The Conversation

When food scraps and garden clippings are sent to landfill, it’s not just a waste of nutrients and water. The rotting organic matter trapped in landfill produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Susanne Schmidt, Professor - School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland Nicole Robinson, Research Fellow, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Living in cities filled with tags may make us feel less safe. But tags don’t mean crime and gangs. The real reasons people tag buildings and bridges are to show off and create community. Flavia Marcello, Professor of Design History, Swinburne University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Honeybees have the potential to cause damage to the structure of homes. The honey and wax produced by bees can melt under certain circumstances, like when the colony dies or during hot weather. Tanya Latty, Associate professor, University of Sydney Nadine Chapman, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The likely El Niño is bad timing for the electricity sector, and means Australians may face supply disruptions and volatile prices. Dylan McConnell, Senior Research Associate, Renewable Energy & Energy Systems Analyst, UNSW Sydney Iain MacGill, Joint director, Collaboration on Energy and Environmental Markets, and Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Unusual human-wildlife interactions raise questions about managing the risks. Wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta asks: What’s driving these wacky whale antics? How and when should we intervene? Vanessa Pirotta, Postdoctoral Researcher and Wildlife Scientist, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Marine sediments are the world’s largest store of carbon, and fiords in particular are a massive sink. But New Zealand doesn’t even have an oceans policy to develop blue carbon climate policy. Rebecca J McLeod, Senior Research Fellow in Marine Ecology, University of Otago William Austin, Professor in marine geology, University of St Andrews Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Two states will soon end logging of native forests, but what about the other states? The federal government has powers to intervene but also faces obstacles to nationwide protection of these forests. Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When the rainforests burned, the leaf litter did too – and with it, billions of invertebrates vital to healthy ecosystems. Heloise Gibb, Professor, La Trobe University Nick Porch, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Earth Science, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A public survey found 86% of people want more space for nature in the city. The city council is already taking steps to add green space and increase biodiversity, which should boost public wellbeing. Matthew Selinske, Senior Research Fellow, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Marine governance in New Zealand is fragmented, with several agencies operating under various statutes. But a more collaborative, ecosystem-based approach to better protect the ocean is emerging. Karen Fisher, Associate Professor, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The scale of climate threat is beyond the tools we have to manage the Great Barrier Reef. New measures and sustained effort are needed. Scott F. Heron, Associate Professor in Physics, James Cook University Jodie L. Rummer, Professor of Marine Biology, James Cook University Jon C. Day, PSM, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Before their dog was poisoned, these families recognised Australia’s lethal ‘pest’ animal control methods were necessary. But afterwards, they saw 1080 baiting as inhumane and horrific. Here’s why. Adam Cardilini, Lecturer, Environmental Science, School of Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University Alexa Hayley, Lecturer in Psychology, Deakin University Bill Borrie, Associate Professor, Environmental Management and Sustainability, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our buildings and infrastructure can only become sustainable if the sector shares, leases, reuses, repairs, refurbishes and recycles materials and products. A new report maps out out how to get there. M. Reza Hosseini, Senior Lecturer in Construction, Deputy Director, Mediated Intelligence in Design (MInD) Research Lab, Deakin University Tuba Kocaturk, Deputy Head, School of Architecture & Built Environment, and Director, Mediated Intelligence in Design (MInD) Research Lab, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Renters with nowhere to go. Home owners forced into mortgage stress. If our homes are damaged by floods or fires, it damages our health for years afterwards Ang Li, Research Fellow, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne Mathew Toll, Research Associate, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne Rebecca Bentley, Professor of Social Epidemiology and Director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Woylies bred in wildlife havens were smaller and less flighty than their counterparts in the wild. This could jeopardise the success of repopulation programs. Natasha Harrison, PhD Candidate, The University of Western Australia Adrian Wayne, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University Nicola Mitchell, Associate Professor in Conservation Physiology, The University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research about underground fungal filaments suggests these networks store a vast amount of carbon. All the more reason to preserve them. Adam Frew, Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, Western Sydney University Carlos Aguilar-Trigueros, Postdoctoral fellow, Western Sydney University Jeff Powell, Professor and ARC Future Fellow, Western Sydney University Natascha Weinberger, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We detected 180 contaminants in treated and untreated water. None of those found in treated water breached human health guidelines, but we should not forget about potential impacts on the environment. Mark Patrick Taylor, Victoria's Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We want good news on climate change. But whales storing enough carbon needs more evidence. Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Now begins a long and difficult process to recover vast areas of forest after more than 50 years of destructive logging. David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Chris Taylor, Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A heater with a 300-litre tank can store as much energy as a home battery at a fraction of the cost. Being able to store surplus solar energy at the right times helps grid stability and cuts emissions. David Roche, Research Director - Strategic Energy Collaborations, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.