17 April 2014. Uniting Green Updates are for those who strive to live sustainably and exercise responsible environmental care as a legitimate expression of their Christian mission.
Greetings,
I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable. (Jeremiah 2:7)
As I reflect on this Bible verse it reminds me of a poem by Steve Turner called “History Lesson”
History repeats itself.
Has to.
No-one listens.
Every blessing for a joy-filled and peaceful Easter.
Bruce Mullan
Uniting Green Liaison
NEWS
A new source of information has been launched which aims to highlight the facts surrounding solar – as the renewable energy industry ramps up its campaign to stop the Abbott government cutting back on renewable energy targets.RicBrazzale, the president of RAA,which is a national industry body for companies that create and trade in renewable energy certificates, said “a number of spurious claims have been made about the solar industry, the Renewable Energy Target and the cost and contribution of solar, and it’s time to correct the record”.He said the Solar Facts information portal would be a valuable source of information for policy makers, journalists, solar industry professionals and “anyone passionate about solar wanting access to facts”.
Australian environment minister Greg Hunt, the man most likely to be sympathetic to renewable energy in the current conservative Coalition government, has effectively thrown his lot in with the coal industry. in an interview with Sky News, Hunt said coal would be a fundamental part of the energy mix for decades and decades, and added algae and coal drying technologies would be the focus of the government’s emissions reduction efforts. Not so much “clean coal” as “cleaner coal”.
US actor Leonardo DiCaprio is forming a racing team that compete in the new Formula RE championship for electric cars in a bid to raise the profile of the clean technology technology. He is forming the team alongside the owner of electric car manufacturer Venturi Automobiles, GildoPallanca Pastor. Renault, McLaren, Qualcomm, Virgin Group, Dallara and Michelin are also competing. Formula E hopes to advertise the electric vehicle technology by racing electric cars through cities at speeds of up to 220km/h. EY consultancy has conducted research that suggests Formula E will help generate 77m additional vehicle sales over the next 25 years.
Australian households are almost single-handedly pushing the country towards a clean energy future, spending billions on generating their own electricity and accounting for nearly two thirds of total investment in renewables in Australia in 2013, and virtually all of it in 2014.New global data released by the Pew Charitable Trusts, a US-based NGO, and compiled by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, shows that there was $4.4 billion of clean energy investment in Australia in 2013.Two thirds of this, or around $2.8 billion, came from the solar sector as households, and a few businesses, installed nearly 1 gigawatt of rooftop solar PV – mostly as a hedge against soaring electricity prices.
DIARY
Webinars on divesting from fossil fuels– an online opportunity in the comfort of your office or home.Hosted by the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change Thursday, May 15th at 2 – 3 pm (Eastern Standard Time, Australia) or Thursday, May 15th at 7.30 – 8.30 pm (same offering, different time). If your organization or community interested in moving your money out of coal, oil and gas exploration, extraction and infrastructure but you’re discovering it’s complex? Just join in on your computer and ask your questions.To register, send your details to TheaOrmerod at and she will send you details of how to participate closer to the time. You can also call on 02 9150 9713 or 0405 293 466
Network of Environmental Social Scientists Forum - Tackling the big environmental challenges. Complex problems such as these cannot be solved by any one discipline; a multidisciplinary approach is required that brings together different disciplines including those from the natural and social sciences. This interdisciplinary dialoguewill showcase how multiple perspectives can inform each other and provide solutions to some of the critical environmental challenges facing Australia and the world. Speakers include Professor Carmen Lawrence and Professor Paul Meredith. 12 – 5.30 pm Thursday 12th June University of Queensland.RSVP by 30 April.
TO READ
It does not cost the world to save the planet” (OttmarEdenhofer, co-chair of the IPCC Working Group III) The Working Group III contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report released this week provides a comprehensive assessment of all relevant options for mitigating climate change through limiting or preventing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as activities that remove them from the atmosphere. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change at the lowest cost, the report envisages anenergy revolutionending centuries of dominance by fossil fuels.
In Think20 2014: progress report on Australia’s G20 presidency by the Lowy Institute for International Policy, analysts from influential think tanks from 11 countries provide their interim assessment of the Australian G20 presidency in this report. Areas where the Australian presidency’s efforts so far have been judged as insufficient include addressing climate change. With recent declarations by China and the United States to increase climate cooperation, and as the world heads to the 2015 climate talks, the moment is ripe for further action on climate change.
TO WATCH
Recording of a forum at the Australian centre for Climate and Environmental Law presenting the main findings of the latest IPCC report. The Sydney Environment Institute (SEI) and the Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law (ACCEL) collaborated to present a landmark Sydney Ideas event that brought together the nation's leading experts to discuss the implications of this publication. The panel consisted of four speakers, including Professor Lesley Hughes of Australia's newly formed Climate Council who was a lead author for the UN's IPCC Fourth and Fifth Assessment Reports. (one hour)
MeereMaere from Kiribati has a message for world leaders. It is short. It is heartfelt. It is strong. Jill Finnane Co-ordinator of the Pacific Calling Partnership interviewed Meere on how climate change is impacting on her people.
TIPS
Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.Local native plants can be used to create a unique, attractive and sustainable gardens. Native gardens are water efficient, conserve native plants, support wildlife and contribute to a greener suburban environment. With a long history of adapting to local soils and climatic conditions, native plants are well placed to cope with future localised changes in climate and seasonality. Planting guidelines are available online and provide a list of native species suitable for planting in your area.
Simply by choosing new technologies, properly maintaining hot water systems, fixing leaks and changing some old habits, you may be able to reduce the amount of electricity your church uses for its hot water.
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