Archive for the ‘Seeking’ Category
Seeking is the category used by people and organisations who are looking for a response to a local sustainability issue or initiative. For example, contributors may be holding a competition and requiring applications, there may be a conference with a call for papers, or there may be a campaign that’s drumming up support. Alternatively, you may like to know the answer to a local environmental issue – you are welcome to post your question on the site using the “seeking” category. To do so visit the “How to use this site” page and follow the prompts.
Sustainable Apartment Living: SOCs & Blocks Round 3
Posted in Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on November 8th, 2011
Source: Port Philip EcoCentre
SOCs & Blocks (short for Sustainable Owners Corporations and Apartment Blocks) is a program to encourage the uptake of sustainable technology and practices in the operation of apartment buildings in the City of Port Phillip.
Through this program, Council works with owner’s corporations (formerly called body corporates) to increase the energy and water efficiency of common areas and common services, as well as improving the level of diversion of waste from landfill and the uptake of sustainable transport through improvement of facilities improvement and education. The central plank of the program involves council engaging a consultant to undertake a sustainability assessment of the participating buildings. The ultimate aim is to reduce the environmental footprint of participating apartment blocks. Council’s Toward Zero Sustainable Environment Strategy indicates that council will work with the community to reduce energy and water consumption, and this program works toward the goals in that strategy.
The third round of SOCs and Blocks is now OPEN so please register your interest by Friday 9 December 2011.
This program is FREE to join and the sustainability assessment of your block is also FREE.
Read more about the program, including participant experiences and registration details.
—
Melbourne’s Food Policy: Get Involved
Posted in Events, Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on November 4th, 2011
| 16 November , 2011 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
| 17 November , 2011 | ||
| 9:30 am | to | 12:00 pm |
You have the opportunity to shape the future of food in the City of Melbourne and we’d love you to get involved – we’re engaging with stakeholders, industry organisations and the community. The Food Policy discussion paper is now available. The closing date for feedback is COB Friday 9 December, 2011.
Food Forums:
City of Melbourne will be holding food conversations in November. The following two dates are confirmed, check back for further details of any subsequent sessions:
- Industry / Stakeholder Food Conversation
- Date: Thursday 17 November Time: 9.30am – 12pm (Morning Tea provided)
- Venue: Melbourne Town Hall – Supper Room, 120 Swanston Street, Melbourne
- RSVP to: health
@melbourne.vic.gov.au - Community / Residents Conversation
- Date: Wednesday 16 November Time: 6pm – 8.30pm (light refreshments provided)
- Venue: Visy Park (Carlton Football Club) – George Harris Function Room, Royal Parade, Carlton North
- RSVP to: health
@melbourne.vic.gov.au
What does food mean to you? Keep your eye out for our reply paid postcard at City of Melbourne libraries, community centres and recreation centres. Complete the card and return it to us by 30 November for your chance to win an iPad2!
Extract from the Food Policy Discussion Paper:
Melbourne is world-renowned for the quality of its food and its liveability, and we want it to stay that way.
We want to make sure that everyone in Melbourne can enjoy good food, now and reliably into the future. For many of us, Melbourne’s food is a cause for celebration – we have ready access to a wide variety of high-quality foods all year-round, which we enjoy at home and in a diverse and thriving scene of cafes, restaurants, bars and other outlets. These and other related businesses are an important part of our local economy, providing diverse jobs, opportunities and enterprise.
For others, there are real challenges in consistently being able to get the food they need. Limited choices often combined with poor physical or economic access undermines health and contributes to food insecurity. Those of us who do have ready access to the foods we want also often eat in ways that undermine our health.
It is increasingly apparent that food systems and the health of the natural systems that support them (our land, water and atmosphere) are unsustainable. The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to a changing climate and reduce oil vulnerability in the food system, are pressing. These issues are emerging as important global concerns. Cities around the world are recognising the important role they can play in leading and catalysing change towards healthy, sustainable, fair and resilient food systems.
The community has articulated a vision for Melbourne as a “bold, inspirational and sustainable city” – this discussion paper starts the conversation about what this means for food.
—
Find out more on the City of Melbourne website.
—
Go Wading to Help Melbourne’s Freshwater Turtles
Posted in Events, Seeking by earthwatch on October 25th, 2011
| 17 November , 2011 | ||
| 8:30 am | to | 5:00 pm |
| 19 November , 2011 | ||
| 8:30 am | to | 5:00 pm |
Volunteer to protect Melbourne’s freshwater turtles – 17 & 19 Nov
Very little is known about Melbourne’s freshwater turtles and the impact that this growing city is having on their health. As one of the top predators in the food chain, a healthy turtle population points to a healthy ecosystem, and globally, freshwater turtles are in decline.
With special waterproof clothing, you’ll wade through the city’s freshwater lakes and creeks to capture turtles, assess their health and review the condition of their habitat.
Join a Turtles on the Move team
• Help scientists understand how urbanisation is affecting Melbourne’s turtles
• Discover the city’s hidden wetlands
• Do your bit for the environment
To join a one-day team for $69, call 03 9682 6828 or email earth@earthwatch.org.au or visit Earthwatch.org.au
Team info
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Starts 8:30am and finishes 5pm.
Costs include lunch and transporttation to locations as well as pickup/.drop off to rendezvous location in Melbourne University
Location: each expedition visits two wetland sites in the greater Melbourne region
*Funds will go towards continuing this valuable research
—
Camp Out and Help Melbourne’s Microbats
Posted in Events, Seeking by earthwatch on October 21st, 2011
| 4 November , 2011 6:30 pm | to | 5 November , 2011 9:00 am |
| 12 November , 2011 6:30 pm | to | 13 November , 2011 9:00 am |
Dusk till dawn – an overnight eco adventure with Melbourne’s Microbats.
This year Melbourne Microbats research teams will be treated to a complete dusk till dawn experience sleeping overnight inside the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne – something usually unavailable for the general public – while also being able to enjoy the Ford Fiesta Moonlight Cinema in the gardens while waiting for the microbats to come out. Working directly with researchers Dr Rodney van der Ree and PhD students, you will survey bats using harp traps and record ultrasonic bat calls with hand-held bat detectors and GPS equipment. You and your team will also investigate the diet of urban bats by using light traps to sample nocturnal insect fauna.
We have a number of Family Teams that are open to parents with children aged 10-17 (these run on Saturday nights only).
Costs: $89 per adult and $59 per child (includes snacks, refreshments, accommodation and breakfast)
Times: 6:30pm-9am
All funds go towards keeping this valuable research alive.
To make a booking call Earthwatch on 03 9682 6828 or email earth@earthwatch.org.au
Dates 2011
Fri 4th Nov
Sat 12th Nov (family team)
Fri 18th Nov
Sat 26th Nov (family team)
Fri 2nd Dec
Dates 2012
Feb 3rd Feb
Sat 11th Feb (family team)
Fri 17th Feb
Sat 25th Feb (family team)
Sat 3rd March (family team)
Sat 3rd Feb (family team)
More information and bookings can also be made via the website http://www.earthwatch.org/australia/exped/vanderree_short.html
—
Seeking Program Partners: 13th Sustainable Living Festival
Posted in Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on September 15th, 2011
IT’S THE CELEBRATION THAT SUSTAINS A NATION
You are invited to join in the celebrations of the 13th annual Sustainable Living Festival. We want your ideas, imagination and insights into community education and mobilisation to help create the 2012 Festival program. This is the critical decade and we all know we need to help Australians achieve a new scale and speed of action for a safe climate and safe environment. The Festival’s role in helping to communicate this direction and showcase leading groups and solutions is a pivotal one in gaining community support for a mass transition to aid sustainability. The Festival’s program format is rapidly expanding to reach new audiences and develop fresh and more creative ways of engaging with people from all walks of life. We invite you to become a program partner today and help shape this direction and kick start the programming for Festival 2012.
- BE A PART OF THE PROGRAM
- PROMOTE YOUR WORK
- LAUNCH YOUR NEW CAMPAIGNS
- CONNECT WITH NEW AUDIENCES
- JOIN THE TEN YEAR TRANSITION
FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Luke Taylor, Sustainable Living Foundation – luke@slf.org.au
Apply: Online Event Application Form – http://www.slf.org.au/festival
SUSTAINABLE LIVING FESTIVAL 2012 EVENT DATES 11 – 26 FEBRUARY
—
Melbourne’s Urban Forest: Art & Design Competition
Posted in Seeking, Visions by Kate Archdeacon on September 13th, 2011
Photo: “Bees & Mushrooms” by Dale Gillard via flickr CC
Melbourne’s Urban Forest Art and Design Competition
The City of Melbourne is holding an Art and Design Competition to celebrate the UN International Year of Forests and to raise awareness in the community about the importance of our Urban Forest. Winning entries will receive a prize and will be displayed at various high profile public locations across the City of Melbourne in the months of November and December. Learn more about our Urban Forest in the fact sheet.
We are seeking powerful visual statements about Melbourne’s Urban Forest. We’d like you to visually explore either of the following themes:
- why trees are important to you
- your vision for Melbourne’s future urban forest
We encourage everyone to think about our trees as they will not only benefit us, but the next generations of Melburnians to come. Trees play a key role in every person’s daily life, whether they know it or not. That’s why everyone should have a say in how our future Urban Forest should evolve. The competition is open to several age categories, including Open (over 18), Secondary School, Primary School, and Under 5s.
The competition closes at 5.00 pm on Friday 14 October 2011.
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ParksandActivities/Parks/Pages/UrbanForestCompetition.aspx
—
Local Harvest Website for Melbourne: Seeking Input
Posted in Models, Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on August 4th, 2011
Source: Ethical Consumer Group
Image: This Is A Wake Up Call via flickr CC
There is a growing need for easy-to-use information for sourcing food locally.
Local Harvest will be a website resource focusing on food relocalisation and the promotion of alternatives for food production in an urban setting. This includes a national directory for finding food co-ops, food swap meets, community gardens, farmers markets, box systems, ‘pick your own’ farms, farm-gate products, organic retailers, seed saver networks, free-range meats, and more. Users can find alternative local food sources based on their own locality by placing in a postcode.
A second component will be the promotion and exploration of do-it-yourself alternatives for food production and meeting essential needs, including resources for growing your own food, making your own produce, storing and preserving, low energy living.
We will largely be drawing from the many existing resources, and collating them into one place. This idea is based on the one existing for the USA found at www.localharvest.org.
- Core objectives of the project are to help people move away from dependence on the supermarket and industrial food system, and support local producers, reduce transport distance and associated energy and carbon impact, and build up connections between urban consumers and rural producers.
- The target audience is initially city dwellers who are looking to minimise their impact regarding food choices. Ultimately however, it will be a useful resource for everyone who eats and is concerned about making a difference with their everyday purchasing choices.
- Additional components such as a forum and blog by producers and/ or users may be included to enhance the ‘community’ and resource sharing aspect. A companion to the website resource will be an iPhone and smart-phone app using the same data.
- Local Harvest will be comprehensive and user-friendly, and an effective tool in encouraging behaviour change in food choices.
Involvement
Let us know if you’d like to be involved in this project. Here’s some ideas.
- be part of the organising team
- help with funding
- tidying up the content
- contributing content (resources you know of in your area)
www.ethical.org.au/local_harvest
—
2011 ‘Dig Your Dinner’ Schools Competition
Posted in Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on July 22nd, 2011
Make a stand against the bland! Celebrate good food, as it should be with all its bumps and imperfections. Grow it for real, from budding seed to brimming plate and join in on the quest for taste!
Following the success of last years “Dig Your Dinner” competition, the Organic Expo & Green Show are delighted to announce we are running this fun and inspiring competition again as part of our commitment to encourage future generations to lead a healthier and more sustainable life. Schools across VIC are invited to join in the challenge and “Dig Your Dinner” – A fun and easy competition to show how simple it is to grow your own food, free from artificial nasties.
There are two categories in which to enter:
1. Pre-schools/Primary Schools
2. Secondary Schools/Colleges (dependent on entry numbers these may be split further).
Your school will grow your favourite seasonal vegetables and herbs and nurture them into a bountiful crop in time for the Organic Expo & Green Show. You will then bring the best of your produce to the show creatively displayed in a wheelbarrow (competition to be judged on Saturday 15 October 2011).
• Celebrity TV gardener Vasili Kanidiadis will be there to meet your school and judge the best vegetables
• Vasili will use the winning veggies in a cooking demonstration showing how you can create a delicious, healthy and inexpensive family meal
• The winning schools will become the Dig Your Dinner Champions VIC 2011 and Vasili will present you with a trophy and prizes
Entries Close September 23
http://melbourne.organicexpo.com.au/dyd
—
Water Sensitive Cities Study Tour: Applications Open
Posted in Research, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on July 15th, 2011
The Study Tour is an excellent opportunity to develop your leadership skills, learn about water sensitive cities, see what change looks like on the ground, and develop networks within Australia and overseas.
This is the third time such a tour has been run. The first tour travelled to North America in 2005, the second tour travelled to Europe in 2009. Participants came from water authorities, local governments, environmental NGOs, consultants and academia and represented Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and New Zealand. The tour group will be made up of young professionals from across Australia who will:
- Travel to another Australian city to review innovative approaches to water
- Report to the WSUD12 conference in February 2012 on ideas and successes within Australia
- Travel overseas to further seek examples of cutting edge of sustainable cities.
- Report back and engage with decision makers to progress your ideas
Who should apply
Although it is an industry based study tour, it is open to young leaders who are passionate about water, cities, and making a difference. This means anyone from engineers, scientists, landscape architects, social scientists to policy advisors, urban planners, designers, ecologists, and chemists.
Costs
Approximately $10,000 (excl GST) is required. This is expected to cover the initial trip within Australian, and overseas trip, and the evaluation and reporting costs and conference registration fees for WSUD 2012.
The benefits
The benefits are huge: personal development, exposure to some of the best thinking in urban water management, ability to manage teams, engagement with key influencers within Australia, and the opportunity to go through an experiential learning approach.
Key Dates
- 15 August, 2011 – Applications close
- 6 September, 2011 – Successful applicants attend a group briefing and planning session in Melbourne
Visit the website or download the flyer for more information.
—
Victorian Oranges for Healthy Fundraisers
Posted in Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on June 21st, 2011
Source: Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
Want to raise funds for your community or school? Want to support the Australian Citrus Industry? Want to promote rural education? Move over crap chocolate, Nangiloc Primary School has a great idea! In a nutshell, during the Navel orange season (July – Oct) you place an order for 3kg bags of fresh oranges for $5. Local fruit, packed at a local packing house will be processed by the children from Nangiloc Primary School as part of an enterprise learning program. Then, for every bag your school or organisation sells, you will earn one dollar whilst supporting Victorian citrus growers, seasonal fruit and Nangiloc Primary School. Find out more by phoning (03) 5029 1483 or email Nangiloc Primary School
—