Simon Corbell is very pleased to tell us what the Greenhouse Gas Scheme has been up to:
Mr Corbell tabled the ACT Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme 2011 compliance report in the ACT Legislative Assembly which shows more than 588,889 tonnes of greenhouse has were offset last year and all participants met their obligations under the scheme.
“While [...]

ACTEW’s Mark Sullivan has tweeted the big moment where Chief Minister Gallagher turned on the Murrumbidgee to Googong pipeline.
It’s a big deal because, on top of antagonising nutters along the route of the pipeline, we’re now able to buy water out of the Snowy Mountain scheme to fill our reservoirs should the need arise.
Exciting day [...]

[ 4 September, 2012; 6:00 pm; ] Buying biodiversity – the role of philanthropy in nature conservation
by Dr Michael Looker, Director, Australia Program, The Nature Conservancy

Shine Dome, Gordon Street, Canberra

Most protection of our unique biodiversity occurs on public land, yet currently two thirds of Australia’s lands are privately managed. Therefore, public conservation management is not able to fully represent the Australian [...]

Territory and Municipal Services are displeased with some of you:
The ACT Government today urged members of the public to be vigilant in reporting any acts of vandalism in our reserves and open spaces. This follows several incidences of trees being cut down in nature reserves as well as people painting trees and rocks.
“Our nature reserves [...]

Environment Minister Simon Corbell has let it be known that he’s handing $166,000 to worthy sorts:
Mr Corbell announced the final list of 14 projects totalling $166,412 including:
– Catchment Wide Pest Species Mapping and Coordinated Control Program – Ginninderra Catchment Group. To provide quality data to the ACT Government to map weed and pest species. $5,875;
– [...]

The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury is expressing concern about the ACT’s Commissioner for the Environment:
The ACT Greens say the recent downgrading of the Commissioner for the Environment’s job classification as yet another attempt by the Government to weaken the office’s important oversight role.
“The position has not only been downgraded while other senior executive positions in ACT [...]

[ 14 October, 2012; ] The Living Green Festival – A kinder shade of green

The Living Green Festival ACT is back in 2012!

Due to the overwhelming success of the 2011 inaugural Living Green Festival, we are returning this year with an even bigger and better event!

The Living Green Festival brings innovative green and carbon-reducing practices to the Canberra community, with [...]

[ 19 September, 2012; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. ] Pedal Power ACT is calling on the next ACT Government to increase spending on cycling to $50 million over four years.

Canberra’s facilities are great for dedicated, confident riders but they don’t encourage enough new riders and there are too many unfinished projects. Cycling increased by 70% between 2004 and 2010 but has not grown since.

ACT [...]

Todd has kindly sent in some pictures from his expedition to see the snow at Corin Forest today.
A few pics of the Snow at Corin today if you want, got down there once I heard the road was reopened.
More than enough snow for the kids (big ones also) to have a great time.

We’re getting a lot of reports of snow coming in.
If you get a picture be sure to send it in to images@the-riotact.com .
Above the view from The Eagle’s Nest.
Below a slideshow of reader submitted photos.

Also this video rather captures the mood of the city:

More video by Danman:

This warning from the Bureau:
Issued at 10:57 am EST [...]

According to Minising Australia:
The ACT Greens say they are comfortable accepting donations from coal seam gas developers AGL and Origin Energy, despite their stringent opposition to the industry.
According to Australian Electoral Commission data Origin donated $1,320 to the ACT Greens in 2010-11.
ActewAGL, a joint venture between AGL and the ACT Government, also donated [...]

The National Capital Authority has released a draft management plan for Anzac Parade.
It seems all is not well with the blue gums and we’ll need a screen of Wattles to stop Campbell and Reid encroaching on ceremonial occasions until new trees grow.
Whatever they do the sooner they get started the sooner it will be fixed.

The SMH has an intriguing story on complaints to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission by Canberra Greenchoice customers who are being hit with a carbon tax despite paying through the nose for years for supposedly carbon free electricity:
ActewAGL retail general manager Ayesha Razzaq said the utility was aware the ACCC was watching companies and [...]

Territory and Municipal Services are letting it be known that their decision to close Vanity’s Crossing was completely the right one:
It’s been six months since the permanent closure of Vanity’s Crossing over the Cotter River in the Lower Cotter Catchment and the landscape is already reaping the benefits.
“The river and surrounding environment have shown signs [...]

Actew Water are warning that they’re playing with the plumbing out West Belco Way:
ACTEW Water customers in Latham and Macgregor may experience some discolouration of the water supply from Wednesday 8 August until Friday 10 August due to essential upgrade of a length of water main.
It is difficult to predict which properties the discoloured [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher has announced she’d like community feedback on a draft master plan for the Jerrabomberra wetlands:
“Jerrabomberra Wetlands is an important environment and recreational area that the ACT Government is keen to develop it into an iconic reserve, for the enjoyment of all Canberrans and also to attract interstate and overseas visitors,” the Chief [...]

The summary of cabinet outcomes for 24 July has, highly unusually, an actual hard piece of data.
Cabinet agreed that Triple Bottom Line assessments become a standing requirement of preparing Cabinet policy submissions (new policy or policy changes), commencing in March 2013.
The Framework aims to identify and integrate social, environmental and economic factors into the [...]

[ 6 August, 2012 to 12 August, 2012. ] Engineering Week 2012 has something for everyone including a free public forum and exhibition on how to make your home more sustainable. 6 – 12 August Further information www.makeitso.org.au/australian-engineering-week/Canberra

It started with the Canberra Liberals having a mumble to the Canberra Times about wanting to see the review of the plastic bag ban before the election.
But then the seething fury of all Canberra’s angry old men lifted them up like a raging tide and we now have a media release promising a complete overturn [...]

Spotted at Dickson shopping centre on Sunday arvo, a superb example of resourcefulness from a couple who decided to cut out the middleman of the charity shop and do their shopping from the charity bin itself.
And, of course, not pay for it.
[Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email [...]

Simon Corbell has announced a shiny discussion paper open for consultation:
“This review is the chance for the ACT community to have their say on how the ACT Government ensures our environment remains protected.
“Our laws need to be progressive to keep up to date and responsive to technological advances, current industry practices and reflective of community [...]

ACT Greens have released a formal response to Vicki Dunne’s attack of their waterway plans this morning.
“Liberal and Labor were all at sea yesterday making a flurry of statements to hide the fact they had no water policy of their own ready to articulate. They were caught on the hop and their statements prove it,” [...]

The ACT Government is looking for new ACT Parks and Conservation Rangers.
“The ACT Government’s annual Ranger recruitment is a great opportunity for people who enjoy working outdoors to play a vital role in the conservation and land management of ACT’s parks and reserves,” Mr McNamara said.
“We are looking for entry level Ranger Grade One and [...]

Following the Greens’ announcement yesterday of their $30.5 million program to keep Canberra’s water features healthy, Vicki Dunne (ACT Shadow Nature Conservation and Water Minister) has accused them of spending money they don’t have in an attempt to achieve something they can’t do.
“It appears the ACT Greens have committed to spending money that hasn’t been [...]

The ACT Greens today launched a program to address the upkeep of Canberra’s water features. The Cleaner Lakes and Waterways program is costing $30.5 million and includes:
· $250,000 for an integrated management plan for Molonglo Catchment
· $185,000 for carp [...]

[ 27 August, 2012 to 28 August, 2012. ] Here’s the stonking line-up:

Timothy Morton, This Is Not My Beautiful Biosphere
Nick Mansfield, Deconstructing the Sovereignty of the Earth: Bataille, Derrida and the Natural Politics of Climate Change
Elaine Kelly, Dwelling in the Future
Linda Williams, The ‘Little Ice Age’ and the 18th Century European concept of the Sublime
Angi Buettner, From Climate Change to Cultural Change: How to [...]

Simon Corbell has today announced the creation of the “Pest Animal Management Group” and the “ACT Pest Animal Management Strategy 2012-2022″ to manage native and foreign pest animals:
“The group will be responsible for overseeing key objectives including measures to prevent the introduction of new pest species, reducing damage by established pests and native animals and [...]

Wondering what the situation is with the Mulligans Flat dam earthworks in the Mulligans Flat Sanctuary. I would have thought works in the Sanctuary would have needed some form of consultation or approval, and yet looking at the ACTPLA website there is nothing. Seems that they are making a bit of a meal of it [...]

So, Andrew Barr, in his ever defferent to the Greens way, has announced a new industrial park for West Macgregor.
Great, of course all the heavy trucks will join the sand and gravel trucks from the garden centres and the B Doubles from the egg farm on Southern Cross Drive, woohoo what fun.
Oh what the hell, [...]

Having denuded the banks of the Molonglo (Willows! Evil! Burn them!) Territory and Municipal Services are now installing cod balls upstream of Lake Burley Griffin:
The nationally vulnerable Murray cod population has been given a helping hand in ACT waterways with the installation of 50 artificial fish habitat structures in the Molonglo River, Project Manager, Restoration [...]

Territory and Municipal Services are letting us know about a new walking option in the Namadgi National Park:
The new Rendezvous Creek walking track in Namadgi National Park has been completed and is now open to the public, Manager Operations, National Parks and Catchments, ACT Parks and Conservation Service, Brett McNamara, said today.
“The gentle 3.5 kilometre [...]

The ABC reports on the bill to hand water services back from ActewAGL to Actew Water in an increasingly complicated dance which one can only hope is leading to electricity privatisation (otherwise the whole thing has been insane).
On July 1, Actew Water assumed direct responsibility for the management and operation of the water and sewage [...]