How to lie about nuclear power funding and still sound “ethical”
In this month of focus on lies and secrets, we might ponder what Westpac Bank actually does mean when it promises to favour “clean” energy projects.
In the USA, the word “clean” is routinely applied to nuclear power. In China, even the word “renewable” is applied to nuclear power. We regularly hear of “green” nuclear power, along with other amazing lies like “cheap”.
Most (not all) of Australia’s “ethical” investments fund any uranium mining that is not specified as intended for nuclear weapons – in other words, they fund any uranium mining – and still call themselves “ethical”
Exposing the the LIES of the NUCLEAR LOBBY – October theme
An important nuclear lie is that we’ll need nuclear power to fuel electric cars, and that renewable energy can’t do it.
In fact, electric car batteries can be charged in a variety of ways.
Charging stations can get renewable power from the main grid, or directly from an array of solar panels above the charging station.
As costs come down, and batteries and car designs have improved, good serviceable cars, able to go 100 Km without recharge, are coming at a reasonable price, particularly taking into account the long-term saving in fuel costs.
Today’s batteries last for decades, in fact, for the life of the car itself, thus eliminating the cost of replacing them.
Renewable energy is ideal for electric cars. Over 70% of car travel in Australia involves shorter trips around towns. The Renewable energy car can be ‘topped up’ overnight, in the garage. Its battery stores the renewable energy, for use in daytime – there’s no “baseload power problem” – ( the nuclear lobby would claim ‘baseload” as a problem for electric cars.)
Solutions for the transition period: –
1. hybrid cars having both petrol and electric power
2. people can have solar-powered cars for normal town and city driving, with the second petrol-fuelled car for very long trips.
Aliens spying on nuclear plants? Do you believe it?
Well, I don’t. But I wouldn’t rule out unidentified spying objects – could be the USA and UK spying on each other, for all I know. As for Australia – same thing, military spycraft reported in Northern Territory could look like alien spacecraft.
Aliens have deactivated British and US nuclear missiles, say US military pilots Telegraph By Andy Bloxham 28 Sept, Aliens have landed, infiltrated British nuclear missile sites and deactivated the weapons, according to US military pilots. Continue reading
The Australian government wants to overrule Northern Territory on nuclear waste dump
The Australian government debates the ACT’s Euthanasia bill. The debate seems to be all about euthanasia. But actually – not so. This debate is about the rights of the ACT”s democratic government to make its laws – or whether the Federal government can overrule them.
This looks like a precursor to the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill, where the same issue will arise, regarding the Northern Territory. Perhaps that’s why we can expect that the Australian Government will not weaken on its over-riding of the ACT’s Euthanasia law.
If the y did weaken, well it might set a precedent that would inconvenience the nuclear/uranium lobby
Be wary on Silex nuclear company’s solar credentials
I see Silex in the news, below, as a contender for building Victoria’s solar plant. I don’t know if they are connected to TRUenergy. Silex makes the controversial, rather dangerous laser technology for uranium enrichment.
Australian uranium enrichment group Silex Systems’ subsidiary, SilexSolar, spotted the bargain and managed to purchase the plant from BP Solar in 2009
RBS Morgans analyst Scott Power says solar accounts for less than 10 per cent of the firm’s Silex valuation. – Christina Macpherson 22 Sept 10
Coal and nuclear lobbies at odds now?
For decades the fossil fuel lobby has been using their very effective tactic of “sowing doubt” about global warming and climate change. It has worked well for them – to “Divide and Conquer” public opinion.
Now – it could be their undoing. Their plan was surely to keep coal going until a smooth transition to nuclear.
Well – it hasn’t worked. While the fossil fuel lobby tries to discredit global warming, their previous ally, the nuclear lobby, now says that human-caused climate change is real!
“Divide and Conquer” now seems to be working against these lobbies, as their own doubts rebound against them.
Meanwhile – reality is coming home to the nuclear/uranium lobby – as the nuclear industry stalls in USA, UK, Germany, France, India, .. The more experience a country has had with nuclear technology, the more opposition arises to it.
The plot thickens in promotion of Olympic Dam Uranium Mine
Last month the Australian government set up a Mines Tax policy team. It is led by Don Argus, former chairman of uranium miner BHP Billiton. Other members are former uranium company Rio Tinto executive David Klingner, Erica Smyth, chairman of uranium explorer Toro Energy.
So, Australia’s mining tax policy is guided by uranium mining representatives.
And now, in a bold statement in facvour of a carbon tax, BHP Billiton’s Chief Executice officer Marius Kloppers sets the scene for BHP to increase its influence over Australia’s government.
It all sounds so good. But note that, in supporting action on Climate change, Kloppers promotes “alternative” energies to take over from coal.
I’ll bet that “alternative” will turn out to be one of those words like “renewable” and “clean” that are applied to nuclear power. And all in such good timing, as BHP Billiton is desperate to get its Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion happening.
Just a step to the Right – Australia’s new govt on environment
It’s a bit of a worry. No Education Ministry for Australia -( it’s as if education is just about training kids for jobs – not about an informed, creative minded society in all age groups). As for Environment, – tucked away in a new portfolio (Sustainable Population, Communities, Environment and Water) under Tony Burke. He could be good – we don’t yet know.
Meanwhile, higher in the Ministerial food chain, are Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources and Energy and Greg Combet, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Combet was a coal engineer, degrees in mining engineering and economics.
Lurking in the wings, Bill Shorten, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, a leader of the putsch that elevated Julia Gillard, and an ardent pro-nuclear advocate. – Christina Macpherson
Australia waits for political action on energy future
Like many Australians, I am fed up with this ridiculous election. As I write, we all wait for the three Independents to decide on which political party will form government today.
At least, the Independents have surprised us in areas such as support for renewable energy, and climate change action.
With the success of the Greens in the election, some hope for action appears –
perhaps not until July 2011, when the nine Greens will take their places in the Senate.
One wonders how much harm the nuclear/fossil fuel lobby can achieve through their servant parties, before July 2011
Australia’s future economy – non nuclear, non uranium – theme for September
It’s time for Australia to see through the nuclear hype, and move towards 21st Century industries that have a real future.
Australia’s ‘resources boom’ cannot last indefinitely, and already threatens this country with an imbalance of industries. Australia needs to foster its more permanent industries – they will still be there when the mining quarries are emptied.
Mineral exports are at present a large contributor to the Australian economy, but there is no reliance on uranium, which is only a modest contributor.
Australia pioneered renewable energy technologies, and could lead again in these industries.
Meanwhile uranium mining and nuclear waste are negatives for Australia’s tourism industry, Australia’s agriculture, and our precious fresh water and groundwater.
It’s time to promote Australia as a clever, forward-looking society, and to see through the lobbying of desperate corporations and their propaganda for the ailing, aging, out-dated nuclear industry.
Energy efficiency and renewable technologies can combine beautifully with Australia’s needs to conserve water, promote agriculture, and to adapt to climate change, which is already happening in Australia.
For example – drought areas offer the potential for solar farms. Australia’s hot weather makes decentralised solar power a very economic option for homes, farms, schools, small and large businesses
Uranium and nuclear economics – theme for September
Uranium is not even a good financial investment for Australians.
The nuclear energy business is teetering, world-wide, as nuclear reactors reach their closing date faster than new ones are built, and as nuclear building and nuclear waste costs escalate.
In Australia, uranium mining companies scramble on the gamble of China and other Asian and Middle Eastern countries “going nuclear”.
Meanwhile old nuclear weapons fuel combines with the worldwide glut of uranium, to make Australia’s uranium future look gloomy.
Strangely, uranium explorers crawl all over the country, in some sort of act of religious faith in an industry that is clearly failing. USA, UK, France, India all see their nuclear power industry stalling.
The great hope seems to be China – with a touching faith that the Chinese won’t wake up to the financial and environmental disaster that is nuclear power.
In the last quarter, despite the general ‘resource boom’, earnings for Australia’s uranium dropped 24%
Looking far beyond Australia’s muddled election
The nuclear industry banks on a world that continues on a path of ever more consumption of material “goods” and of energy. The “consumer society” with its rampant materialism will inevitably end, one way or another. There’s a hope that the change will be made in a co-operative, careful way, by human societies. – rather than by a ecological crash, or nuclear war.
Sometimes the ?corny words of songs come to mind – “you gotta have a dream, if you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” – or John Lennon’s “You make think I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one”.
In the sorry mess of Australia’s election, the national swing to the Greens shows the hope of so many Australian for a more intelligent style of politics, and a movement towards caring for the planet. – Christina Macpherson 28 Aug 2010
Australia’s ABC tries hard to get the news out, including nuclear
I just want to dissociate myself and this website from the criticism of the ABC in the otherwise most worthy item below. Far from being “spineless and irresponsible” , Australia’s ABC is most often the only news media that covers controversial issues, especially in the uranium and nuclear area.
The ABC is obligated to cover news and opinion fully, including the conservative and right-wing views. It does this, yet still gets flak for its supposed “left-wing bias”. Yet research studies in recent times have shown that this bias does not exist.
By the ABC’s coverage of for example, pro-nuclear, pro-uranium views, it is enabled to also cover the anti-nuclear ones – and with credibility. Christina Macpherson, 25 Aug 2010
Australian Election -That Green Light on the Hill
Media commentators focus on the overall national swing against Labor, in the Australian election results.
But what about that other equally big, equally national, swing – towards the Greens?
I note that some mainstream media are describing the elected Greens as “extremists”, and as “completely irrational”.
But a swing to the Greens, across Australia, and the prospect of 9 Greens Senators – it’s hard to write off such a sizeable representation of the Australian public as “extremists” and “irrational”
In the more positive article, Paul Strangio’s ”post-materialist cosmopolitans” is mentioned, as the constituency for new Greens MP Richard di Natale. These people represent a growing new breed in Western culture – progressive, broad-minded, ready to lead a satisfying lifestyle with fewer material things, and less energy use.
It’s unfortunate that the newly elected Senators will not take their places until July 2011. This means that Australians will need to be aware of their politicians rushing bad laws through between now and then – Christina Macpherson 23 Aug 2010
Only the Greens dared mention nuclear issues
Australians watched in amazement and amusement, as the media and election campaigns focused on personalities, buzz words, mantras – “going forward” “real action”. If possible – anything but policies, it would seem.
Focus groups, daily opinion polls, and good old spin – these were the factors driving Australia’s ever dumber election campaigns by the major parties.
Some real policies got a mention, – seemingly in inverse relationship to their importance.
What got little mention is Global Warming, Climate Change.
What got no mention at all- the nuclear issue.
It must have come as a shock to Australia’s major political parties to realise that The Greens do have leaders of vision – Bob Brown, and Christine Milne. These leaders do have clear policies on Climate Change, uranium mining, and nuclear power.
1 This month
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PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
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