The Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab (VEIL), SustainableMelbourne.com and VicUrban would like to invite you to:

The Sustainable Cities Round Table - SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
6:30 – 8:30pm including drinks, Wednesday 28 May
Melba Hall, Ground Floor, Conservatorium Building (near Gate 12), Royal Parade, University of Melbourne
RSVPS essential to fedwards @unimelb.edu.au
Proudly supported by VicUrban

The Sustainable Cities Round Tables showcase local environmental initiatives and encourage networking for people working in urban sustainability issues. In addition to our “famous” 3 minute presentations of people from the public, private and community sectors, we will also be featuring music accompaniment by pianist Dave Newington, an exhibition of RMIT University students’ work on food in cities and networking and drinks. To view previous Sustainable Cities Round Tables click here. The theme for the next event is “sustainable food systems“.

Speakers include:
Kirsten Larsen, VEIL Report: Sustainable and Secure Food Systems
Mary Stewart: Insights into the food retail and wholesale sectors
Marika Wagner: Water for food petition
Ferne Edwards, VEIL: Introducing the VEIL food map
Michael Chew, Environment Victoria: Scoping the Fruit Peddler project
Marcus Godhino, CEO, One Umbrella
Mikhil Kotak, Co- founder, Tiffins
Grant Taresh: Elgo Estate Wines
Chris Ryan, VEIL: Jim’s food ventures in Melbourne 2032

Seats are limited! RSVP to Ferne Edwards at fedwards@unimelb.edu.au by 23 May.

This report listed below was found on the Australian Policy Online newsletter and thought it might interest the Sustainable Melbourne audience. Retrofitting rather than simply building new environmentally-friendly buildings is a key concern regarding climate change.

The greening of existing buildings
Your Building
Posted: 27-04-2008
Current research has identified that most of Australia’s CBD stock, constructed in the 1970’s, is entering a phase of retrofitting. Most of this existing stock performs poorly against sustainability benchmarks and there is huge scope for improving the sustainability of the existing commercial building stock in Australia. This link is a collection of recent articles addressing the topic of greening of the existing building stock, found in EcoLibrium, the official journal of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH).

Read full text: http://www.yourbuilding.org/display/yb/The+Greening+of+Existing+Buildings.

As part of our research at the Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab, VEIL , we are currently designing an online, urban food production map of Melbourne. We are asking people involved in the local food / sustainabilty sector to contribute feedback to the design of this project.

We hope that the VEIL food map will:
• Record the quantity & variety of urban food production present within Melbourne;
• Allow Melbournians to contribute data to this site;
• Form a database for people to use to design new products & services towards greater sustainability within Melbourne;
• Provide evidence that urban food production currently exists within Melbourne in order to foster greater policy support of this industry.

The type of produce to be recorded on this website is food that is primary produce, ie. fresh & not value-added/ processed . These food examples must be larger than household production. Examples of urban food production models include: community gardens, commercial production and market gardens, shared private gardens (such as extended family/ group of households), & food produced on public space (such as street edge gardening, nature strips & street trees).

To test the site and contribute feedback visit http://www.veilmap.sustainablemelbourne.com/.

To move around the map:
• Either double-click the cursor to zoom in or use the scale on the top left-hand corner to zoom in or out;
• Hold the cursor down to drag the image from side-to-side;
• Swap from ‘map’ to ‘satellite’ to ‘both’ views by clicking on the boxes on the top right-hand side.

To submit or edit data:
• First, check if the site has already been added. If it hasn’t, submit data on http://www.veilmap.sustainablemelbourne.com/record_entry.php
• If you would like to edit data on the site please email the details to me at fedwards @unimelb.edu.au.

Please email all feedback to Ferne Edwards at fedwards @unimelb.edu.au.

Ever wondered how to get a foot in the door of the environmental industry? What qualities and qualifications employers are looking for? Where to go for this kind of advice???

Environmental Jobs Network (EJN, http://www.environmentaljobs.com.au), Square Peg Careers <http://www.squarepegcareers.com.au> & Principal Consulting <http://www.principalconsulting.com.au> have teamed up to bring you the answers to all your questions in a series of Environmental Careers Workshops! These informative workshops are jam-packed with advice to get you started in the environmental industry!

Join us for an hour of presentations, group discussion, and Q&A time with recruitment and career professionals from the environmental sector.

Date: Wednesday 14 May 2008
Time: 6:15pm-8pm
Where: R&I RESEARCH LOUNGE, RMIT Building 28, Level 5 (opposite Library)
Public transport: Melbourne Central, Trains and Swanston Street Trams.
Cost: $44 inclusive of GST
Bookings & Queries: teresa @environmentaljobs.com.au

Recently promoted on the Greenleap list, the “Energy Transformed: Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation” developed by The Natural Edge Project, Griffith University and ANU and was funded by the CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship and the National Framework for Energy Efficiency may also appeal to Sustainable Melbourne readers.

“Energy Transformed: Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation”

This 600+ page Online Textbook provides FREE access to a comprehensive education and training package that brings together the knowledge of how countries, specifically Australia can achieve deep cuts. See http://www.naturaledgeproject.net/Sustainable_Energy_Solutions_Portfolio.aspx.

This training package provides industry, governments, business and households with knowledge to enable them to realise at least 30 percent energy efficiency savings in the short term while providing a strong basis for further improvement. The package is presented as 3 modules each with 10 lectures. Each lecture is structured to enable you to find quickly what you need. Each lecture has a clear topic heading, aim, executive summary (key learning points), detailed 15 page essay and then further online resources.

Module 1 overviews the business case for rapid action on climate change and then covers the main areas of energy efficiency opportunity – by technology. Module 2 firstly highlights how through good demand management peak and base load electricity demand can be reduced.

Module 2 then considers energy efficiency opportunities – by Sector. Modules 1 and 2 are designed this way to align with the UK Carbon Trusts extensive free online resources on these topics. (See Energy Efficiency Savings by Technology - http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy/startsaving/technology.htm ) (See Energy Efficiency Savings by Sector - http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy/startsaving/sectorselector/ )

Module 3 provides an updated overview of advances in low carbon technologies, renewable energy and sustainable transport, climate neutral buildings and carbon offsets to help achieve a low carbon sustainable energy future. Whist this education and training package has an Australian focus, it outlines sustainable energy strategies and provide links to numerous online reports which will assist climate change mitigation efforts globally.

This free online training program seeks to compliment other initiatives seeking to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions rapidly through behaviour change, sustainable consumption, and constructive changes in economic incentives and policy.

This package was developed by The Natural Edge Project, Griffith University and ANU and was funded by the CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship and the National Framework for Energy Efficiency. The package was developed with extensive peer review. The lead peer reviewers for this package were Adjunct Professor Alan Pears and Geoff Andrews.

Please find a message below from Ben Nicholson, Green Roofs Australia.

Dear green roofers and green roof enthusiasts,

The second annual Green Roofs Australia conference is taking place from 18 - 20 June 2008 in Brisbane and we are currently calling for anyone interested in presenting at the conference to submit a 500 word abstract of their topic to the committee for consideration.

The annual GRA conference provides an excellent opportunity for presenters to share information and publicise their efforts in forwarding green roof and wall technologies in Australia. This year the conference will aim to cover a wide range of topics, from the trial and error efforts of ‘mum and dad’ green roofers to the experiences of large extensive commercial practitioners.

If you are interested in presenting a topic at the 2008 Green Roofs Australia conference, please follow the link below to submit your 500 word abstract - you will be contacted in due course by a member of the committee:
http://www.icebergevents.com/greenroofsconference2008/Call-for-Abstracts/

If you are interested in registering to attend the conference, you may do so via the link below:
http://www.icebergevents.com/greenroofsconference2008/Registration/

And if you are interested in sponsoring the conference via one of our sponsorship packages, you are more than encouraged to follow the link below:
http://www.icebergevents.com/greenroofsconference2008/Sponsorship-Opportunities/

Finally, if you would like to catch up on what’s been happening in the world of green roofs and walls, check out the Green Roofs Australia website:
http://greenroofs.wordpress.com/

I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing you at the GRA conference in June!

Kind Regards,
Ben Nicholson
VIC-TAS Coordinator

I found this report listed on the Australian Policy Online newsletter and thought it might interest the Sustainable Melbourne audience.

Wedges: understanding the potential to reduce Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions
The Nous Group / Victorian Government
Posted: 04-04-2008
This report looks at the potential for emissions reductions across the energy, transport, agriculture, land use and forestry and waste and industrial sectors. It provides important guidance on areas for future focus and trade-offs associated with different options.
To read the full text visit http://www.climatechange.vic.gov.au/summit/Resources/Wedges%20Report.pdf.

As part of our research at the Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab, VEIL , we are currently designing an online, urban food production map of Melbourne. We are asking people involved in the local food / sustainabilty sector to contribute feedback to the design of this project.

We hope that the VEIL food map will:
• Record the quantity & variety of urban food production present within Melbourne;
• Allow Melbournians to contribute data to this site;
• Form a database for people to use to design new products & services towards greater sustainability within Melbourne;
• Provide evidence that urban food production currently exists within Melbourne in order to foster greater policy support of this industry.

The type of produce to be recorded on this website is food that is primary produce, ie. fresh & not value-added/ processed . These food examples must be larger than household production. Examples of urban food production models include: community gardens, commercial production and market gardens, shared private gardens (such as extended family/ group of households), & food produced on public space (such as street edge gardening, nature strips & street trees).

To test the site and contribute feedback visit http://www.veilmap.sustainablemelbourne.com/.

To move around the map:
• Either double-click the cursor to zoom in or use the scale on the top left-hand corner to zoom in or out;
• Hold the cursor down to drag the image from side-to-side;
• Swap from ‘map’ to ‘satellite’ to ‘both’ views by clicking on the boxes on the top right-hand side.

To submit or edit data:
• First, check if the site has already been added. If it hasn’t, submit data on http://www.veilmap.sustainablemelbourne.com/record_entry.php
• If you would like to edit data on the site please email the details to me at fedwards @unimelb.edu.au.

Please email all feedback to Ferne Edwards at fedwards @unimelb.edu.au.

Find below the latest newsletter from eVillage Melbourne. To see more details visit the website at http://evillagemelbourne.com.au/.

Hello to all eVillage Melbourne members,

Future Melbourne draft plan
The final stages of the Future Melbourne project are fast approaching, as the City of Melbourne puts the finishing touches to the Future Melbourne draft plan. This document will reflect the contributions of eVillage members and the wider Melbourne community. And these contributions will become even more evident shortly, with the official opening of the Future Melbourne draft plan wiki.

From Saturday, 17 May to Saturday, 14 June, you will be able to log into, read and edit the Future Melbourne draft plan wiki via www.futuremelbourne.com.au. This is an exciting development for the City of Melbourne and the Future Melbourne project and we’re sure you’ll enjoy this final opportunity to help shape Melbourne’s future.

Archived options and talking points
The Future Melbourne’s ‘Considering the options’ phase is now over, and the project is moving into final phases. We have archived all options-related posts, so you can still see and read what was said but you won’t be able to reply to any posts. As all discussion and ideas under each ‘talking point’ have now been absorbed into comprehensive goals and directions within the Future Melbourne draft plan, the talking points have now served their purpose and will be ‘retired’.

Key themes for discussion and action
Out of all the discussion about the future of Melbourne on the eVillage, 17 issues and themes have emerged as the most important and pressing for our members. Here are some of these.
- Spending on major events brings people to our doorstep. These people come back, and they are ambassadors for our city when they go home.
- Melbourne should continue to develop its standing as an education-focused and design-oriented city.
- Melbourne should place a far greater emphasis on green spaces and appropriate development.
- Violence on the streets must be reduced, and better liquor licensing laws are needed to help manage the problem.
- Businesses and residents have competing interests.
- The city needs to shift its transport planning from motor traffic to bicycles and feet.
- The city should develop programs that better integrate its constituents into ‘one’ community (business, residents, students, employees and so on.)

You can view and comment on these and more at Discussion HQ.

Thank you for your continuing contributions and interest, your efforts are making a difference to the future of our city.
The eVillage Melbourne Team.