Towards a circular economy of waste minimalisation
SMH editorial
China’s decision to slash imports of recyclable rubbish has roiled the global recycling market – causing short-term shocks, including the near-collapse of the Australian industry, but creating a long-term opportunity here and elsewhere to improve environmental outcomes while generating revenue and employment.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/towards-a-circular-economy-of-waste-minimalisation-20180311-h0xb9u.html
Today’s Celebration
Arbor Day China Taiwan
Employee Day United States of America
Girl Scout Day United States of America
Independence Day Mauritius
Crown Princess’ Nameday Sweden
Moshoeshoe’s Day Lesotho
Renovation Day Gabon
Youth Day Zambia
Labor Day Victoria
World Glaucoma Week http://www.wgweek.net/
Multiple Birth Awareness Week http://www.amba.org.au/
World Salt Awareness Week http://www.worldactiononsalt.com/
Napping Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/napping-day/
Plant a Flower Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/plant-a-flower-day/
More about Mar 12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_12
Climate Change
Evangelical Christian: Climate change is ‘the greatest humanitarian crisis of our times’
The right-wing site Breitbart, known for savage attacks on its foes, is surprisingly civil in profiling climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/03/10/evangelical-christian-climate-change-greatest-humanitarian-crisis-times/
Welcome to the age of climate migration
Extreme weather due to climate change displaced more than a million people from their homes last year. It could soon reshape the nation.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/welcome-to-the-age-of-climate-migration-w516974
National
‘We’ve done an abysmal job’: Australia is struggling to handle its swelling population
In 1997 it was estimated Australia would reach a population of 25 million by the middle of this century. We are already there and our cities, schools and roads are not prepared for it.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-12/australia-is-struggling-to-handle-its-swelling-population/9535116
We’ll create our own emissions trading markets, say power companies
https://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/we-ll-create-our-own-emissions-trading-markets-say-power-companies-20180309-p4z3lz.html
$1.3bn hit as solar subsidies surge [$]
Rooftop solar installation subsidies will exceed $1bn this year and drive up power costs by $100 per household.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/13bn-hit-as-subsidies-for-solar-panels-surge/news-story/3824944e28c4f35bd5188833e97bfed4
Energy retailers on bills notice [$]
Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg predicts wholesale energy prices will come down over the next two years.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/josh-frydenberg-puts-energy-retailers-on-notice-over-prices/news-story/f0df4a4269698b302c9bf3459c0d641f
Australia to miss LNG wave [$]
Australia is likely to miss out on the next multi-billion-dollar wave of new LNG developments, Shell executive Steve Hill has warned.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/australia-will-miss-next-wave-of-lng-developments-shell-warns/news-story/44169887d0e2838a9ee5a605a34ea3d5
Australia leads on extinction rate: report
The Australian Conservation Foundation report published in March found since colonisation 29 mammals had become extinct and were lost forever in Australia, compared to just one in the United States.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/australia-leads-on-extinction-rate-report/news-story/5b6377e1ff083ed61accf8f9c713212c
Much coal needed for electric cars [$]
Trevor St Baker
Australia has the potential to charge ahead of the game.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/well-need-a-lot-of-coal-for-electric-cars/news-story/e0b71b6e824fc5326b8555607fb9eac4
Towards a circular economy of waste minimalisation
SMH editorial
China’s decision to slash imports of recyclable rubbish has roiled the global recycling market – causing short-term shocks, including the near-collapse of the Australian industry, but creating a long-term opportunity here and elsewhere to improve environmental outcomes while generating revenue and employment.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/towards-a-circular-economy-of-waste-minimalisation-20180311-h0xb9u.html
Beach culture a casualty of climate change
David Rissik
Beaches are important for most Australians. Not only are they an escape for many during the summer, but they’re also the heart of our nation’s tourism industry.
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/5273210/beach-culture-a-casualty-of-changing-climate/?cs=97
Don’t expect Q&A accountability on dud Flannery predictions [$]
Andrew Bolt
The ABC finally has a chance to confront global warming alarmist Tim Flannery with his astonishing record of dud predictions. Andrew Bolt asks if anyone on the Q&A panel will dare hold him to account?
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/andrew-bolt/andrew-bolt-dont-expect-qa-panel-to-get-answers-on-dud-tim-flannery-predictions/news-story/3c7de213e4c74bb616c784ea2362814f
She’s hopping mad [$]
Tim Blair
For no obvious reason at all, Lee Rhiannon is presently running down Australia’s kangaroo industry. The Greens senator lately set out for Europe to promote a fact-challenged cuddle movie about our millions of tasty mobile meat stores.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/shes-hopping-mad/news-story/195e519d106ce4ecd528d97b7cdae948
Victoria
After Black Saturday, power poles still start many fires
Faulty electricity infrastructure sparked more than 250 fires in two years, data from electricity safety watchdog shows.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/poles-and-fires-key-black-saturday-recommendation-remains-unfulfilled-20180311-p4z3ud.html
Power price changes sidelined [$]
The Victorian government has backed away from calls to address market failure in the state’s retail electricity sector
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/victoria-backs-away-from-key-power-regulation-recommendation/news-story/3d878b9314990a0dd2a152333206513a
‘Garden tax’ dumped after outrage [$]
A plan to slug households with a “garden tax” has been abandoned by Yarra Council after fierce opposition.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/city-of-yarra-forced-to-back-down-on-garden-tax/news-story/429ca55487d806655107c1051f9f3905
New South Wales
Poll of Malcolm Turnbull’s electorate finds 75% back review of Adani approval
Wentworth voters overwhelmingly favour review – including 70% of Liberal supporters
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/12/poll-of-malcolm-turnbulls-electorate-finds-75-back-review-of-adani-approval
White Bay, parks eyed as construction sites for $14b tunnel project
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/white-bay-parks-construction-tunnel-project-20180305-p4z2vv.html
WaterNSW took almost a year to act on water theft accusations: EDO
The Berejiklian government said it was investigating a big irrigator on the Barwon-Darling River last June but farmer says he only found out last week.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/waternsw-year-act-theft-accusations-edo-20180311-p4z3u5.html
Newcrest mine shuts on dam fail [$]
A NSW goldmine shut by an earthquake last year has again halted operations after a dam wall was breached.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/newcrests-cadia-goldmine-shut-after-dam-fails/news-story/810cea58764976374842ca7924f080e2
Queensland
Critics won’t stop Carmichael coal mine: Adani
Adani Australia CEO slams critics of the company’s controversial $16.5 billion Carmichael coal mine, saying they will not stop the project.
http://www.afr.com/news/politics/critics-wont-stop-carmichael-coal-mine-says-adani-australia-boss-20180311-h0xb7c
Awards for green crusaders [$]
The Wet Tropics Cassowary Awards honoured the TREAT project to plant trees along the Tablelands.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/planting-program-commended-at-wet-tropics-cassowary-awards/news-story/b71cde72a7e84f478293a050e61cd125
Shorten’s got a serious problem if Adani stacks up [$]
Opinion
Bill Shorten has taken a punt that the Adani megamine will not go ahead but those with a deep knowledge of the project believe there will be “yellow trucks pushing dirt around” within a few months.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/opinion-bill-shortens-backflip-on-the-adani-mine-has-done-his-party-no-good/news-story/39217ded33d98e748f4af440130dd7a
South Australia
How the Libs’ indoor plant policy led to police threats [$]
The owner of an Adelaide indoor plant hire company has been threatened with police action over his repeated attempts to speak to an Opposition MP over plans to remove greenery from government offices.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sa-election-2018/adelaide-indoor-plant-hire-company-boss-threatened-with-police-action-by-liberal-mp-after-trying-repeatedly-to-speak-with-him/news-story/024015cb0f184a59fb515ddf51003115
Kuitpo Forest bushfire ‘not suspicious’ [$]
A small bushfire that burnt through the Kuitpo Forest in Adelaide’s south is not suspicious.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/bushfire-at-kuitpo-forest-in-kangarilla-not-suspicious-after-investigation/news-story/9edfc2c1c6673c1e05a72ce819bcfe3b
Tasmania
Bring back Hydro’s glory days [$]
Tasmanians once saw the Hydro as theirs and were proud of it.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/bring-back-hydroelectric-corporations-glory-days-with-new-projects/news-story/fe7b27949833f43f8229e8f22537fce4
Catastrophic decrease in waterfowl [$]
Birdlife advocates have called on the State Government to immediately halt the hunting of waterfowl in Tasmania, revealing that there have been “catastrophic” decreases in numbers since the early 2000s.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/advocates-have-called-for-a-halt-to-waterfowl-hunting-as-populations-drop-across-tasmania/news-story/836dab133028d82f8e589000a8371d26
Western Australia
‘Stop fining healthy transport’: Perth cyclists to protest compulsory helmet laws
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/stop-fining-healthy-transport-perth-cyclists-to-protest-compulsory-helmet-laws-20180310-h0xav9.html
Bunbury bushfire brought under control after burning through 168 hectares
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/bunbury-bushfire-out-of-control-threatening-lives-and-homes-20180310-h0xav5.html
Synergy’s long-standing power monopoly in WA set to remain
WA households will be denied indefinitely the right to choose where they buy their electricity as the McGowan Government backs away from plans to end Synergy’s long-standing monopoly.
https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/synergys-long-standing-power-monopoly-in-wa-set-to-remain-ng-b88767464z
Sustainability
It’s my tractor and I’ll do what I want to — farmers spearhead ‘right to repair’ fight
It’s a modern dilemma — a customer wants to fix a broken smartphone, tablet or laptop, only to be told by the manufacturer they will have to pay top dollar at an “authorised repair centre” or fork out for a replacement. But what if it’s a tractor?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2018-03-11/farmers-spearhead-right-to-repair-fight/9535730
Reasons why non-gardeners should get down and dirty
Gardening has physical and mental health benefits, yet many people can’t think of doing anything worse. Here are some reasons to think again.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-11/reasons-why-non-gardeners-should-get-down-and-dirty-gardening/9509066
It’s official: Japan now has more electric car charging spots than gas stations
One of the first countries in the world to embrace modern electric cars, Japan has long been considered something of a shining example on how electric car rapid charging infrastructure should be implemented.
https://transportevolved.com/2015/02/17/official-japan-now-electric-car-charging-spots-gas-stations/
Nature Conservation
Beyond polar bears: Arctic animals share in vulnerable climate future
With the Arctic winter of 2017-18 the warmest on record, researchers are finding a troubling range of climate change impacts on wildlife, including wolverines, reindeer, snowy owls, and more.
https://news.mongabay.com/2018/03/beyond-polar-bears-arctic-animals-share-in-vulnerable-climate-future/
Ivory up in flames, but who really noticed? How messages on elephant poaching might be missed
Matthew H. Holden et al
https://theconversation.com/ivory-up-in-flames-but-who-really-noticed-how-messages-on-elephant-poaching-might-be-missed-92987
Maelor Himbury