Archive for April, 2008
Plans to build a water pipeline from the Burdekin Dam in northern Queensland to the drought-stricken south-east of Queensland have been scrapped due to the cost. A Government-funded study estimated the cost of such a project would be around $14 billion, quadrupling the cost of water for residents. Additional water-recycling measures are now being reconsidered for the south-east, and the possibility of a future desalination plant now looks more economically viable.
posted by steve on April 28, 2008 at 12:12 pm · filed under 
An exotic aquarium fish, called platys, may become as infamous as the rabbit, the cane toad and the indian myna bird, as a small feral population has been found in natural watercourse near Newcastle. The platys could overwhelm native species, as it is known to be aggressive, breed rapidly, and to eat frog and fish spawn. The effects on the natural ecosystems could be catastrophic and irreversible.
posted by steve on April 28, 2008 at 11:54 am · filed under 
Bureau of Statistics figures show that the fuel efficiency of Australian cars has remained virtually unimproved since 1963. The extra features now standard on most cars, such as air conditioning, electric windows, power-steering, entertainments systems and safety features, mean that the extra size and weight of today’s vehicles has virtually offset any improvements in engine efficiency that have been made in the last 45 years. Transport fuel use, currently accounting for 14 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, is set to increase by 67 per cent of 1990’s levels by 2020 unless improved vehicle technology can stem the increase.
posted by steve on April 28, 2008 at 11:10 am · filed under 
Pressure is mounting on the federal government, by community advocacy group GetUp, to cut subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. These subsidies have been estimated to amount to $4 billion a year, and are, say GetUp’s executive director Greg Soloman, “wasteful and inappropriate in the context of the climate crisis we are facing”. The forthcoming budget on May 13th is being seen as a test for the Rudd government on their commitment to climate change issues.
posted by steve on April 28, 2008 at 9:02 am · filed under
| May 11, 2008 | to | May 16, 2008 |
The 10th IFEH World Congress will be held at the Brisbane Convention Centre in May 2008. The theme of the congress is “Environmental Health, a Sustainable Future - 20 years on”
posted by seamas on April 28, 2008 at 12:36 am · filed under 
A US Government has reported on a sharp rise in 2007 in two key greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere - carbon dioxide and methane. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that carbon dioxide, as the primary driver of climate change, had risen 0.6 per cent last year. It also found that methane rose 0.5 per cent and it is explained that throughout the decade, the rate of increase in greenhouse gases has accelerated, the cause for which is clear - the burning of fossil fuels.
posted by elisabeth on April 27, 2008 at 9:57 pm · filed under
The popular fast-food chain is trying to implement new ways of being environmentally sustainable. Recent suggestions include using cooking oil excess to create bio-fuels, designing new stores so as to capture more natural light and implemeting a ’scorecard’ system for its various franchises.
posted by Karl on April 26, 2008 at 10:53 am · filed under
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