News - Environment

The Big Switch is set to be the largest community climate change campaign ever in Australia.

Founded by leading environment groups Greenpeace, the state-based Conservation Councils of Australia and GetUp! The Big Switch is a campaign to get more Australian households active on reducing their greenhouse pollution and to get politicians from all sides of politics to do more to combat climate change.

The exciting new website was launched last week www.thebigswitch.org.au and encourages voters to tackle their local MP on climate change in the run up to the federal election.

The Big Switch aims to get 100,000 Australians to sign a climate pledge.

The Big Switch is calling for new laws to reduce greenhouse pollution by 30 per cent by 2020, boost Australia's economy by introducing a 25 per cent renewable energy target, ending logging of high conservation forests and broadscale land clearing by 2008 and pumping an extra $1 billion into public transport.

All 150 federal MPs have been sent a survey asking them to state their level of support on climate change solutions. Their answers will be rated and made public on The Big Switch website.

The Big Switch will set the political agenda in terms of climate change this year. It's about ensuring politicians feel pressure from a public desperate to see that urgent and real action is taken to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.

The Big Switch 'one-stop-climate shop' also gives simple steps and ideas to help people reduce their own greenhouse emissions. There are a number of ways people can take action at home and in their community.

The Big Switch is urging politicians to take the politics out of climate change and act in the interests of the community. Australia is part of a world that must take urgent action to avoid a global climate crisis and deep cuts in greenhouse emissions are the only way to do this.

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