a rail system that is really world class.  Build car parks for our existing water ferry system. Cut out some of the bus services that exist - put them in a straight line to other areas and build some car parks for drop off areas.  Look at the timetables for trains and buses and for those with very few passengers stretch the timetable to longer periods so that people can use 24/7.  Surely running transport with high numbers is better than running empty for the sake of looking as if we have a public system.  Put more direct north south, east and west commutes. I have had people ask if our Central Station is actually Central Station!!  In their cities their Central Stations are busy always.  If we have to put the trams back in the inner suburbs, let us look at that. Throw out the buses to a drop off point and use the inner city model that seems to work well in Melbourne.

Ok, the discussion is open give us your thoughts and if some government officials are reading in the comfort of their chauffeur driven cars maybe you could drop a email as to what could be or not done for the common folk.  It is ironic that Brisbane likes to bask in its emerging cosmopolitan image and spruik about its livability. But, if it is trying to compare itself with the real cities in the world with their amazing public transport systems, it falls well short. You may say Brisbane's public transport woes are not confined to this city, so give us your ideas. Ideas that may help other cities suffering from the same problems, so we can all live in these huge metropolis and still get around effectively without having to drive ourselves every single time. There is a solution - somebody just has to have the intestinal fortitude to do it! 


Firm Believer 

 WinC Spurt!

en.wikapedia.org


Saturday 5 July 2014

Natural versus Synthetic! #sustainable #natural #climate



As I live in the tropics I espouse the virtue of natural fibre every day. I love its coolness, the fact that it breathes and its absorbancy. Even though our temperatures are in the low to mid thirties (Celsius) and the humidity sits around 60-80% and our average summer minimum is about 27˚C I do not particularly like airconditioning. I never use it in my house as I love the windows open, the outside coming in and I also like to know what is going on outside. I guess I was born a sticky beak. Sleeping in aircon dries me out and gives me a headache. I will never understand why people choose to live in the tropics, spend all day complaining how hot it is and go to bed in long winter PJ’s, tucked under a huge doona. The tropics are hot, always have been, always will be. I love the hot weather!


The secret to living in the tropics and probably any climate is the use of natural fibre. It not only keeps you cool, it also keeps you warm, all the time allowing your skin to breathe and your body temperature to regulate itself in the way it is supposed to. So again, natural fibres are the rule of the day. Wearing synthetic fibre does not allow our body temperature regulation mechanism to work properly and is especially dangerous to little babies and toddlers. Sleeping under synthetic doonas  means that they  sweat profusely through their head even on a relatively cool night as their body cannot regulate their core temperature in the way it is meant to. They can sleep under a cotton or woollen blanket or doona which is equally as warm or warmer and never encounter the same problem. I wonder how many parents who are unfortunate enough to have littlies prone to febrile convulsions know this. Simply changing their bedding  may not prevent febrile convulsions  totally as they usually occur when the child is running a temperature, but helping the bodies regulation system to work may just help a little. 

I cannot wear synthetic fibre even in winter, which is a bit of a bummer at times, because it would be so much cheaper if I could simply dash into a shop and grab some of the gorgeous, fun, non-crushable clothes on sale. This sounds weird but wearing synthetic fabrics not only makes me feel unbearably hot but makes me unbearably irritable as well. Even these new wicking fabrics that have hit the market as cool, breathable fabrics simply do nothing for me but make me hot. I know they do not need ironing, come in the funkiest of colours, snazziest of styles. Sorry, for me nothing beats natural, be it cotton, silk, bamboo or linen for summer and of course wool for winter.  I somehow cannot equate wool with summer. These fabrics drape beautifully, wash like rags, do not attract dirt like synthetics and to me the epitome of comfort is a cotton garment washed to that gorgeous softness that comes from constant wearing. They are loved items of clothing that have seen you through endless summers, still holding their shape, not stinking of sweat (an odour that is near on impossible to get rid of in synthetics).

The naturally occurring polymers that make natural fibres are responsible for their properties, their non-static nature, their wicking properties, their absorbancy. It means they do not cling to you as much as their fibres do not allow the build up of static as synthetic fibres do. It also means the dirt does not become embedded in the fibre and your clothes not turn that horrible dirty grey colour in the wash. How many white synthetic shirts do you see and think how dirty they look! It is because they actually attract the dirt in the wash!!!!!! It is probably the same for those horrible molecules that cause underarm odour. They are almost impossible to remove from microfiber shirts which is quite ironic as they make you sweat more in the first place. Have you ever ironed these synthetic shirts?? Eeeeuw!

The same goes for our furnishings. Our synthetic lounges attract the dirt more, make us sweat more. Oh yes they may look a million dollars and save us endless hours of ironing to make the curtains look half reasonable but they fill our houses with negative ions , the carpets zap us when we walk on them in winter and heaven knows what chemicals have been used in their manufacture. All of the synthetics in our houses today mean that when our houses burn down we are more likely to die from toxic smoke inhalation than actual fire as many of these synthetic substances simply melt and smoulder rather than burn in the traditional manner we associate with fire. 

I know the growing of cotton is not that crash hot for the environment as it requires huge amounts of water and is very prone to pests, but with the advent of bamboo, hemp and countless other naturally occurring fibres becoming more common place there really is no reason to fill our lives with synthetics. Yes they are cheap! But at what cost??? Most are derived from the petrochemical industry which is a non-renewable source. The products are almost indestructible never breaking down, and the by-products from their manufacture cause massive pollution problems to all the Earth’s elements of atmosphere, water bodies and land mass.

So have a look at where you can make these changes in your life. You will not only be helping the environment you may find you really like the coolness against your cheek of that well worn pillow slip. You may like the breeze whispering through your clothes to evaporate the beads of sweat that form as you go about your daily routine. Best of all though, you will not feel as though you are wearing a plastic bag that you simply cannot wait to get off.

Cotton Australia