Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Floods of 2010 - Bayside Bulletin / The Redland Times
Floods of 2010 - Bayside Bulletin / The Redland Times: "Floods of 2010
Special Feature: If 2009 was a year where our nation was scarred by deadly bushfires, 2010 will go down as the year when the drought broke ... and then came the floods. We look back on some of the biggest downpours of the year from around the country."
Special Feature: If 2009 was a year where our nation was scarred by deadly bushfires, 2010 will go down as the year when the drought broke ... and then came the floods. We look back on some of the biggest downpours of the year from around the country."
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
What Knapp Creek can tell us...Sediment's telltale radioactivity
Waterways draining into Moreton Bay are heavily used and in places are in poor condition. There are 24,000 km of degraded rivers that, in times of heavy rain, send sediment and pollutants into the Bay, damaging its environmental health.
eWater scientists from Griffith University in Queensland have estimated sediment load for the whole catchment could be effectively halved by rehabilitating just three of the major gullies.The scientists have brought together a suite of tools to trace a river’s sediments back to its source. The tools tell them whether the sediment originated as channel and gully erosion, or as shallow sheet or rill erosion further up hillslopes. In this way, the tools allow the primary sources to be identified and enable rehabilitation works to be targeted at those areas generating the most sediment. Read the article at this link following.
Sediment's telltale radioactivity, and a prescription to fix erosion H2O THINKING
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
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Wednesday, November 10, 2010
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Sunday, November 7, 2010
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Thursday, November 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
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Sunday, October 17, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Qld government upsets local councils - where is our democracy?
Residents of local communities are being denied rights to be involved. Although Logan and Ipswich local councils may be happy to accommodate state government's agent ULDA, many local residents are concerned that fast tracking timelines prohibit the necessary studies being conducted and shown to community for comment.
The Queensland government is trampling on the rights of local councils by grabbing control of planning, a group of Queensland mayors says.
The Council of Mayors in Southeast Queensland on Wednesday said the Bligh government's decision to take direct control of planning for a major development from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council was anti-democratic.
The comments followed the state government's announcement that it would allow the Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) to assume control of planning for Stockland's Caloundra South development, which is planned to provide homes for 50,000 people on the Sunshine Coast.
The Council of Mayors chairman, Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, said the Bligh government was trampling on the rights of communities across Queensland with the powerful but unaccountable ULDA.
"The ULDA is unelected, unaccountable and busily pushing the planning policies of unelected state government bureaucrats on local communities," Mr Newman said in a statement.
"Residents are being denied a say in the big debates about the future shape of their communities."
Melva Hobson, the mayor of the bayside council of Redland, near Brisbane, said the Caloundra South takeover was a backward step for sustainable development in southeast Queensland.
"The community's desire to deliver more sustainable communities is under threat if big developers can knock on the premier's door and have the whole thing overturned," Ms Hobson said in a statement.
Gold Coast mayor Ron Clarke said he was concerned about the influence developers had over the state government.
"A whole new city of 50,000 people will be developed with no community say and no appeals," Mr Clarke said in a statement.
"Whatever happened to the SEQ Regional Plan being a partnership between state and local government?"
The Council of Mayors promised to support the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in its opposition to the ULDA takeover.
Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchcliffe defended the ULDA's involvement in the Sunshine Coast project, saying the council had delayed action for years.
"Every day Caloundra South sits in the council's in-tray is a day without more local jobs and more affordable homes for local families," he said in a statement.
Mr Hinchcliffe said other mayors had embraced the benefits of ULDA.
"Southeast Queensland mayors like Paul Pisasale and Pam Parker have welcomed the ULDA into their local communities because they recognise the ULDA can fast-track affordable housing and jobs whilst delivering outstanding planning and environmental outcomes," he said.
The same environmental laws and policies applied to the ULDA as they did for councils and developers, Mr Hinchcliffe said.
Original source of article Qld government upsets local councils
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
New communities set to go forward - Ripley Valley, Greater Flagstone and Yarrabilba
Three new southeast Queensland communities have been given special approval to deliver up to 120,000 new homes.Premier Anna Bligh announced on Monday communities at Ripley Valley, Greater Flagstone and Yarrabilba had been declared urban development areas.
The areas, in Brisbane's southwestern and western growth corridors would represent 15 per cent of housing demands over the next 20 years, she said.The declaration means the Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) now has 12 months to prepare development schemes for the areas.
Ms Bligh said early-release precincts in each community had been identified that could see construction of almost 3000 homes in a year.
The communities could potentially see 120,000 new houses at prices cheaper than comparative homes, she said.
"Instead of ad hoc building with one or two or three developers doing a little bit here or there, these big master-planned communities give us the chance to get infrastructure right, green space right and affordable housing mixes so that everybody has a chance of buying in," she said
New communities set to go forward published this story
Friday, October 1, 2010
Bioprospecting finds the toughest biological material and Engineering Hybrid Silks
By engineering silkworms to produce spider silk it's possible to make the super-strong protein fibers at an industrial scale, for applications in medicine like super-strong sutures or tissue engineering or even to make bullet-proof vests stronger than kevlar. The engineered silkworms aren't producing 100% spider silk yet, the silkworms are instead engineered with a copy of the spider silk genes fused directly onto the end of the natural silk gene, so that the silkworm produces a silk that is a mix of the two proteins. The spider/worm silk fusion, however, does have many improved properties, and new genetic engineering technologies can potentially improve this even further and create other novel silks not found in nature.
Follow original blog at this link.
Engineering Hybrid Silks : Oscillator
Exposed: Scotland’s toxic waste is poisoning Africa and Asia
A 'tsunami'of old TVs is being exported and illegally dumped in Africa and Asia every year with the help of organised criminal gangs, according to an investigation by the Scottish Government’s environmental watchdog.
“The Basel Convention, which all of the European Union has ratified, requires authorities to treat illegal traffic in waste as a criminal offence. Unless the perpetrators are given jail sentences they will simply pay the fines from past or future profits and start up business again under a different name.”
Recent changes like the switch from analogue to digital displays and flat screens had created a “tsunami of old TVs and computer monitors flooding ports in Asia, Ghana and Nigeria.” There they are often recycled in primitive and environmentally damaging conditions or simply dumped or burned if there is no market for it.
The Basel Action Network has set up a certification system for recycling companies which refuse to export electronic waste to developing countries. Known as “e-Stewards”, it certified its first UK company, in Surrey, last week.
Read the story at following link. Exposed: Scotland’s toxic waste is poisoning Africa and Asia - Herald Scotland News Transport & Environment
Thursday, September 30, 2010
How do we measures Australia's Progress, 2010?
Australia's environment is fundamental to the quality of life and sense of wellbeing of Australians, as well as providing key inputs to the economy. Until recently there has been a tendency to take clean water, clean air and natural attractions such as the Great Barrier Reef, for granted. However increasing population and economic pressures have caused many people to be increasingly concerned about the state of both the Australian and wider global environment.
In this commentary, progress refers to a reduction in threats to the environment and improvements in the health of our ecosystems.
The headline dimensions that help Australians assess whether our environment has improved include:
Biodiversity
Land
Inland waters
Oceans and estuaries
Atmosphere
Waste
The presentation of these dimensions is largely consistent with other major environmental reports, most notably the State of the Environment report produced five yearly under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act,1999 (EPBC Act)
Land, biodiversity, water and air are integral parts of Australia's environment and are inextricably linked. For example, changes in the health of inland waters, such as reduced river flows, can affect biodiversity, while changes in land use can affect inland waters, biodiversity and estuaries.
Not only do Australia's plants, animals and ecosystems sustain life, but they are also key contributors to economic growth as inputs to production. For example, the use of water for agricultural production.
The overlap between environment dimensions means that indicators in this publication will often relate to more than one dimension. For example, annual area of land cleared is discussed under the dimension of land, but with its relationship to loss of habitat and loss of carbon sink it could also be discussed under either the Biodiversity or Atmosphere dimensions.
Biodiversity
Our plants, animals and ecosystems bring important economic and social benefits and Australia's unique environmental assets are recognised globally. Native vegetation has cultural, aesthetic and recreational importance to many Australians. Most importantly, the ways in which organisms interact with each other and their environment are important to human survival: we rely on ecosystems that function properly for clean air and water and healthy soil.
Land
Soil resources are an important natural asset. Degraded soil affects agricultural productivity, wildlife habitat and water quality.
Water
Water is fundamental to the survival of people and other organisms. Apart from drinking water, much of our economy (agriculture in particular) relies on water. The condition of freshwater ecosystems has a critical impact on the wider environment, especially for sustaining native wildlife and vegetation.
Estuaries and oceans
Our beaches, estuaries and wider marine ecosystems play an important role in Australian life. The oceans support a vast array of marine life and many of our marine ecosystems are globally important, such as the Great Barrier Reef which is the largest coral reef system in the world.
The atmosphere
The atmosphere surrounding our planet plays a role in supporting life on earth: oxygen is required to sustain living animals; a layer of ozone shields us from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun; and greenhouse gases, predominantly carbon dioxide, maintain the surface temperature of the earth at levels that can sustain life. Poor air quality has a range of negative impacts: it can cause health problems, damage infrastructure, reduce crop yields and harm plants and animals. Greenhouse gases and air pollution occur both naturally and as a result of human activities.
Waste
Waste is a by-product of many human activities. Many economic activities generate waste - solid, liquid and gaseous wastes are a by-product of many productive processes, and goods (or their packages) may be discarded by consumers. Waste can be expensive to deal with, can have a damaging impact on the environment, and can affect peoples health and wellbeing.
This article has come from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1370.0~2010~Chapter~Environment%20(6) updated 14 September
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
September 12 was National Bilby Day
Associate Professor Hero says he is worried about people becoming complacent and tired of efforts to save Queensland’s most endangered animals.
He says while there are positive signs for the bilby population, the day should encourage people to consider the impact of humans on native animals.
“They’ve declined in range by nearly 99 per cent of their former range in Queensland and if we’re losing an animal like that, we are doing something drastically wrong,” he said.
“This is just a reminder that we really need to look after this planet and these landscapes if we want to survive ourselves.”
Currawinya will join an expanding network of LTER sites in Queensland (Karawatha near Brisbane, Lake Broadwater near Dalby and Cooloola National Park on the Sunshine Coast) as part of an international PPBio LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research Site) system
Griffith University Griffith News Now
He says while there are positive signs for the bilby population, the day should encourage people to consider the impact of humans on native animals.
“They’ve declined in range by nearly 99 per cent of their former range in Queensland and if we’re losing an animal like that, we are doing something drastically wrong,” he said.
“This is just a reminder that we really need to look after this planet and these landscapes if we want to survive ourselves.”
Currawinya will join an expanding network of LTER sites in Queensland (Karawatha near Brisbane, Lake Broadwater near Dalby and Cooloola National Park on the Sunshine Coast) as part of an international PPBio LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research Site) system
Griffith University Griffith News Now
Human Toll Reaches Millions as Asbestos Industry Expands Worldwide
The hazards of asbestos are well known in Australia but there is still a thriving global trade in this product.
This report from investigative journalists published on line at the Centre for Public Integrity explores the issue.
Asbestos cement substitutes — roofing and pipes made with cellulose fibers, ductile iron and fiberglass, for example — fWHO has determined that, at most, they cost 10 to 15 percent more to produce. But if the human life and suffering cost is factored in then, asbestos is not much of a bargain. “Obviously, the cost of death and disease and the eventual cost of even halfway properly managing asbestos cement structures wipes out any short-term savings of 10 to 15 percent,” Castleman says. As for another industry claim — that substitute products may be more dangerous than chrysotile — he notes, “They do not release carcinogenic dust whenever they are sawed, drilled, and demolished.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Coles bag drop reduces waste | G-Online, the best of green
To reduce landfill and save resources, Coles is collecting old reusable bags to turn into furniture for 100 Australian primary schools
Until 14 October, customers can bring their old or unwanted ‘green’ polypropylene bags to any Coles supermarket.
Australians use over 3.9 billion single-use plastic bags a year, or 10 million a day. Planet Ark says that only three per cent of Australia's plastic bags are currently being recycled, despite recycling facilities being readily available.
“As we continue to find practical ways to ensure these bags don’t find their way into landfill, customers can continue enjoying our range of reusable bag options knowing we have considered their end of life,” Mr Machin added. At the end of the campaign, all the polypropylene bags will be sent to Victoria to a recycling company called Replas, who will convert the plastic waste into durable outdoor furniture for primary schools across Australia.
Coles will accept any bag made of polypropylene – and any colour – including shopping bags from other retailers and giveaway bags from conferences and exhibitions.
Read the original story at this link.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
American Samoa, unlike California, bans plastic bags - Green House - USATODAY.com
Gov. Togiola Tulafono, who signed the ban into law last week, says it will help protect American Samoa's natural beauty.
Its supporters say plastic bags, taking up to 1,000 year to decompose, pollute the ocean and entangle sea life.
The law, which takes effect Feb. 23, exempts shopping bags produced entirely from non-petroleum-based biodegradable plastic and compostable plastic bags.
Read more at this link.
American Samoa, unlike California, bans plastic bags - Green House - USATODAY.com
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Pretending It’s Not Population : How Can We Talk About Environmental Problems without Talking About All the People? (By Sarah (Steve) Mosko)
Although this article looks at the American situation it relates to the global stuation. .... The sheer number of humans is undeniably the behemoth elephant in the room when it comes to the daunting environmental issues of our time. One has to question how far we can get in creating an environmentally sustainable future for our children when we’ve all silently agreed to acknowledge not the elephant, but only its manifestations like smog, water shortages and climate change.
Will we humans manage our increasing numbers or wait for the planet's responses to our so named growth and development to reduce us in natural disastrous events?
Read the article at this link.
Pretending It’s Not Population : How Can We Talk About Environmental Problems without Talking About All the People? (By Sarah (Steve) Mosko)
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
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Sunday, September 5, 2010
Investigations begin into southwest rail - built after 2026 for Flagstone?
Detailed planning for a new rail line to a proposed master-planned community southwest of Brisbane is set to begin.
Premier Anna Bligh said the government was moving to the next phase of planning for a double-track passenger rail line from Salisbury to Beaudesert to service the southwest growth corridor.
She said the rail corridor study would plan for the people set to move into the area in the future, including into a new city proposed for Flagstone.
Ms Bligh said the exact route of the rail line and station locations would now be pinned down, although the line would generally follow an existing freight route.
Possibilities for new stations are Acacia Ridge, Algester, Hillcrest, Boronia Heights, Greenbank, New Beith, Flagstone, Undullah, Gleneagle, Gleneagle North and Beaudesert, she said.
"Our current planning tells us this future passenger rail line would need to be built after 2026 to accommodate population growth," Ms Bligh said.
"But it makes good sense to plan now so we are well placed to manage this future growth."
The news follows Tuesday's announcement of a new $123 billion transport plan for the southeast over the next two decades.
It included new rail lines and stations, faster trains, more cycleways, busways and toll roads and a Brisbane ring road to take trucks off suburban roads.
The plan is so far largely uncosted and unfunded but is expected to inform future budget decisions.
The timing in this information is what local people asking about public transport have been told before. We have to have the people before we get any kind of transport infrastructure - other than roads - for private cars and freight on trucks!
There are already 5 rail studies - not accessible to local community and new roads are being upgraded without cycleways.
We expect better from local and state government. Federal government recently spent $50million to upgrade interstate line to carry Queensland guage. Queensland should reconsider some rail transport access in the interim - for the current population in the southwest corridor. Transport Minister Kate Nolan said it was too expensive to build 5 stations. Why can't we start with 1 or 2?
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
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Friday, August 6, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Australia's pesticide laws are hard to believe -- new report from WWF-Australia and NTN
WWF and the National Toxics Network have now released a list of Australia's most dangerous pesticides, more than 80 of which are prohibited overseas because of the risks they pose to human health and the environment.
The list includes 17 chemicals that are known, likely or probable carcinogens, and 48 chemicals flagged as having the potential to interfere with hormones.
More than 20 have been classified as either extremely or highly hazardous by the World Health Organisation yet remain available for use on Australian farms. Surely Australian farm workers, wildlife and ecosystems deserve the same level of protection as those in Europe or the United States.
Jo Immig from the National Toxics Network said the list was evidence that Australia's chemical regulatory system was failing to keep people and the environment safe from dangerous pesticides.
"European pesticides regulation is founded on a precautionary principle designed to give human health and the environment the benefit of the doubt," Ms Immig said.
"Here in Australia we have the opposite, where chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer and other health problems remain on the market for years."
The pesticides regulator must recognise that while Australia may have unique wildlife and different farming conditions, the chemistry of these dangerous pesticides is the still the same. If smoking causes cancer in the US, it will also cause cancer in Australia - it's the carcinogens that matter not the country.
Read the report hereAustralia's pesticide laws are hard to believe -- WWF-Australia
Monday, August 2, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Subtropical Cities 2008 Conference - Speakers - by Iceberg Events
Subtropical Cities 2008 Conference - Speakers - by Iceberg Events: "Stephen Zannakis
Principal Designer/Construction Coordinator/Trainer
SPIRAL Community Hub
SPIRAL is a community development cooperative with a diverse agenda and as the principal designer, construction coordinator and trainer I work on sustainable design projects, coordinating council and construction documentation, estimating construction costs, training disengaged long term unemployed youth in construction skills as well as sustainable design principles.
Projects to date have been two rebuilding the SPIRAL office in a sustainable manner in West End; a public shaded picnic area in one of the community gardens SPIRAL manages; retaining walls and seating area for children at West End State Primary School; the design and fitout of a commercial kitchen and restaurant for a group of Eritrean refugee Women in Moorooka called Mu'ooz; redesigning the remainder of the SPIRAL premises to achieve more office space, a dedicated meeting room, a community cafe, space for our fair trade store and a biological wastewater recycling system including a reed bed and roof garden."
Principal Designer/Construction Coordinator/Trainer
SPIRAL Community Hub
SPIRAL is a community development cooperative with a diverse agenda and as the principal designer, construction coordinator and trainer I work on sustainable design projects, coordinating council and construction documentation, estimating construction costs, training disengaged long term unemployed youth in construction skills as well as sustainable design principles.
Projects to date have been two rebuilding the SPIRAL office in a sustainable manner in West End; a public shaded picnic area in one of the community gardens SPIRAL manages; retaining walls and seating area for children at West End State Primary School; the design and fitout of a commercial kitchen and restaurant for a group of Eritrean refugee Women in Moorooka called Mu'ooz; redesigning the remainder of the SPIRAL premises to achieve more office space, a dedicated meeting room, a community cafe, space for our fair trade store and a biological wastewater recycling system including a reed bed and roof garden."
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Gabba Renewal Precinct Future Looks Good -Have your say
The Woolloongabba Draft Structure Plan is available for public comment from 19 to 30 July and can be viewed on the ULDA website at http://www.ulda.qld.gov.au/
A community information session is being held Saturday 24 July 10am - 2pm at The German Club, 416 Vulture Street, Woolloongabba. Community members will be able to talk to planners one-on-one about what is intended for the UDA and provide feedback.
Responses from the community regarding the Draft Structure Plan will be considered during the preparation of the Woolloongabba UDA Proposed Development Scheme.
See more at Gabba Renewal Precinct Future Looks Good
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Connecting SEQ 2031: An Integrated Regional Transport Plan for South East Queensland
Connecting SEQ 2031: An Integrated Regional Transport Plan for South East Queensland
The final Connecting SEQ 2031 plan will deliver:
•a master plan to address the critical issue of transport for the region’s ongoing success
•the department's response to the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031 framework for growth within the region
•a central document that consolidates the transport related actions from many of the Queensland Government’s studies and policies
•a basis for prioritising funding to support the numerous transport and land use plans that have been developed within government.
Consultation
Given the significance of this project, the project team will be working closely with key stakeholders across all levels of government to build on collective knowledge to develop a collaborative plan.
Details of any public consultation activities will be provided on this web page http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Projects_and_initiatives/Plans/Integrated_transport_plans/Connecting_seq_2031/ closer to the release of the draft plan.
When will the plan be available?
Connecting SEQ 2031 is expected to be released in mid 2010.
Further information Please contact: Principal Manager (Transport Strategy)
Integrated Transport Planning
Transport and Main Roads
GPO Box 213 Brisbane 4001
Email: planning.projects@tmr.qld.gov.au
The final Connecting SEQ 2031 plan will deliver:
•a master plan to address the critical issue of transport for the region’s ongoing success
•the department's response to the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031 framework for growth within the region
•a central document that consolidates the transport related actions from many of the Queensland Government’s studies and policies
•a basis for prioritising funding to support the numerous transport and land use plans that have been developed within government.
Consultation
Given the significance of this project, the project team will be working closely with key stakeholders across all levels of government to build on collective knowledge to develop a collaborative plan.
Details of any public consultation activities will be provided on this web page http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Projects_and_initiatives/Plans/Integrated_transport_plans/Connecting_seq_2031/ closer to the release of the draft plan.
When will the plan be available?
Connecting SEQ 2031 is expected to be released in mid 2010.
Further information Please contact: Principal Manager (Transport Strategy)
Integrated Transport Planning
Transport and Main Roads
GPO Box 213 Brisbane 4001
Email: planning.projects@tmr.qld.gov.au
Friday, July 16, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Yeerongpilly transit oriented development - Department of Infrastructure and Planning
Have your say
Transit Oriented Development and Design
Department of Infrastructure and Planning
Reply paid 15009
CITY EAST QLD 4002
Email: yeerongpillytod@dip.qld.gov.au
Yeerongpilly transit oriented development - Department of Infrastructure and Planning
State government wants community thoughts and ideas about the future of the Yeerongpilly transit oriented development. Complete the online survey by Sunday 15 August or send your completed survey questionnaire ( 55 KB) to:
Transit Oriented Development and Design
Department of Infrastructure and Planning
Reply paid 15009
CITY EAST QLD 4002
Email: yeerongpillytod@dip.qld.gov.au
Yeerongpilly transit oriented development - Department of Infrastructure and Planning
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Hans Rosling on global population growth | Video on TED.com
Watch this explanation by Hans Rosling - and read the transcript - partly reproduced here.
This is great series by some of the world's greatest thinkers.
I still remember the day in school when our teacher told us that the world population had become three billion people. And that was in 1960. And I'm going to talk now about how world population has changed from that year and into the future. But I will not use digital technology as I've done during my first five TEDTalks. Instead, I have progressed. And I am, today, launching a brand new analog teaching technology that I picked up from Ikea: this box.
This box contains contains one billion people. And our teacher told us that the industrialized world, 1960, had one billion people. In the developing [world], she said, they had two billion people. And they lived away then. There was a big gap between the one billion in the industrialized world and the two billion in the developing world. The industrialized world, people were healthy, educated, rich, and they had small families. And their aspiration was to buy a car. And in 1960, all Swedes were saving to try to buy a Volvo like this. This was the economic level at which Sweden was. But in contrast to this, the developing world, far away, the aspiration of the average family there was to have food for the day. And they were saving to be able to buy a pair of shoes. There was an enormous gap in the world when I grew up. And this gap between the West and the rest has created a mindset of the world which we still use linguistically when we talk about "the West" and "the developing world." But the world has changed, and it's overdue to upgrade that mindset and that taxonomy of the world, and to understand it.
And that's what I'm going to show you. Because since 1960, what has happened in the world up to 2010 is that a staggering four billion people have been added to the world population. Just look how many
Protect Tamborine Mountain - YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW!
Landslides have occurred on Tamborine Mountain and now an inappropriate development application promises more to come. Concerned citizens are asking for openness and transparency for citizens when council deals with development applications. However few councils and governments - in our experience have provided that. Rhetoric yes - but in reality no.
There are many issues. Please look at website and exercise your democratic rights by contacting council - especially if you live in the Scenic Rim area.
From one page some issues are -
1 Bowler Geotechnical Pty Ltd refuse to produce report indicating safe habitability below St Bernards.
2 Beaudesert Shire Councils, Development Control Plan (DCP) prohibits development at the site.
3 Part of cliff falls again in 2008 at site of 1974 landslide.
4 Willmott Report clearly states cliffs at site are an active slip zone.
5 Ongoing rockfalls from cliffs in the area.
6 Pictures of 1974 landslide.
7 The links lead to relevant worldwide information.
8 St Bernards landslide destroys the spectacular "Secluded Falls".
9 Recognised landslide risk preconditions.
Protect Tamborine Mountain has more information - including contact details for Scenic Rim Council
Awakening The Dreamer - In Community
The old dream is rooted in separation, telling us it is “every person for themselves,” and we’ve become isolated from each other.
Now there is a resurgence of community, like-minded people banding together to find a voice together as the movement for a new future.
Community – coming together in unity – nourishes each of us in the work we take on ourselves. It also allows us to work together to tackle projects we couldn’t do alone. Together we are a powerful force for change, calling forth from our elected representatives, from our corporations and institutions the responses which build a future worth choosing. We are the voice of this future. Read more at site linked below.
Awakening The Dreamer - In Community
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