Today I start digging the foundations for my fifth household rainwater tank.
Our seven-bedroom household is in Canberra - a semi-alpine, semi-arid region of Australia.
Long ago, the CSIRO warned us what's coming!
Most of our windows and sliding glass doors are double-glazed and the ceiling and walls are fully insulated.
The other four rainwater tanks can hold 24,000 litres. The fifth will bring our storage capacity to 30,000 litres.
Our grey-water harvesting system consists of two tanks (holding 750 litres) that connects to the rainwater irrigation system we built.
We have a solar hot water system on the roof and have agreed to pay $25,000 (minus an $8000 federal subsidy) so two kilowatts worth of solar electrical panels on the roof will pump power into the grid.
Though I respect him enormously, none of these things I did because of Al Gore or the CSIRO.
Charts and pretty polar pictures don't cut much glacial ice with me.
But the Cat Empire's 'No Longer There' got through to me like a Mack Truck:
No Longer There...
And though you'd like to hear a song That sings everything's alright The temperature is warm The fire horses sleep So gently comes the night.
You close your eyes and stare The ground they're on is bare But once it was as deep As wildest giants dreams It's no longer there.
And all of our desires They mirror skies with flames And smoke out heaven's halls Who was that you called They're no longer there.
Here it goes again Here it goes again Here it goes again!
What would you leave behind when all your fields are dead? When your territories are dried out and your cities drowned and swept What would you leave behind when those who bear your name Are born in that place that you wrecked? What would you leave behind when you're no longer there?
Would you sail to distant shores? And hide within the haze And softly close your door Pretend the world is saved And wait for heaven's call
Or would you turn and face the sea and calm decide you care? There's a chance but if you dare As swift as honour's steeds Before it's no longer there
Here it goes again Here it goes again Here it goes again!
What would you leave behind when all your fields are dead? When your territories are dried out and your cities drowned and swept What would you leave behind When those who bear your name are born in that place that you wrecked What would you leave behind when you're no longer there?
To deny or to despair is really just the same As everything between It means we have to change
When a world forgets The world begins to fade When all the shapes and shades That made the colours see When they suddenly turn grey Then they're no longer there.
