AUDIO: Nuclear Bomb Testing in Australia
AUDIO: The beginning of nuclear testing in Australia and the lasting effects https://radio.adelaide.edu.au/the-beginning-of-nuclear-testing-in-australia-and-the-lasting-effects/
Nuclear weapons were first tested in Australia by the British at the Montebello Islands on October 3 1952.
Elizabeth Po and Adrian Glamorgan of Perth’s community radio RTR FM’s Understorey program look at effects of these tests.
They hear from ex-serviceman Max Kimber, along with aboriginal elders, Uncles Glen Cooke and Kev Buzzacott, former WA Senator Jo Vallentine and Dr Peter Underwood from Medical Association for Prevention from War, along with Nancy Milne remembering her father’s courageous exploits as a journalist in 1952.
Understorey’s seven part series on the nuclear industry
December 18: Care or neglect? Fukushima’s silent fallout
December 11: From one disaster to another
December 4: Shorts and sandals nuclear policy
November 27: Regulating the nuclear village
November 20: Stay or go?
November 13: Geiger counting on a future
November 6: The aftershocks keep coming
A Global Conspiracy of Denial About Fukushima
Fukushima Meltdowns: A Global Conspiracy of Denial By William Boardman Global Research, Reader Supported News January 05, 2014 Does anyone in authority anywhere tell the truth about Fukushima? If there is any government or non-government authority in the world that is addressing the disaster at Fukushima openly, directly, honestly, and effectively, it’s not apparent to the outside observer what entity that might be.
There is instead an apparent global conspiracy of authorities of all sorts to deny to the public reliably accurate, comprehensible, independently verifiable (where possible), and comprehensive information about not only the condition of the Fukushima power plant itself and its surrounding communities, but about the unceasing, uncontrolled release of radioactive debris into the air and water, creating a constantly increasing risk of growing harm to the global community. Continue reading
“Direct Action” – Tony Abbott’s slush fund for polluting industries
“What is clear in the green paper is that there is no requirement for business to reduce carbon pollution,” Mr Burke said. “The policy offers no response for businesses that increase pollution.”
No penalty for carbon polluters GRAHAM LLOYD THE AUSTRALIAN, 7 JAN 14 COMPANIES will not be punished if they fail to meet their carbon emissions targets under the Coalition’s Direct Action plan.
Instead, the government will introduce “flexible compliance arrangements”, some of which are more generous than those argued for by industry.
Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt told The Australian yesterday the Direct Action scheme, outlined in a green paper now open for comment, was not designed to be punitive. Continue reading
Dr Reese Halter spells it out on climate change
Earth’s New Normal: Wild Weather 2014, HUFFINGTON POST Dr. Reese Halter 01/04/2014 Each year in early January (2011, 2012, 2013) I have tallied a scorecard on the vicious effects of burning in excess of 85 million tons of carbon fuels daily on our planet. Irrespective of where you live the human-induced effects of global warming are irrefutable and deadly.
As humans ramp-up the destruction of nature in Australia, Canada, Indonesia and elsewhere to feed the insatiable coal and petroleum markets in China, India and the U.S. the amount of melting ice at both poles continues to erode at an astounding rate.
In the Northern Hemisphere less Arctic ice cover in September means that a warming Arctic Ocean is easily able to infuse its latent heat into the Arctic atmosphere. As this occurs an all-hell-break-loose scenario is felt elsewhere – particularly on the eastern half on the North American continent and in the U.K.
The Arctic is warming at least two times faster than the rest of our planet. It’s not just the loss of the white surface, which reflects solar radiation back to space and helps keep Earth at a habitable temperature range for our species that is a concern.
A warming Arctic Ocean of 1.8 degrees (F) has caused the upper atmosphere to change, dramatically. The polar jet stream is a powerful upper atmosphere, sinuous river of air, which normally hugs the North Pole tightly, but since it has been super-charged with Arctic Ocean heat it’s migrating with regularity – southward.
A meandering polar jet stream spells epic wild weather.A massive winter blizzard on January 3, 2014 throughout the Northeast dumped feet of snow with Arctic air spilling bone-chilling temperatures across at least half of the United States. On the Northern Plains, including Iowa, Minnesota, Dakotas and eastern Montana the mercury has plummeted with wind chills reaching in excess of -50 degrees (F)………
The meandering polar jet stream is wreaking havoc on the other side of the Atlantic in the U.K. where the Brits have been lashed and pummeled, again by walls of 30-foot waves in concert with king tides (the highest of the year) and colossal hailstones leaving a horrible wake of destruction including destroyed roads, rail lines and floods that with regularity are breaching the defenses. That destruction may be tame compared to the 50-foot waves predicted for Monday (January 6, 2014).
In the Southern Hemisphere, Australia is broiling and enveloped by yet another drought fraught with bushfires. 2013 was their hottest year ever recorded. At 2degrees (F) above the long-term average it easily surpassed 2005 as the hottest year.Every month in 2013 was 0.9 degree (F) above the normal dating back to the inception of continuous record keeping in 1910. Australia has experienced just one cooler than average year in the last decade — 2011.
Temperatures of 120 degrees (F) occurred January 2, 2014 in South Australia whilst New South Wales is enduring its worst-ever drought. And in tropical Queensland asweltering heat wave has temperatures there reaching 117 degrees (F). Elderly people with chronic illness, especially diabetes and obese people are at terrible risk. In addition, all pets left outside in these inferno-like temperatures stand little chance of survival.
While most North American early January (2014) temperatures resemble the inside of deep freezer – California, on the other hand, is warm and bone-dry. A high-pressure system has stalled over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean diverting the moisture carried by the jet stream northward toward British Columbia and Alaska………
Currently 85 percent of California is experiencing a severe drought; this is very serious because without water the nations leading agricultural producer at $16 billion annually (including the world’s largest almond crop at $3 billion, alone) is in dire straights. The drought is predicted to cost farmers at least $1 billion.
Clearly, the most precious substance on a warming Earth is its fresh water. Until we address our voracious addiction to coal and petroleum and allow innovation our best friend in the 21st century to guide us beyond the present crisis, we can expect more brutal wild weather with its massive price tag of devastation to continue.
Earth Dr Reese Halter is a broadcaster, biologist, educator and author of The Incomparable Honeybee. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-reese-halter/earths-new-normal-wild-we_b_4543416.html
Renewable energy performing well on Australian stock exchange
Australian CleanTech Index performance – Q2 Climate Spectator, John O’Brien 7 Jan 14, ACT Australian CleanTech Index outperformed both the S&P ASX200 and the S&P ASX Small Ordinaries for the month of December and over the second quarter of financial year 2014.
The ACT Australian CleanTech Index rose from 38.5 to 39.9 over December, recording a 3.6 per cent gain.
This compared to the S&P ASX200 gain of 0.6 per cent and the S&P ASX Small Ordinaries Index gain of 2.3 per cent.
The Australian CleanTech 20 had a slightly better performance with a gain of 4 per cent.
Over the second quarter of the 2014 fiscal year, the ACT Australian CleanTech Index significantly outperformed its benchmarks and recorded a healthy gain of 12.7 per cent, well ahead of the S&P ASX200 ‘s gain of 2.6 per cent and the S&P ASX Small Ordinaries’ 0.6 per cent loss.
Over the first half of the 2014 fiscal year, the ACT Australian CleanTech Index also significantly outperformed its benchmarks and recorded a gain of 28.9 per cent compared to the S&P ASX200’s gain of 11.4 per cent and the S&P ASX Small Ordinaries’ 12.8 per cent gain. The 12-month figures are also well ahead of the wider market with the returns for the ACT Australian CleanTech Index recording a 25 per cent gain, more than 10 per cent ahead of the S&P ASX200…….
Best and worst stocks
The best and worst performers in terms of share price performance over the month, and the second quarter and first half of the 2014 fiscal year are shown in the table below.
The month’s performance was driven by 10 companies with gains of more than 10 per cent………http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2014/1/7/renewable-energy/australian-cleantech-index-performance-%E2%80%93-q2
Renewable Energy Target (RET) makes good business sense
The RET and greedy grid owners Online opinion, By Luke Beattie Tuesday, 24 December 2013 We need a rethink on the motivating factors of renewable energy. On one side of the coin it’s the reduction of pollution produced by burning fossil fuels. On the other there’s a real and quantifiable cost reduction for businesses that are impacted most by rising energy costs…….
What’s emerged is a resilient and viable industry that isn’t reliant on Government incentives. A general population that can, for the most part, afford to buy a basic solar system to reduce cost of living pressures. But it doesn’t end there.
Many companies, including those in the manufacturing industry, have installed privately-funded solar systems in order to reduce their energy and also to hedge a portion of the cost of energy over the long term. These commercial solar systems do not place excessive pressure on the grid infrastructure. Many are non-exporting and are just used to manage their base load.
Regardless of the Prime Minister’s personal views on the science of climate change, it makes economic sense to encourage high energy consumers in the manufacturing industry to look at integrating renewable energy into their supply. Even China has recognised the value of renewables in industry and is well on track to achieving their goal of 15% renewable energy production by 2020. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from their commitment?……. Continue reading
Shimane Prefecture citizens seek law to phase out nuclear power
Citizens seek nuclear-free Shimanehttp://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/01/06/national/citizens-seek-nuclear-free-shimane/#.UsweM9JDt9U BY ERIC JOHNSTON STAFF WRITER Shimane Prefecture citizens seeking to enact a local ordinance that would phase out nuclear power and develop renewable energy sources have collected more than 92,000 signatures of support from registered voters, well over the minimum needed to force the governor to introduce the ordinance to the prefectural assembly.
The latest move is part of a series of attempts by citizens’ groups around the nation to pass anti-nuclear power ordinances, none of which has succeeded so far.
Kenji Nanki, a spokesman for the group pushing for the ordinance, said local governments are checking the signatures against their voter registration lists but will present them to Shimane Gov. Zenbei Mizoguchi in early February. The governor is then expected to bring the issue to the assembly.
The ordinance calls on Shimane to establish a plan of action for getting out of nuclear power by an unspecified date, to up the use of natural and renewable energy sources, and to establish a committee to develop a concrete policy for that purpose.Chugoku Electric Power Co.’s Shimane nuclear plant, in Matsue, has two reactors. About 469,000 people in Shimane and Tottori prefectures live within 30 km of the plant. Last month, Chugoku Electric formally asked the Nuclear Regulation Authority to inspect reactor 2 to determine whether it meets new safety standards established last year.
Reactor 2 was built in 1989, making it one of Japan’s newer reactors. Shimane’s reactor 1, on the other hand, turns 40 years old this year and its future is uncertain.
Strong case for electricity minigrids, especially for rural areas
Why mini-grids?
Mini-grids — powered purely by renewable energy or hybridized for reliability with diesel generators — can be deployed faster than a centralized grid, have the flexibility to upgrade capacity to meet a community’s increased energy demands and can interface with the national grid when and if it reaches the area. Why wait years or decades for the national grid to arrive when the same level of electricity can be provided within a few months?
Rural Energy Access: The Case for Renewable Energy Mini-Grids http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evan-scandling/rural-energy-access-mini-grids_b_4549777.html
Evan Scandling, 6 Jan 14 Head of Communications, Sunlabob Two of the heaviest hitters within the international development world — the United Nations and the World Bank — recently came together to underscore their efforts to activate financing dedicated to delivering modern energy access by 2030 to the 1 in 5 people globally currently living without electricity.
World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim made it clear that an additional $600-$800 billion a year between now and 2030 will be needed from government, international agencies, civil society and the private sector to achieve universal electrification, as well as double renewable energy adoption and energy efficiency.
What hasn’t yet been made clear is how that financing will be targeted. Historically, donor aid and financing has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on energy infrastructure — but oftentimes the rural poor don’t reap the benefits. Only 8 percent of the World Bank’s energy financing in 2012 targeted the poor.
Emphasizing decentralized energy
Given that the majority of the 1.4 billion people without electricity live in rural, dispersed communities, it would be wise for the international development community to mobilize energy access strategies that reflect this reality by supporting off-grid renewable energy.
In fact, if universal electrification has a chance to be achieved, 55 percent of all new power between now and 2030 must come from decentralized energy sources with 90 percent of it being renewable, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). According to the IEA, the lion’s share of all new power generation (42 percent) will need to come from mini-grid systems if universal electrification is to be reached by 2030. It’s clear: Renewable energy-based mini-grids stand at the top of the list of how electrification in the developing world can best be targeted. Continue reading
In USA solar energy popular, nuclear energy unpopular
Solar Popularity Regains Ground In The USA, Renewable Energy News, 7 Jan 14 Solar power has gained more ground in terms of positive perceptions in the US public according to a recent survey; whereas nuclear energy has lost a substantial amount of acceptance.
The Navigant Research survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults found 79% of respondents favoured the concept of solar energy, followed by wind energy at 72%.
Solar’s result was a substantial improvement on 2012 – up from 69%. Wind also saw gains, up from 66%.
Nuclear energy scored poorly, with just 32% of respondents noting a favourable or very favourable impression of the technology, down from 41% in 2012. The number of people with an unfavourable or very unfavourable view of nuclear power climbed from 20% to 32%……
Japanese car imports screened for radioactive contamination
Radiation concern bars Japanese car shipment http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and-reviews/car-news/radiation_concern_bars_japanese_car_shipment_81142_20140107 By Karla Pincott Carsguide 07 January 2014 Russia turns away load of contaminated Japanese imports.
In a move that could sound an alarm to ‘grey import’ car fans, a shipment of 132 used Japanese cars has been barred from entering Russia over radioactive contamination concerns nearly three years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was crippled in March 2011.
Russia’s consumer watchdog authority, Rospotrebnadzor, announced the cars was just one of 165 shipments of radiation polluted goods — including previous shipments of cars and car parts — that have been denied entry to the country’s ports. Despite the amount of time that has passed, the consumer agency said there was still serious concern about the continuing contaminated water leaks from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant, which failed after an earthquake-generated tsunami smashed into the facility, 250km from Tokyo and close to several car factories.The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), did not confirm until July 2013 that tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from Fukushima. Much of the contaminated water reached the Pacific Ocean, and Russia and its neighbours are also inspecting every shipment of fish and other foods from Japan, which are prohibited from entry unless officially cleared by radiation checks.
Shipments of cars from Japan into Australia following the Fukushima failure have been inspected by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, with the first testing conducted on 800 cars carried here on the Trans Future 7 in July 2011.
Particular attention has been paid to used ‘grey import’ vehicles that may not have undergone the strict testing applied by new-car manufacturers in Japan to ensure radiation levels are lower than the limit recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 