Date      Sunday, 28 September 2008 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - Palin's Big Oil infatuation from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. I was water-skiing with my children in a light drizzle off Hyannis, Mass., last month when a sudden, fierce storm plunged us into a melee of towering waves, raking rain, painful hail and midday darkness broken by blinding flashes of lightning. Sunday, 28 September 2008 The fineprint on the headstone from ABC News (Australia) Can you imagine what would happen if Australian scientists discovered 100 new species of whales and dolphins in our seas? The wires would be buzzing with the news. It's not whales and dolphins that have been under the scrutiny of the scientists, but those more ancient and mysterious ocean predators, sharks and their close relatives, rays. Sunday, 28 September 2008 Cuddle power nurtures little minds from fairfax PARENTS need to be reminded to kiss, cuddle and talk to their babies to help prevent children growing up with developmental delays and emotional disorders, the NSW Government said. A handout being distributed through child and maternal health services warns infants who are rarely spoken to, receive limited physical affection and have little opportunity to play and explore their environment may not fully develop the brain connections and pathways needed to learn.< Monday, 22 September 2008 How Qld could save 350,000 mega litres of water every year from Sunirmalya Symons - Enviro Society of Australia Every year the average Brisbane house receives about 200 thousand litres of rain every year, most of which is piped to the ocean in storm runoff. Over 200 thousand litres is then pumped to the same house from central dams sometimes hundreds of kilometres away, only to be used and over 150,000 litres of sewage is once more pumped out to the ocean.< Wednesday, 17 September 2008 Old Growth Forests Are Valuable Carbon Sinks from Nature Contrary to 40 years of conventional wisdom, a new analysis published in the journal Nature suggests that old growth forests are usually "carbon sinks" - they continue to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and mitigate climate change for centuries.< Wednesday, 17 September 2008 Sorting the hot air from carbon offsets from Fairfax WHEN you have changed all the light bulbs, turned off all the appliances, sold the car, bought a bicycle and transferred to GreenPower, it may seem hard to reduce that carbon footprint even further. This is where carbon offsets come in. Wednesday, 17 September 2008 Throw out the chemicals - an interview with Deni Hines from Fairfax Carla Grossetti talks to the entertainer Deni Hines about her passions and guilts. Advertisement Q. Deni, as a committed environmentalist, what are you most passionate about protecting when it comes to the planet? A. Wednesday, 10 September 2008 Choosing a more ethical way to eat from Fairfax Some think vegetarianism a lifestyle choice but one author says there are good environmental reasons for it, writes Sherrill Nixon. At 16 Angela Crocombe chose to stop eating red meat because she was an animal lover. Wednesday, 10 September 2008 New Incident at French Nuclear Plant from Reuters A security incident has occurred at a French nuclear site already under scrutiny because of a series of safety scares over the summer, France's ASN nuclear safety authority said on Monday. ASN said two fuel units became snagged in a reactor at Tricastin in southern France on Monday morning when site workers were attempting to remove them during maintenance work.< Wednesday, 10 September 2008 Australia Troops Bring Toad Pest to East Timor - NGO from Fairfax Australia's military was accused on Tuesday of opening the gates to an invasion force of cane toad pests when it led international peacekeepers into East Timor to end a pro-Indonesia militia slaughter there in 1999.< Saturday, 30 August 2008 Putin accuses U.S. of orchestrating Georgian war from CNN Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of orchestrating the conflict in Georgia to benefit one of its presidential election candidates. In an interview in the Black Sea city of Sochi on Thursday, Putin said the U.S Wednesday, 27 August 2008 Bligh says no to north Qld shale project from Fairfax w Wednesday, 27 August 2008 Volunteers knock on 1 millions doors for peace from World Peace Society of Australia On September 20, peace activists in the US will mobilize to knock on a million doors in communities across the country. Our mission is to ask our friends and neighbors to contact Congress to bring about a swift and responsible end to U.S Wednesday, 27 August 2008 Technology That Outthinks Us: A Partner or a Master? from NY Times In Vernor Vinges version of Southern California in 2025, there is a school named Fairmont High with the motto, Trying hard not to become obsolete. It may not sound inspiring, but to the many fans of Dr. Wednesday, 20 August 2008 Solar scientist wins Eureka's top gong from Fairfax Nail polish and pizza ovens will help provide cheap, clean energy to the world's poor if Nicole Kuepper has her way. The young PhD student's MacGuyver-like efforts to create a revolutionary solar cell using everyday items has won two Australian Museum Eureka Prizes - the nation's top science awards.< Wednesday, 20 August 2008 Beijing Enjoys Best Air in Decade, Vows to Banish Smog from Reuters Olympic host Beijing enjoyed its cleanest air in 10 years this month and will adopt strict new measures to ensure its notorious smog does not return, a top environment official said on Tuesday. Over the past 18 days, air quality in the capital ranged between excellent and fairly good on China's index, Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, told reporters.< Wednesday, 20 August 2008 Google Puts US$10 Mln into New Geothermal Technology from Reuters Google Inc Tuesday said it would invest more than US$10 million in an emerging geothermal energy technology as part of its effort to lower the cost of electricity from renewable sources. Google's philanthropic arm, Google.o Thursday, 14 August 2008 China ventures into carbon capture with Australia from CSIRO China and Australia will test a post-combustion capture (PCC) pilot plant in Beijing as part of a plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions from thermal power stations. The plant, officially announced last week (31 July), is a collaboration between the China HuaNeng Group, the country's largest power producer, and Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).< Thursday, 14 August 2008 Students Clean Creek from fairfax FOUR year 7 students from Liverpool Boys High School are taking their environmental message all the way to their local council. John Huynh, Ahmad Alrifai, Noureddine Chamma and Haany El-Hajje, all 12, have created a multimedia presentation documenting the pollution and litter in their local creek.< Friday, 1 August 2008 Staff Urged to Dress Down, Stay Cool as UN Heats Up from reuters The United Nations is encouraging its New York staff to trade wool business suits for cooler attire this summer so the organization can slash air conditioning costs and help the environment. "There is going to be a relaxing of the dress protocols and people are being encouraged to wear lighter clothing," said US architect Michael Adlerstein, who is overseeing a US$1.8 Sunday, 27 July 2008 India seeks price band to regulate oil prices from the Hindu India has urged oil-producing and consuming countries to evolve a mechanism that would regulate oil prices, by allowing them to fluctuate within a fixed range. Speaking at a meeting of oil-producing and consuming countries in Saudi Arabia’s port city of Jeddah, Finance Minister P. Saturday, 26 July 2008 California Is First State to Ban Trans Fats from New York Times California became the first state in the nation to place a ban on trans fats in restaurants and retail baked goods Friday when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill to phase out their use over the next few years. Friday, 25 July 2008 Microloans Pay Off for Planet, Investors from Worldwatch Institute The number of "microborrowers" worldwide-people participating in the rapidly growing field of microfinance-increased by 17 percent in 2006, benefiting both communities and the environment, according to the latest Vital Signs Update released by the Worldwatch Institute.< Tuesday, 22 July 2008 New solar thermal plant buoys Spanish investors from reuters Spain's Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian buoyed hopes in the country's solar power industry on Monday just days after announcing a dramatic cut in subsidies. Madrid last week announced plans to cut by almost 90 percent its subsidies for solar photovoltaic (PV) power after a stampede for support left Madrid with a multi-billion euro liability.< Tuesday, 22 July 2008 Plan to bury climate-warming carbon unveiled from reuters The United States unveiled plans on Tuesday to bury climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions deep underground to keep the greenhouse gas from further heating up the atmosphere. The burial process, known as carbon capture and storage or geologic sequestration, has long been part of the Bush administration's strategy to combat climate change without imposing any economy-wide limit on carbon emissions.< Wednesday, 16 July 2008 Australia Considers First New Coal Port for 25 Yrs from reuters Australia, the world's biggest per-head greenhouse-gas polluter, is considering its first new coal export port for 25 years, despite official efforts to curb coal-fired carbon emissions to fight climate warming. Wednesday, 16 July 2008 Blackstone to Fund 1 Bln Euro German Wind Farm from reuters Blackstone Group LP will invest in a 1 billion euro (US$1.6 billion) project to build and manage a German offshore wind farm capable of powering half a million homes, the US-based private equity firm said. Wednesday, 16 July 2008 Chrysler Aims to Have Electric Cars in 3-5 Years from reuters Chrysler LLC is planning to launch all-electric vehicles in the next three to five years, the latest automaker to join the race to produce cars with fuel-saving technologies. Chrysler's new Envi unit, which was created last September, is developing vehicles that are intended to run on battery power alone for about 40 miles (64 km), Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said on Monday. Wednesday, 16 July 2008 Antarctic Ice Shelf Collapse 'Imminent' from the independent UK Scientists are warning that an Antarctic ice shelf the size of Northern Ireland is on the verge of disintegration, even though it is now the middle of the southern hemisphere's winter. The European Space Agency says new satellite pictures show that the Wilkins shelf – the largest to be threatened so far – is "hanging by its last thread". Friday, 4 July 2008 State workers in Utah shifting to 4-day week from USA Today Utah this summer will become what experts say is the first state to institute a mandatory four-day work week for most state employees, joining local governments across the nation that are altering schedules to save money, energy and resources.< Friday, 4 July 2008 Victoria throws money down the coal drain from Fairfax AS AUSTRALIA'S climate change adviser, Ross Garnaut, finalises his draft report, Victoria has committed $50 million to a new coal-fired power station in what environment groups describe as a backward and financially risky step.< Thursday, 19 June 2008 'Fix oil prices' - world peace group demands from World Peace Society of Australia Forget the world economy, according to the World Peace Society of Australia, there is no greater threat to world peace than the price of oil. “Whilst world oil prices keep rising so manically,” says Sunirmalya Symons from the society, “there is only one possible outcome, more wars and more extreme wars. Sunday, 15 June 2008 UK Government Offers Farmers Cash For Biomass For Heat And Energy Generation from Triple Pundit UK farmers and businesses producing biomass that can be used for fuel and electricity creation can apply for government grants of up to GBP200,000. By paying farmers for various types of wood, grass, straw and dead forest wood, the UK government hopes to raise electricity derived from biomass supply to 6% by 2020, up from 3.5 Sunday, 15 June 2008 Road pollution blamed for higher allergy risk in kids from American Thoracic Society New evidence blames traffic-related pollution for increasing the risk of allergy and atopic diseases among children by more than fifty percent. What's more, the closer children live to roads, the higher their risk.< Sunday, 15 June 2008 Require a chemical to be safe? - Daah!!! from washington post Europe this month rolled out new restrictions on makers of chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems, changes that are forcing U.S. industries to find new ways to produce a wide range of everyday products.< Saturday, 14 June 2008 Petrol cost not the only consideration from fairfax JACQUI McCANN is happy with her hybrid car. Not only is it better for the environment, but it is saving her money. Ms McCann, a human resources manager, commutes between Caringbah and Banksmeadow and spends just $45 a month on petrol to fill her Toyota Prius.< Wednesday, 11 June 2008 Toyota Australia to Build 10,000 Camry Hybrids/Year from reuters Toyota Motor Corp will start assembling its Camry hybrid cars in Australia in early 2010 and aim to produce 10,000 of them a year, the world's biggest automaker said on Tuesday, in its latest effort to popularise such fuel-efficient vehicles. Wednesday, 11 June 2008 Biotech Giants Demand a High Price for Saving the Planet from UK Independent According to a report, conventional, non-GM breeding techniques are making remarkable progress in developing crops that can tolerate heat, floods and drought. A new Asian rice, due to go on the market next year, can stand being submerged for two weeks without affecting yields, while a new African one flowers early in the morning, escaping the heat of the day. Monday, 26 May 2008 Housing Concerns Mount For 5 Million China Quake Refugees from reuters Five million Chinese displaced by last week's earthquake will be in temporary homes for months as devastated Sichuan province shifts from emergency response to housing refugees for the long term. Local officials say their most pressing issue now is housing. Monday, 26 May 2008 In the Otways, hatchets are buried as the chainsaws fall silent from fairfax TEN or 12 years ago, Roger Hardley wouldn't have been sitting out on the verandah of the Forrest pub in the Otway Ranges. Wouldn't have been game, he says: "They'd have lynched me." The ardent conservationist certainly wouldn't have been sharing roll-yer-owns, coffee and yarns with John "Bluey" Andrew, a tree-faller who'd been cutting and hauling sawlogs in the area all his adult life and still has a passion for timber that he describes this way: "I just friggin' love it." Monday, 26 May 2008 It's raining rebates as NSW tanks up from fairfax HOUSEHOLDS across NSW have cut back almost 14,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year and saved 585 million litres of water annually, under a State Government scheme. In the first 10 months of the $340 million Climate Change Fund, households had claimed 20,000 rebates for the installation of rainwater tanks, insulation and energy-efficient hot water systems in homes, the state Environment and Climate Change Minister Verity Firth said yesterday.< Wednesday, 14 May 2008 ON THE RECORD: VINOD KHOSLA - more on biofuels from San Francisco Chronicle Flush with money and determined to save the world, the green-tech industry stands in full flower of its giddy youth. Venture capitalists are pumping billions into startups trying to create new fuels or energy sources. Tuesday, 13 May 2008 Sweet Sorghum Promoted As 'Smart' Biofuel from Reuters A corn-like plant that can grow as high as an elephant's eye on some of Earth's driest farmland shows promise as a "smart" biofuel that won't cut into world food supplies, an agriculture expert said on Monday. Sunday, 4 May 2008 'Era of cheap food is over,' says EU from The World Business Council for Sustainable Development EU consumers should get used to paying more for food as prices for meat, grain, cereal and a range of agricultural commodities are set to increase further, according to EU officials and MEPs debating the issue in Strasbourg yesterday (22 April). Sunday, 4 May 2008 Twisted mind of US democracy from Fairfax In this year's presidential campaign nothing is sacred - not even the truth, writes Don Watson. A Rand Corporation report has revealed that 300,000 US veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Wednesday, 23 April 2008 Environment 'burning issue' for Aussies from Fairfax The environment is the most important issue to Australians - swamping all other concerns and surprising the government. A poll by the Australian National University found people have retained their "no worries" attitude, except when it comes to the environment, which is now the most burning issue in the country.< Wednesday, 23 April 2008 McCartney urges vegetarianism to fight climate ills from Reuters Former Beatle Paul McCartney is urging the world to go vegetarian in a bid to fight global warming and is surprised more green groups don't promote it. In an interview with the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), McCartney said the global meat industry was a major contributor to global warming. Tuesday, 15 April 2008 Loads of barrels to crow about - BHP pays $6 a barrel gets over $100 from Fairfax RIO TINTO had its iron ore and aluminium offensives. Now BHP Billiton has launched a petroleum counter-attack. BHP has been relatively quiet about its petroleum over the past few years - perhaps because the once-core division's contribution to the group languished and several development projects experienced large cost blowouts.< Tuesday, 15 April 2008 Nuclear dump: Sydney family seeks answers on deaths from Fairfax WHEN both their parents died of cancer in their 30s, within nine months of each other, and with no family history of the disease, Katie and Greg McGrath thought it was a tragic coincidence. Nobody had told them their family home in Nelson Parade, Hunters Hill, was next to an unmarked radioactive waste dump.

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