Dear Friends, The biggest, saddest but not unexpected news today is that Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s rightfully elected but imprisoned Democratic leader was found  Guilty by the kangaroo court of the military junta. Please visit the Avaaz site and lodge your protest.

https://secure.avaaz.org/act/index.php?r=act

Other than that we hear today about Swine ful: incredible the amount of uninformed shunning taking place with people who have had this influenza and recovered. Please don’t succumb to the fear that has been promulgated in the media.

Also a couple of stories about Australia’s renewable energy industries from The Wire.

Next week is the first of 2 Go-Earthcare shows during BayFM’s Major Subscriber drive and I would be honoured if you chose to subscribe on my show. Thanks.

Lots of Love ros

Strange bedfellows unite to get renewable energy back on the agenda   

Produced by Shevonne Hunt

The Coalition and the Greens are calling for the Government to de-couple the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme from the Renewable Energy Bill, in a bid that would take the green energy sector off hold. Featured in story: Christine Milne- Deputy Greens Leader , Matthew Wright - Beyond Zero Emissions, Dr Ian Cook- senior politics lecturer at Murdoch University and Erwin Jackson- research and policy director at the Climate Institute.

100% renewables by 2020 can be done   

Produced by Catherine Zengerer

This week has sees

ower, saying it’s the only way to address our energy needs into the future and that talk of developing renewable energy like wind power and geo-thermal creates a “false optimism”. Meanwhile in Adelaide, environmentalists have been hosting a forum to explain to an eager audience how Australia could be run entirely on renewables as soon as 2020. So who’s right? Beyond Zero Emissions is a not-for-profit, volunteer run organisation who aim to promote technologies that will reduce the impacts of climate change. Their Campaign Director, MATTHEW WRIGHT, is a key note speaker at the forum and he told The Wire what he thinks about Rio Tinto’s scepticism towards renewable energy.

Related Links
Beyond Zero Emissions

What is swine influenza (swine flu)?

Swine influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans, however, human infections with swine flu do occur, and cases of human-to-human spread of a swine flu virus have been recently confirmed.

What is the current situation?

Human cases of a new form of influenza virus have been identified in a number of countries. The virus is a type of influenza A virus (H1N1) that is usually seen in pigs ("swine influenza").

The World Health Organization has declared the swine influenza situation to be a public health emergency of international concern and have raised the pandemic alert level.

This event is of concern because:
• Swine influenza is derived from an animal influenza virus, which means that humans will likely have little or no immunity
• There has been rapid spread to multiple communities overseas
• Swine influenza is affecting unusual age groups (healthy, young adults).

The Swine Influenza A virus is thought to be sensitive to the new antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) and zanamivir (Relenza®), but resistant to both amantadine and rimantadine.

The situation is evolving rapidly and it is important to regularly visit the dedicated NSW Health website to ensure you have the most current information.

Who is at risk?

If you are returning from an affected country you may be at risk. To access the latest affected country list, please see the dedicated NSW Health website.

People who have been in close contact with those who are known to have the disease may also be at increased risk.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of human swine influenza are similar to normal influenza (fever, cough, tiredness, muscle aches, sore throat, chills, shortness of breath, runny nose, headache). Some cases of human swine influenza have also complained of vomiting and diarrhoea. In some cases, human swine influenza can result in a severe pneumonia. Symptoms generally appear between two to four days after exposure.

How is it prevented?

As the new swine influenza strain has only been identified recently, a vaccine for human swine influenza is not yet available. Existing vaccines for normal human influenza will probably not provide protection against human swine influenza. Scientists worldwide are working to develop a suitable vaccine against H1N1 Influenza 09 (Human Swine Influenza), however a vaccine is not expected to become available in the near future.
Until a vaccine becomes available, the best method of prevention will be to ensure that everyone washes their hands regularly and thoroughly, steps away from others when they cough or sneeze, coughs or sneezes into tissues and stays away from people who are sick.

For more information, please see our factsheets on handwashing:
(www.emergency.health.nsw.gov.au/swineflu/resources/pdf/hand_wash_community.pdf) and cough etiquette:
(www.emergency.health.nsw.gov.au/swineflu/resources/pdf/cough_etiquette.pdf)

What should I do if I develop symptoms?

People who develop influenza-like symptoms should stay at home until they are completely better. People who have recently returned from affected areas and who develop influenza-like symptoms or breathing difficulties should contact their local public health unit or emergency department and tell them that they have recently returned from overseas. Further public health advice can be obtained from your local public health unit (see below for contact details).

Swine influenza virus infection can be diagnosed using swabs from the nose and throat. Testing is done at a specialised laboratory.

How is it treated?

Specific anti-influenza drugs are likely to be effective against swine influenza.

For more information, please see our factsheet on flu medication: (www.emergency.health.nsw.gov.au/swineflu/factsheets/oseltamivir.asp)

What is the public health response?

There is enhanced surveillance for people infected with swine influenza, especially in people who have returned from affected areas within the last 7 days.

Should suspected human cases occur in NSW, the local public health unit will work with the patient, the treating doctors, and the laboratory to confirm the diagnosis. Suspected cases will be asked to isolate themselves from others to prevent further infection.

Travel advice

The situation is changing rapidly. For updated information on affected areas, see the Australian Government travel advice website: (www.smartraveller.gov.au). Always wash your hands thoroughly after coming into contact with sick people, after coughing, sneezing or going to the toilet, or before eating.

For more information

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing swine influenza information hotline 1802007

Related Links

• NSW Health swine flu information page
  • http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/swine_flu.asp
• NSW Health influenza factsheet (usual human influenza)
  • http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/influenza.html
• Department of Health and Ageing - Health Emergency website
  • http://www.healthemergency.gov.au
• World Health Organization
  • http://www.who.int/
• Travel Advice (Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
  • http://www.smartraveller.gov.au
•  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu