Schools and TAFEs to think green in 2010

NSW students and teachers will be encouraged to think green this year to raise awareness about protecting the environment.

Education Minister Verity Firth said environmental sustainability would be a focus for NSW public school and TAFE students.

"Schools and TAFE institutes will share sustainable education and management practices and explore ways for students and staff to contribute positively to the environment," Ms Firth said in a statement.

"This will include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting sustainable water and energy use for the future."

The state government will spend $5 million over the next four years on environmental projects in NSW schools and TAFES.
Check article

Perth Green Drinks - 9 February

Hello,

You are invited for the Perth Green Drinks on 9 February 2010

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!
Green Drinks is GLOBAL: active in more than 600 cities worldwide!

When: Tuesday 9 February 6.00 – 8.00 pm

Where: TAFE East Perth Campus at 140 Royal Street, come by train, just 2 minutes walking from Claissebrook station. A limited amount of free car parking is also available at the rear entrance to the campus off the Fielder Street. (more info including map on attachment)

How: TAFE is providing a free drink + nibbles on the table.

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

RSVP: Before Monday 8 February 5pm suzi.mercier @ central.wa.edu.au

SPEAKER: Shane Parker on behalf of Linda Parker, Managing Director ofHave you experienced difficulties networking with the right green contacts, or simply struggle to find the right information at times?
Greenseekers will raise the discussion about making the right green connections, and the difficulties that may be encountered. Included will be;
• Training - for newcomers, professional development and best practice teachings
• Job Search – connecting green jobseekers with green employers
• Projects and Contracts– The development of strong teams of service providers working towards a common goal
• Information – Finding ideal business partners and everyday contacts
• Raising your profile – Join Irvin’s growing Greenseekers Army 1500+ and counting.....
Many forums and networks are driven by niche industries, Greenseekers is for everyone. Greenseekers has been developed to offer a simple networking framework to enable people of all skill ranges operating within all levels of greenness to connect communicate and grow. Come along to see how Greenseekers will address the issues discussed.

Hope to see you there!

Wilma van Boxtel
02 liaison Western Australia
o2 global network for sustainable design

Meet international Green Drinkers and become a member of the Perth Green Drinks group at NING

Celebrating Australia Day Responsibly

No Bottles – No Injuries
Don’t forget City of Perth Australia Day Skyworks is a glass free event – no bottles.

To be an ‘Aussie’ is to take pride in everything that is Australian and that includes the environment. This year we’d like you to send the message out loud and clear on Australia Day, “make this a clean event”.

We’re making it easy for you to do the right thing.

Rubbish Bags
There will be volunteers greeting you as you arrive, roaming the foreshore and handing out rubbish bags throughout the afternoon. Just remember…

RED for RUBBISH
YELLOW for RECYCLE

Get your bag from the volunteers and use it to for your litter and recyclables throughout the day and then bin it.

Bag the bag: a new green monster is on the rise

The biggest backer of reusable bags accuses supermarkets of profiteering from their sales.

THEY were meant to save us from the plague of plastic bags. But reusable ''green'' bags are being oversold and creating a new proliferation problem, according to Ian Kiernan, who helped devise the environmental anti-plastic campaign.

Coles and Woolworths are profiteering from the popularity of so-called eco-friendly bags, the Clean Up Australia Day founder said. He accused the supermarket chains, which together have sold almost 20 million reusable bags, of ''trading off the green potential" of the now ubiquitous products rather than encouraging shoppers to cut consumption.

Green bags, which sell in supermarkets for up to $2.99, are typically made from non-woven polypropylene, a non-biodegradable byproduct of oil refining.
Read article

Population...

Prominent Australian businessman urges limit to population growth
A prominent Australian businessman has argued Australia must limit its population growth because the environment can't cope.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he supports a "big Australia", with forecasts the population will reach 36 million people by 2050.

But businessman Dick Smith says there's not enough food and water to go around.

He says Australia should cut its skilled migration intake and encourage people to have fewer children.

"Our politicians are completely letting the Australian public down."

"Nine out of ten Aussies don't want 40 million people here but there's no discussion, there's no debate," he said.

The population debate: can Australia handle it?
Right now, we are in the middle of the biggest population boom Australia has ever seen.

The numbers are staggering. Australia will house 35 million people by 2050. Our population is racing ahead at a faster rate than the US, Britain, and even many developing countries.

Currently, about 443,000 people are added to our population every year. The figure used to be just 220,000.

Never before in Australia have we added this many people.

Debate on population targets immigrants
Australia should consider whether immigration can continue at existing levels as part of a comprehensive population analysis aimed at determining how many people the country can support, the Federal Opposition says.

Update 11 Feb: Too many people packed into dirty, crowded cities
Population is the elephant in the room that we have ignored for too long. None of the issues we face - climate change, housing, energy, healthcare, our environment - gets easier if population grows out of control. I have never felt more strongly about an issue and I want future generations to enjoy this way of life.

Volunteer staff positions are now open on the TEDxPerth team!

We are looking for three TEDxPerth Co-Directors aged 18-30 to work in a dynamic, small team to create engaging, inspiring, monthly TEDx events.

Work in a team of dedicated, skilled and creative volunteer staff to create, organise and deliver Perth's premier idea-sharing event for youth and youthful thinkers interested in effecting positive change.

Be part of a global network of TEDx hosts who are spreading inspiring ideas, ground-breaking solutions to global issues and dialogue on the critical problems of our times.
Click here to apply now

TEDxPerth

TEDxPerth is back for round 2 in 2010, with a classic TEDx event at Scitech on Monday February 15th, please come along, it's free!

PeopleTowels' Earth Day Design Contest

PeopleTowel is the newest category in sustainable products; reusable pocket-sized personal hand towels made of 100% organic, Fair Trade cotton meant to be used in place of paper towels in public restrooms. Similar to cloth grocery bags and reusable water bottles, the concept is B.Y.O.T---bring your own towel to reduce the waste and pollution associated with single use paper towels.

PeopleTowels is announcing the first Earth Day Design Contest. Submit your design for a special edition Earth Day PeopleTowel. If your design receives the most online votes by the PeopleTowels' community, we'll create a special edition PeopleTowel printed with your design on our 100% organic cotton towel. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a cash prize and a stipend from the online sales of the winning PeopleTowel.

* Grand Prize - $1000
* 2nd Prize - $500
* 3rd Prize - $250
Submit your designs online at www.peopletowels.com from February 4 - 26, 2010. Ten finalists will be chosen from all submissions. Online voting for the 10
finalists is March 1 – 14, 2010. The Grand Prize Winning PeopleTowel will be available for sale for Earth Day, April 22, 2010.

Lyta, a good example of sustainable design

Here comes the first upholstered armchair which is manufactured in a revultionary new way and offers you endless benefits:

- Ergonomically shaped
- Extremly lightweight, easy to move around
- Change the cover within 5 minutes to give it a new look (whole range available)
- Covers and foam can be washed
- 100% RECYCLABLE
- LYTA structure is allergy friendly, emission/toxic free, no glues, metals ecc.
- No maintenance is needed. All components can be replaced individually which means that you never have to replace an entire chair again.
- Design : Ronen Kadushin
- Manufactured in Germany

More information here

Perth CBD now good enough to eat

Perth residents have welcomed a new, sustainably-designed addition to their inner CBD, with the opening of the unique 'Greenhouse' bar.

Not only is the garden and bar made entirely from recycled and recyclable materials, with floors made of recycled car tyres, furniture crafted from packing crates and retired road signs and old wire twisted into new lampshades, Greenhouse is good enough to eat - literally.

The exterior walls host 4,000 pots planted with cascading strawberries, and the rooftop garden grows many many of the herbs, fruit and vegetables that the European-style bar uses in its menu. Food scraps are fed back into the garden's worm farm, and there are even plans to start a beehive, which will produce the honey used in the Greenhouse's dishes.

Designed by Melbourne floral artist and 'waste wizard' Joost Bakker, the bar was originally conceived of as a pop-up installation in Melbourne's Federation Square. After a warm reception there, it has moved to Perth on a permanent basis.
Read article

I've been there last week for a drink and must say I enjoyed the atmosphere and the hot chocolate was delicious! Go there and be surprised with all the sustaianble details!
I am in contact with Joost about giving a talk at one of the Perth Green Drinks this year, hope it will work!

Recycled water, hot rocks combine in unique WA development

It might be one of the final parts of one of Perth's most prominent urban renewal projects, but a Subiaco development is set to introduce a couple of firsts of its own.

The Australian Fine China development, one of the last pieces in the Subi Centro jigsaw is set to showcase recycled water and geothermal energy in a way not before seen in WA, and which its proponents say will reduce energy use by half.

The proposed $380 million mixed-use development, which received the final tick from planning minister John Day recently, will see the 4.4 hectare Hay St site eventually transformed, with about 300 residential dwellings and a hoped-for 2300 office and retail workers.

However, the Subiaco Redevelopment Authority development is probably of most interest for its approach to the environment. Neither recycled water nor geothermal energy have been incorporated into mixed-use developments before.

A central rainwater storage system will supply at least 59 per cent of the development's potable hot water needs - with more expected - and a still-to-be-approved shallow geothermal system will be used for heating and cooling.
Read article

Copenhagen - after the dust has settled

Two events are being held at which speakers who attended the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen will be speaking about their reflections and perspectives on what occurred.

1 February: “Copenhagen — once the dust has settled...” — Peter Tickler

Greensense co-founder Peter Tickler will share his thoughts on the output of the convention, how it will influence your business in 2010. It is also a chance to network with like minded professionals.

When? Monday 1 February, 11am – 12:30pm (seminar and networking)
Where? Melbourne Hotel, 942 Hay St, Perth
Cost? FREE
Please RSVP to kylie@greensense.com.au


2 February: “Behind the Scenes at Copenhagen” — Cheryl Edwardes

Former Attorney-General Cheryl Edwardes will provide a summary of her experiences in an informative and entertaining presentation, hosted by the Institute of Public Administration Australia (WA). This is for those interested or involved in climate change, world politics, Australia's level of influence in international debates and policy development.

When? Tuesday 2 February, 2:30 – 4:30pm (seminar and networking)
Where? Department of Mines & Petroleum
Cost? $25 (IPAA members) - $45 (non-members)

More info here

Life After Copenhagen: Climate Action

Building a Climate Justice Action movement…

Join (FoE) Friends of the Earth and the FaA (Fremantle Axis of Awesome) and speakers who attended Copenhagen to give first hand analysis of the negotiations and to discuss how we can build a vibrant Climate Justice Action movement in WA.

While Copenhagen failed to achieve binding targets on urgently needed emissions reductions, what did emerge was a greater unity of purpose outside on the streets, and in the hearts and minds of civil society. More and more people can see that politics-and-business-as-usual solutions are now dead and that only heroic, united and decisive action from grassroots power bases will achieve a safe energy future for the planet.

When? Wednesday 20 January, 6 – 9pm
Where? La Tropicana, 177 High Street, Fremantle
Cost? By donation at the door (to help cover costs)

Speakers include:
 Piers Verstegen, Director, Conservation Council WA
 Tim Hemsley, Avaaz.org
 Alex & Ray, Perth Indymedia (with footage from inside and outside COP 15)
 Special Guest via skype from Copenhagen; Natasha Verco, Climate Justice Action organiser. Natasha was detained for over three weeks by Danish authorities, charged with ‘incitement’ for her role in organising the ‘Reclaim Power’ protest during the UN Nations climate negotiations in Copenhagen.

Oasis in the desert

Najwa Sanctuary is a 5 star eco resort in the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan. Habitat Design, Gabrielle and Christoph Tylor were involved in the planning of the sustainability aspects of the project. This included water harvesting, water management and waste water recycling energy systems as well as air condition and internal transport systems.

The objective was to design a functional resort with minimal input from outside. The project brief stated as major goal a high degree of self sustainability. Habitat Design’s sustainability expert Christoph Tylor designd together with Global Sustainability several systems to achieve this goal.

For example roman cooling trenches should provide cool air for the guest cabins. Power generation during the night should be achieved with compressed air driven generators, which exhaust gas was pure but minus18 degree cold air. The exhaust was connected to the cool room of the restaurants and the roman cooling trenches. Air was compressed in a trombe with falling water.
More info here

Ytrends - Design forecasting

The Ytrends blog has a lot of information on trends in design specialised on shoes but also worthwhile for all kind of other products.

Don't forget to check out these free GDS (international shoe fair in Dusseldorf Germany) trend lectures.

Or just watch Nicoline van Enter, the owner of Ytrends, presentations and talks and you might also be interested in these video's about materials like this one:

The Modern Wing and Green Design

Learn about the many green features of the Art Institute's recently completed Modern Wing in Chicago, designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano.

If you are working in exhibiton design and architecture this will interest you very much!

Cutting down trees...

I've mentioned it before, so many people cutting down trees and don't forget about the councils giving the bad example.
Is there anybody thinking about the environment when making decisions or is it only money what counts here?

Update: Gosnells tree felling applauded

It's really scary how people think about trees in the landscape. How can they think like this, who is feeding these thoughts that trees are dangerous? It's the councils who need to take good care of the street scape with trees and prune them on time before branches will become hazards, is it that difficult?
Update: ‘Tree man’ loses hope

Book review

My Life in the Sea of Cars
by James Murray

James Murray recounts nine days walking in the remote and beautiful landscapes of the Northern Territory, yet his Letter from Arnhem Land is much more than a book about bushwalking. A delicate hymn to the wilderness of Northern Australia, My Life in the Sea of Cars is a heartbreaking journey of personal exploration and self discovery, and a passionate argument for a new way of living. The ways in which rampant consumerism, and an obsession with the motor car have become so entrenched in people’s lives is explored through relationships, memory, culture, identity and the meditative act of bushwalking. When Murray candidly reveals his own family secrets and likely ancestry his book takes on yet another dimension. Totally original, and heartbreakingly honest, Murray asks us the difficult, awkward questions that will not go away. Where has our culture gone so wrong?

I've read this book during my hike over Christmas, we did the Cape to Cape track down south. I liked the book as I recognized his ranting about people in cars reacting on cyclers as I use the bicycle as well to go from A to B and that seems odd to most drivers here... The Australian mentality to people outside of cars is weird, they don't understand why, I often am approached as being too poor to drive a car when cycling or do my shoppings on foot. Why? I just see it as an easy way to go around and have my excersize on the side!