“Bikes are better for the planet and your health” says Gecko campaigner Kathleen Green. A fun activity to promote the Lock the Gold Coast group against coal seam gas mining, was held on Sunday March 10th, starting at Burleigh Heads and finishing at Broadbeach.
A group of 22 bike riders took part in the Gecko/Lock the Gold Coast bike ride last Sunday, who were willing to ride rain or shine and luckily the sun did shine all day.
The Lock the Gold Coast group received lots of attention from people out and about on the beachfront also enjoying the sunshine. All riders and bikes were adorned in the Lock the Gold Coast colours of yellow and black with slogans of “no coal seam gas mining”. People were very curious to ask what the ride was about, giving the riders opportunity to explain.
The bike ride on the Gold Coast was one of many strategies to raise awareness of city dwellers of the impacts of coal seam gas and coal mining on our food supplies and water supplies especially the Great Artesian Basin. No primary producer is safe from demands from these industries to explore and mine for coal or coal seam gas on their properties. Politicians of all parties, except The Greens, are allowing themselves to be blinded to the social, health and environmental impacts of these dirty, polluting industries for the sake of a few export dollars. The long term costs to Australia and the world in terms of climate change will far exceed the income from this short term exploitation of these fossil fuels.
Lock the Gate is an Australia wide organisation that now has 170 groups under its banner and has had remarkable success in protecting our food producers and water supplies from the coal seam gas and coal mining impacts.
Riders gathered at Burleigh Heads Justin’s Park from 9am to prepare themselves with colours and signs, and then set off for a leisurely ride on the beachfront bike paths and finished at Pratten Park in Broadbeach, opposite the Broadbeach State School. The focus of Gecko’s bike ride was to promote Locking the Gate against coal seam gas mining, and new coal mines which degrade farmland, threaten water supplies and destroy wildlife habitat. Gecko asks that people support the clean, renewable energies that Australia has in abundance. Australia can be 100% powered by clean renewable energy with 10 years if the political will is there according to a2011, Melbourne University report. People power can strengthen that political will.
Fossil fuels and carbon emissions are continuing to pollute the planet at a faster rate than anticipated and we all need to actively demand clean, renewable energy for a cleaner, safer future.
Stay posted for more Lock the Gold Coast awareness programs.
