HECStrodinary...
I was pleased to read in the yesterday's SMH about Labor's plan to offer interest-free loans to enable households to install environmentally-friendly retro-fitted items such as water tanks, solar panels and the like.
I was pleasantly surprised, firstly, because it was such a clear statement about the fact that the little things really do make a difference, if not in regards to the catastrophic End-Times scenario with which we are constantly being belted over the head of late, then in relation to the environmental impact we all have on our individual communities.
Secondly, I was happy to note that the Labor policy-makers obviously read Ross Gittens (aka The Guru*). And this makes me a very happy little Lefty indeed.
Ross wrote a column** in March, expounding the view that the HECS system could be easily applied to many other aspects of government, giving the example of drought-relief. It's an incredibly good column, making a great deal of sense. And it seems, Other People read it too... because the basic gist of it is that interest-free, income-dependant loans (but with that dreaded indexation) should be made available for certain cases - ie student loans (HECS), drought relief, emergency welfare and so on. It's a brilliant idea.
It will mean that households such as mine, will be able to access funds to install a number of environmentally-friendly devices which we have been simply unable to afford.
We already have a water tank (which is constantly full, what with Bellambi consistently getting the highest rainfall in the state... what bloody drought I ask???), however I won the tank***, and Dad and MrB installed it. It only collects the water from one half of the roof however, and then is only connected to the watering systems. We really want to get another couple of tanks - one to collect the water off the garage roof, and another large one to collect the rainwater from the entire roof. We then want to connect these tanks to enable us to use this water for the laundry and toilet-flushing. The water collected off the garage roof would be enough to supply the watering systems.
Because our house, as an old Brethren Chapel, is just basically an enormous rectangular prism, it has a large roof expanse, and consists of just the two planes. Very simple and very effective of water-collection. Our house also faces directly south, which means one half of our roof gets the brunt of the afternoon sun - perfect conditions for solar panels. But another massive investment that we just can't afford at the moment.
We want to be able to do the right thing, and thankfully Labor seems to be about providing us with the means to do so. Yay!
* MrB went to a lecture given by Mr Gittens, way back in the day (ie late 80s) when he was doing Economics at school, and idolised Mr Gittens as an Economic Guru. He has a book signed by Ross - 'To MrB.. (something funny only to economists)... Ross Gittens The Guru'. It is now the only way he is referred to in our home...
** I've put the bloody link in, but know none of you will actually go read the column. Because site meter tells me all, and no-one ever follows the links... But you should this time. It's damn good.
*** I won the tank as a lucky door prize after attending a Wollongong City Council conservation workshop. At one of the punters drinks last year, I mentioned how it's the only thing that pops up in Google if you enter my Real Name. Miss Mex hastened to disagree, informing me that I'd actually won a front-loading washing machine, while simultaneously outing herself as a manic Googler... The prize was officially a front-loader, but I already had one, so I ended up with a 2700L tank plus pump! Bonus!!!!!!
I was pleasantly surprised, firstly, because it was such a clear statement about the fact that the little things really do make a difference, if not in regards to the catastrophic End-Times scenario with which we are constantly being belted over the head of late, then in relation to the environmental impact we all have on our individual communities.
Secondly, I was happy to note that the Labor policy-makers obviously read Ross Gittens (aka The Guru*). And this makes me a very happy little Lefty indeed.
Ross wrote a column** in March, expounding the view that the HECS system could be easily applied to many other aspects of government, giving the example of drought-relief. It's an incredibly good column, making a great deal of sense. And it seems, Other People read it too... because the basic gist of it is that interest-free, income-dependant loans (but with that dreaded indexation) should be made available for certain cases - ie student loans (HECS), drought relief, emergency welfare and so on. It's a brilliant idea.
It will mean that households such as mine, will be able to access funds to install a number of environmentally-friendly devices which we have been simply unable to afford.
We already have a water tank (which is constantly full, what with Bellambi consistently getting the highest rainfall in the state... what bloody drought I ask???), however I won the tank***, and Dad and MrB installed it. It only collects the water from one half of the roof however, and then is only connected to the watering systems. We really want to get another couple of tanks - one to collect the water off the garage roof, and another large one to collect the rainwater from the entire roof. We then want to connect these tanks to enable us to use this water for the laundry and toilet-flushing. The water collected off the garage roof would be enough to supply the watering systems.
Because our house, as an old Brethren Chapel, is just basically an enormous rectangular prism, it has a large roof expanse, and consists of just the two planes. Very simple and very effective of water-collection. Our house also faces directly south, which means one half of our roof gets the brunt of the afternoon sun - perfect conditions for solar panels. But another massive investment that we just can't afford at the moment.
We want to be able to do the right thing, and thankfully Labor seems to be about providing us with the means to do so. Yay!
* MrB went to a lecture given by Mr Gittens, way back in the day (ie late 80s) when he was doing Economics at school, and idolised Mr Gittens as an Economic Guru. He has a book signed by Ross - 'To MrB.. (something funny only to economists)... Ross Gittens The Guru'. It is now the only way he is referred to in our home...
** I've put the bloody link in, but know none of you will actually go read the column. Because site meter tells me all, and no-one ever follows the links... But you should this time. It's damn good.
*** I won the tank as a lucky door prize after attending a Wollongong City Council conservation workshop. At one of the punters drinks last year, I mentioned how it's the only thing that pops up in Google if you enter my Real Name. Miss Mex hastened to disagree, informing me that I'd actually won a front-loading washing machine, while simultaneously outing herself as a manic Googler... The prize was officially a front-loader, but I already had one, so I ended up with a 2700L tank plus pump! Bonus!!!!!!
Labels: Latte Sipping
posted by actonb at 9:33 am
8 Comments:
"Let she who be without links cast the first stone...."
Very cool actonb, I must see this house one day....
And I will go read the link, just not today. :)
Donnie, I do so follow links... Just not yours. I never know where I'll end up... and I read that story about the poor teacher, so get k-notted.
W's, you're always more than welcome :) And I trust you'll read the link - because Ross is a Guru...
Awww, AB, you are so judgemental!
You don't have to paint me as some tawdry purveyor of internet filth and porn.
99% of my links are perfectly harmless, and send you to either SMH or Wikipedia to help illustrate or flesh out the story I am telling at the time. In fact, I just checked, and not one of the links on the posts visible on RFYP right now goes to anything that is not G-rated.
*folds arms, turns away in disgust at being tarred and feathered*
Awwww... how cute that you went and checked!
Y'know often I'll have already read the story that you're posting about, so have no need to link-click. But it's funny that we go to so much effort to get the right link, and no-one checks it out!
I try and compose using MSWord these days - and inserting hyperlinks is a doddle with that - so I will always put a link to the story I that has been the catalyst - or to Wiki if there is something obscure. Some of the links get used, but no, not nearly enough.
Now if I were linking them to porn...
I did read the article this morning actonb, very good column indeed.
Oh good! I like to set homework for this class...
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