PC wrote:
Download this and see if you are aware of this problem...


http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podca...g_20100620.mp3

This issue will only get bigger. Australia wide we have a huge problem in
that the little fertile soil we have and coal seams are frequently
coincident in sedimentary basins. This means that mineral extraction from
those coal beds, coal and gas, is necessarily competing for land use with
food growing. We already have huge areas of productive land that has been
turned into a moonscape-wasteland, have a google earth look at
Singleton-Muswellbrook Look at the fabulous soil and water of the Liverpool
Plains, soon to be strip mined.

In addition to the conflict of immediate use we have the potential for long
term damage to the soil and water. There are many rivers that have already
been killed by mining, usually coal mining. For chapter and verse see the
movie "Rivers of Shame". Whenever an open cut mine closes down, the soil is
supposed to be remediated, that is the topsoil should be put back on top so
everything will go on as before. FAT CHANCE.

If Australia goes from a net exporter of food to a net importer (the trend
is heading that way) we are going to have to dig the coal and gas out and
ship it overseas quicker and quicker just to pay for our food.

I know that our present lifestyle is dependant on mining, you cannot simply
stop. On the other hand legislation is very biased in favour of the miners.
It is extermely rare for a mine not to be approved and this only happens
when powerful lobby groups get enough political leverage, it has little to
do with the actual risk to the environment. The miners have so much
influence with politicians, who love the royalties and export earnings, the
farmer and environment have no chance most of the time. Our pollies spend
their day ensuring they get elected in 3 years time not ensuring that our
grandchildren eat - that is SEP (someone else's problem). We need some
balance. We need somebody to take the long view.

This is an issue that will come back to bite us all in a generation or two
unless many more people wake up to what is happening and very soon. For as
long as this issue remains SEP we are at risk.

David