Who wants CSG? James – GetUp!

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Who wants CSG?

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James – GetUp!

4:26 PM (9 minutes ago)

to me

Dear NEVILLE,

Dirty coal and Coal Seam Gas. Most of us don’t suport or want either of them, but right now a whopping 90% of us in NSW and 70% of us in Victoria, do business with the big three energy providers who are all heavily invested in dirty power: EnergyAustralia, Origin and AGL.

Australia’s biggest three energy companies are all dirty power companies, despite their attempts to portray a clean, green image to their customers. Worse still, they’re using that huge market influence to try to weaken Australia’s Renewable Energy Target, the policy that drives investment and jobs in the clean energy we so urgently need. At the same time, they’re pushing for the expansion of Coal Seam Gas (fracking) in the face of strong community opposition.

Just today, the NSW Environment Minister responded to reports that toxic chemicals contained in wastewater from AGL’s coal seam gas operations near Gloucester were discharged into Hunter Water’s sewage network, by saying: “It sounds like AGL has some very serious questions to answer.” [1]

Fortunately, we all have a choice about who we buy our power from. Ready to tell the Dirty Three Emergy companies to frack off?

Click here to join Better Power: a new consumer and citizen power campaign to switch Australia to renewable-backed power.

To kick off a renewable energy revolution, GetUp has teamed up with Powershop, the company Greenpeace and the Total Environment Centre rate as the ‘greenest electricity retailer in Australia.’ [2] Thousands of GetUp members across Melbourne and regional Victoria have already reported their positive experiences of switching and saving money, and now members in NSW are joining this groundbreaking campaign as Powershop expands to take on the Dirty Three energy providers here too.

Want in?

https://www.getup.org.au/nocsg

We know that Coal Seam Gas threatens community health, our water supply, farmland and our future. Now it’s time to show Australia’s Dirty Three power companies that it’s also bad for business.

People powered campaigns have already got business and politicians on the ropes. Our state governments are scrambling to appear sensitive to community opposition to CSG, repealing licences and issuing moratoriums.

Independent reports from Credit Suisse and Citigroup have warned that support for CSG could potentially damage energy company brands and cost them millions in lost customer revenue. [3]

Now it’s time to drive the message home. Join thousands of GetUp members saying no to dirty coal and CSG by switching to a better power company.

We don’t have to wait for others to lead. This is something positive and powerful we can do right now, and when we do it together, we change the energy market for the better.

Election promises come and go, PR disasters eventually fade from the headlines. But target their bottom line and together we can change the way energy companies do business, for good!

Here’s to standing up,
James and Michael, for the GetUp team

PS: Need a few more reasons to vote with your wallet?

  • Better Power. Let’s switch to the greenest retailer in Australia, demonstrating public support for companies that back renewables and don’t support dirty power.
  • Cheaper bills. The Victorian government’s Essential Services Commission found that Powershop is one of the cheapest retailers in Victoria [4]. Powershop’s research shows that the 5,500+ GetUp members who’ve already switched in Victoria are saving more than $500,000 collectively by taking up the 30 percent discount currently available from Powershop, and Powershop aims to be the cheapest provider in NSW as well.
  • Fast and easy. Powershop’s online tool makes it easy to switch in less than 10 minutes. They do all the work and you don’t have to contact your existing provider.
  • No risk. No lock in contracts or exit fees. Powershop doesn’t lock you into a contract. And don’t worry if you’re under contract, Powershop will even cover your exit penalty fee (up to $75) on your behalf.
  • Grassroots renewables revolution. For each person that switches as part of the Better Power campaign, Powershop will make a small contribution to GetUp’s campaign to protect the Renewable Energy Target , support renewables and help stop the roll out of dirty and polluting CSG and coal in our communities.

Need extra reasons? Look through our FAQ here.

References

[1]”AGL mum over toxic CSG chemicals discharged into Hunter Water sewers”, The Sydney Morning Herald, March 14th, 2015
[2] Greenpeace Green Electricity Guide 2014
[3] Credit Suisse July 2014 analysis found that, in reference to AGL’s CSG operations: “A coordinated campaign targeting AGL’s electricity and gas customers and prospective customers could result in customer loss and costs to AGL.” Citi reseach stated in Feburary 2014: “we think there are early warning signs of negative connotations around Gloucester (CSG) impacting AGL in some retail customer segments. If these negative associations become more mainstream, walking away from/disposing of Gloucester may become the right option to protect the larger retail brand and earnings.” Citi Research.18 February 2015.
[4] Victorian government’s Essential Services Commission Energy Retailers’ Comparative Performance Report – Pricing, October 2014

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