Uranium dust, an unmentionable radioactive fact
The dust that dare not speak its name WA Today September 30, 2009 Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, Elizabeth Farrelly “…………………For us, as for most of the world, central Australia might as well not exist. It is almost a paradigm of unthinkability. It’s Timbuktu. That’s why we do things like nuclear testing there. It’s why BHP Billiton’s proposal to turn the Olympic Dam uranium mine into an open-cut operation is even contemplated for approval. Because it’s there, not here. Or was there – until, like Burnham Wood, it came here.
Open-cut uranium mining? It’s a gash a kilometre deep, churning 410 million tonnes of radioactive dirt per annum, “dewatering” the local aquifers, using 253 megalitres of water a day. No wonder the locals call them water thieves.
Of course, BHP’s environmental impact statement devotes a couple of pars to dust management. BHP proposes water trucks – like the ones they spray roads with. And they’ll monitor airborne particulates at nearby Hiltaba Village (so small even Google Maps can’t find it) and the thriving metropolis of Roxby Downs. That’ll do it.
A possibility the EIS doesn’t contemplate, however, is that several thousand tonnes of the stuff might reach the Opera House, or even Mount Egmont, where it lay so thick people thought their cars had rusted overnight. Where even New Zealand rains couldn’t wash it away…………….What goes around, comes around.
Australia’s renewable energy policy in a mess
Solar sector held back by foggy energy policy THE AUSTRALIAN Giles Parksinson | September 28, 2009 WHEN Kevin Rudd returns to Australia to translate the grand rhetoric of the international stage into action on the domestic front, he could start by trying to sort out the mess and the confusion in the country’s solar ambitions. Continue reading
BHPB not publicly discussing Olympic Dam’s radioactive dust danger
FILMMAKER DAVID BRADBURY: RED DUST DUMP ORIGINATING AT WOOMERA IS GRAVE CONCERN FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
September 25, 2009 by Coober Pedy Regional Times“…….70 million tonnes of radioactive tailings to be dumped at the Roxby mine site each year without evidence of dust control is cause for concern”, says David Bradbury.. Continue reading
Online Solar and Energy Efficiency Forum for Scientists and Community
Energy Matters Launches Australian Solar Power Online Forums
Melbourne, Victoria, September 25, 2009. Energy Matters, a national provider of solar power solutions for home, business and community groups has launched an online community to cater to supporters of solar power and other forms of renewable energy in Australia. Continue reading
Wake up Australia, and New Zealand, to the radioactive dust danger!
Regarding BHP Billiton’s planned expansion of Olympic Dam uranium mine, South Australia’s minister for resources, Mr Holloway says “radioactive dust obviously could be a problem but the issue is able to be resolved”
You gotta laugh. The dust “could” be a problem? Dust already is a problem . The planned open cut mine will be – I’ve forgotten how many kilometres wide, and is it 1 or 3 kilometres deep, – with an equally vast amount of tailings, a mountain of radioactive dust ready for blowing in the wind.
And this issue is “able to be resolved”? Just how?. Well, it might be resolved in the way that the radioactive rain to Australia’s East coast, from the French Pacific nuclear testing in the 1970’s was resolved. Professor Ernest Titterton came up with the bright idea – just stop testing the rain for radioactivity. That could be the answer.
More dust storms predicted, may carry radiation
Dust storm born out of flooding rains
ABC Science 23 September 2009 Darren Osborne
“………………..with climate change set to bring more variability, Australia may experience more large scale dust storms in the future. Continue reading
Australia’s plan to resolve climate issue
Australia moves to resolve climate issue
9 News Sep 21 200 A proposal to resolve thorny climate change issues dividing developed and developing nations is being proposed by Australia in the lead up to the Copenhagen summit in December.
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong will reveal that Australia has been working on a proposed legal structure that could appease developing nations unwilling or unable to commit to economy-wide targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The issue has been a key point of difference, and a sensitive one, in addition to talks on just how much richer nations should pay to help poorer nations adjust to the huge changes required to reduce carbon pollution.
In a speech to the New York University School of Law on Monday (NY time), Senator Wong will tell students the proposed structure would allow nations to choose how they’ll reduce emissions instead of imposing a set of economy-wide targets that must be met by all countries………….Nations would be able to choose from a series of legally-binding schedules that could include renewable energy targets, a technology standard or a target to reduce deforestation, submitting a schedule before December……………..
“Developed countries would be expected to record an ambitious economy-wide emissions reduction target.
“For developing countries, taking on international mitigation obligations for the first time is a big deal – but the flexibilities in schedules are designed to give them greater comfort.”
For example, Australia’s national schedule would include an economy-wide target to reduce emissions by up to 25 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020, the legislated carbon pollution reduction scheme and the renewable energy target.
Clean coal stealing funds from renewables
Clean coal funds are robbing renewable energy
COAL MINING 16 September 2009 a2a_linkname=document.title;a2a_linkurl=location.href;CAPRICORN Conservation Council vice-president Ian Herbert says money spent on clean coal should be funding renewable energy technology.
Clean coal technology is an umbrella term used to describe technologies being developed that aim to reduce the environmental impact of coal energy generation such as carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Herbert claims clean coal is still unproved and Australia would be far more advanced if the funds were spent on developing renewable energy sources.
The representative says even if clean coal is proven, workable clean coal technology is still at least 20 years off.
Solar power’s bright new prospects
World wakes to new dawn for solar power
The Age PADDY MANNING September 19, 2009
WHEN Lindsay Tanner says greenies are ”obsessed” with solar energy, he’s right. And it’s obvious why.Clean coal is a myth. Nuclear has radioactive waste and security issues and (read Helen Caldicott) it’s not as efficient as they say. Continue reading
Australian protest against coal
Aussie Activists Target World’s Most-Polluting Coal Plant
solve climate by Leigh Ewbank – Sep 11th, 2009Hundreds of climate activists are descending on Australia’s Latrobe Valley this weekend with a message for the owner of the most-polluting coal-fired power plant in the industrialized world: Continue reading
Labor and Liberal pander to polluting industries
Polluters win no matter who is in power
The Age Kenneth Davidson * August 31, 2009 *Labor’s policies to tackle climate change pander to big business.
“………….This Liberal/Labor policy bipartisanship is most clearly on display in measures to deal with global warming. Continue reading
Australia targets 20% renewable energy by 2020
Australia targets 20% renewable energy by 2020
Google News (AFP) – 20 August 09
SYDNEY — Australia on Thursday passed a clean energy law requiring the country to produce 20 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020 in move that could draw billions of dollars of green investment. Continue reading
Renewable energy stocks rise, and Australia to pass renewables legislation
Green companies get wind in their sails
August 17, 2009
CLEAN chip stocks outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 by 7.6 per cent in the first half of this year, showing companies focused on climate change solutions are capable of earning superior returns, according to analysis from The Climate Institute.
Over three years, clean indices recorded returns 47 per cent greater than the benchmark index, according to findings from The Climate Institute study.
The analysis combined three clean technology indices; the RepuTex Carbon Leaders Index Series, the RepuTex Climate Change Index Series and Bakers Investment Groups ALTEX Australia Index and compared them with the Standard and Poors ASX 200 index.
The findings came as Climate Change Minister Penny Wong yesterday announced the Federal Government had bowed to pressure and would decouple the Renewable Energy Target Bill from the emissions trading legislation rejected in the Senate on Thursday.
The RET Bill is now widely expected to be passed this week, paving the way for more than $28 billion of investment in a clean energy sector, expected to help the economy draw 20 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, by 2020.
Exposing nuclear hype about global warming
Nuclear instability
ON LINE opinion By Helen Caldicott, 14 August 2009
Australia seems determined to lead the way to an unstable world which could result in two very different outcomes – global warming or nuclear winter. We burn and export coal in massive amounts producing more CO2 per capita than any other country and we are about to become one of the world’s major uranium exporters. Continue reading
Australia’s carbon scheme to boost markets
Carbon scheme to boost markets
Giles Parkinson | August 10, 2009Article from: The Australian“……………..Lagging behind in renewables
WITH the federal government’s Renewable Energy Target also facing a standstill in the Senate, there are growing concerns in the local renewable energy industry that the country is being left behind.There are billions of dollars of projects currently on hold, and while the government says it wants to be a leader in renewable technologies, other countries are marching ahead.China has recently upgraded its renewable energy target from 15 per cent to 20 per cent by 2020, which will translate to around 150 gigawatts of wind power, 20GW of solar power and 30GW of biomass power.India joined the push towards solar last week, announcing plans to install 20GW of solar capacity by 2020 — its reliance on an equivalent amount of diesel-sourced power means solar will be cost-competitive — with a grand plan to lift that to 200GW of solar by 2050.
“Everyone wants to be world leader,” says Ray Wills, head of the WA Sustainable Energy Association. “Other developed and developing nations are moving aggressively to develop their lesser renewable energy resources while Australia — with the world’s best resources — is lagging behind.”
In the US, the amount produced by renewable energy sources (11.1 per cent) has overtaken that of nuclear power (10.4 per cent), according to the latest data from the US Energy Information Administration.Professor Wills notes that $US155 billion was invested directly into clean-energy companies and projects worldwide in 2008, and total transactions in the sector, including acquisitions and buyouts, were $US223 billion. Precious little of that occurred in Australia.
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