Daily Links Jul 10

Climate change is making it harder for couples to conceive
According to research by UCLA environmental economist Alan Barreca, hot weather reduces chances of getting pregnant — and the problem is expected to get worse because of global warming.
https://scienceblog.com/502040/climate-change-is-making-it-harder-for-couples-to-conceive/

Moral Christians must press the Church of England to pull its money out of fossil fuels
The last four years have been globally the hottest on record. And the places most seriously affected by this are not in a position to laugh it off as a little temporary blip.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/07/moral-christians-must-press-church-england-pull-money-fossil/amp/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw&__twitter_impression=true

Stormwater ponds not a major source of greenhouse gas emissions
Stormwater retention ponds, a ubiquitous feature in urban landscapes, are not a significant source of climate-warming nitrous oxide emissions, a new Duke-led study finds.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/du-spn070918.php

There are genuine climate alarmists, but they’re not in the same league as deniers
Dana Nuccitelli
Deniers have conservative media outlets and control the Republican Party; climate alarmists are largely ignored
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/jul/09/there-are-genuine-climate-alarmists-but-theyre-not-in-the-same-league-as-deniers

We’re not ‘whinging old cockies’: How young farmers stay positive in the face of drought
A new generation of farmers is confronting the challenges of drought for the first time and seeing it as an opportunity for innovation and a fresh approach to farming.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-09/young-farmers-finding-innovative-ways-to-deal-with-drought/9955708

LNP turns its back on wind, solar and storage, and emissions cuts
LNP’s call for more coal-fired power stations, and government ownership of the railway line to the Adani coal project were largely symbolic, as were resolutions to “protect Christmas” and save the “Lord’s Prayer”. But they underline why a NEG won’t end the climate wars.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/lnp-turns-back-wind-solar-storage-emissions-cuts-23187/

Energy Efficiency Market Report: Prices up despite supply increase
Spot price for energy efficiency certificates rises despite increase in supply.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/energy-efficiency-market-report-prices-despite-supply-increase-60265/

‘Unprecedented’: Solar panel installations soar, on track to triple 2017 record
Rooftop solar panel installations soared by almost half in the first six months of 2018 as businesses eclipse residential take-up for the first time.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/climate-change/solar-panel-installations-rocket-and-on-track-to-triple-annual-record-20180709-p4zqcx.html

Heat or eat? How families are coping with high energy bills
When Danielle Melnyczenko found herself forking out upwards of $1,200 per quarter on her energy bill, she realised the only way to reduce it would be to move house.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-09/how-families-are-coping-with-surging-power-prices/9958952

Trina Solar readies for impact as China move tipped to slash PV prices
China’s abrupt removal of solar subsidies could trigger falls of as much as a third in panel prices, and prompt a global shake-up that companies such as Trina Solar are preparing to ride out.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/companies/trina-solar-readies-for-impact-as-china-move-tipped-to-slash-pv-prices-20180709-p4zqcr.html

Starbucks is ditching plastic straws
Australian Starbucks stores are set to lose plastic straws by the end of 2020.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/starbucks-is-ditching-plastic-straws/news-story/18e832eb3d7ab61043e3949086055f13

Indigenous rangers get $87m funding boost
Rangers who look after indigenous protected areas will share in more than $87 million to help them protect biodiversity and cultural heritage.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/indigenous-rangers-get-87m-funding-boost/news-story/9da18e0ca9fdeafb5b24c71cf782bd30

Baby quolls born on Australian mainland for first time in 50 years
A program to reintroduce eastern quolls to mainland Australia has marked a milestone with birth of 15 baby quolls.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-09/quoll-breeding-program-a-success/9958188

PM dodges calls for power price inquiry
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has played down calls for an inquiry into energy prices from the Greens, Labor and within his own partyroom.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/pm-dodges-calls-for-power-price-inquiry/news-story/31f5d398f2880211f8db7e11763a56ab

Transurban making tens of millions of dollars in fees from motorists
Transurban is making millions of dollars each year charging motorists fees that are only meant to cover the toll road operator’s costs, leaked documents from the company show.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/transurban-making-tens-of-millions-of-dollars-in-fees-from-motorists-20180709-p4zqfm.html

‘It’s time to break up with coal’ [$]
A member of the Labor Party appearing on a special “People’s Panel” has clashed with Resources Minister Matt Canavan.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/its-time-to-break-up-with-coal-matt-labor-party-member-clashes-with-matt-canavan-on-qa/news-story/bd791b2f5b6d4443554ac26292a32ca0

Bid to put power ball in PM’s court [$]
Labor says Malcolm Turnbull and power companies must prove why a royal commission into energy retailers is unnecessary.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/bid-to-put-power-ball-in-turnbulls-court/news-story/584701d2fb6eb697fd3660ce39a978be

Frydenberg’s NEG worries stack up [$]
Josh Frydenberg is facing challenges on his right and left as he tries to enact the National Energy Guarantee.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/peter-van-onselen/abbott-the-least-of-frydenbergs-neg-worries/news-story/16d0e96dcec402eb7dd06eaf6ac1b7c9

Seven percent of Australia’s reptiles ‘risk extinction’
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said virtually all of Australia’s unique reptile species were now considered threatened.
https://www.enca.com/technology/seven-percent-of-australias-reptiles-risk-extinction

Matt Canavan’s ‘urgent’ new nuclear waste dump: The devil is in the detail
Dave Sweeney
What is urgently needed is an independent assessment for managing Australia’s radioactive waste, not a hasty new nuclear waste dump.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/australias-nuclear-waste-the-devil-is-in-the-detail,11675

The straight-forward climate question Josh Frydenberg will not answer
David Spratt
Is climate change an existential risk to Australian society and the world community? It’s not a difficult question, but one that climate minister Frydenberg has failed to answer.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/straight-forward-climate-question-josh-frydenberg-will-not-answer-99953/

Know your NEM: Waiting for the ISP
David Leitch
Still waiting on ISP and ACCC report. Meanwhile, wind and solar PV smooth out seasonal volatility.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/know-your-nem-waiting-for-the-isp-23899/

Withdrawing from the Paris agreement makes no economic sense
Peter Castellas
Those who advocate for leaving Paris are economically, environmentally and socially irresponsible
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/09/withdrawing-from-the-paris-agreement-makes-no-economic-sense

Subsidies spark market strife [$]
Nick Cater
Turning energy CEOs into villains lets the architects of policy failure off the hook.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/nick-cater/energy-subsidies-spark-market-strife/news-story/4f08409dcc9fc1a54ba3094d86d1fa08

‘It’s incredible’: The old engineering wonder buried beneath Melbourne
The crane groans and shudders as it hauls up the cage from the depths of a deep black hole not far from the banks of the Yarra River.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/it-s-incredible-the-old-engineering-wonder-buried-beneath-melbourne-20180706-p4zpuo.html

Malcolm’s Melbourne – a city running on rails
The Turnbull government’s vision for Melbourne would see large “employment hubs” developed away from its congested CBD and connected by a new generation of rail lines.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/malcolm-s-melbourne-a-city-running-on-rails-20180709-p4zqfx.html

Widened road to Melbourne Airport full in a decade: new five-year plan
Motorists on the Tullamarine Freeway will face significant delays within a decade despite the road’s recent $1.3 billion widening, Melbourne Airport warns in its new master plan.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/widened-road-to-melbourne-airport-full-in-a-decade-new-five-year-plan-20180708-p4zq8z.html

Tale of two lakes: Lake Macquarie ‘cleaner than ever’ while Lake Illawarra held back
Red tape stymies a clean-up of Lake Illawarra, while Lake Macquarie moves ahead. Here’s why.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-09/lake-illawarra-clean-up-stifled/9955726

Illegal land clearing in NSW may be accelerating, complaints data suggests
Exclusive: Data obtained by the Guardian suggests land clearing may be accelerating under Biodiversity Conservation Act
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/10/illegal-land-clearing-in-nsw-may-be-accelerating-complaints-data-suggests

EnergyAustralia issues warning on coal power [$]
EnergyAustralia is pushing ahead with plans for a $400 million gas power plant in Wollongong but is warning the investment case would collapse if the life of AGL’s Liddell plant is extended.
https://www.afr.com/business/mining/coal/energyaustralia-forges-ahead-with-400m-nsw-gas-plant-20180709-h12g9o

Gas import spells end of Santos’ controversial Narrabri CSG, analysts say
Analysts say four proposed new gas import terminals around Australia have put the final nails in the coffin of Santos’ contentious NSW Narrabri coal seam gas project.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/the-economy/gas-import-spells-end-of-santos-controversial-narrabri-csg-analysts-say-20180709-p4zqe0.html

More stops or faster travel? The Metro West debate we need to have
The state government’s determination to deliver below 20-minute trips between Parramatta and central Sydney on its proposed Metro West rail line is set to limit the number of stops along the line.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/more-stops-or-faster-travel-the-metro-west-debate-we-need-to-have-20180704-p4zphe.html

Why I would not sell Liddell
Alan Pears
We should be repurposing old industrial or electricity generation sites for more sustainable activities.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/pears-report-not-sell-liddell-81149/

Free City Loop dumped as part of new bus network
A free bus service looping around Canberra’s centre will be dumped as part of the network restructure.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/free-city-loop-dumped-as-part-of-new-bus-network-20180709-p4zqdb.html

Mosquito experiment could save lives
Scientists who released three million mosquitoes in a northern Queensland town say the experiment could save millions of people globally from diseases.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/mosquito-experiment-could-save-lives-173124515–spt.html

Rubbish roads to solve our plastic problem? [$]
Ever wondered where your recycled plastic actually does go? Well, soon you could have a constant reminder every time you drive into Adelaide’s CBD.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/city/recycled-plastic-could-be-rolled-into-city-roads-under-new-adelaide-city-council-proposal/news-story/5bf4e87343b977b762b66cf98eccd25e

Farming fish alter ‘cropping’ strategies under high CO2
Fish that ‘farm’ their own patches of seaweed alter their ‘cropping’ practices under high CO2 conditions, researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia have found.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uoa-ffa070818.php

TasWater unable to tell Deloraine residents when boil water alert will be lifted
Deloraine residents still have no idea when their tap water will be safe to consume, three days after the northern Tasmanian town was put on a boil water alert.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-10/tas-deloraine-boil-water-alert-in-place-indefinitely/9959574

Rising nickel price prompts plan to reopen Tasmanian mine
The Avebury nickel mine near Zeehan is expected to restart as early as January next year, with hopes it will create more than 200 jobs on Tasmania’s west coast.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-09/avebury-nickel-mine-to-reopen-in-six-months/9957652

Environmental damage at Chauncy Vale, Bagdad, Tasmania
Nick Mooney
Yet again an attempt to dominate nature to protect minimal infrastructure, not dissimilar to protecting shacks while letting virtually irreplaceable wilderness burn.
http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/environmental-damage-at-chauncy-vale-bagdad-tasmania/

Stunning coral forests discovered around Sicily’s deep sea volcanoes (pictures)
Scientists find a spectacular forest of bamboo coral, rare carnivorous sponges, and species never before seen in the region
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2018/jul/09/stunning-coral-forests-discovered-around-sicilys-deep-sea-volcanoes-in-pictures

Mysterious source of illegal ozone-killing emissions revealed, say investigators
On-the-ground investigation finds use of banned CFC-11 is rife in China’s plastic foam industry
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/09/mysterious-source-of-illegal-ozone-killing-emissions-revealed-say-investigators

Generating electrical power from waste heat
Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories have developed a tiny silicon-based device that can harness what was previously called waste heat and turn it into DC power.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/dnl-gep070918.php

Why bitcoin uses so much energy
Its consumption is roughly the same as Ireland’s
https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2018/07/09/why-bitcoin-uses-so-much-energy

From coal, a new source of rare earths
As global demand for rare-earth elements grows, the U.S. Department of Energy is investing millions of dollars to secure a potentially sustainable domestic source of these commercially critical elements from coal and coal waste products.
https://cen.acs.org/materials/inorganic-chemistry/coal-new-source-rare-earths/96/i28

A brief history of how plastic straws took over the world
It all started with a mint julep on a hot summer day.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/nature/a-brief-history-of-how-plastic-straws-took-over-the-world.aspx

Are balloons the new plastic straw?
Have balloons become the stink item you don’t want to take to a party or tie to your mailbox for your kids’ birthday parties?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/parenting/big-kids/105253494/balloons-are-not-cool-anymore

How a bacteria-detecting strip of plastic film could make best-before dates irrelevant
A team of researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., has developed a thin, plastic patch that changes colour under ultraviolet light when it come into contact with meat contaminated with E. coli, a food-borne bacteria that can cause extreme illness or death.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/salmonella-listeria-dna-ultraviolet-light-1.4736801

HDB exploring floating solar panels in open sea
In land-scarce Singapore, the quest to harvest more energy from the sun will soon go one step further.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/hdb-exploring-floating-solar-panels-in-open-sea

Salt is key ingredient for cheaper and more efficient batteries
A new design of rechargeable battery, created using salt, could lead the way for greener energy.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uon-sik070918.php

Why gold-palladium alloys are better than palladium for hydrogen storage
A research team led by The University of Tokyo investigated why alloying with gold improves hydrogen storage in palladium.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/iois-wga070618.php

The missing argument …
Paul E. Smith
I am restating an argument here that environmentalists could use to support any and all of their campaigns, but which they ignore.
http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/the-missing-argument-/

I rely on plastic straws and baby wipes. I’m disabled – I have no choice
Penny Pepper
I know the environmental damage they cause, but I don’t have the luxury of a plastic-free life.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/09/disabled-person-plastic-straws-baby-wipes

Oxygen loss in coastal Baltic Sea is ‘unprecedentedly severe’
The Baltic Sea is home to some of the world’s largest dead zones, areas of oxygen-starved waters where most marine animals can’t survive.
https://www.eurasiareview.com/09072018-oxygen-loss-in-coastal-baltic-sea-is-unprecedentedly-severe/

Barbecuing sustainably: How not to burn rainforests in our grills
A lot of our BBQ charcoal comes from tropical forests, and this can contribute to deforestation, a survey has found. But there are alternatives for more environmentally friendly grilling. How good are they?
https://www.dw.com/en/barbecuing-sustainably-how-not-to-burn-rainforests-in-our-grills/a-44543655

Immunity Could Be Key to Addressing Coral Crisis
Coral reefs support a quarter of all marine life, feed hundreds of millions of people and contribute vastly to the …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180709101152.htm

Birds Eat 400 to 500 Million Tons of Insects Annually
Birds around the world eat 400 to 500 million metric tons of beetles, flies, ants, moths, aphids, grasshoppers, crickets and other anthropods per year.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180709100850.htm