Coal seam gas and mining threats to the Darling Downs Part 2. Dr John Standley with Ben Beeton

Food security is vital for future generations of Australians and the world. Some of the most productive agricultural areas in Australia are across the Darling Downs of SE Queensland and the Liverpool Plains of northern NSW. In this interview Dr Standley shows an area of agricultural land in the area proposed for a coal mining venture and then contrasts this with the scene of a coal mine not far away. Dr Standley then describes why the soils are so productive. He emphasizes how easily they could be ruined if they were dug up and the sub soil replaced the topsoil. Dr Standley addresses the prolem of salinity. Finally he emphasizes the problems for farmers created by networks of coal seam gas pipes. Gasland Darling Downs Question Mark is a project conceived by local artist Ben Beeton www.benbeeton.com.au www.getabstractwallart.com In 2010 Ben saw a screening of the film Gasland and was horrified to realize that the environmental destruction which had happened in America, through coal mining and coal seam gas projects was now happening on the Darling Downs. In these films Ben invites scientists and local experts to share their knowledge and concerns about the very serious threat of environmental mismanagement that is facing the Darling Downs and beyond. Ben would like to thank Don Herman of Darling Downs Movie Makers Inc, Dr John Standley and the owners of www.sodd.com.au for supporting this project at its foundation stage of development.

Ben's primary interest is in creating multi-media work about the ecology, geology and deep time history of environment. Although frequently away on artist residency/tour projects Ben thinks of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs region as his home. In 2010 Ben was the artist for the Burke and Wills Environmental Expedition. www.cv.vic.gov.au/stories/burke-and-wills-the-art-of-science. Ben felt that the most effective contribution that he could make was to provide people with a scientifically informed perspective of the situation. It is Ben's hope that once equipped with this information individuals will become proactive in advocating for a moratorium on mining until a comprehensive independent scientific assessment of its long term effects on the Darling Downs and other effected regions has been conducted. The project Gasland Darling Downs Question Mark has been given a page on the save our Darling Downs website www.sodd.com.au. Ben has a range of films on You Tube including "Gondwana in Toowoomba, an exploration of Toowoomba's remnant rainforest and geology with Dr Gillian Scott and Ben Beeton", "In the Suburban desert with Peter Macqueen and Ben Beeton", The Hampton Corridor of Trees with Peter Macqueen and Ben Beeton", "On Sugarloaf Mountain with Peter Macqueen, Dr Gillian Scott and Ben Beeton", "Exploring the Helidon Hills with Peter Macqueen and Ben Beeton" and "Burke and Wills Environmental Expedition".

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[glassster]

We just cannot afford to do irreversible damage to any farmland or water supply in the name of a band-aid solution to power production when