URGENT ACTION REQUIRED ! The federal government has said it will give $1billion to the Adani mine using public money from the Northern Territory Infrastructure Facility (NTIF) which Malcolm Turnbull promised in the election campaign that he would not do. He is meeting with Mr Adani tomorrow (6/12) to discuss this. There are several petitions going which we suggest you sign. The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has a petition https://www.acf.org.au/billions (or you could even write a letter to Malcom Turnbull https://www.acf.org.au/email_turnbull_adani_funding); GetUp has a petition asking the money not be given https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/great-barrier-reef–3/killing-the-reef-with-taxpayers-money/a-taxpayer-funded-reef-killing-project 350.org petition is to express outrage to the Resources minister and NT’s Matt Canavan about this decision http://act.350.org/letter/adani-carmichael
WHAT’S ON
Paddle for the Reef 350.org is organising a kayaking event around the Whitsundays as a way of raising money for their campaign to stop the Carmichael Mine. It will be 11-18 May 2017 starting at Airlie Beach. For costs and details go to https://inspiredadventures.com.au/events/350-australia-paddle4thereef
National Parks The National Parks Association of NSW has a schedule of great bush walks of different levels of difficulty throughout the state. Have a look for ideas for the school holidays. http://activities@npansw.org.au
Christmas get together Just a reminder that we’d love to see you at the Hunters Hill Hotel on Tuesday 6 December from 7pm for our Christmas get together.
NEWS AND EVENTS
NSW Biodiversity Laws Unfortunately these destructive laws have passed through NSW upper house. You can still let Mike Baird know you don’t agree with them by sending a message https://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/new-laws-will-push-wildlife-extinction
AGL wants to continue gas mining Despite Australia formally signing up to the Paris agreement, AGL thinks it can continue to be Australia’s biggest polluter by building a new gas plant in SA. Sign the letter and say no to more gas http://act.350.org/letter/agl_no_gas
Direct Action running out of money This scheme, brought in by Tony Abbott to replace the carbon price (and has been ineffectual in reducing our carbon emissions), is running out of money, having supported schemes that didn’t need the money. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/24/direct-action-carbon-reduction-policy-running-out-of-steam
Barack Obama saving public land before Trump takes over Barak Obama is using his executive powers to protect large public areas from mining before Donald Trump becomes president. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/24/obama-administration-conservation-public-land-trump
Great Barrier Reef One Nation doesn’t think the Great Barrier Reef is under threat (and they don’t think climate change is real either) and is taking journalists to Great Keppel Island to try and prove the reef is in good shape. Problem is they’re about 1000 km away from where the reef is bleached. Have a look at this article and see where the worst bleaching is. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/a-giant-jigsaw-puzzle-the-great-barrier-reef-story-pauline-hanson-didnt-show-20161128-gszgzd.html
If you would like to support the Climate Council keep the health of the reef in the news, you could make a donation.Go to https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/donate
350.org has release footage showing areas where 67% of corals in the worst hit regions of the Great Barrier Reef are now dead. https://www.facebook.com/350.orgAustralia/videos/1244009542330806
Josh Frydenberg supports coal The federal environment minister is still supporting coal despite calls from a former Great Barrier Reef authority chief calling for a ban on coal mining to save the reef. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/25/government-defends-coal-industry-ahead-of-unesco-report-on-reef
World Heritage Committee report on Reef There will be a report done on whether the health of the reef should be downgraded to “danger” . The federal government has failed to do anything it promised a year ago to save the reef. Read the report by Australian Marine Conservation Society http://fightforthereef.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Reef_report_UNESCO_digital_bypage.pdf
Great Australian Bight BP may have pulled out of drilling for oil here but there are 5 other fossil fuel companies that want to drill there. Greenpeace https://act.greenpeace.org/ea-action/action and Wilderness Society https://www.wilderness.org.au both have campaigns to challenge this.
How is your electricity bill structured? Watch this video and find out what are the components that make up your electricity bill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqfBXaWuu-o&authuser=0
Reducing your carbon footprint Here’s a website to help you reduce your footprint. https://www.choice.com.au/home-improvement/energy-saving/reducing-your-carbon-footprint
Cows eat seaweed to reduce emissions? Scientists say that if we add 2% of dried seaweed to sheep and cattle feed, their methane emissions would reduce by 70%. http://www.sciencealert.com/adding-seaweed-to-cattle-feed-could-reduce-methane-production-by-70
Climate change time warp See how Australia compares with the rest of the world http://timewarp.climatecouncil.org.au/
Supertrawlers There are a number of supertrawlers that could fish in Australian waters and signficantly reduce our fish stocks. Sign the petition and ask they be permanently banned.http://www.marineconservation.org.au/petitions/139/no-more-super-trawlers
Hazelwood closes Now that the Hazelwood power station will close early next year, it’s time to ask our politicians to phase out this type of energy production and support those workers into new jobs. http://www.beyondcoal.com.au
You can also read about the closure http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-03/hazelwood-power-station-closure-blow-to-coal
Illegal land clearing in NSW The ABC has done a report that exposes illegal land clearing, undue influence of wealthy agribusiness and political interference. Sign the petition calling for an urgent investigation http://tec.good.do/SOSgreenspaces/Stoplandclearing/
NAB and fossil fuels NAB has released its sustainability report that looks as they have funded their last fossil fuel project. Send a note to congratulate them http://action.marketforces.org.au/page/speakout/nab-2016-sustainability-report-response and another to the other 3 major banks asking them to do the same.http://action.marketforces.org.au/page/speakout/key-points-on-two-degrees
2016 Hottest year on record Sad but true. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/15/keep-it-in-the-ground-2016-likely-to-be-hottest-year-on-record
Change your lender If you have a mortgage and you’d like a way of letting the four major banks know you don’t like them supporting the fossil fuel industry, you could consider changing your loan to Bank Australia which doesn’t invest in fossil fuels. For details go to https://bankaust.com.au
Smart meters If you have solar panels and are receiving a feed in tariff, you will lose this at the end of this year. Check out this guide to see where your electricity supplier stands in terms of supplying a smart meter so that the energy from your PV system goes first to your house before being sent out to the grid. http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/smart_meter_offerings_for_nsw_solar_bonus_scheme_customers
Australian scientists and new solar cell Australian scientists have developed, using funding from ARENA, a new more effective solar cell. http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/12/australian-scientists-just-smashed-a-solar-world-record
Christmas gift ideas As usual, we like to suggest gifts you might like to give that help the environment. Here are a few:
Taronga Zoo http://taronga.org.au/christmas
Nature Conservation Council to continue their work in challenging NSW government’s environmental policies https://natureorg.nationbuilder.com/donation_one_off
Australian Marine Conservation Society to help protect our oceans. https://secure.marineconservation.org.au/products.php
Wires to help them continue to rescue and rehabilitate injured native animals http://www.wires.org.au
350.org to continue the fight to end our reliance on fossil fuels https://350.org/
Bush Heritage to help save the Golden Shouldered Parrot https://www.bushheritage.org.au/donate/save-alwal
Rainforest Rescue to help them in preserving Australia’s Daintree https://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/page/57/living-gifts
We would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2017. It will be, again, a very busy year for those of us who care about the environment.