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The Generator news service publishes articles on sustainable development, agriculture and energy as well as observations on current affairs. The news service is used on the weekly radio show, The Generator, as well as by a number of monthly and quarterly magazines. A podcast of the Generator news is also available.
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Factory Farms poison our diets

admin /13 October, 2007

Public and environmental health is being severely threatened through the institution of animal factory farming, which pollutes our water, air, soil and even our bodies with harmful chemicals and pollutants. Corporations now have taken over the practice of family farming and have developed cost-saving mass-production strategies that are not only dangerous to public health, but are also cruel to the animals being processed.

Animal factories, also known as large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), go against traditional farming practices by treating the animal simply as a machine or production unit. These farms are more like an assembly line system of animal harvesting than anything resembling a genuine farm or ranch.

"Factory farming has taken the joy out of the lives of millions of calves and pigs, and billions of hens; it has driven countless family farmers off the land; it has polluted streams and rivers; it has injected massive amounts of antibiotics and other drugs into the public food supply resulting in serious health risks. It has lowered food quality," says Christine Stevens, author of the book Factory Farming, The Experiment That Failed.

Climate urgency builds parliamentary support for Simultaneous Policy

admin /9 October, 2007

The Simultaneous Policy (SP), a global grassroots campaign aimed at
addressing global problems such as climate change, unfair trade and global
poverty, gained further support in Parliament today as Celia Barlow, Labour
MP for Hove, joined twenty-three other MPs from all the main UK political
parties who have signed a pledge to implement SP alongside other
governments. "Co-operation between different nations is paramount in terms
of tackling the world’s greatest problems such as climate change and
poverty. Unilateral action, though important, cannot solve these
international problems," Ms. Barlow said.

The fear of all governments that the unilateral implementation of stringent
environmental controls would increase business costs resulting in a loss of
investment and jobs is rapidly being recognised as the key barrier to
solving global warming and other global problems. Despite the Stern report
which urged governments to act decisively to curb carbon emissions, the
Financial Times (6th Dec. 06) noted that ".governments remain reluctant to
address this threat because any country acting alone to curb its greenhouse
gas emissions, without similar commitments by other governments, risks
damaging the competitiveness of its industries."

Pathways to a low carbon future – We can do it!

admin /9 October, 2007

Locals get together to show a sustainable vision for the caldera

 

The Ethos Foundation, Permaforest Trust and Ebono Institute have joined forces to deliver Pathways to a Low Carbon Future, a forum at the Byron Community Cultural Centre on Thursday, October 25th. The forum will discuss the urgency for change, the experiences of the Beaudesert Shire across the border in Queensland and the 2020 Vision for the Wollumbin Caldera.

Indonesia plans to generate nuclear energy with Aussie Uranium

admin /6 October, 2007

According to Karen Michelmore, "We have to make a decision this year, so that a start can be made early next year," Indonesia’s Research and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman told Indonesia’s Tempo magazine this month, reported The Canberra Times (29/9/2007, p. B2). Nuclear energy essential for Indonesia’s development: The government is looking at building up Continue Reading →

Local forum brings farmers and environmentalists together

admin /6 October, 2007

The Sustainable Regions forum in Murwillumbah last Friday evening brought together local farmers with renewable energy pioneers and government agencies to outline practical solutions for farming in the face of water shortages, rising oil prices and the globalisation of agribusiness. Among messages emerging from the forum was the fact that most speakers, including the Nationals Continue Reading →

Queensland gets windfall from windfarms

admin /6 October, 2007

According to Tim Blue in The Australian (25/9/2007, p.B23), the Queensland Treasury looks to be the immediate winner from rising gov­ernment enthusiasm for wind and solar energy, set free by John Howard’s declaration on renewable energy targets.

Origin, AGL in front row for renewables certificates: Industry sources speculate that a portfolio of wind assets owned by the Queensland Government will have risen in value by around $50 million to $400 million in the wake of the Prime Minister’s target to have 15 per cent of all energy demand supplied from renewable sources by 2020. Energy retailers Origin and AGL are expected to head a list of bidders to be finalised this week, and to make the best offers, given their ability to make use of renewable energy certificates that will come with ownership of the wind assets.