New research Exploring the Attitudes-Action Gap in Household Resource Consumption surveyed three environmental lifestyle segments representing the spectrum of attitudes, opinions and intentions across the population in Melbourne: “committed” greens, “material” greens and “enviro-sceptics”. Despite a divergence of attitudes, opinions and intentions, few differences were found in relation to each segment’s actual consumption of energy, water, housing space, urban travel and domestic appliances. The persistence of well-ingrained habits and practices among individuals and households and the lack of norms and values in western societies that explicitly promote environmental conservation among its population are fundamentally involved in this attitude-action gap.
Living Smart is an award-winning program that helps you live a more sustainable lifestyle. Knowledge, skills and practical tools are obtained over 6–8 weeks for you to take action in your own home and community to improve both your quality of life and reduce your environmental impact. Topics include simple living, water, power, waste, gardening for biodiversity, gardening for food production, transport, healthy you, healthy home, and community. You can participate in a course in your local area, or if there are no courses near you, consider hosting one.
Logan Eco Action Festival (LEAF) is Logan’s most successful environmental event promoting eco-living tips in a free, fun, family environment. The last two LEAF events have attracted over 9000 people who were eager to learn how to live their lives more sustainably. Leave the car at home and catch the train to the Loganlea train station and meet with the walking group and walk to LEAF or take the courtesy coach which will run from 9:30am-3:30pm between the station and LEAF.
Urban Ecology Australia exists to demonstrate and promote a more sustainable approach to the way we live. More people now live in cities than in rural areas, so if we are are to address major issues such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, resource scarcity and social equity, we need to focus on the urban form and look for ways in which we can improve it. Urban Ecology’s flagship ‘Ecocity’ development, Christie Walk in Adelaide, provides visitors with a tangible example of what is possible when good urban design is applied to the challenge of housing people in medium density near the city centre. Membership of Urban Ecology is open to anyone.
After 20 years of renovating other people’s houses and gardens to demonstrate his sustainable house ideas, Josh Byrne (environmental scientist and well known ABC TV Gardening Australia presenter) is undertaking his most ambitious house project yet – the design and construction of two 10-star energy efficient family homes in the Fremantle suburb of Hilton. Construction started in November 2012 and is scheduled for completion by May 2013. Follow the progress at Josh’s House.
Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment Inc. (HOPE) is pleased to announce the launch of the national edition of the popular Low Carbon Living starts at home booklet and 2 new appendices. The 21 page booklet highlights all areas of the home where residents, renters and renovators can all make smarter choices to reduce their impact on the environment. Methods developed and explained in the Low Carbon Living starts at home booklet can also be implemented in schools, businesses and community facilities.
Visit a Sustainable House in your neighbourhood this Sunday. Sustainable House Day gives people the chance to get a real-life look inside houses that have been designed, built or fitted out with sustainability in mind and talk to owners, receiving unbiased advice.
The SAVE Program (Sustainable Actions Value Everyone) delivered sustainability projects to low income, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities in Sydney. The SAVE Program website was developed to make the resources and lessons learnt throughout the program available to other organisations looking to engage similar communities in sustainability initiatives.
Sign up to One Planet Week today and take a step towards sustainable living. In One Planet Week, participants will seek sponsorship to live for the week with a significantly reduced ecological footprint. This will involve actions such as walking or riding a bike to work, buying no packaged goods and eating local produce.
The Sustainable Living Festival raises awareness and provides tools for change by showcasing leading solutions to the ecological and social challenges we face. Australia’s largest and oldest, the festival attracts a large number of visitors and is staged through the engagement of hundreds of organisations and individuals.