PowerSwitch

Superb graphics in a chilling story from The Guardian here.

Mega mines, mega emissions

Around 27bn tonnes of coal are thought to be locked under the ground of the Galilee Basin in the outback of Queensland. A huge proposed complex of coal mines is planned here, including the world’s largest thermal coal project.

So are railway lines and a massive expansion of the Abbot Point port on the Great Barrier Reef.

What will this mean for the Aboriginal community, the Great Barrier Reef and the world's climate?

Coal mostly destined for India and China. In many ways, they're emissions produced for us - the 'developed' world - through our consumption habits

But there's also the problem of how unfair it would be for the 'developed' world to prevent the 'undeveloped' world 'developing'.

Yes, it's really worthwhile settling down with a nice cup of tea and a biscuit to look at that. Well done the Grauniad.

Yes. Despite its ominous content, it's also an amazing example of creativity - it may help save some trees.

Coal mostly destined for India and China. In many ways, they're emissions produced for us - the 'developed' world - through our consumption habits

Agreed. I find it ridiculous when people speak of the "low carbon knowledge economy" that we are developing in the West, when all we've done is shove the dirty stuff under the carpet.

But there's also the problem of how unfair it would be for the 'developed' world to prevent the 'undeveloped' world 'developing'.

I guess so, but do we have to prevent it from developing? Maybe a start would be for us to desist from off-shoring the means to fuel our habits of excessive consumption. Allow developing nations to develop on their own terms, rather than "hot-housing" them by encouraging ultra-high levels of production.

Yes. Despite its ominous content, it's also an amazing example of creativity - it may help save some trees.

Very much so. It's what E-books have the potential to be, genuinely mixing different media and delivery methods, rather than just electronically presenting text as a normal book could. I'll forward it to my son. He's a graphic designer with an interest in motion-graphics.

(Of course, the iPad to view it on has to come from somewhere! )

Note I put 'develop' in inverted commas. I'm not at all sure we are 'developed'. It puts me in mind of this sort of thing:



Apple are most definitely making their products 'greener'. On that front, they're very near the head of the pack.

Now to tackle their their shameful tax-dodging and their exploitation of slaves...

+1 on "developed". Please tell me that image is photoshopped!

Interesting comment about Apple's products getting greener. "Green" is of course a multi-faceted feature, covering embedded production energy, use of raw materials, life-cycle, energy consumption during use, etc.

From my own personal experience, they are certainly low in energy consumption. Also, I have an iMac which I bought in 2009 and it is still going strong. The only thing I've done to help it "keep up" with the OS upgrades has been to put a bit more memory in it. It has lasted me longer than any other PC I've owned. So, good on the lifecycle front, although offset somewhat by their marketing efforts encouraging people to replace their iPhone every six months!

Do you have info on other aspects of their green-ness? I'd be interested to look at any articles.

Yeah, iMacs last for years. I always buy them second-hand - but I use twice as many as most people as I have them at home as well as at work.

I just replaced my eight-year-old home iMac with a two-year-old one but the older one still works perfectly: you have to upgrade the system to a point where it's as fast as it's ever going to be, then ignore upgrades to operating systems till you change the computer. So the old one will easily get sold to offset the cost of the new. I only changed it because I'm doing more work at home.

OK, this is from Apple itself but have a read here.

Short reports from Ethical Consumer here and here.

Tarrel wrote:Please tell me that image is photoshopped!

Nope.

That person is as much in need of psychiatric help as our corporate CEOs are and for much the same reason. It's just a slightly different way of upholding one's self image. One does it via the body, visually, while the other does it via a bank account but neither know when enough is enough!

I don't think this project will go ahead. Reasons below.

1) Palmer and Adani are very nearly bankrupt.
2) Modi the Indian PM has said that he does not want to import thermal coal
3) China coal usage seems to be peaking and they can get plenty of thermal coal from indonesia which is half the shipping distance.
4) Australians do care about the Barrier Reef.
5) The developers 'expect' the Queensland government (also nearly bankrupt by the way - just voted out an austerity government to be replaced by big spending Labor) to build the rail line to get the coal to the coast.

BritDownUnder wrote:I don't think this project will go ahead. Reasons below.

1) Palmer and Adani are very nearly bankrupt.
2) Modi the Indian PM has said that he does not want to import thermal coal
3) China coal usage seems to be peaking and they can get plenty of thermal coal from indonesia which is half the shipping distance.
4) Australians do care about the Barrier Reef.
5) The developers 'expect' the Queensland government (also nearly bankrupt by the way - just voted out an austerity government to be replaced by big spending Labor) to build the rail line to get the coal to the coast.

I hope you're right. Keep us posted.