Geography CR181

 

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 Sustainability

"Education today is teaching school students to explore the independent nature of systems that support all life on Earth. Educators say, young people need to understand ecosystems, values and social justice, build the capacities for thinking and act in ways to create a more sustainable future to create a more equitable, respectful and sustainable future."
 Are we practicing what we preach to our young people ?  

Image 1 (taken from http://climatecommercial.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/coal-seam-gas-csg-in-queensland-support-for-expansion-to-cause-corrosive-atmosphere/ 25 April 2013)

 

As adults creating industries on earth, the question arises

 Coal Seam Gas                      

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Sustainable or are we too
late ? 
Image 2 and 3 (taken from http://climatecommercial.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/coal-seam-gas-csg-in-queensland-support-for-expansion-to-cause-corrosive-atmosphere/ 25 April 2013)Image  3

The coal seam gas industry promotes itself as a cleaner carbon-fuel alternative; but how do we know this is true? 

        

• Mining happening down the eastern part of Australia.

• Hungry Government seeking the dollar.

• Promise of Jobs

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• Image 6                   Image 7Angry farmers and communities
  
   Image 4,5,6 &7 taken on the 25 April 2013 http://climatecommercial.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/coal-seam-gas-csg-in-queensland-support-for-expansion-to-cause-corrosive-atmosphere/
  

• Impact of mining on water tables and quality

             The big questions

·        How in turn will CSG affected agricultural and town water?   

·        What is the answer?  

·        Does anyone in Government care?

 

Image 8 taken on the 25 April 2013 http://climatecommercial.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/coal-seam-gas-csg-in-queensland-support-for-expansion-to-cause-corrosive-atmosphere/                                            

Australia's greatest underground water source - the Great Artesian Basin - is being depleted and contaminated

http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/coasts/pubs/estuary_assessment/catchments_condition.html  

Geographical image of Australia,
see link to map taken on 9 April, 2013 

 http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/coal-seam-gas-by-the-numbers/

Sources

Rivers are bubbling Gas

Image 9 taken on the 25 April 2013 http://climatecommercial.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/coal-seam-gas-csg-in-queensland-support-for-expansion-to-cause-corrosive-atmosphere/

Methane is seeping coal seam gas from underground in the Condamine and other rivers. The mining companies claim it has always occurred, and there are only benefits.
link, taken on 9 April, 2013
http://www.aplng.com.au/home/sustainable-water-practices.

Pressures to access to coal is money driven- It is a $20 billion project!

Approval processes have been rushed with no environmental impact studies done.


 Image 9 &10 taken on the 25 April 2013 http://climatecommercial.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/coal-seam-gas-csg-in-queensland-support-for-expansion-to-cause-corrosive-atmosphere/

What is going to happen to our Acquirers?

What is going to happen to our Great Artesian Basin?

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What is to our land?

http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/watch/a19058f2_9997_338a_a9bb_eb20ed7514fd/toxic-spill-near-narrabri-csg-well/

What is going to happen to us?

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(Image 11,1,2and 13 taken from http://climatecommercial.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/coal-seam-gas-csg-in-queensland-support-for-expansion-to-cause-corrosive-atmosphere/ 25 April 2013)

Will there be justice, or a price for us all to pay?

Image 14, All images taken on the 25 April 2013 http://climatecommercial.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/coal-seam-gas-csg-in-queensland-support-for-expansion-to-cause-corrosive-atmosphere/

 

 

Water is one of the most important resources on the planet. It is highly valuable basis for our living. Water is referred to as a gift from God. With great authority comes great responsibility. The value God has given human beings is tremendous authority to be in charge of the whole earth. We need to take care of water by safeguarding both its preservation and its quality. Santos one of our biggest coal seam Gas Company mining in Australia is to be contested in court by people who believe justification and protection for our country is paramount.  

The industry does not know how to deal with this wastewater, so they leave it in huge salt lakes.

 

Queensland contaminated water

 

Something needs to be done to help our water crisis immediately implement an independent statutory body to oversee development of strict land and water legislation, based on science, with the objective of ensuring CSG does not adversely affect the environment or other existing water or property rights.

Coal seam gas exploration and mining need to be made subject to all relevant environmental legislation, including the native vegetation and water management laws.

 

 

(see link)

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2013/04/01/3725150.htm

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island histories and culture 

My Multi-cultural Neighbourhood Focus Question What cultures make up your community? How/why did they come to this area? What do we know about these cultures and how do they impact on our community? How have these influenced/ enhanced our lives? Census 2011: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population in Queensland     More than one-third (34.2%) of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population lived in the Brisbane Indigenous Region. (See the Link) Census 2011: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population in Queensland taken on the 20 April 2013http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/products/bulletins/atsi-pop-qld-c11/atsi-pop-qld-c11.pdf Education has recorded in schools, indigenous students results are lower  Exposition Looking at community/cultural backgrounds, the indigenous cultures have differed from white man and impacted on Australian people in various ways              beliefs/practices food clothing  Family structure    Housing   Indigenous influences on White Australian people are in their understanding of : Land - at the core of belief APY Lands, Ku Arts Tours. Courtesy of Ananguku Arts.   Land is fundamental to the wellbeing of Aboriginal people. The land is not just soil or rocks or minerals, but a whole environment that sustains and is sustained by people and culture. For Indigenous Australians, the land is the core of all spirituality and this relationship and the spirit of 'country' is central to the issues that are important to Indigenous people today. National parks can contain sites of significance for Aboriginal communities, such as rock engravings and artwork. National parks can be significant for Aboriginal people because of Dreaming stories associated with those sites. Diversity- Location and language, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people identify themselves through their land areas, their relationships to others and their language and stories- which may be through ceremony, arts, family, religion and sport. Cultural heritage is passed on from one generation to another.   Tool and implements reflect the geographical location of the different groups.   Ceremonial performances are seen as the core cultural life that bring together all aspect of Indigenous art, song, dance decoration, sculpture and paintings. Aboriginal Tourism has recently emerged as an industry. A diversity of tours and experiences that promote Aboriginal culture and lifestyle are available for travellers throughout Australia. The experiences range from organised tours to performances of dance, the purchase of traditional Aboriginal artefacts and an opportunity to stay on Aboriginal land to experience the daily lives of Aboriginal people. If we want to see change in Aboriginal communities we need to create a model that is guided by sound community development principles, including: • Understanding the community; • Taking the community through a process to determine its future; • Helping the community fund and deliver that future; and • Handing total authority back to the community.   The Missions "So the sad thing about it all was the missionaries didn't realise that we already had something that tied in with what they'd brought to us. They saw different as inferior, and they didn't ask us what it was that we had. And it's very sad because if they had asked... things may have been different today. Our people, before the white man came were very spiritual people. They were connected to land and creation through the great spirit, there was a good great and a great evil spirit... And Satan was the great evil one. So there wasn't much difference in what the missionaries brought and what we already had..." Wadjularbinna Doomadgee, Gungalidda Leader, Gulf of Carpentaria, 1996

Link: to all the different tribes languages and group names of Aboriginal people in Australia

http://www.reconciliationsa.org.au/pdf%20and%20docs/Aboriginal%20Australia%20Map.pdf



 

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              Australia's
           engagements
              with Asia   
                                                                                
              


"G'day China"

The International Date Line

 

 

            

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Prime Minister Julia Gillard has recently announced a "G'Day China" tourism campaign based on the successful "G'Day USA" scheme. Miss Gillard is targeting tourism as a massive way for Australia to benefit from the Asian Century. 

The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line of longitude on the Earth’s surface located at about 180 degrees east (or west) of the Greenwich Meridian and gives a great reason for Australia to partner with China. As seen in the map above, the date line keeps us at a similar time of day to China easing work time issues with other countries in business and tourism exchange. Western Australia shows in the image it is directly below Shanghai and Beijing making all major areas 120 degrees East of Greenwich time.
 

FLOWS TO AND FROM CHINA

With the exception of 1989 to 1991, the number of Australian residents visiting China on a short-term basis, has been greater than the number of Chinese visitors to Australia. In recent times this trend has reversed and now looks set to continue as the Chinese tourist market continues to expand. For the year 2002 there were 190,000 short-term visitor arrivals from China, an increase of 20% on 2001 (158,000), compared to 136,900 short-term resident departures from Australia, an increase of 25% on 2001 (109,300).


SHORT-TERM RESIDENT DEPARTURES TO CHINA

Short-term resident departures from Australia to China have increased from 8,110 persons in 1982 to 136,900 persons in 2002. This represented an average increase of 14% per year in short-term resident departures to China since 1982.

The main reason for short-term departures of Australian residents to China in 2002 were for work (36%), followed by holiday (28%), visiting friends/relatives (26%) and education (2%).
Miss Gillard and the Government have China are pleased with the latest relationship building. China's recognition of the relationship with Australia as a strategic partnership reflects the rapidly growing two-way trade, which is running at nearly $130 billion a year, as well as the leadership roles being played globally and regionally by both countries.

Key interests and benefits

• The removal or reduction of the tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting bilateral trade in goods, which could, in particular, reduce transaction costs and improve efficiency.
• Reduction or removal of regulatory barriers which restrict services in order to support improved trade flows across goods and services of interest to both economies.
• Implementation of measures to encourage more foreign investment between Australia and China, providing a firm foundation for the future economic relationship.
• The International date line only adds to the benefits in all areas of trade