Older Australians will call
on state and federal governments to back an intergenerational initiative
that will see grandparents and their grandchildren working together to clean
up the environment.
National Seniors chairman, Everald Compton, who will unveil the initiative in
Alice Springs tonight,
says older Australians accept blame for the state of the planet and now want
to rectify their
mistakes.
“Truth is, my generation
didn’t look after the planet as well as we should have. We now have time
in
our senior years to put things right and leave the world a cleaner place,”
says Compton.
“Seniors are moving beyond the rhetoric and showing leadership. Through
our schools we will work
across the generations to provide real solutions to environmental challenges,”
he said.
“The project will see older Australians working with their grandchildren
at the local level to ensure
communities follow world-class practices to save water and energy, eradicate
pollution, develop
alternative fuel sources and reduce greenhouse gasses.”
National Seniors will form
corporate and government partnerships in order to provide seed money
for school projects.
Federal Environment Minister,
Malcolm Turnbull; Shadow Minister, Peter Garrett; and Greens
leader, Bob Brown, will be called upon to support the project, as will education
ministers from every
state.
The proposal comes after
a recent National Seniors poll revealed renewable energy, water
management and global warming are three of the top five vote-changing issues
for the over-50s in
marginal electorates across the country.
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