Disillusioned

I'm in my new apartment! Yay! It is so big compared to the last one. As soon as I find some batteries for my camera I will post some photos. I have the usual hiccups of moving into a new place - the biggest is that I can't get my internet connection to work. The technicians are coming again on Sunday but they are pretty useless.

I am at work on a Saturday today at a forum on carbon sequestration (that means pumping carbon dioxide underground to reduce global warming). I was invited to the forum dinner by the guy in charge cos I am one of those 'environmental people'. He thinks I am odd because I insist on bringing my own plate to the Friday free lunches instead of using the disposable plastic ones. The next talk is from a guy who works in Europe on helping countries implement Kyoto. It is very interesting to think about why Europe so willingly takes on Kyoto but the US doesn't. Americans feel they have 'rights' such as the right to drive an SUV. Whereas I get the impression that elsewhere people have a stronger social conscience. The individual's right for an SUV is not as valid as the rights of everyone in the world to live on an earth that is not destroyed by global warming. So in Australia it seems we've been trying to educate the public to change behaviours while here they think this can't be done and the only way to combat global warming is by economic pressure and technology. It is also interesting that when the scientists here talk about political change, they don't even bother with the Bush Administration. They are targeting the people who are likely to be in power next.

In summary, I am too idealistic to live in this country!

My first lecture went well last week. I spent a good part of it explaining the southern hemisphere. A mistake I did make was assuming too much knowledge about El Nino. The students told me they knew what El Nino was - it turns out they didn't know much at all! I'm giving another next week so will start a lot simpler. This time it is on the Indian Ocean.