Saving Little Wonder

Saving Little Wonder

 

Part 1, Rough Cut

THIS is how you can save the world. A group of feral hippies and environmentalists bands together with members of an indigenous Aboriginal tribe to try and save one of the last fragments of Australian rainforest (filled with rare, endangered and unclassified species of animals) from destruction. 

This is most of a rough cut documentary detailing their true story, rushed to your screen from the lost archives of Australia's forest wars - because these unique forests are under threat again after the recent elections of rapacious, destructive governments bent on burning the world's heritage in power stations.

Language (and lifestyle) warning.

A document by R. Ayana (Part 2 coming sooner)

From Youtube @ http://youtu.be/OrHyWM8LNgY

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Peace Sign: The Most Awesome Symbol

Peace Sign:

The Most Awesome Symbol

 

50 years has passed. Another 100 will pass and there is always going to be someone who wonders what that mark stands for. It started life as the emblem of the British anti-nuclear movement but it has become an international sign for peace, and arguably the most widely used protest symbol in the world. It has also been adapted, attacked and commercialised. Many people have speculated on just what the symbol represents; some religious zealots even claim it signifies Christ on the cross with arms broken, or a Teutonic rune representing death and despair. But the truth is not so mysterious.

What does it mean?

 

One of the most widely known symbols in the world, in Britain it is recognised as standing for nuclear disarmament —and in particular as the logo of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). It was designed from the naval code of semaphore, and the symbol represents the code letters for ND which means Nuclear Disarmament.The circle, representing the concept of total or complete, surrounds the N and D signifying total or complete nuclear disarmament.

In the United States and much of the rest of the world it is known more broadly as the peace symbol. It was designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom, a professional designer and artist and a graduate of the Royal College of Arts. He showed his preliminary sketches to a small group of people in the Peace News office in North London and to the Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War, one of several smaller organisations that came together to set up CND.

The Direct Action Committee had already planned what was to be the first major anti-nuclear march, from London to Aldermaston, where British nuclear weapons were and still are manufactured. It was on that march, over the 1958 Easter weekend that the symbol first appeared in public. Five hundred cardboard lollipops on sticks were produced. Half were black on white and half white on green. Just as the church’s liturgical colours change over Easter, so the colours were to change, “from Winter to Spring, from Death to Life.” Black and white would be displayed on Good Friday and Saturday, green and white on Easter Sunday and Monday.

The first badges were made by Eric Austin of Kensington CND using white clay with the symbol painted black. Again there was a conscious symbolism. They were distributed with a note explaining that in the event of a nuclear war, these fired pottery badges would be among the few human artifacts to survive the nuclear inferno. These early ceramic badges can still be found and one, lent by CND, was included in the Imperial War Museum’s 1999/2000 exhibition ”From the Bomb to the Beatles”.

Later, in a letter, Holtom also admitted that the symbol reflected his mood at the time. “I was in despair,” he wrote. “Deep despair. I drew myself: the representative of an individual in despair, with hands palm outstretched outwards and downwards in the manner of Goya’s peasant before the firing squad. I formalized the drawing into a line and put a circle around it.”

American journalist and playwright Herb Greer adds support for the Holtom explanation. He reported, “I was actually there on and before the first Aldermaston march for which it was created. I visited Holtom, I saw the original sketches and discussed it with him.”

Ken Kolsbun, author of the book Peace: The Biography of a Symbol, reported that Holtom expressed regret in not designing the peace symbol with the joyful lifting of arms towards the sky. For most of Holtom’s life he would draw only the upright peace symbol. Holtom requested that the upright peace symbol be placed on his tombstone in Kent, England. If we take a look on  the picture of his tombstone, we’ll see that  his wish was unfortunately ignored.

While it appears reasonable that the modern day peace symbol comes from Gerald Holtom, this logic fails to address the fact that the symbol has been used for evil both in modern times and for thousands of years.

This same symbol was used by Hitler’s 3rd Panzer Division from 1941 to 1945.  The image on the left is the regimental 3rd Panzer Division symbol. Soviet, Polish, and Hungarian citizens, having suffered from the Nazi massacres, undoubtedly struggled with Holtom’s use of the symbol as a thoughtful way to communicate peace. The symbol can also be found on some of Hitler’s SS soldiers’ tombstones.

Another flaw in the Holtom creation story is the use of the symbol as an anti-Christian symbol by the Saracens as early as 711 A.D.For the Saracens, the image placed on their shields symbolized the breaking of the Christian cross. For some the broken cross was equated to a satanic symbol known as the raven’s craw or witch’s foot. While Holtom may not have known the historical meaning of the peace symbol, Bertrand Russell was a historian and member of the Fabian Society. A 1970 article in the American Opinion magazine claimed Russell knew the historical occult meaning and intentionally selected an “anti-Christian design long associated with Satanism.”

The fifth and final Roman emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Nero (born Lucius Domitius Ahenabarbus 37 – 68 AD), is remembered in history for persecuting Christians. Nero’s rule was so wicked he even had his mother executed. The First Roman-Jewish War (66 – 70 AD) started during his reign and today the term “Nero Cross” is the symbol of the “broken Jew” or “broken cross.” The most famous person believed to be crucified by Nero was the Apostle Peter. To symbolize humility and unworthiness in comparison to Christ, Peter requested that he be crucified with his head toward the ground. As a result of Peter’s death the upside down cross was used by early Christians as a positive symbol for peace.

The symbol of the upside down cross changes its meaning when the person on the upside down cross is no longer Peter but Jesus. Anti-religious and satanic groups use the “Nero Cross” or inverted “Latin Cross” to symbolize everything opposite of Christianity. Today this is clearly illustrated by “black metal” or heavy metal music lyrics and imagery that communicate anti-Christian sentiments.  In addition to musicians, film makers have reinforced the notion that the upside down cross is an anti-Christian symbol as illustrated by The Omen in 1976 and The Exorcism of Emily Rose in 2005.

The symbol has also been used to communicate support for communism. Bertrand Russell once said: “There is no hope in anything but the Soviet way.” Governments–both those who supported communism and those opposed to it–have perceived benefits in aligning the peace symbol with communist ideology. For people like Bertrand Russell, the author of the 1927 essay Why I Am Not Christian, the symbol represented not only a pro-communism meaning but peace without God.

CND has never registered the sign as a trademark, arguing that “a symbol of freedom, it is free for all”. It has now appeared on millions of mugs, T-shirts, rings and nose-studs. Bizarrely, it has also made an appearance on packets of Lucky Strike cigarettes.A decade ago, the sign was chosen during a public vote to appear on a US commemorative postage stamp saluting the 1960s.The symbol that helped define a generation of baby boomers may not be as widely used today as in the past. It is in danger of becoming to many people a retro fashion item, although the Iraq war has seen it re-emerge with something like its original purpose.

“It is still the dominant peace sign,” argues Lawrence Wittner, an expert on peace movements at the University at Albany in New York.”Part of that is down to its simplicity. It can be used as a shorthand for many causes because it can be reproduced really quickly – on walls on floors, which is important, in say, repressive societies.”

And can its success be measured? Fifty years on, wars have continued to be waged and the list of nuclear-armed states has steadily lengthened.But the cup is half-full as well as half empty.

“There are many ways in which nuclear war has been prevented,” says Mr Wittner. “The hawks say that the reason nuclear weapons have not been used is because of the deterrent. But I believe popular pressure has restrained powers from using them and helped curbed the arms race.And the symbol of and inspiration for that popular pressure, says Mr Wittner, is Mr Holtom’s graphic.

“Today because many people carry the symbol without understanding the history, we miss an opportunity to address historical uses and move forward to reclaim the symbol for good.When you see the peace symbol, I encourage you to see the person displaying it as communicating a message of love.If you display the peace symbol, my recommendation is point the arms of the peace symbol toward the sky to honor Holtom’s wish, address historical objections, and communicate love of all people.”Dave Dionisi, Teach Peace Foundation

 

 

Information and images sources : 1 2 3 4 5 6


From Fun Guerilla @ http://funguerilla.com/peace-sign-the-most-awesome-symbol-ever/#1  


For more information about peace see http://nexusilluminati.blogspot.com/search/label/peace  
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Tree Sitters Occupying Coal River Mountain

Tree Sitters Occupying Coal River Mountain

It’s ON! This is how 2010 begins in the Coal River Valley, with a non-violent bang not a whimper.

After almost a year of sustained direct actions in southern West Virginia, three Climate Ground Zero activists scaled trees to stop blasting on Coal River Mountain. David Aaron Smith, 23, Amber Nitchman, 19 and Eric Blevins, 28 are on platforms approximately 60 feet up three tulip poplar trees. They are located next to where Massey Energy is blasting to build an access road to the Brushy Fork Impoundment on its Bee Tree Strip Mine. Their banners read: “EPA Stop the Blasting,” and “Windmills Not Toxic Spills.” 

In the past two weeks, mountaintop removal coal mining has thrust itself into the national consciousness with an article in the prestigious science journal Science calling for a ban on mountaintop removal, a feature on the popular comedy show The Colbert Report with Stephen Colbert and tonight’s debate between Massey CEO Don Blankenship and environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the University of Charleston. Never before has MTR received such scrutiny. 

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a MTR permit in West Virginia signaling the weakening of their position on the issue. EPA inaction for decades has left over 500 mountains in Appalachia barren moonscape, poisoned numerous communities and profiting mining execs throughout the region. Obama’s EPA had promised to act on MTR, but has yet to take any significant steps to outlaw the practice. Likewise, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson had failed to even visit the region or do a flyover of affected areas.

The tree sitters are committed to staying until the blasting ends on Coal River Mountain. 

Currently, a winter action camp is underway at Climate Ground Zero in Rock Creek, WV and more actions are expected throughout 2010. It’s going to be a kick ass year.

Tree Sit on Coal River Mountain Strip Mine

“Coal River Mountain was the last mountain around here that hasn’t been touched and they could’ve been using it for windmills…But Massey wants to get that coal. It seems like they just don’t care about the populace. Just the land and their checkbook.”

- Richard Bradford

MARFORK, W.Va. – Protestors associated with Climate Ground Zero and Mountain Justice halted blasting on Coal River Mountain today with a three-person tree-sit. David Aaron Smith, 23, Amber Nitchman, 19 and Eric Blevins, 28 are on platforms approximately 60 feet up two tulip poplars and an oak tree. The mountain has become a rallying point for local activists, representing for many the cleaner, more sustainable possibilities of wind energy. Their banners state: “EPA Stop the Blasting”, “Windmills Not Toxic Spills”, and “Save Coal River Mtn.” 

The sitters are calling for the EPA to protect American air and water by putting an end to mountaintop removal and encouraging the development of clean energy production in central Appalachia. The lack of EPA enforcement combined with Dr. Margaret Palmer’s findings, published in Science Magazine’s January issue, that “Considering environmental impacts of MTM/VF[mountaintop mining/valley fill], in combination with evidence that the health of people living in surface-mining regions of the central Appalachians is compromised by mining activities, we conclude that MTM/VF permits should not be granted,” 

encouraged Joshua Graupera, a member of the support team, to take part in this action. He said, “I knew that until I took an active role in the struggle to end MTR, I was passively condoning the poisoning and displacement of countless communities.”

Massey Energy’s blasting on the Bee Tree Strip Mine threatens both the possibility of wind power on Coal River Mountain and the foundations of the nearby Brushy Fork impoundment. “The government has given them [Massey Energy] permission to blast next to a dam full of toxic coal waste that will kill 998 people if it fails,” said Blevins, who works with Mountain Justice. The Brushy Fork Impoundment, permitted to contain over nine billion gallons of toxic coal waste, lies on a honeycomb of abandoned deep mines. If the foundation collapses the coal slurry will blow out from all sides of Coal River Mountain, harming communities in the mountain’s periphery, as occurred at Massey’s Big Branch slurry impoundment in Kentucky. 

“Brushy Fork sludge dam places the downstream communities in imminent danger. The threat of being inundated by a wall of toxic sludge is always present. Blasting next to this dam increases the risk as well as destroying the opportunity for renewable wind energy,” said Coal River Mountain Watch’s Vernon Haltom. According to the Coal River Wind Project the wind energy produced by a turbine farm on Coal River Mountain could power 70,000 homes, provide permanent jobs for local residents and annually bring over a million more dollars in tax revenue to Raleigh County than coal currently does.

The sitters plan to remain in the trees as long as it takes to stop blasting on Coal River Mountain. Climate Ground Zero’s action campaign, begun in February of last year, has kept up a sustained series of direct actions since that time, continuing the decades-long resistance of dedicated individuals and groups like Mountain Justice to strip mining in Appalachia.

UPDATE:Ground support held on $1500 bail. They are charged w/ conspiracy & trespass Donate to legal @ http://bit.ly/6tjVsS 

posted by Sparki in RAN General on January 21st, 2010

Contact: Kim Ellis – 304 854 7372
Email: news@climategroundzero.org
Note: For more info, see www.mountainjustice.org, www.climategroundzero.org, www.ilovemountains.org

and see

Coal baron debates Kennedy over mountaintop mining

 

From - http://understory.ran.org/2010/01/21/tree-sitters-halt-blasting-on-coal-river-mountain/

Xtra Images - http://www.wesjones.com/images/reece8s.jpg

http://auroralights.org/userfiles/marshfork-prepplant-labeled2-thumb.jpg

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HELP SAVE LAKE COWAL

HELP SAVE LAKE COWAL WALK AGAINST CYANIDE In August 2006, members of the Coalition to protect Lake Cowal held a protest at the Yarwun Sodium Cyanide Plant, near Gladstone - owned by Orica, the world's second-largest producer of sodium cyanide and most recently renowned for their culpability in the contamination of Sydney's groundwater, rendering the water unsuitable even for gardening. Orica plans to transport over 6,000 tonnes of cyanide a year by rail and road through densely populated areas including Grafton, Dubbo and Sydney, from the Yarwun plant near Gladstone in Queensland to Lake Cowal in Central NSW. Lake Cowal is an ephemeral lake and hosts up to 272 species of birds, as well as threatened species of marine life. It is also the site of a controversial open-cut gold mine owned by Barrick Gold. Cyanide is used to dissolve the ore body in order to extract gold. Less than a decade ago in Condobolin, 70 kilometres from Lake Cowal, a train carrying cyanide overturned, spilling deadly powder pellets across the surrounding country. Cyanide spills occur dangerously often, yet Barrick and Orica have provided no emergency management plan. Say no to cyanide in your streets - and water! CALLING ALL ARTISTS, PERFORMERS, MUSICIANS, WALKERS and ALL to WALK AGAINST CYANIDE A group of campaigners for the abolition of cyanide-based gold mining have left Brisbane (on the 14th of August) and are walking to Lake Cowal, following the cyanide's proposed route from Gladstone to Lake Cowal. If allowed to proceed, the 6,000 tonnes of cyanide will penetrate the underground water supply and also release a cocktail of other poisonous heavy minerals - including lead, mercury and arsenic - at the largest ephemeral lake in Australia's most populous State of New South Wales. All this, to dissolve a million tonnes of rock to release a small amount of alluvial gold. The walkers are inviting anyone who feels passionate about keeping the waters clean and avoiding ecological disaster - like the Orica spill that's poisoned the otherwise perfect drinking water beneath Sydney. Come along for part or all of the walk - bring your musical instruments, materials for banners, a laugh and a smile and walk in peace to stop cyanide gold mining in Australia and the world - together. Alternative methods of releasing gold have been developed that don't harm the planet. Let's step into the Third Millennium together! THE ROUTE - Brisbane, Lismore, Casino, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Urunga, Kempsey, Taree, Newcastle, Sydney, Blue Mountains, Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Forbes - then on to Lake Cowal! JOIN IN! CONTACT TRAPPER & the WALKERS - 0431 577 907 or floodmud@gmail.com WATER - MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD THE LAKE COWAL CAMPAIGN Media Releases | Action Alert | Campaign Video Photos | Coalition to Protect Lake Cowal Barrick Gold in the News | Sacred Fire Donations | Convergence Site| Commission of Inquiry report NEW **Letter to the Editor Action Kit ** GoldBusters | Cyanide |Eco-Gold!? | Rainforest Information Centre
	THE LAKE Situated 47 kilometers north east of West Wyalong in central New South Wales (NSW), Lake Cowal is the state's largest natural inland lake. It is part of the Wilbertroy-Cowal Wetlands within a large flood plain, the Jemalong Plain. Fed by its major tributary Bland Creek and by occasional floods from the Lachlan River, the lake is ephemeral but is substantially full for seven out of ten years. As floods recede Lake Cowal drains back into the Lachlan communicating with the Murray River. Lake Cowal is included in the Australian Register of the National Estate and in its Directory of Important Wetlands. The National Trust of Australia (NSW) has listed Lake Cowal as a 'Landscape Conservation Area'. The Australian Heritage Commission has suggested the NSW government consider the Lake Cowal region for listing under the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of International Importance.
Under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands contracting parties (of which Australia is one) are obliged to promote conservation, repair and wise use of all wetlands. Australia has already lost 89% of its wetlands over the last century. The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Services (NSW NPWS) states, "Lake Cowal is listed on the National Estate because of the diversity and number of species that inhabit the lake. For example, Lake Cowal has at least three recorded accounts of more than 1% the Australian population of some wader species. As such, Lake Cowal also meets the Ramsar Wetlands of Importance listing criteria. The NPWS is of the opinion that Lake Cowal provides significant wetland habitats and drought refuge both in area, diversity of habitat types and duration of availability of resources."

COWAL GOLD PROJECT The proposed ‘Mining Lease Application' encompasses approximately 2,650 hectares. One hundred and twenty-eight million tonnes of low to medium grade ore would be excavated from an open cut pit 1 kilometer wide and 325 meters deep on the lake shore and partly within the high water level of Lake Cowal to produce an estimated 2.7 million ounces of gold. In February, 1999, following the findings of a second Commission of Inquiry, the New South Wales Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, the Hon Craig Knowles, signed a Consent to the development application made by North Gold (WA) Ltd for an open-cut cyanide leach gold mine. The only barrier between the lake and the open pit would be an earth wall or bund. Tailings would be stored in dams 3.5 kilometers from the lake. Water would be supplied from a bore in the Bland Creek Paleochannel borefiled, 20 km east of the mine site and would pump up to 16 megalitres per day.

ENDANGERED FLORA & FAUNA Lake Cowal is home to many endangered flora and fauna species including the Austral Pillwort (Pilularia novae-hollandiae) Winged Peppercress (Lepidium monoplocoides) Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) Painted Snipe (Rostratula benghalensis) Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) Yellow-bellied Sheathtail-bat (Saccolaimus flaviventris) Little Pied Bat (Chalinolobus picatus).		The Lake supports fish of high conservation value such as the Silver Perch (Bidyabus bidyabus) which is protected in New South Wales; the Freshwater Catfish (Tandanus tandanus) which is subject to a voluntary ban by commercial fishers; and Macquarie Perch (Macquaria australasica) also protected. BIRDS AT LAKE COWAL 277 species of birds have been recorded or are considered as possible occurrences in the Lake Cowal region. Significant numbers of migratory species listed in the China-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement, (CAMBA) and the Japan- Australia Migratory Birds Agreement (JAMBA) use the lake as habitat. As a signatory to these two agreements, Australia is responsible for the conservation of the habitat of these listed species.

ABORIGINAL SACRED SITE Lake Cowal / The Bland is a very important sacred region for the Aboriginal Traditional Owners and is often called "the Heartland of the Wiradjuri Nation". When explorers first came to Lake Cowal they recorded tribal Aboriginals who used the area as a campsite and sacred site. There are thousands upon thousands of artefact and relics at the Lake Cowal site that are testimony to this useage. Barrick Goldand their predecessors have not properly consulted with many Aboriginal traditional owners from the region, many of whom have declared their opposition to the Lake Cowal gold mine project. Developing a gold mine at Lake Cowal has already meant much destruction of this Aboriginal Sacred Site including Aboriginal artefacts, scar trees and other cultural objects. Barrick Gold has now been granted a Consent to Destroy from the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Services. This permit has allowed Barrick Gold to proceed with this destruction. See Valentines Day Action. Click here for media releases about court actions of Wiradjuri Elder Neville Williams. Click here for Statement by Neville "Chappy" Williams

	ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS Cyanide is lethal. One teaspoon of a 2% solution can kill an adult human. Cyanide is even more toxic to aquatic biota than to birds. Contrary to gold mining industry claims, cyanide leaks and spills are commonplace in the industry. These mining accidents have poisoned entire river systems and have devastating impact on bird life. Cyanide does not necessarily breakdown rapidly into safe chemicals. Many potential breakdown products are about as lethal as cyanide itself. A spill of wastewater containing cyanide, arsenic and potentially other toxins could severely damage the entire Cowal wetland and related waterways including the Murray River System already over-stressed by salt, nitrogen, acidity and agricultural chemicals. As well as the risk of killing fish, bird-life and farm stock, toxins could enter the food chain and jeopardise fishing industries adn drinking water. (See CYANIDE ACCIDENTS).
Heavy Metals such as zinc cadmium and lead could enter soil and waterways. Arsenic levels are high in this ore body. Dr Barry Noller, Deputy Director of the National Research Center for Environmental Toxicology, in "Cowal Gold Project: Comments on the Environmental Impact Statement" writes, "longer term generation of seepage under alkaline pH and more alkaline conditions may give solubilization of arsenic. Note that arsenic is soluble under alkaline conditions and that the predominant form is arsenite. Arsenite is extremely toxic to biota and is a carcinogen. Evidence the effect of population drinking groundwater in Bangladesh, through contraction of skin cancer."	Timbarra Gold Mine, New South Wales	Noller also notes, "Data for trace elements in mine waste rock is not given, although it is indicated that arsenic levels are high. This data should be made public. Waste rock emplacement is close to Lake Cowal and seepage may reach Lake Cowal." Noller concludes that, "The role and impact of heavy metals in Lake Cowal which may be associated with natural mineralisation is not understood. As the waste rock has the potential to transfer heavy metals to the lake via seepage, these processed need to be understoond."

BARRICK-HOMESTAKE GOLD - see Barrick in the news Barrick Gold is currently carrying out extensive "advanced feasibility" exploration drilling at Lake Cowal. Barrick has applied for a Mining Lease from the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) but must await for resolution with Native Title claimants before the Mining Lease can be granted. The Environmental Protection Authority must also issue a licence before mining activities can commence. Barrick Gold is the world's second largest gold producer. Barrick's head office is located in Toronto, Canada. In Australia, the office is located in Perth, West Australia. Barrick currently faces a number of challenges to its reputations including a share price that has dropped 13 percent in the last year while the price of gold has surged to a six year high. In January, New Orlean's Blanchard and Co. filed an antitrust lawsuit against Barrick Gold Corp. accusing Barrick of suppressing gold prices in the past to profit by short-selling and acquiring mines on the cheap. Barrick also faces a US$41 million income tax assessment by Peru based on an audit of the company's Pierina mine for fiscal 1999 and 2000. And in Chile, a dozen citizens have accused 11 foreign mining companies, including Barrick Gold of causing "moral harm" and "damage to the patrimony" of Chile. There are also ongoing allegations against Barrick of miners being killed in Tanzania.

THE COALITION TO PROTECT LAKE COWAL The Coalition is working to further the protection of Lake Cowal and surrounds by halting the proposed Cowal Gold Project'. The Coalition includes over 40 groups worldwide as Campaign Supporters plus 21 member groups in Australia including Friends of the Earth Australia, Nature Conservation Council, Birds Australia, Central West Environment Council, Mineral Policy Institute and The NSW Greens. Campaign Supporters include The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Sri Lanka, World Wildlife Fund Bolivia and a number of non-profit groups worldwide from east and west Europe, Soviet Union, Asia and South America. FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact mailto:%20ruthr@ozemail.com.au

see http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/gold/lakep.html more info - http://www.savelakecowral.org/

MEMBERS Albury Wodonga Environment Centre Big Scrub (Lismore) Birds Australia Central West Branch TWS (Orange) Central West Environment Council Clarence Environment Centre (Grafton) The Coalition to End Open Cut Gold Mining - Victoria Friends of the Earth - Australia The Greens NSW (Sydney) Humane Society International - Australia Mineral Policy Institute (Sydney) Mission Beach Environmental Management Group Inc. (Queensland) Mooka Traditional Owners Council Inc. Mountains Environmentalists Collective (Blackheath, NSW) Mudgee District Environment Group (Mudgee, NSW) Nature Conservation Council (Sydney) Nimbin Environment Centre (Nimbin) Peacebus.com Rainforest Information (Centre Lismore) SOS Bergama Collective, (Sydney, NSW) Timbarra Café/ Timbarra Action Group Western Region Environment Centre (Werribee, Melbourne, Victoria)

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