WHAT’S ON
Moocooboola Once again we’ll have a stall at this festival on 5 August at Boronia Park corner Ryde and Park Roads, Gladesville from 9.30 am-4.00pm. Come and say hello, write a letter to a politician or see an electric car.
Fix NSW transport rally. Join the City lantern walk rally on 11 August 5.30-7.30pm at Sydney Town Hall to call for better public transport and an end to WestConnex. Organised by the No WestConnex group. Details at
http://www.westconnex.info/fix_nsw_transport_2018_city_lantern_walk
Taronga Zoo. It’s science week at Taronga Zoo 4-19 August. Children can enter for free if accompanied by an adult. Go to this link to register.https://taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo/sydney-science-festival
Ryde Council spring garden competition. It’s that time of year to enter your garden in this competition for Ryde residents. Lots of categories. Entries close 31 August. Either phone 9952 8222 to register or go to http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/gardencomp
Rise for Climate. Come and join us for a fun photo shoot on 8 September near 103 Abuklea Road opposite Woorang St. North Ryde at 3pm. It’s part of a world-wide campaign to move rapidly to renewables and away from fossil fuels.
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
In the last month we have done the following:
Wrote a submission to Inquiry into Light Rail project about the removal of trees in the Moore Park area.
Wrote a submission regarding proposal for new tree felling regulations in forests
Wrote to the NSW state Energy minister asking he does not support the proposed NEG at the upcoming meeting in August.
NEWS AND EVENTS
NEG just won’t work because the current plan will lock in fossil fuels for another decade or longer and there is not requirement for renewables and our carbon emissions will not reduce. The meeting of state and federal energy ministers is on 10 August. Write a letter to your state government minister asking for more renewables https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/renewable-energy/tell-your-mp-reject-turnbull-s-dirty-energy-plan/tell-your-state-govt-reject-turnbull-s-dirty-energy-plan Sign this petition https://www.adambandt.com/climate_criminals or use this link to write a letter https://www.acf.org.au/block_the_neg Here’s an article to help explain the NEG’s failures. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jul/18/coalitions-national-energy-guarantee-described-as-having-no-benefit-to-emissions
Murray Darling It has been claimed the Murray Darling Basin Authority had suppressed research findings it didn’t like when determining the target for returning water to the environment https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/scientist-claims-murray-darling-basin-authority-suppressed-research-20180626-p4znpu.html
It’s 30 years since the dangers of global warming was reported And still politicans ignore the science https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/it-s-been-30-years-since-the-first-alarm-on-global-warming-was-sounded-20180621-p4zmtd.html
What’s stopping plastic recycling in Australia? Lack of government action. https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/news/call-for-governments-to-encourage-better-plastic-recycling-508816564
Why not a national scheme? https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/13/recycling-crisis-why-dont-we-have-a-national-container-deposit-scheme Victoria is doing something about it. https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/victorian-govt-announces-plastic-bag-ban-45386253 With incentives, the industry could actually tackle Australia’s waste. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/28/with-incentives-industry-could-tackle-australias-waste-crisis Recycling should be a part of the economy https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/15/rethinking-recycling-could-a-circular-economy-solve-the-problem In the meantime, Guardian Australia is asking for for us to send them pictures of excessive plastic
packaging. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/08/plastic-packaging-pictures-send-us-your-best-worst-examples
Stop plastic pollution The Senate has handed down a report about plastic pollution. Sign this petition to Josh Frydenberg asking for action https://www.marineconservation.org.au/petitions/207/plastic-pollution-70-reduction-target
Ryde Council phasing out plastics Ryde Council has immediately banned plastic straws and will phase out all other single use plastics from City of Ryde operations and Council-sponsored events. https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Council/Media-Centre/News-and-Public-Notices/Single-use-plastics-to-be-phased-out-by-the-City-of-Ryde You can subscribe to their newsletter to find out more about sustainability in the Ryde council area. https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/3762CEFC964BC022
Adani Here’s an analysis of where the Adani project is at present from Market Forces. https://www.marketforces.org.au/adani-no-customers-no-finance-but-still-a-threat/ Adani now claims it has the means to start this project. Write a note to the major parties telling them this will affect your vote. https://www.acf.org.au/adani_party_pressure_survey Mining the Galilee could COST jobs https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/15/developing-new-galilee-basin-coalmines-will-cost-12500-jobs-analysis-shows Korean investors are now considering taking on Adani’s debt for the Abbott Point coal port. Sign this letter to ask them to reconsider. https://www.marketforces.org.au/take-action-ask-korean-investors-not-to-buy-adanis-abbot-point-coal-port-debt/
Businesses want gas out Businesses are calling for a cut on our reliance on gas for electricity https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jul/05/australia-must-cut-role-of-gas-and-end-climate-war-to-fix-power-prices-business-group-says
NSW government and CSG licences Due to a legal loophole, CSG licences can be extended indefinitely. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/12/coal-seam-gas-nsw-licences-effectively-extended-indefinitely-due-to-legal-loophole
Ireland to divest from fossil fuels Ireland is set to be the first country to divest from fossil fuels https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/12/ireland-becomes-worlds-first-country-to-divest-from-fossil-fuels
Battery guidelines A new best practice electrical safety guide has been developed. https://www.ecdonline.com.au/content/efficiency-renewables/news/electrical-safety-guide-for-battery-systems-294175141#axzz5LeHxacYb
Sanjeev Gupta – renewabless are cheaper The British billionaire who is investing in SA says renewables is the way to go because it’s cheaper. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/23/sanjeev-gupta-coal-power-is-no-longer-cheaper-and-well-prove-i
RECYCLING and SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Ethical products Visit this site for all products for the home that are kind to the planet and sustainable. https://www.floraandfauna.com.au/
Microfibres Microfibres are in our clothes and end up in the ocean. There are some options on how to stop this happening. You could buy a guppy bag which you have to order from overseas.http://guppyfriend.com/en/ Alternatively you could buy a Cora ball which catches all the random strings of fibre in your washing machine https://coraball.com/ or, the most expensive option, you could install a washing machine filter http://www.septicsafe.com/filtrol-160-lint-filter-with-1-filter-bag/