https://geoffpark.wordpress.com/ featuring observations in biodiversity around his home in Newstead. Check it out at this URL.
Forget the checkout: what about the plastic clogging supermarket aisles?
Nicola Heath
Supermarkets regularly defend their wanton use of plastic, claiming its what customers want — despite the increasing clamour from unhappy shoppers on social media who clearly don’t need their bananas wrapped in clingfilm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-06/plastic-recycling-supermarket-plastic-bags/9723780
Today’s Celebration
Army Day- Bulgaria
Martyr’s Day – Lebanon, Syria
Samuel K. Doe Day – Liberia
St. George’s Day (Orthodox) – Bosnia-Herzegovina
St. George’s Day – Bulgaria
Hidirellez Festival – Turkey
National Nurses Day – United States of America
Djurdjevdan – Serbia
World Asthma Day – http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/
Starlight Day – http://www.starlightday.org.au/
International No Diet Day – http://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/
Tourette Syndrome Awareness Week – http://www.tourette.org.au/index.php
International Composting Awareness Week – http://www.compostweek.com.au/core/
More about May 6 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_6
Victoria
Rogue deer hunters terrorise Victorian farmers [$]
Rogue deer hunters are terrorising farmers on isolated Victorian properties, with a Sunday Herald Sun investigation told heavily armed hunters have indiscriminately opened fire across private land.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/deer-hunters-are-terrorising-farmers-on-isolated-victorian-properties/news-story/8f67f7fe3f065746d828a19a1ddfef02
ACT
Motorists put on notice as new devices measure distance from cyclists
A four-week trial will measure drivers’ adherence to the “metre matters” rule.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/motorists-put-on-notice-as-new-devices-measure-distance-from-cyclists-20180505-p4zdkj.html
Queensland
WWF accused of politicising plight of dugongs with gill net purchase
The World Wildlife Fund has been accused of playing political stunts and making a “money grab”, as a divisive debate rages over the future of far north Queensland’s dugong population.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-06/wwf-accused-of-politicising-plight-of-dugongs/9731178
South Australia
‘Like bait in a burley net’. Diving with sharks and the battle for the Bight
Sharks are unwittingly part of the battle between environmentalists who want to keep the Bight as it is, and energy companies who are eager to explore what resources the area has to offer.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-05/diving-with-sharks-at-centre-of-battle-for-bight/9726270
Anti-nuclear protesters make final push before poll [$]
Anti-nuclear campaigners will increase their fight to stop South Australia from becoming the nation’s radioactive waste ground, ahead of a final vote by the community.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/antinuclear-protesters-increase-fight-against-radioactive-dump-being-established-in-sa/news-story/55f7c369b17f03c747c1de824428b4df
‘Breed like crazy’ – possums at play in special love nests [$]
Hiding in the hills is the cutest little critter, the elusive and endangered western pygmy possum. Now natural resource managers are using nest boxes to spy on the possums and get a better idea of their numbers.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/endangered-species-western-pygmy-possum-breeding-on-the-fleurieu-peninsula/news-story/d6915bd17dc8e7c99b7eeaa8c7f016b7
Tasmania
Push growing for wild Tasmanian deer to be hunted for restaurants and butchers
A new government body will consider allowing problematic wild deer to be harvested for food, but critics, including environmentalist Bob Brown, say action needs to be taken now to “stop the deer in their tracks”.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-05/the-push-for-wild-tasmanian-deer-to-be-hunted/9729494
Woodheaters prompt health concerns [$]
Woodheaters are making a comeback in Tasmania, prompting a warning about the health effects caused by plumes of woodheater pollution.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/woodheaters-on-the-rise/news-story/0d0836e99e56550555246b3a2eecc60e
TasWater criticised for contribution to Tamar River clean-up
TasWater has defended it’s contributions to the Tamar River Recovery Plan after a report claimed its study outcomes were “vague and unactionable”.
https://www.examiner.com.au/story/5382500/taswater-criticised-for-contribution-to-tamar-river-clean-up/?cs=95
Northern Territory
NT camp water still contaminated two weeks after alert
Indigenous residents in Garawa 2 community told to avoid drinking water until source of lead and manganese detected
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/may/05/nt-camp-water-still-contaminated-two-weeks-after-alert
Sustainability
The slow death of nonproliferation norms
The global stigma against using chemical weapons is weakening. That’s alarming—but not as alarming as the broader breakdown of nonproliferation norms that may be in the offing.
https://thebulletin.org/slow-death-nonproliferation-norms11783
Forget the checkout: what about the plastic clogging supermarket aisles?
Nicola Heath
Supermarkets regularly defend their wanton use of plastic, claiming its what customers want — despite the increasing clamour from unhappy shoppers on social media who clearly don’t need their bananas wrapped in clingfilm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-06/plastic-recycling-supermarket-plastic-bags/9723780
Maelor Himbury