During this busy period, Australians travel more, eat more, drink more and buy more than at any other time of the year. This also means we have a bigger impact on the environment now than at any other time of the year. There are lots of simple things you can do to have a fun and also green festive season. Some of them will also save you money! Check out Planet Ark’s The 12 Do’s of Christmas, a quick and handy guide to a green festive season – perfect for people on the run!
ENVIRO 2012 is the 7th event in a series that is Australia’s largest meeting of business and the environment. Every two years, industry, government and the environmental service sectors gather to shape policy and progress on sustainable enterprise. Experts and innovators join with business leaders, practitioners and policy makers to advance Australia’s position as a leader in sustainable business practices, innovation and technologies.
The State of Australian Cities 2011 report, released on 20 October, builds on the knowledge contained in the first report published last year and also brings together a raft of new data that compares Australian cities with each other and cities internationally. State of Australian Cities 2011 provides an evidence base to support the national urban policy released earlier this year.
The Gwangiu Cities Declaration sets the way forward towards the greening of cities through improved planning and intelligent management. Released at the conclusion of the Summit of the Urban Environmental Accords held in Korea on 11-13 October, the Declaration calls for the development of an Urban Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the UN Convention for Climate Change. It also recommends the development of metrics to measure and report urban sustainability and to encourage the development of policies, regulations and innovative market mechanisms to accelerate the transition towards greener urban development. The Declaration calls for action across five major sectors:
The Green Savings Calculator is a free online tool that helps you work out the cost benefit of sustainable improvements to your home. With methods and data verified by RMIT’s Centre for Design, it covers popular eco-friendly building options including water saving, construction materials and energy efficiency. It can calculate potential dollar savings and carbon savings over one year or ten years, for a typical new or established house.
The new Green to Gold Business Playbook: How to Implement Sustainability Practices for Bottom-Line Results in Every Business Function is the follow-up to the international bestseller Green to Gold (2006). While Green to Gold made a compelling case for WHY every business now needs a sustainability strategy, the new Green to Gold Business Playbook provides the HOW, offering practical tools and recommendations for business leaders and managers in every job function: IT, supply chain and logistics, fleet, buildings and facilities, product R&D, sales and marketing, accounting and finance, and more.
The overarching aim of the Behaviour Change for Sustainability National Congress is to inspire and re-invigorate behaviour change for sustainability professionals to continue and advance their vital work in communities and organisations. Key themes are:
World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on 21 November throughout the world. Fishing communities celebrate this day through rallies, workshops, public meetings, cultural programs, dramas, exhibition, music show, and demonstrations to highlight the importance of maintaining the world’s fisheries. A recent United Nations study reported that more than two-thirds of the world’s fisheries have been overfished or are fully harvested and more than one third are in a state of decline because of factors such as the loss of essential fish habitats, pollution, and global warming.