Wow - March has been a marathon of submissions and petitions, and you really made your mark!

Whether you expressed your thoughts on fracking, the upcoming plastic ban, or protecting our forests, you’re part of a massive movement working towards a better future for WA.

Here are a few of your highlights and opportunities for further action.

A message from Piers about WA’s biggest polluters:

“We’re becoming increasingly concerned about WA’s biggest polluters - Chevron and Woodside’s giant LNG projects. With no effective controls on their emissions they are releasing tens of millions of tonnes of carbon pollution each year. In fact, nearly a third of WA’s total pollution will come from just three giant LNG facilities by the time they reach full production in the near future.

To see how ineffective the Turnbull Government’s climate change policy is, we need to look no further than Chevron’s LNG operations here in WA. Recently Chevron was granted a permit by the Commonwealth government  allowing far more pollution than even Chevron claimed was necessary. This permit gives a free pass for Chevron to breach its own commitments, and ignore requirements by the State Government.

While individuals and households are taking action, these huge corporate polluters are simply profiting from a sham Commonwealth policy which does nothing to make them clean up their act. This means that the State Government must step in to control pollution from these giant facilities, and WA Environment Minister Stephen Dawson has initiated a review by the EPA into the problem.

Stay tuned for more updates on this issue soon, and get ready to show your support for the WA Government to hold these polluters to account.”

A message from Sarah about WA’s upcoming plastic bag ban:

“Submissions for the WA plastic bag ban closed on March 9, and more than 2,000 members of the CCWA community have sent submissions asking the State Government to extend the ban to include plastic straws, balloon releases, and other polluting plastics.

Environment Minister Stephen Dawson has indicated that he would extend the ban with enough public support, so we’re hoping for a positive outcome!

In the meantime, community members and local councils are taking matters into their own hands. CCWA’s Vice President Tim Barling (pictured) is also a Councillor at the City of Melville, and successfully raised a motion for the City to support residents to transition away from single use plastic.

Also recently, Town of Bassendean Councillor Sarah Quinton’s proposal to ban single use plastic at public events was adopted by her council. You can read Sarah’s blog here.

These inspiring examples of community action show that the momentum is building towards real action on plastic pollution in WA.”

A message from Kate about the WA fracking inquiry:

“Over the last few months, nearly 10,000 people made submissions to the WA fracking inquiry, arguing that there’s no safe way to frack in WA. Many of you also attended submission writing workshops right across the state, took the opportunity to meet inquiry panel members and industry representatives at public meetings, and brought your questions to our expert Q&A forum.

And you were in good company - Australian and international scientists and experts including hydrogeologists, geologists, public health experts, and biologists provided evidence that there are huge risks in allowing fracking in WA. The scientific evidence against fracking is growing every day, with over 1,400 peer-reviewed scientific publications on the negative impacts associated with the industry already.

Just days before the submission period closed, international research group Climate Analytics published its alarming new report, Western Australia's Gas Gamble - Implications of natural gas extraction in WA. This report shows that the domestic carbon footprint from fracking WA’s unconventional gas resources would be three times more than what Australia’s entire energy sector can emit to comply with the Paris Agreement!

Please help get the word out and share this infographic on Facebook.”

A message from KA about stopping extinction and the Yeelirrie uranium mine:

“Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg is about to make a decision which would mean extinction of multiple species - setting a dangerous precedent for wildlife all over Australia.

Soon, Minister Frydenberg will choose between a uranium mine and unique species found nowhere else on the planet. The WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) warned the mine would cause extinction. Now it is up to Minister Frydenberg to make a decision.

Living underground, the wildlife under threat at Yeelirrie is very rarely seen. But our environmental laws are supposed to protect all creatures great and small.

If extinction is approved at Yeelirrie, it could open the door for extinctions of other wildlife all over Australia. Our possums, cockatoos, numbats and other endangered wildlife could be next.

Send your message to Minister Frydenberg now, and tell him not to approve extinction at Yeelirrie!”

A message from Prof. Kevin Kenneally, President of the WA Gould League, about saving Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre:

"For many of those who grew up in Western Australia over the last century, the WA Gould League evokes a childhood nostalgia. Often their first introduction to birds and wildlife was through their membership and attending school excursions or camps.

But after inspiring over 500,000 young Western Australians to care for our precious wildlife and environment, the WA Gould League’s Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre may have to close its doors by the end of this year.

Please help us stop State Government funding cuts of $165,000, and ask Education Minister Sue Ellery to restore funding in full for Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre, so that we can continue to inspire generations of Western Australians to care for our wildlife and environment."

A message from Bea about our Citizen Science program:

“If you’d like to hear from me each month and stay up-to-date on our CCWA Citizen Science program, you can sign up to our new e-newsletter here! Stay tuned for our new Facebook page too - we’ll share the link with you shortly, and look forward to chatting to you!”

And a taste of what’s to come…

CCWA General Meeting: 11 Apr at 6pm at City West Lotteries House, West Perth

Thank you for everything you do for our wildlife and environment, {{ recipient.first_name_or_friend }} - we’re so grateful to have you in our community!

See you soon,

Sarah and the team at CCWA

P.S. If you’re working on an environmental issue and would like advice, resources, or to set up an online action through us, check out our community campaigns tool!