Geelong Sustainability

"Cultivate L.A. is a group of students in the Urban Planning Masters program over at UCLA that has spent the past year tracking down every bit of urban ag in L.A. County for a massive report and, perhaps more importantly, an extensive interactive map. To get some background into the project, I spoke to Rachel Surls, sustainable food systems advisor for UC's Cooperative Extension in L.A. County, and the students' "client" for this specific project."

"Google it and you'll see factory farming defined as "a system of rearing livestock using intensive methods, by which poultry, pigs, or cattle are confined indoors under strictly controlled conditions." Dig just a little deeper, however, and you find some unappetizing truths: Most of the meat you eat comes from animals that were raised in horrifying conditions by large corporations seeking to maximize profits at the expense of animal welfare, the environment, and your health."

"The issue of food waste has become a hot topic over recent years, with claims that up to half of the world's food is wasted on the journey from field to fork. The growing gleaning movement aims to make an impact in cutting crop waste by gathering unharvested crops in British fields."

"What would happen to the world if, with the snap of our fingers, we shifted all our energy supplies to renewable sources overnight? You might be surprised at the answer: not much, at least for biodiversity and ecosystems."

"Coal-fired electricity may have little or no economic future in Australia, a new analysis has found. While the new government seems determined to turn its back on renewable energy, our study shows that even without a carbon price, and even with the assumption that carbon capture and storage will eventually become commercially available, coal may not be able to compete with renewable electricity."

"People use less energy when they know their use is being monitored, a new US study has found. Among other things the findings suggest ways to increase the success of energy efficiency programs. Behavioural scientist, Dr Daniel Schwartz, from the University of Pennsylvania, and colleagues, report their findings this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

"Here's a bright idea: what if, instead of paying for solar panels to keep your electricity bills down, you asked a solar company to put them on your roof for free, then paid them back with excess energy that you didn't need? Well, it's already happening. Solar panel installation with no upfront payments, paid off over several years from the money saved out of your power bills, began in Australia almost two years ago. In a few years, it is likely that companies will be competing with each other to pay you for the privilege of using your roof to generate electricity for your home."

"Blustery weather in the middle of August has sent a slew of wind energy records tumbling. NSW wind farms generated 35 gigawatt-hours of electricity in the week starting August 18, beating the previous high for the state by about 9 per cent, consultants Intelligent Energy Systems said."

"South Australia broke another wind power record during August, with the state's wind farms providing the equivalent of just under 40 per cent of the state's power, the Clean Energy Council said today. Clean Energy Council Policy Director Russell Marsh said August had broken records for wind power across the country, with South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales all hitting new highs during the period."

"Australia's effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should be a pivotal issue in this election. Here and throughout the world, mounting scientific evidence that human activity is driving global warming is fuelling demand for policies to mitigate the risks."

"Beverly McGuire saw the warning signs before the town well went dry: sand in the toilet bowl, the sputter of air in the tap, a pump working overtime to no effect. But it still did not prepare her for the night last month when she turned on the tap and discovered the tiny town where she had made her home for 35 years was out of water."

"The cooling of eastern Pacific Ocean waters has been counteracting the warming effect of greenhouse gases. Our research, released today in Nature, shows this natural variability in ocean cycles is responsible for the "hiatus" in global warming over the last ten years or so."

"The 2013 Regional Public Place Recycling Grants aim to make it easier for regional Victorians to dispose of rubbish and recyclable waste correctly in public places. The competitive, merit-based $1 million grants program encourages partnerships between local government, business and community to address the challenge of resource recovery in public places. The total $800,000 grant funds available are for projects that involve education and infrastructure."

"Published on Aug 28, 2013 If Earth is going to remain habitable for more than about one billion people we need urgent and drastic action on climate change, not piecemeal solutions and a "softly-softly" approach. We have a choice. Future generations will not."

Following recent reports that Apple was preparing to launch their new iPhone trade-in program at Apple Retail Stores, 9to5Mac has managed to get their hands on some additional details - including the fact that the program is already launching at certain Apple Stores.

"Australia's two major parties have promised to reduce the country's emissions by 5% by 2020, with two different approaches. Labor has used carbon farming as part of its approach; the Coalition is making it a centrepiece. But analysis of Labor's approach shows it is likely to fail, whoever pursues it."

"26 August 2013 - The Victorian government has announced $3.59 million in funding to improve the energy efficiency of the state's commercial office buildings. The Smarter Resources Smarter Business - Energy Efficient Office Buildings program will provide matched grant funding of between $20,000 and $150,000 to mid-tier commercial office building owners to deliver energy savings."

"Okay, sure, not literally every 4 minutes. However, solar systems are now being installed at the rate of 360 solar systems per day, according to GTM Research. That's 1 every 4 minutes if you average it out over a 24 hour day. Really, it's more than that because, I assume, most solar systems aren't being installed outside of normal working hours."

"CLIMATE CHANGE HAS ARRIVED Here in the Pacific, droughts, floods, cyclones and rising seas are destroying our homes and jeopardizing our future. On 3 September, Pacific leaders will gather in Majuro to launch a new wave of climate leadership."