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Are flatulent shellfish really contributing to climate change?

The Guardian - Tue, 2017-10-17 00:24

Scientists investigating marine life in the Baltic Sea have found mussels, oysters and clams are emitting greenhouse gases – but cows still trump them

Swedish scientists have found that flatulent shellfish are creating vast amounts of greenhouse gases, leading to a predictable slew of comments about farting cockles and clams. But beneath the schoolboy humour, there is a serious point. The two gases in question – methane and nitrous oxide – are potent agents of climate change, with a warming potential 28 and 265 times greater than carbon dioxide respectively.

Scientists studying the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden have found that shellfish are producing one-tenth of all the greenhouses gases released there – the equivalent to the amount produced by 20,000 cattle. If the same situation is being replicated around the rest of the world’s seas and oceans, we have a serious problem.

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Einstein’s waves detected in star smash

BBC - Tue, 2017-10-17 00:20
Scientists detect the warping of space generated by the collision of two neutron stars.
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How this camel ended up in Norway

BBC - Mon, 2017-10-16 21:57
The Saetereng family are trying to live a sustainable lifestyle in Akkarfjord, northern Norway.
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Mikhail Gorbachev's legacy and life

ABC Environment - Mon, 2017-10-16 21:20
He opened the Soviet Union and ended the Cold War, but lost the admiration of his people
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The war on coal is over. Coal lost | Dana Nuccitelli

The Guardian - Mon, 2017-10-16 20:00

Coal can’t compete with cheaper clean energy. The Trump administration can’t save expensive, dirty energy.

Last week, Trump’s EPA administrator Scott Pruitt announced, “the war on coal is over.” If there ever was a war on coal, the coal industry has lost. According to a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, many old American coal power plants are being retired or converted to natural gas, and new coal power plants aren’t being built because they’ve become more expensive than natural gas, wind, and solar energy:

The share of US electricity coming from coal fell from 51 percent in 2008 to 31 percent in 2016—an unprecedented change. New UCS analysis finds that, of the coal units that remain, roughly one in four plans to retire or convert to natural gas; another 17 percent are uneconomic and could face retirement soon.

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Photographers against wildlife crime – in pictures

The Guardian - Mon, 2017-10-16 19:00

In a new project, an international group of photographers have joined forces to use their powerful images to raise awareness and funds to help stop the illegal wildlife trade

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Full reheat

BBC - Mon, 2017-10-16 18:36
World Land Speed record holder Andy Green describes the sensation of starting up the Bloodhound supersonic car for the first time.
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Federal Politics with Malcolm Farr

ABC Environment - Mon, 2017-10-16 17:35
Fasten your seatbelts, we're heading into a big week of contested politics and policy.
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Raw sewage 'flowing into rivers across England and Wales'

The Guardian - Mon, 2017-10-16 17:21

WWF analysis reports that 40% of rivers are polluted with sewage that can harm wildlife and put human health at risk

Raw sewage is flowing into rivers at thousands of sites across England and Wales, a report has warned, harming wildlife and putting human health at risk.

The total amount of raw sewage intentionally being put into rivers is unknown, which is a “huge concern”, according to conservation group WWF, which produced the analysis. The available data suggests that more than half of overflow sites spill sewage into rivers at least once a month and 14% at least once a week.

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Cabinet meets to decide on energy policy

ABC Environment - Mon, 2017-10-16 17:06
It's beginning to look like the Federal Government is walking away from the Clean Energy Target proposed by Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel.
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Our cities need fewer cars, not cleaner cars

The Guardian - Mon, 2017-10-16 16:30

Electric cars won’t eradicate gridlocks and air pollution, but carbon footprints could be cut by favouring pedestrians, cyclists and mass transit

The spectre of our cities choking with unhealthy air has prompted numerous governments to mandate a transition to electric cars. Their concerns are well founded, even if their proposals fall short of what is needed.

Over the past four decades, cars have become far less polluting. Their fuel efficiency has practically doubled and their tailpipe emissions have been reduced by more than 95%. Yet cities such as London and Paris are still battling smog and pollution. California has for decades demanded the toughest emission standards in the US, and yet Los Angeles heads the list of US cities for bad air quality. Moving to all-electric car fleets will be a positive step, albeit an inadequate measure.

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The Texas town where all the energy is green

The Guardian - Mon, 2017-10-16 16:00

Georgetown mayor Dale Ross is ‘a good little Republican’ – but ever since his city weaned itself off fossil fuels, he has become a hero to environmentalists

When the caller said he worked for Harry Reid and the former Senate majority leader wanted a word, Dale Ross assumed it was a joke. “OK, which of my buddies are messing with me today?” he wondered.

He shouldn’t have been so surprised. Ross is the mayor of Georgetown, population 65,000, and he has become a minor celebrity in environmental circles as a result of a pioneering decision in 2015 to get all the city’s electricity from renewable sources.

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High-street outlets move to ditch plastic amid environmental concerns

The Guardian - Mon, 2017-10-16 15:00

Pret A Manger becomes the latest to act by offering free filtered water and selling empty glass bottles

A growing number of outlets selling food and drink in the UK are taking action to ditch plastic amid deepening concern about its effect on the environment, with drinking straws and bottles among items being phased out.

Pret A Manger has become the latest to take action, announcing that it has installed taps dispensing free filtered water and started selling empty glass bottles in its three vegetarian stores. The scheme is due to be rolled out to branches in Manchester from the end of October.

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Australia wind and solar power overtake gas in September

RenewEconomy - Mon, 2017-10-16 13:57
Not long ago, energy market modellers thought we’d be building gas turbines everywhere to hit our emissions targets. How quickly things change.
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Is it too cheap to visit the 'priceless' Great Barrier Reef?

The Conversation - Mon, 2017-10-16 13:34
Is Australia undervaluing its most valuable natural asset by only charging $6.50 a day to visit the Great Barrier Reef? And would it help if tourists were asked to pay more? Michael Vardon, Visiting Fellow at the Fenner School, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
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China dances the seven veils of decarbonization

RenewEconomy - Mon, 2017-10-16 13:22
China’s decarbonization boat stayed in harbour this year but the winds of change continue to blow.
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Solar electric cars are the future – and “that future is now”

RenewEconomy - Mon, 2017-10-16 13:10
In the wake of this year's Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, the global race to bring solar PV integrated EVs to market is hotting up. And Australia is a key contender.
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How rooftop solar is saving billions on energy bills for all consumers

RenewEconomy - Mon, 2017-10-16 13:07
New study highlights billions of dollars saved through rooftop solar installations, as ACCC defends manipulation of markets by major generators as "rational behaviour", says nothing can be done about "gold plating" of networks, and argues against measures to encourage more renewables.
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Oliver Yates teams with Simon Corbell in Clean Energy Derivates Corp

RenewEconomy - Mon, 2017-10-16 12:54
Yates, Corbell team up to create new renewable energy investment fund that will write contracts and tap into huge pipeline of wind, solar, storage projects.
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Turning an orchard into an organic co-op and paddling the Darling River

ABC Environment - Mon, 2017-10-16 10:30
An organic orchard turns itself into a farm co-op; a Swiss engineer makes boutique olive oil; the Australian Boys Choir sings in the outback; and we go paddling the Darling River.
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