Melbourne supports environmentally conscious efforts
When people ask how environmentally conscious Austrailia is, the first thing I mention is the water bottle filling stations in the streets. But, there are other measures people use here in Melbourne to protect the environment. From flipping a switch in order to use an outlet to being inundated with public service posters about recycling, I have become conscious of ways to limit my waste and emissions. It all starts with Australia’s large focus on the environment in the political sphere.
What’s different about Australia is that environmental policy is a huge determinant in election cycles and in leadership within parties in Parliament. This is especially obvious in the recent change of Prime Minister, with Malcolm Turnbull replacing Tony Abbott. The shift comes at a pivotal moment in determining the trajectory of COP21, the Climate Summit, in Paris.
Critics question Turnbull’s approach as his previous statements of increasing policy to stop the effects of the global warming, including the reintroduction of the unpopular carbon tax, do not necessarily align with his party’s policies. The shift from Abbott, a strong supporter of the Australian coal industry, which accounts for a large portion of the world’s coal, to Turnbull reflects the continually evolving platform of Australian environmental policy.
Along with policy at the international level, measures meant to mitigate the effects of climate change show up in daily life. For over a century, Melbourne has used electric trams for mobility. The trams are an indisputable symbol of the city and an emblem of environmental awareness. Reliance on public transportation alleviates a good amount of the traffic problems in the streets. Electric trams line the city, forming a grid in the center and span out to the several districts.
The trams are even free to ride throughout the Central Business District. In Sydney, ferries account for a huge source of transportation, providing a seamless way to get from one side of the world’s largest natural harbor to the other. Relative to Los Angeles, provision of public transportation is a struggling area in a city highly dependent on motor vehicles.
With several hundred kilometers of biking lanes, Melbourne highly encourages the use of bicycles. Bike sharing booths line several street corners and helmets even come attached to bikes as it’s enforced by law to wear a helmet at all times. The law is definitely an acceptable measure as approaching the intersections of trams, pedestrian crossings and car lanes make cycling a daunting task. Frankly, my desire to cycle vanished after seeing a biker hit by a car my first week here.
Biking has slowly begun its transition into Los Angeles lifestyle, especially through Los Angeles Metro’s planned implementation of bike sharing systems throughout downtown L.A. Concerns arise in the safety of bikers, pedestrians and motorists alike as suddenly a new operator enters the domain. If it was not difficult enough to cross through the Hoover intersection on a bike, imagine the terror that would arise if cars were suddenly added to the picture in a larger crossing. Bikes are a gradual system to be cycled in.
The prices of plastic water bottles, generally ranging between $2 to 5 in Australian Dollars, about $1.50 to $3 in U.S. dollars, are similar to prices of bottles in Los Angeles, but people are seldom seen buying bottles from convenience stores and restaurants due to the quality of tap water and abundance of water fountain and bottle-filling stations in the streets.
All street bins have sections divided for recycling and general waste, as well as for cigarette disposal. Cigarette sales also provide a huge revenue source as taxes amount to more than 60 percent of the price paid. Australian Parliament sees gradual increases in this tax as a largely undisputed means of limiting the use of cigarettes because it contributes highly to air pollution. In comparison, taxes make up a mere 43 percent of the price paid on cigarettes bought in America.
In Australia, boxes of cigarettes do not bear the traditional design created by its distributing entity, rather, all tobacco products have a standard black exterior and bear images of the harmful effects associated with smoking along with descriptions. The regulatory nature of even the outside of cigarette cartons demonstrates the socially liberal mindset in Australia that extends even past environmentally conscious measures. Moreover, though cigarette smoking is largely acceptable in public areas, the University of Melbourne recently became a smoke-free campus, a model reflective of similar intolerance measures used throughout Los Angeles. In regard to regulating second-hand smoke in the public domain, USC still puts non-smokers at risk.
Additionally, animal conservation is a big effort in Australia. Australia’s distinct wildlife is a core representative of its culture. The iconic koala has been at risk after being hunted to near extinction in the 1990s. The conservation movement was what effectively stopped their obliteration. Animal sanctuaries, wildlife parks and conservation foundations play a large role in protecting Australia’s biodiversity, along with governmental regulation within the different states.
As kangaroos roam the suburbs in Canberra and wombats willingly engage with campers in Tasmania, nature is emblematic of Australian culture. Thus, the importance of environmental protection remains at the forefront of governmental policy and Melbourne living.
Nika Shahery is a junior majoring in international relations and policy, planning and development. Her column, “Aussie Adventure,” runs Thursdays.