PERSIAN GULF BLOCKADES

I understand that most people can't see beyond the dial of the petrol bowser, pumping away their money, and cursing the US and Iran for the war.

But if we take an Artemis view of our world, we might find an opportunity in this crisis.

Almost everything exported from the Persian Gulf damages our planet’s health. The burning of diesel, petrol and liquid petroleum gas pollutes our skies. Plastics break down into microplastics, which have been found in all our waterways and marine life, and even in the brains of some young children. Fossil fuel fertilisers also pollute our waterways with no protection against overuse and run-off.

Although not the only producer of these polluting products, the closing of the Straits of Hummus has prevened 20% of them from reaching the rest of the world, which is causing some positive reactions. Well, in some countries, but not in Australia.

Here, right-wing politicians are repeating Trump's mantra of “drill baby, drill," and the building of new refineries, which will cost taxpayers only $800 million in subsidies to any investor undertaking these projects. If they can find anyone willing to top up the other billions and wait 10 years before seeing a profit, or a drop of fuel, well, good luck with that.

In the meantime, our PM is rushing around the world trying to find the next day’s fix into our transport bloodstreams to alleviate our 1,500,000 barrels a day addiction.

A few brave companies are putting their heads above the parapet to suggest that the answer might lie in biofuels, as other countries explore the possibilities. The production of biofuels uses almost anything by a degradable, including much of the waste that goes into expensive landfill sites. Biofuels also emit fewer emissions than fossil fuels.

One of the world’s largest fossil-fuel fertiliser companies has admitted that it might be time to switch to organic fertiliser. Cuba managed to feed its people for years, using organic fertiliser after yet another US blockade.

The current crisis also exposes the dependence of every country on globalised trade, which uses nearly 9000 oil tankers and another 7000 container ships belching diesel fumes above our oceans and adding to the product miles of most things we over-consume.

Is it time to take a more far-reaching view of the world? Let me, and our politicians, know what you think.