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What a week! People were frying eggs on car bonnets in the Central Desert, flying foxes fell cooked to death mid-air in Singleton, Casino and Richmond, a firestorm destroyed homes and livestock near Dunnydoo and Uarby, and the state was only saved from rolling blackouts by wind and solar energy in the mix. NSW was officially the hottest place on the planet over the weekend.

Written off as "Green fringe lunatics",  the Manly Vale community is pushing back with a renewed request for Education Minister Rod Stokes to reconsider the demolition of a treasured area of bushland to accomodate the expansion of the local Public School. 

Overwhelming community opposition to a controversial development proposed for South Dural in Sydney's north-west has resulted in a temporary win for endangered species and their Ironbark and Blue Gum habitat. 

Monday Drive - TEC's environment program airs every Monday from 4-6pm on 89.7fm. This week we talk shark nets, the eco-collapse that produced the current war in Syria, and what's happening with wind power since Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey stopped publicly denouncing it.

Perhaps Planning Minister Rob Stokes is starting to feel the heat over the imminent devastation of the Manly Warringah War Memorial Park? We talked to long time locals appalled by the plan to develop this irreplaceable asset.

Plans by The NSW Department of Education to destroy nearly 4 hectares of bushland in order to expand the Manly Vale Public School were approved by the Sydney North Planning Panel this week despite community protests and the submission of less impactful alternative proposals. Enregistrer

Major environmental professional, community and university groups have banded together to produce an environmental vision as part of the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) planning process.

TEC must be doing something right! We have obviously annoyed some powerful people. TEC was singled out by The Daily Telegraph three times in one week in articles that claimed that environment groups have created "a tax financed barrier to progress" in NSW by protesting against recent government reforms and developments which renowned scientists, town planners and local communities all agree are a threat to the continued health of our ecosystems Enregistrer

After 13 years of hard work battling Coca Cola and allied big beverage companies – Australia is now on the road to a container deposit scheme. When NSW announced it will implement the 10cent refund system, other states took notice and now QLD, WA and the ACT will too... READ THE FULL REPORT

Total Environment Centre has called for urgent state government intervention after a Sydney property developer was caught red-handed attempting to remove crucial evidence on the site of one of Sydney’s most environmentally damaging development proposals. Local residents were alerted by the sounds of heavy machinery moving onto the Riverlands Golf Course Site in late September – the same place where over 400 trees were (allegedly) illegally cleared in August this year. City of Canterbury-Bankstown Council officers were informed that evidence of the alleged illegal tree felling was being removed, but were unable to gain access. However, together with members of the local community, the council officers gained a view from the opposite bank of the Georges River which enabled them to witness an excavator and wood chipper operating at the site of the previous (allegedly illegal) clearing.  “The Riverlands Golf Course site is dear to many residents of Milperra and the subject of one of Sydney’s longest running environment protection campaigns,” said TEC Natural Areas Campaigner David Burgess. “It is home to some of the largest hollow bearing trees remaining in urban Sydney with many dating back to pre-settlement. It contains environmentally significant wetlands. It provides a vital link with adjoining areas of bushland”. In 2015 over 200 local residents turned up to demonstrate against the then Bankstown Council’s proposal to weaken environmental protection of Riverlands through a rezoning. A new rezoning proposal that would allow some development on the 33 hectare site but also protect large parts of it currently sits in front of the NSW Planning Minister. “If recent media reports are any indication the NSW Department of Planning is set to reject any environmental protection proposed by Council for the site and give Demian Constructions and Statewide Planning the green light to establish a ‘mini-suburb’ at Riverlands. “The value of Riverlands as green space cannot be overstated. The locals recognise this, Council recognises this, but Mike Baird’s government seems poised to unleash the bulldozers.”

Mike Baird is presenting the relocation of the V8 Supercars to the Newcastle as a “done deal”. TEC is saying it will destroy one of Newcastle's most beautiful parklands.

He’s still the last to leave the office every day, the first to be called when a media outlet wants comment or a community needs information, and the least likely to give up when the going gets tough. Not only that, “You can’t buy Jeff Angel!” After 40 years of non-stop campaigning, our executive director’s sustained effort and effective victories have been recognised with a Green Globe nomination, making him one of only three finalists for the Sustainability Champion Award. No matter how overwhelming the odds or how many times he has had to climb the same mountains to protect our shared natural inheritance, Jeff’s measured pace, calm, thoughtful approach, and perseverance have earned the respect of colleagues, opponents, journalists and politicians a-like - not to mention the TEC team. We are all inspired by his commitment every day, and proud to see Jeff pushed, however briefly, into the spotlight. It’s not a place he seeks or feels particularly comfortable. He’s only really happy walking through the bush, or working hard on our campaigns. But he deserves this recognition for 40 years of community leadership and his stewardship of Total Environment Centre because Jeff walks the talk.