Blog entries

Labor must blame itself, not the Greens

sustainadelic — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:28:45 +0100

As Labor's"faceless men" of Labor stick the boot into the Greens, it's worth remembering where it all went wrong for Labor. In mid-2009, Kevin Rudd was one of the most popular Prime Ministers in Australian history. By mid-2010, Labor's support had collapsed and Rudd was dumped.

Why? Because of the failure of Rudd's ETS.

And all because the Greens wouldn't support it.

Or so some in Labor would have us believe. But the reality is Labor didn't want to deal with tRead More...

Australia's new marine parks will be good for fish... and fishers

sustainadelic — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:05:47 +0100

The federal government's plan to establish 44 new marine parks around Australia is its most popular policy to date, with the support of 70 per cent of Australians, according to a poll in The Australian.

Despite the rubbish being put about by the Australian Marine Alliance and the Shooters and Fishers Party there are no plans to make popular fishing spots near major cities off-limits to recreational fishers.

Most marine parks are far offshore in deep water and see few recRead More...

Australia's original eco directory upgraded and SUSTAIN

Karel Boele — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:00:00 +0100

Migration to the new website

We plan, hopefully everything goes well (everything has all been on track up until this time) to migrate our new website to ecodirectory.com.au around the time of the SUSTAIN Show, if you have a business listing we will email you your new log in details in due course and you will be invited to be part of the next phase of the EcoDirectory website after Sustain.

Finally, it's official. Global warming is causing heatwaves

sustainadelic — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:19:59 +0100

New research by the UK's Met Office and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US goes a long way towards pinning extreme weather events on man-made climate change.

They have calculated that 2011 heatwaves in the UK and US were respectively 60 and 20 times more likely to be due to climate change than "normal" weather patterns.

It is the first time in the peer-reviewed literature anyone has been prepared to put specific numbers to such claims.

URead More...

Will Germany's energy revolution save the world

sustainadelic — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 00:16:02 +0100

Australia now has a price on carbon - but the truth is, despite the Coalition's ridiculous rhetoric, the carbon price is a modest measure. It aims to cut Australia's emissions by 5 per cent from 2000 levels. It will result, Treasury estimates, in Australia producing 23 per cent less emissions in 2020 than if there were no carbon price.

All very good, but the problem is a 5 per cent cut in emissions is not enough. The science calls for a 40 per cent cut by 2020, and (at least) 80 peRead More...

Green rebates, solar feed-in tariffs update

sustainadelic — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 23:32:37 +0100

We've just updated our information on energy- and water-saving rebates and grants available to Australian households, taking account of changes introduced on 1 July 2012.

Sadly, the amount of state and federal government assistance for installing energy- and water-saving equipment such as solar panels has become much more limited. The federal government's solar credit scheme has again been reduced in value, and state governments have reduced and in most cases are phasing out solar feedRead More...

Are you coming to SUSTAIN the natural and organic event?

Karel Boele — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 02:29:48 +0100

We will be showcasing our new mobile friendly website which fingers crossed x will be migrated to ecodirectory.com.au. We will be handing out free MY E organic energy drinks, recycled newspaper show bags with lots of goodies and showcasing our popular extraordinary vegetable / soy and corn based laser equivalent printer and more surprises!

STAND 117 - ECODIRECTORY'S STAND

20 July SUSTAIN Trade Oceania, trade expo
Read More...

New green movies

sustainadelic — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 00:06:09 +0100

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKPcuwOOGqY]

Looking for green movies for your local environment group to screen? We've updated our green movies list with a heap of recent releases of eco-documentaries. Here's the trailer for Dirt! The Movie, a film exploring the importance of soil and the worrying loss of a third of the world's topsoil in the last few decades.

See the full movie list here.

The real causes of rising electricity prices

sustainadelic — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 00:02:37 +0100

We've heard a lot about how the carbon tax will cripple the economy. But, as Leanore Taylor notes, NSW electricity prices have risen 70 per cent in four years - and only 8 per cent of that will be due to the carbon tax.

The other 62 per cent? Some is due to renewable energy schemes such as the solar feed-in tariff, and water price hikes (coal-fired power stations use huge amounts of water for cooling).

But mainly it's due to infrastructure - poles and wires - and the way theRead More...

Why the carbon tax and changing lightbulbs are pointless

sustainadelic — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:20:19 +0100

I recommend this excellent 2008 post by US environmentalist Ken Ward on Grist, reposted by David Spratt at Climate Code Red. It goes to the heart of how the environmental movement is failing on climate change.

In summary...

* environmentalists accept climate change could be catastrophic. Yet we propose or endorse feeble solutions such as weak emissions trading schemes or focusing on personal carbon footprints. Supporting such weak actions is wrong; we know they won't solRead More...

Whatever happened to clean coal?

sustainadelic — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 23:35:32 +0100

Short answer? Not much. Over the last couple of years, most if not all carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects have been abandoned. A new report by Greenpeace shows clean coal is simply too difficult and expensive. Even if it works, it would cost more than renewable energy.

The lack of investment in carbon capture and storage by coal companies shows the industry knew it was unlikely to work, even as they were promoting it as an alternative to other clean energy options.Read More...

Real friendships are made outside Facebook

Karel Boele — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:16:52 +0100

On my regular walk in nature recently, it passes by a sports oval where I normally do a few laps, there were a few kids ranging from their pre to mid teens at the oval. The kids were debating whether they should be on Facebook, interestingly most were arguing not to be. When I came back around after my first lap I remarked “Real friendships are made outside Facebook.”. After may second lap the youngest kid came up and asked if I had any other opinions, by the third lap I had the fRead More...

Hunting, maybe. But not in national parks. Here's why.

sustainadelic — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 02:44:41 +0100

I'm not against hunting per se. Cruel? If you eat meat, it seems to me a more humane way to put meat on your table than much modern animal farming. And seeing as Australia is overrun with edible feral animals it makes environmental sense to hunt the edible ones - such as pigs, deer, goats, rabbits - for the table.

Many hunters are passionate environmentalists, even if some wouldn't admit it. (Others are simply hoons with guns.)

But let's be clear. Recreational hunting Read More...

Pathetic Combet is the invisible minister for climate change

sustainadelic — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:07:34 +0100

Since becoming minister for climate change, Greg Combet has become the Gillard goverrnment's invisible man. It says a lot about the Gillard government and is a key reason why they will lose the next election.

Combet gave another feeble performance on the ABC's Insiders programme on Sunday. As usual, he focused on the carbon tax compensation package. But no mention of WHY we need a carbon tax in the first place.

That was hardly a surprise. These days, Combet never argues for Read More...

An island retreat to remember

Karel Boele — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:08:34 +0100

A full moon, dirt track, not able to travel more than 20km/h not because of the dirt and darkness but because of the overwhelming number of Kangaroos, wallabies and possums.

Arriving at Cape Cassini Wilderness Retreat we were warmly welcomed by our host, David and shown our luxurious accommodation.

....Waking up to breath taking panoramic ocean views was a moment to remember!

Why the climate change message is failing

sustainadelic — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:34:02 +0100

David Spratt, author of Climate Code Red, has written a series of blogs on the Climate Spectator website exploring why the "climate message" - the need for strong action to stop global warming - is not cutting through. Public support for action, and indeed public acceptance that global warming is actually happening, has fallen since 2007-8, despite the science becoming more convincing and more alarming.

Spratt identifies two key problems.

First is the idea that you shoulRead More...

Eco experience and raw food demonstration

Karel Boele — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:44:51 +0100

EcoDirectory had a stand at the EcoXpo in Sydney on the weekend, the expo was a success, a constant stream of visitors explored our website, tasted the MY E organic energy drink, played with our solid-ink printer ink blocks and asked questions about sustainable living information we had on offer.

EcoDirectory at EcoXpo

Karel Boele — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:29:18 +0100

EcoDirectory will be at EcoXpo this weekend at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, Sydney. We will be handing out free My E organic energy drinks. Please come and visit us.

Survival's campaign to save the Awa and their rainforest home

sustainadelic — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:56:44 +0100

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKOLZ8P0G40]

The Awa people of Brazil - some of whom remain uncontacted by the outside world - have been identified by Survival International as the world's most endangered ethnic group. Their land is threatened by logging, land-clearing for cattle ranching and settlers.

There's more information on Survival's beautiful webpage on the Awa. (Note the graphic showing deforestation on their land.)

Taste an organic energy drink

Karel Boele — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:02:20 +0100

Fizzz, pop, a mouth-watering energising fruity sensation is the experience you get when you open and taste a MY E. Organic energy drink.

Due to technology, ease of transport and social media sites such as Facebook people live fast paced lives compared to 50 years ago. One way people are managing their busy lifestRead More...

Change Minchin's mind on climate? Not likely.

sustainadelic — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:13:41 +0100

There's a saying in journalism: everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not to their own facts.

If you can't distinguish fact from opinion, debate is reduced to a shouting match.

That was the problem with last night's ABC climate special, in which climate activist Anna Rose tried to convince former Liberal senator and climate sceptic Nick Minchin about climate change.

As one of the people interviewed, English science writer Ben Goldacre, said, it just Read More...

How do you make a wasteful housemate change their habits?

Tamie Wexler — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:18:21 +0100

It's generally easy to be environmentally friendly around the house when you live on your own and you own your own home, but it can get a little more complicated when you're a renter, as many of us are. Worse still, when you share a house with people who aren’t environmentally friendly or sustainable at all. Their lazy actions make your bills increase and you’re left to foot the bill. If you’re like me, it probably drives you crazy when your housemate leaves the ligRead More...

Saving the Tarkine

sustainadelic — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:59:42 +0100

[video:http://vimeo.com/10192737]

A short documentary by Brent Melton about the fight to save the Tarkine wilderness in Tasmania. The Tarkine, one of Australia's great wild places, is threatened not just by logging, but by proposals for up to nine new mines in the area.

Why the Greens will survive Bob Brown

sustainadelic — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:27:48 +0100

Will the Greens fade away with the departure of Bob Brown as leader?

No, for one simple reason: because they have what every succesful political party needs: a "big idea".

In other words, they actually stand for something. Unlike the Democrats.

And, it's tempting to say, unlike Labor. Labor used to be the workers' party; one that stood for trade unionism, public ownership and public services funded by progessive taxation. These days, it doesn't seem to really Read More...

2012 Climate Action Summit

sustainadelic — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 23:40:53 +0100

This year's Climate Action Summit is being held on 27-29 April at the University of Western Sydney's Parramatta Campus. Speakers include Mark Diesendorf, Christine Milne, founder of Beyond Zero Emissions Matthew Wright, Ted Trainer, Costa Georgiadis and Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and founder of 350.org. For more information see the Climate Summit website.

What's happened to GreenPower?

sustainadelic — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:38:54 +0100

Amid all the shake-ups (mainly cancellations) of various solar energy schemes, Australia's original renewable energy scheme - GreenPower - seems to have dropped off the radar. Does it even still exist?

Well, yes. And a large number of Australian residents and businesses still subscribe to the scheme, which involves paying a premium on your electricity bill, used by your energy supplier to purchase renewable energy - mainly wind, hydro or biofuel from burning landfill.

ThRead More...

Shattering some myths about renewable energy

sustainadelic — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:48:50 +0100

I recommend this post on the Climate Progress blog for some useful statistics about renewable energy (albeit with a US focus) that shatter the idea that it is expensive, uncompetitive or impractical.

For instance...

between 1994 and 2009, fossil fuels received 75 times more US government subsidies than renewables - $446.96bn to $5.93bn (adjusted for inflation).
In the early years of gas and oil, the US government spend an average 0.5 per cent of the federal budget building thoRead More...

Young people not green

sustainadelic — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:23:55 +0100

A US study has concluded young people today are less concerned about the environment than previous generations. The longitudinal study of college students found only 5 per cent of young US students considered themselves "committed environmentalists" with 90 per cent saying they wouldn't be seriously inconvenienced or pay a cost to protect the environment.

Commentators in this New York Times article blame the decline in environmental concern on the fact that fewer young people todayRead More...

New ethical marketplace, networking and advocacy site launched

Karel Boele — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:46:36 +0100

It began with test drives of the only volume-produced 100% electric vehicle on the market, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Dead silence, it was already on. It’s smooth handling impressed.

Vegetable / soy based blocks of ink were then used to print stunning photos on the Fuji Xerox ColourQube 8570 cartridge-less printer - no waste!

Top 100 individuals contributed to sustainability, the Forbes Rich List?

Karel Boele — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:00:40 +0100

Have you seen Post Growth Institute's latest project?

The (En)Rich List is a celebration of the wealth of inspirational individuals whose contributions, combined, enrich paths to sustainable futures.

To view the (En)Rich List visit http://enrichlist.org/

EcoDirectory new website launch went really well

Karel Boele — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:40:19 +0100

Our website launch went really well, a lively event and engaged attendance probing and asking alot of questions about the Mitsubishi electric car, Fuji Xerox Solid Ink eco-printer and EcoDirectory new website.

We will be writing an article with photos and reporting on the sustainability of the event soon, keep posted. To see our new website go here and here.

How NOT to solve Sydney's traffic problems. Build more roads.

sustainadelic — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:17:48 +0100

The Daily Telegraph has been campaigning recently about Sydney's gridlock. But is the solution to urban gridlock really to build more roads? Or even railway lines?

The North West Rail Link? OK, that's a must. You can't have a huge chunk of a modern city without any public transport.

A fast rail from Sydney to Canberra and Melbourne? Maybe. It would link the national capital to the country's two largest cities and allow Canberra to be developed as Sydney's second airport Read More...

EcoDirectory web launch, electric cars and solid ink

Karel Boele — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:25:46 +0100

We are having our new website launch on Friday 16th of March.

There will be a presentation, demonstration and test drives of the only volume-produced 100% electric vehicle on the market, Mitsubishi's i-MiEV and a printer that uses vegetable / soy based blocks of ink, generating 90% less waste, Fuji Xerox's Solid Ink printer.

A night noRead More...

A 4 star eco hotel in the heart of Melbourne?

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0100

EcoDirectory stays at the Alto Hotel on Bourke in Melbourne

It was EcoDirectorys pleasure to be a guest at the Alto Hotel, an eco friendly boutique apartment hotel in Melbourne, while attending the 2012 Sustainable Living Festival. Conveniently located in the CBD within a 2Read More...

Fakegate: why a loss is as good as a win for climate sceptics

sustainadelic — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:23:44 +0100

Fakegate: a loss is as good as a win for climate sceptics

In an obvious echo of the Climategate affair, leaked documents from the US Heartland Institute, a leading propagator of climate sceptism, show the organisation funded prominent climate sceptics such as Australian Bob Carter. The sums are not huge: climate sceptics will point to larger sums spent by governments and other organisations putting the climate change message across.

But to compare dollar for dollar spendRead More...

Is gas worse than coal?

sustainadelic — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:55:33 +0100

Even if you're worried about fracking and water pollution, the gas lobby tells us, gas is the cheapest low-carbon energy source and therefore essential to stop global warming. But a new study presents the strongest case yet of what looks like an inconvenient truth about natural gas: when it comes to emissions, it may be little or no better than other fossil fuels.

Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Colorado, Boulder have Read More...

EcoDirectory at Sustainable Living Festival

Karel Boele — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:47:29 +0100

EcoDirectory has partnered up with the Sustainable Living Festival (SLF) to bring you the latest green, eco and sustainable innovations and products from the festival's BIG WEEKEND in Federation Square, Melbourne, this weekend. We will be tweeting LIVE! from the festival starting this Friday.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Collaborative consumption: sharing is green

sustainadelic — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:52:59 +0100

A new book by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers called What's Mine is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption, which Time magazine recently called one of 10 ideas that will change the world.

So what is it? Essentially, a trendy word for sharing stuff, updated for the internet age.

Sharing is green because it means we don't need to buy so much new stuff which means less resources and energy used to make things. And it seems we are sharing everything from land to cars anRead More...

Peats Ridge music festival beats sustainability movement

Jacs — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:48:52 +0100

Thursday 29th December 2011-1st January 2012

A bit of background...

Peats Ridge is three days of laid back FestivalRead More...

Lester Brown's plan B can save the world

Mark Mann — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:57:54 +0100

Lester Brown is one of America's leading environmentals, and founder of the Earth Policy Institute and Worldwatch (which produces the annual state of the planet reports). World on the Edge, his latest book, outlines the Earth Institute's "Plan B", a big-picture blueprint to save the world/civilisation from environmental catastrophe.

The first part of the book rounds up our current environmental woes. It's familiar territory, but a useful overview nevertheless.

The underlRead More...

Will you survive peak oil and climate change?

Karel Boele — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:17:01 +0100

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z-fRQayrUk]

A great documentary about permaculture, peak oil, climate change and the Gaia theory, www.animamundimovie.com

Gwynne Dyer climate war lecture

Mark Mann — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:08:50 +0100

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc_4Z1oiXhY]

It's well worth setting an hour aside to watch this lecture by Canadian journalist and historian Gwynne Dyer. Dyer's book, Climate Wars, explored scenarios that could arise from global warming in the coming decades, as changing climate creates food and water shortages and leads to increasing global conflict over resources. Dyer (whose has been dubbed, apparently, "Grim Die-er") doesn't paint a cheerful picture.

World pays to save Amazon hotspot

sustainadelic — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:14:48 +0100

Last year we reported on Ecuador's offer to protect the bio-diverse but oil-rich Yasuni National Park - if the rest of the world paid Ecuador half of the value of the oil that lies under the park's rainforest.

Now it seems a motley coalition of governments, local authorities, movie stars and individual donors has put up the initial deposit of $100 million, which Ecuador demanded by the end of 2011 to hold off the oil companies.

It's an interesting proposition in two ways.

Wind energy to lead the way in renewables?

Rich Bowden — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:28:43 +0100

This year is shaping up to be a bumper year for renewable energy in Australia.

While the remains of the GFC still rattles investment in some other parts of the world, funding in renewables in this country is creeping up. According to a December Clean Energy Council press release, Australia is well placed to deliver on its 20 percent of energy sourced from renewables by 2020.

CEC Director Kane Thornton said wind power will play a major role in helping the country reach its reRead More...

EcoDirectory LIVE!@Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts & Music Festival

Karel Boele — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0100

EcoDirectory will be streaming LIVE! from the Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts & Music Festival.

We will be tweeting LIVE from the festival to the homepage of our new website starting 29th of December 2011 until 1st of January 2012. We will keep you up to date with the latest from theRead More...

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year from EcoDirectory

Karel Boele — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0100

We hope you have a beautiful and wonderful Christmas and New Year. We hope it is full of lots of delicious organic food, great green gifts and exciting sustainable events.

From everyone at EcoDirectory.

Organic, green and sustainable xmas gifts and presents

Karel Boele — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:55:32 +0100

Our new website has loads of great organic, green and sustainable Christmas gifts - you might find the last minute present you are looking for.

You can also win a early new year present, complete our survey on our new website and you can go into the running to win a $100 Etiko gift voucher.

Click here to visit our new website.

EcoDirectory.

Should we give up fight against foreign invaders?

Mark Mann — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:18:43 +0100

Michael Duffy in the Sydney Morning Herald urges us to give up the fight against invasive introduced species. Instead, he says, conservationists should concentrate on creating "novel" but viable ecosystems that integrate introduced species with native ones.

Duffy, a contrarian environmentalist who likes to challenge mainstream green positions, points out there hasn't been untouched wilderness in Australia since Aboriginal people arrived 50,000 or so years ago and wiped out the megaRead More...

The GST, mining and carbon taxes

Karel Boele — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:47:40 +0100

I was reading AIM HIGH Summer 2012, Australian Ethical Investment’s newsletter recently, it has a good article in it titled “The truth behind the mining boom”. It discusses the mining boom’s negative impact on other parts of the Australian economy, such as the manufacturing sector.

The article made me think about the mining and carbon tax debates. Not that long ago a tax was introduced called the GST by a politician who promised never to introduce a GST. The GSTRead More...

The Arms Trade and ethical bullets

Karel Boele — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:43:20 +0100

Did you know a single annual increase in U.S. military spending can be greater than the entire military budget of the next biggest military spender, China? Seven of the 10 largest arms-producing corporations are in the U.S..

I was reading New Internationalist’s December 2011 (NI 448) issue recently, it is titled “The almighty influence of The Arms Trade”.

The article mentions Britain’s loss of arms contracts to Libya after the potential fall of the QadafiRead More...

Success at fair trade and ethical festival, EcoDirectory's new website launched

Karel Boele — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:42:01 +0100

EcoDirectory had a stall at the Fair@Square fair trade and ethical festival in Federation Square. People with a large amount of, to those with little awareness of ethical consumption attended the stall, it was a great success!

Before the festival EcoDirectory launched the beta 2.0 version of its new websRead More...

EcoDirectory at Fair@Square at Federation Square

Karel Boele — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:59:05 +0100

We will have a stall at the Fair@Square Festival at Federation Square in Melbourne this weekend. Please come and visit us.

Desertec's grand solar vision a step closer

sustainadelic — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:23:30 +0100

If renewables are ever to replace fossil fuels - and they must if we are to avoid catastrophic global warming - we need to start thinking big.

That makes Desertec arguably the most exciting thing out there right now. Desertec is a consortium of major European - mainly German - companies with a vision to build a huge renewable energy network that can supply 15 per cent of Europe's energy.

As this diagram shows the idea is to link solar power in north Africa and the Middle East wiRead More...

Key Report Finds Take Up of Solar Energy on the Rise in South Australia

Rich Bowden — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:53:56 +0100

The Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA) — the independent economic regulator for essential services in the state — released a report this week which highlighted the increase in customers' take up of solar energy sources as South Australians look to offset rising energy prices.

The Commission’s Annual Performance Report documented a rise in the average energy bill for South Australians from $1165 to $1680 over the past three years. Read More...

World leaders give up on climate deal until 2020

sustainadelic — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:48:20 +0100

In recent blogs I've suggested our best current hope of preventing catastrophic climate change is the rapidly falling cost of solar power.

In the most optimistic scenario, solar prices will soon match fossil fuels and we'll see a mass switch to renewable energy.

Let's hope.

What seems increasingly clear is we can't rely on so-called world leaders. At this crucial moment in human history, we aRead More...

Solar, wind to match coal, gas in five years

sustainadelic — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:18:02 +0100

With expectations low for the forthcoming Durban climate conference, it looks increasingly like our best hope is falling renewable energy prices. Here are a couple of interesting stories on that subject from Climate Progress and Yale360.

Climate Progress cites analysis from Bloomberg New Energy Finance that wind power will be competitive with natural gas within five years.
"After analyzing the cost curve for wind projects since the mind-1980′s, BNEF researchers showed that thRead More...

Five years to save the world, civilisation, etc…

sustainadelic — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 10:44:33 +0100

Fatih Birol, chief economist at the OECD's International Energy Agency (IEA) - hardly an alarmist greenie organisation - has issued a dire warning the world is heading for irreversible climate change within the next five years.

"I am very worried – if we don't change direction now on how we use energy, we will end up beyond what scientists tell us is the minimum [for safety]. The door will be closed forever," says Birol.

The warning comes as US Department of Energy figuRead More...

Woytopia festival a great day out for the family

Karel Boele — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 10:07:29 +0100

EcoDirectory had a stall at the Woytopia festival on the weekend. People enjoyed walking around the Eco stalls, listening to the music being played and talks on offer, the festival had a great relaxed atmosphere. EcoDirectory had its new website on show to the public, the Fuji Xerox Solid Ink printer was a success again and people were interested in the information we supplied about the Mitsubishi electric car.

Radically Designed Whisper-Quiet Wind Turbine Targets Small Scale Production

Rich Bowden — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:20:43 +0100

Wind turbines have, in recent times, attracted negative publicity in Australia with a number of people living near wind farms reporting health problems as a result of the constant low level noise emitted by the three-bladed turbines.

Consequently a number of anti-wind farm groups have been formed to oppose their construction. See here for a report in The Australian over an ongoing court case, which details typical allegations raised over this divisive issue.

However a radically Read More...

Seven billion and counting: how women's rights and social justice can save the planet

sustainadelic — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:33:09 +0100

On October 31st, a newborn baby will take the world's population to seven billion.

Population is the elephant in the room in any discussion of the environment. One reason is that most population growth is in Asia, Africa and South America, and left-leaning greenies don't want to be seen to blame the poor nations of the "global South" for the planet's woes.

You see, the global North - the rich nations of Europe, north America, Japan, Australia - created most of our enviroRead More...

Mitsubishi's i-MiEV Electric Car Impresses at Melbourne Launch

Rich Bowden — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 20:46:22 +0100

EcoDirectory's owner/manager Karel Boele was recently invited to the launch of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV in Melbourne. The small car is the first volume-produced 100 percent electric vehicle to be released in Australia and we caught up with Karel to ask his thoughts on the launch and the future of the electric car in Australia.

What were your impressions of the i-MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) at the launch?

KB: This is the first voRead More...

Gas could make warming worse

sustainadelic — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 05:21:27 +0100

The gas boom of the past couple of years is the biggest story on the planet right now, for it is central to whether or not we can halt global warming.

The UK has found vast new reserves off its northwest coast. There's Poland, China, the US, Canada and of course Australia, which has huge reserves of both offshore natural gas and onshore coal seam gas. Indeed, Australia is tipped to become the third-largest gas producer in the OECD.

Much of this gas - the Canada tar sands andRead More...

Water Goals Remain Elusive Says Report

Rich Bowden — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:48:42 +0100

The debate over water reform has received less scrutiny of late with the drought easing in much of the country and national attention turning to matters such as the carbon tax debate, the bankrupted Malaysian refugee solution and of course the start of the footy finals.

However a report released last week by the National Water Commission has brought the issue of water reform to the fore by delivering the equivalent of a “mixed bag” on Australia’s water managemRead More...

Organic beers

sustainadelic — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 12:31:12 +0100

Organic wine is reasonably common these days, but you don't see many organic beers. But it seems that's changing, with a number of microbreweries now producing organic beers.

Recently I came across Koala Beer's (I've only just noticed the pun) Burragumbilli Organic Lager. Boutique Sydney brewery and beer cafe Redoak makes the tasty Redoak Organic Pale Ale and long-established NSW winemakers the De Bortoli family have gone into the beer business with their Williams Pale Ale.

Will heritage listing save the Kimberley?

sustainadelic — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:33:44 +0100

Federal environment minister Tony Burke has announced the national heritage listing of the west Kimberley region.

The 20 million hectare region is the largest area ever to be included on the national heritage list.

The decision quickly came under fire from all sides.

Mining, agriculture interests attacked the blanket nature of the listing, instead of individually listing selected attractions in the region such as Windjana Gorge and the Bungle Bungles.

EnvironmentalRead More...

Community trading conference creates enthusiasm and action plan

Karel Boele — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:24:04 +0100

EcoDirectory attended the National LETS Conference in Perth from the 9th to the 11th of September.

LETS is a community exchange system using community currencies. Community currencies are backed by the services and products a community can offer, they are interest free and provide greater access to capital and liquidity for low to middle income earners and SME’s. Community exchanges create trust and community cohesion. There are currently approximately 70 LETS exchanges in AustraRead More...

Hold the front page: solar panels reach grid parity

sustainadelic — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:28:25 +0100

Critics have been quick to dismiss solar panels as no more than expensive token gestures that have little real value in fighting climate change.

They may need to reconsider.

According to the (aptly named) Muriel Watt of the Photovoltaic Association, rooftop solar power in Australia has now achieved the holy grail: grid parity with retail domestic power from the grid.

Solar panels have a 25-year life expectancy with little or no maintenance. And installing paRead More...

Australia’s First Water-Neutral Suburb Hits the Ground Running

Rich Bowden — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 03:06:59 +0100

The Victorian Government has officially opened development at the suburb of Toolern, situated near Melton, west of Melbourne, describing it as the country’s first “water neutral” suburb. A joint project between Melton Council and Lend Lease, the development is expected to begin by the end of the year and will house an estimated 50,000 people by 2030.

The state has been hit hard recently over water with parts of the state flooded in 2010 while dams reached a dangerousRead More...

The world's richest rainforest. Who cares?

sustainadelic — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:29:05 +0100

Here's the deal. Ecuador is a poor country and needs money for development. A rich supply of oil under its eastern lowlands is an obvious source of that money, and in recent years, Ecuador has derived 40 per cent of its national income from oil revenues.

Now oil companies have identified a vast supply of oil beneath the Yasuni National Park. Jackpot! Well, yes and no. The problem is Yasuni is one of the most biodiverse spots on earth. Maybe THE most biodiverse. This is the upper AmRead More...

China introduces solar feed-in tariff

sustainadelic — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:37:19 +0100

A survey of 91 solar operators in NSW by the Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) last week found 416 jobs have been lost and 25 per cent of solar businesses have closed or are planning closure in the next month.
Australia's only manufacturer of solar panels, Silex Solar, has also announced the loss of 30 jobs.

The solar industry, which employs about 15,000 people nationwide, has been hit by the recent axing of solar feed-in tarRead More...

WA Coastal Towns Most at Risk of Climate Change Says Report

Rich Bowden — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:50:07 +0100

A key report released yesterday by the Australian Government’s Climate Commission has served a grim warning to coastal regions of Western Australia on the effects of climate change.

The Critical Decade study has singled out coastal areas such as Mandurah, Busselton, Rockingham and Bunbury as being most under threat of flooding and coastal erosion.

The commission found that sea levels were rising at twice the global average with sea temperatures also increasing.

ItRead More...

EcoDirectory a success at the International Organic Expo and Green Show

Karel Boele — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:26:15 +0100

EcoDirectory's stand at the International Organic Expo and Green Show was a success. We got comments such as “your stand is the best in the whole expo”.

We successfully launched the beta version of our new website and people loved exploring it. People loved the new products and information available. We had one of the most eco-friendly printers on demonstration a Solid Ink Fuji Xerox printer, it printed spectacular photo like images and kids played with the crayon like prinRead More...

Carbon tax package to deliver twice the cuts

sustainadelic — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:53:14 +0100

It seems the Greens were right to reject Kevin Rudd's emissions trading scheme and CPRS (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) and hold out for a better deal. According to an assessment by climate-change think tank Climate Works, based at Melbourne's Monash University, the Gillard government's current carbon tax and Clean Energy Future Plan will generate double the emissions reductions of Rudd's package.

In fact, according to Climate Works, the government's package will produce far greateRead More...

Tasmania Works With Local Councils to Mitigate Coastal Impact

Rich Bowden — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 01:00:10 +0100

Two major environmental announcements from the Labor/Green alliance in Tasmania last week have seen the state set the agenda in mitigating the effects of climate change. The introduction of the projects may also be a sign that the junior Greens members of the coalition government are beginning to flex their political muscle, amidst a battle royale between left and right over a forestry agreement for the state.

Minister for Climate Change, Cassy O’Connor announced the introduction of tRead More...

Climate a key factor in Arab Spring, Afghanistan

sustainadelic — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:22:19 +0100

A recent article in The Guardian looks at how climate - in the form of drought and food shortages - has been a critical factor driving the Arab Spring.

Let me go back a couple of steps. A key insight of Karl Marx (remember him?) was that economics determines culture. According to Marx, societies and cultures are "superstructures" based on an economic "structure" - the way a society produces its food and shelter. Agriculture produces different cultures from hunter-gatherers, and so on.

Study: Decline in apex predators is devastating environment

sustainadelic — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:16:45 +0100

A recent study published in Science magazine examines the impact of the decline of top predators. We're talking animals such as sharks, big cats and wolves.

The report says this decline may be "humankind’s most pervasive influence on the natural world". The fall in predator numbers, due to direct or indirect human activity, has allowed prey species - from deer to sea urchins - to proliferate, often leading to environmental destruction as these animals overgraze their environment.Read More...

Mudbrick homes fail government's green test

sustainadelic — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:13:20 +0100

An interesting article in the Australian this week looks at how mudbrick homes are failing the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency's new mandatory six-star energy ratings.

House plans that fail the six-star rating assessment will not get development approval.

The problem - ironically, considering mudbrick is the building material of choice for hardcore greenies - it is a relatively poor insulating material.

(By contrast, strawbale is an excellent insulator Read More...

Water Debate Lacking as Australia Hits Permanent Election Footing

Rich Bowden — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 02:56:06 +0100

Despite being two years away from an official federal election, the government’s knife edge majority has seen us move to an apparent permanent election footing. However while hard hat-wearing, baby kissing politicians are becoming more visible on our news screens, quality policy discussions on vital infrastructure issues appear to have taken a permanent back seat in favour of the personal political attacks, soundbites and slogans so favoured by our media.

Perhaps tRead More...

Carbon tax leaves us facing bleak future

sustainadelic — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:42:46 +0100

If you want to know what a government really thinks, look at Treasury forecasts. These show that the Gillard government expects - as a result of its carbon tax package - that Australia's emissons will increase by 50 million tonnes by 2020, and will be 545 million tonnes a year by 2050. That's only 30 million tonnes less than we produce now.

Gillard is touting emissions cuts of 80 per cent by 2050. But Treasury anticipates most of this will be achieved by buying 434 million tonnes of caRead More...

The Economics of Happiness

sustainadelic — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:34:29 +0100

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYEvFRQchyw]

Argues the case for building a future based on localisation and community rather than global capitalism.

Movie website here.

Carbon tax package a boost for renewables

sustainadelic — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 01:08:12 +0100

As anticipated, the targets and price are too modest and compensation overgenerous. There isn't nearly enough to promote energy efficient. But there are some good things in the Gillard Government's carbon tax package.

They include almost a billion dollars for reforestation and protecting biodiversity, half a billion for farmers for carbon soil sequestration and reforestation, and a commitment to reduce Australia's emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 - a significant target.

But Read More...

Global weirding?

sustainadelic — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:05:02 +0100

Weird weather seemed to be the norm in 2010, and persisted into the first half of 2011.

These two articles from The Guardian's environment editor John Vidal explore whether it's just a bunch of freak coincidences, or global warming to blame - or this year's climate buzzword, "global weirding".

Climate change hots up in 2010 and Extreme weather ahead

Tasmanian forest deal so close but not done yet

sustainadelic — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:37:59 +0100

The Tasmanian forestry industry stands on the verge of a historic deal. The question is, can it, and its estwhile green adverseries, get the thing over the line?

For a year or so now green organisations in Tasmania have been talking to Gunns and the timber industry about an agreement to end the state's decades-old "forestry wars".

On Thursday the deal was announced.

It would see immediate protection for up to 430,000ha of high conservation value forest, a halving of sawloRead More...

Bill McKibben lecture

sustainadelic — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:25:49 +0100

Leading environmentalist Bill McKibben talks ahead of the coming Moving Planet event later this year.

Turkey joins global dam rush

sustainadelic — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 10:38:45 +0100

If it flows, dam it. I've blogged previously about huge dam projects in the Amazon and Tibet, and Chile's plans for a dam in pristine Patagonia is also attracting fierce criticism from environmentalists. But Turkey's plans to harness "100 per cent" of its hydro-electricity potential by building 4000 dams in the next 12 years are breathtaking even by those standards.

Turkey has one of the world's fastest growing economies. Largely as a result, the country is hungry for energy. CurreRead More...

Commission wrong to reject renewables

sustainadelic — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 10:33:17 +0100

The Productivity Commission has backed a price on carbon as the best way to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. The Commission dismissed direct action approaches as inefficient.

The Commission's report highlights the irony of a (supposedly) left of centre Labor government supporting a free-market mechanism while the Liberals under Abbott back a taxpayer-funded policy - "picking winners", to use former Prime Minister John Howard's dismissive phrase.

The Productivity CommRead More...

Industry goes cold on electric cars, hydrogen planes

sustainadelic — Mon, 30 May 2011 04:50:34 +0100

There's been an emerging consensus that the (sustainable) future of cars was electric, with hydrogen the big hope for aviation.

However, a recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald argues that the auto industry is turning away from electric cars.

Getting electric batteries to delivery long-distance driving range at a realistic size and an affordable prices is proving elusive. And while the 100-150km range of an electric battery is fine for everyday city driving 50 weekRead More...

Britain commits to halve greenhouse gases

sustainadelic — Sun, 22 May 2011 09:50:17 +0100

Hold the front page. The conservative British government has just announced a "carbon budget" that will legally bind the UK to cut its greenhouse emissions to half of their 1990 level by 2027.

Australia is currently commited to a pathetic and inadequate 5 per cent cut by 2020. If an Australian government were to propose we halve emissions, it would be a sensation.

Yet it wasn't even a leading news story in the UK.

Why? Because in the UK there is agreement on all sRead More...

Landmark IPCC report: renewables can power the world

sustainadelic — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:43:27 +0100

A landmark thousand-page study from the IPCC has concluded that renewable energy can provide 77 per cent of the world's energy by 2050.

That would keep greenhouse emissions below 450 parts per million, which is calculated to be the level beyond which climate change becomes uncontrollable.

Making it a reality would cost 1 per cent of global GDP.

The study sees solar power as the cornerstone of a renewable energy mix, backed up by wind power, with lesser roles for wave, tidRead More...

Moving Planet

sustainadelic — Wed, 18 May 2011 10:03:54 +0100

The US climate change organisation 350.org is coordinating another worldwide day of protest and events to call for greater action on climate change. Called Moving Planet, it takes place on 24 September.

Last year's 350 Day featured 350.org rallies in every country in the world except North Korea - making it possibly the largest single event in history.

This year organisers are calling for people to take to the streets on foot, bicycles and other low-carbon sustainable transport Read More...

Shale and coal seam gas: climate salvation, or greatest mistake in history?

sustainadelic — Mon, 02 May 2011 00:05:21 +0100

With the nuclear industry on the back foot after the Fukushima reactor crisis in Japan, natural gas is now being positioned as the "only realistic" clean energy option. In the last few years, billions have been poured into gas exploration and development - far more than has gone into developing renewables such as solar or wind. Natural gas is is claimed, generates half the greenhouse gas emissions of coal, making it a valuable transition fuel in any strategy to reduce emissions. But is Read More...

Carbon tax won't make any difference

sustainadelic — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 06:04:53 +0100

Last week union boss Paul Howes threatened to oppose the carbon tax if it led to the loss of one job in the steel industry. Australian industry, sensing a weakened Government, is queuing up to demand special treatment.

A good article in The Australian by Michael Sudbury points out the price of energy in Australia has risen by 52 per cent since 2006. (Prices in NSW are set to rise by another 17.6 per cent, of which about 10 per cent will be infrastructure costs and 6 per cent due to theRead More...

Can we knock down your house?

sustainadelic — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:13:59 +0100

Do you live in a giant McMansion? If you do, a Sydney artist would like to knock your house down.

The Reincarnated McMansion project is the brainchild of artist Mathieu Gallois.

The idea is to turn one oversized project home into two or three smaller and more sustainable dwellings, using the existing materials - the bricks and tiles and so on - of the existing building. The home owner will work with the architectural team on the home's redesign.

"Recycling" aRead More...

Carbon tax is the only fair option

sustainadelic — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 05:07:42 +0100

NSW consumers are facing power bill increases of around $300. Of that, something like $100 will be the result of subsidies for solar panels and other green schemes, through mechanisms such as the solar feed in tariff. Most of the rest is due to increased infrastructure costs - building new power lines and so on.

I belive we need to support renewables with some incentives. But even people in the solar industry recognised that NSW's 60c feed-in tariff was too generous to be sustainabRead More...

NSW election: triumph or failure for the Greens?

sustainadelic — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:34:24 +0100

The Greens won their first ever lower-house seat, Jamie Parker in Balmain, in the recent NSW state election. They won 10.3 per cent in the lower house, up 1.3 per cent. With 90 per cent of counting complete for the upper chamber, they have 11.16 per cent, up 2 per cent on 2007. They have two more senators, to give them a total of four. A third senate candidate, Jeremy Buckingham, is narrowly leading Pauline Hanson for the final seat.

But... is that good?

On the facRead More...

How kangaroos can stop global warming

sustainadelic — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:50:49 +0100

A British study says cows and sheep could produce up to 20 per cent less methane if fed crushed rapeseed.

This is no joke. An estimated 4.5 per cent of Britain's greenhouse gas emissions come from methane from farting and belching cows, sheep and goats. (Methane has 23 times more "greenhouse effect" than carbon dioxide).

In Australia the figure is even higher - an estimated 11 to 14 per cent.

In New Zealand, it's a staggering 50 per cent.

A change in feedstRead More...

Nuclear power. Not the devil. Not the answer, either.

sustainadelic — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:06:58 +0100

Noted UK environmentalist George Monbiot says in the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/21/pro-nuclear-japan-fukushima that the Fukushima nuclear incident has persuaded him nuclear power is safe. If a 40-year-old nuclear plant with shoddy maintenance can survice a 9.0 earthquake and a tsunami without a major release of radioactivity, we should worry less about nuclear power.

There are strong "green" proponents of nuclear power in Australia too, such as Adelaide pRead More...

Will China save the world? America won't.

sustainadelic — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:52:27 +0100

Climate change legislation is dead in the United States. So dead that President Obama didn't even mention global warming in this year's State of the Union address.

So who will save the planet?

Thankfully, there are signs the world's other superpower, China, might rise to the challenge. The country's latest five-year plan, just released, promises a big green step forward with significant scaling up of solar, wind, hydro-electric and nuclear energy, moves to improve energy efficienRead More...

"Uncomfortable": What 4C of warming will mean

sustainadelic — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:04:02 +0100

In 2007, John Howard admitted that a 4C warmer planet might be "more uncomfortable" for some people.

The indefagitable David Spratt of Melbourne's Climate Action Centre, author of Climate Code Red, has produced a 15-page primer on the consequences of 4C of warming.

"Uncomfortable" doesn't quite cover it. If the science is correct, we could be looking at global population collapsing from nine billion to one billion or less by 2100; the extinction of virtually all ocean life; the Read More...

Oil giant Chevron ordered to pay $8.7 billion. Or not.

sustainadelic — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:23:21 +0100

In the wake of last year's Deepwater Horizon oil spill, there have been developments in an 18-year court battle over an even larger oil disaster.

Last week, an international arbitration tribunal in San Francisco, brought under a bilateral US-Ecuador investment treaty in The Hague, ordered Ecuador to suspend its case against oil giant Chevron for environmental damages relating to contaminated waste water from oil spills in a formerly pristine region of the Amazon.

But a few days Read More...