WHAT’S ON
Native Bee workshop The Habitat is running a native bee workshop on 16 November 10-12 noon at 251 Quarry Rd, Ryde. Places are limited so book at http://info@iewf.org
Waste tour Ryde Council is running a tour of the recycling centre where our yellow bins go on 12 November 9am-1.30pm. Free but you need to book. https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Events/Listing/Your-Waste-Adventure-Nov
Climate Action rally To be held on 29 November. Will let you know details when they come to hand.
What is your favourite bird? The Guardian is running its Australian Bird of the Year survey. Vote for your favourite. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/oct/27/australian-bird-of-the-year-2019-vote-for-your-favourite
Our next meeting Join us for drinks and dinner at our last meeting of the year on 2 December at 7pm at the West Ryde Hotel, 1021 Victoria Road, West Ryde http://westrydehotel.com.au/
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
In the last month we have done the following:
Made a submission supporting the Product Stewardship Amendment (Packaging and Plastics) Bill 2019
Made a submission opposing Snowy 2.0
Wrote to GHD Chairman Robb Knott asking the company not support Adani
Wrote to Matt Kean, NSW minister for energy and environment, asking him to support Solar Gardens
Wrote to Eldar Sætre, chairman of Equinox, asking the company not proceed with plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight
NEWS AND EVENTS
Bylong The court said no to coal mining but the mining industry is not happy. Watch the video about this farming area https://www.facebook.com/Lock.The.Gate.Alliance/videos/506317289920831/
Because of this, the NSW government is now introducing a bill, due to pressure from the mining industry, to stop conditions relating to greenhouse gas emissions from export coal being imposed on NSW mining projects. A massive backwards step. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-should-be-alarmed-former-judge-slams-planning-laws-20191105-p537j4.html
The South Korean government is the major owner of KEPCO, the mining company that wanted to mine coal in the Bylong Valley. South Korea has said it intends to reduce its import of Australian coal. Phone the South Korean embassy and ask them to not push for the decision to be reversed. Here are some helpful hints on how to do that. https://www.lockthegate.org.au/abandon_the_bylong_coal_mine
Agitating for change in corporations The work of climate activists talking to corporations is having an effect https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/from-barricades-to-boardrooms-the-climate-activists-targeting-corporate-australia-20191011-p52zpz.html
Adani Lloyds may still insure the mine. Give them a call to say they shouldn’t. Here’s how https://www.stopadani.com/lloyds
More companies are walking away from the mine. https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/another-firm-cuts-ties-with-adani-over-qld-mine-20191010-p52zm4.html
Meanwhile, GHD is still working with Adani. Sign the letter to the GHD asking it to walk away from the project. https://www.stopadani.com/ghd
Waratah Mine This is Clive Palmer’s planned coal mine, next door to Adani’s and 4 times larger. Sign the petition to tell the Queensland government to refuse its approval https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/climate-action-now/palmer-s-mine/stand-against-palmer-s-mine
Three policies to get us to 100% renewables Ross Garnaut tells us how. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/06/ross-garnaut-three-policies-will-set-australia-on-a-path-to-100-renewable-energy
EV’s They’re coming, but slowly, to Australia. Is the infrastructure in place? https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/article/is-our-road-network-ready-for-evs–320156993 Sales are charging ahead https://goodmotive.com.au/blog/australian-ev-sales-charge-ahead-as-fast-charging-network-expands/ What are the roadblocks? https://jetcharge.com.au/blog/the-roadblocks-keeping-electric-vehicles-out-of-australia Have an electric car but no PV and want a sustainable way to charge it at home? Powershop has a plan. https://www.powershop.com.au/electric-vehicle-tariff/
In the meantime, should there be a congestion tax? https://theconversation.com/three-charts-on-why-congestion-charging-is-fairer-than-you-might-think-124894
Getting plastics out of the ocean. The Greens have introduced the Product Stewardship Amendment (Packaging and Plastics) Bill 2019 which copies EU bans and restrictions on sources of marine plastic pollution. It also takes Australia’s voluntary 2025 National Packaging Targets and put them into law. Make a submission (it doesn’t have to be long) to support this bill. Submissions close 21 November. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/PackagingPlastics2019
In the meantime a device has successfully collected plastics in the sea https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/03/ocean-cleanup-device-successfully-collects-plastic-for-first-time
Old growth forests for the chop The NSW government is keen to have old growth forests up north, home of koalas, to be logged. Have a look at the video and share https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVGrsvUHCg4&feature=youtu.be
Land clearing and climate change https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/oct/17/stripped-bare-australias-hidden-climate-crisis
Plant trees – and them bulldoze them https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/17/australia-spends-billions-planting-trees-then-wipes-out-carbon-gains-by-bulldozing-them
Recycling – and not just plastics We could be doing better with our yellow bin recyclables https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/article/australia-wasting-recycling-potential-1116596588 and building materials https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/news/epa-releases-waste-disposal-guidelines-for-construction-and-demolition-industry-783621102
Want to help stop gas mining? Origin is starting to frack in NT and the Narrabri CSG mining is edging closer to happening. You could support the protests by donating to fight Origin https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/dont-frack-the-nt/help-fight-origin-s-fracking-plans/help-fight-origin-s-fracking-plans and support the Narrabri mine protest
https://www.lockthegate.org.au/stop_the_narrabri_gas_project
Watch these three videos about CSG mining – how to transition away to renewables, https://vimeo.com/355233967 the domestic gas market, https://vimeo.com/355221677 and economic impacts https://vimeo.com/355223804
Australian Storage Alliance Subscribe to their newsletter to find out the latest developments in storage for renewables. Contact them at http://info@energystoragealliance.com.au
Solar Gardens 35% of Australians are locked out of PV. See how Solar Gardens can help them https://www.facebook.com/CommunityPowerAgency/videos/953279181690823/ and then send a note to the energy minister to show your support for this initiative https://www.solarcitizens.org.au/support_solar_gardens
The power of lobbyists A report from the Grattan Institute shows how powerful they are. https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/908-Who-s-in-the-room-Access-and-influence-in-Australian-politics.pdf
Who are the top 20 firms causing one third of carbon emissions? https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/09/revealed-20-firms-third-carbon-emissions
And meet the world’s top three asset manangers who oversee $300bn in fossil fuel investments. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/12/top-three-asset-managers-fossil-fuel-investments
Seaweed and climate change Seaweed can help substantially in reducing our carbon emissions. https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2019/06/seaweed-solution-making-waves-in-the-quest-to-reverse-global-warming/
Renewables charging ahead Fossil fuels may be on the way out faster than we thought. Yeah! https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/14/rise-renewables-oil-firms-decades-earlier-think
Australian engineers facing pressure to rethink support of fossil fuel projects https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/21/leading-engineers-turn-their-backs-on-new-fossil-fuel-projects
Maybe the hope to expand coal exports is delusional? https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/23/australias-hopes-to-expand-coal-exports-in-south-east-asia-delusional-experts-say
AGL to install batteries at Liddell https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/dawn-of-battery-age-agl-inks-huge-battery-deal-in-time-for-liddell-exit-20191030-p535mf.html
Australia will not meet Paris target not at a canter, nor even with a carbon price of US$75 per ton. But the federal government still thinks it can. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/11/australia-will-fail-to-meet-paris-target-even-with-carbon-price-of-us75-a-ton-imf-says
Who to talk about climate change. Maybe the key is to chose your audience.https://theconversation.com/climate-explained-why-some-people-still-think-climate-change-isnt-real-124763