Archive for September, 2007
Ms Mary Crooks, Victorian Women’s Trust, Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum
Posted in Events, Models, Research, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on September 25th, 2007
Ms Mary Crooks, Executive Director, Victorian Women’s Trust and Project Manager of the Water Mark Australia project, spoke about her work at the latest Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum.
The Watermark project is an exceptional example of a nationwide, community engagement project based around issues of water sustainability. The project began in 2005 and brings together small groups of people to monthly discuss water, sharing their thoughts, anecdotes and ‘folk-wisdom’, to bring it all back to the Watermark Australia team. As stated on the Watermark website:
“What emerges is a shared vision for the future, a program of guiding principles and decisive action on water; people working together like never before, with new information, confidence and agreement to adopt solutions for water on many levels - households, local communities, regions, states, and nationally.”
The resulting document of this project, ‘Water Charter’ was recently published in 2007 which Mary graciously distributed amongst audience members. For more information about the WaterMark Australia project visit http://www.watermarkaustralia.org.au/. Find footage of Mary’s presentation below and her accompanying powerpoint slides.
Mary Crook’s powerpoint presentation
Research - Professor Aliakbar Akbarzadeh, RMIT University, Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum
Posted in Events, Models, Research, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on September 25th, 2007
Professor Aliakbar Akbarzadeh, Energy Conservation And Renewable Energy group (CARE), School of Aerospace, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering from RMIT University spoke about “Solar-thermal desalination in salt effected areas” at the recent Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum. This delightful, innovative and even slightly provocative presentation (in terms of the issue of desalination) integrated the use of solar energy technology to provide potable water. Please find footage of his presentation and his powerpoint slides below.
Professor Aliakbar Akbarzadeh’s powerpoint slides
Model - recycled water use presentation by Dr. Grace Mitchell, Monash University, Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum
Posted in Events, Models, Research, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on September 25th, 2007
Dr. Grace Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Sustainable Water Resources at Monash University spoke about “reusing our urban water resources: from house to city scale” at the recent Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum. Her talk introduced yet another important aspect to urban sustainable water use - recycling water and the different degrees of water purity. This diversity of water standards are then applied according to the scale and context of use.
The Institute for Sustainable Water Resources where Dr Mitchell is based, is “a centre of excellence, for research, teaching and postgraduate training, in the sustainable management of water resources, with a focus on urban sustainability. We have a national and international standing, a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach. We will make a significant contribution to the sustainability of urban areas.” To find out more about the Institute’s work, visit http://iswr.eng.monash.edu.au.
Find footage of Dr Mitchell’s presentation below with her accompanying powerpoint slides.
Dr Mitchell’s powerpoint presentation
Model - City as Catchment presentation by Ms Sheridan Blunt, City of Melbourne, Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum
Posted in Events, Models, Policies, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on September 25th, 2007
Ms Sheridan Blunt, Sustainable Water Program Coordinator at the City of Melbourne discussed the notion of “the city as catchment” at the latest Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum. Find footage of her presentation below with the accompanying powerpoint slides.
Sheridan Blunt’s powerpoint presentation
Mr Ian Penrose, Yarra Riverkeepers Association, Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum
Posted in Events, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on September 25th, 2007
Mr Ian Penrose, Riverkeeper, Yarra Riverkeepers Association, spoke about the value of the local Yarra River and sustainability at the recent Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum. Water takes many forms - rainwater, waste, stormwater, recycled and of course, includes our waterways - as passionately conveyed by Mr Penrose. Find footage of his presentation below with the accompanying powerpoint slides.
Ian Penrose’s powerpoint slides
Mr Chris Chesterfield, Melbourne Water, at the Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum
Posted in Events, Models, Research by Ferne Edwards on September 25th, 2007
Chris Chesterfield, General Manager, Waterways Group, from Melbourne Water, spoke recently at the Sustainable Melbourne/ Future Melbourne forum. Please find below footage of his presentation.
Research - Dr Rebekah Brown, Monash University, at the Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum
Posted in Events, Models, Policies, Research, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on September 25th, 2007
The second presenter for the evening was Dr Rebekah Brown from Monash University, who spoke about “sustainable urban water futures“. One of Rebekah’s current projects is the National Urban Water Governance Program, which is a group of social research projects coordinated through the School of Geography and Environmental Science, Monash University, that aim to provide a credible knowledge base that will effectively inform and assist urban water managers to build institutional capacity, improve water governance and deliver more sustainable forms of water management. The research is concentrated through three case studies: Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. For more information about this project, visit http://arts.monash.edu.au/ges/research/nuwgp/index.php.
Please find below footage of Rebekah’s presentation and also her powerpoint slides that she was referring to during her presentation.
Rebekah Brown’s powerpoint slides
Event - Introducing the Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum
Posted in Events, Models, Movements, Policies, Research, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on September 25th, 2007
The Sustainable Cities Round Table/ Future Melbourne forum was held last Wednesday, 12 September, at the University of Melbourne. Focusing specifically on aspects of urban water sustainability - an issue that’s hitting hard all over Australia - the evening provided a broad spectrum of the various approaches, methods and values of urban water. To my delight we even had some artists’ (Carolyn Lewen & Neil Stanyer - see a post about their work on this site) water-themed installation project on display during the forum! Professor Chris Ryan hosted the evening and facilitated discussion in a “Jenny Brockie-style” format in the latter part of the evening.
As this was a collaborated event with the University of Melbourne and the City of Melbourne as part of the Future Melbourne forums, comments made during this session will be added to the Melbourne 2010 plan. Visit the Future Melbourne website for more information; www.futuremelbourne.com.au. The evening was professionally filmed by Ryan Spanger, Dream Engine films. Thanks to all our presenters! See their presentations from the evening on Sustainable Melbourne. See footage of Prof Chris Ryan below introducing the evening.
Resource - Sustainability News from Darebin Council now on-line
Posted in Events by Ferne Edwards on September 24th, 2007
The latest edition of Sustainability News is now available in pdf format or visit the Darebin website at http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/.
sustainabilitynewswinter2007.pdf
Topics within this issue include:
Darebin Council to Become Carbon Neutral!
Community Grants
Spring into Compost
Plastic Codes 1 to 6 Now Recyclable
Supporting Green Travel for Schools
Northcote Businesses Environmental Program
Upcoming Events and lots more!
Local Action - The Big Switch Off! - 6 & 7 October
Posted in Events by Ferne Edwards on September 21st, 2007
This post republishes material from The Big Switch Off newsletter, www.thebigswitchoff.org.
The Big Switch Off!
We’re under four weeks away and gathering momentum. What began mid last year as Friday night banter between five friends in South Melbourne’s Maori Chief Hotel has certainly grown. It’s been an education to us how powerful a simple idea can be if you have the passion and energy to follow it up. Letters, emails and phonecalls have lead to Victorian Government support from Sustainability Victoria, local Government in NAGA and the City of Melbourne, and help from Federal MPs Jenny Macklin (my local member) and Peter Garrett. We now have a dedicated office (thanks to Lakeside Business Centre), a great website and email tool (thanks to Crankyfish) and employ two campaign managers: Craig and Victoria.
We’re now pursuing media coverage to help increase registrations. The more participants on October 6 and 7, the greater chance of significant long term behaviour change that will reduce Australia’s emissions. If you’re keen to help us spread the word, send an email to contact @thebigswitchoff.org.
Cheers,
Sam
The Big Switch Off
www.thebigswitchoff.org
Arts Centre Spire switches off!
The Big Switch’s efforts will now be visible from space (or at least from a long way up), as one of Melbourne’s most iconic landmarks, the Arts Centre Spire switches off its lights for 24 hours on October 6 at 8pm in support of The Big Switch Off.
This is the first time The Arts Centre has been involved in an initiative like this. The Arts Centre will also switch off the lights surrounding Hamer Hall while a switching-off ceremony will be held at the front of the Arts Centre at 8pm on Saturday, October 6. Support such as this makes a big difference, especially to the appearance of Melbourne’s night-time skyline.
“Involvement in the campaign is a crucial part of the Arts Centre’s environmental management strategy, through which we aim to contribute to a greater public awareness of the importance of respect for the environment,” says Arts Centre Corporate Communications manager, Jeremy Vincent.
Businesses join The Big Switch Off
We’re also grateful to the number of businesses that are now pledging to take part, and invite you all to bring your workplaces along for the ride. Keep in mind that because it’s on a weekend, in most cases this should not dramatically affect business operations. On Friday night, switch off all office lights and ensure all equipment be switched off at the powerpoint. Send us an email with your details and we’ll publish your business name on the website.
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