Media release – 13th August, 2010
TV advertising targets state and federal governments for ignoring native forest ‘pollution banks’
New television advertising has gone to air in Tasmania and Melbourne targeting both state and federal governments about the huge climate pollution benefits on offer from an end to the logging of native forests.
The ads will air in the lead up to the nationwide ‘Walk Against Warming’ this weekend.
“At this crucial time for our native forests it has never been more important to protect and restore their ability to pull carbon pollution out of the atmosphere”, Vica Bayley, spokesperson from The Wilderness Society said.
The advertisement reveals that if logging of native forests was to stop, they would recover and could store up to 136 million tonnes of carbon pollution every year – more pollution than nine of the country’s dirtiest coal fired power stations produce every year.
The TV advertising by Our Common Ground, The Wilderness Society, Environment Tasmania and GetUp is the first stage in informing Tasmanians and Victorians about the significant role native forests play in absorbing and storing vast amounts of carbon pollution.
Research by the Australian National University has found old growth eucalypt forests in Victoria and Tasmania store up to three times more carbon pollution – 2,000 tonnes per hectare – than any other forests on Earth.
“The new TV advertising sends a message to federal politicians that our native forests store more carbon pollution than any other forests on Earth and they cannot afford to ignore them any longer,” Virginia Young from The Wilderness Society said.
Ms Young said protecting native forests and allowing them to continually absorb and store carbon pollution is one of the quickest and cheapest solutions governments can take in reducing Australia’s impact on our climate.
The ad can also be viewed online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuRXusBRAuk&feature=youtube_gdata
Walks Against Warming will be held all around Australia this Sunday 15 August.
Vica Bayley, The Wilderness Society
