Why does my dog eat grass? And when is it unsafe?

by bpckle | Jun 2, 2023 | Media

A lot of people think dogs eat grass when they have a sore stomach, believing grass causes dogs to vomit. But this is probably not the case, write Susan Hazel and Joshua Zoanetti.

Think of solar panels more like apple trees – we need a fairer approach for what we use and sell

by bpckle | Jun 2, 2023 | Media

PixabayAs we race to decarbonise by electrifying everything, solar panels – now cheaper per square metre than marine-grade plywood – will do much of the heavy lifting. But if we don’t rethink how our rooftop panels plug into the grid, the transition will be unfair and...

Large crocodile spotted near Rockhampton water sports area to be trapped and relocated

by bpckle | Jun 2, 2023 | Media

A floating trap has been set up in the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton to try and catch a large crocodile spotted upstream from a recreational water sports area.

Native raspberries, limes and geraniums: how did these curious plants end up in Australia?

by bpckle | Jun 2, 2023 | Media

ShutterstockWhile plants can’t walk, they can certainly travel. Some species have travelled vast distances over millennia, moving by different and varied modes. Some found new habitats when the continent they were riding on slowly crashed into another. Others went on...

March of the fire ants could reach Sydney’s outskirts by 2035, costing economy up to $1.2bn a year

by bpckle | Jun 2, 2023 | Media

Exclusive: Study finds pests could damage crops and households would incur costs for pesticides, veterinary bills and electrical faultsFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news...

Energy company’s NSW cash for gas appliances promotion labelled ‘backward step’ for climate

by bpckle | Jun 1, 2023 | Media

Green groups criticise Jemena for offering incentive to switch from electricity amid policies in Victoria and NSW aimed at winding back gas use Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe gas company Jemena has come under fire from...

Environmental officers investigate bright green substance in Melbourne’s Yarra River

by bpckle | Jun 1, 2023 | Media

Authorities say it’s likely the bright green substance, believed to be non-toxic, made its way into the river via a nearby drain. People are being urged to steer clear until its source is confirmed.

Who is liable when a petrol station closes, then fails to clean up?

by bpckle | Jun 1, 2023 | Media

There are calls for changes to make the fossil fuel industry responsible for cleaning up old petrol stations, as almost 900 sites across NSW remain derelict.

Albanese government urged to push international banks to stop funding fossil fuel development

by bpckle | Jun 1, 2023 | Media

Exclusive: Report claims Australia’s shareholdings in development banks has made it responsible for investing $828m in fossil fuel projects over five yearsFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or...

It’s not just climate – we’ve already breached most of the Earth’s limits. A safer, fairer future means treading lightly

by bpckle | Jun 1, 2023 | Media

ShutterstockPeople once believed the planet could always accommodate us. That the resilience of the Earth system meant nature would always provide. But we now know this is not necessarily the case. As big as the world is, our impact is bigger. In research released...

‘An exciting possibility’: scientists discover markedly different kangaroos on either side of Australia’s dingo fence

by bpckle | Jun 1, 2023 | Media

Shutterstock Australia’s dingo fence is an internationally renowned mega-structure. Stretching more than 5,600 kilometres, it was completed in the 1950s to keep sheep safe from dingoes. But it also inadvertently protects some native species. This makes the fence an...

Pressure grows on Albanese government to end native forest logging

by bpckle | Jun 1, 2023 | Media

Exclusive: Labor facing calls from 15 crossbenchers, as well as party insiders, to transition to plantation timber as part of reform to environmental lawsGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastA group of 15 crossbench MPs and senators...

Australia’s emissions fell 0.4% in 2022 despite increases in transport and agriculture pollution

by bpckle | May 31, 2023 | Media

Inventory shows Australia has burned through 27% of emissions budget under Paris climate accord in 25% of allotted timeGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s carbon emissions edged lower in 2022 with reductions from the...

Cattle station backs away from land-clearing plans amidst court challenge

by bpckle | May 31, 2023 | Media

An NT property owner has asked for its land-clearing permit to be revoked, bringing an end to an environment group’s Supreme Court challenge over its original approval.

A sustainable Australia depends on what happens in our cities – that’s why we need a national urban policy

by bpckle | May 31, 2023 | Media

ShutterstockAustralia has not had a national urban policy since the Rudd government. A troika of Liberal PMs followed. Tony Abbott wasn’t interested. Malcolm Turnbull didn’t quite live up to the hype but delivered cross-governmental City Deals and the Smart Cities and...

Alleged Russian spy whale risking danger to cure loneliness

by bpckle | May 31, 2023 | Media

A marine biologist tracking Hvaldimir says the beluga whale’s solitude has cause him to seek human companionship.

A new trade deal delivers cheaper Australian beef and British sweets – but does little to avert dangerous global warming

by bpckle | May 31, 2023 | Media

Shutterstock A free trade agreement between Australia and the United Kingdom begins on Wednesday. When it was announced in 2021, then-prime ministers Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison cheerily exchanged packets of chocolate biscuits. Meanwhile, one British newspaper...

‘An egregious act’: debt ceiling deal imperils the environment, critics say

by bpckle | May 31, 2023 | Media

The agreement will fast-track the Mountain Valley pipeline, and limit the scope of environmental reviews for future developments The deal to raise the US debt ceiling will have significant ramifications for the climate and nature, by fast-tracking a controversial gas...

England’s vital hedges under threat from cuts to funding, farmers say

by bpckle | May 30, 2023 | Media

Transition to post-Brexit farming payments means scheme to protect hedgerows could be lostHedgerows in England are under threat, farmers and nature groups have warned, as the government prepares to cut funding that protects them.Hedges are vital habitat for many...

Rock ‘flour’ from Greenland can capture significant CO2, study shows

by bpckle | May 30, 2023 | Media

Powder produced by ice sheets could be used to help tackle climate crisis when spread on farm fields Rock “flour” produced by the grinding under Greenland’s glaciers can trap climate-heating carbon dioxide when spread on farm fields, research has shown for the first...