New Chain reaction out! #129, April 2017

May 2, 2017

The new CR is out! And full of interesting articles…

  • Why the National Electricity Market is a disaster, and how to fix it
  • The government is right to fund energy storage: a 100% renewable grid is within reach
  • Will the Victorian Liberal’s anti-renewables stance cost it an election?
  • Australia’s snubs nuclear weapons talks
  • With Donald Trump in power, Australia urgently needs to re-evaluate its US bases
  • Undemocratic, racist nuclear waste legislation should be dumped
  • Fukushima nuclear disaster and the violation of women’s and children’s human rights
  • Half of the world’s nuclear power industry is in crisis
  • Militarism and environmentalism
  • Victoria’s koala population needs protection
  • Evidence mounts that nano-titanium dioxide in food may be harmful
  • Food supply and the next generation of GM breeding
  • Fracking’s frontier politics: The Northern Territory at an energy crossroads
  • Why won’t Australia ratify an international deal to cut mercury pollution?
  • Deep sea mining plans for Papua New Guinea raise alarm
  • The troubling evolution of corporate greenwashing
  • Famine doesn’t just ‘happen’ – and those who cause it must be held to account
  • A new deal with capitalism requires a revolution in politics and markets
  • Melbourne’s air warfare convention: ‘The ultimate family adventure’?
  • Why ‘green-black’ alliances are less simple than they seem

View the issue here (PDF)

 

FoE, Old_Notes

Prohibit Nuclear Weapons

May 2, 2017

The world is now facing a historic opportunity to prohibit nuclear weapons.
In October last year, a majority of the world’s states at the United Nations General Assembly agreed to start negotiations of a new legally binding treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons, in line with other treaties that prohibit chemical and biological weapons, landmines and cluster munitions.

As we’ve seen with these weapons, an international prohibition has created a strong norm against their use and speed up their elimination. The negotiations began at the United Nations in New York on March 27?31, and continue on 15 June to 7 July, with the aim of concluding a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons.

(more…)

Nuclear, Old_Notes, Weapons proliferation

Repower Pt Augusta rally

May 2, 2017

A good turnout on Sunday April 30th: a large crowd urging the Premier to give the go-ahead to solar thermal at Pt Augusta. As the Mayor of Pt Augusta, Sam Johnson,  pointed out, it makes economic sense and fits in nicely with the State’s new energy policy.

Clean Futures, Old_Notes

FoE Adelaide needs you!

May 2, 2017

Unfortunately, we didn’t get a quorum for the AGM at the end of March.
We know people are busy, but this makes it a bit difficult to plan for the coming year.
We hope there’s enough interest and enthusiasm
to support a local FoE group, so we thought it might be a good idea to check. 
We’re inviting people to a ‘meet & chat’ – about future possibilities for the branch.
As a subscriber to our email newsletter, we thought you might be interested.
This will be pretty informal, and held in the community room at
Christie Walk, 101 Sturt St, Adelaide.
Food and drinks will be supplied.

Discussion will include:

* what campaigns/activities do our members and friends want us to continue with?

* how can FoE Adelaide best carry out these suggestions?

* should FoE Adelaide go into recess for, say, a year?
 
We’d be grateful if you could let us know:

1. whether you’re interested to come to this discussion – or to be informed of its outcome, and

2. what preferences you have for possible meeting times suggested

The easiest way to respond is to fill in this short survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GJ7K2C9
 
If you fill out contact details on the survey, we’ll let you know when the “meet & chat” is happening.

Old_Notes

Energy in SA? Ask Giles Parkinson

March 22, 2017

Elon Musk? Snowy Hydro 2.0? Jay vs Josh? World’s biggest battery? Is gas dead?

We’ve had a truly remarkable week of energy news in SA. Are you elated? Worried? Or just a little confused?

Find out from Giles Parkinson, one of Australia’s leading and most forthright energy commentators what’s really going on — and why there’s much cause for optimism.

He’s talking at The Joinery, on March 27, 2017 at 6pm – 7:30pm

With as much punch as an Elon Musk battery tweet but without the awkwardness of the Jay Weatherill/Josh Frydenberg stoush, Giles will explain all. 

Tickets are just $5 to cover costs.

Bookings at Conservation SA

 

Old_Notes