Search archive

I'M RIGHT AND YOU'RE AN IDIOT: THE TOXIC STATE OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE AND HOW TO CLEAN IT UP.

24/11/2017

Author, James Hoggan to present at the 2018 AELERT Conference   

Jim Hoggan is one of Canada’s most respected public relations advisors. As founder and president of Vancouver-based Hoggan & Associates, Jim is the specialist companies big and small call when a serious PR crisis hits.  

Throughout his career, Jim has helped business leaders and public officials navigate the glare of television cameras, social media frenzies and bad news stories. His expertise has resulted in many awards, including the public relations industry’s prestigious Silver Anvil for the best crisis management strategy in North America and awards for ethics in public relations. 

Since hanging out his shingle in 1984 he has dealt with all kinds of prickly front page public relations controversies and crisis situations —food poisonings, labor disputes, animal cruelty charges, bodies disappearing from funeral homes, Taser deaths, multimillion dollar bank fraud, exploding sawmills and sex scandals.  

He is seen as one of the gurus in his field, whether defending the reputations of prominent corporations, public institutions or the leaders who run them.   A tireless advocate for ethics in public discourse, he founded the influential online environmental news site DeSmog, named one of Time Magazine’s best blogs in 2011.  

Hoggan has chaired and served on numerous national and international boards and advisory committees including Shell Global’s External Review Committee in The Hague, the Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education and Al Gore's Climate Reality Project Canada.  

He is the author of three books including Do the Right Thing: PR Tips for a Skeptical Public and Climate Cover-Up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming. 

NT EPA - Successful prosecution for environmental harm

22/11/2017

The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) has welcomed a decision by the Darwin Local Court to fine a real estate development company for several offences under the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act.

Elias Investments Pty Ltd was ordered to pay $71,200 in fines plus $5,300 in court costs and victims levies after pleading guilty to causing material environmental harm contrary to section 83(4) and guilty to contravening or failing to comply with a pollution abatement notice in contravention of section 80(2).

Company director John Christopher Anictomatis also pleaded guilty for contravening or failing to comply with a pollution abatement notice in contravention of section 91(2) of the Act, with no fine or conviction recorded.

NT EPA Chairman Dr Paul Vogel said the successful prosecution relates to noise being generated from the industrial plant room of the Supermarket in Rosebery, Palmerston, with unacceptable impacts on nearby residents.  Complaints to the NT EPA were reported by members of the community including those who live nearby.

Dr Vogel said excessive noise falls into the definition of environmental harm and all complaints made to the 1800064567 Pollution Hotline are investigated.

A court order was also made to rectify the situation before the plant room is used again.

“Territorians should all be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of sitting outside on their balcony without unacceptable noise levels,” Dr Vogel said.

This company’s continual non-compliance with the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act resulted in an unacceptable impact on nearby residents and today’s orders made by the Darwin Local Court confirm this.

“The NT EPA believes that environmental offences are serious,” Dr Vogel said.

“Where alleged offences cannot be resolved through other means, the NT EPA will take appropriate enforcement action, including prosecution, in order to achieve its environmental objectives.”

Environmental protection is important to Territorians which is why the Territory has strong laws to protect the environment and human health and amenity.

“The lack of planning and then the subsequent inaction by Elias Investments after becoming aware of the noise and its impacts has resulted in today’s outcome, which should be a reminder to all building owners and developers that their environmental responsibilities start at the planning stage,” Dr Vogel said.

“Building owners and developers have a responsibility to ensure compliance with all legislation and regulations within the Northern Territory.”

Media Contact – Department of Environment and Natural Resources – 0437 915 366

 

Founder of 1 Million Women, Natalie Isaacs to present at the 2018 AELERT Conference

22/11/2017

AELERT is pleased to announce, 1 Million Women Founder and CEO Natalie Isaacs is confirmed as a guest speaker at the 2018 AELERT Conference to be held in Sydney, 14 - 16 February, 2018.  

Natalie set out to build a global movement of women and girls, and empower them to act on climate change through the way they live. Natalie is a mother-of-four who ran her own cosmetics company for two decades, before she had what she calls her ‘climate change epiphany’. Here is her story ...  

In 2006, my lifestyle was very different. I was a cosmetics manufacturer, my life was all about over-packaging and I thought climate change was someone elses problem. But the very short story is I had an epiphany and I changed. There were several things that led to it but ultimately the thing that really connected was I got our household electricity consumption down by 20% and when I saw that I had saved a heap of money and carbon pollution I realised I was powerful.

At that very moment I took ownership of the issue. I realised every single thing we do shapes the kind of world we want to live in. I realised that as individuals and as a collective we are incredibly powerful. That's what led me to start 1 Million Women (1MW) a few years later.  

I left behind the over-packaged world of skincare and beauty products, and began building a global movement of women and girls. My aim was to empower women everywhere to act on climate change through the way they live.  

To empower people is a truly glorious thing to wake up for, and 1 Million Women is now a movement of 600,000+ women and girls (and growing everyday).  

In Australia and around the world women make 85% of the consumer decisions that affect the household's carbon footprint – we can influence through every dollar we spend and every choice we make. The world needs a lifestyle revolution. It's easy to sign a petition or to put pressure on governments and march on the streets, which we have to do, but we can't do that on the one hand, and then live our lives with overconsumption on the other. It's about bite sized changes - reduce your household energy, buy quality not quantity, cut your meat consumption by half. If a million of us did it, imagine the result. Wherever you are, on your journey, whether you just want to get started, or you're way down the track, what's important is that you just act.  

I'm so inspired by every person who joins our movement. I know through my own climate journey from apathy to action that profoundly changing your lifestyle is not easy, but it is key to solving the challenge of climate change.  

How we live each day matters. One small action at a time multiplied by millions and millions changes the system.  

In 2013, the United Nations awarded 1 Million Women as one of six women-led grassroots climate action programs – selected from hundreds around the world - to be highlighted as ‘lighthouse activities’ for the planet.

For more information visit www.1millionwomen.com.au