Climate change is hurting our mental health. How ‘climate cafes’ can help
Similar to grief circles or other types of peer-support groups, these informal gatherings help people work through the emotional distress of living in a climate emergency.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
Climate Change
Ocean acidification set to triple by 2100—what this means for the US coast
The acidification of the Earth’s oceans is expected to triple by 2100, and could lead to major impacts on biodiversity across U.S. coastlines.
Are we voting with our wallets to overheat the planet?
Surveys of Canadians have repeatedly shown that a majority would choose to prevent the bad things caused by climate change. Politicians think we won’t make sacrifices. Maybe we won’t have to.
National
Anthony Albanese to accelerate transition to low emissions after voice referendum
PM says the ‘right decisions’ are needed to ensure Australia emerges a winner in the global race to renewable energy
Top emitters not funding net zero plans, warns Climate Action 100+
Australia’s top carbon emitting companies are making progress towards transitioning to net zero emissions, but failing to back up their decarbonisation plans.
Fuel prices drive interest in electric and hybrid cars
Two million electric and hybrid vehicles are expected to hit Australian roads over the next year after research showed more consumers were planning to ditch their petrol cars.
Organic growth worms its way into waste disposal [$]
Councils are cutting down on garbage collections – some reducing services to once-a-fortnight – with food and organic waste taking the weekly pick-up slot.
Why more of us are opting to live underground to escape bushfires and extreme heat
Designers of “earth-sheltered” homes say interest in living underground is rising as the risk of bushfires increases and more days of extreme heat are forecast.
The high-risk life of the bar-tailed godwit: endurance flyers under threat from development
These globe-trotting shorebirds travel nonstop from the Arctic but urbanisation is leading to their dramatic decline
Australia could save $8 billion every year by changing more light globes – SwitchedOn podcast
Efficient lighting is one of the easiest, ready-to-implement technologies that can help transition to a low carbon economy.
Artistry, romance and knavery in our garden: it’s the sublime satin bowerbird
Nick Evershed
There’s a bowerbird building a bower in my backyard, so this year I’m on Team Bowerbird
Nuclear power is a non-starter – there’s a bigger problem to fix [$]
Jennifer Hewett
Arguments about nuclear power won’t help the urgent problems of energy transition, with a growing gap between reality and Australia’s renewable energy plans.
Victoria
Ombudsman finds Victoria’s EV tax is being ‘unfairly’ administered
The ombudsman says legislation that applies charges to drivers of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in Victoria — which remains the subject of a High Court challenge — is being “unfairly” administered.
Right intent, wrong projects. Dan’s infrastructure report card
Premier Daniel Andrews selected a test trip last week on the Metro Tunnel as the best experience of his nine years as premier. It was a fitting way for the premier who did much to reshape Melbourne’s infrastructure to end his time in power.
Construction begins at new solar farm in regional Victoria after sod turning
Enel Green Power says it has begun construction of the 93 MW Girgarre Solar Farm located west of Shepparton in the north of Victoria.
New South Wales
Former NSW premier Bob Carr backs environmental alliance urging overhaul of land-clearing laws
Labor heavyweight also warns of the danger of environment movement fading as he throws support behind new alliance
ACT
Are there enough chargers to accommodate Canberra’s love of electric vehicles?
As the San Francisco Bay area in California this week celebrated its milestone of 10,000 super charging stations for electric vehicles, the ACT gained another two in Amaroo.
Queensland
Forget neutrality — the soil on this farm is taking carbon out of the environment
It may look like a typical cattle paddock north of Brisbane, but this soil is doing much more than producing grass to feed the animals.
Witnesses have reported loud bangs, “multicoloured” flames and a plastic smell after a Tesla battery caught fire at one of Queensland’s first large-scale renewable energy storage sites.
Dugongs in steady decline along Great Barrier Reef
Dugong populations are shrinking along a vast stretch of the Great Barrier Reef and it’s been happening for almost 20 years, scientists say.
South Australia
Connecting with Country at Nature Festival
Nature Festival returns again for two weeks in October and among the more than 300 events statewide is a collection that promises a deep dive into the rich heritage of the Kaurna people.
This Adelaide housing development is being built on one of the state’s largest mass burial sites
Mr Catanzariti is one of the many Kaurna community members calling on the state government to reject the developer’s application to remove remains.
Tasmania
Great Lakes Battery project given power to construct big facility [$]
Approval for a battery storage facility in the Northern Midlands has been hailed as significant for the region.
Huge new minerals licences granted south-east of Launceston [$]
The government has granted two massive new minerals exploration licences covering 483 square kilometres to the south-east of Launceston, mining group ABx has confirmed.
Recovered RNA has put scientists one step closer to resurrecting the Tasmanian tiger
The Tasmanian tiger has become the first extinct animal from which scientists have recovered RNA, the molecule that brings a specie’s genome to life.
Spring fuel reduction burns helping to keep Tasmanians safe
Media release – Felix Ellis, Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management
Keeping Tasmanians safe is a top priority for the Rockliff Liberal Government and having a well-managed and effective fuel reduction program is part of this strategy as we head into a predicted warmer summer.
Northern Territory
Banned barramundi fishers spotted moving into popular recreational fishing areas
A snap ban on commercial barramundi fishing in remote Arnhem Land waters has prompted calls for an urgent overhaul of the Northern Territory’s fishing laws to better safeguard future barra stocks.
Stranded solar farms in Top End dealt further blow by new line constraint
Stranded solar farms on the main grid in Northern Territory face new hurdle after limit placed on transmission line linking them to Darwin.
Western Australia
As an e-waste landfill ban looms, recyclers face a huge challenge
WA’s only accredited electronic waste recycler says the statewide ban will be “a big win” for the environment, but the sector will have to cope with a massive increase in volume.
South Perth’s 51-storey ‘timber tower’ faces knockback
The tower will be the tallest of its kind in the world, with most of its occupants sharing a fleet of electric vehicles. So, what’s the problem?
A prominent climate scientist says the AFL club’s decision to sign a new multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal with the gas giant will not sit well with its younger supporters.
Big Battery to the rescue as rooftop PV pushes biggest isolated grid to record demand lows
WA’s first big battery comes to the rescue as rooftop solar provides record 76 pct of state generation and sends grid demand below crucial threshold.
Sustainability
Vietnam: Drop charges against climate activist
The Vietnamese government should immediately drop all charges against the prominent environmental activist Hoang Thi Minh Hong and unconditionally release her, Human Rights Watch said today.
Gold mining is poisoning the planet with mercury
Ten years after an international treaty to ban mercury, the toxic metal continues to poison. The reason might have to do with your wedding ring.
Genetically engineered bacteria convert plastic waste into useful chemicals
A groundbreaking study conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has revealed the successful engineering of two synthetic bacteria strains capable of transforming plastic waste into valuable chemicals.
Lithium batteries are increasing in popularity, but they’re creating another problem
E-scooters, e-bikes and renewable energy storage in the form of batteries are rapidly increasing in popularity, but they’re creating another problem.
For China, bamboo ‘is where the future lies’ in shift away from polluting plastics
As the world’s top producer of plastic waste, China is transforming its bamboo industry using advanced technology to create biodegradable products.
Rich, white Americans the most likely to oppose wind farms, says study
Opposing clean energy is a privilege: Nimbyism among wealthy, white communities is extending the consequences of fossil fuels for others.
Crucial for a clean energy economy, the aluminum industry’s carbon footprint is enormous
A new report finds aluminum manufacturing worldwide emits more than a billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, as well as chemicals called perfluorocarbons that warm the planet for 50,000 years.
Japan’s court recognizes more victims of Minamata mercury poisoning and awards them compensation
A Japanese court on Wednesday ordered the central government, the Kumamoto prefecture and a chemical company to recognize more than 120 plaintiffs as patients of the decades-old Minamata mercury poisoning and pay compensation they have been denied because they developed symptoms after moving away from the region
Nature Conservation
One in six species at risk of extinction in Great Britain, say wildlife experts
State of Nature report paints bleak picture of wildlife in UK but says conservation methods are yielding results
PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ harming wildlife the world over: Study
While PFAS impacts on human health are well known, scientists are also finding severe impacts on wildlife, including hawksbill turtles, American alligators, Arctic kittiwakes, hooded seals, striped bass, bottlenose dolphins and other species.
Maelor Himbury | Library Volunteer
Australian Conservation Foundation | www.acf.org.au
p | 1800 223 669 t | @AusConservation
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Maelor Himbury | Library Volunteer
Australian Conservation Foundation | www.acf.org.au
p | 1800 223 669 t | @AusConservation