Renewable energy grabs the limelight at the royal wedding

Most everything about the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry symbolised change, including the E-type Jaguar in which Prince Harry drove his new wife to their evening reception.

The Duke of Sussex escorts his new wife, the former, Meghan
Markle, to their electric E-type Jaguar "Concerpt Zero".

The 1968 sports car, originally powered by fossil fuels but since converted to electric power, and know as E-type Jaguar Concept Zero, doffs its hat to the need to change to renewable energy.

The car, a concept model had the licence plate - E190518 - which will of course be their anniversary, but it might also prove to be on of those moments in life when public attitudes shift.

Many are moved by what happens at royal weddings with replicas and images of everything appearing  almost instantly on the market and so maybe we will suddenly see a broader interest in the electrifying of vehicles.

The newly weds drove the electric E-type Jaguar just the short distance from Windsor Castle to Frogmore House for their evening reception.

Prime greater glider habitat going, going, gone @$80/ cu m

$80/cu m – that’ll be roughly the value of timber from Barjarg Flat coupe, once the trees have been converted to firewood. Vicforests is at pains to convince everyone that only the rubbish leftover from their logged coupes is used for firewood, but one look at the yard that sources firewood from local forests, puts paid to that fiction. These images show that Vicforests is plundering local forests for a quick buck and the lowest quality forest product – firewood! Firewood is not a by-product of local logging – it appears to be driving the whole enterprise!

The sign on the gate gives some indication of the values driving this business.

Firewood is certainly a useful commodity, but can Environment Minister d’Ambrosio honestly sit on her hands while some of the best Greater Glider habitat in Victoria might be turned into firewood by Vicforests? Perhaps these photos of the local firewood yard just outside Mansfield will help convince her that the process that is meant to protect threatened species, also allows their habitat to be logged for firewood – the system is broken!

Read the Our Strathbogie Forest News story - “Prime greater glider habitat going, going, gone @$80/ cu m.”

Rip up CBD roads for parks: Councillor reveals vision for Melbourne

Many CBD roads should be ripped up and converted into "linear parks", bike paths and tram lines if Melbourne wants to keep its title as the world's most liveable city, says the council's new transport chairman.

Chair of Melbourne City Council's transport portfolio
 has backed the government's proposed North East
Link toll road, a rail link to the airport, and called for
roads to be converted to "linear parks" reserved for
 trams, cyclists and pedestrians.

And a rail link to the airport also needs to be made a priority, says Nicolas Frances Gilley , who has been the council's transport chair since March.

As the council prepares to update its transport strategy next year, Cr Frances Gilley has outlined his personal view of where the city should head.

By 2036, the Melbourne council area is tipped to host 1.4 million residents, workers and visitors each day - up from 922,000 now.

In his Transport Vision for Melbourne, the councillor argues that more space is needed for people and "less for cars", if Melbourne is to keep its most-liveable-city title.

Read Timna Jacks’ story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Rip up CBD roads for parks: Councillor reveals vision for Melbourne.”

(At last! Someone of some authority is talking sense - Robert McLean)