Press Release
26 September 2007
Aussie Schoolgirl Wins the Experience of a Lifetime
Congratulations to Daina Reid from Carcoar Public School in western NSW! Daina was the national winner of the 'MyGreenSchool Meet Al Gore Challenge'. The 'MyGreenSchool Challenge’ was created by environmental companies, Endless Solar Corporation and Green Plumbers International and was open to every primary and secondary school student in Australia. Students were invited to submit a question that they would personally like to ask the Honourable Al Gore – the 45th Vice President of the United States and a global champion for action against climate change. Mr Gore was the guest speaker at the launch of the FEX Sustainability and Cleantech Investment Market - the FEX-SIM. Daina received the news on her birthday and described it as “The biggest birthday surprise ever.” Soon after learning that she had won the Challenge, Daina and her father Nicholas were travelling from their home town of Carcoar, NSW to Sydney to attend an exclusive function to mark the occasion of the launch of a new clean technology investment stockmarket - the FEX-SIM. After Al Gore’s speech, the first question he answered was from Daina. The FEX-SIM function was held last Wednesday (19 September 2007), with a guest list that read like a who’s who of the business, finance and political community. In addition to several prominent deal-makers from the stockbroking industry, key figures included Alan Stockdale (former Treasurer of Victoria), Bob Carr (Consultant to Macquarie Bank), Bennett family members (Angela Bennett is one of Australia’s richest women), Ray Herbert (CEO Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia), Brian Price (CEO FEX-SIM) and of course the Honourable Al Gore himself. It was held on the trading floor of the new FEX-SIM stock exchange. At this function Daina was able to meet and have her photo taken with Mr Gore and personally ask her winning question during the official Q&A session. Daina’s question was: “How long will it take for global warming to stop?” Daina was then presented with a prize pack by the former NSW Premier Bob Carr on behalf of the 'MyGreenSchool Meet Al Gore Challenge’ creators: GreenPlumbers International and Endless Solar Corporation. Those at the function seemed impressed with the simplicity and the scope of Daina's question. Mr Gore carefully considered his answer to the question, and after a thoughtful pause, explained the complexity of the climate change issue. He went on to stress the speed at which climate change is now taking place and the importance of each person taking action to reduce their own CO2 emissions. He suggested that if both industry and individuals changed their activities to reduce their carbon outputs, the climate change problem could be neutralised, but it could take up to 50 years before half the CO2 now in the atmosphere returns to the earth. He noted that one person can't do everything, but every person can do something. At the end of the launch there were many comments from the audience about the importance of Mr Gore's message to Daina and to the children of Australia. |
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Interview between Endless Solar “ES” and Nicholas Reid “NR” (Daina’s Father)
ES: What was the first thing that came into your head when you heard the news that Daina had won the MyGreenSchool Al Gore Environmental Challenge?
NR: “I was blown away to hear the news. Daina had told us that her school had been talking about environmental issues and had registered for the MyGreenSchool Al Gore Challenge, but I had no idea she had a chance of winning it. I was really excited that my daughter was going to meet Al Gore in person – he has a worldwide reputation of being the expert on the climate problems everyone is facing, and also talks about the solutions to the problem. I had to take a day off work and we had to get organized to get to Sydney, but I’d do anything for an experience like that for my daughter.
We are like most people in Australia: we know about the environmental problems around us and we have seen the effects of climate change in our local area – our creek has run completely dry. My neighbors tell me it’s the first time that’s happened in 120 years.
I was looking forward to hearing about some of the things we can do to help - directly from Al Gore himself. ”
ES: Tell us about your experience on the day.
NR: “It was a great experience. We drove into Sydney about daybreak, got all the green lights and arrived early. We walked around the Opera House as the sun was coming up. It was all a bit surreal.
The event was really well run and the speech from Al Gore was inspiring. He stuck to the facts and made me think a lot more about the environment we all rely on. He got me thinking more about my family’s ‘carbon footprint’.
At the function I met people I never would have met. The interesting thing was that there were senior business people there all excited like school kids! Everyone was friendly and they all wanted to speak to Daina.
ES: What did you say to Al Gore?
NR: “G’day mate.”
ES: What was the main thought you had from Al Gore’s speech?
NR: “How much carbon there is now in the atmosphere and how long it will be before it returns to the earth. Al Gore said that by the time my daughter is 35 years old, with the way climate change is going its likely there will be no Arctic ice left. I couldn’t stop thinking about what he said about a piece of ice the size of England breaking off and melting in just 6 days.”
ES: What are some things you will do in your life to help combat climate change?
NR: “We’ve already started to switch off unneeded lights at home (the whole family does that now). We are switching off appliances on standby mode too like the video and stereo. We use our Hills Hoist whenever possible to hang out our washing, rather than using the clothes dryer.
We are trying to limit our car trips to only necessary ones, and to take shorter showers too.”
ES: How did Daina react to the whole thing?
NR: “She was really excited about the trip to Sydney. On the way there we were talking about what it would be like to meet such a famous person. I thought she would be a bit nervous at an event where there were so many high powered business people, but she quickly got used to it and everyone made her feel welcome. I was really proud of my daughter.”
ES: What did you think about question that Daina asked Al Gore?
NR: “It came up as part of the competition her teacher ran at the school. Daina thought of the question herself, and I think it shows that a lot of kids today are paying attention to the whole issue of what’s happening to our planet.”
Interview between Endless Solar “ES” and Daina Reid “DR”
ES: How did you feel when you heard that you were the winner of the MyGreenSchool Al Gore Environmental Challenge?
DR: “It felt really good. I was jumping around…and I almost started crying”
ES: What did your friends say when they heard you were the winner?
DR: “They all said congratulations and my teacher Mrs Kelly said she was really proud of me. It was great that it happened on my birthday too and it was the biggest birthday surprise ever.”
ES: What did you learn about climate change from Al Gore’s speech?
DR: “I learnt how bad it really is and it can really affect the whole earth. If pollution keeps going it could kill everyone. That’s really scary.”
ES: What are you doing at home now that’s different?
DR: “Mum and Dad talk to us about not wasting energy. We try not to use the heaters at home and at school unless we really need to. We put on our jumpers more. We turn the lights off when we don’t need them and we do that at school too. We have new showerheads at home too.”
ES: What was the question you asked the former Vice President of America?
DR: “How long will it take for global warming to stop?”
ES: What did you like most about asking Al Gore your question?
DR: The best bit was that he gave me an answer. I’ve been thinking about what would happen in the future, but I never thought I’d get an answer to that question.”
About the companies:
Endless Solar Corporation Ltd
Endless Solar is a rapidly growing Australian company specialising in super-efficient solar hot water systems using evacuated tube technology. Endless Solar offers Australians a range of high performance Aussie designed environmental products and services. Endless Solar works closely with Hills Industries to bring more efficient solar water heating systems to the market. Endless Solar is planning to list on an appropriate Australian stock exchange soon and its maxim refers to the superior performance of its products: “Catch More. Keep More. Save More.” ™
www.endless-solar.com.au
Green Plumbers (International) Pty Ltd
GreenPlumbers® is an initiative of the Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia. GreenPlumbers® delivers training and accreditation programs and ensures that plumbers across Australia are trained to give the right advice on environmental products and sustainable plumbing practices – including the installation of solar hot water systems and rainwater tanks. Currently Green Plumbers are providing free assessments to Australian schools for the Commonwealth Government Green Vouchers for Schools Programme.
www.greenplumbers.com.au
MyGreenSchool
Endless Solar Corporation and Green Plumbers International have created the MyGreenSchool Assessment Program to offer every school in Australia an easy and professional way to access the funding in the Commonwealth Government's Green Vouchers for Schools Programme. This program provides up to $50,000 for every school in Australia to install solar hot water systems and rainwater tanks.
www.mygreenschool.com.au
FEX-SIM
FEX-SIM will be a purpose-built Australasian equity market which will operate as a board and under the Australian Market Licence of the National Stock Exchange of Australia and will be promoted exclusively by Financial and Energy Exchange Limited (FEX). FEX-SIM will attract the interest of not only ethically and ecologically oriented investment funds looking to shape future society but also organisations and individuals, reflecting a shift of consciousness towards “sustainability investment” - looking for yield or profit in a way that also contributes to global sustainability.
www.fex.com.au
Media Enquiries Contact:
Stephen Standish
Managing Director
Endless Solar Corporation Ltd
(02) 9281 5526
0425 366 477
sstandish@endless-solar.com
Peter Hoefler
Chief Operations Officer
Green Plumbers (International) Pty Ltd
1300 368 519
0417 378 208
peterh@fmps.biz
For High Resolution Photographs:
Karl Morrison
Operations Manager
Endless Solar Corporation
(02) 9281 5526
0403 307 427
kmorrison@endless-solar.com
Copyright © GreenPlumbers (International) Pty Ltd and Endless Solar Corporation Ltd, 2007. All Rights Reserved.