Habitat Australia articles from December 2002

Habitat Australia archives from December 2002

Small steps. (green Views).
December 1, 2002... It has struck me that while many Australians are very vocal about environmental issues in this' country, very few actually carry environmental practices into their own home. While we all recycle (where council permits) and try to use less...

The power of letters. (green Views).
December 1, 2002... I am a committed member. I wish I could be more active but every now and then I do manage to send off a "lobbying for change" letter. I remain ever optimistic that each and every letter that is sent, or submission made, takes us all one...

Casual council vacancies. (green Views).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Nominations are invited from members to fill ACF council vacancies. There are two vacancies in South Australia and one vacancy in Tasmania. Nominees and nominators must be ACF members and nominations must be received at ACF's Melbourne office,...

In memory. (green Views).(Dewar Goode)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... ACJ: has received a number of donations in memory of Mr Dewar Goode. We are most grateful to receive these gifts and offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends. Turn to page 24 if you would like to read more about Mr Goode's...

60L Green Building opens at last! (green Views).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... On a magnificent spring day, Friday 18 October, the unique 60L Green Building was officially opened by the Victorian Premier Steve Bracks before a large audience of 100 industry leaders and sustainability supporters. The Premier was joined...

ACF Central Coast branch meetings. (green Views).(Australian Conservation Foundation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... We would like to invite all ACF members and supporters on the Central Coast to come to our meetings on the first Sunday of each month (except January) at loam at Parkside Terrace, Donnison St, Gosford (opposite Gosford Library in Kibble Park)....

Membership milestones. (green Views).(Australian Conservation Foundation )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... ACF would like to extend its sincere thanks and congratulations to the following people who, during the months of October and November 2002, reached the milestones of 25 and 30 years of continuous membership. 30 years Dr B Chessman,...

A word from the president. (green Views).(Australian Conservation Foundation )
December 1, 2002... If Australians ever needed reminding that ours is a thirsty, dry and tough continent then the current serious drought is solid evidence. But instead of treating drought as a `disaster', notwithstanding the terrible effects on our rural...

Arts and environment--a powerful mix! Wakakirri. (green Views).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... The 2002 Wakakirri finals--Australia's largest national primary school performing arts event finished in October with great success. This year's theme for the environmental award was the most creative use of cans and plastic bottles. 25,000...

QLD checks its salinity. (Land And Water).(Queensland)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... On September 11, 2002, the Queensland government unveiled changes to the salinity performance requirement of the State Code for the Clearing of Vegetation. The changes tighten land clearing controls in the Queensland section of the Murray...

Pine Gap ... actually, we do mind. (Peace).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... ACF representatives were part Of the estimated 500 people involved in three days of non-violent direct action at the Pine Gap military intelligence and targeting facility near Alice Springs in early October. The national protest was held to...

VIC box-ironbark woodlands win protection. (Landclearing Campaign).(Victoria)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... ACF has congratulated the Bracks government and the state Opposition for passing legislation in October to protect Victoria's box-ironbark forests and woodlands in new national parks and conservation reserves. The new parks, which were...

Jabiluka awaiting promised rehabilitation. (Anti-Nuclear Campaign).(Australian mine clean-up)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... ACF has joined Friends of the Earth, the NT Environment Centre and the Mirrar traditional Aboriginal owners in calling on British-based global mining giant Rio Tinto to honour recent commitments by its Chairman over the Jabiluka project in...

Federal gov pushes shaky reactor. (campaign Trails).(Australia's Lucas Heights nuclear reactor)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... The federal government is continuing to push ahead with plans to build a controversial second nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights in southern Sydney despite growing concern over safety and security issues. Work on the reactor has been stalled...

Honeymoon found to be unlicensed! (campaign Trails).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... ACF has called for an end to the controversial Honeymoon uranium project in South Australia following revelations that the operation lacks the required state government mining approval. Honeymoon holds only a $200 non-commercial care and...

Bracks promises redemption for the Otways. (Forests Campaign).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... In the lead-up to the Victorian state election, the Bracks Labor government made three important and exciting promises in regard to Forests and National Parks Policy: to protect the forests of the Otway Ranges; to end woodchipping in the Wombat...

Somerville. (campaign Trails).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... 1. The Modern politician is 78% watery-2 living Miracle of complex, dynamic meandering. So how does this amazing egosystem work? 2. Due to the democratic oscillation index, once every 3 years votes rain down on the politician. 3. In...

X-ray visions: a spectacular selection of comtemporary art from the Kunwinjku People in Western Arnhem Land is on display at ACF's new headquarters.
December 1, 2002... CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS can be complicated and open to mistrust and abuse. It is well known that the selling of Aboriginal art has often been conducted in a less-than-honourable manner, misrepresenting the artists and lining only the...

Levelling the playing field not our native forests: with National Competition Policy, state forestry operators need to reassess the way they do business to help foster the plantation industry.
December 1, 2002... OPPOSITION TO LOGGING in Australia's native forests has largely been based upon ecological concerns and the foregoing of potential products and services, such as tourism. But since the introduction of National Competition Policy, the financial...

Appeal for our old growth forests: your help is needed to fight off the threats to destroy our native forests for electricity generation and wood chipping.
December 1, 2002... RIGHT NOW, MAJOR LOGGING COMPANIES have Australia's ancient forests firmly in their sights. Included are some of the world's tallest trees, important ecosystems for our precious native wildlife and some of the last remaining habitats of their...

Search for salvation: the future of our rivers, the life-giving arteries of our parched country, needs planning now. Habitat explores our past mistakes and looks towards an exciting future that can cater for all.
December 1, 2002... AMONGST ALL THE PUBLIC discussion about protecting our national security to safeguard our way of life--from terrorism and illegal immigrants, needing bigger defence and intelligence budgets--a quick skim over the latest findings on threats to...

Forecast: asthma, cholera and malaria: the Australian Medical Association is becoming increasingly worried about disease outbreaks and other health-related impacts of climate change.
December 1, 2002... FOR MANY YEARS there have been concerns about how environmental degradation adversely affects our health. While many of us "feel" the smog as we puff along on a bicycle or "feel" the city pollution on our skin, the connection is much greater...

Cryptic creatures: the river systems of the Northern Territory harbour some fascinating newly-discovered fish life as well as some isolated pockets of once-common species. Habitat takes a look at the speartooth shark and the freshwater sawfish.
December 1, 2002... IT COMES AS A SURPRISE that so little is known about the ecology of the Daly Basin region of the Northern Territory. Why? Because the Daly River is reported to have extremely high conservation values. Like the Alligator Rivers region that forms...

Web browsing: Trevor Blake is not afraid of spiders.
December 1, 2002... A FRESH DEWY MORNING in the bush or the garden will often have us marvelling at a spectacular spider web and reaching for the camera, or letting a friend take the lead on a bushwalk. But some spiders make no web. There are various groups...

The "original greenie". (ACF Member Profile).(Dewar Wilson Goode)(Obituary)
December 1, 2002... Dewar Wilson Goode AM. Grazier, conservationist and writer. 1.2.1907--28.6.2002. AT DEWAR GOODE'S FUNERAL (aged 95) his son Thomas referred to him as "the original greenie"--with some justification. As a child in South Australia, Dewar...

Talking garbage. (consuming Choices).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... We have received many letters and questions in recent months about recycling household waste. It is clear that many of us do not have a clear understanding of what happens to our carefully separated bottles, cans, cartons and paper once the...

The cycle. (consuming Choices).(Citywide Services Solutions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Citywide Services Solutions is one of the companies contracted by municipal councils in Melbourne to collect its household recycling and take it to a sorting facility. Here, plastics, glass, metals and paper are further divided into sub...

Plastics. (consuming Choices).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... There are seven types of plastics, three of which are currently being recycled. The grades can be determined by the recycling symbol with a number in its centre. Polymer types are PET, which is labelled number one. HDPE is labelled number two,...

Is recycling economically viable? (consuming Choices).
December 1, 2002... The recycling of plastics is dependent upon what manufacturers are willing to pay for the material. A big determinant in this is the current price for virgin material, as new plastics are made from crude oil, gas and coal. "To run a...

All up, is recycling environmentally sound and cost effective? (consuming Choices).(Independent Assessment of Kerbside Recycling in Australia)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... The National Packaging Covenant Council's "Independent Assessment of Kerbside Recycling in Australia", published in January 2001, and conducted by Nolan ITU, weighed economical and environmental costs. The results illustrated the overall...

Reduce, reuse and recycle. (consuming Choices).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... But as most of us know, the priority is to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, the latter being the least desirable of the three options. While we strive to increase the amount of waste being recycled we should concurrently be reducing the amount of...

When buying household products, this translates to. (consuming Choices).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... 1. Avoiding packaging as much as possible 2. Choosing products packaged in glass and metal over plastics 3. Choosing containers that have already been recycled 4. Choosing products packaged in clear plastics and those made from PET...

Priceless--the Vanishing Beauty of a Fragile Planet.(Book Review)
December 1, 2002... Bradley Trevor Greive Random House RRP $39.95 Like the highly successful Blue Day Book, animals are again the stars--although this time the focus is on diversity and the threat, of extinction. Through the captivating images of...

Nugget Coombs--A Reforming Life.(Book Review)
December 1, 2002... Tim Rowse Cambridge University Press RRP $59.95--hardback His vision and commitment to public life made Nugget Coombs one of Australia's most influential and respected figures. This meticulously researched biography examines Coombs's...

The South West.(Book Review)
December 1, 2002... Rob Olver Tuart House, UWA Press RRP $45.00 Writer and photographer Rob Olver shares his passion for the natural and cultural diversity of this beautiful corner of the Australian continent. From Mandurah to Albany, WA, the book covers...

The Dugong Meadow.(Book Review)
December 1, 2002... Mairou Trapdoor Press RRP $14.95 The Dugong Meadow is a beautifully illustrated book for 7-10 year olds. This gentle tale highlights the damage done by trawler fishing to marine ecosystems and to those additional creatures netted as...