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Why so much fuss about GREEN?

Written by Sean Cochrane

Green Shoots …green collar jobs …green loans, …green products …green industry ...green industrial revolution …Why is the green industry gaining momentum?

In short, the 'Green Movement' is now gaining momentum, mainly because it is creating jobs while saving people money. The Green Industry is showing that ‘sustainability can actually sustain people’. This is a turn up for the books, as it is silencing the detractors that once said that the eco industry ‘is going nowhere and costs money’.

The Green Industry is not only saving homeowners, government and business money through the savings that the products themselves actually provide e.g. in the energy savings that a solar hot water unit or the insulation can provide over time. The Green Products Industry is now actually becoming a major player in assisting the national recovery from the recent negative worldwide down turn. It is interesting to note that as Australia adopts more green products and as the green industries sales grow, so too does the demand for plumbers, electricians, fitters and installers who provide their services to this sector. Simply put the ‘Green Industrial Revolution’ is creating jobs. So nuch so that recently at the opening of Allsafe Energy Efficient Products New Administration Center in Hendra in Brisbane. In his address The Hon, Treasurer M.P. Wayne Swan, reaffirmed that he and his department were committed to long term plans, to ensure that support for energy saving products would remain in place. He used the ‘Allsafe energy efficient products group’, example where Allsafe is expected to create around 900 new “green” jobs in the next 2- 3 years, with up to 52 new Allsafe Energy Efficient products – Franchises being opened over that period. Swan said “Allsafe’s expansion is a direct result of the green products industry growth and Government’s economic stimulus packages”. “Allsafe is an example of green companies employing new staff daily”, and through “promoting sustainability there is clear proof that Government’s stimulus package and climate change policies are supporting local jobs,” he said.

As for Green Shoots - It was not too long ago that the every news headline we saw spoke of doom, gloom, pollution and dark economic days ahead. Then around two months or so ago the first stories started surfacing of “Green shoots”. Meaning that there were actually a few positive stories to be told, of companies shrugging off the negativity and employing people when others were laying off workers. Now we are hearing of companies with expansion plans and some with recession busting plans. I am happy to say that the ‘Green Industry’ is one of those GREEN SHOOTS and that is something for Australia to be proud of.

Many of the above mentioned developments in the green sector have lead to, leaders of industry, banking and Government coming together to work on new and innovative ways to assist the man in the street to make the switch to greener products. Which ultimately save the user money on energy and help minimise the impact on the environment? However it is just a fact of life that unfortunately, people can simply just not afford the upgrades to retrofit energy saving devices to the home – even after one factors in the assistance from solar or insulation rebates that are in place at present …. Enter the GREEN LOANS, which I believe could well be the innovative link to bridge the gap between the cost of the products and the shortfall in cost after the rebate value. I would even be so bold as to predict that, these new 0% interest green loans will actually accelerate the adoption of mainstream green products and energy saving devices into the home. Green retrofitted products such as solar hot water, window tinting, Shading devices, energy efficient lighting and energy saving products such as 7 star rated washers will qualify for these 0% interest green loans under the newly proposed scheme, due to be released by Government with the next few weeks. So yes, I would be closely watching the announcements from the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts or http://www.environment.gov.au/ as well as other informative and reputable green sources such as the financial institutions which provide these Green Loans, such as QLD Country Credit union. http://www.qccu.com.au/green-loans. a few other valuable sources of information for research purposes can be found on the internet such as http://evolve.ergon.com.au/WhatisErgonEnergydoing/Greenteam.aspx and http://www.all-safe.com.au.

So as a ‘practical greenie’, which is defined as somebody who is realistic about living on this planet and somebody who actively tries to minimise his carbon footprint, without being so extreme as, say ‘chaining himself to a tree’. I am pleased to say that I am happy to be part of and witness this new Green Industry – sprout some Green Shoots and deliver those much needed Green Jobs and help us all become greener – while saving a few green backs in the process …

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Written by Sean Cochrane

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J D Rogerson 2009-08-31 10:48:05

Wish South Africa could be as aware as Australian. Keep it GREEN ya all! Proud
of you. Allsafe are doing a great job too.

Brian Carroll 2009-08-31 17:48:48

As well as buying Green we must also think Green in our daily
activities............remembering to turn lights off, switch off apliances from
the wall, use extension leads and power cords for difficult spots like TV and
stereo systems with multiple points that allow you to switch off at the wall.
Small things will make a big difference overall.

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