Students of Sustainability

Fred Fuentes

Several hundred participants in this year's Students of Sustainability conference marched through the streets of central Brisbane on July 14 to celebrate the conclusion of the conference.

The marchers raised awareness of some of the key environment issues in the city of Brisbane, including a proposed cross-city tunnel, which would result in millions of dollars being directed away from public transport, and the proposed dam for Mary River, which threatens an endangered species of turtle.

The conference, held at the University of Queensland on July 10-15, attracted more than 600 participants. SoS is the largest annual environmental conference, discussing issues ranging from the new push by PM John Howard to increase uranium to how to bathe yourself using less than three litres of water. This year's SoS also had a stream of panels and workshops set aside for the issue of militarism, which included talks given by Rotem Mor, an Israeli refusenik.

Speakers at the conference from the socialist youth organisation Resistance addressed the issue of the militarisation of Latin America, particularly the US threats against Venezuela and Bolivia, as well as presenting a workshop on the revolutionary process in Venezuela.

From Green Left Weekly, July 26, 2006.

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From GLW issue 676