birding-aus

Global Warming

To: "Reg Clark" <>, " Chris Lloyd" <>
Subject: Global Warming
From: "Greg" <>
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 15:18:16 +1000
I think that the issue of the contribution to global warming from the annual Twitchathons is a worthy topic of debate. I also think that the contribution resulting from a one day activity needs to be put into perspective. Every day there are birdos using fossil fuels and adding to the Greenhouse gas loads to allow them to tick off birds. There are also birdos who carry out systematic studies or scientific research. There are also people out chasing trains, going to the speedway or just burning fuel for a day out.

To single out the Twitchathon is a little unfair, especially if those suggesting radical penalties are also guilty and if you travel anywhere, other than by walking or by pushbike, or use electricity from the grid then you are guilty.

People involved in the Twitchathon do need to be cognisant of the greenhouse implications. These impacts can be reduced by:
sharing the one vehicle (which I presume is usually the done thing);
driving at moderate, not excessive, speeds;
balancing the impacts by reducing everyday demands on energy and doing earth friendly volunteer work or buying greenhouse credits as offsets; providing the details of any threatened and rare birds recorded to the relevant state authorities or records officers.

I believe that the goodwill and funds generated by a little friendly competition once a year is worth the potential impact on the planet, particularly when the impacts can be offset.

Don't misunderstand me. I am a strong advocate of doing all we can to minimise our impact on the planet. I have a solar hot water system, a rainwater tank and a local native plant garden and turning the lights off tonight will not be hard as we usually only have one on at a time.

Let's just keep the annual Twitchathon, and its impacts, in perspective. Sitting in an armchair for hours might suit some people but it isn't very healthy. Accessing sites by pushbike would be great but is not always practical.


Greg Clancy





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