Author: leigh

Anti-bike rhetoric and FUD from NYT

June 24, 2010 Off

In the New York Times piece reporting the planned introduction of rental electric cars in Paris, the piece opens with frightening tales of the number of the Velib rental bikes that have been damaged in the history of the operation of the system. This clearly is intended to communicate how much the system has failed.

By leigh

Obamas score card

January 20, 2010 Off

In case anyone in the Democratic party is wondering why support disappeared in Massachusetts, perhaps examining the score card of the Obama administration will reveal why some people feel the behaviour of the executive is little different from the war criminal he replaced. Gave money to the banking executives and left the majority of victims…

By leigh

Donating for Haiti

January 15, 2010 Off

To help the people of Haiti, I recommend donating to Partners in Health that already have offices in Haiti and a long history of provision of aid, without preconditions and excessive bureaucracy. I have donated to them during the flooding that occurred in 2004 and they do great work. They have already provided two trucks…

By leigh

Climate displacement is happening now

January 2, 2010 Off

Via Jill, I learned of a documentary that is currently seeking funding, following the people of Carteret Island in the Pacific who are being displaced by rising waters. There are other climate refugees, such as people fleeing the conflict in Darfur, due ultimately to the evaporation of Lake Chad and loss of arable lands. However,…

By leigh

My letter to the PM: Please pay our climate debt at Copenhagen

December 10, 2009 Off

Dear Prime Minister, I urge you to recognise Australia’s obligations to the world in it’s negotiations at the Copenhagen COP-15 summit. Australia heavily burdens the world with it’s continued reliance on coal and natural gas export industries. This is a short-sighted economy which is extremely exposed to changes in production, demand and political influence from…

By leigh

My Letter to W.A. Newspapers: Expat climate disbelief

November 26, 2009 Off

As an expat Aussie living in France and watching the climate debate in Canberra, it is with a sense of shame and disbelief to watch the Labour and Liberal parties obscure the real issues of climate change. Prime minister Rudd’s concessions to the Liberal party climate deniers is simply enormous corporate welfare of $5.8 billion…

By leigh