WHAT’S ON
“This Changes Everything” We will be hosting a private showing of the documentary “This Changes Everything” by Naomi Klein on Saturday 24 September at 3pm. This will be shown in a small venue so it is important to book a place. Please contact Lynda on 0412 094 979.
AGL protest AGL is having its AGM on 28 September. Join Stop CSG at Recital Hall at Angel Place, Sydney CBD 9.30-10.30.
Hollows as habitats The Habitat is organising a presentation on “Hollows as Homes” for on Saturday 24 September 11am-12 noon at Santa Rosa Park, 251 Quarry Rd, Ryde. Hollows as Homes is an exciting project run by the University of Sydney, the Australian Museum and the Royal Botanic Garden. This project will help scientists, councils and the community further understand the role of tree hollows in providing homes for our urban wildlife, as well as discover what wildlife is using our local tree hollows.
Space is limited so please RVSP to info@iewf.org early and no later than Wednesday 21st September.
Divestment Day The big banks have promised to do everything they can to help keep world temperature rises to below 1.5°C but they still fund fossil fuel projects. Market Forces is organising a Divestment Day on 8 October in Sydney at Belmore Park at 11am. For details https://www.marketforces.org.au/divestmentday/
Naomi Klein Naomi Klein will be accepting the Sydney Peace prize on 11 November at Sydney Town Hall. If you would like to join us to travel to the town hall, phone Jo on 0414 375 149. For tickets gohttp://sydneypeacefoundation.org.au/peace-prize-recipients/2016-naomi-klein/
Ryde Council sustainable home Ryde Council is helping residents save money on energy, water and waste by offering a limited number of residents of free home sustainability assessment. Apply by completing a survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/rydesustainablehomes2016
NEWS AND EVENTS
Open letter to the banks Market Forces has just launched an open letter, signed by over a hundred civil society organisations and prominent community members, calling on the big banks to get out of fossil fuels. Our climate group is one of those signatories. We strongly encourage you sign this letter and get as many of your friends and family as possible to do the same. https://www.marketforces.org.au/openletter
Let’s stop fracking in NSW Victoria has permanently banned all unconventional gas mining. The NSW government is still looking to approve more coal and gas projects. Sign the petition to ask Premier Baird and Energy Minister Roberts to follow Victoria’s lead. https://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/if-victoria-can-ban-csg-nsw-can-too
USA and China formally accept Paris agreement These two countries, which make up about 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, have become the first two major economies to formally accept the Paris Agreement. So those deniers who say we don’t have to do anything until China acts may have to eat their words. http://www.climaterealityproject.org/press/statement-ken-berlin-president-ceo-climate-reality-project-us-china-paris-agreement
AGL and your super fund Nearly every Australian superfund invests in AGL- Australia’s number 1 polluter which produces millions of tonnes of CO2 every year from burning coal and gas and plans to keep doing so until 2050. Its AGM is on 28 September so send a note to your superfund to say you want them to push AGL to get out of fossil fuels. http://superswitch.org.au/campaigns/agl-action
Talk some sense into Craig Kelly Craig Kelly is the Liberal chairman of the Coalition’s environment and energy committe and claims that solar has no effect and that subsidising solar puts upward pressure on electricity prices. Set him straight that solar actually saves money and reduces signficantly our carbon pollution. You can via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CraigKellyMP or Twitter https://twitter.com/CraigKellyMP
Rural communities and climate change A recent report by Climate Council says that rural communities are more effected by climate change but are also able to counter it. Read the report http://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/article/climate-change-will-widen-the-gap-between-rural-and-urban-australia-says-report You can also read Climate Council’s report https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/ruralreport
The English do it better A recent report shows that England is the third highest user of renewables in the world. Australia came in 20th! Have a look at Climate Council’s video https://www.facebook.com/climatecouncil/videos
The cost of climate change Law changes in US now mean that the cost of climate change has to be incorporated into their decision making and balance sheets. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-11/climate-change-may-be-doubted-by-some-but-now-it-s-the-law
What’s warming the world? Have a look at these graphs and see. http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/
How to verify carbon emissions New Zealand scientists have developed a way to use radiocarbon measurements to verify greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.http://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/article/verifying-power-plant-emissions
Victoria bans fracking! Victoria has become the first state to ban fracking and unconventional gas mining. Send a letter to the other states asking them to do the same by signing on at http://ct.350.org/letter/ban-gas
Electric cars Switching to electric vehicles could reduce carbon emissions by 47% by 2050 in Australia. http://www.climateworksaustralia.org/story/media-release/widespread-support-revs-government-action-electric-vehicles
Marine Plastic Boomerang Alliance, which was instrumental in bringing in the Cash for Containers scheme, has a new campaign to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans by 70% by 2020. Fill in their survey http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3009408/Marine-Plastic-Pollution-Poll
Send a postcard to Mike Baird Send the Premier a postcard letting him know you don’t support his proposed biodiversity laws https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M2HNWLF
Queensland University of Technology divests This university is the first in Queensland to divest from investment in fossil fuels. Send them a note of support https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-quts-divestment-decision
Sustainable seafood Download this app to help you know what seafood is sustainably caught. http://www.sustainableseafood.org.au
Citizens’ Climate Lobby This is a non-profit, non-partisan, world wide grassroots advocacy organization group focused on equitable and and sufficient national policies to address climate change. Their website is http://au.citizensclimatelobby.org/