LPG

Before I came to Australia I always drove a car on LPG. In Australia I cycle and take the train or combine these. But you need a car here if you want to go a bit further than the city, special when you like to go camping in the bush. So we finally decided to converse the petrol car into LPG and it's very beneficial because you get a Government rebate up to 2000 $ and are eligible for a State grant of 1000 $. This covers almost all costs!
The only disadvantage I remember from driving LPG was the smell of the LPG on your hands after closing the pump. It always sprayed a bit on my hands; a nasty fart smell. I never understood why they didn't add a fresh pine smell or something like that, because LPG is odorless and the smell is added so you can detect it in case of leakage.
Driving with a gas tank in your car is as safe as driving with petrol, even in The Netherlands some people were afraid of LPG tanks, but there is no reason for it. I had a bad car accident in 1991, someone crosses the road were I was on (I drove 80) and the driver hadn't seen me and I couldn't brake in time so we had a collision, the gas tank, which was installed behind the front seats, (I had a two seater) came loose a bit and pushed me into the steering wheel but nothing happened. Yes, I had a huge scar on my forehead (nicely repaired by some plastic surgeon) and a soar back for months. The car was total loss, it was a dark blue one, my next car was a bright purple one (so everyone would see it from far) and the first thing I did was installing LPG!

Article Furnisthing International

Click on picture to read the article

Where to "Recyle It!" in WA

http://www.wastewise.wa.gov.au/pages/hazardous.asp

This website lists all the kinds of waste that can be safely disposed of and recycled in WA, its a good reference for finding out where to go if you want to recycle things like old computers, white goods and even mobile phones

Biodegradable Plastics

Bio-Plastics can be defined by one of two of the following characteristics:
1) They consist of renewable resources or
2) they can be harvested directly from nature.

Some bioplastics even fulfill both requirements. Bioplastics are suitable for numerous applications: for example mulch film for agriculture or bags which can be used to hold your household biowaste after shopping. On compost heaps bioplastics completely decompose within a few weeks without leaving any residues behind.

For more info checkout:
http://www.corporate.basf.com/en/presse/podcast/?id=GpAB5BS25bcp0tG
http://www.plasticsportal.net/wa/plasticsEU~en_GB/portal/show/content/products/biodegradable_plastics/biodegradable_plastics

Night - Light

....

“Waste Equals Food” [William McDonough and Michael Braungart]

There is currently a National Packaging Covenant target to recover 65% of post consumer packaging in Western Australia by 2010. It is a voluntary joint initiative between industry and government designed to reduce the amount of packaging waste going into landfill by conserving resources through better product design, and re-using or recycling packaging materials.

Though it may still seem a long way away from the concept of Waste=Food and Cradle to Cradle design, these recycling initiatives are a start in the right direction for designing and recycling responsibly in WA.

For more info checkout these websites:
http://www.packagingcovenant.org.au/
http://www.responsiblerecycling.org.au/
http://www.zerowastewa.com.au/

Hi there,

This is my first time 'blogging' or doing anything that contributes to the cyberworld of technological exchange apart from the usual email exchange and current obsession with facebook that seems to be happening to most people in my demographic. I am usually quite the introverted person when it comes to things I really care about and wish to see change in the world, and usually just share my thoughts with close friends and people of like minds, which I’m sure many people do. So I am thankful to Wilma for starting this Blog up and setting up a platform for this kind of forum and information exchange. Thanks Wilma

I have so far only attended the one Green Drinks event at Kings Park, but was convinced enough that there are really enough people in the world who care about the important things. And as the results of this years election goes to Labour and not to the deaf ears of the Liberal Party, that’s enough encouragement to know that there are enough people out there willing to change.

And so as Julie the speaker from the second Green Drinks quoted Gandhi:
“Be the change you wish to see in the world” I would just like to take this opportunity to just start blogging

Survey outcome Perth Green Drinks

The outcome of the survey was even, 12 people for every month and 12 people for every two months. So I decided to keep it every two months with the possibility to do an extra one if there is a good opportunity. On the right side you will find the list of dates for the Perth Green Drinks in 2008. The first one will be on 8 January (I know that the first Tuesday is a week earlier but I suppose anyone of us has better things to do on the first day of a brand new year!

Graphic designers might be interested in this newly launched survey report made by Becky Green. She has just completed this research project as part of her Master of Design degree into sustainable design practice of Australian graphic designers.

Lab.3000 - Best of the Best Award

Lab.3000 is pleased to announce 07 Best of the Best Award for Victoria’s most outstanding final year tertiary design students in 2007. There were three categories; communication, fashion and product design. It was good to see that two of the three winners in product design were sustainable! Have a look at the entries and winners here.

Dance till you light up the floor

Nina, a good friend of mine, send me this article:
A sustainable dance club that uses dancing to run lights and sweat to flush toilets is on the cards for the Netherlands next year. Prototypes of an energy-generating dance floor have been tested at various events, including Live Earth, earlier this year. As well as using technologies such as recycled grey water, renewable materials, wind turbines and solar panels, the Sustainable Dance Club aims to rethink clubbing to minimise its environmental impact.

I had a similar discussion a few months ago with my friend Pat from NZ, she was wondering why all energy used at gyms wasn't captured to cover for the electricity of the airco, light, TV....

System Reload

o2 Global is in the proces of creating System Reload.

System Reload is to be launched at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, 16-21 April 2008, to celebrate 20 Years of Action by the o2 Network, which began as a conversation in a coffee shop in Milan in 1988! System Reload was formed after several o2 Liaisons thought it was time to unite our collective expertise, experience and affiliated networks to maximize authentic opportunities for positive change.

System Reload is open to all eco creatives and organizations. It is a not for profit, multi-disciplinary initiative, to be hosted by o2 and Tuttobene in a Recycled Rail-yard space in the heart of Milan! System Reload will be a meeting point for the Eco Design Community and a melting pot of Eco Innovation and Collaboration!

Click on the pictures to be able to read the pages.

o2 in Australia

o2 Perth started only a few months ago but I like to share with you that I dream of a big network with having Green Drinks in Bunbury, Albany, Geralton and as far as Broome.
O2 is open to all eco-creatives in, fashion, interior design, graphic design, product design, furniture design, engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and planning, education, consulting and all the areas in-between. And of course the Green Drinks are open to everyone with a green mind set!
So if there is anyone out there willing to join me in this process to become an o2 liaison, please start doing it now, this is the time to do so!!! o2 is a global organisation and we in WA are part of it!

Clean Life

Most of us want to reduce our chemical intake; few of us feel we have the time or knowledge to do it. Cleanlife does all the hard work, providing simple, yet effective strategies to enable the conscientious consumer and their families to lead a CleanLife. Doing so by for example send out weekly email tips to make eco-living fashionable, fun and effective and are easy to integrate into busy modern lifestyles.

Foam

As I mentioned a few weeks ago on this blog I am looking for a sustainable cushion filling which is Eco friendly and doesn't mould or get insects crawling in it. And the answer I found on GECA in the certified product register! Joyce Foam Products manufactures the largest range of polyurethane foam products in Australia and GECA found them to be part of the list: "Good Environmental Choice Australia recommends these products to green purchasing officers, specifiers, and every day Australians seeking to purchase products and services on the basis of functional and overall environmental and human health performance".
For more information and specifications click here. They also have an interesting foam for outdoor use which doesn't get mouldy so it's not thrown away after one season used along the pool area, although it's not a green foam yet.

Art

I've a sustainable friend... Patricia van Lubeck... She is an artist in New Zealand, born in The Netherlands, like me, and also migrated Down Under a few years ago. We've never met each other in real life, only via the world wide web. But we can see a little bit of her real life here in Perth this month. Five of her paintings and her first sculpture are exhibited at Gallery O in Perth from tomorrow. She is the most sustainable friend I have; they even gather old cooking oil at the local fish and chips shop which they mix with the diesel in their car.... Anyway, when you are in the city, just have a look at her artwork in the gallery!

Curtin Design Graduate Show

Good Environmental Choice Australia

GECA, Good Environmental Choice Australia, is committed to credible product information for sustainable development. They have a certified product register and a green procurement database.

Organic cotton

I must admit that I didn't really understand the term "organic cotton" when I saw it on a batch of jeans at Target a while ago. This little video above explains a lot! And that I am not the only one is made clear in this video:

Here you can see the reality about growing cotton...

love your earth

designboom ® has listed the winners of the graphic design contest Love your earth - create a graphic artwork to raise awareness -

1ST PRIZE - 'sprout: symbols to cultivate change' design by : Savio Alphonso from usa
(the sun - plug) Have a look on their website to see the rest of this great collection of artwork!

The big Squeeze

The Australian Bureau of Statistics projects that the current population of Perth, (1,497,480) will double by 2050. This not only means that 651,078 new homes will need to be built but also the entire infrastructure of the city will have to double.
Boomtown 2050
Prof Richard Weller (UWA), Prof David Hedgcock (Curtin), Donna Broun, Karl Kullmann, Julia Robinson, Phivo Georgiou from Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts of UWA, have created a very interesting study.

"In total...walking in the parade we had 6000 people....but lost many due to the heat. I think alot of people came just for the walk...rather than to swealter and listen to speeches.... that all those people who braved the burning sun...came because they believe in making a difference...and because they care about climate change" Sian Churcher - Walk Against Warming State Coordinator

WALK!

Looking for an evironment job in Perth?

Main Roads WA is currently advertising for:
Level 7 - Senior Environment Officer
Level 6 - Environment Officer

And will soon be seeking a Level 5 Environment Officer.
Applications close 19 November.

Outcomes from SmartandGreen campaign

Hi all

This is the final bulletin from SmartandGreen – as far as we know! – to let you know the outcomes of the campaign you participated in or talked to us about. Despite our efforts, the price for renewable electricity (NaturalPower), went up on 1 October and now Synergy is promoting 'Joining the Green Generation' through EasyGreen block purchase renewable electricity options ($10 extra per bill). However this campaign led to:
- 36 letters sent to 13 WA MPs from across the State (most of them Labor);
- 48 letters sent to the managing director of Synergy (sufficient for them to request a meeting with us);
- 5 stories published in Community Group newspapers across the metro area (see links below); and
- A meeting with Energy Minister Fran Logan's representatives at which we expressed your concerns.

As two people who had never done something like this before, we were impressed that many people took the time to contact the institutions which make decisions on energy in WA – and in many cases, follow up standard replies from Synergy with informed, critical responses. We think that Synergy and the State Government are now on notice! We encourage you to continue your activism, for example by going to the following links below, joining this Sunday 11 November's national, massive Walk Against Warming from 1pm in Esplanade Park in Fremantle and continuing dialogue whenever you see government or industry failing the needs of the planet.
You may even wish to run your own campaign on an issue close to your heart! We have written a report on the SmartandGreen campaign, including tips for anyone wishing to do something similar and would be pleased to email it on request.
Lastly – and possibly most importantly – if you haven't signed up for renewable electricity already and can't afford your own photovoltaics, please consider buying green power through NaturalPower or EasyGreen. Even though this price rise stinks, we believe that by putting our money where our mouth is and buying green power, we are sending one of the most signal most important signals we can to Government to get serious on cutting emissions.

Regards,
Eloise Dortch and Jasmine Horobin

Community newspaper story links: One - Two - Three - Four - Article on NaturalPower v. EasyGreen

Second Perth Green Drinks

Although the weather wasn't too bad it was quickly getting chilly after six pm in Kings Park and there was of course the Melbourne Cup... But about fifty people came to have a chat with other sustainable people and to listen to the four speakers; Ray, Tarrin, Scott and Julie, which was great! Thanks guys!
It is still a learning curve; November is too cold for the park so we have to move that to the pub next year! I asked for volunteers for next Green Drinks to have a talk and found only one. I need a few more, so if there are people who want to introduce themselves or share their values, please come forward. I hope to see more people next time, because I had the idea a lot of people stayed in the warm pub after the races instead of jumping on their bikes off to Kings Park!