Thinking about the weather and the environment...

The flood being warned last night in the Northeast Melbourne fortunately didn't hit Reservoir (because it's a northern suburb). Instead it hit Ballarat.

We've been having rain fairly consistently through the winter and now into spring.
Heavy rain, strong wind and cold-than-usual temperature were the main features of this winter. (Am I right?)

I slept in today and woke up with sore neck and back - and turned on the TV and saw the images of flood in Ballarat and the earthquake that hit Christchurch in NZ.

The earthquake that hit Christchurch happened just past 4:30 in the morning, which helped people from getting died or injured. Only about 2 people were carried into hospitals for their injury.

Floods, earthquakes, windstorms, tsunamis...we've been hearing those words often recently. Suppose it's part of the extreme weather being talked about?
There are lot discussed about environmental issue, global-warming and such, but ordinary people like me don't know that much about them.

We do what we can to sustain our resources, reduce the rubbish, etc in our everyday life. Many households successfully managed to lower water and energy consumption.

Now, as for the water issue...
The development of desalination plants has been talked about for a long time - I remember I discussed about it when I was still in the ESL course.
Now it's already in progress. (The project started in July.)
With more rain to be expected, what's the point of constructing sea water desalination plant? Isn't our effort to save water enough?
Why didn't the state government use the budget to better the water-catchment system, which, may also help to minimize the flood damage?

It doesn't seem to me the most environmentally friendly solution to the water-shortage problem. It's against what the nature intended for us.
And they can't build the plant without using petrol-operated vehicles and machines, can they? Considering the amount of CO2 that is likely to add up to the current level, really, I don't know what they're trying to achieve.

Politicians' idea of sustainability is a little contradicted, what do you think?

Talking of earthquake, by the way, if it were to hit Australia's big cities like sydney and melbourne, I can easily imagine all the buildings and houses crumbling down in minutes.

And after the unwelcome wake-up call, will be the time for builders and construction workers to lift their game, yeah?