Geelong Sustainability

"The technical solutions needed to reduce greenhouse gases at a speed capable of preventing catastrophic climate change are now well known. The recently launched University of Melbourne research report, Post Carbon Pathways shows the key features of the post-carbon economy road map are now widely understood. We need rapid replacement of fossil fuels by renewable energy; rapid reductions in energy consumption and improvements in energy efficiency; and the drawdown and sequestration of carbon into sustainable carbon sinks."

"The federal government wants to increase the number of people who make short trips by foot or bicycle after a report card on the performance of Australia's cities found rapid changes in the labour market would pose big challenges to transport infrastructure. The economy benefits by more than $21 every time a person cycles 20 minutes to work and back and $8.50 each time a person walks 20 minutes to and from work, according to a policy statement released by Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday."

""The world is making policy decisions which mean that coal usage, in my view, will progressively decline. It's a long-term structural change and that should not be dismissed as something that is purely cyclical." (Colin Barnett, West Australian Premier. 29 July 2013) Something deep and long-lasting is changing the thermal coal market, and the effects are already evident in Australia. Reportedly, over the last 12 months, 10,000 jobs have been cut in the coal industry, even though production has increased. Why? Because miners are desperate to staunch their losses as the price they're getting for their coal has plunged by around 40%."

"Australian restaurants generate a huge amount of food waste, a large proportion of which currently goes to landfill. But a local company is hoping to convert that waste into compost for city vegie patches. Closed Loop sells machines that turn food waste into useable compost within 24 hours. Managing director Rob Pascoe is on a mission to lease out as many as 20 of the units to Melbourne restaurants within the next month. He says the machines not only turn organic waste into a useful resource, but can save restaurants money by drastically reducing the amount they spend on waste collection."

"South Gippsland is blanketed with more than a dozen licences for unconventional gas exploration - which uses controversial techniques to extract hard-to-reach gas. For now, nothing is happening. In August 2012, the state government announced a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration and on the drilling method known as fracking, in which water, sand and chemicals are pumped underground at great pressure to fracture coal or rock, and release gas. Even so, people are worried, fearful about risks to water supplies and local health, as well as the price and productivity of their land. Poowong has declared itself "coal and coal seam gas free" and six other towns are likely to do the same before the year is out."

These infographics from Shrink That Footprint show the average new house sizes across the world in 2009. Despite the American penchant to do everything a little bit bigger, it's the Australians who claim the prize for world's largest homes."

"Methane released by melting permafrost will have global impacts that must be better modelled, say Gail Whiteman, Chris Hope and Peter Wadhams."

"The report is the first index of low carbon activity and its impact on reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.  Learn how Australia is tracking to meet its 5 per cent  emissions reduction target and the 25 per cent target that scientists say is the minimum required to avoid dangerous climate change."

"Positive Footprints combines Environmentally Sustainable Design and Construction into the one company making high performing sustainable homes easy to achieve. Positive Footprints is honoured to have recently received 2 industry awards. This is their YouTube Channel featuring Fly-throughs of their house designs.

"Positive Footprints combines Environmentally Sustainable Design and Construction into the one company making high performing sustainable homes easy to achieve. Positive Footprints is honoured to have recently received 2 industry awards: MBAV Excellence in Housing  Best Sustainable Energy Home 2012 Award for Penola House and, National BPN Sustainable New Home of the Year 2012 for Marion House "

Food Know How is a food waste reduction program developed by Cultivating Community, City of Yarra, and our numerous other partners. We want to help households, cafes and offices reduce their food waste and invest back into their food, well-being and community connections.

Welcome to the POWER MATRIX Game - the new, free strategy game. Now available for your browser. Found your POWER MATRIX City and power your world. Play for free now.

These are the slide from the report launch

"Power generation from hydro, wind, solar and other renewable sources worldwide will exceed that from gas and be twice that from nuclear by 2016, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today in its second annual Medium-Term Renewable Energy Market Report (MTRMR). According to the MTRMR, despite a difficult economic context, renewable power is expected to increase by 40% in the next five years. Renewables are now the fastest-growing power generation sector and will make up almost a quarter of the global power mix by 2018, up from an estimated 20% in 2011. The share of non-hydro sources such as wind, solar, bioenergy and geothermal in total power generation will double, reaching 8% by 2018, up from 4% in 2011 and just 2% in 2006."

The Dog Rocks Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, near Geelong, was established when the current owner George Belcher's great grandfather purchased the property in 1856. The Belcher Family has preserved the Sanctuary as valuable and beautiful natural bush land for over a century, and it has become an important area of conservation for our rapidly disappearing flora and fauna.

The Clean Energy Council is the peak body representing Australia's clean energy sector. It is an industry association made up of more than 600 member companies operating in the fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Clean Energy Week is Australia's biggest event for the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry, incorporating ATRAA (Australia's largest solar event), a huge trade exhibition, two awards programs and a clean energy debate on the 2013 conference theme of 'rethinking energy'. Hosted by the Clean Energy Council, Australia's peak industry body, the week delivers the latest news on policy initiatives and technology developments, as well as the opportunity to make valuable new contacts and close critical business deals. After drawing more than 2500 local and international delegates to Sydney for the 2012 event, Clean Energy Week is set to be even bigger when it comes to Brisbane from July 24 - 26 in 2013.

"The Federal Government has sparked significant debate with the confirmation it intends to move from a fixed carbon price to an emissions trading scheme next year. But where is the description of the long term, low carbon future for Australia? Aside from the 90% renewable energy target proposed by the Greens, the major parties are slim on long-term vision."

"Concern over fracking in that area has made Gasland and Gas-land 2, by filmmaker Josh Fox, among the most prominent documentaries of recent years. The films have been widely praised by critics and cited by anti-fracking activists, though some experts question their science. Either way, no one disputes that fracking uses vast amounts of water, which is necessarily polluted by the process. There is debate over its impact on how water tables are affected by the broken rock and some even argue - without significant evidence so far - that it is to blame for causing earthquakes."

"Josh Fox explains how he came to oppose the natural-gas industry's practice of hydraulic fracturing. Josh is an American filmmaker who wrote and directed the documentaries Gasland and Gasland Part II. gaslandthemovie.com/ This video was recorded on 4/29/13 in New York, NY as part of the Dish's "Ask Anything" interview series." For more see https://vimeo.com/album/2455766