Daily Links Aug 7

Al Gore thought Trump ‘might come to his senses’ on climate change. Nope.
Former vice president Al Gore said he tried for months to persuade President Trump to take climate change seriously — and thought there was a possibility he could come around, until Trump announced he would pull the United States out of the Paris agreement in June.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-3246038150322338203

Obama emissions rules could yield $300 billion annually by 2030.
The benefits of Obama-era rules to curb greenhouse gas emissions would greatly exceed the costs in the coming years, according to a new analysis
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-3246038150322338198

Recycling companies forced to stockpile glass as industry faces ‘crisis’
Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of glass are being stockpiled and landfilled instead of being recycled, threatening to seriously damage the community’s faith in the billion-dollar recycling industry.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-07/recycling-companies-forced-to-stockpile-glass-industry-crisis/8778088

Poor households are locked out of green energy, unless governments help
Alan Pears
A report released this week by the Australian Council of Social Service has pointed out that many vulnerable households cannot access rooftop solar and efficient appliances, describing the issue as a serious problem.
http://theconversation.com/poor-households-are-locked-out-of-green-energy-unless-governments-help-81987

Farmers are taking action where our MPs won’t
Verity Morgan-Schmidt
The past decade of climate and energy policy in Australia has left most of us with a bad taste in our mouth. Toxic politics and uncertainty around next steps has sent power prices sky high and diminished our opportunity to avert catastrophic warming.
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4829622/farmers-are-taking-action-where-our-mps-wont/?cs=97

Living blanket, water diviner, wild pet: a cultural history of the dingo
Justine M. Philip, University of New England
In Indigenous culture, dingoes were prized as companions, garments and hunting aids. Europeans later tried to tame dingoes as ‘pets’ but their wild nature has prevailed.
http://theconversation.com/living-blanket-water-diviner-wild-pet-a-cultural-history-of-the-dingo-80189

The tipping point: Illegal dumping swamps the waste industry
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/the-tipping-point-illegal-dumping-swamps-the-waste-industry-20170806-gxq8m0.html

North East Link: ‘lungs’ versus lanes as residents rally against highway route options
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/north-east-link-lungs-versus-lanes-as-residents-rally-against-highway-route-options-20170806-gxqdmu.html

More claims of excess water extraction in NSW surface
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/more-claims-of-excess-water-extraction-by-nsw-irrigators-surface-20170805-gxq2jh.html

Ipswich the ‘dump capital’ after waste levy scrapping
Ipswich becomes the “dumping capital” after a waste levy is scrapped to make it cheaper for interstate businesses to get rid of their rubbish in Queensland, the Acting Mayor says.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-06/rubbish-dumped-ipswich-gold-coast-waste-levy-scrapped/8763520

Takeaway containers to go
PLASTIC takeaway packaging could be phased out of all Hobart food venues by 2020 under a new measure being considered tonight as part of the Hobart City Council’s war on waste.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/plastic-takeaway-containers-could-be-phased-out-by-2020-across-hobart-food-venues/news-story/3f9f3ee84440f560068874bb9241cffe

Energy rebate scheme reprieve
TASMANIAN businesses stung by high wholesale electricity prices will start to receive some relief with the State Government finalising its energy rebate scheme.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/politics/finalised-design-of-energy-rebate-scheme-released-to-the-public/news-story/4419563a32a9bcc3b07e1e57a82aa79a

How to slash your power prices — by using your hot water system as a battery
Energy devices which leverage the power of “big data” can help households get more out of their solar panels by effectively using their hot water system as a battery. Now, rapid advances in technology have made that system far more efficient and allow homeowners to save much more.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-06/big-data-devices-get-more-free-energy-from-sun/8774584

The eco guide to microplastics
Seafood eaters consume up to 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic a year. Scary, isn’t it?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/06/the-eco-guide-to-microplastics

Banish the threat of nuclear war
Sally Atrill
THE Japanese city of Hiroshima of around 350,000 people, was the first city to be attacked with a nuclear weapon.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/time-to-banish-the-threat-of-nuclear-war/news-story/e4186814f8023d4fdf412f6d239e29e7

Conscious consumerism is a lie. Here is what you can really do to save the environment.
Alden Wicker Quartz
As a sustainable lifestyle blogger, my job is to make conscious consumerism look good. Over the course of four years Instagramming eco-friendly outfits, testing non-toxic nail polish brands, and writing sustainable city guides, I became a proponent of having it all—fashion, fun, travel, beauty—while still being eco-friendly.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-3246038150322338195