The Sydney Morning Herald: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Australia's leading newspaper.

Earth Watch

Friday November 16, 2007

15 Greenpeace activists who occupied a coal-fired power plant on the state's Central Coast have been arrested.

NEWS

Thursday November 15, 2007

Woolworths faces attack over 'green' products

The retailer will come under renewed attack at its AGM for selling paper products that allegedly mislead consumers about their green credentials.

Chain reaction: 15 protesters arrested

Greenpeace members arrested after chaining themselves to a NSW power station.

Howard harassed by three bears

It's a modern day version of the three bears, only this time they're polar bears.

Greenhouse gases: we are among worst polluters

New research shows Australia's power stations are the world's highest per capita producers of carbon dioxide.

Climate change to take just years

Australians will begin to see the stark effects of climate change within the next few years, a leading scientist has warned.

Pests not just in the central ibisness district

Lake Gillawarna near Bankstown has become home to 1500 white ibis, a haven from a decade of drought.

Wednesday November 14, 2007

Sydney breathes a little easier

Sydney air is cleaner than at any time in the past 15 years, says the NSW Government.

Third of all species 'at risk'

Almost one-third of the world's species will face extinction if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.

London councils may soon have it in the bag

The British capital could become the world's largest plastic bag-free city within 18 months.

Little fish gallop back into the wild

Floating in a tank the 30 seahorses that had been bred in captivity looked like a tangle of black seaweed.

Surprise - cleaner sewerage, more flies

Stoneflies have made a comeback after a State Government project to clean the Blue Mountains sewerage system.

Harnessing the power of the stars

The energy rating system for appliances could be a real tool for cutting greenhouse emissions if it was better regulated, writes Judy Friedlander.

The gas is always greener

Almost 600,000 businesses and households are paying more for power generated from renewable sources.

Law meets lore for the sake of the land

A new program is helping Aboriginal groups demystify their environmental legal rights, writes Sue White.

A chilling omen or a freak event?

Explorer Damien Gildea ponders the significance of an unusual polar discovery.

Nations wary of sowing oceans to capture carbon

The body that controls dumping at sea rejects plans to help fix climate change by sowing the oceans with fertilisers.

Tuesday November 13, 2007

Seahorses released to help save their species

Thirty tiny seahorses have the survival of their species riding on their backs.

Black Sea spill: '30,000 birds killed'

Authorities say more than 30,000 birds were killed by oil that leaked after a heavy storm broke a tanker apart near the Black Sea.

Russia tackles oil spill

Oil spilt from a sunken tanker coated birds in a black sludge after a storm in the Black Sea.

Region may take years to recover from tanker disaster

Russia and Ukraine are facing environmental catastrophe after a tanker carrying 4000 tonnes of oil split in half in heavy seas off the Crimean peninsula.

Monday November 12, 2007

Howard swings in from the trees

The Prime Minister pledges $500,000 over the next four years to save orang-utans in Indonesian forests.

Dirty coal makes for a green fight

Peter Garrett was among thousands of Sydneysiders who marched to express their concerns about global warming.

White-out: UN chief visits vanishing world of Antarctica

With prehistoric Antarctic ice sheets melting beneath his feet, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, called for urgent political action to tackle global warming.

Saturday November 10, 2007

80,000 to descend on Sydney

The city will hold a public rally calling for tough opposition on climate change.

Friday November 9, 2007

All that rain's been bloomin' useless

Sydney has had more rain in the past eight days than it usually gets in all of November, but it has barely lifted dam levels.

Carbon offsets to be sold on flights

Travellers flying on Virgin Atlantic will soon be offered carbon offsets alongside alcohol and perfume in front of their fellow passengers in an effort to shame them into buying them.

Thursday November 8, 2007

Sydney gets month's worth of rain in just eight days

Sydney's recent rainy weather has delivered the average monthly rainfall for November in just eight days.

Garrett, Turnbull deny compromising principles

Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he has never had to compromise his principles in order to pursue his political career.

Japanese bra aims to give waste the chop

Women with environmental concerns may one day be able to wear a bra that can be used to carry their own personal chopsticks to cut down on waste.

Farmers fear coal mining

Mining companies are being encouraged to look for coal under some of NSW's richest farming land.

Wednesday November 7, 2007

White lion program a roaring success

A NSW zoo has revealed a world first ... breeding a pride of five male white lions.

Outrage as timber baron walks free

An Indonesian timber baron has walked away from illegal logging charges, prompting an outcry from environmentalists.

Climate change is public health issue - US

Climate change should be treated as a public health issue, health and ecology experts say.

Fit for a powerful role

Too many people are downplaying the contribution renewable sources can make, supporters say. Wendy Frew reports.

Save the krill

The slaughter in the water is an act of madness, Ross Fyfe writes in a letter to the Herald.

Peeing on lettuces makes them grow

The lettuce is a demanding little vegetable.

Tuesday November 6, 2007

Riverbed damage findings next year

NSW will not pre-empt the findings of an expert panel into mining that has damaged a river system south of Sydney.

Monday November 5, 2007

Farmers reluctant to take cash and quit the land

Drought-stricken farmers are opting to stay on the land, with just a handful taking up the latest Federal Government exit grant.

Gorilla slaughter sparks campaign

If the people of Congo save the mountain gorilla, might the gorilla return the favour?

Ecologists fear huge rise in krill catch

Industrial fishing companies are gearing up for the rush to exploit a great untapped seafood resource, Antarctic krill.

Cloncurry so hot it doesn't need coal

It's hot in Cloncurry. Bloody hot. Hot enough to power the homes for all the outback town's 4828 residents with heat from the sun.

Mines blamed for threat to water supply

Unrestricted underground coal mining south of Sydney is cracking riverbeds, draining swamps and putting the city's water supply at risk.

Sunday November 4, 2007

Protesters blockade coal ships

Protesters in kayaks and canoes yesterday blocked the Newcastle shipping channel over the expansion of the coal export industry.

'Very useful' rain over Sydney's catchments

Sydney's water supply has received a welcomed top-up with "very useful" rains falling in catchment areas.

New York set to tax carbon emissions

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a national "pollution pricing" plan that would tax companies directly for the greenhouse gases they release.

New reefs to foster fish stocks

Three giant man-made reefs will be built off the NSW coast to boost fish stocks for recreational fishing.

Saturday November 3, 2007

Fuelled up and belching, but parties look the other way

Neither the Federal Government nor the Labor Party has committed to mandatory fuel-efficiency targets for car manufacturers.

Too many bloomin' plants

Their squawking and squabbling over nectar dribbling from grevillea blooms is as symbolic of Sydney as the harbour and its bridge.

Nuclear option on back burner

With Howard trailing in the polls, the Liberals have not pushed a domestic nuclear power industry agenda.

Main parties bid to be green

But both continue to support the country's dirtiest industry.

Are Kyoto cuts emmission impossible?

Australia's position on climate change faces a massive shift as the parties slug out the feasibility of a real commitment.

Friday November 2, 2007

Panel dashes hopes of nuclear fuel plan

The US has been advised to dump an ambitious nuclear energy plan that involved countries such as Australia.

Thursday November 1, 2007

Clean coal a furphy: Dr Karl

Celebrity physicist Karl Kruszelnicki has described clean coal as a "complete furphy".

State planners eye off delicate bushland

A delicate tract of land on the northern beaches is being investigated for development by the State Government.

Wednesday October 31, 2007

Prince questioned over shooting of birds

Police have questioned Prince Harry over the shooting of two threatened birds of prey near a royal estate in Norfolk.

Rudd's renewable 2020 vision

Kevin Rudd unveils a plan to require 20 per cent of Australian electricity to be generated from renewable sources such as solar or wind by 2020.

All set for for the next new thing

The number of electronics repairers is shrinking in the face of a glut of cheap appliances. Steve Dow examines our throwaway mentality.

Hollywood wives go to Washington

Celebrity packs a punch in the US capital, and a group of women are using it to force action on climate change, writes Alex Williams.

Actions speak louder than words in Britain

Climate change initiatives in Britain could include a target to cut pollution by as much as 80 per cent by 2050.

Coming to grips with a mother's guilt trip

Even environmentally aware mothers cannot stop driving, writes Meg Mason.

Switch on to cool lighting

Those old light bulbs waste a lot of energy producing heat. Rebecca Blackburn explains the alternatives now available.

Always on a count of the endangered species

Deryk Engel has stalked and trapped animals, all for a good cause, writes Peter Vincent.

Special of the modern day - all organic menu

Restaurants and cafes are catering to a growing demand for chemical-free produce, writes Sue White.

Tuesday October 30, 2007

Sydney anti-mill protester cut off

AGM of funds manager Perpetual turns into a forum for demonstrators.

Rival may seek damages over desal plant

The NSW Government is exposed to a multimillion-dollar damages claim from its decision to pursue plans for a $1.85b desalination plant.

Green team unveils $200m reef plan

Kevin Rudd announces a $200 million plan to work with farmers to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Garrett backtracks on Kyoto

Peter Garrett was forced to clarify Labor's approach to securing a post-Kyoto global climate pact last night.

Monday October 29, 2007

Wetlands in extreme crisis

South Australia's wetlands are in extreme crisis, with their future threatened by irrigation and inaction.

Rudd promises $200m for Reef

Labor plans to protect Australia's famous attraction.

Air hazard warning as fires retreat

Firefighters tighten their grip on California's wildfires as officials expressed concern at the health hazards posed by vast plumes of smoke shrouding the region.

Greenland finds benefits in global warming

Now that the climate is warming, southern Greenland might eventually be full of vegetable farms and viable forests.

Always a moral to Clooney's story

George Clooney is on a political and an environmetal mission, writes Paul Sheehan.

Scales tipped against bold fish

The mix of neurotic and outgoing characters in Finding Nemo might be closer to real life than anyone could have guessed.

Sunday October 28, 2007

Solving the moth mystery

Who, or what, is poisoning NSW's bogong moths?

Turnbull denies Kyoto leak

PM dodges questions about whether he believes his Environment Minister deliberately leaked information.

Turnbull and PM at loggerheads on Kyoto

The Government deeply embarrassed that Turnbull proposed Australia should ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

Powers that be feel the heat as NSW keeps cool

Air-conditioning is expected to push household power demand to new highs this summer, raising questions about NSW's green credentials.

Saturday October 27, 2007

Playing with fire, now nature hits back

The southern Californian bush fires have reignited arguments about global climate change, Gerard Wright reports.

Humpbacks wave hello - every tail tells a story

Yolanda, one of the great Australian humpback mothers, has waved her tail through Hervey Bay again.

Snails hang on, and she tops the comp

As the salinity of water - a possible consequence of climate change - decreases, so does snails' staying power, a year 10 student found.

Friday October 26, 2007

Population pressure takes Earth to its limits

The most authoritative scientific report on the planet's health has found water, land, air, plants, animals and fish stocks are all in "inexorable decline".

Some primates face extinction

Mankind's closest relatives are teetering on the brink of their first extinctions in more than a century.

Call for environment and congestion taxes

The State Government has opened the door for new taxes, including environment and traffic congestion charges.

Ban on herbicide unlikely

The Tasmanian Cancer Council is investigating whether atrazine, the second-most used agricultural chemical in the country, has pushed up cancer rates.

Thursday October 25, 2007

Dutch win solar car race

The Nuon team has won the 3000-kilometre World Solar Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide.

Kyoto should be scrapped: scientists

A leading British scientist says Australia has copped unnecessary international condemnation for not signing up to Kyoto.

Pell out of touch on climate - bishop

Catholic Archbishop George Pell is out of step within his church and the global Christian community on global warming, a leading Anglican environmentalist says.

Electric ideas empty the tank

Japnese car-makers have led the way on environmentally friendly vehicles but they're about to shift the pollution debate onto electricity providers.

Wednesday October 24, 2007

Japanese accused of hiding tuna worth more than $8b

A scandal involving billions of dollars worth of southern bluefin tuna illegally caught by the Japanese is worsening.

Multifunction energy meter

Do you really know how much energy your appliances use? For example, which uses more: the toaster or the computer?

A dirty business, and someone has to clean it up

Mechanics and car owners are changing their habits to help the environment, writes Sue White.

Attack of hives led to an organic path

A farmer's chemical habit stopped seven years ago when he suffered shocking hives after spraying his cotton crop.

Urban Farmer

The Bible says there is a season for everything. But does it have an answer to Tim Elliott's bonsai lettuces?

Bosses beyond the cubicle

Employers are working out ways to encourage and help their staff to be green at home as well as at work, writes Judy Adamson.

Made with a long future in mind

Paul Charlwood turned his design focus to products that are made to have little impact on the environment, writes Peter Vincent.

Dining with garbage gourmets

A growing subculture of people have reduced their spending habits to live off consumer waste, writes Erika Hayasaki.

A duty to indulge, and pass on the tales of a golden era

Tongue firmly in cheek, Charles Purcell says the planet is stuffed so we might as well enjoy the party as the ship goes down.

More than just huff and puff

Councils were the first tier of government to get passionate about climate change and, writes Mari Gibson, that fire is producing results.

Fears oil decline could spark social unrest

A report warns that extreme shortages of fossil fuels will lead to wars and social breakdown.

Can't live without the bugs

Creepy-crawlies - we depend on them but they get ignored, reports Tim Elliott.

Browning of the planet there for all to see

ClimateCam, the world's first greenhouse gas speedometer, displays electricity consumption information in Newcastle.

Tuesday October 23, 2007

'Cows' arrested at GE food protest

Greenpeace activists, two dressed as cows, arrested during a protest at the headquarters of milk giant Murray Goulburn.

No change in my stance on nuclear power: Turnbull

Environment Minister denies any about-turn over the Government's nuclear energy policy.

Pulp mill construction to start in January: Gunns

The timber magnate behind a $1.7 billion pulp mill in northern Tasmania says construction should begin early next year.

Bangkok could sink this century

The Thai capital is one of 13 of the world's largest 20 cities at risk of being swamped as sea levels rise in coming decades, experts say.

Turnbull denies going soft on nuclear energy

Environment Minister denies the Government is softening its support for nuclear energy to avoid it becoming an election issue.

China diverts river water to Olympics rowing site

Beijing diverts water from a river north-east of the city to replenish its Olympics rowing and canoeing venue, which has run dry.

CO₂ rising more rapidly than expected: study

The ability of the land and oceans to soak up the greenhouse gas has been declining for decades.

Libs snub nukes for power

Malcolm Turnbull tries to nullify nuclear debate by saying nuclear power stations may never be built.

Monday October 22, 2007

Garrett queries nuclear power about-face

Reactors are certain under a re-elected Howard government, despite a Government statement that Australia may never turn to nuclear energy, Garrett says.

$174m for water saving measures

Schools are among the beneficiaries of a $174 million plan to better manage and save water, the Federal Government says.

Fears that seas soak up less greenhouse gas

The oceans' ability to act as a "carbon sink" soaking up greenhouse gases appears to be decreasing.

Saturday October 20, 2007

Desire and green cure

With the help of the green movement you can now indulge in a frenzy of consumerism.

Bird and bug a deadly threat to gums

The last stands of Sydney's blue gum high forest could soon be gone if scientists can't find a way to combat the spread of an insidious insect infestation.

Friday October 19, 2007

Fake fins eye saving sharks

A Japanese company is launching fake shark fins in China - made of pork.

Parasite found in Sydney water supply

A canal supplying 20 per cent of Sydney's water supply to the Prospect Reservoir closed after cryptosporidium is found.

Different strokes: nothing compares to an artist's eye

In an age of sophisticated digital cameras, why do botanists still need artists to draw plants?

Thursday October 18, 2007

Environmental group's bid to protect grey nurse fails

An environmental group fails in a legal bid to force the NSW Government to impose 18 no-fishing zones as part of efforts protect the grey nurse shark.

Consumers would pay more for clean energy

Citizens of large developing countries are keener than Australians to pay more for green energy.

Wednesday October 17, 2007

Australia against dolphin exports

Australia has called for Solomon Islands to stop exporting dolphins.

Gore rules out presidential bid

Nobel Peace Prize winner scotches speculation he'll run.

British explorer to measure depth of Arctic ice cap

The first man to reach the North Pole solo has announced plans to lead an expedition to measure the thickness of the Arctic ice caps.

Pentagon offers a ray of hope in energy debate

The debate over whether nuclear, solar, wind or clean coal is the energy of the future now has a new player: space.

Read the label before you slip, slop, slap

Looking good can come at an environmental cost. Science graduate and former model Tanya Ha lifts the lid on the beauty business.

Good life out of town: frogs, surf and heavy gloves

Rachael Mogan cheerfully shares some of the fragrant chores that are part of her sea change idyll.

Planes, trains or cars?

But how do aircraft compare with probably the most notorious environmental villain of all time - the car?

News Wrap

Reflective dishes may be the answer to make solar energy competitive with conventional sources of power.

To spray or not to spray - that is no longer a question

Environmentally friendly options for termite control begin with common sense, writes Sue White.

The art of imagining a greener future

Promoting sustainability is more than just facts and figures for one educator, writes Peter Vincent.

Green tape will make polluters measure up

From July, many companies will be obliged by law to go public with their footprints, writes Thea O'Connor.

On the smell of an oily rag

There is no shortage of off-beat ideas at the World Solar Challenge. Steve Dow reports.

Tuesday October 16, 2007

Kylie ambassador for Penguin Foundation

Pop star is backing the welfare of Victorian penguins after being named an ambassador of the Phillip Island Penguin Foundation.

Clean energy bonanza for farmers: CSIRO

Farmers could be almost $3 billion a year richer if they invested in clean energy measures such as wind and carbon farming.

Gammy back may halt toads' leap

Cane toads on the invasion's Northern Territory front line are developing severe arthritis, resulting in gross malformations of their spines.

Monday October 15, 2007

PM promises climate change policy

Prime Minister John Howard says he'll soon release a climate change policy that both cuts emissions and protects jobs.

Wind power to push up water bills: Iemma

Powering Sydney's desalination plant with wind power has already been factored into a water bill increase for Sydney households.

Hail caesars, do something

The hailstorm that hit Lismore on Tuesday was the week's talking point, writes Simon Webster.

Climate change threatens the fight to end poverty

It is clear that climate change threatens the achievement of goals so vital to human wellbeing and the elimination of poverty, writes Rajendra Pachauri.

Fort Denison rescue plan to halt erosion

After standing guard over the harbour for 150 years, Fort Denison is to undergo a $1.5 million renovation to protect it against an invasion from the sea.

Climate change making Mont Blanc even higher

Western Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc, is taller than ever due to snow piled atop its summit, in what experts meeting in France have described as a climate change-related phenomenon.