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Petition Tag - scientific
1. Save Translation at Imperial 
The Imperial College Management Board has informed us that the activities carried out by the Translation Studies Unit (TSU) are not considered core to the College strategy and that, if possible, the Unit should be transferred to another institution.
If this solution proves not to be feasible, consideration will be given to closing the unit by the end of September 2013.
2. FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY PETITION FOR A TOBACCO-FREE INITIATIVE
We, the students, staff and faculty of Florida Gulf Coast University, care about our health and the health of those around us. Therefore, we support efforts to make Florida Gulf Coast University a tobacco-free campus.
We are aware of the dangers tobacco use poses on those who use it and those who are involuntarily exposed to it. These problems are completely avoidable. Secondhand smoke is a known killer and a hazard that we prefer to avoid while entering or leaving our campus buildings.
We view this educational institution as a place where knowledge is shared, discussed and integrated into our daily lives, a place that accepts scientific proof and adapts with it, as needed. Yet, our current campus tobacco policy seems at odds with nearly all of the current scientific knowledge about tobacco use.
3. Increase Australian Scientific Research Funding
In 2006, the then incumbent government cut CSIRO's already strained funding, causing jobs to be lost and research and development to slow. The CSIRO has been noted for such achievements as AAS (atomic absorption spectroscopy), gene splicing technology and the polymer banknote.
Although such achievements may be significant, Australia is behind the rest of the developed world in some areas. For example, Australia successfully built and opened their first synchrotron very recently. Prior to the construction of this facility, Australian scientists were required to travel all the way to America to run experiments that necessitated the use of a synchrotron. Other countries have had similar facilities since the 1950s.
Another example, Australia generates over 75% of its electricity from coal, and is the largest greenhouse gas emitter per capita in the world. Approximately 200 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are produced by Australia each year through electricity generation. We have only one nuclear power plant, which is used for research, yet have 30% of the worlds nuclear fuel reserves. Renewable sources of energy only contribute 7% of the electricity to the grid.
The European Union are targeting to invest 3% of their GDP (which totals US$15 trillion), some US$450 billion into scientific research and development per year by 2010.
Australia invests AU$940 million per year in total on scientific research, just 0.09% of our US$1 trillion GDP. This is a pitiful amount compared to most nations.
Not only does CSIRO struggle with their low funding, they also have had to defend against high cost lawsuits brought upon them by such companies as Microsoft, Dell, and Apple who do not want to pay royalties for the use of wireless network technologies in their products, a patent for which was filed by CSIRO in the early 1990s.
Furthermore, if one were to look up countries who have space agencies, they would find that Australia has not achieved human spaceflight, nor do they have space launch capabilities. Australia were once at the forefront in this area, with Woomera being a premier rocket launch facility in the 1950s and 60s.
We spend $26 billion a year on defence, most of which is unnecessary, yet almost nothing on science.
Australia is falling behind, and desperately needs to catch up. A positive future for Australia requires a strong emphasis on science.
4. Stop Dolphin Facility at Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas
November 19, 2005
Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas has plans to operate a dolphin facility in the very near future and they are already building the pens necessary for this. More than likely their dolphins will be sourced from the wild.
There is scientific evidence that suggests capturing dolphins is undeniably stressful and removing them from their natural habitat can be detrimental to their populations. Additionally, there is no benefit biologically, educationally or geographically to Dolphinariums and many dolphins die as a result of being housed in them.
Please write Kerzner's CEO Mr. Butch kerzner and urge him to abandon his dolphin facility.
5. Close Polish commitee of scientific research
This petition asks the Polish Parliament to close one of the last relics of Soviet domination in the free Republic of Poland, the Polish committee of scientific research.