Hi, My name is Rebecca and I'm your neighbour.

I live just down the street, well... kind of! I would normally articles about Australia and I've been worried for a while that we're not doing enough to tackle climate change. So when the Government announced its carbon pricing plan, I took a closer look at what it will really mean for me and my family (which is all of you!)

I think there's a lot of misinformation and confusion in the community - maybe it's all the media hype, maybe it's all those politicians talking too much.

That's why I'm putting my name to this letter/article, and that's why I hope you'll read it.

First thing is that I reckon we've got a problem with pollution and climate change, that we as Australians should do something about. Australia's just not a 'do nothing' type of country, when we're faced with a challenge.

Next is that the carbon price is based on a pretty simple idea: When it's free to pollute, businesses keep polluting. But when it costs to pollute, big polluters make an effort to do things in a cleaner way.

This price on pollution will be paid by Australia's top 500 polluting businesses. It's an incentive to help them change their behaviour. It's not like the GST. It's not a tax on households.

That's why 31 other countries, from New Zealand to England, have already put a price on pollution. South Korea and California are about to do it too. And you might be surprised to learn that China is starting a carbon pricing trial. Even India already has a tax on coal!

So the carbon price will only charge the country's biggest, richest polluters - not everyday Australians like us.
This is expected to raise around $11 billion a year. So where will all that money go?

Firstly, it should go to us. We know that some businesses will continue to pollute, and will pass through their costs to consumers. The Government's plan is that Australian households will receive more than half of the $11 billion raised - to help with cost of living expenses and paying our energy bills. They've said nine out of every ten Australian households will get assistance, as will all pensioners and self-funded retirees.

Secondly, money will go straight to renewable energy, like solar, wind and geothermal - creating more jobs in these new technologies. Australia has all those resources in abundance, and they won't run out like coal or oil. Did you know that enough sun falls on the Earth in one hour to power the whole world's energy needs for eight years?

Thirdly, it'll go to business. Existing industry is promised money to help retain jobs and get them on the right track to pollute less.

Some people are saying it won't make a difference. But the carbon price package will stop up to 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon pollution going into our skies between now and 2020 - that's like taking 70 million cars off the road. And with $13 billion going into clean energy, we'll see innovation, jobs and a cleaner Australia.

Pricing pollution seems to me like a sensible and long overdue first step towards transitioning to a clean energy future - the future our children and grandchildren will inherit from us.

I'm hoping that neighbour to neighbour in our community we can do better than our squabbling politicians.

Let's get on with it and do something about climate change.

Thanks,

Rebecca

P.S. - The longer we wait to reduce pollution, the more expensive it will become. And if we don't act now, we'll be left behind. Australia has some of the best solar and wind resources in the world and yet right now even Germany, which has freezing winters, generates more solar power than us. If we put our minds to it, Australia will make a success of cutting pollution and building clean energy - it's in our character! We just need to give renewable energy the kick start it needs to get going.

P.P.S. - A new independent commission, made up of Australia's leading climate scientists, found that this decade is the 'critical decade' to stop devastating climate change before it's too late. Their report says the longer we wait, the more expensive the solutions will become, and the more it will endanger our children, grandchildren and environment.

This article was first published on My Green Australia. My Green Australia is a resource of information about living green and healthier in Australia. We want to protect and cherish our country and preserve the natural beauty of Australia for many generations to come.