Evidence Dan? How about yesterday's news!

Yyou are right about money dominating everything! Even so, those who understand how an economy functions, would opt for the lowest costing energy. And then let the usual flow on factors generate our combined wealth.

Without question that energy is, MSR THORIUM energy and in the hands of government financed and facilitated employee/shareholder owned and operated co-ops! Allowed unfettered access to our energy markets, all of them!

Thereby ensuring the survival of the fittest, most efficient, most competently managed to prevail, leaving all else with no other option to follow suit or fold!

MSR THORIUM can be mass produced as factory built modules then trucked to wherever there is demand!

Massive affordable irrigation tunnels only possible because we've opted for affordable, reliable, portable energy capable of powering the boring machines we could build right here, suitable for the task.

If we have to pay tax! Why can't 10% of it be directed at prioritized nation building projects that'll be still serving our Great, Great, Great Grandkids when you and I are but distant memories or just a faded photograph in some ancient book?

Only obtuse poverty consciousness allows some pea brains to focus on massively overpriced energy as their principle source of income, even as the economy goes to hell in a hand basket!

None more so than a renewable powered South Australia, with the world's most expensive electricity? And that above all else is what drove their car industry, offshore!

Someday you'll stop challenging already proven science, stop listening to green evocation, exaggeration and blatant terminological inexactitudes and open your eyes, ears and mind to the truth!

Which is, we humans as a species might still survive and even prosper, if we adopt clean, safe nuclear power! Which even with accidents like Chernobyl, has a massively better safety record than coal!

Not for nothing is it writ large, know the truth and the truth will set you free!

And if that's not enough, then how about the (do unto others) golden rule!
Alan B.

This article seems to be partly based on a 2009 article from the Christian Science Monitor. And I don't think it has much relevance to Australia. Lighting candles is an American thing; here Earth Hour observance has always been just about turning lights off.

And the rest of it just seems to demonstrate the author's ignorance. Just because synthetic fragrances contain chemicals that can be named doesn't mean they give you cancer. Indeed the list of chemicals in natural fragrances is far longer, and I bet reading it would scare Russell far more!

As for colony collapse disorder, that's thought to be mainly due to Varroa mites (which fortunately we don't have in Australia yet) and pesticides. Where such stressors are affecting bees, taking honey and wax may well trigger CCD. But if you want to save the bees, boycotting these products will not help at all. Instead you should campaign for more restrictions on the use of neonicotenoids.

The real point of Earth Hour is publicity, but this Earth Hour has not been as well publicised as previous ones. It was three quarters of the way through before I realised it was today!

Hasbeen is right, we will eventually have to become a nuclear powered economy! No question. But as he suggests, we should use up our coal first, for coal fired power and the use of thermal coal? However, it's London to a brick, no commercial corporation is going to build one.

A government might? And use 7-8 billions of taxpayers money, always providing they obtain permission or a mandate from their employer, the people, first! This is not the USSR! Then as a profitable proposition earning 24 cents per KwH? Seek to sell it?

And possible if state owned corporation is interested and wants to enhance it ability to influence our economy, by their involvement in it!?

If that's not a politically palatable option, we can change course now and build facilities to turn thermal coal or rather its methane content into portable transport fuel?

Only doable if the input energy component is MSR THORIUM and as cheap as chips, say 2-3 cents per KwH? Then only possible, if owned and operated by government sponsored and created employee/working shareholder, PRIVATE ENTRPRISE, FREE MARKET, co-ops!

Without question the most efficient and productive business model available and indeed the only business model to largely survive the Great Depression mostly intact!

Alternatively we can endlessly extend earth hour and turn it into a permanent feature of our economy? All the way back to the dark ages! And the obvious pun was intended!

After all, no company is going to invest against the known wishes of the shareholder base, around 84-87% of them, nor go against the advice of due diligence law firms or forensic accounting! It just won't happen!

However, and given we could replace every drop of imported fuel with alternatives, extracted from thermal coal substitution and make a very cogent business case for that?

Then Thermal coal probably has a viable future for the next 15 or so years then a diminishing one for around the following 15?

Those that haven't changed their investment strategies, long before the first 15 years, deserve to lose their shirts!
Alan B.

I didn't know about EH this year until this post. It has probably worn thin, as most of these unrealistic, totally useless virtue-signalling ideas do. The media has a very short attention span, and when they lose interest, it's not worth the candle. The very expensive anti-carbon measures have not made one bit of difference to the climate, so this symbolic nonsense certainly will not. I'm waiting for some would-be celebrity or man-hater to claim that she was groped while the lights were out.

meanwhile a Frenchman lays down his life to save a woman from Islamic terrorism in France and people are still into this idiotic virtue signalling. Or was it a woman identifying as a man who made the ultimate sacrifice.

runner. If these Islamic idiots keep on prosecuting their terror campaign? It won't be too long before all Islam will have to pay the price!

Arguably as the only means available to stop their endless barbaric activities. Along with the forked tongue rhetoric of some Islamic nation states! As they act both here and abroad, to ensure there is no way we can peacefully cohabitate?

Even those entering here as invited refugees, seem to have an axe to grind and western democracy/Christian culture to blame?

As they seek to impose their culture on us and blame us whenever there's cultural conflict? It just didn't happen when Afghan camel drivers/Sufis were recruited to help run out the north/south telegraph line through the dead heart of central Australia!

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the Sufi Quran is the least revised, most original version of Islam's holy books? Or that peaceful cohabitation and meditation are both central tenants of their belief system?

Makes one wonder why these most recent additions can't or won't blend in with the dominant culture, as the peaceful Sufis did? But seem to want to maintain an in your face, cultural difference, along with the ghettoes/Islamic schools they've created that allows them to stand alone/inculcate anti Christian sentiment/homophobia and refuse to blend in?

For mine those bellyaching the loudest about western or typical Australian culture/Christian tolerance, our newest fifth column? Should be offered a one way ticket to any Islamic country that'll take them and good riddance!

Or a holiday in Bali and a cancelled Australian passport when they try and re-enter?

Perhaps then their fellow agitators, will finally get the message and become more like us and the dominant culture?
Alan B.