From the 16th to 19th September 2010, Melbourne will see the launch of its only dedicated environmental film festival. This smorgasbord of feature length documentaries on cutting-edge environmental issues will entertain, inspire and frighten even the most hardened environmental cynic. Covering topics from the social unrest in Nigeria caused by Big Oil, to the consequences [...]

Recycling your old newspapers is something we all should be doing. But even better than that is finding another use for them. This is a great video of a really simple idea that you can do with your kids. It will take a few goes to get the hang of the folding, but you will [...]

For every glorious achievement our civilisation notches up you can be sure some nutjob will come up with an equally stupid idea. It’s a Yin Yang thing. There have been many glowing examples of extreme stupidity over the years, but there is one invention that scarred me for life. A thing so frustrating, pointless and [...]

(Permanenent Agriculture) or (Permanent Culture)? It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people, providing food, energy, shelter and other human needs in a sustainable way. The 3 Main Permaculture Principles (You need to practice these to be practicing Permaculture) 1/ Care of the Earth Eg/ Build soil rather than deplete it 2/ Care of [...]

Like most people, I enjoy my gardening, but have to do so on a fairly tight budget (as they say, horticulture is a job you do for love, not money!). So, when it comes to garden tools, it used to be a case of “the cheaper the better”! Not any more. I now buy the [...]

A Tale of Two Gardens Meredith Plain recently returned from a visit overseas, where she made visiting special gardens a priority. Here she describes two very unique ones. This is the story about two gardens in the same place and run by the same person – but quite different. The Eden Project This is the [...]

What is an indigenous plant? Indigenous plants are not only native to Australia, but they are plants that occur naturally in your local area. Why plant indigenous plants? Since white settlement our indigenous plants have been removed or out competed by exotic plants. Indigenous plants were and continue to be an important food source for [...]

A rainwater conservation system involves collecting rainwater from the roof and storing it in a tank for later use as irrigation water. Recycling rainwater for use on garden beds is an excellent way of reducing household water that must otherwise be purchased from water companies. Considering that around 30% of household water goes on the [...]

To ‘grow your own’ fruit and vegetables is one of the most environmentally friendly things you can do and here’s why! 1) It saves water. According to a study done by David Holmgren, co-founder of ‘Permaculture’, (Holmgren Design Services) efficient backyard growers can use as little as one fifth of the water compared to commercial [...]

Most of us would see trees as purely cosmetic, put here to make the place look pretty… but they are so much more than that. They are a vital part of the ecosystem. All trees are a major source of the air we breathe, they help control and stabilize the world’s climate and they provide [...]