Archived material from historical editions of The Generator
While some might view nuclear power in favour of greenhouse-friendly energy production while ignoring the dangers, costs and problematic waste issues, nobody can deny its wasteful water consumption, according to Peter Feist in The Australian Financial Review (20/10/2006, p.79). Nuclear power uses 25pc more water than coal: Nuclear power uses 25 per cent more water Continue Reading →
Amendments to NSW’s biobanking bill will provide a state mechanism to enable biodiversity credits to be used as a security for major development activities instead of cash or bonds. Temporary disruptions to biodiversity: Where impacts to biodiversity values will be of a temporary nature these amendments will provide for credits to be used as a Continue Reading →
Peter Mac – The Guardian The NSW "Biobank" scheme is a good example of reactionary government-sponsored conservation trading arrangements to "protect" sites of natural significance. Under Biobank, a developer can clear and develop such a site, provided they protect another comparable site. There are at least two major problems with this arrangement. Firstly, a development Continue Reading →
Australia is missing a huge opportunity to be the world’s leading exporter of solar energy technology, Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki told the National Press Club on 18 October, according to Rosslyn Beeby, science and environment reporter for The Canberra Times (19/10/2006, p.5).
Solar technology likely to be sold off: After hearing the Australian National University’s sliver cells could cut solar energy costs by 75 per cent, he spent the morning visiting the laboratory where they were developed by Professor Andrew Blakers and Klaus Weber. "But I gather it’s on the verge of being sold to an international corporation and you’re going to end up buying back an Australian technology – which I think is scandalous and disgraceful," he said.
Kyoto the key: Prime Minister John Howard had made Australia "an international outlaw" by rejecting the Kyoto treaty on climate change – "a treaty representing more than 60 per cent of the world’s population", he said.
New environment laws slammed: Suzuki described proposed changes to Australia’s environment laws as "absolutely terrifying", suggesting they mimicked moves by United States President George W Bush to "systematically undercut" and dismantle environmental protection.
The Canberra Times, 19/10/2006, p.5
Source: Erisk Net
NSW households that install rainwater tanks can claim a rebate of up to $800 from today, reported The Daily Telegraph (19/10/2006, p.5). 16,000 get washing machine cash: The state government is also to extend the $150 cash-back scheme for Sydney households that buy water-efficient washing machines until 2008. Since the scheme was adopted in March, Continue Reading →
According to Tim Colebatch in The Age (19/10/2006, p.7), one plan for Melbourne’s water supply was proving popular: it involved a pair of huge pipes, one taking Melbourne’s used (but class A recycled) water to Gippsland’s power stations, the other taking fresh Gippsland water to Melbourne, as the main source of new water for the city’s growth in the next 50 years.
About 160GL over 50 years: That swap, if it happens, would provide a third of the 472 billion litres to be transferred, tapped or saved in central Victoria over the next 50 years. Melbourne needs it because less rain was expected to fall while there would be 1.5 million more people and more industry in the city during that period.
Adapting to changing conditions: The strategy argues that more dams are not the solution, because the rivers are fully tapped as it is, and climate change is likely to reduce future run-off.
Over 350GL in savings: Of its savings, 201 billion litres would come from recycling water, 144 billion from conservation and efficiency measures (mostly higher prices, tougher roles on watering, and higher efficiency), and the rest through transfers, buybacks, groundwater and other sources.
No decision until comparison made: The Gippsland pipelines are the key. But rather than commit fully now, the Government will benchmark them against studies of the cost of a desalination plant of the same size, and reusing urban stormwater.
The Age, 19/10/2006, p. 7
Source: Erisk Net