Sustainable September

Sustainable September is an annual campaign in Western Australia that highlights the many different threads that are necessary to weave a sustainable future. Sustainable September demonstrates and celebrates sustainability in action.

For 2008 the theme, 'The Climate is Right for Sustainability', makes that all-important link between the sustainable practices we employ and the positive consequences on climate change and our quality of life.

Check out the Calendar of Events for 2008 to experience social, environmental and economic sustainability in action. Many are free to attend.

Keep the 25th free in your diary for the Sustainable September Celebration
Sustainable Soiree
Details to come.
Sponsored by SomerVille EcoVillage
VENUE: Little Creatures Loft, Harbourside, Fremantle

Sustainable Fremantle Forum

Invitation to attend the Sustainable Fremantle Forum Thursday 4 September 2008 @ 7pm @ Kulcha, 1st floor, 13 South Terrace, Fremantle.

Speakers: Peter Newman, Ian Alexander, Peter Nolan, Lynn MacLaren
MC: Brad Pettitt


Click on picture to enlarge and read it.

You are invited to the launch of the Growing Communities WA project – an exciting new 2-year project to support the establishment and development of community gardens in WA.

Josh Byrne (ABC’s Gardening Australia) will be joining us to officially launch the project.

Click on the flyer to make it bigger so you can read the details and feel free to forward on to others you think might be interested in attending.

Please RSVP to Learning Centre Link or 9228 9000.

Warm regards
Anne
Project Coordinator Growing Communities WA

Haute Nature

I just came along this blog and I love it!
Haute Nature is "Ecologically based creative ideas, art & green products for your children, home and lifestyle........an eco guide blending high style with sustainability".

Ivory poaching

Poachers in Congo have killed a fifth of the elephants in Africa's oldest national park this year as China buys more ivory, the park's director said. The 790,000-hectare reserve was home to one of central Africa's largest Savannah elephant herds in the 1970s numbering around 5,000.

But a brutal 1998-2003 war, heavy poaching, corruption and mismanagement of the park have taken a heavy toll. Today conservationists believe no more than 300 elephants remain.

China, among the world's main destinations for illegal ivory, was granted permission last month to buy 108 tonnes of ivory stocks from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Mr De Merode singled out China's growing appetite for ivory as one of the root causes of this year's increase in elephant killings, as poachers attempt to launder their illegal ivory for legitimate sale.

Read article

This makes me really mad, as WHY do people kill these beautiful animals for just a little piece of them, transport this to China where a thriving industry turns it into tourist trinkets for export to Japan, the Middle East, Europe and the United States?????????

"Zephyr" flight record

An ultra-lightweight plane built from carbon fibre and powered using paper-thin solar panels has broken the world record for the longest-lasting unmanned flight, its manufacturer claimed today.

QinetiQ Group PLC said its propeller-driven Zephyr aircraft flew for 83 hours and 37 minutes, more than doubling the official world record set by Northrop Grumman’s “Global Hawk” in 2001.

Read article

YES Australia

Noosa, Australia 2009
ETHsustainability, the Center for Sustainability at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the International Water Centre, Australia are pleased to host the first YES Australia course in 2009.

Dates and Location
Arrival Date: Friday 30th January 2009
Departure Date: Monday 16th February 2009

The course will be hosted at the Noosa North Shore Retreat. This venue gives participants the unique opportunity to be immersed in the natural beauty of the Australian coastal environment. The YES Australia course welcomes applications from upper level undergraduate and graduate students that demonstrate a high dedication to sustainability issues and the potential to become a change agent in academia, business, governmental and non-governmental organisations.

A total of 40 places are available for the course, with 25 places for students from Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, and 15 places for international students. The full program will be conducted in English and applicants must demonstrate a strong proficiency in the language. The course is open to applicants between the ages of 20 and 32 years.

For general information about the YES courses please check the following brochure.

Melbourne rated Australia's most liveable city

MELBOURNE has been rated Australia's most liveable capital, but research ranks the city centre among the nation's least liveable places.

Melbourne clinched the "most liveable" title with four municipalities in the nation's top 10, compared with three for Sydney, two for Perth and one for Adelaide.

The nation's most liveable place was Sydney's Ku-ring-gai, while the least liveable was Halls Creek, in Western Australia's Kimberley.

Read article

Update: 25/8/08
MELBOURNE'S liveability is under threat because of excessive population growth, according to a contentious policy proposal due to be debated by the Liberal Party state council in Geelong this weekend.
Read article

Sea threat to coastal homes

The speed at which the climate is changing has been significantly underestimated, with thousands of Australian homes potentially at risk from rising sea levels, a conference has heard.
More than 80 per cent of Australians live in the coastal zone, with about 700,000 homes within 3km of the coast and less than 6m above sea level.

According keynote speaker Jo Mummery. Speaking on the first day of the Coast to Coast 2008 Conference in Darwin, Dr Mummery said there were major information gaps in Australia.

That worries me a bit, we live only two kilometer from the sea and although it's a bit hilly here, I would like to know if we are in the risk area or not...

Comedian

George Carlin - Saving the planet

Perth Green Drinks - 2 September

You are invited for the Perth Green Drinks on 2 September 2008

Green Drinks is for anyone involved in the environment and related fields. Green groups / NGOs, Freelancers and consultants, Companies, Students, Academics, Government departments, Local Authorities, Younger as well as older people so please forward this invitation to anyone you think might be interested in meeting other people related to sustainability.

Green Drinks is a self-organizing network of professionals, students and enthusiasts working in sustainability who meet up in cities around the world for drinks once a month, or every second month in Perth. Everyone is invited to come and have fun, make contacts, get ideas, share information, find inspiration, and of course, to drink! And, no, the cocktails aren't green, though if someone wants to come up with a recipe...

Green Drinks is GLOBAL: active in 402 cities worldwide! UK - USA - Canada - Australia -Germany - Sweden - The Netherlands - Argentina - Belgium - Brazil - Chile - China - Czech Republic - Denmark - Finland - France - Hong Kong - India - Ireland - Italy - Japan - Malta - Mexico - New Zealand - Poland - Puerto Rico - Singapore - South Africa - Switzerland

When: Tuesday 2 September from 6.00 pm

Where: At the Claremont Pub, they are happy to fence of the lounge area for us and they will even put the fire on when it's cold.

How: Drinks are on your own expense and when getting hungry next doors Bellisimo is serving pizza's in the pub. The first hour they have drink specials.

Bus and train station are in front of the pub and there is plenty of free parking in the area.

What: Network, interact, talk, laugh, debate, drink, have fun!

Extra: Presentation and discussion with Jim Lyon

Topic: "Global Warming: Truth or Fiction?"

Al Gore has personally trained 250 Australians across the country from all walks of life to deliver a current Australian version of the climate change presentation known to many as the basis of his movie An Inconvenient Truth. For more information you can check the website.
Jim is a management consultant who lives in Claremont. He is also director of an aged care organisation in the areas of governance and some major capital projects. Jim has a Masters degree in Meteorology and will use his scientific background to conduct more research in the field of climate change.

Hope to see you there!

Wilma van Boxtel
o2 Liaison Western Australia

Ecosystems spit the dummy over baby boom

THERE are around 6.7 billion people currently on Earth, increasing to around 9 billion by 2050. It takes between one and seven hectares of land to sustain each person, depending on whether they are rich like Australians (6.6ha each) or poor like Somalis (less than 1ha).

Any effective strategy to reduce greenhouse emissions, ease pressure on fisheries or stop destruction of forests and other natural ecosystems must incorporate ways to arrest population growth.

It's remarkable, then, that for the past four years the federal government has spent around $4 billion trying to increase population growth.
...
"One for your husband, one for your wife and one for the country."
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The baby bonus was claimed to increase population growth, even though there is already a chronic oversupply of people in the world.
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Back in 2001, Australian women were bearing around 1.71 children -- the lowest fertility rate ever recorded. Since the introduction of the baby bonus, fertility rates have increased above 1.9.
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Most of the 2.5 billion extra people on Earth by 2050 will be born into poverty. The world's poorest nations have fertility rates of around seven children per woman.
...
Read article

Plasma televisions face green restrictions

PLASMA televisions are under threat, with federal laws poised to ban electricity-guzzling models from sale in Australia next year.

The Federal Government's 10-star energy rating system is due to be introduced in April, and big-screen TVs that do not attract at least one star by October will be removed from sale.

TV makers are also putting pressure on the Government in the environmental race; asking it to address the mounting problem of old tube televisions that are being replaced by new technology and contributing hazardous materials to landfill.

Read article

We had verge collection a few weeks back and I saw so many televions along the way, most far more modern than the one we are watching... suppose a lot of people are switching to the LCD or plasma screens at the moment...

Airlines cut packaging and paperwork to lose weight and reduce fuel costs

I already knew about the extra seat for obese people but now they are even cutting back on sachets and shaving millimetres off cutlery. It's a good thing they replace the catering trolleys with lightweight versions and Emirates is looking to replace all in-flight printed material with on-screen electronic information.

BA spends more than pound stg. 8 million ($17 million) a day on fuel and this year its fuel bill will be well over pound stg. 3 billion. On a typical long-haul flight, catering equipment and food weighs six tonnes. A spokesman for BA said fuel costs were a massive consideration when looking at ways to make its aircraft lighter.

Read article

Scientist says eating kangaroo will reduce greenhouse gases

AUSTRALIANS could dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions by giving up prime steak and eating kangaroo, a leading scientist has claimed.

The methane gas emitted by belching and flatulent sheep and cows is far more harmful to the environment than the carbon dioxide produced by cars.

Kangaroos have a different digestive system from that of most livestock and produce almost no methane.

Methane emissions from sheep and cattle account for 11 per cent of Australia's carbon footprint.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand

I just came across this website and wanted to share it with you:

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is an independent statutory agency established by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991.

Our ultimate goal is: A safe food supply and well-informed consumers. FSANZ develops food standards, and joint codes of practice with industry, covering the content and labelling of food sold in Australia and New Zealand. In addition, we develop Australia-only food standards that address food safety issues – including requirements for primary production - and maximum residue limits for agricultural and veterinary drug residues.

Using our skills, knowledge, and scientific capabilities , we develop food standards for composition, labelling and contaminants, including microbiological limits, that apply to all foods produced or imported for sale in Australia and New Zealand.

Sharkwater Special Preview Screening 7:00pm Tuesday 12th August at Luna Leederville

Special preview screening of Sharkwater (Documentary film written and directed by marine activist, Rod Stewart) with a Q&A after the film with special guest speakers.

6:45pm for 7:00pm Tuesday 12th August at Luna Leederville.
Wilderness Society is hosting it again on Sunday 16 August 4.00pm
All tickets $15 from Luna Leederville and online. Part proceeds go to Seashepherd.

Movie flyer states "There are few films that can completely change your view on something, and this would count among them. It highlights sharks in a completely different light and will give you a new appreciation and admiration for them. Rob Stewart's informative and incredibly entertaining documentary looks at not only our culture's reaction to the massive critters, but he also wisely pays tribute to them by filming beautiful underwater footage of sharks in movement. Add to that, the film gently bends over into the political territory of international shark poaching - and those ignorant fools who consume shark fins."

Green Advantage‏

Just got an email from Marina, Coordinator Marketing & Events at the Small Business Development Corporation inviting small businesses:

"We have another exciting project on the way - together with ECU we're holding a free seminar aimed at small businesses, providing practical information on sustainable practices they can apply to their business to make them more environmentally friendly, and thus more profitable and competitive".

Click on the picture to read it.

Seniors, students to ride bus for free

SENIORS and students will travel free on buses under Labor's $13.4million public transport promise.

Transport Minister Delia Lawrie said she hoped to boost the number of people using public buses.

"We're trying to get people onto the public transport system ... a clean, efficient public transport system,'' she said.

"We're responding to a move in modern times. We want a strong robust public transport system to get people off the roads and out of their cars."

Ms Lawrie promised to give seniors and students free trips on public bus routes from early next year.
Read article

Is this only for the Northern Territories or also for the rest of Australia?

Common myths about climate change

The world has been cooling since 1998.

The world is getting warmer but we don't know the real cause.

Climate change is caused by solar activity.

There is no consensus among scientists.

Why believe long-term predictions when meteorologists cannot even say if it will rain next week?

Human emissions are smaller than natural emissions, so cannot be blamed for climate change.

Scientists are worried about losing funding, so they toe the government line.

Climate sceptics are being silenced.

Compiled by Ben Cubby, the Herald's environment reporter
To read about these myths, click here.

Dying to do the right thing? Well here's the way to go

WHEN it comes to dying, the idea of becoming compost for trees, rather than rotting in deep graves or being cremated, is gaining popularity, funeral industry experts say.

They say more people, especially baby boomers, are exploring ways to minimise their carbon footprint when they die. They predict that shallower graves without coffins, so bodies will decompose more quickly, are the way of the future.

Burial areas would be reused and traditional cemeteries and headstones would become things of the past.
Read article

Bottle-top battle is a corker of twisted emotions

Teaser newspaper ads, billboards and T-shirts asking people to "save Miguel" are in fact a plea by the beleaguered Portuguese cork industry to persuade environmentally conscious consumers to choose cork over plastic stoppers or metal screw caps.

Next week the world's largest cork manufacturer, Amorim, will write to winemakers and retailers telling them why cork is the greener option.

The forests of Portugal, which produce most of the world's cork, offset nearly 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Producing a tonne of aluminium screw caps generates four times more greenhouse gases than a similar quantity of cork, according to industry analysis.

The ads will argue that if Australian consumers continue to choose caps over corks then the forests, along with 60,000 jobs and the rare flora and fauna that depend on them, will disappear. Seven out of every 10 bottles sold in Australia use screw caps, more than any other country.
Read article
Come on guys, lets help the cork industry in Portugal and design some new products made from cork granulates to save this industry from distinction... And for the architects; use more cork floors...

Two-wheeled fleet offers hospitality to restaurant staff

WHEN boutique beer label Little Creatures launched its Fitzroy restaurant last month, the managers realised that its inner-city location could pose problems.

While the company was happy to pay for the bikes, which retail for around $1000 and are available to customers for short trips, a new tax proposal from Bicycle Victoria would mean that employees could be given a huge incentive to ride to work.

Under the scheme, workers could claim up to $1500 of the cost of a bike and riding equipment as a tax-free income, provided they log at least 25 kilometres a week commuting.
Read article

This remind me of buying a bicycle in The Netherlands in the nineties. You could buy a bicycle or a computer at work which was deducted from your wages before tax so you had huge tax benefits, that's maybe why there are so many bicycles there ;) The average Dutch person has 2 bicycles! And we are still pretty Dutch although living in Australia now for almost 5 years, as we still have 5 bicycles for the two of us...
Typical Dutch bike called a "oma fiets" (grandmothers bike) You don't need lots of gears as everything is flat and nobody is wearing these tight fluorescent clothes either as you just go to school or work thus wearing your normal clothes...

Scientist wants houses made of chicken feathers

A Filipino scientist says he has created a new composite building board made of chicken feathers that could be a major breakthrough for the construction industry in Asia.

The new material would be resistant to the region's armies of termites, and could also solve a major environment problem in the Philippines by providing a way to dispose of millions of kilos of waste feathers each year.
Read article

What should I wear?

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However, even organic cotton isn't perfect. It can be a thirsty crop, and as designers and manufacturers seek sustainability (or merely the eco-dollar, depending on your level of cynicism) other fabrics are being hailed as sustainable saviours.

They include vegetarian silk (made by allowing silkworms to live their full life cycles, rather than boiling them alive), bamboo, hemp, cork, wood pulp, corn, stinging nettles and soy fabric, made from the recycled leftovers of tofu manufacturing. Apparently it feels like cashmere.

Good old-fashioned wool, of course, is a wonderful renewable resource when it's organic - made without all the chemical drips, drenches, cleaners and irresponsible land use that can feature in conventional production.

Ideally, we would avoid new clothes where possible, instead stocking our wardrobes with pre-loved items from op shops and retro stores.

Read article
And that's what I do! I hate shopping, always have, so once in a while I visit Good Sammy's and come home with beautiful 5 dollar jeans and 1 dollar shirts, often never worn! Ideal, It looks good, feels comfy, is sustainable and it's cheap ;)

Seeing red over White Pages

IN the online age the bulky White Pages telephone books have been given a green red card.

Lucy White and Philippa Hodson separately nominated the books for a "Can Do Better" citation in the News.com.au 2008 Green Awards after becoming frustrated at having to toss them straight into the recycling bin.
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Finally!
Every year I exchange my set of white pages and my set of yellow pages with a new set and I have to remove the plastic to chuck them in the recycle bin, unused... I never look up anything in these boring books, everything is online! The only time they were used was when my partner used them for training his achilles...