Geelong Sustainability

Business news about wind, solar, biomass, wave/tidal/hydro and geothermal

"New laws toss energy jobs to the wind Andrew Bray, September 2, 2011

"Competition to be greenest will spur action on climate August 27, 2011"

"Invest in children of knowledge revolution "

"Australian solar thinks big * Published 9:06 AM, 9 Sep 2011 * Updated 9:44 AM, 9 Sep 2011

"Sustainable House Day 2011"

"AskNature is a free, open source project, built by the community and for the community. Our goal is to connect innovative minds with life's best ideas, and in the process, inspire technologies that create conditions conducive to life. To accomplish this, we're doing something that has never been done-organizing the world's biological literature by function."

"LED bulbs: The end of the lightbulb as we know it?"

Planet Under Pressure 2012 was the largest gathering of global change scientists leading up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) with a total of 3,018 delegates at the conference venue and over 3,500 that attended virtually via live webstreaming. The Plenary sessions and the Daily Planet news show continue to draw audiences world wide as they are available On Demand.

"By Giles Parkinson on 20 April 2012 California-based Sungevity is set to become the first solar company in Australia to offer zero-cost rooftop solar, teaming up with local company Nickel Energy to offer pay-as-you-go leasing deals that have proved enormously popular in the US."

A clear change in salinity has been detected in the world's oceans, signalling shifts and an acceleration in the global rainfall and evaporation cycle. In a paper published today in the journal Science, Australian scientists from the CSIRO and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California, reported changing patterns of salinity in the global ocean during the past 50 years, marking a clear fingerprint of climate change.

Here is a summary of global warming and climate change myths, sorted by recent popularity vs what science says. Click the response for a more detailed response. You can also view them sorted by taxonomy, by popularity, in a print-friendly version, with short URLs or with fixed numbers you can use for permanent references.

At MyGarbology, you'll find an interactive online game that teaches about Garbology and answers the question, "Where should my waste go?" You'll also find lessons and activities to extend your Garbology experience, from how to pack a waste-less lunch to getting the dirt on composting. Plus, read our Trash Talk blog for stories of Garbology in practice. In the classroom or at home, you can make Garbology a part of your everyday life.

Michael Geen is a freelance writer who contributes articles to the Age. This is his Greener Homes section.

"Talks - William McDonough on cradle to cradle design"

Dr Tom Chalko has built an off-grid Eco-house at Mount Best in South Gippsland. This is the website associated with the house in which Chalko writes about the Eco-friendly aspects of the house including the use of a modified chest fridge

TWO brands of olive oil, one from Australia, the other shipped 16,000 kilometres from Italy, sit on a supermarket shelf. Most eco-friendly shoppers would reach for the Australian oil. But despite burning less fossil fuel to get here, it may not be better for the planet. Contrary to popular belief, ''food miles'', or the distance food has travelled before we buy it, is a poor indicator of our food's total greenhouse gas emissions, or ''carbon footprint''. Advertisement: Story continues below More important is the way our food is farmed and produced, and how far we drive to buy it. CSIRO studies are expected to show how emissions from farming and food production eclipse those from food freight.

"The official data comes from the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator. It shows that while inner-city suburbs often have some of the lowest rates of solar installation, those in regional areas and lower-income suburbs, retirement belts and some coastal regions have embraced solar in the highest numbers. "

"Although some people will disagree, energy has historically been relatively cheap in Australia."

The ARIES (Australian Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability) team have put together this selection of videos from around the world to educate, engage, inspire, perplex, enlighten, delight and stimulate debate on all things to do with sustainable development. We will continue to add new ones, so remember to come back. Enjoy!