All articles
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Pip on P.O.P (price on pollution)
My name’s Patricia Penn (or Pip, if you like) and I’ve been a Greenpeace volunteer for about 5 years. Perhaps you’ve seen the current “Australia Says Yes” TV commercials calling for urgent support of a carbon tax. I’m the ‘grannie’ retiree in that! I’m in my eighties now and an ex-freelance radio journalist. Now I…
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Which bin do I put my coffee cup in?
In the Greenpeace office this week we’ve been arguing over which recycling bin to toss our coffee cups into. While most people take their own mug to the cafe, there are a few people that forget, causing much consternation to the office zealots who find the cups strewn between the plastics, paper, and compost bin.…
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New coal power plant approved in Victoria
Friday afternoon syndrome* has been at full strength at Greenpeace over recent weeks. It has become the time of the week where all planned work should be just set aside so we can react to whatever appalling or bizarre decision is announced, usually by a government body. Last Friday it was the Victorian EPA keeping…
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Friday the 13th a horror day for solar
It’s Friday the 13th and the New South Wales Government has just managed to come out with an announcement that perfectly captures the date’s reputation for doom and misfortune. Today, the newly elected O’Farrell Government announced that it was immediately ending the main policy that had supported the solar panel industry for the past two…
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Nuclear Banks: No Thanks!
Exactly two months ago an earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. Together, they not only resulted in a huge natural disaster, but also triggered an unprecedented man made tragedy. The Fukushima nuclear power plant is still out of control, threatening thousands of people’s health and livelihoods. If making mistakes with nuclear energy is bad enough –…
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Remembering Pete Gray
Last weekend, the climate movement lost one of its brightest and most inspiring activists. Pete Gray, member of Newcastle Rising Tide, died on Saturday after battling with cancer for the past two years. As an activist, Pete simply did not stop finding creative and ingenious ways to block dirty, destructive projects and protect the…
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We must embrace a clean energy future
Between 2000 and 2002, I was part of a Greenpeace team that mounted a global campaign to stop the transport of mixed oxide (MOX) plutonium based nuclear fuel and radioactive waste across the world, and through the Pacific. Protests against various transports happened in the UK, France, South America, South Africa, in the Tasman Sea…
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Rainforest protection plans reward the industries destroying forests
The majority of the world’s remaining rainforests are in developing countries. So it makes sense that the wealthiest nations provide money to protect them since they are responsible for a greater share of global emissions, not to mention the fact that they buy most of the products from rainforest destruction. In Cancun a formal agreement…
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Be the voice on our tower!
As Johnnie Farnham once wisely said “You’re the voice, try and understand it. Make a noise and make it clear. Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o”. So be the voice on our upcoming activity targeting ANZ! Your message could be on our huge 12m coal power cooling tower situated outside ANZ’s fancy HQ in Melbourne very soon. ANZ is…
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Sunset takes on challenge in the jungle
This October we’re running our first ever Sumatran Jungle Challenge with Inspired Adventures. The 13-day trek of a lifetime gives people the opportunity to match their environmental passion with adventure. We chatted to Sunset Lorentzon, one of our inspiring adventurers, about her motivations for undertaking the upcoming challenge. “I have many passions but…