Category: Archive

Toxic GE corn given thumbs up

admin /22 March, 2007

Australia — How safe is your GE food? A genetically engineered (GE) corn approved for human consumption in Australia has produced toxicity symptoms when fed to rats.

Dangerous food: The GE corn variety, MON863, approved for human consumption in Australia, causes toxic symptoms.

A new study on the effects of GE corn variety, MON863, on rats concludes it can’t be considered a "safe product". However, the same variety was given a big tick by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), our government food safety regulator, declaring it safe for humans. FSANZ had access to the test data  (on which the new study was based) back in 2004 and still gave this toxic corn the okay.

Who can we trust to make the right decisions about GE food?

"With the present data, it cannot be concluded that GM corn MON863 is a safe product."

Findings of a study into the approved GE corn variety, MON 863.

Greenpeace is demanding the immediate withdrawal of high-risk GE products and an extension of the Australian state moratoria on GE food crops.

Water shortages shut power station

admin /21 March, 2007

Tarong Energy chief executive Helen Gluer said the state-owned power station would significantly reduce generation from March 30 to conserve water in Boondooma Dam, which is at 15 per cent capacity, reported The Australian Financial Review (15/3/07, p.9).

Water supply cut: The move follows an announcement last week by the Beattie government that it would cut water usage at its power stations at Tarong North part of the Tarong complex half owned by two Japanese companies and Swanbank, owned by CS Energy.

Output already 25pc down: Tarong power station, 180 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, had already reduced generation by 25 per cent since the beginning of the year saying 500 megalitres of water.

User pays for Queensland Water

admin /21 March, 2007

Qld Water Grid plan: centrally coordinated management of bulk water supply, transport and treatment assets, councils, power stations, to pay costs The Queensland Water Commission said water is a regional resource and existing water supplies are not owned by individual local governments; and therefore proposed a Queensland Water Grid would provide a mandated mechanism for the centrally coordinated management of bulk water supply, transport and treatment assets, and providing services to identified Grid Customers.

How it would work:

• The Grid Manager would provide contracted amounts of water to nominated demand nodes; and

• retailers would retain responsibility for the supply and standards of service to their own customers (for example households and commercial and industrial users

• Grid Customers (retailers and power stations) be deemed to be beneficiaries of the Water Grid (and therefore required to contribute to its costs.

Gunns Deserts Tas Govt

admin /21 March, 2007

Gunns CEO John Gay attacked Sate Government, pulling out of the $1.45billion deal and saying it "stuffed me up"

Orange peel offers energy source

admin /21 March, 2007

Producing approximately 5 million tons of citrus peel waste annually, the Florida orange juice industry has the potential to provide up to 60 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol for Sunshine State residents, according to Bill Widmer, a research chemist with the USDA-ARS Citrus and Subtropical Products Laboratory in Winter Haven.

"Where the process stands right now is we can break apart the complex carbohydrates and liquefy the citrus waste. Basically what we end up with is a four to five percent fermented stream — or citrus beer. I use that term ‘beer’ loosely. You definitely would not want to drink that stuff."

— Bill Widmer, U.S. Citrus & Subtropical Products Research Laboratory, research chemist

Tasmania calls for emissions trading

admin /21 March, 2007

A sensible energy policy would involve a return to emissions trading, which was inevitable in Tasmania, the Minister for Energy, David Llewellyn, told the House of Assembly, Government Businesses Scrutiny Committee meeting, on Tuesday, 6 March.

More wind in the air: He added that Tasmania would be wanting to look at developing extra wind capacity here in Tasmania.

Wind the salvation: He said: "The project that is now the most desirable project in the whole of Australia, and with full approvals and so on, is Musselroe. All it is waiting for is some sort of REC (renewable energy certificate) arrangement"