Archive for the ‘Movements’ Category
Movements refer to social and environmental movements located within Melbourne associated with contributing to sustainable cities. Although they may appear to be isolated action, they contribute to a larger movement of action and thought. Consider the “relocalisation” movement. If you are part of such a movement with action occurring in Melbourne, Australia, you are welcome to post your experiences on the site. To do so visit the “How to use this site” page and follow the prompts.
Living Rivers: Funding for council WSUD projects
Posted in Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on February 2nd, 2012
Living Rivers is a Melbourne Water program offering tailored packages of technical and funding support for the implementation of strategic and structural water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) projects. They have recently developed fact sheets detailing the program aims, funding packages and frequently asked questions. Living Rivers works in partnership with 38 local councils across Melbourne to increase council’s capacity to deliver sustainable stormwater management outcomes. They are a proud supporter of the Clearwater program and we work closely together to develop and deliver complimentary council capacity building initiatives to accelerate the uptake of WSUD.
Click here to view Living Rivers Fact Sheets which have details such as FAQs, various funding packages, and Program contacts.
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Environment Victoria’s Flemington Green: Project Update
Posted in Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on January 19th, 2012
Photos from Flemington Green
From “Flemington women showing the way” from Environment Victoria:
Recruited by our Community Consultant, Iman Barabiaa, another group of Flemington residents have just completed their Flemington Green sustainable living training. The 16 women are from East African countries (Eritrea, Ethiopia and South Sudan), Turkey and Yemen and all reside on the Flemington public housing estate. The women have attended workshops on saving energy and saving water (with a guest presentation from City West Water), held by Environment Victoria at the Flemington Community Centre in November 2011. The group also visited SKM Recycling in Coolaroo to learn about waste and recycling – and we enjoyed a lunch of Turkish kebabs together in Broadmeadows.
They’ve told us they’ve learn a lot. Many participants, being new to Australia and having lived in countries where water and sanitation conditions are quite different, were very impressed to learn that Melbourne’s tap water does not have to be boiled before drinking, and said they’d keep that energy saving tip in mind. The visit to SKM showed the sheer scale of recycling that happens every day in Melbourne and the vast amounts of energy these processes require. Many participants said they’ll be talking to their friends about the need to recycle carefully and to reduce the amount of rubbish we throw away. Not all Flemington residents have the luxury of being able to recycle at home, but with the new recycling pilot program on the estate continuing to progress well, more and more will gain the opportunity.
After the energy saving workshop, each participant told us she went home and started taking action, such as switching off appliances at the wall; unplugging the mobile phone charger when it’s not being used (it still draws power even when it’s not charging); talking to her sister in her home about energy-guzzling down-lights and giving a presentation about ways to save energy in her English class.
New knowledge and motivation, and new environmental action – these Flemington women are showing the way for their community to take green action.
>> Find out more about Environment Victoria’s Flemington Green project.
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Sugar Palms for Biofuel and Ongoing Community Benefit
Posted in Movements, Research by Kate Archdeacon on January 18th, 2012
(L) Masarang’s ‘Village Hub’: a modular processing plant for sugar palm fuel.
Climate Spectator have posted a great article from china dialogue about the work of Willie Smits on the potential of sugar palms for the biofuel industry. The growing environment of the sugar palm means that its cultivation can provide regular local work and that production can stay in the control of small co-operatives. The sugar palm is a highly regarded plant in Indonesia and other areas of South-East Asia, with multiple benefits during its growing cycle and after harvest:
“We met in Hong Kong, where Smits had been talking to potential investors. He opened up his laptop to run one of many PowerPoint presentations that chart a 30-year voyage of discovery. When he married his Indonesian wife in 1980, Smits was surprised to learn that the expected dowry in North Sulawesi was six sugar palms. “I wondered why,” he told chinadialogue, “and I discovered that just six sugar palms could support a young family.”
After years of research, Smits today is a sugar palm evangelist, eager to list the tree’s virtues. “It doesn’t need pesticides or fertiliser, and once it starts producing, it has to be tapped twice a day, which gives employment to local people,” he explained, “so it creates 20 times more permanent jobs per hectare than oil palm. It is highly efficient in converting sunlight to energy and, because it cannot thrive in monoculture, it preserves biodiversity. It has very deep roots, so it never dries out, and it improves the soil by bringing nutrients up. It stores carbon very deep, and it only needs half the water of similar trees because of its waxy leaves. And, it produces 60 useful products, including a wood that is harder than oak.”
As if that were not enough, he continued, it survives fire and volcanic eruption, flood and salt water, can prevent landslides by stabilising slopes, and improves conditions for agriculture downstream. Perhaps most importantly for the global climate: one tree can produce enough ethanol each day to keep a car running year round.”
Read the full article by Isabel Hilton to find out more and check out Willie Smits’ website.
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If it’s broke – Fix it!
Posted in Events, Movements, Seeking by ecoApril on January 17th, 2012
| 19 February , 2012 | ||
| 11:00 am | to | 3:00 pm |
Photo from the 2011 Repair Workshop by Fernando De Sousa
A free, friendly workshop to repair (or reimagine) broken household items will be staged for this year’s Sustainable Living Festival at Melbourne’s Federation Square.
Collaborative Fix it! repair sessions are hosted by community members who believe there are better options than sending broken objects on a one-way ticket to landfill. Fix it! was founded by locals April Seymore, Renae Crosthwaite and Chandra Sundareswaran with the support of Sustainability Victoria and Metropolitan Waste Management Group. The friends want to share skills and build public confidence for repairing items that otherwise literally go to waste.
“We hear so much about our current ‘throw away society’ and we want to change that thought process,” said April. “Part of the Fix it! philosophy is to inspire participants to host fixing get-togethers in future. So while we will repair items at the Festival at no charge, we will also demonstrate how repair is achievable, affordable and help everyone feel capable. Helping people hem their garment or gain the self-assurance to repair a basic electrical item could make a huge difference to the amount and types of things that are clogging up landfill, dumped on nature strips, or donated broken to Op Shops who don’t have repair capacity.”
Recent repair, creating and upcycling events in Melbourne have met with enormous success. Artists and technicians at the July 2011 Repair Workshops rescued 3 tonnes from landfill, and this year’s Mini Maker Faire® sold out tickets almost immediately. Repair novices and gurus alike are welcome to drop into the festival workshop to sample repair projects. To BYO project, register your lamp, clothing, or woodworking repair request via email. Or simply share your fixing photos or questions with the Fix it! team via Facebook (Fix It Community) or Twitter (@FixItMelbourne).
There will be three themed Fix it! areas: Stitches—focusing on textiles; Switches—examining electrical appliances; and Splinters—woodworking with hand tools.
Get Involved: Fix it! is looking for skilled volunteers (Fixers) to assist in each of the focus areas at the Sustainable Living Festival. If you can lend a hand in the stitches, switches or splinters areas contact the team at fixitmelbourne@gmail.com.
The Sustainable Living Festival runs from 11-26 February, with Fix it! held from 11.00 am – 3.00 pm on Sunday the 19th at Federation Square in the city.
For further information and photo opportunities email fixitmelbourne@gmail.com
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Earthship Biotecture Seminar Melbourne: “Sustainable Autonomy for Everyone” S.A.F.E.
Posted in Events, Models, Movements by Kate Archdeacon on January 11th, 2012
| 17 February , 2012 10:00 am | to | 20 February , 2012 3:00 pm |
An Earthship is a radically sustainable home made of recycled materials.
This three day Earthship Biotecture Seminar will be led by Earthship creator Michael Reynolds and cover a wide range of Earthship topics both pragmatic and philosophical.
Guest appearance and presentation by Martin Freney, PhD Candidate School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design University of Adelaide. Martin Freney will present scientific data to substantiate Earthship performance. Attendees achieve credit toward the Australian Earthship Biotecture Academy.
February 17th, 18, 19th, – 2012 Village Roadshow Theatrette @ State Library of Victoria
Tickets: http://earthship.com/australia
Limited seating available. Advance purchase recommended.
15 Student discount tickets available – $300 each.
Friday February 17th
- 10:00am – 12:00pm History of Earthships discussion/presentation of how and why they evolved.
- 2:00pm – 5:00pm Solar/Thermal dynamics: discussion/presentation of how the Earthships heat and cool themselves and how this is integrated with the structure and climate.
Saturday February 18th
- 10:00am – 12:00pm Custom Earthships: discussion/presentation on custom Earthships and how to design them.
- 2:00pm – 5:00pm Earthship Systems: discussion/presentation of specific details of the Earthship Systems independent power, water, sewage and food production.
Sunday February 19th
- 10:00am – 12:30pm Earthship Disaster Relief projects around the world discussion/presentation of how Earthships are evolved by? these projects.
- 1:00pm – 3:00pm Types of Earthships – discussion/presentation of the various types of Earthships and how to get started on your own.
earthship.com/australia
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Maker Faire Melbourne: Inspire, inform, connect, entertain.
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on January 9th, 2012
A Maker Faire is about celebrating learning and doing – not the finished and perfect end product. It’s a place to share what we’re learning with others, and celebrate the fun and freedom of being an amateur. Featuring both established and emerging local “makers,” the Melbourne Mini Maker Faire is a family-friendly celebration coming to Australasia for the first time on Saturday, January 14th, 2012. It will feature rockets and robots, DIY science and technology, urban farming and sustainability, alternative energy, bicycles, unique hand-made crafts, and educational workshops and installations. Access to the Faire is limited so get in touch before you show up to make sure you can get in!
Want to get involved? Apply to be a Maker on Saturday through the website.
Mini Maker Faires such as this have started to sprout up around the United States, Canada, Europe and now Australia. Maker Faire started back in 2005 as a spin-off of Make Magazine. The Melbourne Mini Maker Faire will follow the big Maker Faire model of celebrating do-it-yourself creativity and tinkering, but will be smaller in scale and – although predominantly showcasing the wonders of the local Melbourne Maker community – will include exhibitors from around Australia and beyond.
Saturday, January 14th, 2012, 10 am to 4pm, Hawthorn
See the Maker Faire Melbourne website for additional information and to register your interest in attending.
Photo from Robots and Dinosaurs (Makers).
Walking Maps for the Holidays
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on December 23rd, 2011
From the Victoria Walks December Newsletter:
How about letting your own two feet take you on a few adventures these holidays? There’s no better way to get the wind in your hair while taking a sticky beak at what’s going on around you.
If you’re heading out of town:
- Kilcunda wildflower walk (East Gippsland near Wonthaggi)
- Fairhaven to Aireys Inlet beach walk (Great Ocean Road)
- Kings Billabong Nature Trail (Mildura)
- Emerald Lake Park Nobelius Track (Emerald)
Or, if you’re wandering closer to Melbourne:
- Fitzroy street art tour & Melbourne city street art tour
- Delights of Albert Park
- Bayside architectural trail
Better still, show off your own walks to by creating a walk on www.walkingmaps.com.au!
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Check out the Victoria Walks site.
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Koalas in the Otways: Research volunteers
Posted in Movements, Seeking by EarthwatchAustralia on December 21st, 2011
A new research project Conserving Koala Country has been established by Earthwatch Australia to look into the deteriorating habitat and tree condition in the Otway Ranges, Victoria.
Dr Desley Whisson a Wildlife and Conservation Biologist from Deakin University says, “so far we’ve been tracking the movement of 15 koalas (8 females/7 males) at Cape Otway and observed a high density of koalas in the area of up to 16 koalas per hectare”. In many parts of Australia Koala’s are in decline and at risk of extinction due to disease, land clearing and drought, however the high density of Koalas is posing a potential issue in The Otways. During the recent research trip during mating season the research team made up of Earthwatch volunteers recorded vocalisation of the koalas using a songmeter; a device set to record bellows for 5 minutes every hour. Volunteers recorded the number of bellows and whether it’s a male or female.
“We found a high number of koalas with young so it looks like a successful breeding year. The koalas are occupying very small home ranges where trees are still in good condition. They obviously don’t need to move far to find food or mates. A 3 legged female adult koala was also found, something very unusual to see and particularly for her to have survived to adulthood, ” says Dr Whisson. Volunteers also ventured out at night with a spotlight to search for possums that could also be causing defoliation of trees. They saw lots of koalas but only found possums in one blue gum site. Richard Gilmore Earthwatch Executive Director says “It’s great to be able to be able to support research aimed at protecting the habitat of the iconic koala, and at the same time involve the general public in such a hands-on and interesting way.”
The next team of Earthwatch volunteers will be heading out to do further research on the 18 April.
For more information or to sign up for an Earthwatch expedition call 03 9682 6828, email earth@earthwatch.org.au or visit http://www.earthwatch.org/australia/exped/whisson_booking.html
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Ethical Consumer Guide to Christmas
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on December 20th, 2011
Recycled gift carton and photo by Urban Woodswalker via flickr CC
Don’t be naughty this Christmas, buy nice. Rather than doing your Christmas shopping at the local mega-mart, use gift giving and festive meals to exercise your commitment to ethical shopping. Our book makes a perfect Christmas gift, or there’s heaps of other ideas in the guide, at our online shop, and on our favourite gift ideas page. Christmas is an opportunity to shop ethically on a grand scale! This guide covers all the main things you might buy over Christmas, listed under the categories of food, gifts, and decorations.
http://www.ethical.org.au/christmas/
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Local Harvest Australia: Connecting and supporting local consumers & producers
Posted in Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on December 14th, 2011
Local Harvest is a new national initiative aiming to help people find local sources of food and grow their own.
A directory of sustainable food in Australia
A national directory for finding food co-ops, swap meets, community gardens, farmers markets, box systems, organic retailers and more by simply entering your postcode.
Helping you to produce your own
DIY alternatives for food production and meeting essential needs, including resources for growing and making your own.
Local Harvest Challenge
Take up the Local Harvest Challenge, where for one week you attempt to reduce the ‘degrees of separation’ from your food. Based on the Household Action Challenge run in previous years.
There is a fantastic similar resource existing for the USA found at www.localharvest.org on which this project has been based.
Local Harvest will launch in February 2012, and is currently has a funding call-out on Pozible. Check out the website to find out more.
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