http://ecomedia.org.au/press eco media is bubbling with the latest environment news, events and media releases. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:53:34 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Nicole Keupper, 23, last night won two Australian Museum Eureka Awards for the new solar cells she's been able to produce in a pizza oven!  Compared to current solar cell technology which is very costly, the iJET cell developed by Ms Keupper can be manufactured cheaply in low-cost, low-temperature environments ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/20/young-australian-develops-new-solar-technology/ One of the reasons the proposed Gunns' pulp mill has been so unpopular is because it planned to source 80% of its timber from Tasmania's native forests, despite claiming they have enough plantations to supply the pulp mill. This is all about to change, however, as Gunns' share price ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/20/mixed-messages-from-gunns/ Victorian Premier John Brumby has released figures showing public transport use is growing dramatically in Melbourne. During the 2007-08 financial year, Melburnians made 201.2 million trips on trains, 158.3 million tram trips and 91.3 million on buses. Figures indicate that public transport use grew at over 7% during the past ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/20/melburnians-take-to-trains-trams-and-buses/ Despite Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson's statement in February of this year that the liberal party had no plans to build a nuclear industry in Australia "at any time in the near future", Shadow Trade Minister Ian MacFarlane has stated that if Australia is serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/20/liberal-party-reignites-debate-on-nuclear-power/ Concern has been expressed by wildlife carers and a veterinarian that the Tasmanian state government does not have a dedicated eagle officer.  This is despite an increase in the number injured and a decline in populations as old growth forest habitat is logged. http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/20/tas-wedge-tailed-eagles-no-longer-monitored/ The dredging of Botany Bay, part of a $1bn port expansion in New South Wales has raised concerns about the welfare of the bay. Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has voiced her disapproval, saying dredging could cause tidal changes to occur and potentially rouse toxic sediments from the bottom of the ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/19/botany-bay-dredging-raises-environmental-impact-issues/ Professor Will Steffen, head of the climate change unit at the Australian National University and science adviser to the Federal Government, has said that evidence from the past 12 to 18 months shows polar ice sheets are melting faster. Steffen has predicted a sea level rise of up to 4 ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/19/grave-predictions-for-sea-level-rise/ 232 of Sydney's worst green house gas emitters will be named and forced to reduce their emissions under recently formed energy-efficiency laws which will result in court action for those who do not comply. Not only will the cuts help reduce emissions but businesses will reportedly save an estimated $40 ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/19/nsw-cutting-company-emissions-but-increasing-coal-exploration/ Australia may be set to become a solar energy powerhouse, with engineering company WorleyParsons planning to build the world’s biggest solar thermal power plant in Australia by the year 2011. The company believes Australia has the potential to accommodate 34 solar thermal power stations as early as 2020, with Australia ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/18/australia-to-house-worlds-biggest-solar-plant/ Climate change has had detrimental effects on migratory birds along Australia’s coastal zones. Eric Woehler from Birds Australia has envisaged losses of the majority of beach nesting birds most due to increasing sea levels, presence of livestock, construction and various recreational activities within the next 70 years. According to Woehler, ... http://ecomedia.org.au/press/2008/08/18/migratory-birds-suffering-from-climate-change/