Will Solar Power Save The Planet?

I suppose some would call me a “Greenie”.  Heck, I call myself that sometimes.

Like any good Aussie, I love the outdoors, the sunshine and the surf. I’m deeply grateful for the beauty and majesty of our planet. It pains me when I see it being brutalized, plundered or wasted in the name of laziness or greed.

And I do believe that we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the earth’s resources. I believe that a lot of the political and economic tension that our world currently faces could be reduced with more responsible use of the limited resources we have at our disposal.

And I believe solar power will play a central role in an improving the relationships with our political neighbours and our natural world.

But, I don’t believe solar power is the answer to all our problems. I don’t believe solar power is the great savior of our planet. I don’t believe solar power is right for everyone. I don’t believe we should make too big a deal of solar power.

Why not? Because it’s too easy.

And easy answers are usually a cop out. The refuge of the lazy and the uninspired.

Solar power is PART of the answer. It might be part of the answer for your home.  But it is not the WHOLE answer.

When solar is combined with other energy-saving strategies, its power is multiplied and magnified. If not, it simply becomes a “let’s throw money at it and hope it goes away” solution.

In fact, as I pointed out in my series of energy saving tips, most homeowners could cut their energy consumption by 30-40% by doing simple things around their home WITHOUT even installing solar power. Things that don’t cost thousands of dollars to implement. When these practical, simple steps that address how we live day to day are combined with solar, then you get the HUGE benefits that really make a difference and might actually save the planet.

Solar power is a great idea for many Australian homeowners and the government is making it very attractive for you  right now, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a cure-all for the world’s energy ills.  It’s a good idea but only PART of the solution.