148 / We don't need oil.

That's right, our energy needs can be met from fully renewable sources in just 10 years.

It's not cheap, it would cost about $92b for a dozen new solar power stations and about 6,500 wind turbines … but it can be done (SMH.)

"The fact is, from an energy perspective, we're in big trouble," says Matthew Wright, ceo of the Beyond Zero Emissions group. "If you're going to secure Australia's energy future, then you're going to do that with risk-free renewable energy that has no fuel costs."

Does anyone have a better idea?

Meanwhile, Dick Smith reckons we're growing too much as a country in population numbers. He reckons the world is overpopulating at an alarming rate. True. But is Australia overpopulating? I'm not so sure. We don't have enough water to sustain population growth, it's said … yet, as John Elliott tried to point out on Q&A yesterday, 90% of the water flowing in our rivers is drained into the ocean. Is there nothing we can do about that?