Geelong Sustainability

The good news is that U.S. students will for the first time receive instruction on climate change following the adoption last Tuesday of new science education guidelines. The guidelines also take a firm stand that children must learn about evolution, the central organizing idea in the biological sciences for more than a century. (Even though some extreme right-wingers choose to deny that reality.)

Uploaded on Nov 8, 2010, this video won 2011 BEST NONPROFIT VIDEO AWARD Fossil fuels have powered human growth and ingenuity for centuries. Now that we're reaching the end of cheap and abundant oil and coal supplies, we're in for an exciting ride. While there's a real risk that we'll fall off a cliff, there's still time to control our transition to a post-carbon future.

"The Face of Climate Change - Climate change can seem like a remote problem for our leaders, but the fact is that it's already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places. These Faces of Climate Change are multiplying every day. Fortunately, other Faces of Climate Change are multiplying too: those stepping up to do something about it. Help us personalize the massive challenge climate change presents by taking a photo and telling your story. How has climate change impacted you? What are you doing to be part of the solution?"

The effects of global warming will persist for hundreds of years. What are our responsibilities and duties today to help safeguard the distant future? That is the question ethicists are now asking.

"Macarthur wind farm - the largest in Australia and the southern hemisphere - was officially opened in south western Victoria on Friday by the local member and state premier Denis Napthine. The 420MW wind farm, built at a cost of $1 billion by AGL Energy and New Zealand company Meridian, is the biggest single investment in renewable energy in the country since the Snowy Mountain hydro project was completed in the 1970s, the companies say."

"The Climate Reality Project, the organization Al Gore founded, released its latest Internet activism tool Thursday, Reality Drop. The new site is a gamified experience that rewards users for "dropping" facts about climate change into different online forums and comment fields on hot articles."

"Eco-Cycle is proud to be the new home for the Be Straw Free campaign, started by Milo Cress at age 9. Please join us in enjoying drinks--strawless!"

"Global warming's maths means Australia really counts It's simple maths: we can burn less than 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide and stay below 2°C of warming - anything more than that risks catastrophe for life on earth. The only problem? Fossil fuel corporations now have 2,795 gigatons in their reserves, five times the safe amount. And they're planning to burn it all - unless we rise up to stop them."

"Milo an 11 year old schoolboy from Vermont in the United States started a project to reduce the use and waste of disposable plastic straws. As well as encouraging children to say no to straws, through Milo's project, restaurants and food outlets are now asking their customers if they need a straw, rather than automatically putting one with each drink. 'Do you need a straw? "

The Wellington Mayor says a compensation deal between council and the developers of a proposed windfarm at Bodgangora has come at a "considerable cost". Rod Buhr says the $2 million Voluntary Planning Agreement with Infigen Energy will be used to upgrade and maintain local roads and to develop a community benefit fund.

Eco-Cycle is one of the largest non-profit recyclers in the USA and has an international reputation as a pioneer and innovator in resource conservation. We were created 36 years ago by everyday residents who had a passionate belief in conserving our natural resources. These Eco-Cycle volunteers brought recycling to town in 1976, making Boulder one of the first 20 communities in the U.S. to offer curbside recycling. We continue to be driven by these same passions and innovative actions.

"Australia's solar landmark Australian solar is celebrating a major milestone, with one million households now equipped with solar PV systems. By the end of 2008 we had less than 20,000 systems installed, illustrating the rapid proliferation of solar across the country. Since then the number of systems installed by year has surged ahead, with 63,378 installations in 2009, 196,308 in 2010, 335,067 in 2011 and 322,447 last year."

"The average body mass index (BMI) values for adults around the globe compared."

"To some, the existence and consequences of global warming and climate change seems obvious while to others, the eco-friendly movement appears to be a mass-hysteria response to sensationalized hype. Where do you stand on this great debate? Here is a complete guide to both sides of the global warming issue. Read on to see which point of view makes more sense to you."

The Climate Change articles from New Scientist

"The heat is on for the planet as a whole, but what has been happening where you live? Click a place on the map to find out, or enter a location in the search box in the top right-hand corner."

"Solar panels make energy, but they take energy to make, too. And, until about 2010 or so, the solar panel industry used more electricity than it produced, according to a new analysis. Now, the industry is set to "pay back" the energy it used by 2020."

"How do we achieve food security in the face of climate change? Answering this question means weaving together many strands of evidence about our complex food and climate systems to produce a clear image. In response to this challenge, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), with support from the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development, convened the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, thirteen senior scientists working on agriculture, climate, nutrition, economics and natural resources in governmental, academic and civil society institutions around the world."

"When extreme weather events occur the Climate Commission is consistently asked questions about the link to climate change. This report unpacks our current knowledge about different types of extreme weather events: extreme temperatures, rainfall, drought, bushfires, storm surges, cyclones and storms."

"The Climate Institute's Global Climate Leadership Review 2013 puts Australian climate policy in the context of ongoing international action to address climate change. The second in our annual series, the 2013 Review examines international action across several strands: it identifies which nations are leading the transition to a low-carbon economy; the dynamics and outcomes of intergovernmental climate negotiations; and the implications of all of these for Australia. "