News Details - Coastcare Australia

FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE BY "KICKING THE CARBON HABIT"

People across Australia are being urged to support Coastcare by ‘kicking the carbon habit’ and reducing their greenhouse emissions… as Coastcare highlights climate change will affect sea levels and ultimately our coastline.

Coastcare is also highlighting that grants of up to $250,000 are potentially available for existing Coastcare projects or new projects to help Australia’s coasts. Many top celebrities are behind Coastcare including Iron man Guy Leech, champion freediver Sacha Dench as well as Pat Rafter, Jack Thompson, Matt Welsh, Elka Graham and many others.

Figures now show up to 1 in 20 beaches in Australia have been completely lost due to development with 3 billion litres of sewage/effluent getting into oceans and estuaries every day.

Coastcare says it is critical all Australians take more action to deal with the damage being inflicted on our precious oceans, beaches and coast.

Their new campaign urges people around the nation to realise we all have an impact on oceans and beaches - whether we live inland or by the coast - because we are all contributing to climate change… which then affects the coast and coastal biodiversity. Coastcare ambassador Sacha Dench says we urgently need to ‘kick the carbon habit.’

Many top names have lined up behind the latest Coastcare campaign including Iron man legend Guy Leech, champion freediver and environmental crusader Sacha Dench – who astonishingly can hold her breath underwater for 6 minutes – along with top scientist Dr John Williams who is a scientific advisor to Coastcare.

Coastcare ambassador Sacha Dench said “No matter where you live in Australia you can support Coastcare. Our oceans and beaches are the backbone of our nation. Rising sea levels are a massive concern and will impact severely on coastal ecosystems. Beaches, lakes, estuaries and wetlands can all be affected. They are the life support systems of the coast – where 85% of us live.”

“It’s high time we all kicked the carbon habit. Excessive consumption and energy use is the root cause of climate change. By visiting www.carbonsmart.com.au you can find out how to minimise your carbon emissions. Whether you are inland or by the coast, its action you can take. It will help.”

Figures now show up to 1 in 20 beaches in Australia have been completely lost due to beachfront development. If sea temperatures rise by just 1.5% it’s believed 95% of the Barrier Reef’s coral will be bleached by 2050.

Coastcare is also highlighting thousands and thousands of dollars are potentially available from the Commonwealth Government to support either existing Coastcare projects or new projects that people want to tackle. Grants of up to $250,000 are available from the Commonwealth Government’s ‘Caring for our Country’ program.

The program will be officially launched in July. It recognises the pressing need to protect Australia’s unique natural environment. The Commonwealth Government has a number of key priority areas which includes investing in biodiversity and natural icons as well as coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats. The program will include funds to implement election commitments to help the Great Barrier Reef and help repair fragile coastal ecosystems.

Anyone wanting more information should simply go to the new look Coastcare website located at www.coastcare.com.au. The Coastcare website is crammed full of information on how people can help, get involved and learn about existing Coastcare projects. From June 5 for a period of 2 weeks a special panel of experts will be available on the Coastcare website to answer questions on our coasts and how people can get involved.

Iron man legend Guy Leech said “People power is what Coastcare is all about. Already 60,000 volunteers have banded together. 85% of Australians live by the coast. Volunteers are a vital element in caring for coastal areas. If you live near the coast, why not consider forming a group and getting a project happening. If you can’t give time, you can consider supporting other groups through a donation to Coastcare.”

“Millions of people visit Australia because of our astonishing beaches. They are our crown jewels. The Great Barrier Reef is worth over $5 billion in tourism alone and supports over 68,000 Australian jobs.”

Guy Leech added there are a number of actions anyone can take right now to kick the carbon habit:

• Take public transport, cycle and use your car as little as possible
• Switch all appliances off at the power point when you’re not using them
• Install energy efficient lighting throughout your house
• Choose energy efficient models when buying new household equipment like washing machines

Anyone wanting to know how to kick the carbon habit and find out how to reduce carbon emissions – which are actively contributing to climate change – should go to www.carbonsmart.com.au.

Research from the journal ‘Nature’ (from the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies) shows the dramatic affect of climate change. The new data estimates the number of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica has dropped by 50%, in North America 89 species of plants are flowering earlier and in Spain apple trees are now producing leaves 35 days earlier.
Many top celebrities are backing Australia’s fast-growing Coastcare movement including top swimmer Matt Welsh, tennis legend Pat Rafter, Icehouse star Iva Davies, acting legend Jack Thompson, whale crusader Mimi McPherson and swimming star Elka Graham.

Dr John Williams – former head of CSIRO Land and Water – said “We’ve changed nature a great deal. Evidence clearly shows that intervention makes a difference. The public debate on the vision for Australia’s future has to lift in my view. Ecosystems are the life support systems of Australia. It’s time for us to listen and change. Joining Coastcare and doing something that cares for our coasts is a step towards a better future.”

Australia’s Coastcare groups are doing everything from restoring coastlines and protecting coastal dunes to protecting turtles and coral reefs.

To find out more about how to get a Coastcare grant from the Commonwealth Government’s ‘Caring for our Country’ (thousands of dollars are potentially available) go to www.coastcare.com.au. The Coastcare network is always looking for new volunteers.




Media enquiries to Peter Scott, Landcare Australia, on 02 9412 1040 or peter.scott@landcareaustralia.com.au. You can also call Media Key on 03 9769 6488.

Go to the brand new www.nrm.gov.au for more information about your Natural Resource Management Region and coastal environmental projects in your area.