There’s a low-energy alternative to cremation

The choices you make in life affect the environment. And so do the choices you make about death. For example, a traditional burial involves embalming chemicals that can seep into the ground. And cremation requires a lot of energy. So some people are now turning to a process that’s been called “flameless cremation.”

The alternative to traditional burial and cremation.

Cattoni: “The process is very similar to what the body intended us to do originally when we pass away, and that’s just to break itself down.”

Ryan Cattoni of Aquagreen Dispositions in Illinois says a warm alkaline solution is used to break down the remains.

Read the story by Eileen Mignoni from Yale Climate Connections - “There’s a low-energy alternative to cremation.”

Sharyn points our a bad example from Turnbull and Frydenberg

From today's Age ........

A ‘perfect storm’: extreme winter weather, bitter cold, and climate change

World-renowned climate scientist Dr. Michael Mann explains why the bitter cold and snowy conditions gripping the US are “an example of precisely the sort of extreme winter weather we expect because of climate change.”

The US East Coast is experiencing an “old-fashioned” winter, with plenty of cold weather and some heavy snowfall in certain places. Listening to climate contrarians like President Donald Trump, you might think this constitutes the death knell for concern over human-caused climate change.

Yet, what we were witnessing play out is in fact very much consistent with our expectations of the response of weather dynamics to human-caused climate change.

Read The Climate Reality Project story - “A ‘perfect storm’: extreme winter weather, bitter cold, and climate change.”

Tesla’s big battery a shining light for SA but storms leave neighbours in the dark

The world's biggest lithium ion battery has been launched in South Australia, with Premier Jay Weatherill declaring it an example of SA "leading the world”.

Tesla's lithium-ion battery will store power from the Hornsdale windfarm.

Mr Weatherill travelled to the site of the battery near Jamestown in the state's north with Romain Desrousseaux, the deputy chief executive officer of French renewable energy company Neoen, which will operate the 100-megawatt Tesla battery attached to its Hornsdale windfarm.

Tesla boss Elon Musk — who travelled to South Australia twice this year to mark significant milestones for the battery — did not visit for this event.

Mr Weatherill made light of the billionaire's non-attendance, pointing out Mr Musk had delivered on his promise to deliver the battery within a 100-day deadline or deliver it free.

Read the ABC News story by Nick Harmsen - “Tesla’s big battery a shining light for SA but storms leave neighbours in the dark.”