I walk with my dog, or more accurately ramble around my  neighborhood  most  mornings.  I come across litter, pollution, graffiti, vandalism and other issues close to home.  It is amazing when you are aware of it, how many problems you can see.

So my personal project is to do as much as I can personally and the rest, to report to our local council for action.  I am pretty sure that a lot of stuff does not get done, simply because the council is unaware of the problem

I’ll get started on this and refine as I go.  I am working on the premise that whatever I do is an improvement on  no action.

So lets get started and see how we go.

The post making a difference where we live appeared first on Gone Green.

        

Just because Pauline Hanson has a certain view of Australia does not make it the right one.  Hanson says that her view of Australia does not include Gay and Lesbian couples living together. In her version of what Australia is there was no discussion of gay marriage.

This  is an interesting concept, the  my version of Australia concept.   Does senator Hanson have  a more correct view or the only correct view of Australia? should we accept it because she is a senator, or perhaps because her people were here before the Muslim people ?

If we conclude that the status quo is defines by the length of time that an ethnic group is in one place, then wouldn’t that mean the viewpoint of the first Australians is the most valid of all?

We need to understand that there is no one viewpoint. This is why we are diverse, however, wouldn’t it be great if everyone can learn to accept the  multiple versions of Australia that  are held up in our society, right across the country. and add a bit of respect into the mix as well.

I do not condone divisive or hateful speech targeting a member or group of Australians.  We  need to respect the rights of  everyone, as we all have equality in Australia under our laws and system of government.

What is un-australian and what is not ?

Is the ethos  giving people a “fair go” really a deep rooted part of the Aussie makeup or is it a fictional fabrication of the way we as a  society like to think  of ourselves.   Are we referring when we say this to only a narrow segment of out society. Such as the white middle class   Do we give Aboriginal people a fair go? Or refugees ?

From where I live , work and socialise as  a white middle class Australian, I see lots of hate, intolerance, hypocrisy and political rhetoric.

The post Who is Australia ? appeared first on Gone Green.

        

So by now you’ve probably seen a few highlights of Pauline Hanson’s return to parliament.
But we shouldn’t be naive about who stands to benefit from Hanson’s return and what it will mean for ethnic communities across this country.
When you’re standing at your doctors waiting room and your holding your your son by the hand, as she comes across the TV screen, repeating hateful, divisive rhetoric. Suddenly you don’t feel safe anymore, because behind you wonder, who is listening to this ?
Are they looking at me and my son?
Are we safe here any more? Is this my community?

This is what goes through people’s minds when Pauling Hanson walks across the screen. And they se members of the liberal party, sitting down to coffee with her, giving her a hug. It’s a question of what this does to us as a community. What it legitimises in how we treat each other.
We need leaders who will stand up to racism.
We need leaders who are able to articulate a vision for this country a that includes all of us.
Currently, when you see members of our government embracing Pauline Hanson, legitimising her message, you have to wonder, are they suitable for government at all?

A public figure like Hanson, openly broadcasting her hateful, divisive rhetoric, isn’t just insulting. It gives license to people all across the country to do the same.

It will open the door to bullying in schools, to racial discrimination in our workplaces and to violence and vilification on our streets.

In the wake of Hanson’s first election, hate crimes against the Asian community skyrocketed.
Now it’s very likely that Muslims, especially Muslim women, will face increasing danger in public.

Members of the Liberal Party have gone out of their way to welcome her into parliament.

Just last week we saw Tony Abbott, still an elected member of the Liberal Party, stage a media opportunity to endorse Pauline Hanson and legitimise her message.
Michaelia Cash was so excited, she hugged Pauline Hanson to congratulate her after her maiden speech.
The liberal right is clearly using Pauline Hanson as a battering ram to open up a divisive and damaging debate in this country around immigration and multiculturalism, which will dictate who gets to live in this country in dignity and safety.
This debate will affect people’s lives, and it will tell a generation of young people, that they have no place. The way to deal with this issue is not ignoring Pauling Hanson. Only people who don’t have to walk down the street with a target on their face could ever afford to think that way.
It needs to be called out for what it is, it needs to be identified as rhetoric and discourse that is damaging and hurtful and dangerous.

The post What do we do about Pauline Hanson? appeared first on Gone Green.

        

What is E-waste

E-waste is the terminology applied to discarded electrical and electronic equipment. It is one of the fastest growing type of waste. This can range from kitchen appliances, such as microwaves and dishwashers, to electronic devices like laptops, batteries and mobile phones. Fifty percent of today’s e-waste is computer and computer peripherals, most from commercial sectors. Every time you upgrade your smart phone or fridge, you’re creating e-waste.

Impact in Landfill

E-waste that ends up in landfill causes significant environmental damage. Depending on the discarded article, this waste can leak toxic substances into the surrounding areas. These substances are likely to be lead, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, antimony trioxide (flame retardant), cobalt and mercury. As the garbage decomposes, it mixes with these harmful substances and leaches into the ground, contaminating the soil and groundwater, which is likely to then enter the food-chain.

E-waste Export

Like most other developed nations, Australia exports large amounts of its e-waste overseas. This waste is shipped to developing nations for their government to oversee, hopefully, its recycling or otherwise its disposal. There is a requirement, under the Basel Convention, that all hazardous and toxic waste is only sent to a regulated disposal source. Therefore, Australia has an obligation to ensure the waste recipient countries are safely and responsibly managing the e-waste exported from our country.

Then we have e-waste smugglers to consider.  Many containers of e-waste exiting Australia have been intercepted by authorities. To my knowledge there has not been any prosecutions. I understand that Australian Customs does not keep records of any of the cases referred to the Department of Environment for investigation. I could imagine it would be difficult to establish the exact number of containers leaving Australian shores, without regulatory oversight, in the absence of records such as these.

Signing the Basel Convention in 1992 committed Australia “

to observe the fundamental principles of environmentally sound waste management

when exporting all e-waste. Australia is also further subject to the Waigani Convention involving waste movement within Pacific Islands. Australia has been found to have breached the Basel Convention on numerous occasions.

Disposal and Recycling of E-waste

Recycle all your defunct electronics rather than holding them in your home accumulating dust. Ensure you send them to reputable recyclers such as Planet Ark or contact the longstanding organisation, 1800ewaste. If you feel like you don’t have enough e-waste to warrant a pick up by a recycling depot, it’s time to join forces with your neighbours. Contact your local environmental not-for-profit for assistance if you still haven’t got an ample pile.

Whatever you do, don’t throw your e-waste into the general waste!

References:

www.ewaste.com.au/recycling-electronic-waste/

The Basel Convention Site

A.B.S – Waste Account, Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2013 – E-waste

The post The E-waste Problem – What to do? appeared first on Gone Green.

        

But since then, this small group of Macarthur GetUp members have got to know one another, learnt what drives their motivations for a just Australia, and banded together to prepare for a meeting with your new MP, Dr Mike Freelander.

In his Camden office on Monday, the team talked to Dr Freelander about the whopping 3905 GetUp members who live in Macarthur, and the value of building an ongoing relationship and dialogue with him.

Here’s what Jim had to say about the meeting:

“Dr Freelander and his Chief of Staff were in the meeting with us, and both seemed really pleased we’d come in. Dr Freelander is very aware of and committed to addressing the economic fairness, human rights and environmental issues we identified, and gave a big thumbs up to meeting with GetUp members in the future. The whole team thought it went really well!”

Strong lines of communication between the local GetUp community and Dr Freelander’s office are important because when crisis strikes on the issues that matter, we’ll need Dr Freelander to answer the phone, respond to our emails and listen to our concerns.

So let’s make sure he knows we appreciate this first meeting with GetUp members and look forward to more.

Can you send Dr Freelander a quick email to let him know you appreciate this excellent meeting?

Email Dr Freelander

By letting Dr Freelander know you appreciate this meeting, it reminds him that the local GetUp community is out there: we’re listening, engaged and mobilised.

It sends the message that we’re serious about building a respectful and accountable relationship, and that when he takes the time to listen to members it will reverberate far beyond that room’s four walls.

Go Macarthur!

Emma, for the GetUp team

Reposted by Jim McGregor with the permission of Getup. 

The post Getup Macarthur meeting with Dr Freelander MP appeared first on Gone Green.