July Rio+20 Summit on Sustainable Development These are hard times for the Earth community: economic hardships are creating a situation where environmental needs are being given low priority. The recent UN conference on Sustainable Development has been deemed a failure even by the organisers. The solar feed-in tariff in Qld has been seriously reduced and with it incentive to go solar. Forunately the carbon price has arrived, and so has a refreshed campaign to bring down the parties which made it a reality. In the midst of this potential for despair, please take a look ar some of our resource material summarising attitudes to the outcomes of Rio+20, and take some time for the reflection on the beauty of Pumicestone Passage near Bribie Island in Queensland.  &nbs p;
News 
| Wine, Cheese and Conversation-Journey of the Universe Wednesday, 18 July, 5.30-7pm at Delamore, entry from Turner Road, Kedron. Join us for our continuing conversation about the new DVD by Brian Swimme and Mary Evelyn Tucker. No cost, just come. This is an Earth Link event. Tuesday, 21 August, 5.30-7pm, as above |
Reflection 
| In the midst of depressing news about efforts to protenc and enhance our planet, it is wise to spend time bonding with Earth. Recently a group of us spent the day on a boat on Pumicestone Passage, between Bribie Island and the mainland. Please take time to savour some of these visual memories. |
Resources/Reviews 
| Book Review- Relational Reality : New Discoveries of Interrelatedness that are Transforming the Modern World This book by Charlene Spretnak begins with the statement: "The failure to notice that reality is inherently dynamic and interrelated at all levels – including substance and functioning – has caused a vast range of suffering." Click here to download the review by Patricia Rose. | 
| DVDs you can borrow Earth Link has purchased DVDs of recently aired programmes which you might like to borrow for domestic viewing. They include: Australia, The Time Traveller's Guide, Origins of Us, Two on the Great Divide, How to Grow A Planet. Contact us to collect or arrange mailing. | 
| Reports from Rio+20 | "This is an outcome that makes nobody happy. My job was to make everyone equally unhappy," said Sha Zukang, Secretary-General of the conference, nicely summing up the mood.
Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Rio-20-the-unhappy-environmental-summit-3657192.php#ixzz20HQW9VAO | Earth Link has collated some responses to the outcomes of Rio+20 for your convenience. | 
| New release Rev Denis Edwards, Associate professor at Flinders University, Adelaide, has released a new book, Jesus and the Natural World, Exploring a Christian Approach to Ecology. In this book, he encourages Christians to wholeheartedly embrace ecological conversion and to connect with people around the globe in their deepening commitment to the survival of life on Earth. It is published by Garratt Publishing. | | Carbon Price Check out this infographic from the Australia Institute which compares the carbon price with other household items. https://www.tai.org.au/downloads/Great_big_new_tax.pdf. | 
| CSG: Alternative Energy Source or Environmental Hazard You can listen online to this excellent overview of the environmental issues around Coal Seam Gas (CSG) in Queensland: http://science.org.au/events/publiclectures/ac/golding.html/ It is presented by Sue Golding from the University of Qld. |
Community Notices Events 
| Wine, Cheese and Conversation Wednesday, 18 July, 5.30-7pm at Delamore, entry from Turner Rd, Kedron. Join us for our continuing conversation about the new DVD by Brian Swimme and Mary Evelyn Tucker. No cost. Just come. This is an Earth Link event. |  
| Is pricing carbon enough? Thursday 19 July, 6-7.30om at South Bank Graduate Centre (S07), Room 1.23, South Bank campus, Griffith University. In this lecture, Chris Fleming will examine the underlying economic rationale for pricing CO2 emissions. The three main policy options (a carbon tax, an emissions trading scheme and direct action) will be compared and potential pitfalls of relying exclusively on a carbon price to solve the problem of climate change will be discussed. Chris will also offer some suggestions for a way forward. RSVP online, by email or phone (07) 3735 3246.. Simple Living Weekend Experience 22 and 23 September at Ephraph, Victoria Point, Redland. Angligreen is offering this experience. Book in now. |
Environmental Actions
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