The 44th Sustainable Hour on 24 September 2014 reports from two meetings held in Geelong. An information evening about fracking - and the People's Climate March at the Waterfront in Geelong. Guest in the studio: Chris Johnson, 'fractivist' and member of Geelong Sustainability. Speeches by Srechko Kontelj, City of Greater Geelong Councillor; Richard Di Natale, Senator, The Greens; Ben Courtice, Friends of the Earth and Beyond Zero Emissions; Leigh Adamson, local resident; Dan Cowdell, GetUp organiser - More information on www.climatesafety.info/thesustainablehour44

Sunday 14 September 2014, a minor political miracle was completely ignored by mainstream media. It took place in Moriac, a small countryside town of 800 residents, some 15-20 minutes drive from Geelong, where politicians from all major parties at federal, state and local level assisted the citizens of four small towns to declare themselves 'gasfield free'. In the 43rd Sustainable Hour on 94.7 The Pulse we learn that while the Victorian government pulls strings behind the scenes to protect the gas industry, that the so-called 'scientific studies' which it refers to, for instance when claiming the fugitive emissions or water contamination is not a problem, have been compromised. Hear Alan Roberts explain why the gas mining industry can be trusted when it claims that unconventional gas is cleaner that coal. Even CSIRO, a well-respected scientific Australian organisation, is compromised and can't be trusted, according to Alan Roberts.

As a lead-up to a public information meeting about onshore gas exploration which is held in Geelong on 18 September 2014 (more info about that on www.climatesafety.info/gasrush), we also take a deeper look at whether the toxic chemicals which the onshore gas industry uses to extract the gas really can be 'Generally Recognized As Safe', as the industry calls it. More info on www.climatesafety.info/?p=9561

Aspirational hands on the sustainable deck: Today with speak with Colin Mockett who will open the doors of his very sustainable and economical house on Sustainable House Day on Sunday 14 September 2014, and with Greg Jones, director of Bongo Transit in Point Lonsdale, who wants to put electric taxis and electric tourist vehicles in the streets of Geelong – and who will be exhibition his Bongos at the Smarter Living Expo at Geelong Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 13 September 2014. We also talk about the public information meeting about onshore gas exploration which is held in Geelong on 18 September 2014. More info about that on www.climatesafety.info/gasrush

A state election is approaching in Victoria in November. Will we hear any of the candidates talk about sustainability, onshore gas exploration, or climate change policy in their debate at public election meetings and in the media? A new initiative is going to work hard to make sure that in City of Greater Geelong, you must likely will! The grassroots movement GetUp, which has a membership list of 677,500 Australians, recently started a 'Vote Clean' campaign in Geelong, and on 3 September 2014 three members of the team visited the Sustainable Studio on 94.7 The Pulse. They are mobilising hundreds of volunteers to have thousands of conversations about clean energy and climate change policy in Geelong region in the next three months.

In the sustainable studio on 94.7 The Pulse on 20 August 2014 we have Leigh Ewbank with us from Friends of the Earth. He has come from Melbourne to talk with us and our listeners about the projects and activities which Friends of the Earth are rolling out in Geelong. Most of them are focused around the Victorian state election which will take place on 29 November.

We also talk with investment expert Tim Buckley about the current coal and gas industry economy - and about why he thinks the Anglesea coal power station would already be considered a stranded asset if it wasn't for the fact that it is being protected by Australian government policy. --- Geelongians, get involved: host a kitchen table conversion:

www.yes2renewables.org/2014/08/06/kitchen_table_conversation_info

Anglesea calling: Stop the coal pollution. The huge turnout at the 'Shut It Down' rally and march on 10 August 2014 signaled the end of Anglesea coal social licence, which a group of children literally shredded to pieces during the event. In the 38th Sustainable Hour we play audio-excerpts of four of the anti-coal speakers: Leigh Ewbank, Dr Jacinta Morahan, Andrew Laird and Rob Gell, and follow their statements up with a live phone interview with coal investment expert Tim Buckley, Director of Energy Finance Studies, EEFA. For more information, go to: http://climatesafety.info/?p=8738

When governments protect and promote the coal and gas industries at a time when the entire world is talking about that coal and gas urgently need to be phased out due to the climatic complications caused by the burning of it, who then will protect the people? Who will protect and promote its health, jobs and future prosperity? Whose responsibility is it to protect our drinking water and clean air, our renewable energy sector and to create strong action on climate change if not the government's? The answer was suggested by Drew Hutton from Lock the Gate Alliance: "When our leaders fail us, then ordinary people have got to become heroes." This is really what is happening in this the 37th Sustainable Hour on 94.7 The Pulse: meet two men who are neither ordinary nor heroes, but who are deeply concerned about the gas and coal issues respectively, and who would never have predicted just two years ago that one day they would be talking in a radio show about such topics as this. And now just listen how well they are doing it!

Audio-postcard from the future of fracking. 1.3 million hectares of land in Victoria is threatened by unvoncentional gas mining. Surf Coast, the Otways... even areas right up to the city of Geelong are at risk of being turned into industrial gasfields. Geelong Council resolved at their meeting on Tuesday 22 July 2014 to commence a 30 day process to educate Council on the issue of 'fracking'. Council will be seeking advise from relevant State government departments and agencies as well as experts in various fields. Council will also review any information provided by community groups and individuals. The 36th Sustainable Hour contains an 'audio-postcard' produced for the councillors who are seeking education on this issue. We hope they will listen. --- For photos, lots of links, music videos, online listening or download of excerpts, and more information, go to: http://climatesafety.info/?p=8392

The rise of community energy. People in Geelong have embraced solar power on their rooftops. The next step is to take that success and enthusiasm to move into big community renewable projects that create local manufacturing jobs. Meet someone who is doing just that: scrap metal recycler Andrew Thaler

http://climatesafety.info/?p=8356

The renewable revolution is rolling. Whether the Australian government likes it or not. Across the world, clean energy is booming, now producing more than 20 percent of the world's electricity needs. And the clean energy is cheaper than polluting fossil fuels in many countries - including Australia.

The federal government wants to reduce the country's Renewable Energy Target while it keeps subsidising the fossil fuel industry with over $10 billion dollars every year, and in Victoria, the state government has put various regulations in place to protect its allies in the coal and gas industry with anti-wind farm laws and investing in coal and gas projects rather than in renewables.

The logic response to this kind of climate inaction among our elected leaders is energy action at community level. Citizens are saying "When politicians won't protect our climate, then we must do it ourselves." And then they begin to figure out what it takes to start community-owned co-ops that run solar and wind farms to the benefit both for people and climate.

In The Sustainable Hour today, you will meet some of these people. They met at a congress in Canberra recently, and we bring a first-hand report from the event.

Citizens are also saying, "When politicians won't protect our farm land and nature parks from the toxic coal and gas mining industry, then we must do it ourselves," and then they get together in community groups that mobilise resistance against the new coal and gas projects which are being rolled out. Enter Alan Manson - one such example of a citizen who recently took on the task to educate and mobilise residents in his own neighbourhood, Grovedale, about the dangers and stupidity of fracking. Alan Manson came to The Sustainable Hour to talk about the new anti-fracking community group he has established: Frack Free Grovedale.

This is Geelong calling: Welcome to The Renewable Revolution.

Read more, see photos and links:

http://climatesafety.info/the-renewable-revolution-is-rolling