Welcome to eco-shout, a catalyst to action for
environmental and social justice.
With the accelerating pace of harm to our environment and subsequent growing number
of environmental groups and campaigns, we've got rid of the green directory in order
to focus exclusively on direct and immediate action for social change.
If you know of a group that's not included in our active groups directory, please tell us about it.
Here's six areas in Australia of national/international significance under threat from logging, mining, toxic waste or large scale
industrial development:
To find a group focusing on a particular issue, choose a your issue in the active groups
directory.
If you've never visited before start here:
Have you not heard about TED yet? Riveting talks by remarkable people available free to everyone on the TED website. Check out photographer Garth Lenz's images of beauty and devestation in his talk about our impact on the environment. TED
On Friday 10 February, ten conservationists from local environment organisation Code Green entered two active logging coupes in Tasmania’s north-east to document ongoing forest destruction. Active logging coupes RS117C and RS129D are situated on Rose’s Tier, with one of the coupes located inside the 430 000 ha of forest that was supposed to be protected under the Intergovernmental Agreement signed in August last year.
‘Unique ecosystems and endangered species’ habitat is being destroyed in order to fulfill Ta Ann’s contracts’ said April Van der Meer, spokesperson for Code Green.
Code Green also conducted extensive flora and fauna surveys in logging coupe BS101D on the foothills of Mount Barrow, where logging operations are expected to commence in the next 3 weeks. Code Green
Last week, forest conservation community group My Environment began their court case against state logging company VicForest in a move that aims to protect the old growth forest habitat of the leadbeaters possum in Victoria's Central Highlands. Logging was halted late last year thanks to community protest. An injunction is now in place and the court case will decide if the area around Sylvia Creek will be protected. The leadbeaters possum is an endangered species and Victoria's faunal emblem. The State government has taken unprecedented steps to open up endangered species habitat to clearfell logging and is now attempting to dilute legislation that aims to protect them. More information about the case can be found at My Environment.
Community hub The South Melbourne Commons took off last year and will host a big bunch of family friendly activities in support of community and the environment throughout the year. It's a place you can visit to buy your fresh organic fruit, vegetables and groceries whilst your kids are engrossed in a gardening workshop. Enjoy a meal and coffee in the cafe or just sit in our beautiful cafe garden and read the newspaper - everyone is welcome at the Commons. The Commons provides the local community with: a community café serving hot organic fair trade coffee and meals made using seasonal produce; a food cooperative providing fresh fruit, vegetables, cleaning products and common grocery items beautiful community food gardens which supply produce for our café and food cooperative; children’s space featuring playgroups, gardening club, parties and after school activities; a community hall that you can hire for your functions and events; affordable office and meeting spaces for community groups; a playground and much more.Take a look at Commons
Two private members bills aimed at legalising gay marriage are due to be introduced into Federal Parliament today.
Labor MP Stephen Jones signalled he would introduce a private members bill to legalise gay marriage at the ALP's conference in December.
But late last week Greens MP Adam Bandt and Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie indicated they would put forward another bill designed to achieve the same outcome.
Mr Bandt believes Mr Jones' legislation will be voted on too soon and will end up being watered down, resulting in agreement on civil unions rather than gay marriage.
Mr Jones rejects the suggestion.
"I can categorically state that there will be no vote held in the house over the next couple of months," he said on Sunday.
"What we're doing tomorrow is merely the introduction of the bill, it won't go to the second reading or the debate stage for I'd expect quite some time yet.
