Author Archive: roman

Friends of the Earth Adelaide > Articles by: roman

Fukushima Anniversary

March 22, 2017

Saturday March 11 marked the sixth anniversary of the triple-disaster in north-east Japan – the earthquake, tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

And the news is not good. Scientists are wondering how on earth to stabilise and decontaminate the failed reactors awash with molten nuclear fuel, which are fast turning into graveyards for the radiation-hardened robots sent in to investigate them.

The Japanese government’s estimate of Fukushima compensation and clean-up costs has doubled and doubled again and now stands at ¥21.5 trillion (US$187bn; €177bn).

Indirect costs – such as fuel import costs, and losses to agricultural, fishing and tourism industries – will likely exceed that figure.

Kendra Ulrich from Greenpeace Japan notes in a new report that “for those who were impacted by the worst nuclear disaster in a generation, the crisis is far from over. And it is women and children that have borne the brunt of human rights violations resulting from it, both in the immediate aftermath and as a result of the Japan government’s nuclear resettlement policy.”

— Jim Green, FoE Australia’s anti-nuclear campaigner, writing in The Ecologist

Old_Notes

Adelaide FoE AGM: Gas in the SE? No F@#king way!

March 19, 2017

The Adelaide Friends of the Earth AGM is on March 30th;
If you’re a member or supporter, we’d urge you to come along.

Our speaker at the FoE AGM will be Anne Daw, Agricultural Advocate, talking about the conflict between gas & mineral mining and farmland. She was concerned by the recent government announcement to boost gas exploration.
While our Premier is being elevated to great heights on his stance with renewables and consideration of battery storage, sinister plans may be afoot to ensure that the South Australian Government may be still prepared to put at risk, prime agriculture land, precious water, our clean and green image and export markets.

In a news release on March 9, Energy and Resources Minister, Tom Koutsantonis said
“The removal of onshore drilling bans or hydraulic fracturing moratoria could also allow the market to access supply not currently available,” Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the report showed Steven Marshall should immediately abandon his promise to ban unconventional gas developments in the South East.

Last Tuesday, the Minister made an announcement that “the State Government would be using “every aspect of our arsenal” to tackle the problem, and intended to have its solution in place for next summer. Local gas generation will be a key, with the government to unlock more of the state’s gas reserves.”

If you’re coming, please reserve tickets using the form below; it’ll help us ensure there are seats for everyone!

Note: Anne will be the first item on the agenda, after a brief intro and welcome.

FoE, Old_Notes

Public Meetings Flinders Nuclear waste Dump

March 16, 2017

The Flinders Local Action Group (FLAG) and the Conservation Council of South Australia would like to invite you to attend one or both public meetings we are holding in Hawker and Port Augusta.

The meetings will discuss the proposed Radioactive Waste Management Facility at Barndioota, near Hawker, looking at the issues surrounding nuclear medicine and the history of nuclear waste management in Australia.

In 2016 a community survey undertaken by FLAG showed that a majority of local residents oppose the federal government’s proposal to build a national nuclear waste dump at Barndioota.

A nuclear waste dump in the Flinders Ranges presents a wide range of risks and many unknowns. 

Speakers include:

  • Dr Margaret Beavis is a Melbourne GP and President of the Medical Association for Prevention of War. She teaches medicine and public health at Melbourne University.
  • Dave Sweeney from the Australian Conservation Foundation and was on the national nuclear waste Independent Advisory Panel.

There will also be speakers from the FLAG group.

The meeting details are:

Port Augusta
Thursday 16th MarchInstitute Theatre52 Commercial Rd

Sausage sizzle at 5pm

Meeting 6pm – 8.30pm

Hawker

Sunday 19th March

Hawker Community Sports Centre

Cradock Road

Sausage sizzle at 1pm

Meeting 2pm – 4pm

 

These are free events. There will time for questions and discussion after the speakers.  We would be pleased if you were able to attend either of the meetings.

Please also promote the meetings in any way you can.

Please feel free to contact Greg Bannon on 0459 088 052 or myself on 0422 229 970 or email 

flinderslocalactiongroup@gmail.com if you require any further information.

thanks and regards,

Mara Bonacci

on behalf of the Flinders Local Action Group. 

… Read more >>

Nuclear, Old_Notes

Want to get involved?

March 12, 2017

We hope you’re enjoying the fortnightly email newsletter from FoE Adelaide.
You can support our work in a number of ways:

  • feel free to forward the newsletter to people who may be interested;
  • join friends of the earth adelaide;
  • donate two hours of wages each month to Adelaide FoE, or two hours of your time working on FoE campaigns and projects;
  • come along to FoE meetings and contribute to the discussion on building an ecological future
    (you can start with the AGM on Mar 30th)!

Donations here
membership forms

 

 

FoE, Old_Notes

Nuclear Power: Game Over

January 21, 2017

“Nuclear power is a clunky technology borne out of a bygone Cold War era. Its best days are over and it cannot form a key part of sustainable energy policy.”

 

 

 

Professor Derek Abbott, our guest speaker,
is a physicist and electrical engineer based at the University of Adelaide.
He’s written many articles about the long-term future for energy production.

He gave a  talk, based on the article in the current Australian Quarterly,
in which he outlines why Nuclear Power is in decline.

You can view the
Slides from the talk (a 24.6MB PDF file) or read the article online

Clean Futures, Nuclear, Old_Notes