A great video on pricing carbon...

It's almost that time of year again... National Recycling Week begins on the 8th of November and includes fun activities such as the Friday File Fling and the Big Aussie Swap! For those who feel the working week drawing to a close on Friday around lunchtime, organise a Fling in the workplace to recharge your batteries for the weekend. There really is nothing more satisfying than Flinging old projects back into the paper reuse box.

Alternatively host a Swap Party (any excuse, right?)... A fun way to clean out your cupboards, diverting things from landfill and getting new stuff without spending a dime or buying something new. Last year I managed to swap a dvd for a cd I'd had my eye on for months!

This Sunday, the 12th september 2010, is Sustainable House day... Houses Australia wide will be open for inspection of their environmental features - and no, the proud owners won't be selling, but the creativity will inspire and impress.

The standout house for me in 2009 was in Montmorency, Victoria. The idea I took to heart was a combined water storage/cooling system. Bladders underneath the house held 32000 litres of water. In summer fans pumped air over the cool air on top of the water bladders into the house. The same fans could be reversed in winter to take heat from the ceiling cavity or from a ducted gas heating system. It was remarkably efficient and very simple!

To show our support of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition's Climate Reality Week we are offering you the office AND home version of the Green Card Training Course absolutely FREE!! Use the promo code CLIMATEREALITY to get a 100% discount on the $59.95 course!

Check out the video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQw8Kuy4nqA

This promotion has now ended.

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In 2010 Clean up Australia Day is celebrating their 20th anniversary! Clean up your local community on the 7th of March, join the Business Clean up on the 2nd of March or do both!

Prizes are also available for local Councils, Site coordinators, Local Heros and Green Teachers so dig out your gloves and organise an event for your area!

www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au

The highs and lows of the Australian response to climate change have never been more evident than over the past week... While the Government response flails with environmental rebate programs being cancelled, weak, ineffective and useless schemes proposed by the Liberal party gaining traction and baffling lack of appreciation of the issues with weak targets set by the dying ETS, ground level community action is taking off.

Last weekend the Transition Decade was launched as an accompaniment to the Transition Towns Movement - local communities addressing issues like peak oil and sustainability and generating visions of incredible futures that are still within our reach... This weekend the Sustainable Living Festival is bigger and better than ever with new initiatives like the Sharehood and CD recycling swaps proving that local communities will stand up and take action with or without Government support... And who can forget Darren Cheeseman's BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) of turning Geelong into Australia's first carbon neutral region? Looks like the Australian public is finally starting to take action with or without our elected leaders!

Have you ever dreamed of living in a smart green home?

Have you ever dreamed of not paying rent?

Now both your dreams can come true courtesy of the NSW Government. They are looking for a family to live rent free in the home for a year in exchange fora blog documenting the pros and cons of the house.

The features of the house include:

• Rooftop solar panels
• An electric car
• A fuel cell that converts natural gas to electricity
• Water saving appliances
• Energy efficient lighting
• A worm farm

Interest families can apply here: www.tenderlink.com/energy

src: theage.com.au

I love reading about inspiring individuals who've made a huge impact on the world. It gives me hope that we have a better future, it inspires me to think bigger and better and it gives me the confidence to go ahead and take the first step.

These inspiring individuals have achieved enormous amounts of good in their short time on earth! Let's take a look:

Abhishek Humbad, 22
Abhishek founded NextGen in India - a company that sets up biogas plants and creates energy from food and garden waste and cow pats in both urban and rural settings. Their systems are already in place in IT parks and universities around the country with an ultimate vision to facilitate sustainable economic progress of India. While you may need to be a engineering nerd, at age 22 this is a phenomenal achievement that adults of double his age would be proud of!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a very green Christmas and my best wishes for your happiness, health and smaller carbon footprint in 2010 :-) After the debacle in Copenhagen I've been looking for ways to involve everyone in green on the ground action as we obviously cannot rely on our politicians.

One of the simplest and most fun ways to get involved is with your iPhone!

Check out these fabulously green iPhone applications:

Bliss Trek

Learn how to drive more efficiently with this on the go eco driving application. It tracks your speed on the move and gives you immediate feedback to save on fuel. At just 99 cents you should earn back your investment in no time at all! Try Green Gas Saver for a free version of the same idea.