Posts Tagged ‘Melbourne’
The World’s Biggest Eva Vegie Swap
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on March 10th, 2010
Image: woodleywonderworks via flickr CC
Got too many lemons? Over-run with parsley but no sweet basil in sight? If only you could swap all those olives for tomatoes! Well now you can!
As part of this year’s Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, CERES Urban Orchard, Yarra Neighbourhood Orchard and Cultivating Community are hosting what we’ve called “The World’s Biggest Eva Vegie Swap” with the hope that veggie gardeners from across this wide, brown city will bring along an abundance of gorgeous backyard produce and show Melbourne town what veggie swapping is all about!
This phenomenon has been sweeping Victoria, Australia and the world as folks realise the galaxy of potential that’s in our backyards and how easy and fun it is to get together and swap food – So bring along your vegies, herbs, seeds, seedlings, cuttings, preserves, recipes etc and see how it’s done – you might even get one going in your community!
When and where? Saturday 13th March
City Square, corner Collins & Swanston Street 10am – 2pm
Tags: community, local action, Melbourne, urban agriculture
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Walk Against Warming
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on December 2nd, 2009
Source: Zero Carbon Moreland
Come along to the Walk Against Warming and help form a massive human sign, a sign so big that the message will reach Copenhagen! In Melbourne, the walk will start by the State Library, on the corner of Swanston Street and La Trobe Street at noon on December 12 and end at Princess Bridge. On the bridge, 20,000 people will make a human sign saying: SAFE CLIMATE – DO IT. Zero Carbon Moreland friends and supporters are invited to meet and walk together. We’ll be gathering at 11.30 am (just before the main event) outside RMIT’s Storey Hall at 336-348 Swanston Street, close to the State Library. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: climate change, community, local action, Melbourne
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Diversifying our water supply system: meeting Melbourne’s needs locally
Posted in Opinion by Kate Archdeacon on November 20th, 2009
Source: Alternative Technology Association
From “A land of droughts and flooding rains: it is time we adapt to this reality” by Anjali Brown, Water Policy Manager ATA
The single most commonly used rationale for the Wonthaggi desalination plant has been the fact that we do not have enough rainfall. A lesser quoted fact is that even in years of drought, 400-500 Gigalitres of rain falls on Melbourne, only to be lost down stormwater drains and flushed out, via our waterways, into Port Philip Bay.
500 gigalitres is more than the city’s total water use and it is double the amount the desalination plant, at maximum capacity, can produce. We cannot and should not be misled by the low rainfall argument or that desalination is our only option. Desalination is a last resort in a long line of alternative technologies that, if implemented, would go much further to securing our water supply. Climate change has reminded us that we live in a country of droughts and flooding rains. In order to respond to these weather patterns, Victorians require a diversity of options. In an uncertain climate, having a range of options is a strength: if one fails there are multiple back-ups.
A crucial area to improve is what happens in the home. Householders with a variety of water supply sources are less vulnerable to the extremes of drought or flood than those who rely solely on the mains water network. This is not simply because they have multiple sources to fall back on in case one goes bad or becomes too expensive, it is also because the experience of using water wisely in the home increases the householder’s understanding of and control over their water supply. In a recent study completed by the Alternative Technology Association, householders who installed greywater systems found their wasteful water habits changed dramatically. They became more aware of what the weather was doing and used their water system accordingly. As their awareness increased, householders relied less and less on mains water. Diversity of household water supply options is key to our water security.
Tags: behaviour change, consumption, Melbourne, water
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Walk to highlight Sea level rise: Port Philip Bay
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on November 11th, 2009
Source: Friends of the Earth Melbourne
The Port Philip Rising group is going to walk the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay in Victoria and highlight the impacts of sea level rise on people, communities and landscapes along the way.
Sorrento – Port Melbourne – November 21 – 27 2009
…The sea is already rising at an increasing rate because of climate change. Scientists are predicting seas will rise globally by more than a metre by the end of this century, and perhaps much more. For example, melting of the Greenland ice sheet is accelerating, it contains the equivalent of about seven metres of sea-level rise. Around the world many thousands of communities will be lost and hundreds of millions of people will be displaced….
Leaving Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula, they will head north along the coast, marking the one metre level where possible with a simple marker (a stick with piece of blue ribbon). They will walk between 15 and 20 kilometres a day, and welcome people and organisations to join in for sections of the walk, which will conclude in Port Melbourne. Early next year the walk will continue along the western side of the Bay. During the walk, they will collect images and video grabs of people and places asking them to explain their concerns about climate change, sea level rise and what they want to see the state and federal governments to do; including Kevin Rudd at Copenhagen.
News, stories, images and video will posted as they go, so visit the site often or sign on for updates.
The walk has been initiated by Friends of the Earth Melbourne in partnership with the Victorian Climate Action Centre.
Tags: climate change, community engagement, Friends of the Earth, Melbourne, sea-level
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More Urban Sprawl
Posted in Models by Virginia on June 12th, 2009
Melbourne’s urban sprawl will push another 50,000 houses into surrounding farmland in the next 15 years, putting further pressure on Melbourne’s stretched transport system. Despite Government planning policies backing increased city density, almost half of all new housing expected in Melbourne over the next decade will be built on Melbourne’s fringes where there is little access to public transport.
A report by the Government’s urban development program estimated that ‘an average of around 13,300 lots are required annually to meet projected dwelling demand across the growth areas over the next 15 years’. “The report found current land zoned for housing was not adequate for the expected demand. ‘The 2008 urban development program has identified that there is approximately 10-11 years’ total supply of broad-hectare land (set aside) across metropolitan Melbourne growth areas, which constitutes a current shortfall of residential land for future requirements’, the report said. Government policy is to have 15 years of land available for housing.
The report indicated that at least 50,000 houses would be built outside Melbourne’s current boundary in the next 15 years. Greens MP Colleen Hartland said: ‘There is already a huge strain; the Government is simply not putting money into public transport, they are letting those outer growth suburbs be built without any public transport’. ”
Ref: Jason Dowling, The Age, 9/5/09
For more information check out the Going Solar site.
Tags: Melbourne, public transport, sustainability, urban development, urban sprawl
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Dr Ralph Horne, Sustainable Cities Round Table – The Energy to Change, 20 May 2009
Posted in Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Virginia on June 9th, 2009
Dr Ralph Horne is the Director of the Centre for Design at RMIT University. The Centre for Design promotes sustainability through research, consulting, and capacity building through active dissemination and professional development. They are recognised internationally for our innovative design methods and tools to support sustainable design of products and services – everything from packaging and consumer products to buildings, suburbs and cities.
Tags: centre for design, life cycle assessment, Melbourne, RMIT University, sustainable buildings, Sustainable design
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Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne Speaks on Sustainability
Posted in Events by Virginia on May 12th, 2009
Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, hosts a monthly series of “Conversations” at Federation Square in Melbourne. They are free, public events with topics and themes “on the public mind”.
Dr Freier will be joined by the PM’s adviser on Climate Change and author of the 2008 Garnaut Climate Change Review, Professor Ross Garnaut, for a discussion on exploring the question ‘Does Australia have a sustainable future?’ The conversation is expected to be challenging and controversial as it considers the difficult energy choices which lie before us.
Christian nuclear energy advocate and environmentalist, Ian Hore-Lacy, will also join the archbishop and Professor Garnaut for the conversation. Mr Hore-Lacy believes Christians are focusing on the wrong thing: “Christians need to stop talking about the environment and properly address the broader and more significant reality of God’s creation.” He believes ‘populist bandwagons’ are distracting attention from the real solutions.
Event: ‘Conversation’ with Dr Philip Freier on Sustainability
When: 7.30 – 8:45 am, Tuesday 19 May 2009
Where: BMW Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne
Tags: anglican church, brotherhood of st lawrence, christianity, climate change, federation square, Melbourne, phillip freier, ross garnaut, sustainability
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State of the Cities – Unlocking the Data Conference
Posted in Events by Virginia on May 10th, 2009
This conference is aimed at achieving better City information on liveability, prosperity and environmental sustainability at the Federal, State and Local levels and within academia and the private sector. It is supported by the Major Cities Unit and colleagues in the other capital cities.
Event: State of the Cities-Unlocking the Data Conference
When: 27th May – 29th May. Program available here.
Where: Yarra Room, Melbourne Town Hall, Cnr Swanston and Collins Streets, Melbourne
Register for the event here. For more information, please visit the website.
Tags: major cities unit, Melbourne, policy, Research, state government, state of the cities, sustainability, unlocking the data
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Melbourne Sustainability Drinks
Posted in Events by Devin Maeztri on March 18th, 2009
What: Melbourne Sustainability Drinks
When: 1st Wednesday of the month
Where: Tjanabi at Federation Square
Bookings essentialThis event provides an opportunity to meet other people interested in creating a more sustainable world, exchange ideas and hear different perspectives about the social and environmental challenges we face. Come and meet a wide range of passionate people who are interested in making a positive difference.
Tags: drinks, Melbourne, sustainability
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Alternatives to desalination and sustainable water supply solutions – Discussion Panel
Posted in Events by Ferne Edwards on February 10th, 2009
What: Urban water expert Prof. Peter Coombes, Belinda Hatt, co-author of Australia’s first major review of storm water harvesting, and Environment Victoria’s Kelly O’Shanassy, will debate alternatives to desalination and sustainable water supply solutions for Melbourne’s water woes. This is the first of the Alternative Technology Association’s quarterly sustainable living seminars.
When: Thursday 12 February at 6:30pm.
Where: KPMG – Banking Chamber theatrette, Ground Floor, 147 Collins St, CBD. Disabled access 161 Collins St.
Cost: $15. Refreshments provided.
For more information: wendy@ ata.org.au or Tel (03) 9631 5407.
Tags: desalination, Melbourne, water conservation
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