Antioch Abouna: Global Warning! (mine them, don't fear them)

Antioch Abouna: Global Warning! (mine them, don't fear them): "There is a danger facing us on this planet perhaps even more severe in its implications for humanity than the global warming. It concerns the global depletion of resources and the impact this will have other seemingly ever increasing population.

Sustainable development has been an issue for decades and yet we do not seem to have made much progress in dealing with it. When I was a teen report was published by the Club of Rome called ' The Limits to Growth ' (1972). This has been updated at least twice since other writing is still on the wall. We cannot keep on living as we have without endangering the ecosystem upon which we depend, but if we must as a species continue to grow numerically and economically, then we cannot look to the earth as an infinite resource for us to plunder indefinitely."

Notes from underground: Going Green: installing a solar-powered geyser

Notes from underground: Going Green: installing a solar-powered geyser:

This morning workmen came to install a solar-powered geyser in our house. It's a cold and rainy day and winter is approaching, so I'm not sure if we'll see the benefit immediately, but it will be interesting to see if the electricity bills are reduced after a few months.

Eskom, the national electricity supplier, offers subsidies for the installation of solar-powered geysers.

Climategate - MPs report clears scientists

Remember the "Climategate" scandal of a few months ago -- the discovery of e-mails that showed that climate change was a huge hoax, and that the conspiracy to propagate the hoax had at last been unmasked?

Well, it turns out that it wasn't a hoax, and that the conspiracy didn't exist, and that the whole thing was a storm in a tea cup. But you can bet that that won't get as much media coverage as the original rumours.

The Church Mouse Blog: Climategate - MPs report clears scientists:

The climategate scandal was the biggest challenge to the broadening consensus in Britain about the urgent need to limit carbon emissions to control the effects of climate change. The story broke that emails had been leaked between scientists at the heart of climate change research, in which they apparently stated that they were using a 'trick' to make the trends fit their theories. The conspiracy theories went wider, however, and claims were made that the emails showed that there was a conspiracy to subvert the whole scientific process on this issue.

It was a major international story. So presumably it is an equally big story that the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has now investigated the affair and concluded that there is no cover-up and no conspiracy. Well, no. But it should be.

Now perhaps someone should investigate the conspirators who decided to "unmask" the hoax that wasn't.

Eskom: clean energy, not coal! - Avaaz

In just days, the World Bank will vote on a proposed R29 billion loan to Eskom to build the fourth-largest coal plant in the world -- a climate disaster. At the same time, Eskom plans to effectively double electricity rates over the next three years. Big polluters are getting cut-rate electricity while ratepayers would be left to pay back this disastrous loan.

But the loan is not a done deal. Some creditors are having second thoughts, with the US expected to abstain and several European delegates reportedly on the fence. And we can tip the balance -- we just need one "no" vote to table the proposal since the Bank rarely proceeds with divisive votes!

While Eskom trumpets the plan, we can tell World Bank directors how we feel about coal. Let the Word Bank know that we don't want its dirty loan - click below to sign the petition today:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_eskom_coal_loan/?vl

The Bank is right to recognize South Africa's energy needs, but this loan would be putting money in the wrong place. Instead of dirty coal, South Africa needs energy efficiency and clean, renewable sources of power that people who most need it can actually afford. If this loan is approved, South Africans will pay for it several-fold -- in meteoric electricity rates, missed clean energy investments, polluted air, destroyed land, and the warming earth on which we live.

Dozens of South African environmental, community, church, labour, academic and women's organizations, representing a diverse, unified voice have mobilized to stop the loan. But every voice counts in these last days before the World Bank vote. Act now -- sign the petition opposing the loan:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_eskom_coal_loan/?vl

With hope,

Ben, Paul, Graziela, David, Alice, Ricken, and the whole Avaaz team

More information --

NGO Response to the World Bank panel report and Fact Sheet
http://www.groundwork.org.za/Publications/EskomFinalDocs/ResponsetotheWorldBankpanelreportandFactSheet.pdf

Original World Bank Fact Sheet
http://www.groundwork.org.za/Publications/EskomFinalDocs/WBEskomloanfactsheet.pdf

Eskom Tariff Hikes Slammed
http://allafrica.com/stories/201002250561.html

World Bank to Consider $4 Billion Loan Application From Eskom
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aGkhG0hBKlrE

SAfrica grants Eskom 24.8 pct price rise for 2010/11
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSWEB199720100224?type=marketsNews

James Lovelock: Humans are too stupid to prevent climate change | Environment | The Guardian

James Lovelock: Humans are too stupid to prevent climate change | Environment | The Guardian: "Humans are too stupid to prevent climate change from radically impacting on our lives over the coming decades. This is the stark conclusion of James Lovelock, the globally respected environmental thinker and independent scientist who developed the Gaia theory.

It follows a tumultuous few months in which public opinion on efforts to tackle climate change has been undermined by events such as the climate scientists' emails leaked from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the failure of the Copenhagen climate summit."

Earth Hour - 27 March

On 28 March 2009, in probably the single biggest mass action in history, a wave of darkness swept across the world's cities and towns as millions of people switched off their lights for an hour, pledging their support for decisive action against climate change.

In South Africa more than 100 000 people signed up their support. Further, based on the reduced electricity consumption over Earth Hour, ESKOM estimated that 1 million South African households participated! Earth Hour 2010 will have a very important role to play in ensuring that the South African government takes strong action against climate change.

For Earth Hour 2010, WWF calls on South Africans to switch off their lights on Saturday, 27 March, as a symbolic act to send a powerful message to leaders that the time to act on climate change is now.

This year WWF is challenging individuals, businesses, and communities to take the lead by pledging to reduce their own carbon footprint. We have to show world leaders that we are serious about tackling climate change and that we want them to deliver a fair, effective and binding climate deal.

Rolling out Earth Hour is easy, all you have to do is:

• Pledge your support on http://www.wwf.org.za/.
• Switch off the lights of your buildings on 27 March from 8:30pm - 9:30pm.
• Spread the message to your staff, students, members, colleagues, customers, tenants, yes, everybody! (We will email you a generic message to send out in the beginning of March.)
• Show your support by posting the Earth Hour 2010 web banner on your website, printing t-shirts for your staff or having an Earth Hour event on the night.
• If you would like to support Earth Hour 2010 in a big way by sponsoring an event or donating advertising space, please contact us on 021 888 2800.

Please save the date: 27 March 2010, 8:30pm - 9:30pm.
We hope that you will support Earth Hour 2010.

Ex-nuclear workers to march on Necsa

Please be informed that ex-nuclear workers who have repeatedly over the past few years failed in their attempts to get compensation from South Africa’s Nuclear Corporation (NECSA) for debilitating and often fatal occupational diseases, have planned a legal march to NECSA’s headquarters at Pelindaba near Pretoria.

Hat-tip to Ex-nuclear workers to march on Necsa - Environment South Africa

They have vowed to stage a “sleep-in” at NECSA’s gates unless they are adequately responded to by the nuclear bosses. The memorandum they intend handing over is attached.

When: Thursday February 4, 2010

Starting time: 10.30 am

Place: Necsa Gate 3, Church Street, Pelindaba (west of Pretoria) Contact person: Mr. Alfred Sepepe 074 299 8214

Many of these Atteridgeville Township based workers formed part of the sample group of 208 ex-nuclear workers who underwent preliminary medical examinations by respected occupational health medical practitioner Dr Murray Coombs. Coombs found that a significant number of these workers suffered from occupational illnesses resultant from their employment at the Pelindaba complex and referred several cases to the Compensation Commissioner. All these applications were rejected. The Commissioner has yet to make known the basis on which he dismissed these applications despite legislation which entitles these workers to compensation based on presumption alone. Coombs further concluded that most of the ex-workers he had seen needed further in-depth medical tests and in 2006 Dr. Coombs approached NECSA to undertake these tests in the presence of representatives appointed by the workers themselves to ensure transparency. NECSA flatly refused and produced its own medical results that denied the claims made in the Coombs Report.

Almost 30 ex-workers from the original sample group have died penniless and with extreme medical conditions since this process began in 2005/6 – this despite numerous appeals to the President, various Ministers and a special hearing before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee in July 2007 which undertook to ensure justice and compensation for these workers. The chairman of that committee was dropped in the new post-elections administration and to date not a single promise made to these workers has been met.

Please contact Mr. Sepepe for further details.

This media release is issued by:

Pelindaba Working Group
acting in solidarity with the plight of these ex-nuclear workers
Dominique Gilbert – 083 740 4676

Source: http://www.cane.org.za/