Archive for April, 2008
Resource - The HIA GreenSmart initiative
Posted in Models by Ferne Edwards on April 16th, 2008
What is the HIA GreenSmart initiative?
GreenSmart is a voluntary practical approach to building that focuses on educating builders, designers, product manufacturers and consumers about the benefits of environmentally responsible housing.
GreenSmart is an industry-driven initiative that aims to encourage a mainstream application of its principles to today’s housing. As a voluntary initiative, it provides appropriate market recognition for environmental endeavours in the residential construction industry. Find out more about GreenSmart.
Visions - More on hovercrafts for Port Philip Bay
Posted in Policies, Research, Visions by Ferne Edwards on April 16th, 2008
The section below is republished with permission from the Going Solar Transport Newsletter #55, 15 April 2008, compiled by Stephen Ingrouille. Going Solar, www.goingsolar.com.au/transport. This newsletter provides an excellent commentary on local sustainable transport issues in Melbourne.
Hovercraft on Port Phillip Bay
“A fleet of 10 custom-built hovercraft could be transporting thousands of commuters between Geelong and Melbourne daily. The air-cushioned boats could be built and tested locally, with a Victorian manufacturer said to be considering moving to Geelong. The move would bring millions of dollars to the region and create hundreds of jobs, city leaders say. Sustainable transport consultant Stephen Ingrouille has almost finished a feasibility study to run the ferries between Geelong, Port Melbourne, Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. ‘Hovercraft are perfect for the bay because it’s shallow,’ Mr Ingrouille said. ‘I’d be keen to see hovercraft built in the city because it’s an excellent way of replacing some of the manufacturing industry jobs.’ He said the newgeneration hovercraft would be efficient, relatively cheap to build and have minimal impact on the environment. They would hold 80-100 passengers and cross Port Phillip Bay at peak times. ‘I’ve been looking at this for some years now,’ he said. ‘I have looked at ferry services up and down the west coast of the US and other states of Australia.’ An efficient ferry system would ease congestion on the West Gate Bridge, and reduce reliance on trains and trams. Mr Ingrouille said the manufacturer was building a hovercraft to be used as a rescue vessel at Changi International Airport, Singapore. Councillor Tom O’Connor is pushing the hovercraft bid. ‘It can’t happen soon enough,’ he said.”
Ref: Kerri-Ann Hobbs, Geelong Advertiser, 9/4/08
METLINK Online Complaint Form
Posted in Policies by Ferne Edwards on April 15th, 2008
http://feedback.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/
METLINK is responsible for functions that cover the whole public transport network. They distribute complaints to the relevant transport operator, tracking the number and type of complaint received over time. The more complaints they receive the more likely it is that something will be done quickly to improve Melbourne’s public transport system.
So spread the word and let them know your transport troubles.
Regards,
Matthew Trigg
Sustainable Design Officer
City of Port Phillip
Changing The Dream Business Symposium - a Melbourne First!
Posted in Events by magnus on April 14th, 2008
Changing The Dream Business Symposium is profoundly transformational and is not just for the business world, but also the wider community. This event is for those who are concerned and understand at least, the immense ‘sustainability’ challenge we all face.
We know that our economic structure and the associated business world is a potent and important tool for change. As the complexity of the challenges we collectively face grow, new thinking and courageous leadership is urgently required.
The Changing the Dream Business Symposium is a call for business leaders with vision and courage. A sustainable and fulfilling future is possible and the business sector must play a key role in translating the new awareness offered through the experience of this Symposium (lasting 5 – 6 hrs).
Please consider the time taken to attend this Symposium as a critical investment in our collective future whilst also offering you direct solutions to the challenges of and opportunities for sustainable business growth.
Sunday 20 April or Wednesday 30 April. Contact: Magnus Mansie at magnusm@datafast.net.au for details or call 0410 678 792
Fee: $150 Approx 6 hours duration. Location: Engineers Without Borders South Melbourne
Seeking entries for the Melbourne Awards in sustainability - by 16 May
Posted in Events, Research, Visions by Ferne Edwards on April 13th, 2008
The 2008 Melbourne Awards celebrate companies and individuals who have contributed to making Melbourne a more environmentally sustainable city. Contributions may include advancements in sustainable innovation and design or the development of new environmental projects or programs. To be eligible, projects must have achieved environmental benefits such as waste reduction, water conservation and/or quality or increased uptake of renewable energy. Also eligible are programs that change community behaviour and educate or inspire individuals and businesses to work towards making our city more sustainable.
Past winners have included;
· young environmental campaigner and Director of Firestarter Pty Ltd, Arron Wood
· a community blitz project coordinated by Carlton Primary School and University High School
· Kangan Batman TAFE’s Automotive Centre of Excellence at Docklands which is a model of sustainable innovation and design.
KEY DATES
The 2008 Entry Brochure is now available online at www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/melbourneawards. Copies are also available by contacting the Melbourne Awards Unit on ph: 9658 9327 or visiting Town Hall reception.
Registration of Entry forms must be received by Friday 16 May and submissions are due 6 June. Winners will be honoured at a prestigious Gala Awards Ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall on 30 August.
MELBOURNE AWARDS CONTACT
Emma Nuttall, Event Manager
Events Melbourne, City of Melbourne
PO Box 1603, MELBOURNE VIC 3001
P: 03 9658 9327
F: 03 9658 9166
E: emma.nuttall @melbourne.vic.gov.au
W: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/melbourneawards
For more information, visit Melbourne Award 2007 Winners
Resource & Model - “Sustainability Street – It’s A Village Out There; A manual for sustainability culture change”
Posted in Events, Models by Ferne Edwards on April 11th, 2008
A message below from Frank Ryan, Vox Bandicoot.
Dear Special Friends and Colleagues of Vox Bandicoot,
We are living through the truly most critical and exciting time in history. There is still a seriously long way to go, but, being imbued with the optimism which must drive environmental education, we find current movements both inspiring … and rewarding.
Vox began in 1988 and now, 20 years later, the pinnacle of our work has just been published. The Sustainability Street Approach (SSA) is our Magnus opus. It reflects the values, techniques, focus and joys that have driven our little outfit since last century, namely … “… a human scale and judicious mix of humour, science, art, education, sociology and aesthetics … all glued together with a profound belief and sense of joy in and commitment to grassroots ideas and action …” Indeed, the SSA reflects a little bit of the hundreds upon hundreds of communities around Australia with whom we have had the great privilege and pleasure of working. This book is our offering back, based on all that we’ve learned.
“Sustainability Street – It’s A Village Out There; a manual for sustainability culture change” is now available for free or for the recommended retail, or for more; if you wish to further help contribute to our mission – for the next 20 years.
Please check out http://www.voxbandicoot.com.au/virtuemart.html.
Research - Travelling to festivals….
Posted in Research by Ferne Edwards on April 10th, 2008
The section below is republished with permission from the Going Solar Transport Newsletter #53, 1 April 2008, compiled by Stephen Ingrouille. Going Solar, www.goingsolar.com.au/transport. This newsletter provides an excellent commentary on local sustainable transport issues in Melbourne.
Sustainable Transport in Action
76% of attendees to the 2008 St Kilda Festival arrived by walking, cycling or public transport, up from 64% in 2007. The total attendance on Festival Day was 380,000.
Thanks to Deputy Mayor Janet Bolitho for this item
Reminder to RSVP for Peter Harper, CAT, lecture - 21 April
Posted in Events, Models, Movements, Policies, Research, Sustainable Cities Round Tables, Visions by Ferne Edwards on April 9th, 2008
FREE PUBLIC LECTURE WITH PETER HARPER FROM CENTRE FOR ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY (CAT), UNITED KINGDOM
Responding to the threat of climate change, governments have set targets for reducing greenhouse gas by 60-80% over the next 40 years. Recent climate science suggests this is nowhere near enough. A 100% reduction in 20 years might be necessary. Is this remotely possible? How might it be done? What technologies would we need? How would we design a zero-carbon – modern - economy? What impact would it have on lifestyles – on food, travel, housing, infrastructure, employment, leisure? Would it be a nightmare? Does it offer opportunities for a revitalisation of society?
30 years of living investigation at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales may provide the answers the world urgently needs. (www.cat.org.uk)
Peter Harper has been part of a team working on these questions at CAT. He can bring an unusual lifetime of experience to illuminating the vigorous debate around a new vision for ‘Zero Carbon Britain’ 2020. Peter Harper is Head of Research and Innovation at the Centre for Alternative Technology, where he has worked for 25 years, with periodic secondments to overseas universities. He was a pioneer of the alternative technology movement and has always tried to relate technological ‘hardware’ with social and personal ‘software’. His main interests have been in horticulture and low-carbon lifestyles. He runs his own home as an experimental ‘lifestyle lab’. He is mildly obsessed by compost.
6-8pm, 21 April 2008 at the Prince Philip Theatre, University of Melbourne. Please RSVP your attendance to Ferne Edwards at fedwards @unimelb.edu.au. More information will be published shortly.
Model - Green Trams in Melbourne
Posted in Models by Ferne Edwards on April 9th, 2008
The section below is republished with permission from the Going Solar Transport Newsletter #53, 1 April 2008, compiled by Stephen Ingrouille. Going Solar, www.goingsolar.com.au/transport. This newsletter provides an excellent commentary on local sustainable transport issues in Melbourne.
Green Trams
While trams - and public transport in general – are cleaner than road vehicles, they are far from being carbon neutral because the energy used to power the tram network in Victoria is supplied by coal-fired power stations. Yarra Trams is trialling a green energy source, by powering one of Melbourne’s iconic trams with wind energy sourced from Victorian wind farms. Partners in the demonstration project are Pacific Hydro and Sustainability Victoria. The five-car Combino tram chosen for the trial can carry 180 people, taking approximately 150 cars off the road and saving almost a kilometre of traffic. It will travel on one of Melbourne’s busiest routes – route 96 - which carries approximately 11.5 million people per year.
Ref: Yarra Trams 25/3/08
Resource - Launch of ethical shop, EEKOS, in Brunswick
Posted in Models by Ferne Edwards on April 8th, 2008
Green Collect and Baptcare have partnered to recently launch a new ‘ethical and earth-kind op shop’ (eekos) in Brunswick. EEKOS promotes sustainable purchasing through offering reused, recycled, local, fair-trade and environmentally friendly products, including:
* 100% recycled content copy paper and stationery
* fair-trade sport balls, sneakers, tea, coffee and chocolate
* bric a brac, pre-loved clothing, toys and books
* environmentally friendly cleaning products and body care *
318 Victoria St, Brunswick, Vic 3056, ph: (03) 9387 5926
www.greencollect.org
