Utterly useless Christmas presents are helping to trash the planet
The fatuity of the products is matched by the profundity of the impacts. Rare materials, complex electronics, the energy needed for manufacture and transport are extracted and refined and combined into compounds of utter pointlessness. When you take account of the fossil fuels whose use we commission in other countries, manufacturing and consumption are responsible for more than half of our carbon dioxide
This is pathological consumption: a world-consuming epidemic of collective madness, rendered so normal by advertising and by the media that we scarcely notice what has happened to us.This boom has not happened by accident.
When every conceivable want and need has been met (among those who have disposable money), growth depends on selling the utterly useless.
Trashing the planet for a talking piggy bank http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/trashing-the-planet-for-a-talking-piggy-bank-20121212-2b9vh.html#ixzz2F4vYvlY2 December 13, 2012 George Monbiot There’s nothing they need, nothing they don’t own already, nothing they even want. So you buy them a solar-powered waving queen; a silver-plated ice cream tub-holder; a ”hilarious” inflatable Zimmer frame; a confection of plastic and electronics called Terry the Swearing Turtle; or – and somehow I find this significant – a Scratch Off World Map.
They seem amusing on the first day of Christmas, daft on the second, embarrassing on the third. By the 12th day of Christmas they’re in landfill. For 30 seconds of dubious entertainment, or a hedonic stimulus that lasts no longer than a nicotine hit, we commission the use of materials whose impacts will ramify for generations.
Researching her film The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard discovered that, of the materials flowing through the consumer economy, only 1 per cent remain in use six months after sale. Even the goods we might have expected to hold on to are soon condemned to destruction through either planned obsolescence (wearing out or breaking quickly) or perceived obsolescence (becoming unfashionable).
But many of the products we buy, especially for Christmas, cannot become obsolescent. The term implies a loss of utility, but they had no utility in the first place. An electronic drum-machine T-shirt; a Darth Vader talking piggy bank; an ear-shaped iPhone case; an individual beer can chiller; an electronic wine breather; a sonic screwdriver remote control; bacon toothpaste; a dancing dog. No one is expected to use them, or even look at them, after Christmas day. They are designed to elicit thanks, perhaps a snigger or two, and then be thrown away. Continue reading
Malaysian MP explains why Malaysians are opposing the Lynas rare earths plant
Why should we allow anything less in terms of safety standards than Australia? Does the BN government feel that the Australian Government is being too fussy? Or that Malaysians can take more radiation than the Australians?
The Anti-Lynas movement: Are we being unreasonable? – Jeyakumar Devaraj, The Malaysian Insider , 13 Dec 12 Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj is a PSM central committee member and MP for Sungai Siput.“……..Vastly Differing Standards First, a brief overview of the industrial process of separating the rare earths from the rest of the ore.
Lynas actually has the license to operate a refining plant in Australia itself. Lynas acquired this license upon buying over Aston, the company that owned the mine in Mount Weld. In the mid 1990s, Ashton applied for a license to refine the ore, and in the process of consultations with the public in the region, agreed to a set of specific performances. If Lynas wants to use the refining license that came with the purchase of Ashton, it is committed to observing all the procedures agreed to by Ashton earlier.The table below compares requirements that Lynas would have to observe in Australia with the requirements for it in Malaysia.
The government has said in Parliament that Lynas is keen on operating a plant here because the total cost in Malaysia is only 30 per cent of the cost of refining the ore in Australia! (Despite the fact that it has to be transported from Mount Weld to Freemantle Port, loaded on ships and then brought some 4000 km to Kuantan for refining!) That means safety precautions in Malaysia are so much more lax than those required in Australia.
This point alone makes me uncomfortable. Continue reading
Concern that Australian aid money is going to support Australian mining firms in Africa
AID MONEY USED TO SUPPORT MINING CSR PROJECTS http://acan.org.au/2012/10/aid-money-used-to-support-mining-csr-projects/ A group of Australian and international civil society groups, lead primarily by AID/WATCH, have written an open letter to Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, expressing concern that Australian aid money is supporting the CSR initiatives of Australian mining firms, particularly in Africa.
The Foreign Minister recently announced at a mining conference that funds from the Development Assistance Program (DAP), administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) but financed by AusAID (Australia’s state foreign aid agency), are being used to co-finance (with various mining companies) the community projects used by mining companies to garner their ‘social license to operate’.
The civil society groups have raised concerns in their letter that mining is not an effective approach to spurring community development – noting that actually mining tends to harm the lives of people in developing countries rather than improve it, a phenomenon commonly referred to as the ‘resource curse’. The letter also alleged that some recipients of the aid money are not reputable, noting the Paladin corporation has been linked to corruption in Malawi.
The signatories of the letter urged the Australian Government to revise their approach to delivering aid for the purpose of supporting mining as a means of community development. There has been no response from DFAT or Minister Carr’s office.
Lawyers acting for Paladin have been in contact with AID/WATCH. Their correspondence laid out that AID/WATCH’s letter potentially damaged the reputation Paladin’s CEO and the company overall. Paladin demanded the withdraw of the letter from Aid/Watch’s site, commit in writing to never publishing similar statements in the future and publish a letter prominently on their site apologizing to Paladin and their CEO. The lawyers noted that should AID/WATCH fail to abide by the terms “Paladin and John Borshoff reserve their rights in this matter”.
The threats made in the letter are hollow since Australian law does not provide to corporations a cause of action to sue for defamation, and John Borshoff was not named in the letter to the Foreign Minister. However, AID/WATCH has since removed the letter from their site, but it can be accessed on Mines & Communities website here. http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11978&l=1
Malawi group calls off its anti-Paladin protest – what is going on?
Malawi group gets Paladin’s K0.9 million to publicize aborted protest … The Maravi Post-14/11/2012 Malawi group gets Paladin’s K0.9 million to publicize aborted … MZUZU–Paladin (Africa) Limited has provided funds amounting to K900, 000 … subscribers only
Paladin accuser recants threat allegation; Kyungu’s point man ... The Maravi Post-26/11/2012 MZUZU–Karonga Youth for Justice and Development (KYJD) has recanted the allegation made against Paladin (Africa) Limited, owners of … subscribers only http://www.maravipost.com/malawi-news/society/2331-paladin-accuser-recants-threat-allegation-kyungu%E2%80%99s-point-man-praises-mining-firm.html
Malawi call for Paladin uranium company to “walk the talk” on transparency and accountability
Wake up call for Paladin, The Times Group, 27 nov 12 A few weeks ago, I published on this column a letter I sent to Paladin Energy’s Managing Director John Borshoff in which I complained about the company’s lack of respect for Malawians through their non-responsiveness to media queries from Malawi.
A few weeks ago, some two courageous community groups in Karonga, where Paladin Africa operates the Kayelekera Uranium Mine, organised protests against the company’s unfulfilled social responsibility promises as well as its failure to support local businesses and farmers through its preference for imported items for its food and other provisions.
To put the record straight, Kayelekera is an important project in the country which every Malawian should be proud of as it is significant not only for job creation, government revenue contribution and foreign currency earnings but also as a flagship foreign direct investment in the country which can encourage other international corporations to consider investing in Malawi.
However, the perception about the company among Malawians is not positive not because the people just don’t like the investment but because of the way management of the company has conducted itself since their establishment.
Despite their profile as an established company from a developed and democratic country, Australia, where corporation operates based on acceptable corporate governance principles such as transparency and accountability, Paladin Energy’s image in Malawi is that of a closed, secretive, agrarian and mysterious giant that has ring-fenced itself as a foreign island within Malawi.
For example, apart from employees and senior government officials, which other Malawians can claim to have set their foot in the Kayelekera Mine complex in Karonga?…..
The protest which failed to take place against the company a few weeks ago should serve as a wake-up call to the company about the intense negativity of its business among Malawians.
Their stated commitment to uphold transparency and accountability about the Kayelekera Uranium Mine is not enough. They need to demonstrate that actively and walk the talk. Otherwise, they should expect more resentment and civil action in the coming years as Malawians are no longer a passive society that sits back and watch helplessly when other people are exploiting their resources over their heads in the name of foreign investment. Thumbs down Paladin Energy. http://www.bnltimes.com/index.php/daily-times/headlines/opinion/12628-carlsberg-paladin-limbe-police-subject-of-the-thumb
An indigenous leader speaks out against uranium mining
many concerned groups and individuals are now joining the Crees in urging the Quebec government to conduct an independent and comprehensive assessment of the long-term environmental, social and ethical challenges presented by the uranium industry
When the mining is done and the profits have been taken, these tailings will be left behind in my people’s backyard, where we have lived for thousands of years, and where we hunt, fish and trap, raise our children and bury our dead.
It is indisputable that these uranium tailings will remain radioactive and highly toxic for hundreds of thousands of years.
The Cree Nation will not be intimidated or silenced
Quebec should support Cree moratorium on uranium mining http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Opinion+Quebec+should+support+Cree+moratorium+uranium+mining/7695600/story.html By Matthew Coon Come, Montreal Gazette December 13, 2012 This summer, my people, the James Bay Cree Nation, enacted a permanent moratorium on uranium exploration, mining, milling and waste emplacement in our territory on the east shore of James Bay, Eeyou Istchee. I was
mandated to take all necessary steps to ensure full recognition of our stand. Continue reading
UK: Inquiry into radioactive poisoning of Litvinenko
Russian agent killed by radiation poisoning worked for U.K. spy agency MI6 National Post,
Sylvia Hui, Associated Press | Dec 13, 2012 LONDON — Russian Alexander Litvinenko was a “registered and paid” agent working for Britain’s foreign intelligence agency when he died after being mysteriously poisoned, a lawyer representing his widow told an official hearing Thursday.
Another lawyer said the U.K. has evidence that the Russian government was behind Litvinenko’s death.
Britain is investigating the demise of Litvinenko, who died in November 2006 after drinking tea laced with the rare radioactive isotope polonium-210 at a London hotel. The case has badly strained relations between the United Kingdom and Russia, which denies poisoning the former Russian agent-turned-Kremlin critic.
Thursday’s session aimed to set out the scope of a public inquest into Litvinenko’s death. Judge Robert Owen said the inquest is expected to start in May…….
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/13/russian-agent-killed-by-radiation-poisoning-worked-for-u-k-spy-agency-mi6/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NPWorld+%28National+Post+-+World%29
Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative (ASTRI) aims to bring down the cost of Solar Thermal Power
CSIRO to lead push to bring cost of CSP to 10c/kWh REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson on 13 December 2012 The CSIRO is to lead a major new research initiative in solar thermal (concentrating solar power, or CSP) technologies that will aim to reduce the cost of the technology to between 9c and 12c a kilowatt hour, and be able to compete with fossil fuels – possibly as early as 2016.
The Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative (ASTRI) was unveiled today, delivering $35 million of funding from the Australian Solar Institute and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, as part of an $87 million research program that will also draw on money from the private sector. The program brings together Australian and US research institutions, with United States research collaborators and with leading international and Australian CSP companies. Continue reading
Australia’s funding for solar research would be better spent on building solar thermal
Solar Funding Evokes Mixed Reactions, by Energy Matters, 13 Dec 12 $83.5 million for solar research funding as part of the United States- Australia Solar Energy Collaboration (USASEC) was announced by Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson on Thursday……
While the announcement was generally well received by supporters of renewable energy, not everyone was happy.
Climate think-tank Beyond Zero Emissions labeled the funding a “diversion”.
“While Australia is limiting its large-scale solar energy sector to research, other countries are going ahead and building it – and learning more in the process,” said BZE’s Matthew Wright.
“If Martin Ferguson really supported large scale solar energy, he would have us build it now.”
Beyond Zero Emissions is one of the driving forces behind the push to have Australia’s first large solar-thermal plants with energy storage built at Port Augusta in South Australia.
Early this year, the group released ‘Repowering Port Augusta‘; a blueprint for replacing South Australia’s emissions intensive Northern and Playford B brown coal-fired power stations with wind power and solar energy facilities. http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3514
Lynas accused of deceiving Malaysian authorities on radioactive wastes
However the Temporary Operating License approved on 7/2/2012 allows Lynas to start operations even before they present their proposed plan for comprehensive management of the solid waste – the TOL only requires them to submit the waste management plan within 10 months of starting operations!!
Ten months have passed, and a safe permanent depository has yet to be identified and agreed upon by all parties. Instead Lynas is still talking of rendering the waste “safe”. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 