WHAT’S ON
Stop Adani rally Friday 5 July 5pm Sydney Town Hall.
Ryde Council Garden competition Entries are now open for the Ryde Council Spring Garden competition. Closing date is 31 August. For details of categories and to enter go to https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Events/Spring-Garden-Competition
Plastic Free July Join the millions around the world who want to reduce their reliance on plastic. For details on events and what you can do go to https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/
Ryde Council is running a plastic free life workshop on 20 July 10am-12noon at Shepherds Bay Village Plaza, 11A Bay Drive, Meadowbank. To book https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Events/Listing/Plastic-free-Life-Workshop
It is also running a Sustainable Waste to Art competition. Entries close 12 August. To enter https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Events/Sustainable-Waste-to-Art-Prize
National Tree day planting On Sunday 28 July from 10am-12 noon Ryde council is organising a community planting session at the Field of Mars with free BBQ at end. All welcome
GetUp We will be hosting meeting on Tuesday 20 July at 7pm for people in the local area who support GetUp at 8 Nelson St, Gladesville.
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
In the last month we have done the following:
Spoke at Ryde Council in support of Climate Emergency Motion
Made a submission in opposition to Ivanhoe Estate development
NEWS AND EVENTS
Adani – good luck with that. Al Gore at a climate conference in Brisbane says India doesn’t want coal. Can someone tell the Queenslanders please? https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/al-gore-slams-adani-tells-queensland-good-luck-in-selling-coal-to-india-20190605-p51usr.html
In the meantime, Rothschild Bank has walked away from financing the mine and the Abbot Point site. However, companies such as GHD, Calibre, Aurecon and BG&E are still in the picture. Have a look at Market Forces Adani list https://www.marketforces.org.au/info/key-issues/theadanilist/
And the Aborigianl landowners of the proposed Adani mine site continue to fight in the courts to stop the project. If you would like to contribute to their legal battle go to https://wanganjagalingou.com.au/donate/
Australia’s emissions are still going up Have a look at the most recent (and late) government report. Page 7 shows how much each sector contributes.https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/408fcc37-dcfd-4ab8-a4f9-facc6bd98ea6/files/nggi-quarterly-update-dec-2018.pdf
We enjoyed Alan Moir’s cartoon on the Minister for Nothing to see here – also known as Minister for Energy and Emissions Reductions https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/best-of-cartoons-june-22-2019-20190621-h1flco.html
The EU and China are querying whether Australia can actually reach the Paris target for carbon emissions reduction without dodgy accounting https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/18/australia-quizzed-by-eu-and-china-on-whether-it-can-meet-2030-paris-climate-target Australia is lagging behind in energy efficiency standards, an effective way of reducing carbon emissions. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/12/australia-could-cut-emissions-halfway-to-paris-target-under-global-energy-standards And if Australia had introduced emissions standards 3 years ago we could have saved over $1bilion in fuel (remember, the Federal government rejected that option) https://www.themandarin.com.au/109307-australians-could-have-saved-over-1-billon-in-fuel-if-car-emissions-standards-were-introduced-3-years-ago/
NT – a possible renewable energy exporter A report by Beyond Zero Emissions group shows there’s more jobs in renewable energy than the proposed CSG extraction.https://bze.org.au/research/regional/repowering-nt/ Read the news article here https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/20/clean-energy-found-to-be-a-pathway-to-prosperity-for-northern-territory
Coal projects being cancelled Coal fired power station projects are being halted all over the world. Here are a few articles.https://reneweconomy.com.au/china-halts-150-coal-fired-power-plants-84937/ and this one https://reneweconomy.com.au/india-coal-project-cancellations-snowballing-77501/ and this one https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/What_happened_to_the_151_proposed_coal_plants%3F and this one https://cleantechnica.com/2017/05/25/india-cancels-nearly-14-gw-proposed-coal-plants/
Suncorp – still insuring fossil fuel projects Suncorp, which owns the brands AAMI, Vero, Bingle, GIO, APIA and Shannons, continues to support the fossil fuel industry. Sign the letter to ask they stop. https://www.marketforces.org.au/campaigns/suncorp/
Norway’s divesting The world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund is divesting from its fossil fuel investments. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jun/12/worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-to-ditch-fossil-fuels
EVs and the future in home energy EVs (electric vehicles) wil be playing a significant part in our future home energy. https://www.ecdonline.com.au/content/efficiency-renewables/article/evs-to-drive-change-in-home-energy-systems-1112140068#axzz5rA2BfYeX
Woolies and Coles supporting BCA (Business Council of Australia) The BCA is one of the major blockers of Australia moving to renewable energy. Leave a message on Coles https://www.facebook.com/coles/ and/or Woolworths https://www.facebook.com/woolworths/ Facebook wall or send an email https://www.acf.org.au/email_supermarkets asking them to review their BCA membership
Help save our oceans Here are three things you can do: Make July plastic free https://www.marineconservation.org.au/actions/pledge-plastic-free/ choose sustainable seafood https://www.sustainableseafood.org.au/ and donate to the cause https://www.marineconservation.org.au/become-a-sea-guardian/
Australia’s oldest things and climate change Meet some of Australia’s very old plants and animals and consider their future with climate change. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/15/australias-oldest-things-how-mind-boggling-timelines-meet-the-climate-emergency
Coca Cola is doing its bit for renewables Coca-Cola is making headway in its target for using renewable energy and recycling plastics. https://www.foodprocessing.com.au/content/sustainability/news/coca-cola-amatil-energy-goals-on-target-489847506
And Timor Leste is using Australian technology to have a circular plastics economy https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/case-study/timor-leste-adopts-aussie-tech-to-go-plastics-neutral-752624262
And Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, has zero waste https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/may/23/zero-recycling-to-zero-waste-how-ljubljana-rethought-its-rubbish
Solar batteries reviewed Choice has reviewed home solar battery systems. Read their findings here. https://www.choice.com.au/home-improvement/energy-saving/solar/articles/solar-battery-trial
States are going at it alone While the Federal Government dithers, states are taking up the challenge of renewable energy. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/02/while-the-federal-government-is-in-denial-the-states-are-making-staggering-progress-on-renewable-energy
Farmers pushing for action on climate change. Farmers are increasingly aware of effects of climate change on food production .https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/02/action-now-the-farmers-standing-up-against-wilful-ignorance-on-climate
Ryde Council taking action on climate change and renewable energy Ryde Council has done the following: plan to include EVs and charging stations in council fleet; Power Purchase Agreement with 18 councils to purchase renewable energy; divested from fossil fuel investments; installing PV on council buildings; launching SunSPot tool; joined Solar my Schools project; signed up to Cities Power Partnerships with 100 councils to deal with climate change; declared Climate Emergency. For other things the council has done, read this https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Council/Plans-and-Publications/Environment-Sustainability-Achievements