Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Only the Greens up to date on low carbon economy

Head-in-the-sand economics Business Spectator, Giles Parkinson 13 Oct 09 “……….Unlike the other domestic political parties who are bickering over a scheme that will have minimal environmental impact, only the Greens are proposing a scheme that seeks to meet the demand of the science. Continue reading →

October 13, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, politics | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Family car – solar-powered, fast and low-energy

Solar car ‘uses less power than a toaster’ Brisbane Times KELLY LANE

October 8, 2009

It’s lean, green and can run on less energy than it takes to power the family toaster. Continue reading →

October 8, 2009 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, Queensland | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kevin Rudd should come clean on renewable energy

Editorial: Reserve Bank eases the accelerator

Adelaide Now 7 Oct 09 Dim prospects for sun power GOING green and embracing alternative energy is one of the standards the Federal Government has been flagging furiously since its first day in office. Continue reading →

October 7, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , | Leave a comment

Fine depleted uranium travels far in winds

Australia ‘uranium’ dust concerns
muzzylogic  Oct 3, 2009 ‘Environmentalists have raised concerns that another giant dust storm blowing its way across eastern Australia may contain radioactive particles. Continue reading →

October 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, environment, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gas beats nuclear, and it’s a good transition to renewables

a-cat-CAN

I realise that I am out of step with many environmentalists, but I am a fan of gas as an energy source. We cannot just shut down all our big fossil fuel industries. Nuclear power just adds damage and danger, along with its greenhouse gases. Continue reading →

October 2, 2009 Posted by | Christina reviews, climate change - global warming, Victoria | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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.

The dust that dare not speak its name

September 30, 2009 Posted by | 1, climate change - global warming, environment, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 →

September 28, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , | Leave a comment

BHPB not publicly discussing Olympic Dam’s radioactive dust danger

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 →

September 26, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, environment, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

September 26, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wake up Australia, and New Zealand, to the radioactive dust danger!

a-cat-CANRegarding 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.

September 25, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, environment, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

September 24, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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.

Australia moves to resolve climate issue

September 20, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming | , , , | Leave a comment

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.

Clean coal funds are robbing renewable energy – Coal Mining

September 19, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, business, climate change - global warming | , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

September 19, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australian protest against coal

protest

Aussie Activists Target World’s Most-Polluting Coal Plant
solve climate by Leigh Ewbank – Sep 11th, 2009

Hundreds 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 →

September 12, 2009 Posted by | 1, climate change - global warming, uranium, Victoria | , , , , , | Leave a comment