Geelong Sustainability

350 means safety from the climate crisis. To preserve our planet, scientists tell us we must reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere from its current level of 392 parts per million ("ppm")to below 350 ppm. But 350 is more than a number-it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet. At 350.org, we're building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis and push for policies that will put the world on track to get to 350 ppm.

Solar energy is on the agenda this election year. With over one million solar homes across the country, Australians are turning to the sun to generate power from clean, safe sources of energy. And with a natural resource like the sun so abundantly available, why wouldn't we?! Community organisation 100% Renewable, has developed this Solar Scorecard so you can see where your MP stands on renewable energy and how they compare on a number of key criteria.

"The groundbreaking film, video and education program - uniting diverse audiences in a shared understanding of energy and promoting efficiency."

"At Deakin University, we believe that truly transformational initiatives are invested in the communities they touch. When world-class innovation is engaged in the community we know it can make a difference that has real impact. Become part of the solution by helping us to fund the answers. Donations may be tax deductible. "

At a time when over 60% of adults and 25% of children in Australia are obese or overweight and the world is experiencing an unprecedented increase in atmospheric CO2 and associated climate change, there is compelling evidence from both the health and sustainability literature that seaweeds should become a common part of global diets. Seaweeds are incredibly nutritious and can significantly reduce obesity and associated illnesses. Regular consumption of seaweeds thus has the potential to enhance the health of societies now, and for generations to come. Would you like seaweed with that? Sustainable nutrition solutions using Australian seaweeds. A crowdfunding project on Pozible.com/seaweed

Amsterdam is trying to keep its hordes of bikes under control. In a city of 800,000, there are 880,000 bicycles, the government estimates, four times the number of cars.

"Global warming is moving much more quickly than scientists thought it would. Even if the biggest current and prospective emitters - the United States, China and India - were to slam on the brakes today, the earth would continue to heat up for decades. At best, we may be able to slow things down and deal with the consequences, without social and political breakdown. Gwynne Dyer examines several radical short- and medium-term measures now being considered-all of them controversial."

"Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan is turning to renewable energy, and especially solar power, in a big way. By the end of 2012, Japan had already installed 7.4 gigawatts of solar power capacity, but that's set to double this year, according to analysts at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. This stellar pace of growth in solar power is set to make Japan the second-fastest growing solar market in the world, second only to neighboring China. It will also make the country the holder of the third-largest total installed solar capacity, behind Germany and Italy."

"The ACFCGN is an informal, community-based organisation linking people interested in community gardening from around Australia."

"Plans, tools and information  to help you build renewable energy andconservation projects. Hundreds of projects -- from changing a light bulb to building a solar homes. Design information and tools  for building renewable energy projects. An Experimental section for backyard inventors. Nothing For Sale here -- just free ideas, plans, and information."

The 2013 Students of Sustainability Conference, is a national wide conference being held at the Launceston Campus of the University of Tasmania from the 5th to 9th of July. The 5 day conference brings together speakers from around Australia, to present on various sustainability initatives with talks ranging from Concentrated Solar Thermal uses in Australia through to Permaculture and plant foraging. This years action packed conference has over 100 speakers over the five days and is sure to be an exciting conference for all those who attend.

"CREATING AUSTRALIA'S MOST EDIBLE CURB COMPETITION We are people that like our food fresh, local and free. We like social gatherings, designing and building useful things and getting to know neighbours. We empower people like you to RECLAIM THE CURB."

"China, the world's largest carbon emitter, has launched its first carbon trading scheme as it tries to reduce pollution from greenhouse gases."

"The old-fashioned approach to recycling in which consumers pay a redeemable deposit on drink containers is popular among all kinds of people, from Greenpeace members to traditional Coalition voters. But this nostalgia-fuelled enthusiasm isn't a good reason to suspend sound judgement. The truth is container deposit schemes are outdated and ineffective, and it's time we consigned the idea to history's dustbin."

"About 20 of the UK's leading scientists and meteorologists are due to meet at the Met Office to discuss Britain's "unusual" weather patterns. They will try to identify the factors that caused the chilly winter of 2010-11 and the long, wet summer of 2012. They will also try to work out why this spring was the coldest in 50 years - with a UK average of 6C (42.8F) between March and May."

"Over recent years, mainstream media has reflected the increasing shift in mindset towards "the green agenda", "sustainable lifestyles", and "environmental responsibility". The term sustainability embraces various principles and practices designed to encourage active preservation of our environment and communities, while also promising attractive financial gains. Many companies now realize that millions of dollars can be saved by implementing sustainability programs across their value chains. Anyone willing to take a closer look at the subject can potentially profit from these programs."

"One of the world's fastest-growing social movements is calling for citizens and institutions to sell out of fossil fuels - but it's not just a matter of morality. Hard-headed analysts say there's a growing risk of a collapse in the value of fossil fuel investments. Taken together, these warnings present a new way to understand our climate crisis. In this edited version of his Lunchbox/Soapbox address, Michael Green takes us inside the movement - starting in the offices of Goldman Sachs, listening to US climate activist Bill McKibben."

"To explain the latest 20% rise of electricity cost in Queensland, look no further than the free market reforms kickstarted in the 1990s"

"Australia is on the cusp of a solar energy revolution. First, a recent study suggests that the country could power its entire national domestic infrastructure using only solar (while slashing the price of home electricity by 70 percent). Now, the University of Melbourne has introduced a new organic PV cell printer that rolls out a functional binder page-sized sheet of solar panel every two seconds, making the production of all those cells cheaper and a whole lot faster."

"In the 1990s, new technology was the catalyst for business innovation. Today, sustainability is seen as a new way to innovate and gain or maintain competitive advantage. Some companies such as Patagonia and Toyota figured out a while back that sustainability and innovation go hand in hand. In the last few years, more and more companies are doing the same. As a result, we have been seeing sustainability move from realm of the facilities management, compliance and marketing departments to the C suite."