anya4oz

Yes, it's quite horrifying. I'm sure I'm going to end up joining the local Friends of the Earth campaign group once I'm settled in Oz.

Did you by any chance hear Germaine Greer talking about this very problem, on BBC Radio 4's 'Start The Week' this morning?

Anya.

Marakai

You know, wasn't it your most honourable W. Churchill who said "a person who isn't a socialist in his youth has no heart, a person who isn't a conservative when he is old has no brain"?

I must be going totally daft, as I find myself going greener as the years go by. Used to be quite the active conservative, politically.

Then again, looking at the Republican party here, it may be that I've stayed where I am, and the politics has been hijacked towards the right...

<check topic, checks board, looks around>
I'm supposed to take this elsewhere, am I not?
<sees nodding heads>

Right...
Mike

Peter

You misspelled Houston.

HiddenPaw

Anya, if you are serious, try the Wilderness Society - www.wilderness.org.au - they campaign for the protection of Australia's wilderness.

The impact of the deforestation is horrifying. I don't just mean the water shortages, but also the destruction of habitat, so many endangered species (Tasmanian Eagle...only a handful left, for example).

I was listening to '5 live' this morning!

MikeStanton

Although USA has the highest per capita energy consumption, Oz had the highest per capita greenhouse emissions in the world a year ago (I don't think it's changed) - mainly due to almost all their energy generated by burining fossil fuels. In Oz, alternative power sources, such as nuclear and HEP are non (or almost non)-existent.

Marakai

Ugh, I honestly wasn't aware of that. I thought they'd have plenty of nuclear power - the whole country is Uranium rich isn't it?

Mike

Peter

This is true. Australia has a, in my opinion, overly sentimental non-nuclear policy. The country is full of uranium but hardly uses it domestically.

For hydroelectricity to work, one must have reliable and swift rivers and water courses. Outside of Tasmania, Australia is lacking.

Still, I'm all for nuclear energy. Australia's stance on it is absurd considering the amount of coal they burn.

MikeStanton

In Oz, they dig it out of the ground, then ship it overseas. Oz tends to mine, not do the "value add". The only nuclear reactor, Lucas Heights (SW sydney), is used for research and producing isotopes for medical purposes.

Peter

Not the only one. They have one in Jervis Bay and and another in the NT somewhere. The last one is a badly kept secret.

MikeStanton

I stand corrected...

Megalania

The only nuclear energy contemplated being utilized is the result of natural radioactive decay - geothermal energy. Several geothermal exploration licenses have been issued. Australia, on average, has the highest vertical temperature gradient of any continent. The resource is vast.

The Cooper Basin Project

Peter

IIRC, the one in Jervis Bay is/was used for power. Since Jervis Bay is Commonwealth territory, it was immune to the regulations
proscribing nuclear power in the States. I believe it supplied the ACT with power.

I could be badly mistaken too. I might just have to look this one up.

Edit: Was proposed, never built.

http://nuclearsa.ccsa.asn.au/c4.html

bondipom

Australia has steared clear of nuclear because of the high up front capital costs and vested interests in coal. The purposes for the Jervis bay reactor were probably for nuclear missiles rather than an electricity producing reactor. Hence the closure in 1971.

Despite letting Britain nuke a good proportion of South Australia, the commonwealth never got nuclear weapons technology. The Americans didn't want the technology leaking through Canberra to the Soviets. At the time Australia was a huge security headache haemoraging intelligence to Moscow. No way was Uncle Sam letting secrets go to Canberra and told the UK to hold back.

Megalania

Nuclear power can not compete on price against coal in Aus. Jervis bay was to be a power reactor. The populace did not want it.

bondipom

We should ask the ex KGB.