Microplastic pollution in oceans is far worse than feared, say scientists

The number of tiny plastic pieces polluting the world’s oceans is vastly greater than thought, new research indicates.

Plastic pollution is known to harm marine life and can
enter the human food chain via our food and water.

The work reveals the highest microplastic pollution yet discovered anywhere in the world in a river near Manchester in the UK. It also shows that the major floods in the area in 2015-16 flushed more than 40bn pieces of microplastic into the sea.

The surge of such a vast amount of microplastic from one small river catchment in a single event led the scientists to conclude that the current estimate for the number of particles in the ocean – five trillion – is a major underestimate.

Read Damian Carrington’s story from The Guardian - “Microplastic pollution in oceans is far worse than feared, say scientists.”

Biggest polluters get clear path to hike emissions under plan

Australia’s biggest polluting companies would more easily jack up their greenhouse gas emissions under a Turnbull government proposal that critics say undermines multi-billion dollar efforts to tackle climate change.

The government has proposed loosening the safeguard mechanism,
which limits greenhouse gas emissions from big polluters.

The proposed change was prompted by feedback from businesses, including the petroleum industry, which said emissions rules did not adequately allow their businesses to grow.

The Department of the Environment and Energy last week released a consultation paper outlining planned changes to the "safeguard mechanism", which is supposed to ensure pollution reductions bought through the government’s $2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund are not offset by emissions increases elsewhere in the economy.

Read Nicole Hasham’s story in today’s Age - “Biggest polluters get clear path to hike emissions under plan.”

We Are Drowning In Plastic, and Fracking Companies Are Profiting

We are choking the planet in plastic. Everything from wasteful water bottles to grocery shopping bags are polluting our waterways, and endangering marine life and the natural environment. It’s fair to say that even the most casual news consumer has probably encountered a Facebook post, TV report, or radio segment about the garbage patches in the Pacific Ocean. 

Plastics and other detritus line the shore of the
 Thames Estuary on January 2, 2018 in Cliffe, Kent.

But what’s less well-known is what is fueling this plastics binge: fracking. As the Guardian recently reported, in less than a decade, tens of billions of dollars have been invested in creating new manufacturing sites around the world to turn fossil fuels into resin pellets used to manufacture plastic products. The companies profiting off this surge in plastics are contributing to a growing climate crisis while generating mountains of plastic garbage.

Read the Yes! Magazine story by Wenonah Hauter - “We Are Drowning In Plastic, and Fracking Companies Are Profiting.”

The race to 100 per cent renewable town is on

The race is on to become
100 per cent renewable.

Communities around the world are leading the way in the transition from polluting fossil fuels to clean renewables. Suburbs, small towns and, increasingly, entire cities are driving the change to an exciting future for 100 per cent renewable energy.

Towns like Newstead, Uralla, Lismore, Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour and countless others across the country are developing and implementing 100 per  cent renewable policies. For example, Totally Renewable Yackandandah (TRY) formed at the beginning of 2014 as a result of a community energy forum organised by the local council. TRY has brought together locals who are passionate about the notion of powering their town entirely with renewables and aims to be energy self-sufficient by 2022.

Read The Daily Advertiser story - “The race to 100 per cent renewable town is on.”