 I’ve taken the liberty of cutting and pasting a few items from recent news coverage. None of these reports was presented as big headline news, but maybe should have been.
I do not know how media people choose which news items to promote, but I am certain that at times (at least) they choose the wrong ones. Yes, I know everyone loves a ‘warm puppy’ story or a spectacular vehicle accident – (maybe not enjoyed by the people involved) as long as there’s ‘footage’ of it. but… What about these: The Australian government has taken a wrecking ball to climate scientists at the CSIRO and has instead funded an “Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Growth Centre”. What? Nice one!!! We have just experienced the hottest February on record. Not the hottest February for x years, but THE HOTTEST FEBRUARY ON RECORD. Perhaps we should be getting really serious abut tackling climate change and not promoting the problematic oil & gas. What do you think? Huh? And… a recent report states: “…average temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere have breached the 2 degrees Celsius above “normal” mark for the first time in recorded history, and likely the first time since human civilization began thousands of years ago.* That mark has long been held (somewhat arbitrarily) as the point above which climate change may begin to become "dangerous" to humanity. It's now arrived—though very briefly—much more quickly than anticipated. This is a milestone moment for our species. Climate change deserves our greatest possible attention.” But, then ‘hooray’ (well just a little bit) “….Oregon has become the first US state to pass laws to rid itself of coal, committing to eliminate the use of coal-fired power by 2035 and to double the amount of renewable energy in the state by 2040.” These announcements - or statements - or reports – whatever you wish to name them – have appeared over the past week in our media. BUT, they are not announced in BIG HEADLINES, or as one of the FIRST bites of News on TV bulletins. They are sometimes news items that are even hard to find, which I find disturbing. “The National Water Commission[1] has stated that coal seam gas mining risks having 'significant, long-term and adverse impacts' on water resources, including from depressurisation and contamination of aquifers. Longwall coal mining in the Sydney drinking water catchment has been found to have caused subsidence, cracking and draining of rivers, cliff falls, draining of swamps, and iron oxide pollution[. Open-cut mining dewaters aquifers, and often leaves damaging final voids that drain aquifers for centuries”. And, how about this news? Right now, we are on the verge of a potentially severe coral bleaching event as an underwater heatwave washes over our planet’s coral reefs. We’ve seen the first devastating signs of it reaching the Great Barrier Reef at Lizard Island, 220kms north of Cairns. Well, at least that one (above) has hit the airwaves - a bit, but briefly…no doubt because it might affect the income of the tourist industry. Most of the information I have mentioned here has been pushed to the sidelines of news announcements, while people stop and gawp and talk about the latest Kardashian ‘excitement’ over one of those moronic air-head’s desire to show how together she is by posting naked pictures of herself for all to see. Now THAT’S newsworthy! NOT! Meanwhile, back at the ranch, as the old saying goes…. “Donald Trump is the leader of a new, hate-filled authoritarian movement. Nothing would be more harmful to the idea of the West and world peace than if he were to be elected president. George W. Bush's America would seem like a place of logic and reason in comparison.” What more is there to say about the decline and fall of OUR planet - and all our decency? So many examples. I could go on… But, right now the truly dreadful happening in Brussels has overtaken all news. Sigh!
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