Danish West Indies Emancipation Day US Virgin Islands
Day of the Child Argentina
Independence Celebrations begin Bahamas
Independence Day Belarus
Festival of Cerridwen Celticism
International Plastic Bag Free Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-plastic-bag-free-day/
Disobedience Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/disobedience-day/
NAIDOC Week http://www.naidoc.org.au/
Alopecia Awareness Week http://www.princesscharlottealopecia.com/
More about Jul 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_3
Climate Change
Vulnerable ‘chokepoints’ threaten global food supply, warns report.
Fourteen critical bottlenecks, from roads to ports to shipping lanes, are increasingly at risk from climate change, say analysts.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/2460133000468990715
Ok, now it’s serious. Global warming is messing with Game of Thrones filming.
Winter may be coming, but it’s getting milder with time, according to Game of Thrones star.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/2460133000468989232
National
Could tax breaks and the repair movement fix our throwaway habit?
Inspired by an innovative new plan in Sweden, Australians are now embracing the “repair economy”, hoping to encourage people to get their household items fixed rather than throwing them away.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-02/war-on-waste-could-repair-economy-fix-throwaway-habit/8668302
Clean coal beats renewables bill
The construction of a new high-efficiency, low emissions coal-fired power station, being considered by the Turnbull government, would cost $2.2 billion — considerably less than the $3bn of subsidies handed out to renewable projects each year, a new technical study shows.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/cleancoal-power-station-cheaper-option-than-renewables-bill/news-story/b42432238b46c17f53f57db08fbb207c
Rebounding miners hit paydirt
It was a strong financial year for most of the nation’s miners. Particularly those without an oil business.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/miners-deliver-the-goods-for-investors/news-story/3502a65ddaf0ab488c50828c7fb04d8c
Greenies accrue $100m fighting fund
ENVIRONMENT and activist groups have become financial juggernauts, with the top campaigners generating a combined income of $100 million a year.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/green-groups-blindside-resource-industry-with-100m-fighting-fund/news-story/cd3a7418d0f8c8f14ad2c727b3d9e321
Political courage needed on coal
Graham Lloyd
Political courage and government money are needed to get reliable, new-generation coal plants across the line.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/political-courage-needed-on-coal/news-story/b65b2461500e50227527022ba57c250d
Stuck in traffic: busting Melbourne versus Sydney myths and identifying the worst commutes
Marion Terrill, Grattan Institute
For Melbourne drivers who comfort themselves with the thought that traffic congestion is worse in Sydney, sorry but new analysis shows overall delays are similar, but some commutes are especially bad.
http://theconversation.com/stuck-in-traffic-busting-melbourne-versus-sydney-myths-and-identifying-the-worst-commutes-79343
Australia doesn’t have a population policy – why?
Liz Allen, Australian National University
Australia lacks an overarching population policy or strategy. Over the years, multiple inquiries have recommended such a policy. Population policies the world over typically focus on births and migration.
http://theconversation.com/australia-doesnt-have-a-population-policy-why-78183
Victoria
New plans revealed for Anglesea mine
AN AMBITIOUS plan to return all vegetation to a former coal mine site has been abandoned with the owner revealing exciting new plans for the site.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/anglesea-mine-and-power-plant-to-be-transformed-into-lake/news-story/b87e3f3b6e8c22582d0650536ce81b5a
Victorian Government signs agreement to buy Heyfield timber mill
The Victorian Government signs a deal to buy the Australian Sustainable Hardwoods timber mill at Heyfield in eastern Victoria, protecting 250 jobs.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-03/heyfield-timber-mill-victoria-signs-buyout-agreement/8672178
Queensland
Does Townsville want the Adani coal mine?
The Link asks locals in Townsville what they think about the proposed Adani coal mine.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/the-link/2017-06-30/does-townsville-want-the-adani-coal-mine/8669206
Tasmania
Windows wanted: Hobart project saving building materials from landfill
A co-op in Tasmania is undertaking an ambitious project to stop reusable building materials ending up in landfill, but it is seeking out more developers and builders to get on board.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-02/hobart-co-op-wants-builders-to-recycle-site-materials/8659630
Misplaced fears around vital reform
Peter Gutwein
FIXING Tasmania’s planning system has been a key commitment of the Hodgman Liberal Government because it is in the interests of all Tasmanians that we have a fairer planning system.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/no-apologies-over-sweeping-reforms-to-tasmanias-planning-system/news-story/c534ab7715fc76e363c418b4f42c0406
Western Australia
World’s biggest floating gas facility on its way to WA
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/worlds-biggest-floating-gas-facility-on-its-way-but-no-royalties-for-wa-20170701-gx2o60.html
Sustainability
California invested heavily in solar power. Now there’s so much that other states are sometimes paid to take it .
On 14 days during March, Arizona utilities got a gift from California: free solar power. Well, actually better than free. California produced so much solar power on those days that it paid Arizona to take excess electricity its residents weren’t using to avoid overloading its own power lines.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-2621786372544285511
What ‘America First’ means for energy development.
Here’s what you need to know from the hearing on what that ‘America First’ vision for public lands will look like.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-2621786372544285526
The eco guide to the repair economy
Taking possessions to be repaired – bicycles, clothes, shoes, anything – instead of throwing them out and replacing them is green gold
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/02/the-eco-guide-to-the-repair-economy
Are printable solar panels the future of solar power?
Johnny Lie
Despite places like Australia being bathed in sun, the cost of traditional silicon-based solar cells hasn’t inspired people to buy, buy, buy
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/2460133000468990714
Good news, despite what you’ve heard.
Nicholas Kristof New York Times
Cheer up: Despite the gloom, the world truly is becoming a better place. Indeed, 2017 is likely to be the best year in the history of humanity.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-2621786372544285510
Nature Conservation
Siberian wildfire can be seen from space as Earth’s boreal forests burn at unprecedented rates.
The massive blaze, which started in late June, is yet another example of how the effects of climate change has dramatically impacted the uppermost Northern Hemisphere.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/2460133000468989223
UK moves to control foreign fishing
Britain’s new environment secretary Michael Gove says the UK will withdraw from an agreement allowing European countries to fish off its coast.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/uk-moves-to-control-foreign-fishing/news-story/3f7e651ab54e29dcb3050b8102593265
Maelor Himbury