Saturday April 5:
6pm: Screening of ‘The Power of Community’
7pm: Public meeting with Roberto Perez
……………followed by music.
Northcote High School, St Georges Rd, Northcote (112 West Preston Tram, Stop 26)

Roberto is familiar to many as the dynamic permaculturist featured in the documentary “The Power of Community“. Cuba is the only country in the world that lives within it’s ecological footprint despite the challenges it faces in terms of environmental degradation and living with the limits of the USA trade embargo. The 2007 Living Planet Report released by the World Wildlife Fund claims that the only truly sustainable country in the world is Cuba.

With the looming threat of climate change and peak oil, countries like Australia (our carbon footprint is the 6th highest per capita) are going to have to drastically change our system.

Roberto is an environmental educator for the Foundation for Nature & Humanity, Cuba’s major environmental organisation based in Havana. His visit will provide a unique opportunity to learn more about how a society can transform itself, achieve a high level of environmental sustainability, and survive with severe resource constraints.

Cost: Public meeting: $10 or $5 concession / Film: $10 or $5 concession / Both film & meeting: $15 or $10 concession.
Delicious food and drinks available for purchase.
Ph 9639 8622 or 0411 104 813 for bookings or email kylie.moon @gmail.com

Funds raised will go to the tour of Roberto Perez and Green Left Weekly.

Organised by Green Left Weekly.
Sponsored by Friends of the Earth.

When: Thursday, 3rd April, 2008
Time: 6:15pm onwards for a 6:30pm start
Where: Space 39, Level 2, 39 Little Collins St, Melbourne (the gallery located above ATA’s office)
Costs: $10 for ATA members (ATA couples $15). Non-members welcome $15.
Refreshments provided

ATA’s Melbourne seminar will take a look at water use and capture in your home
Stuart McQuire, author of “Water: Not Down the Drain“, will cover aspects of what he has done in his own home so that his family now only uses two and a half buckets of mains water per day. This seminar will be of interest to you if you have been thinking of the best way to reduce your day to day water use and how to manage greywater and rainwater on your property. There will be opportunity for questions and discussion.

Stuart McQuire
Stuart’s household has reduced their mains water use by 96%. He and his family began using rainwater and greywater in the early nineties to save water. Their family home has gained a national and international profile for its role in pioneering environmental technologies and sustainable living. Stuart is an environment scientist and he is a past president of the ATA.

RSVP essential as seats are limited. For any enquiries, contact Wendy Clarke on ph:(03) 9631 5407 or email: wendy @ata.org.au

Opening Night: Wednesday March 26: 6:30pm
Season: March: Thursday 27th : 6:30pm, Friday 28th: 6:30pm, Sunday 30th: 3pm and 5pm, April: Saturday 5th: 3pm and 5pm, Sunday 6th: 3pm and 5pm.

Takes place at the end of Harding st. Coburg, at the Merri Creek. Meet at the swing bridge. Melways ref 30A1. Take Tram no. 1, from Swanston St. to the corner of Harding st. and Nicholson st. (stop no. 133). Car parking is available in surrounding streets.

Set in the last remaining vegetable field close to Melbourne’s city centre. Audiences will stand in the rows that are filled with organic vegetables and experience this physical theatre performance that promises to bring the surroundings to life. If you love soulful stories, being outdoors, gardening and organic produce then don’t miss In The Field!

Directed by Ilan Abrahams and performed by Nancy Sposato, Julian Chapple, and Suzan Van Den Haam. Tasty Tales of Growth, Love, and Life performed in an organic vegetable field. Captivating stories told with theatre and dance sprout in the heightened and dream like world that is the last remaining vegetable field close to Melbourne’s city centre. Between the
earth and the sky three lovable and quirky characters share very human stories of their passionate but troubled connections to the land. Come smell the basil, taste the figs and be transported to a place that is unexpectedly close to home. The project is a collaboration with CERES Community Environment Park (www.ceres.org.au). We have been farming and rehearsing in the field since last winter. Come share the fruits of our
labour!

‘It is rare to find something philosophically and politically grounded that can also capture so sensuously one’s attention’. Don Asker, former senior lecturer VCA School of Dance.

TICKETS
$25 full, $20 concession, $20 group bookings of four or more. Email tickets @senseofplace.com.au or call 8486 2158.

Wear comfortable walking shoes, and a hat for daytime performances. Bring a raincoat or umbrella if raining lightly. In the event of heavy rain or extreme heat the show will be cancelled. Please call the booking line for details of ticket exchange/refund options. Wheelchair access is possible but please be aware that there is some rough and soft ground which may make it difficult (please let us know in advance).
www.senseofplace.com.au

The Moreland Food Access Project is currently advertising a position for someone with gardening/horticulture qualifications to come and work for 3 days per week for 12 weeks on the “Grow and Share” project. The Grow and Share project will form part of Moreland Community Health Services’ broader Moreland Food Access Project. Food access (also known as food security) is a term that describes the ability of all people to access safe, affordable, healthy and culturally appropriate food at all times, without the use of emergency food relief in the form of food vouchers or parcels. Increasingly we have to consider the sustainability of our food supply. Water shortages, climate change and dwindling supplies of oil mean food security is becoming an issue globally, even in developed countries. There is a move towards gaining food locally to reduce the financial and environmental costs of accessing healthy food.

Please find the advertisement, position description and brief outline of the project attached below. Applications close on Wednesday April 2nd.

Community Development Worker – Grow and Share Project
SACS Award - Community Development Worker
12 week contract / 3 days per week (days flexible)

An exciting and challenging vacancy exists at Moreland Community Health Service to initiate the Australian-first Grow and Share project.

This short-term position will involve the development and launch of the Grow and Share project. This project forms part of the Moreland Food Access Project and involves bringing several neighbourhood households together to grow and share fresh produce. Working with a range of stakeholders and community groups, the successful applicant will be responsible for initiating the first phase of the project and will have: qualifications and experience in gardening/horticulture (particularly with community groups), strong communication and organisational skills and an enthusiasm for local food production.

Written applications, addressing the essential key selection criteria and including the names and contact details of two referees to be emailed to KateM @mchs.org.au by 5.00pm April 2nd, 2008.

pd-grow-and-share-project-officer-march-08.doc

grow-and-share-summary.doc

Make your actions count. Conservo promotes sustainable motoring by expanding the use of cost effective, renewable biofuel products and services in Australia. The power to make a difference can be as simple as the fuel you put in your car, or the laundry detergent you use, here at Conservo your consumer power works. Conservo is located at 118 High St Prahran, 95332485. open daylight hours 7 days a week.

Round Three Sustainability Fund application for supply and install of 100 trolleys at Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne in conjunction with City of Melbourne, Queen Victoria Market and Metropolitan Waste Management Group

http://www.mission-sustainability.org/en/projects/details/598

After a spurt of complex, unexpected and for us, unusual technical glitches, SustainableMelbourne.com is now back up and running again! We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.

We now invite you to contribute posts and comments to this site - to do this please click on the “contribute” tag above and follow the prompts. Alternatively email Ferne Edwards at fedwards @unimelb.edu.au.

The next SustainableMelbourne newsletter is also due for distribution at the end of this week, Friday 28 March. If you would like to include material in this newsletter which now reaches 1000 people (!!!!) please remember to post your news by 28 March.

The SustainableMelbourne.com website has been experiencing some technical difficulties over the last week. Due to these problems we have been unable to update content on the site. People are working on fixing these problems to get the site up and running as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

SustainableMelbourne.com, the Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab and GAMUT would like to invite you to the upcoming:

Sustainable Cities Round Table
Monday 17 March
6 - 8:30pm (including drinks)
Carrillo Gantner Theatre*, Sidney Myer Asia Centre, the University of Melbourne
RSVP ESSENTIAL - email fedwards @unimelb.edu.au by 12 March
Proudly supported by GAMUT – The Australasian Centre for the Governance And Management of Urban Transport

The Sustainable Cities Round Tables showcase local environmental initiatives and encourage networking for people working in urban sustainability issues across the government, academic, industry and community sectors.

The theme for the next event is ‘mobility‘ - which includes looking at innovative new ways of sustainable transport, travel, movement and connection.

Speakers and topics include:
Dr John Grant, Walking to a more sustainable future: Solvitur Ambulando
Paul McKay, Cyclovia
Marie Watt, The power of spin
Steven Ingrouille, Introducing innovative & cost-effective transit technologies
Dr Patrick Moriarty, The wearing of the green
Daniel Epstein, Conservo Biofuel service station
Bruce Herbes, 3D maps for pedestrians
David Fewchuk, Aurora solar cars
Bill Bretherton, Human Powered Cycles; &
Dianne Moy & Kathleen Turner, VEIL, Connecting quarter schools;

Please RSVP your name and organisation to fedwards @unimelb.edu.au by 12 March as seats are limited. Attendees are also welcome to bring along promotional materials of their sustainability initiatives.

The Sidney Myer Asia Centre is located on Swanston Street at the University of Melbourne Parkville campus. For a map of the campus see http://www.pb.unimelb.edu.au/propertyandbuildings/whereis.php3?subcat=8.
Please forward this invitation to others who be interested in attending.
* The venue has changed from the Yasuko Hiroaka Room to the Carrillo Gantner theatre, Sidney Myer Asia Centre, due to increased attendance at this event.

The Rudd Government will convene an Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House on 19-20 April 2008 to help shape a long term strategy for the nation’s future. The Summit will bring together some of the best and brightest brains from across the country to tackle the long term challenges confronting Australia’s future. Every Australian has the opportunity to make a submission to the Summit. You can make your submission by clicking on the link below:

http://www.australia2020.gov.au/docs/australia_2020_submission_form.rtf