Peter - the perpetual techno-optimist...!!

have you any idea of the volumes of water involved in the gulf stream??????

Imagine the volume of Sydney harbour going past every second.....

oh - and where exactly are we going to get the resources to build such a
humongous system??? - CO2 releases involved... get the idea??

Hugh



>--- In ClimateChangeAction@..., "Peter Bright"
><hobart_elf@...> wrote:
>>
>>
>http://www.garnautreview.org.au/domino/Web_Notes/Garnaut/garnautweb.ns
>f
>>
>
>
>               Clean water ,clean energy ,and the solution for the
>gulfstream slowdown:
>
>Put in sea a construction of windmills combined with electric
>boilers, these get preheated by suncollectors and sunmirrors.
>the steam they produce gets used by steam engines wich produce again
>electricity ,salt and when you condesate the steam coming from the
>steam engines sweet water.
>The salt water you take out of salt water coming from the warm
>gulfstream and the left over salt from the steam engines gets used to
>release in the cold stream.
>So the cold  stream gets saltier again and and won't mingel with the
>warm gulfstream becaurse before it was less saltier caursed by the
>melting gletchers and slowing down the warm gulfstream becaurse less
>saltier water is lighter.
>Preventing an possibel iceage.
>The sweet water can then be used to  make hydrogen ,so if there is
>for exampel a lot of wind and you don't need all that electricity ,
>you are abel to stock it and use it later.
>The rest of the water can with adding of minnerals serve as drinking
>water.
>The oxygen deriving from turning water into hydrogen can be devided
>in sea to clean the water and to make more suitebel for marinelife.
>So you produce electricity and drinking water
>

--- In ClimateChangeAction@..., "Peter Bright"
<hobart_elf@...> wrote:
>
>
http://www.garnautreview.org.au/domino/Web_Notes/Garnaut/garnautweb.ns
f
>


                Clean water ,clean energy ,and the solution for the
gulfstream slowdown:

Put in sea a construction of windmills combined with electric
boilers, these get preheated by suncollectors and sunmirrors.
the steam they produce gets used by steam engines wich produce again
electricity ,salt and when you condesate the steam coming from the
steam engines sweet water.
The salt water you take out of salt water coming from the warm
gulfstream and the left over salt from the steam engines gets used to
release in the cold stream.
So the cold  stream gets saltier again and and won't mingel with the
warm gulfstream becaurse before it was less saltier caursed by the
melting gletchers and slowing down the warm gulfstream becaurse less
saltier water is lighter.
Preventing an possibel iceage.
The sweet water can then be used to  make hydrogen ,so if there is
for exampel a lot of wind and you don't need all that electricity ,
you are abel to stock it and use it later.
The rest of the water can with adding of minnerals serve as drinking
water.
The oxygen deriving from turning water into hydrogen can be devided
in sea to clean the water and to make more suitebel for marinelife.
So you produce electricity and drinking water

August 29, 2008, 7:50 pm

Not content with telling Australia how to best tackle global warming,
climate change adviser Ross Garnaut plans to tell the whole world.

Professor Garnaut is advising state and federal governments on how to
move forward with the issue. In a bulletin released on Friday, he
revealed he also has some advice for other countries.

Prof Garnaut said his latest report, due to come out next week, would
form a view on the degree of global ambition on reducing emissions
that would best suit Australia.

"Once a view is taken on this level of ambition ... we develop a
proposal on the distribution of the global effort amongst countries
that has a reasonable chance of success," he said in his bulletin.

Prof Garnaut also said the report would put forward views on
Australia's targets for emissions reduction, which are yet to be set.

It would assess the costs of climate change to Australia, including
the costs of any "catastrophic" events, which are not so likely but
would be extremely damaging.

The report will also assess the costs of taking action against climate
change.

Prof Garnaut has already released a series of reports on tackling
climate change but more will come as more economic modelling becomes
available.

His reports are still at the draft stage.

SUSTAINABundy and GetUp! National Climate Torch Relay
Bargara, Tuesday September 2

Enjoy a morning walk from Bargara to show your support for climate
change solutions in our region.

When: 6.30am ~ Tuesday, September 2nd
Where: The Big Turtle, cnr. Bauer St. and Bargara Esplanade

Join all or part of the walk to appreciate our gorgeous coast and
special turtle rookery area.
Let's ensure they remain for future generations!

Created by the designers of the Sydney Olympic Torch, The GetUp
Climate Torch is an iconic symbol of our national determination to
avert dangerous climate change. The torch itself features solar-power,
a wind-turbine, people power, and a lemon battery!

For six weeks during August and September, the GetUp Climate Torch
Relay will tour right across Australia – through rural towns and
capital cities in every state and territory – on its way to Parliament
House, Canberra on September 21. Along the route, local communities
are hosting legs of the relay, which calls on our leaders to halve
Australia's greenhouse pollution by 2020.

The Relay will reach Bundaberg on September 2nd where SustainaBundy
has organised a leg of the relay. The event will feature members of
the community, young and old, running the torch along Bargara's
Esplanade via Mon Repos to Burnett Heads, as a celebration of
Bundaberg's many beautiful beaches and precious turtle rookery. The
Torch will continue its tour of Bundaberg riding Duffy's City Buses to
visit local solutions hubs.

For more information, contact Jacqui on 4196 0043 or go to
www.climatetorch.com

SMALL WIND GENERATOR PERFORMANCE AND TESTING

The extract below is from the Rainbow Power Company's very helpful and
comprehensive website at

http://www.rpc.com.au/products/windturbines/wind_speed.html


"Generally speaking most small wind generators (1-1.5 m rotor
diameter) are either designed for yachts or windy countries such as
the United Kingdom.

"Typically they require a wind speed of about 5m/sec to produce even
10-20W and somewhere around 10-12m/sec to produce their rated power.
Wind of 10m/sec is often described as a gale; 12m/sec is a strong gale
that can start causing structural damage, tiles lifting off roofs, etc.

"For most areas of Australia we don't feel these small wind generators
are a cost-effective form of rural power generation. Please contact
our office for more advice specific to your area.

"We would also caution you that the performance curves may not be
continuously rated – eg you may get less power than what you are led
to believe. The following reports have been written about one wind
generator that is on the market:

     * http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy03osti/34756.pdf
     * http://www.wind-works.org/articles/sm_AirXtest.html     "

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221101718.htm

[Greens-Media]
WA Greens, 23 August 2008

The South West could become the solar power hub of Australia, feeding
national and international demand for solar energy technologies, says
Greens MLC Paul Llewellyn.

"WA's Kemerton silicon smelter just north of Bunbury. is a major
global producer. The technology is available right now to upgrade the
facility from producing industrial chemical-grade silicon to producing
very high grade silicon suitable for solar cell production.

"What is needed to realise the full potential of our silicon smelter
is leadership and practical support and industry development to make
the shift to high grade downstream processing.

"I understand that Prime Solar, a major solar panel company, has
previously sought assistance from the State government to set up the
necessary facilities at Kemerton, but has since been lured to do a
similar operation in Germany.

"With this major opportunity allowed to slip offshore, we now have to
buy back our own silicon at 100 times the price we sold it for.

"Global demand for solar power grade silicon is growing by a massive
35%, and there is still space for a major smelter and Solar Power Hub
based on world's best practice in Western Australia.

"This hub will feed the renewable energy industry, which is so vital
to an effective response to climate change."
----------------------------------------------

GREENS PUSH GOVERNMENT TO GET SMART ON DENMARK-WALPOLE POWER GRID
25 August 2008

"One and a half years after my call for a Smart Meter Trial on
Denmark/Walpole feeder, Western Power is coming to the party, but they
need government support for the proposal to work," says Paul Llewellyn
MLC, Greens member for the South West.

"Following the disruptive Easter blackouts in Denmark and Walpole in
2007, I called for community members and Western Power to work
together to develop a whole-of-grid solution to our power problems,
rather than just putting in expensive new transmission lines," said Mr
Llewellyn.

"With Western Power the South Coast Power Working Group was
subsequently formed, to look at energy conservation and local power
supply solutions such wind/diesel, solar and other embedded power
options for the Denmark-Walpole feeder.

"Western Power has embraced the concept of a pilot smart grid program
on the Denmark-Walpole feeder because of the acute power situation,
and because the community has been proactive and receptive to
alternative clean energy solutions, but these are innovative
strategies that require Government backing to get off the ground.

"The government needs to immediately fund the trial and work with
Western Power to clear a path through the regulatory red tape," he said.

"It is cheaper to implement energy conservation strategies, and local
power generation from wind, solar and gas, backed up by local gas or
diesel power plants, than it is to build new power lines, but this
also means using smart controls technologies to manage the system.

"Smart grid is a term used to describe a suite of technical strategies
to control the load on our electricity grid, by for example
automatically switching off some of our energy guzzling appliances,
such as hot water systems and reverse cycle air conditioners at peak
times. One other strategy involves the use of smart metering.

"Smart meters allow the household to modify their own power use from
home by reducing their power costs and impact on the grid. They
complement other initiatives to conserve energy and to use energy more
efficiently," said Mr Llewellyn.

"In August 2007 I wrote to the Minister for energy Fran Logan,
requesting the smart meter trial be implemented in Denmark/Walpole as
part of this solution," said Mr Llewellyn.

"Western Power now wants to implement the pilot project and roll smart
meters out to the Denmark-Walpole feeder, ahead of a State wide trial
including other regional areas.

"The exciting thing about smart grids is that they not only reduce our
power consumption, but they also significantly reduce our greenhouse
gas emissions. This is good for household budgets, the local economy
and for the planet. This is an important initiative that I encourage
all Denmark residents to get behind," said Mr Llewellyn.
------------------------------------------------------------

NSW Greens, 26 August 2008

O'Farrell should resist business bullying on power sell-off

The NSW Opposition should determine its position on the Iemma
government's power privatisation based on the impacts on the people
and environment of this state. He should not cave into threats from
the big polluters and the finance sector, according to Greens NSW MP
John Kaye.

Dr Kaye said: "Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell is under massive
pressure from the business lobby to support the sell-off, despite the
appalling impacts it would have on greenhouse gas emissions, household
energy bills, the state's finances and employment in rural and
regional NSW.

"He must not buckle under threats of withdrawal of political and
financial support from the business community.

"Instead Mr O'Farrell should ask the lobbyists to justify the need for
more large baseload power stations in NSW, which is Treasurer Michael
Costa's key pretext for his push to sell off the retailers and lease
out the generators.

"If they were to answer truthfully, they would tell him that the state
has more than adequate baseload capacity for the next two decades and
beyond.

"All that is needed is to manage the overnight demand by improving
energy efficiency.

"With just two days to go until the Iemma government's legislation
comes before parliament, the people of NSW will be watching the
alternative Premier very carefully.

"They will be asking if he is just a patsy for cashed-up big business
or if he can show real leadership on the environment and protecting
household budgets.

"If Mr O'Farrell does the right thing, Michael Costa's sell-off push
will be defeated.

"In the Upper House the four Greens would then be joined by the
Opposition, Rev. Gordon Moyes and enough Labor MPs to vote against the
bill and defeat the sell-off," Dr Kaye said.

For more information:
John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye@...
web: www.johnkaye.org.au

mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000

--

Hi Anne
The Mary River is not the only watercourse targeted for damming in Qld.
While researching for an essay last year (2007) I discovered  mining and farming
interests are lobbying for the damming of the Dawson River in central Qld.
On Saturday (23/8/08) I attended a meeting in Rosedale [aprox 80 km north east
of here] regarding Qld govt plans to dam Baffle Creek. I publicly bagged
Nationals sitting MP for Burnett Rob Messenger (as per usual) as being 'pro
dam'.
Messenger objected to my insinuation, claiming "I am not for the dam". I replied
"well you supported Paradise Dam".
Anyway he and I later had a discussion outside, where he  was adamant  he
opposes damming of Baffle Creek.
So it seems we've got another local watercourse requiring protection from would
be corporate water thieves, and the Nationals at face value are
uncharacteristically our ally on this issue.

The tank water level is currently about 6-8 inches from overflowing. Although
Friday (22/8/08) and Saturday's (23/8/08) cloud seeding didn't add to it at all.



----- Original Message ----
From: Anne <gcca@...>
To: ClimateChangeAction@...
Sent: Tuesday, 26 August, 2008 2:48:40 PM
Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] GetUp Convergence to Save the Mary


Getup campaign to Save the Mary
Tue, 2008-08-26 09:47

GetUp! Climate Torch meets the Mary River Campaign

"GetUp! is coming... are you?"

This event is planned to start at 5:00 pm on Sep 5, 2008 at Sunshine
Coast, Paradise Dam & Hervey Bay.

http://www.savethem aryriver. com/downloads/ pdfs/GetUpSaveTh eMaryRiver. pdf.
Some events require registration, so plan ahead. And in the interests
of being climate friendly, there's buses running between the events,
book your seats early!

The proposed Traveston Dam will not only increase Queenslands
greenhouse emissions, but threatens the homes of endangered species
like the Mary River turtle which occur nowhere else in the world! This
is a great chance to get out and meet other GetUp members in your
area, while also taking effective climate action on this important issue.

The more locals in attendance the better our chance of securing
crucial media coverage, so please come along and join in! And do
consider forwarding this email to invite your friends.

See you out there...
Cheers,
Arkin
------------ --------- -
Anne replied:

I can go to this one!!!!!!!!! !!!!
:-D
So... :-)
I hold the legal title to 41.5 acres, roughly 1.5 hours drive from the
Mary.
This land holds a very basic though nicely insulated tin shed with
concrete floor, no walls, with a auto-gas hot running water shower and
a (near full) water tank (currently holding 5,000 Gallons of water), a
good friend is currently minding it for me (thanks Greg).
I offer this property, either on route or as a "talking place" after
the conversion.. if anyone needs peaceful, free, positive vibe,
camping area 1.5 hour north via the Bruce, sealed roads to the door...
contact me :-)
Hope to hug you there !
Anne
anne.goddard at bigpond doT Kom
------------ --------- --------- --
More details just to hand...
via:
http://www.new. facebook. com/profile. php?id=648315899 #/event.php? eid=2867.
..

Welcome to the biggest event yet in the campaign to Save the Mary
River.GetUp' s national Climate Torch Relay is coming to the Sunshine
Coast and Mary River!

The torch will feature in an amazing weekend of events along the Mary
River to highlight the climate impact of the proposed Traveston Dam.

Together, on the weekend of the 5 â€" 7th of September, we will send our
strongest message ever to our Federal Parliament.
We say NO to Climate Change; No to Traveston Crossing Dam.

Be part of the action at any or all of these great events!

Friday September 5
Community Relay fun run pre-event party at Crystal Waters Eco Village

Early Saturday September 6
Community Relay Fun Run from Maleny to Traveston Crossing (proposed
dam wall site)
Relay from midnight to 10am. You can enter, email save...@gmail. com to
register your interest.

Mid morning Saturday 6 September
Meet the Torch and Bust the dam!
Bring your canoe and paddle with Bob Brown and Steve Posselt as they
arrive at the proposed dam wall site with the Climate Torch.

Midday Saturday September 6
Human Chain at the Traveston Crossing Bridge

Afternoon/Evening Saturday September 6
Camp Paradise!
Camp over at Paradise Dam and see what can go wrong when you dam a river

Midday Sunday September 7
Mitigation Tour (for Camp Paradise participants)
See for yourself if a dam can be environmentally friendly

Afternoon Sunday September 7
Hervey Bay Human Sign
Say it in words!

Want to know more? All the details you need for these events is at
http://www.savethem aryriver. com/downloads/ pdfs/GetUpSaveTh eMaryRiver. pdf.
Some events require registration, so plan ahead. And in the interests
of being climate friendly, there's buses running between the events,
book your seats early!

The proposed Traveston Dam will not only increase Queenslands
greenhouse emissions, but threatens the homes of endangered species
like the Mary River turtle which occur nowhere else in the world! This
is a great chance to get out and meet other GetUp members in your
area, while also taking effective climate action on this important issue.

The more locals in attendance the better our chance of securing
crucial media coverage, so please come along and join in! And do
consider forwarding this email to invite your friends.

See you out there...
Cheers,
Arkin
------------ ------
Looking forward to a hug from Bob!
:-)




       Win a MacBook Air or iPod touch with Yahoo!7.
http://au.docs.yahoo.com/homepageset

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Anne,

I am in Woodstock and will not be able to attend any meetings or actions in
Australia till I come back from the USA after

November 5th.

Benny Zable

  Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:27:00 +0000
> Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] Re: FW: EARTH-SPIRIT-ACTION film showing at the
Woodstock Film Festival
>
>
> Thank you for this notification Benny :-)
> Hope you will be attending the Convergence to Save the Mary?
>
> Unfortunately, the link didn't work but your description made it sound
> too interesting not to search it out... and i found it...
> Just simply beautiful...!!!
>
> Thank you Ruth Rosenhek!
>
> it has been promoted to top spot on the website:
> http://globalclimatechangeaction.org
> and has been given a new home
> http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/ESA
>
> --- In ClimateChangeAction@..., benny zable
>  wrote:
>>
>> Dear friends
>>
>> You might enjoy Earth Spirit Action, a new short film produced and
> directed by Ruth Rosenhek of the Rainforest Information
>> Centre. that can be viewed online at
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6jCpChUxOw. The film features
> Starhawk, Vandana
>> Shiva, Ruth Rosenhek, John Seed and Matthew Fox speaking on Deep
> Ecology, Living Democracy and Revolution in
>> Consciousness in a fast moving discussion of the type of change that
> needs to take place for a Sustainable Future. An
>> inspirational and stimulating film including beautiful nature
> footage and a colourful array of global action shots. (16 mins)
>>
>> This film will be featured at Woodstock Film Festival, Labor Day
> long weekend August 29th-31st at the Woodstock Town Hall
>
>>
>> Earth Spirit Action is showing on Saturday at 3.00 pm
>>
>> Ruth will be there to answer questions.
>>
>> Please pass this email around, especially to folks in the USA.
>>
>> Benny Zable
>
>
>
_________________________________________________________________
Are you paid what you're worth? Find out: SEEK Salary Centre
http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fninemsn%2Eseek%2Ecom%2Eau%2Fcare\
er%2Dresources%2Fsalary%2Dcentre%2F%3Ftracking%3Dsk%3Ahet%3Asc%3Anine%3A0%3Ahot%\
3Atext&_t=764565661&_r=OCT07_endtext_salary&_m=EXT

Thank you for this notification Benny :-)
Hope you will be attending the Convergence to Save the Mary?

Unfortunately, the link didn't work but your description made it sound
too interesting not to search it out... and i found it...
Just simply beautiful...!!!

Thank you Ruth Rosenhek!

it has been promoted to top spot on the website:
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org
and has been given a new home
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/ESA

--- In ClimateChangeAction@..., benny zable
<bennyzable@...> wrote:
>
> Dear friends
>
> You might enjoy Earth Spirit Action, a new short film produced and
directed by Ruth Rosenhek of the Rainforest Information
> Centre. that can be viewed online at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6jCpChUxOw. The film features
Starhawk, Vandana
> Shiva, Ruth Rosenhek, John Seed and Matthew Fox speaking on Deep
Ecology, Living Democracy and Revolution in
> Consciousness in a fast moving discussion of the type of change that
needs to take place for a Sustainable Future. An
> inspirational and stimulating film including beautiful nature
footage and a colourful array of global action shots.  (16 mins)
>
> This film will be featured at Woodstock Film Festival, Labor Day
long weekend August 29th-31st at the Woodstock Town Hall
<http://www.woodstockmuseum.com/2008_ff.htm>
>
> Earth Spirit Action is showing on Saturday at 3.00 pm
>
> Ruth will be there to answer questions.
>
> Please pass this email around, especially to folks in the USA.
>
> Benny Zable

By *Ian Angus*

August 24, 2008 -- Will shared resources always be misused and overused?
Is community ownership of land, forests and fisheries a guaranteed road
to ecological disaster? Is privatisation the only way to protect the
environment and end Third World poverty? Most economists and development
planners will answer “yes” — and for proof they will point to the most
influential article ever written on those important questions.

Since its publication in /Science/ in December 1968, “The Tragedy of the
Commons” has been anthologised in at least 111 books, making it one of
the most-reprinted articles ever to appear in any scientific journal. It
is also one of the most quoted: a recent Google search found “about
302,000” results for the phrase “tragedy of the commons”.

For 40 years it has been, in the words of a World Bank discussion paper,
“the dominant paradigm within which social scientists assess natural
resource issues” (Bromley and Cernea 1989: 6). It has been used time and
again to justify stealing indigenous peoples’ lands, privatising health
care and other social services, giving corporations ``tradable permits''
to pollute the air and water, and much more.

Noted anthropologist Dr G.N. Appell (1995) writes that the article “has
been embraced as a sacred text by scholars and professionals in the
practice of designing futures for others and imposing their own economic
and environmental rationality on other social systems of which they have
incomplete understanding and knowledge”.

Like most sacred texts, “The Tragedy of the Commons” is more often cited
than read. As we will see, although its title sounds authoritative and
scientific, it fell far short of science.

Full: http://links.org.au/node/595

Subscribe free to /Links - International Journal of Socialist Renewal/ -
at http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=343373

Getup campaign to Save the Mary
Tue, 2008-08-26 09:47

GetUp! Climate Torch meets the Mary River Campaign

"GetUp! is coming... are you?"

This event is planned to start at 5:00 pm on Sep 5, 2008 at Sunshine
Coast, Paradise Dam & Hervey Bay.

http://www.savethemaryriver.com/downloads/pdfs/GetUpSaveTheMaryRiver.pdf.
Some events require registration, so plan ahead. And in the interests
of being climate friendly, there's buses running between the events,
book your seats early!

The proposed Traveston Dam will not only increase Queenslands
greenhouse emissions, but threatens the homes of endangered species
like the Mary River turtle which occur nowhere else in the world! This
is a great chance to get out and meet other GetUp members in your
area, while also taking effective climate action on this important issue.

The more locals in attendance the better our chance of securing
crucial media coverage, so please come along and join in! And do
consider forwarding this email to invite your friends.

See you out there...
Cheers,
Arkin
----------------------
Anne replied:

I can go to this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:-D
So... :-)
I hold the legal title to 41.5 acres, roughly 1.5 hours drive from the
Mary.
This land holds a very basic though nicely insulated tin shed with
concrete floor, no walls, with a auto-gas hot running water shower and
a (near full) water tank (currently holding 5,000 Gallons of water), a
good friend is currently minding it for me (thanks Greg).
I offer this property, either on route or as a "talking place" after
the conversion.. if anyone needs peaceful, free, positive vibe,
camping area 1.5 hour north via the Bruce, sealed roads to the door...
contact me :-)
Hope to hug you there !
Anne
anne.goddard at bigpond doT Kom
--------------------------------
More details just to hand...
via:
http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=648315899#/event.php?eid=2867...

Welcome to the biggest event yet in the campaign to Save the Mary
River.GetUp's national Climate Torch Relay is coming to the Sunshine
Coast and Mary River!

The torch will feature in an amazing weekend of events along the Mary
River to highlight the climate impact of the proposed Traveston Dam.

Together, on the weekend of the 5 â€" 7th of September, we will send our
strongest message ever to our Federal Parliament.
We say NO to Climate Change; No to Traveston Crossing Dam.

Be part of the action at any or all of these great events!

Friday September 5
Community Relay fun run pre-event party at Crystal Waters Eco Village

Early Saturday September 6
Community Relay Fun Run from Maleny to Traveston Crossing (proposed
dam wall site)
Relay from midnight to 10am. You can enter, email save...@... to
register your interest.

Mid morning Saturday 6 September
Meet the Torch and Bust the dam!
Bring your canoe and paddle with Bob Brown and Steve Posselt as they
arrive at the proposed dam wall site with the Climate Torch.

Midday Saturday September 6
Human Chain at the Traveston Crossing Bridge

Afternoon/Evening Saturday September 6
Camp Paradise!
Camp over at Paradise Dam and see what can go wrong when you dam a river

Midday Sunday September 7
Mitigation Tour (for Camp Paradise participants)
See for yourself if a dam can be environmentally friendly

Afternoon Sunday September 7
Hervey Bay Human Sign
Say it in words!

Want to know more? All the details you need for these events is at
http://www.savethemaryriver.com/downloads/pdfs/GetUpSaveTheMaryRiver.pdf.
Some events require registration, so plan ahead. And in the interests
of being climate friendly, there's buses running between the events,
book your seats early!

The proposed Traveston Dam will not only increase Queenslands
greenhouse emissions, but threatens the homes of endangered species
like the Mary River turtle which occur nowhere else in the world! This
is a great chance to get out and meet other GetUp members in your
area, while also taking effective climate action on this important issue.

The more locals in attendance the better our chance of securing
crucial media coverage, so please come along and join in! And do
consider forwarding this email to invite your friends.

See you out there...
Cheers,
Arkin
------------------
Looking forward to a hug from Bob!
:-)

Dear Friends,
 
Greetings from MASS & Water Initiatives Orissa !
 
We are compiling a country strategy paper on "Climate Change and Drinking Water
and Sanitation" that will form the base for a National Workshop on the subject,
we will be holding shortly.  For this paper, we are looking for good studies &
reports that narrate impacts of climate change in water and sanitation.  We are
also seeking examples of adaptation and mitigation, especially community based
approaches.  Please lead us to any reports and web links that you think would
help us get a real picture of these issues in general and India in specific.
 
May we also request you to kindly share with us your ideas and experiences on
the subject and also please let us know if you think you can participate in the
workshop and contribute a paper.  At present we are looking forward to
"Abstracts" of papers that individuals and institutions can present in the
workshop and would shortly write to people with further details on the
workshop.  However, it would be highly appreciated if you could share your
ideas and abstracts asap so that we can plan the final list of participants. 
Selected participants will be provided with travel and logistics by the
organisers.
 
Looking forward to hear from you at the earliest.
 
Thanks and regards,
 
Ranjan

--
Ranjan K Panda
Dhanupali, Sambalpur 768005, Orissa, INDIA
Mobile: +919437050103
Skype: ranjan.climatecrusader

A TRULY EVOLVED BEING IS ONE THAT VALUES OTHERS MORE THAN IT VALUES ITSELF....


Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://www.garnautreview.org.au/domino/Web_Notes/Garnaut/garnautweb.nsf

Dear friends

You might enjoy Earth Spirit Action, a new short film produced and directed by
Ruth Rosenhek of the Rainforest Information
Centre. that can be viewed online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6jCpChUxOw.
The film features Starhawk, Vandana
Shiva, Ruth Rosenhek, John Seed and Matthew Fox speaking on Deep Ecology, Living
Democracy and Revolution in
Consciousness in a fast moving discussion of the type of change that needs to
take place for a Sustainable Future. An
inspirational and stimulating film including beautiful nature footage and a
colourful array of global action shots.  (16 mins)

This film will be featured at Woodstock Film Festival, Labor Day long weekend
August 29th-31st at the Woodstock Town Hall
<http://www.woodstockmuseum.com/2008_ff.htm>

Earth Spirit Action is showing on Saturday at 3.00 pm

Ruth will be there to answer questions.

Please pass this email around, especially to folks in the USA.

Benny Zable

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6322083.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7347638.stm

China has already overtaken the US as the world's "biggest polluter",
a report to be published next month says.

The research suggests the country's greenhouse gas emissions have been
underestimated, and probably passed those of the US in 2006-2007.

The University of California team will report their work in the
Journal of Environment Economics and Management.

They warn that unchecked future growth will dwarf any emissions cuts
made by rich nations under the Kyoto Protocol.

The team admit there is some uncertainty over the date when China may
have become the biggest emitter of CO2, as their analysis is based on
2004 data.

Until now it has been generally believed that the US remains "Polluter
Number One".

Next month's University of California report warns that unless China
radically changes its energy policies, its increases in greenhouse
gases will be several times larger than the cuts in emissions being
made by rich nations under the Kyoto Protocol.

The researchers say their figures are based on provincial-level data
from the Chinese Environmental Protection Agency.

Advertisement

Video showing the extent of China's smog problem

They say analysis of the 30 data points is more informative about
likely future emissions than national figures in wider use because it
allows errors to be tracked more closely.

They believe current computer models substantially underestimate
future emissions growth in China.

We are awaiting a formal comment from the UK Chinese Embassy, but Dr
Max Auffhammer, the lead researcher, said his projections had been
presented widely and no-one had raised a serious complaint.

All those concerned about climate change agree that China's emissions
are a problem - including China itself.

CARBON EMISSIONS
Line graph showing carbon emissions
Global carbon emissions statistics were last published in 2004. They
show Chinese emissions began rising rapidly in 2002.
University of California research suggests China overtook the US as
the worst producer of carbon emissions in 2006

But China and many other developing countries struggling to tackle
poverty are adamant that any negotiated emissions reductions should
not be absolute, but relative to a "business-as-usual" scenario of
projected growth.

That is why this study is of more than academic interest.

If it becomes widely accepted that China's future emissions are likely
to be much higher than previously estimated, that will have to
factored into any future global climate agreement if the Chinese are
to be persuaded to take part.

In brief, although this study looks bad for China's reputation, it may
be good for China's negotiating position.

The Chinese - and the UN - insist that rich countries with high per
capita levels of pollution must cut emissions first, and help poorer
countries to invest in clean technology.

America's per capita emissions are five to six times higher than
China's, even though China has become the top manufacturing economy.

US emissions are still growing too, though much more slowly.

Dr Auffhammer told BBC News that his projections had made an
assumption that the Chinese government's recent aggressive energy
efficiency programme would fail, as the previous one had failed badly.

"Our figures for emissions growth are truly shocking," he said.

"But there is no sense pointing a finger at the Chinese. They are
trying to pull people out of poverty and they clearly need help.

"The only solution is for a massive transfer of technology and wealth
from the West."

He acknowledged that this eventuality was unlikely.

Those scientists aspiring to stabilise global emissions growth before
2020 to prevent what they believe may be irreversible damage to the
climate may be wondering how this can possibly be achieved.

http://www.metaefficient.com/electric-bikes/inexpensive-electric-bike-conversion\
-kit.html

[Greens-Media]
Wednesday 20th August 2008

Brendan Nelson's confused call for a renewed debate on nuclear energy
would be funny if it were not so serious, Australian Greens spokesperson
on nuclear issues Senator Scott Ludlam said today.

"The Greens welcome the call for yet another rational, informed debate
on nuclear energy. Australia has these debates every couple of years,
and the pro-nuclear side keep losing. They never seem to figure out
why."

"Australians have a deep distrust of nuclear technology. It is not
because they are emotional, irrational or uninformed, but because
nuclear power and uranium mining have no place in a sustainable society
and people know it," said Senator Ludlam.

"Nuclear weapons, nuclear waste and the risk of accidental contamination
for thousands of years stands in stark contrast to the prosperous,
renewable society that most Australians want. So by all means lets have
the nuclear debate again, and this time let's talk about the role
Australia plays in providing uranium fuel to this most destructive of
industries. I'm eager to hear Minister Peter Garrett's views on that
subject," he concluded.

For media enquiries contact Scott Ludlam on 0417 174 302

Tim Norton
Communications & Campaigns
Office of Rachel Siewert | Australian Greens Senator for Western
Australia
Tim.Norton@... | M: 0418 401 180
www.rachelsiewert.org.au | www.greens.org.au | www.greensblog.org
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Wong ducks deforestation hypocrisy-Greens
Tuesday 19 August 2008

The Minister for Climate Change, Penny Wong, has ignored Australia's
logging and burning of native forests as a critical contribution to
global warming in her Sydney speech to loggers today, Australian Greens
Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The latest Australian National University research shows that such
logging may produce up to 25 per cent of Australia's carbon pollution of
the atmosphere. But Minister Wong, while outlining the Rudd government's
overseas aid to stop logging in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, ducked
Australia's need to stop logging here," Senator Brown said.

"In fact, Prime Minister Rudd has committed $100 million to Tasmanian
transport infrastructure spending with Gunns' proposed pulp mill the
beneficiary.

"Senator Wong's promise to the loggers to fund reforestation activities
is crazy when she backs public funding of a pulp mill which entails
deforestation of 200,000 hectares.

"Senator Wong advocates carbon sinks as "practical action" while also
backing destruction of Australia's biggest carbon sinks - its native
forests. This is bad economic, environmental and forest policy," Senator
Brown said.

Further information: Ebony Bennett 0409 164 603
---------------------------------------------------------

S-E NSW biomass power is no solution to climate challenges
19 August 2008

Developing wood-fired power stations based on so-called wastes from
native forestry in NSW's South-East would weaken Australia's ability
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Dr Kaye who is today visiting the South Coast to talk about energy
issues said: "We will be working hard to stop biomass electricity
generation from native forestry feed-stocks  being included in
renewable energy targets.

"Recent research from the ANU massively increased estimates of carbon
locked up in the native forests.

"This moves these biomass power stations from the green side of the
ledger to the brown team. They should should sit alongside coal-fired
generators as major contributors to global warming.

"In a climate change-constrained world, continued wood-chipping of
native forests will inevitably be recognised as an irresponsible and
unnecessary release of greenhouse gases.

"Developing power plants based on biomass from these forests would not
only create new economic dependencies on a high emission activity. It
would  actually increase greenhouse gas emissions.

"Professor Mackey's research released two weeks ago shows that ending
the exploitation of Eastern Australia's native forests and allowing
them to regrow would take about 24 per cent of Australia's current
annual greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere for each of the
next 100 years.

"That would be a massive and welcome 136 million tonnes of CO2 annual
contribution to repairing the climate.

"With figures like these there is little hope of generating
sustainable electricity  based on products coming from an industry
that is a major emitter.

"Forestry industry propaganda talks about burning wastes to create the
impression of sustainability.

"Wood-chips would inevitably end up in the furnaces and  biomass would
drive the continued expansion of an unsustainable industry," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye@...
web: www.johnkaye.org.au

mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
----------------------------------------------------------

TAMAR VALLEY POWER STATION PURCHASE NOW A FAIT ACCOMPLI?

As Government Energy Strategy Collapses Under Basslink Gamble
Tuesday, 19 August 2008


The Tasmanian Greens today responded to the Premier's Ministerial
Statement regarding the government's buy back of the Tamar Valley Power
Station, which had been predicted by the Greens, saying that the
purchase was now a fait accompli due to Labor control of the Lower
House.

Greens Shadow Energy spokesperson and Member for Bass Kim Booth MP said
today that all domestic power consumers would ultimately pay the price
of both the Tamar Valley Power Station buy-back, and the Basslink
gamble, which has left Tasmania in a perilous energy position, through
increased power prices.

Mr Booth also pointed out that the Premier suddenly has had to take over
the issue of the Tamar Valley power saying that it appears that Mr
Llewellyn had bungled this project and misinformed the public about its
future so badly that Mr Bartlett has had to intervene in a desperate
attempt to restore government credibility.

"The Labor government has now locked Tasmania into expensive power with
no room to move," said Mr Booth.

"This latest farce of the government buying back the Tamar Valley Power
Station is just another sad chapter in Labor's book of energy mistakes."

"Thanks to Labor incompetence and failure to listen to advice, we are
now taking over a half finished lemon with no grid connection at this
time, instead of a unit that should have been custom built to operate
within the frequency restraints of the current Tasmanian system, as the
Greens had advocated when we were the only Party in the Parliament to
vote against the station's sale last year."

"Again and again I queried what was going on with the Tamar Valley Power
Station, and I was just fobbed off by Mr Llewellyn, I broke the news
publicly last week that the government intended to buy back the station
and was ridiculed by the Minister at the time."

"Now it is David Llewellyn who looks ridiculous as his ducking and
weaving, and bungling of the Energy portfolio, has been exposed to the
extent that it has required the Premier to have to step in, confess to
the Tasmanian public, and clean up the mess," Mr Booth said.

Kim Booth MP
Greens Shadow Energy Spokesperson
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens,
(03) 6233 8300
www.tas.greens.org.au

Thanks for posting that Peter. Barry Brook's comments on GW/CC
denialism/scepticism, Andrew Bolt's latest fabrications in particular, are IMO
good advice.
As I pointed out (in Qld Greens forums & maybe here as well) the day following
Bolt's appearence on ABC1's Q&A
where he (Bolt) claimed "global warming stopped in 2001". His deception
conflicts with
the fact Europe had its hottest temps on record in 2003, North
America had its in 2007, and 2008 looks like being yet hotter again.


Warm to sceptical science:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24085879-5000117,00.html

YOU'VE no doubt
come across a few opinion columns over the past year which claim that
global warming has stopped. Or that we are heading into a new ice age.
Or indeed, that rising carbon dioxide levels have nothing to do with climate
change - it's all just natural causes.
Yet the great majority of news stories on the latest scientific findings say
that global warming is accelerating.
Or that its impacts are happening faster than earlier predicted.
Or that spiralling industrial carbon emissions are pushing us ever faster
towards climate disaster.
Pretty confusing, eh? Who, or what, to believe?
The key to navigating this minefield is to use a bit of sceptical thinking.
By this, I mean "sceptical" in the dictionary sense - doubt what's
told to you at face value, ask sensible questions, consider all
evidence, and most importantly, to demand a consistent argument.
Once you become a real sceptic - something scientists are trained to be - the
rest is fairly easy.
So just as a talking point, let's ask some sceptical questions about
a few of the graphs that the Herald Sun's Andrew Bolt recently claimed should
end the warming hype and make the Rudd Government feel sick.
I don't have space to cover all seven graphs, but you'll get the gist.
Andrew impishly asks: "So, dude, where's my global warming?"
I might as easily respond with the question: "So, mate, what's propping
temperatures up?"
After all, to be consistent, if all those extra greenhouse gases
really don't cause global warming, and if the sun is now in a cool
phase, then why haven't the thermometers immediately dropped back to
the levels of the 19th century?
Why, in 2007, were global temperatures still an average 0.83C higher
than during the first year of modern temperature records, in 1880?
Alternatively, take the much talked about "cool" decade from 1999 to 2008.
If global warming has stopped, why was the most recent decade 0.86C
hotter than the same decade from 100 years before, 1899 to 1908?
Indeed, if 1998 really was the global warming high point, then why
was it an average of 0.33C cooler between 1989 and 1998, but a whopping
0.48C lower the decade before that?
The sun can't be the answer to this problem, since the prevailing
non-greenhouse viewpoint argues that the recent inactive sun (no
sunspots) threatens to take us into the next ice age.
So it must be other natural changes.
Yet they can't agree on what these may be - or find any way to measure their
effect.
The above numbers were taken from the NASA land-ocean surface temperature
record.
But you probably want more than NASA's word for it. No problem.
Last year the World Meteorological Organisation announced that the 11 hottest
years on record have all occurred in the past 13 years.
This finding was based on the UK's Hadley Centre temperature data.
Even Andrew's favoured satellite measurements of the lower
atmosphere show that the hottest decade was 1999 to 2008 and that the
decade before that was cooler, and the decade before cooler still.
Andrew also claims that the seas have stopped rising because of a dip in 2007.
But he left out the standard "inverse barometer" correction - with this the blip
then vanishes.
I could go on, but I've made my basic point.
You can "prove" just about anything by cherry-picking what statistics to show,
and what to leave undisclosed.
But the real issue actually boils down to this: climate scientists don't use
temperature charts to "prove" global warming.
They use the scientific principles of physics, chemistry, geology, biology, and
so on, to form ideas and to make predictions.
Then they go out and test them.
And because scientists are inherently sceptical people, they do this repeatedly.
In as many ways as possible.
It's only those theories and models that have withstood repeated
scrutiny and evaluation against new data that end up making the cut.
It's these results that form the basis of the conclusions of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports. Hard won,
continually verified, science.
Professor Barry Brook heads Adelaide University's research institute
for climate change and sustainability. He is also a judge of the News.com.au
Green Awards for 2008







----- Original Message ----

From: Peter Bright <hobart_elf@...>
To: ClimateChangeAction@...
Sent: Wednesday, 20 August, 2008 4:04:26 AM
Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] Brave New Climate - an Australian website


I draw Members' attention to the Brave New Climate website of
Australia's Professor Barry Brooks at

http://bravenewclim ate.com/

where this appears:

Professor Barry Brook holds the Foundation Sir Hubert Wilkins Chair of
Climate Change and is Director of the Research Institute for Climate
Change and Sustainability at the University of Adelaide.

He has published two books and over 130 peer-reviewed scientific
papers, and regularly writes opinion pieces and popular articles for
the media. He has received a number of distinguished awards in
recognition of his research excellence, which addresses the topics of
climate change, computational and statistical modelling and the
synergies between human impacts on Earth systems.

Effective communication of the science of climate change is
fundamental to providing policy makers with the type of evidence
required to institute meaningful mitigation policy and to understand
available adaptation options. It is this imperative that has Barry to
take an active leadership role in the communication of the science of
global change to government, industry and the community (directly, via
public lectures and workshops and advisory committees, and indirectly
via the media - including television, radio, the print media and
popular science articles).

It is his belief that presenting hard-won technical scientific
evidence to a broad audience in an intelligible way is the surest path
to provoking meaningful societal change towards long-term sustainability.

For further details, see his University website:

http://www.adelaide .edu.au/director y/barry.brook




       Win a MacBook Air or iPod touch with Yahoo!7.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I draw Members' attention to the Brave New Climate website of
Australia's Professor Barry Brooks at

http://bravenewclimate.com/

where this appears:

Professor Barry Brook holds the Foundation Sir Hubert Wilkins Chair of
Climate Change and is Director of the Research Institute for Climate
Change and Sustainability at the University of Adelaide.

He has published two books and over 130 peer-reviewed scientific
papers, and regularly writes opinion pieces and popular articles for
the media. He has received a number of distinguished awards in
recognition of his research excellence, which addresses the topics of
climate change, computational and statistical modelling and the
synergies between human impacts on Earth systems.

Effective communication of the science of climate change is
fundamental to providing policy makers with the type of evidence
required to institute meaningful mitigation policy and to understand
available adaptation options. It is this imperative that has Barry to
take an active leadership role in the communication of the science of
global change to government, industry and the community (directly, via
public lectures and workshops and advisory committees, and indirectly
via the media - including television, radio, the print media and
popular science articles).

It is his belief that presenting hard-won technical scientific
evidence to a broad audience in an intelligible way is the surest path
to provoking meaningful societal change towards long-term sustainability.

For further details, see his University website:

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/barry.brook

http://www.metaefficient.com/architecture-and-building/vancouver-developments-gr\
een.html

[Greens-Media]
Renewables target: Government must ignore short-sighted agenda of big
polluters

Brisbane, Monday 18 August 2008  The Rudd Government must ignore the
short-sighted agenda of Australia's big polluters and stick to its
commitment to lift the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target, Australian
Greens climate change spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, said today.

Senator Milne said, "It is no surprise that Australia's biggest
polluters are lobbying the Government to protect the status quo under
which they can keep raking in the profits and pay nothing for the carbon
pollution they pump into the atmosphere.

"The Australian Industry Group, the Business Council, Cement Australia
and the Aluminium Council are all hard at work in Canberra trying to
lock Australia into a resource economy which will soon be in the past,
and deny us all the benefits of moving swiftly into the clean, clever
future.

"The greenhouse mafia claims that the renewables target will undermine
our export industries, coming on the same day that we are seeing new
concerns that the resource boom is coming to an end, reveal just how
much these people are locked in the past.

"Policies to boost renewable energy are about making sure that Australia
will be in a position to achieve the serious emissions cuts we will need
to make. Without bringing on the alternatives to polluting coal, we face
far higher costs in the future. A high renewables target substantially
reduces the cost of cutting emissions over the medium term.

"With the proposed emissions trading scheme compromised, and early
indications that the scheme's cap will be far too weak, the Mandatory
Renewable Energy Target is the Rudd Government's only remaining scrap of
credibility on climate change. If Rudd and Wong bow to pressure from
polluters on this vital issue, they will pay the political price for
abandoning those Australians who voted for climate action in 2007."


Senator Milne is in Brisbane today in hearings for the Senate Inquiry
into the tax treatment of carbon sink forests. She is available for
interviews on either issue.


Tim Hollo
Media and Communications Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
+61 (0)2 6277 3063
+61 (0) 437 587 562
www.christinemilne.org.au

Come join the discussion at http://greensblog.org
--------------------------------------------------------

COSTLY BELL BAY BUY-BACK PREDICTED

Consumers to Pay for Labor's Energy Bungles

Kim Booth MP
Greens Shadow Energy spokesperson

Monday, 18 August 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens said today that the Bartlett government's
confirmation that they intend to buy back the Tamar Valley power station
at Bell Bay from Babcock and Brown, which the Greens had predicted
barely a week ago, has exposed that the state's energy strategy is in
tatters.

Greens Shadow Energy spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that the Labor's
announcement that they would buy back the power station for $100 million
while Aurora would foot the $240 million bill to complete the upgrade,
was an indictment on the lack of coherent strategy and planning by the
government, and also raised further concerns about whether the station
will end up being an expensive 'stranded asset'.

Mr Booth also said that it will be the Mum and Dad electricity consumers
who pay the price for this buy-back through increased electricity bills.

"When I announced last week that the Bartlett government would buy the
Babcock and Brown power station at Bell Bay, it was met with a wall of
spin and denial and yet less than a week later exactly what I had
predicted has been confirmed," Mr Booth said.

"It now appears that the Bartlett government was attempting to keep the
purchase secret in order to dress up a disaster, in terms of a crisis in
the state's energy strategy, as good news."

"The government needs to explain what has changed so quickly to the
extent that a half-finished potential lemon is now worth purchasing,
when only last year the government was adamant that the best option was
to sell this station on the bogus grounds of retiring debt."

"It now appears that Aurora will need to go into debt to complete the
station's upgrade."

"Babcock's power station is a half-finished project, and one which we
suspect cannot connect into the grid."

"The challenge is now on the government to detail how they intend to
connect the station, and how it will put back on track the State's
desperately needed Energy strategy," Mr Booth said.

Mr Booth reminded that the Greens were the only Party to vote against
the sale of the Bell Bay power station, and had the government not sold
it the design of the generators would have been to suit the Tasmanian
electricity grid frequency controlled requirements but instead Labor is
now purchasing by knee-jerk reaction equipment that was purchased to
suit the needs of Babcock and Brown and which may not be able to be
connected to the grid, or if so, at a vastly reduced capacity.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Come Clean on Port Stanvac Clean Up


The Rann Government has refused to release, under Freedom of
Information, progress reports on the clean up of the Port Stanvac oil
refinery site.

"The Government is refusing to tell us what progress is being made by
ExxonMobil at Port Stanvac.  What dirty secrets are they hiding? This
has a real smell about it," said Mr Parnell.

"The public has every right to be suspicious - especially as the
Government has announced Port Stanvac as the preferred site for their
desal plant before finalising negotiations with ExxonMobil.

"They have put themselves in a very tricky bargaining position.
ExxonMobil's responsibility to clean up Port Stanvac must not be
traded off by the Government in order to secure favourable terms for
the site," he said.

Under the agreement between the Government and ExxonMobil signed in
July 2006, the company was required to provide a progress report every
six months to an Independent Site Environmental Auditor and the
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

The Department of Premier and Cabinet has refused to release to Greens
MLC Mark Parnell the three reports completed so far on the grounds
that it 'could have an adverse effect on the business affairs of the
third party'.

"Why won't they release a report they were publicly heralding just two
years ago?

"Is the pollution worse than we thought, or has the company made
little or no progress on their clean up?

"Either way, the public has a right to know, especially if a third of
Adelaide's water is set to be manufactured on this land," he said.


For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893

Parnell@...

please circulate


CLIMATE EMERGENCY
Renewables Now

* 100% electricity from renewables in ten years
* no carbon trading loop holes
* Coal, keep it in the ground
* expand public transport
* keep power in public hands

Call for urgent action
5pm, Thursday, October 2
outside offices of Xstrata Coal
1 Macquarie Place
Sydney

Organised by People for a Safe Climate

Next organising meeting: 5pm Thursday August 21, Students Association back
room, UTS Broadway

All welcome!


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://solar.anu.edu.au/pubs/2008/0712_ghg_emissions_from_home.pdf

SLIVER Technology:

SLIVER solar cells are a new type of solar cell with the potential to
revolutionise the global solar power industry. They were developed at
the Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems with funding assistance from
Origin Energy.  SLIVER technology uses a revolutionary process to
achieve high efficiencies while significantly reducing the amount of
expensive silicon in solar cells.  Solar modules made from SLIVERs can
be lightweight, flexible and transparent and offer imaginative
opportunities for building integration and other applications.  By
substantially improving the cost competitiveness of photovoltaics
compared to electricity derived from fossil fuels, slivers have the
potential to revolutionise the photovoltaics industry and
simultaneously address the critical environmental issue of global warming.

A solar panel using SLIVER Cell technology needs the equivalent of two
silicon wafers to convert sunlight to 140 watts of power. By
comparison, a conventional solar panel needs about 60 silicon wafers
to achieve this performance. By dramatically reducing the amount of
expensive pure silicon, the largest cost in solar panels today, this
new technology represents a major advance in solar power technology.

The above is an excerpt from:

http://solar.anu.edu.au/research/sliver.php

Two communities affected by one new global market – the trade in carbon
dioxide. In Scotland, a town has been polluted by oil and chemical
companies since the 1940s. In Brazil, local people's water and land is
being swallowed up by destructive monoculture eucalyptus tree
plantations. Both communities now share a new threat.

As part of the deal to reduce greenhouse gases that cause dangerous
climate change, major polluters can now buy carbon credits that allow
them to pay someone else to reduce emissions instead of cutting their
own pollution. What this means for those living next to the oil industry
in Scotland is the continuation of pollution caused by their toxic
neighbours. Meanwhile in Brazil, the schemes that generate carbon
credits give an injection of cash for more planting of the damaging
eucalyptus plantations.

Watch at http://links.org.au/node/575

Subscribe free to /Links - International Journal of Socialist Renewal/ -
at http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=343373

http://www.nanosolar.com/


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://www.livescience.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?s\
=technology&c=&l=on&pic=080710-solar-cell-02.jpg&cap=An+artist%27s+repre\
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existing+solar+panels+more+efficient.+The+dye-based+luminescent+solar+co\
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gy.+Dye+molecules+coated+on+glass+absorb+sunlight%2C+and+re-emit+it+at+a\
+different+wavelengths.+The+light+is+trapped+and+transported+within+the+\
glass+until+it+is+captured+by+solar+cells+at+the+edge.+Some+light+passes\
+through+the+concentrator%2C+and+is+absorbed+by+lower+voltage+solar+cell\
s+underneath.+Graphic+not+to+scale.+Credit%3A+Nicolle+Rager+Fuller%2C+NS\
F&title
<http://www.livescience.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?\
s=technology&c=&l=on&pic=080710-solar-cell-02.jpg&cap=An+artist%27s+repr\
esentation+shows+how+a+cost+effective+solar+concentrator+could+help+make\
+existing+solar+panels+more+efficient.+The+dye-based+luminescent+solar+c\
oncentrator+functions+without+the+use+of+tracking+or+cooling+systems%2C+\
greatly+reducing+the+overall+cost+compared+to+other+concentrator+technol\
ogy.+Dye+molecules+coated+on+glass+absorb+sunlight%2C+and+re-emit+it+at+\
a+different+wavelengths.+The+light+is+trapped+and+transported+within+the\
+glass+until+it+is+captured+by+solar+cells+at+the+edge.+Some+light+passe\
s+through+the+concentrator%2C+and+is+absorbed+by+lower+voltage+solar+cel\
ls+underneath.+Graphic+not+to+scale.+Credit%3A+Nicolle+Rager+Fuller%2C+N\
SF&title> =


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Your chance to support Christine Milne's FIT Bill
Posted by: "Steve Meacher" via Climate Emergency Network
Date: Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:19 am

This Friday, August 15, is the deadline for submissions to the
SenateInquiry into Christine Milne's Private Member's Bill for a
nationalgross Feed-in Tariff for all renewable energy technologies.

http://greensblog.org/2008/06/20/help-me-make-a-renewable-feed-in-law-
a-reality/

http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eca_ctte/renewable_energy/
index.htm

It is extremely important that the Inquiry receives a large number of
submissions from interested parties in order to demonstrate to the
members of the Committee that there is strong demand for a feed-in.