Cities Nature Justice is a 3-day international symposium addressing the social science and science of sustainability. A key question for conference attendees will be: Can social sustainability be achieved at the same time as environmental sustainability? Building on the success of the Landscapes of Meaning symposium hosted in October 2006, Cities Nature Justice will similarly bring together environmental activists, advocates and communicators from India, China, South East Asia, Australia and the United States to discuss new approaches to understanding city environmental issues by bringing both social science and science to bear on key questions of public space, water and social justice.
Renting an apartment should not make you feel exempt from doing your part for the environment and saving yourself some money while you are at it. It may seem like most of the world is talking about “Going Green” but they are talking about their own homes and their cars. What about the apartment dwellers? Sydney’s Pyrmont Village community website brings you 25 Tips to Make Your Apartment an Eco Friendly, Sustainable, Green Paradise!
Eco-shout was founded by an individual who found that, at the end of her student career as a green student, there was little information on what to do next; as a green volunteer it was hard to know where to match her interests and skills; as a green activist, resources were always thin on the ground; and in everyday life it was hard to find the alternatives available to an intensive consumer lifestyle. On her ensuing voyage through unemployment, organic gardening, urban green exploration and wild forest adventure, she discovered that there were a lot of people doing a lot of amazing things to protect, conserve and rehabilitate the unique Australian environment. She also met many people who, like her, wanted to apply their skills, meet like minded souls and ensconce themselves in earthy goodness, but were not always able to make the connections.
“With the environmental problems that Australia is facing today, it is unacceptable that people who want to apply their skills and energy to addressing these problems are missing out on the opportunity to do so due to lack of resources and support. It is also quite vexatious that so many great environmental groups and alternatives exist, yet are being underutilised because people don’t know about them.” And so, with such thoughts in her head and still fresh from her discovery of Melbourne’s green underbelly, she set out to EXPOSE THE BELLY. Eco-shout Melbourne was created, followed by offspring Eco-shout Tasmania and Eco-shout Sydney.
Green Map System promotes inclusive participation in sustainable community development around the world, using mapmaking as the medium. Over 350 vibrant Green Maps have published to date, and hundreds more have been created in classrooms and workshops by youth and adults. Both the mapmaking process and the resulting Green Maps have tangible effects that:
Green Map System has been developed collaboratively since 1995, and is now active in 475 cities, villages and neighbourhoods in 54 countries. GMS and its network of regional hubs and community-led Green Map projects share the award-winning outcomes through their online profiles, blogs, Green Map books and media productions, workshops and other public presentations.
In a media release on 30 June Victoria’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings announced that the Brumby Government will ask the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) to undertake new investigations of how Crown land can contribute to Melbourne’s liveability and native vegetation. Minister Jennings said the Metropolitan Melbourne Investigation and the Remnant Native Vegetation Investigation would help Victoria plan for the future.
“The Metropolitan Melbourne Investigation will help inform the Brumby Government on how Crown land can enhance our city’s liveability and its natural environment,” Mr Jennings said. “The Remnant Native Vegetation Investigation will help identify Crown land that contributes to biodiversity. Climate change is predicted to have serious impacts on our biodiversity, so these patches of native vegetation will become increasingly important. By looking at remnant vegetation we can link critical habitat to help animals to move between areas of native vegetation that are now fragmented or to better protect existing habitat.”
The West Australian
11th August 2008
More than 6000 Perth homes and businesses are expected to take part in a solar city trial. Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett announced the $13.9million program today. Under the plans, Perth will become the country’s seventh solar city as part of a $94million Federal Government election promise…
Click here to read the full article in The West Australian.
With the theme “The Role of Trees & Arboriculture in the 21st Century”, the 9th National Street Tree Symposium features two days of presentations, demonstrations and participation that will excite you about the value of trees and your unique role in improving the urban environment. The Symposium is being organised by TREENET, an independent non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the urban forest.
SB08 is a Conference that all those involved in any aspect of building, planning and policy making should not miss. It is an opportunity to network with the best in the sustainable built environment sector, be more informed, and be prepared for the future. A formidable list of acclaimed international speakers will challenge conventional thinking. SB08 outcomes will determine how different countries will respond to the challenge of applying a sustainability-filter to government and business policy on building and planning.
Associate Professor David Paton AM from the University of Adelaide will spearhead a world-class project to help revegetate the Mount Lofty Ranges, to stave off the effects of climate change and halt the loss of bird, animal and plant species. The multi-million-dollar program aims to:
Glenthorne, a 228ha property owned and operated by the University about 17km south of Adelaide, will play a pivotal role in delivering these outcomes.
Melissa Fyfe
The Age
August 10, 2008
TAXPAYERS would save more than $600 million if every new house and apartment block in Victoria was built with a rainwater tank, a State Government-commissioned study has found.
But the economic study found that conserving water was only a small bonus of widespread rainwater tanks. The biggest benefit would be in saving the Government millions of dollars in managing storm water…
Click here to read the full article in The Age.