Archive for July, 2004

Greens election demands to LaborLink to full story

The Greens may not allocate preference votes to Labor unless it opposes the US free trade agreement.

posted by seamas on July 28, 2004 at 6:42 pm · filed under Various and general

$2m to restore and protect ReefLink to full story

Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell has announced a $2 million program to restore and protect wetlands along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef. The program also includes promoting volunteer work to ensure greater protection of these wetlands.

posted by ecomedia on July 28, 2004 at 11:55 am · filed under Oceans and coasts

Increase flow to fix MurrayLink to full story

Scientists have called for the increase of water flow to the Murray River by an extra 1,500 gigalitre. An increase would drive the ecological system and fix the health of the river.

posted by ecomedia on July 28, 2004 at 11:43 am · filed under Oceans and coasts

Weather changes affected by the burning AmazonLink to full story

Wide-scale burning of the Amazon rainforest is raising temperatures and reducing rainfall according to scientists. Burning by loggers and farmers is affecting weather patterns and is significantly accelerating the disappearance of the forest which is home to up to 30 per cent of the world’s animal and plant species. Last year an area bigger than the state of New Jersey was hacked and burned from the forest.

posted by ecomedia on July 28, 2004 at 11:29 am · filed under Forests, land and agriculture

Minister proposes colour-coded eco friendly shopping bagLink to full story

The federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell has spoken about introducing new colour-coded eco-friendly shopping bags with various colours signifying what areas of the environment could be helped by using these bags instead of traditional shopping bags. However the proposal has upset Planet Ark, who have their own environmentally friendly blue bag promotion. The minister also talked about how he is now convinced of the existence of global warming.

posted by ecomedia on July 26, 2004 at 2:02 pm · filed under Recycling and waste

Biodegradable bags increasing in popularityLink to full story

Aldi, the independent German supermarket chain is reporting that there has been good sales of its new biodegradable shopping bag. The bag is manufactured from renewable sources and breaks down in around two to three months.

posted by ecomedia on July 26, 2004 at 1:43 pm · filed under Recycling and waste

Conservation funding for forest inhabitantsLink to full story

A report by the Washington-based environmental organisation Forest Trends found that indigenous inhabitants of forests should be funded because of their local expertise in forest conservation.

posted by ecomedia on July 23, 2004 at 2:27 pm · filed under Forests, land and agriculture

Central Vic pollution planLink to full story

There are plans to reduce the levels of pollution in central Victoria as data shows that the Bendigo council alone generates more than 1.25 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

posted by ecomedia on July 23, 2004 at 2:17 pm · filed under Climate, greenhouse and renewable energy

Whale calf death reignites debate over shark netsLink to full story

The drowning of a humpback whale calf in a shark net off the Gold Coast on Monday morning has reignited the debate over the danger posed by shark nets to marine life. The director of marine sciences at Sea World has called for shark nets to be removed during periods of whale migration whilst the Humane Society wants to have shark nets officially listed as a threat to wildlife to allow legal action to be taken against councils that didn’t do enough to prevent marine life from drowning in their nets.

posted by ecomedia on July 21, 2004 at 3:41 pm · filed under Pests, wildlife and threatened species

Energy mining threatens rare whale speciesLink to full story

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has agreed on a motion to try and protect an endangered gray whale colony near Sakhalin Island. The seismic waves that geologists use to survey the region for geological structures conducive for holding hydrocarbons interfere with the way that the whales use communicate and navigate. Furthermore, the mining operations themselves pose a potential pollution hazard.

posted by ecomedia on July 21, 2004 at 3:28 pm · filed under Pests, wildlife and threatened species

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