Everyone has a different excuse for the electricity stuff-up
Ross Gittins
http://www.theage.com.au/business/comment-and-analysis/everyone-has-a-different-excuse-for-the-electricity-stuffup-20170923-gynd8n.html
Today’s Celebration
Armed Forces Day Mozambique
Kamarampaka Day Rwanda
Niklaus of Flee Day Switzerland
National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims United States of America
Roi Wangol, Mousindi Voudon
Save the Koala Day http://www.savethekoala.com/
Family Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/family-day/
World Pharmacists Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-pharmacists-day/
Comic Book Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/comic-book-day/
One-Hit Wonder Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/one-hit-wonder-day/
More about Sep 25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_25
Climate Change
Climate optimism versus fatalism.
Solitaire Townsend HuffPost
“The ice caps are melting, Leonard. In the future, swimming won’t be optional!” So says the inept genius Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory whilst explaining why he learnt swimming off the internet (rather than in a pool).
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6766923627212611059
National
Climate crunch: Australia to fail on Paris commitments without massive renewable switch
Australia will fall dramatically short of its Paris carbon reduction targets signed under Tony Abbott, unless it vastly increases its …
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4944982/climate-crunch-australia-to-fail-on-paris-commitments-without-massive-renewable-switch/?cs=7
Josh Frydenberg: A day in the life of the Energy Minister
From a basketball match with Labor’s Ed Husic and chance encounter with Olivia Newton-John to tearing strips off the opposition during Question Time, this is what a day in Josh Frydenberg’s life looks like.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-24/a-day-in-the-life-of-josh-frydenberg/8963290
Liberal MPs didn’t stand in Abbott’s way on renewables target, Greg Hunt says
Health minister responds to Abbott’s hint that his party kept him from scrapping the RET, saying 33,000GwH was the minimum the Senate would accept
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/24/liberal-mps-didnt-stand-in-abbotts-way-on-renewables-target-greg-hunt-says
How Turnbull can fix Australia’s energy mess
Elmer Funke Kupper
Earlier this month, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) confirmed what every household and business already knew: we no longer face an energy crisis. We’re right in the middle of one.
http://www.afr.com/opinion/columnists/heres-how-turnbull-can-fix-australias-energy-policy-mess-20170924-gynleo
Everyone has a different excuse for the electricity stuff-up
Ross Gittins
http://www.theage.com.au/business/comment-and-analysis/everyone-has-a-different-excuse-for-the-electricity-stuffup-20170923-gynd8n.html
Victoria
Buchan bushfire could worsen
A BUSHFIRE in Victoria’s southeast is expected to burn into its third day as fire crews battle to control the blaze.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/watch-and-act-warning-for-buchan-south-bushfire/news-story/65a613674e668e2ea9b6fb5f69f37242
‘Real risk’ to Gippsland as wind whips up 15-metre flames
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/real-risk-to-gippsland-as-wind-whips-up-15metre-flames-20170924-gynt5d.html
Rock hanging in the balance
Phillip Adams
The history wars are swirling around one of Australia’s most famous geological sculptures, effectively Victoria’s Uluru.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/weekend-australian-magazine/hanging-with-the-rock/news-story/90ab6d2aca817d712cab5962918f19d6
New South Wales
Keeping Liddell open longer not the way to go: poll
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/rings-hollow-keeping-liddell-plant-open-longer-not-the-way-to-go-poll-finds-20170924-gynlqu.html
Sydney’s $65 million garbage wastelands as illegal dumpers run free
AN illegal dumping crisis gripping Sydney is costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars as lazy residents turn our streets into shameful dumps …
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydneys-65-million-garbage-wastelands-as-illegal-dumpers-run-free/news-story/301641ce4c1902a103f74ae115295bae
ACT
Hume Highway reopens after bushfire forces closure
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/bushfire-north-of-marulan-forces-closure-of-hume-highway-in-both-directions-20170923-gyndfk.html
Queensland
Toxic smoke warning issued after massive fire at Brisbane plastics factory
Police declare a crime scene after a blaze broke out at a plastics factory in Brisbane’s north, producing a dark cloud of toxic smoke and causing nearby businesses to be evacuated.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-24/fire-engulfs-businesses-in-brisbanes-north-virginia/8979660
Cluster fencing resulting in ‘cruel’ kangaroo deaths, shooters say
Fences to control wild dogs across western Queensland funded by the State Government are being used to help trap and kill native wildlife, kangaroo shooters say.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-24/fences-control-wild-dogs-kill-native-wildlife-kangaroo-shooter/8941444
Farmers’ tree-clearing push
FARMERS will push for an overhaul of Queensland’s contentious tree-clearing laws in a bid to find common ground with the major parties ahead of the State Election.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/treeclearing-looms-as-election-issue-as-farmers-push-their-case-for-action/news-story/5108fca1302b325a9a2c21f69803fb5c
Thousands turn out to support cassowaries
EDUCATION about the Far North Queensland environment was on show at this annual event, held in Cairns for the first time.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/lifestyle/huge-crowd-turns-up-to-fogarty-park-for-world-cassowary-day/news-story/3c03372eabc6ccd2581b8807fac0d4ff
Bright future for solar farm
PLANS to construct a $100 million solar energy farm near Mareeba that will have the capacity to power at least 34,000 homes, has been given the green light.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/solar-farm-on-the-horizon-for-mareeba-shire/news-story/790614343ff5de930c710cd64f8d1a4d
Tasmania
Photos of Tasmanian Devil with fur loss being investigated by authorities
Authorities say the devil appears to be showing “classic symptoms of a type of skin cancer which causes fur loss in affected animals”.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-24/photos-of-tasmanian-devil-with-hair-loss-being-investigated/8979512
TasWater takeover ‘backtracks on reform’
The report was highly critical of the government’s plan to stop regulating water prices.
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4944502/taswater-takeover-backtracks-on-reform/?cs=95
Western Australia
Church and council clash as old gum trees face the chop
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/church-and-council-clash-as-old-gum-trees-face-the-chop-20170924-gynln2.html
Rock art researcher Grahame Walsh got it wrong
One of Australia’s most controversial rock art researchers, Grahame Walsh, was wrong when he insisted that the extraordinary epochs of Kimberley rock art were unconnected and probably made by long-since disappeared Aboriginal peoples.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/rock-art-researcher-grahame-walsh-got-it-wrong/news-story/b272c8a850d963b52f32c3f9b305ca9d
Sustainability
The science of pesticide development.
The science of pesticide development and regulation is complex, so let’s put things simply: Human beings rely on food to survive.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6766923627212611055
US solar companies ‘plan for the worst, hope for the best’ following key trade case vote.
A vote by the International Trade Commission shook the U.S. solar industry on Friday, as companies braced themselves for possible tariffs on imported solar equipment
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6766923627212611848
The eco guide to cleaning products
Let’s banish bleach – it really isn’t a healthy way to clean the loo, and there are perfectly good green alternatives
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/24/the-eco-guide-to-cleaning-products
Nature Conservation
Generations collide along China’s riverways
ALONG southern China’s snaking rivers, an ancient fishing community that once lived and worked exclusively on the water has been finding its way to land
http://www.ntnews.com.au/lifestyle/fishing/generations-collide-along-chinas-riverways/news-story/ec108f64d8816441473bd6e10068d51c
Why India’s farmers want to conserve indigenous heirloom rice
India was once home to 100,000 rice varieties, but high-yield, less hardy hybrids have taken over encouraging farmers to safeguard more resistant strains
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/24/why-indias-farmers-want-to-conserve-indigenous-heirloom-rice
Now for something completely different …
Doomsday sale: US survivalists stock up
As natural disasters hit America and North Korea flexes its nuclear muscles survivalists are stocking up on supplies.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/doomsday-sale-us-survivalists-stock-up/news-story/37d952fb7b949d1f3255cd5ffd8ba50d
Maelor Himbury