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Editor's note
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year: when we bury ourselves (and our loved ones) in a welter of consumer-goods and wrapping. This year, why not give the gift of “not having to throw out your own bodyweight of plastic”?
Here’s our list of tips – and a cute flow-chart – to help you cut down on the sticky tape, synthetic ribbons, disposable cups and foot-destroying Legos.
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Madeleine De Gabriele
Deputy Editor: Energy + Environment
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Top story
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Paper not plastic.
Adina Habich/Shutterstock.com
Manuela Taboada, Queensland University of Technology; Glenda Amayo Caldwell, Queensland University of Technology; Hope Johnson, Queensland University of Technology; Leonie Barner, Queensland University of Technology; Rowena Maguire, Queensland University of Technology
Christmas is hectic, and it can be easy just to go with the flow and vow to cut your plastic use in the new year. But here are some easy steps you can take now to make your Christmas plastic-free.
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This year saw the launch of the podcast Imagine This, a co-production between ABC KIDS listen and The Conversation, based on our Curious Kids articles.
The Conversation/ABC
Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation
Whatever your age, whatever your favourite topic -- space, animals, nature, physics, how bodies work -- we've got a Curious Kids article for you.
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Environment + Energy
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Michael Hopkin, The Conversation
Yeah, we get it – environment news can be depressing. So here are ten uplifting stories from 2018 that prove it's not all doom and gloom out there in the natural world. Happy reading!
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Michael Grose, CSIRO; Lynette Bettio, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Australia is facing an increase in extreme heat, fire danger weather, floods and marine heatwaves, according to the latest biennial snapshot from the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO.
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Health + Medicine
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Alfred Allan, Edith Cowan University; Maria Allan, Edith Cowan University
Forgiveness isn't about minimising or forgetting the pain we feel. It's about letting go of our feelings of resentment and revenge.
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Therese O'Sullivan, Edith Cowan University
In many households, Christmas means visits from relatives eager to smother kids with kisses. But respectful parenting means giving the kids fair warning so they can decide whether that's ok.
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Clare Collins, University of Newcastle
If you’re not a fan of plum pudding or pork with crackling, why not swap them for something healthier, like prawns and fresh fruit salad?
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Politics + Society
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
McCormack must live in a parallel universe if he ever thought Broad's account of flying off on an overseas date, followed by an apparent move to extract money from him, was just "a personal matter".
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Peter Manning, University of Technology Sydney
A new form of journalism, dubbed "access journalism" is creeping into the media, and its reliance on allegations and lack of evidence poses a serious threat.
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Arts + Culture
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Peter Tregear, University of Melbourne
Our identity unquestionably shapes (and can limit) how we interact with the world. But it should not become the only foundation upon which we build our understanding of it.
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Heather Merle Benbow, University of Melbourne; Deborah Tout-Smith, Museums Victoria
For Australians serving overseas in WWI, Christmas was particularly difficult. Menus reveal how soldiers tried to maintain the traditions of home.
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Cities
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Laura Harper, Monash University; Alysia Bennett, Monash University; Ross Brewin, Monash University
The industrial patterns of mining shaped many Australian towns, which found varied uses for disused mine sites. The mining boom ensures the challenges these sites present will be with us a long time.
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Hannah Robertson, Monash University
Centralised policies are not meeting the needs of remote Indigenous settlements. Increasing their decision-making input and the role of local industry can overcome the challenges of building remotely.
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Business + Economy
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Hannah Robertson, Monash University
Centralised policies are not meeting the needs of remote Indigenous settlements. Increasing their decision-making input and the role of local industry can overcome the challenges of building remotely.
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Joshua Newton, Deakin University
Many people become more forgiving of poor service if there are Christmas symbols around.
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Education
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Miriam Bankovsky, La Trobe University; Jacqui Hoepner, Australian National University
The Institute for Public Affairs' audit of academic freedom pits people either for or against universities. This prevents us from having thorough conversations about real threats to academic freedom.
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Margaret Gardner, Monash University
With a budget surplus in sight, it makes no sense to cut funding from Australia's research capacity.
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Science + Technology
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Tristan Moss, UNSW
The three astronauts read from the Bible as part of their message from the Moon. Then on return one declared: "Please be informed there is a Santa Claus."
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Joanne Wright, Griffith University; David Lambert, Griffith University; Sally Wasef, Griffith University
Museums around the world hold remains of Aboriginal people that were often taken without permission and in the absence of accurate records. New DNA methods may help return these items to country.
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