I stumbled upon a fantastic resource this week, Happy Eco News. Its an online website sharing and promoting positive stories that lie beneath the doom and gloom of environmental catastrophe. After seeing environmental activist and fashion writer/podcaster Clare Press decide to feature only positive news stories for the rest of the month, I started on my own search of more optimistic visions of our planet. So this week, I bring you some fantastic news (is it a coincidence that almost all of it come from New Zealand???) and also some dire news of bushfires and heatwaves.
Heatwaves keep climate change in our minds
Extreme heat has continued throughout Australia this week as the previous national average maximum temperature was smashed 3 days in a row. The average maximum had stood at 40.3 degrees celcius since 2013 however on Wednesday, this figure reached 41.9C. On Thursday SA's Nullarbor weather station recorded 49.9C. These temperatures are a frightful reminded of how climate change is making it harder to survive hot Australian summers.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-20/finger-pointed-at-climate-change-as-heatwave-smashes-records/11817884
Bushfires force people to stay put
The mega-blaze closing in on Sydney from the North and South-West is continuing to produce smoke and cause the closure of roads and National Parks. Fires in the Blue Mountains and at Gospers mountain have once again been graded as emergency level fires with people being told it is too late to leave. Meanwhile, two volunteer firefighters lost their lives earlier this week in NSW.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-20/two-volunteer-firefighrers-dead-after-nsw-rfs-truck-rolls/11816732
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-21/nsw-bushfires-sydney-heatwave-inflames-catastrophic-danger/11820578
Desalination plant helping out fish ecosystems
Since Sydney’s desalination plant was turned on, a study by Southern Cross University and UNSW showed a 374 percent increase in fish life at the outlet of the plant. This unexpected result is good news for fish populations however scientists are still unable to conclude what exactly has caused this increase.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-19/sydney-desalination-plant-discharge-boosts-fish-numbers/11811650
Air New Zealand ditching single-use coffee cups
Time for some positive news… Air New Zealand is trialling a new edible coffee cup in an effort to stop 8 million coffee cups ending up in landfill every year. The cups are made by a family business in NZ and are biscuit tasting cups that can be eaten after a cup off coffee. What a fabulous initiative!!!
https://www.fastcompany.com/90439655/this-airline-is-replacing-millions-of-single-use-cups-with-tasty-edible-ones?partner=rss&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
NZ commits to climate action in policy
NZ’s climate change minister has announced that all government decisions will now be steered by climate change and environmental factors. In this way, cabinet will now routinely consider environmental consequences of all policies. This follows the zero-carbon bill that was passed last month in the country. Lots of amazing news coming out of our neighbours; perhaps we should take greater notice of their achievements…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/04/climate-change-to-steer-all-new-zealand-government-decisions-from-now-on?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR0HWwpNdcm633dKVgMh1IwoWgLK3DVb1pfz-rJIdmg_PjVDmE7y9P0i0AY
Extreme heat has continued throughout Australia this week as the previous national average maximum temperature was smashed 3 days in a row. The average maximum had stood at 40.3 degrees celcius since 2013 however on Wednesday, this figure reached 41.9C. On Thursday SA's Nullarbor weather station recorded 49.9C. These temperatures are a frightful reminded of how climate change is making it harder to survive hot Australian summers.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-20/finger-pointed-at-climate-change-as-heatwave-smashes-records/11817884
Bushfires force people to stay put
The mega-blaze closing in on Sydney from the North and South-West is continuing to produce smoke and cause the closure of roads and National Parks. Fires in the Blue Mountains and at Gospers mountain have once again been graded as emergency level fires with people being told it is too late to leave. Meanwhile, two volunteer firefighters lost their lives earlier this week in NSW.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-20/two-volunteer-firefighrers-dead-after-nsw-rfs-truck-rolls/11816732
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-21/nsw-bushfires-sydney-heatwave-inflames-catastrophic-danger/11820578
Desalination plant helping out fish ecosystems
Since Sydney’s desalination plant was turned on, a study by Southern Cross University and UNSW showed a 374 percent increase in fish life at the outlet of the plant. This unexpected result is good news for fish populations however scientists are still unable to conclude what exactly has caused this increase.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-19/sydney-desalination-plant-discharge-boosts-fish-numbers/11811650
Air New Zealand ditching single-use coffee cups
Time for some positive news… Air New Zealand is trialling a new edible coffee cup in an effort to stop 8 million coffee cups ending up in landfill every year. The cups are made by a family business in NZ and are biscuit tasting cups that can be eaten after a cup off coffee. What a fabulous initiative!!!
https://www.fastcompany.com/90439655/this-airline-is-replacing-millions-of-single-use-cups-with-tasty-edible-ones?partner=rss&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
NZ commits to climate action in policy
NZ’s climate change minister has announced that all government decisions will now be steered by climate change and environmental factors. In this way, cabinet will now routinely consider environmental consequences of all policies. This follows the zero-carbon bill that was passed last month in the country. Lots of amazing news coming out of our neighbours; perhaps we should take greater notice of their achievements…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/04/climate-change-to-steer-all-new-zealand-government-decisions-from-now-on?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR0HWwpNdcm633dKVgMh1IwoWgLK3DVb1pfz-rJIdmg_PjVDmE7y9P0i0AY