Electrifying Bradfield

* Two 'problems' with solar panels and reasons for 'why I'm not installing them' that are said to me constantly are that 'manufacturing solar panels uses a lot of [fossil-fuel) energy' and 'they can't be recycled - we're going to have our rubbish dumps filled with old solar panels'!

 WRONG! JUST ANOTHER TWO MYTHS THAT NEED TO BE CHALLENGED AND CORRECTED!

* In latest developments researchers at Macquarie University, Sydney have made two significant discoveries in the manufacture and recycling of solar panels! 

* Some of the biggest energy providers in Australia are our very worst emissions polluters!

* Recent study by CHOICE shows several of our biggest electricity providers are also the biggest polluters!

*You may well be surprised - even those purported to be offering 'green energy' - for a price! 

Check it out on the CHOICE website - you can easily get a one-off entry! - or you can join!

* Check to see if you are being supplied by one of the big polluters - then get advice about how easy it is to change!

* We've established that cooking or heating with gas is not the best thing to do for anyone who suffers from any sort of asthma or lung condition - because up to 30% of the gas goes into the room and not into the cooking!

* Well now we've also established a similar impact on our health! Increasing air pollution from burning fossil fuels in motor vehicles!

*11,000 Australians now die every year from diseases attributed to air pollution! This is more than die from skin cancers!

Saturday 19th February:

* NSW Treasurer Matt Kean announced an $8 million fund for pilot community electrification projects.

* A pilot project is a community-based demonstration of renewably produced electrification in a town or community, 

* Could be your house, apartment block, estate, street, community, shopping centre, whole suburb!

* Funding will be allocated by application - $8 million won't go far so if you're interested get in quick 

WHAT ARE HEAT PUMPS? HOW DO THEY WORK? WHY SHOULD I BUY ONE?

WHAT IS AN INDUCTION COOKTOP?

 [Authored by someone who has cooked by induction for many years]

Recently, the perennial debate about Australia building nuclear power stations has once again emerged. Once again, much of the comment demonstrates ignorance and myth!

* There are numerous reasons for why Australia should not engage in nuclear power. However, for me whether we 'should' build nuclear power stations or not is irrelevant. There is a more important argument than 'should' we! it is that Australia has NO NEED to develop nuclear power because we have more than sufficient renewable energy, particularly from sunlight!

Results from a recent study in California concludes that increasing the number of EVs on our roads might not only be positive for our environment but for our health as well. [see Garcia.E., Johnston.J., and others. 'California's early transition to electric vehicles:Observed health and air quality co-benefits'. Science of the Total Environment, Elvisier, V867, 1 :https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969723003765?via%3Dihub]

There's been a lot of negative speculation about how our waste depots will be overflowing with electric car batteries that can no longer power our EV cars!- how expensive it will be to recycle them - how difficult it will be to recycle all the components - even, some commentators, how dangerous it will be!  AGAIN! ALL WRONG! 

If you are looking for places to recycle some more things that you can't- shouldn't be-putting into local council bins - here are a few suggestions: 

Officeworks Stores generally accept:

* mobile phones; DVDs; CDs; USBs; ink and toner cartridges; computers and accessories

Aldi stores - have receptacles for batteries  [and hearing aid suppliers often accept hearing aid batteries for recycling]