The news over the past few days have been focused on the same things: the earthquake in Christchurch, the uprising in Libya and the latest tax on carbon in Australia. Not very good news, especially the first two.
My heart goes out to our kiwi neighbours, whose unfortunate geographical position has caused much disaster and devastation over the last 6 months. I am saddened by the many losses of lives, many of them probably had no chance of escape when it happened. They did nothing wrong, except to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This leads me to reflect, once again, on the fragility of life. Here one moment, gone the other. How small we are compared to the forces of nature. This tragedy has a humbling effect on people and we can only accept that we don't control Nature but instead is subject very much to it.
On the other hand, some thousand of kilometres to our northwest, in Libya, people are trying to take control of their destinies from a tyrant leader. For the people there, I say 'jia you' (fight on)! It's time to say enough is enough. They deserve to live in peace and prosperity just like everyone else. I cannot imagine what it must be like to live under the rule of such a crazy control freak of a leader for so long. And I can only fear for them if this leader do not get defeated and has a chance for revenge.
Nearer to us, Australia's PM has just annouced that there will be a price to pay for carbon emission from next year. Companies will be taxed, a fixed rate initially, on the carbon emissions they produced. This increase in cost for them will no doubt be passed to the consumers at the end and have a direct impact on our livelihoods in terms of increased prices on basically everything that involves carbin emissions in its production. While I agree that we must reduce our carbon footprints on earth and this green policy is aimed as such, I'm not sure if it will be effective enough to have a visible impact. Companies will still produce what they need to produce because there is a demand for consumption. Will they really try to research for alternative 'greener' methods of production to reduce their carbon tax or won't it be easier to just pass on the increased cost? At the end of the day, even if it is effective, the benefits of such a policy on climate change will only be felt in the long term. For the time being, perhaps in our lifetime, all we'll ever feel is the pinch to our pockets. Nonetheless, if we are buying the future for our children, then perhaps the sacrifice will be worth it.
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