Green Maps

July 15, 2012

For The True Impact Of The Carbon Price Go To…

CSIRO-AECOM research (Australian Energy Market Commission) shows the impact on households is likely to be smaller than anticipated – the carbon pollution price adding perhaps 0.6 per cent to inflation in 2012-13 – reports Monique Decortis of the Victorian Climate […]
July 4, 2012

Community Engagement Declining? Rebuild Local Communities..

A few days ago I heard MP Andrew Leigh, author of a book called ‘Disconnected‘, talking on the radio about community engagement here declining. The discussion tweaked my interest. Some Key Points After crunching data from membership records and surveys, […]
July 1, 2012

Representing Those Unrepresented In Australian Politics?

A Public Commission for a new major political party here, in Australia – the ‘politics we are yearning for’ – has just been announced by the Centre For Civil Society, a public policy and social innovation institute concerned with the […]
July 1, 2012

Cooperatives, Energy & Sustainability Symposium – Sydney

2012 as well as being the UN International Year of Cooperatives is also the UN International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. In light of this, the Cooperatives Research Group of the University of Sydney is holding a Symposium – […]
June 29, 2012

Want To Contribute To A Blueprint For Australian Agriculture?

Twitter has just led me to the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture which aims to bring together all those with an interest in, or involvement with, agriculture to help shape its future direction – farmers, transporters, retailers, consultants, rural businesses, agribusinesses, […]
June 28, 2012

Grey Nomads: A Katherine Caretaking Job Aug – Sept 2012

For two dry seasons Tina and Will Visser have worked as volunteer caretakers at O’Keeffe House in Katherine NT – a job they highly recommend. They say it’s a wonderful place to work but now they are both unwell and […]
June 21, 2012

Refugee Community Homestay Option …For You?

I heard a flash about ‘Refugee Homestay’ as I flicked through TV channels last night and followed it up. The Australian Homestay Network has started up a Community Placement Network (CPN) with the goal of offering short-term, homestay accommodation to […]
June 11, 2012

Solar PV Rollout 10 Times Forecast…Energy Retailer Reaction?

Giles Parkinson of Renew Economy writes that the greatest barrier to the rapid deployment of solar in Australia will not be about cost or a lack of demand – it will be the ability to get connected. A Common Theme […]
June 11, 2012

Progress Is More Than Economic Growth – Look To Communities

The Fairfax Herald/Age Wellbeing Index indicates that despite ‘temporary stumbles and confusing contradictory trends’ there is solid evidence for optimism about our future as there has been 2% ‘good growth’ in the value of Australia’s human capital. The Index Findings […]
June 6, 2012

Supermarkets, Food Security And ‘Doing SOMEthing’

Our powerful supermarkets and their ‘be big, be cheap’ thinking is pushing food production into remote areas. Craig Pearson from the Sustainable Society Institute at Melbourne Uni writes that we need urban agriculture as well as bulk farming in remote […]
May 30, 2012

Electric Bike ‘Allowable Power Output’ Increased To 250 Watts

After years of agitation for an increase in the power output for electric bikes, the Retail Cycle Traders Association RCTA has informed us that the Federal Government has just announced such changes, paving the way for a new range of […]
May 30, 2012

‘Awakening The Dreamer’ In Bayswater, Melbourne

Eco-philosopher Joanna Macy says: “The most remarkable feature of this historical moment on Earth is not that we are on the way to destroying the world-we’ve actually been on the way for quite a while. It is that we are […]