Clean Futures

Friends of the Earth Adelaide > Clean Futures

Nuclear Politics in the Pub Wed 16th September

September 8, 2015

The NUKE FREE SA COALITION invite you to attend:

Nuclear politics in the pub – Part1

Royal Commission submission session

The submissions are in, but what did people say? Come and hear a range of authors and contributors share in brief (5 mins!) the key point of their submissions, on a range of economic, cultural and environmental issues.

6.00pm – 8.30pm Wednesday 16 SEPTEMBER, 2015 Upstairs @ The Gov, Port Road, Hindmarsh.

Speakers include:

  • Chris Hannaford, Prospect Local Environment Group
  • Karina Lester, YNTAC Chairperson
  • Rose Lester, from Walatina and committee member of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance
  • Tauto Sansbury, SA Congress
  • Cr Michelle Hogan, Port Adelaide Enfield Council
  • Dr Philip White, Friends of the Earth Adelaide
  • Dr Jim Green, Friends of the Earth Australia (via Skype)
  • Mark Parnell MLC, South Australia Greens
  • Melissa Ballantyne, Environmental Defenders Office SA
  • Philippa Rowland, Re-power South Australia

Check out the fb event HERE

RSVP via eventbrite HERE – this help us with catering or just rock up!

While submissions are closed for the Royal Commission into the Nuclear Fuel Chain, the discussion is just getting started!

Special screening of short film ‘ Homelands’ with Bobby Brown .

Free event * Light snacks provided. * Drinks at bar prices

Hosted by the SA nuke free coalition – for more information call: Nectaria on: 0432 388 665 or Robyn on: 0423 219 096 or email adelaide.office@foe.org.au

Friends of the Earth Adelaide is a member group of the Nuke Free SA coalition.  We meet monthly in the city, all welcome.

Clean Futures, Nuclear, Old_Notes

Federal Government attacks on environmental groups

August 20, 2015

The Federal government is now attacking environmental groups on two fronts.

1. One inquiry well under way is the following attempt to remove tax free donation status of environmental charities like Friends of the Earth.

“The House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment will inquire into and report on the administration and transparency of the Register of Environmental Organisations (the Register) and its effectiveness in supporting communities to take practical action to improve the environment.” More information here.

Friends of the Earth Australia has made a submission and hearings are being held around the country. The Adelaide hearing is scheduled for September 1st – location to be announced. The hearing will be open to the public and we intend to have a representative monitor the Adelaide event.  Friends of the Earth are appearing before the inquiry in Melbourne on September 21st – location to be announced.

2. “The Abbott government has revealed plans to repeal a section of Australia’s environment laws that allows green groups to challenge approvals for mining projects and other large developments in the courts. Federal Attorney-General George Brandis said the government would seek to repeal section 487 (2) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and “return to the common law”, after it was used successfully by the Mackay Conservation Group to overturn the federal environment minister’s approval of the Carmichael mega-coal mine in Queensland’s Galilee Basin.” Renew Economy: The six big lies in Tony Abbott’s attack on the environment

The Six Big Lies in Tony Abbott’s attack on the environment:

Lie 1. It’s the economy versus the environment

Lie 2. The parade of projects

Lie 3. Coal jobs at risk

Lie 4. Activists destroying the industry

Lie 5. The cost of emissions reductions

Lie 6. The sheer hypocrisy of it all

A good article at the Guardian article: George Brandis says vigilante green groups are destroying thousands of mining jobs

You are invited to sign the PETITION to Attorney George Brandis asking him to:

Stop Abbott government destroying Australia’s environmental laws.

… Read more >>

Clean Futures, Climate, Divestment, Environmental Law, FoE, Mining, Nuclear, Old_Notes, Sustainability

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100% Renewable Energy for SA – in just 15 years! Wed August 19th

August 18, 2015

100% Renewable Energy for SA – in just 15 years!

Wed August 19th 6:30pm

Kings Head Hotel, King William St Adelaide

SA is the standout state – today getting 40% of its electricity from renewable sources – at least 3 times more than any other mainland state in Australia. Great!

Did you know we could hit 100% renewable electricity? And in just 15 years?

This is one of the findings of the Conservation SA commissioned report by energy expert Dr Mark Diesendorf of the University of NSW.

It will not only clean up our environment to do our share to halt climate change, it will continue to bring down our state’s electricity costs.

Come and hear:

1. Julia Winefield of Conservation SA speak on the report together with

2. Margaret Hender of CORENA and

3. Nicki Ison of Community Power Agency

who will all indicate how we can fast track renewable energy projects in our own communities, plus what we each of us can do to ensure Dr Diesendorf’s report becomes a reality.

Order free tickets via Eventbrite

See you there!

Check out the 100% Renewables SA Facebook page

Clean Futures, Climate, Renewables, Sustainability

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FoE Adelaide Annual Report 2014/15

August 13, 2015

Friends of the Earth Adelaide has two main collectives.  The Fair Food Adelaide collective works on food sovereignty issues including March Against Monsanto, and the Clean Futures Collective focuses on Mining and Energy; and is pro-renewables, anti-nuclear and anti-fracking.

Fair Food Adelaide

This financial year Fair Food Adelaide focussed on events for Fair Food Week held each October where we held two events – a bicycle community garden tour, and a forum on food poverty co-hosted with Foodbank SA. After a local food Long Table lunch and an end of year picnic, we’ve had a quieter 2015 as two of our main organisers have had to step down due to new jobs.  Our monthly Urban Orchard food swap is continuing, and instead of rallying on the anniversary of the first March Against Monsanto we wrote letters to SA’s Agriculture Minister to congratulate him on standing strong to continue SA’s GM moratorium and championing soil improvement rather than GMO crops.  We also lobbied the federal Agriculture Minister and Health Minister asking them to ban the weedkiller Roundup (glyphosate) in light of the recent announcement by the World Health Organisation that it probably causes cancer. We have received replies from Barnaby Joyce saying the approval status of glyphosate is under review.  We are also collecting signatures for a petition to Bunnings asking them to stop stocking the neonicotinoid pesticides that harm bees. We also work with the GM-Free Australia Alliance as one of its member groups. Member Kim Hill hosted workshop on The End of Agriculture at the Students of Sustainability conference in July.

We’ll continue to keep members up to date with information on our Facebook page, Facebook group, googlegroup and website.

See www.facebook.com/fairfoodadelaide and www.facebook.com/groups/MarchAgainstMonsantoAdelaide

Sign up for our fortnightly e-newsletter at the bottom left side of our home page www.adelaide.foe.org.au… Read more >>

Clean Futures, Climate, FoE, Mining, Nuclear, Old_Notes, Publications, Renewables, Reports, Sustainability, Weapons proliferation

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Energy Storage Opportunities for SA – Monday 17 August

August 13, 2015

People interested in renewable energy storage may like to attend this Alternative Technology Association event:

ATA Adelaide Branch Meeting – Energy Storage Opportunities for SA

When: Monday, August 17

Time: 7.30pm sharp

Where: Goodwood Community Centre (Banquet Hall), 32/34 Rosa St, Goodwood. Goodwood Community Centre is convenient to the tram, buses and train. Enter the car park via Florence St.

Cost: ATA members $2, non-members $5. Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.

Presenter: Dean Spaccavento of Reposit Power

South Australia enjoys a high penetration of solar energy but electricity consumers pay high electricity prices by world standards. We have a volatile energy market and energy companies pay very high spot prices to generators when demand is high. All of this makes solar, energy storage and intelligent control a more attractive prospect for SA than elsewhere.

Dean will speak about the GridCredits software that allows householders to trade on the energy market. Using parameters such as a home’s energy consumption habits, weather, grid demand and future energy prices, the software automatically decides whether it’s advantageous for a system to store the solar energy or sell to the grid, allowing the household to profit. GridCredits is integrated into Tesla’s Powerwall battery storage system.

Dean has considerable technical expertise in the Australian, North American and Asian-Pacific electrical supply industries.

Other events

Adelaide Cleantech Network will hold their Tonsley Tour and refreshments on August 26 at 4pm. Click herefor details and free registration. Presentations include new Siemens facility.

Adelaide Sustainable Building Network: Graeme Hopkins and Janelle Arbon will present on Connecting with Nature on August 26, 6.30-8.30pm at 87 Gibson St, Bowden. Details and registration:https://guestlistapp.com/events/338700

Q&A

ATA meetings put people with questions in touch with people who might have answers. The Q&A session is an open discussion about sustainability topics.

ATA Adelaide Branch meetings are open to ATA members and non-members.… Read more >>

Clean Futures, Renewables, Sustainability

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