Permaculture Out West

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The Age 11 June
http://www.theage.com.au/national/melbourne-life/green-thumbs-and-highrise-ambitions-20100610-y0hx.html

STROLL along North Wharf in Docklands, among the towering apartment blocks, and at the end of the wharf you’ll come across the precinct’s best kept secret. In the midst of the concrete surrounds, near the far end of the wharf, an oasis of greenery has been created, an open garden with a profusion of ready-to-pick herbs, vegetables, and flowers. It is a community garden, the first to be introduced to Docklands….. The community garden was established as a trial after Monash University student Emily Ballantyne-Brodie approached Docklands’ developers Vic Urban and Lend Lease with a proposal. They gave the space, while the Environment Protection Agency funded the plants and garden supplies.

”Our ecological footprint per person in Australia is 50 per cent based around food, the water used in production and the travel involved in getting it to the city,” Ballantyne-Brodie says. Her concept is for the creation of a community hub, eventually on a permanent site, that will combine sustainability ventures. It already includes an eco-shop selling garden supplies in nearby Merchant Street, where classes are run on establishing balcony and rooftop gardens,  harvesting grey water and rainwater, organic gardening and permaculture design, and sustainable cooking.

Ballantyne-Brodie, 26, is studying for a master’s degree in environment and sustainability. She spent two years researching the idea of urban agriculture and community design at Italy’s Politecnico Di Milano.

Her passion for the project derives from her experience growing up at Upper Beaconsfield ”with a vegie patch and chickens”. The community garden has proved an enormous success with residents of Docklands, she says. She has been helped by a team of volunteers, including landscapers.

Ethical investment isn’t just a feel-good exercise. It makes good business sense. The companies who do well environmentally and socially are also those who will increasingly do well financially. Come along to our discussion evening to find out more.
Ethical investment – how your savings and super can work toward a better future Responsible companies – who are the companies leading the way Sustainable returns – how doing good can do better

The Climate Advocacy Fund ~ engaging for change

The Climate Advocacy Fund is a ground-breaking way to influence corporate behaviour in Australia. The fund will pursue improved climate change performance from Australia’s largest companies principally through resolutions at annual general meetings.
Melbourne – 27 July 2010 – Novotel St Kilda
16 The Esplanade, St Kilda – 6.30pm to 7.30pm

Melbourne – 28 July 2010 – Metropole Hotel & Conference Centre
44 Brunswick St, Fitzroy – 6.30pm to 7.30pm

Geelong – 29 July 2010 – Geelong Conference Centre
Adams Court, Eastern Park, East Geelong – 6.30pm to 7.30pm

The speaker will be James Thier, one of the founding directors of Australian Ethical. James is also a Churchill Fellow, having travelled to the US and Europe to study shareholder advocacy.
The seminar is free to attend and light supper will be provided. Please bring along family and friends who would also like to learn more about ethical investment and corporate engagement.
RSVP to Sally Rowland by email to srowland@australianethical.com.au or by phoning 02 6201 1902.

Violet Town plaque

State of Design Festival at Violet Town Saturday 24th July 11am – 4pm*

Join us and see what is happening design wise in a small country town.

For less than the cost of the local produce in your lunch, come along and learn more about the changes underway through a walking tour of retrofitted community buildings, solar houses, creek revegetation, community forest and Murrong permaculture development.

Stops along the walking tour include:

The energy efficiency retrofit of a 1970s Community Complex and the Early Childhood Centre in Violet Town demonstrates a great range of appropriate strategies to improve the way this building works.

HREP is a community powered restoration and design project for the Honeysuckle Creek and environs.

The Violet Town Community Forest, planted in 2006, is designed as an example of analogue forestry, to mimic the structure and functions of natural forest, while giving amenity, habitat, and future wood product yields.

Murrnong is designed as a permaculture community subdivision, with an established tree crop agriculture to provide for residents and local community.

Timing suits V-Line timetable from Melbourne.

Cost $10 adult – $5 child (under 16) Lunch included.

Pre-register by phoning 5798 1735 or email rplandvogt@gmail.com

LOCATION: Community Complex, Cowslip Street, Violet Town
CONTACT NAME: Rob Landvogt PHONE: 5798 1735
EMAIL: rplandvogt@gmail.com
WEB: www.violettown.org.au
http://vtecoliving.blogspot.com

HOW TO MAKE PASTA

POW (permaculture out west) has organised a workshop showing us how to make pasta!

The Chef from Delizia Cucina will be showing us how to make fresh pasta. Possibly Sage and Pumpikn!

Class will cost $25 per POW members and $30 for non POW members.

Date: Sunday 25th July

Time: 10am to 12 noon

Location: Maidstone Community Centre
21 Yardley Street
Maidstone 3012

RSVP: Please email workshops@powvic.org if you would like to attend as we need to know if you are coming so we have enough ingredients!

Pasta making - Yum!

VEG’S MEET YOUR GARDEN LIFE (AND ORGANIC PEST CONTROL)
Wednesday, 09 June 2010, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Adam from VEG has offered free participation for POW paid members to come along! THANKS ADAM! You MUST RSVP to confirm your place.

Please RSVP to adam@veryediblegardens.com to confirm your place and location of course.

What: Be introduced to the many creatures that inhabit your garden, from wondrous soil microbes, to problem and beneficial insects, and beyond. Learn about the life of your soil and how to care for it. How do we invite in the good insects and other natural predators so we can garden without sprays? We’ve collected some spectacular footage from our own gardens to make this course a visual feast. We’ll help you turn your backyard into a balanced ecosystem

Where: Yarraville Community Centre. 114 Blackwood St., Yarraville (5 minute walk from Yarraville train station – on the Werribee or Williamstown lines)

Cost: $30/$25concession (Attend all 5 Yarraville Community Centre courses for $120)

Info: http://www.veryediblegardens.com/vegucation

HP A4 Fact Sheet_Banksia

Here is an invitation to attend the VicHealth Making a Difference – Food for All forum in Melbourne on the 25th June. The forum focuses on food security and will highlight the outcomes and key learnings of the five year Food for All program.

FFA Forum_Flyer_FINAL_11 05 2010_
Registration form for 25 June forum

Update. June 2010

Join us for … No Impact!

No Impact Man, screening at our next ‘Meal & Movie’ night, on Thursday 10th June, Yarraville.

No more automated transportation, no more electricity, no more non-local food, no more material consumption… no problem. Author Colin Beavan, a newly self-proclaimed environmentalist makes a vow to make as little environmental impact as possible for one year. And drags his espresso-guzzling, retail-worshipping wife Michelle and their two year-old daughter along for the ride.

>> dinner 6.30 – 7.30pm – byo ‘food and thoughts’ to share >> movie 8pm – 10.30pm.
>> RSVP nick@ethical.org.au or 0417 114 492

Upcoming nights – 8th July – screening The End of the Line, focus on fish and seafood choices
- 12th August – screening Michael Moore’s Capitalism – A Love Story
>>More about Meal & Movie nights

News …

Greenpeace Kit-Kat campaign is successful as Nestlé commits to stop using products that come from rainforest destruction. Nestlé new policy commits to identify and exclude companies from its supply chain that own or manage ‘high risk plantations or farms linked to deforestation’. This applys to supplier Sinar Mas, notorius for forest destruction, and also have implications for Cargill.

Over 1,5 million people have watched their ‘Have a break?’ Kit Kat ad spoof and over 300.000 people sent e-mails directly to Nestlé.
Find out more.

Researching behind a T …

One kilogram of cotton, a fabric used in 40% of textiles, needs 11,000 litres of water to grow produce and dye. The water footprint of 1 cotton T-shirt is about 2,700 litres. www.waterfootprint.org

Of all insecticides used globally each year, the estimated amount used on traditional cotton is 25%. Five of the top nine pesticides used on cotton in the U.S. (cyanide, dicofol, naled, propargite, and trifluralin) are known cancer-causing chemicals. www.ecochoices.com/1/cotton_statistics.html

Sweatshops, subsidies, pesticides, child labour… Are you interested to know more about the stories behind your clothes? We are!

We’ll be putting together our 2011 print guide shortly which will focus on clothing. We’re looking for people to help with research on the issues connected to clothing (see a snapshot here) , as well as the companies behind the big brands. If you’d like to be involved, contact Nick at nick@ethical.org.au

New trends in Transparency …

When you buy clothes from New Zealand’s Icebreaker, the world’s largest producer of merino wool outerwear, there’s a code on the label. Enter the “baa code” – on the company’s website and you can find out which farmers grew the wool that went into your sweater, jacket or long underwear. You’ll meet farmers, see what life is like on a sheep station in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, or watch videos that take you to factories in Shanghai, China, where the wool is cleaned, spun and made into sportswear and undergarments.

Some great resources …

Want to know what to plant when? Check out www.gardenate.com
(In June it’s Broad beans, Cabbage, Garlic, Kale, Lettuce, Mustard greens, Onion/Shallots, Peas).

Are you looking to shop locally and reduce your transport footprint?
Find your closest eco-friendly products on The Saved Planet enviro directory, which groups listing according to location www.thesavedplanet.com.au
Upcoming workshops …

Friday 4th June, 12pm & 1pm >>Maribrynong Green Lunch-box supermarket tour
Friday June 4, 5-8pm >> Tasy Choices – Sustainable food, St Kilda Town Hall
Saturday June 5, 9.30am -12noon >> Farmers market tour & workshop, Port Philip
Thursday 29 June, 6pm – 8.30pm >> Public workshop & Supermarket tour,Footscray
Saturday 21st August, 10am- 12.30pm >> Knox Library Supermarket tour, Knox City

Register online here . (download full text list here).

World Environment Day – 5th June

It amazes me that we can have one special day a year to acknowledge the environment.
“If human life is to survive on this planet, the old dualistic worldview, with people on one side and the environment on the other, must yield to a new vision that connects us with everything else and leads us to care for and take responsibility for it.” – Huston Smith

I encourage you to take time on the day to reflect on this connection and what it may mean to the way we choose to live. (See some events being run over the weekend: Melbourne Canberra Brisbane Sydney ).

Get the Guide! – pocket guide, iphone app, hemp bags – www.ethical.org.au/orders
See news and print guide updates at www.ethical.org.au/news
Find out what’s being Twittered at http://twitter.com/ethicalshopper
To view this newsletter online go to www.ethical.org.au/newsletters/jun2010.htm

For those who couldn’t make it to the big launch on Thursday night for the Werribee Park Community Heritage Orchard (as well as those who could make it), we are holding a special sneak-preview Open Day and Tour at the orchard this Sunday at 2:00 PM.  Come and see what all the fuss is about: You won’t be disappointed!  Even if it’s raining, bring a brolly: It’s definitely worth it.

Take the freeway out to the Duncans Rd exit and proceed down K-Road, Werribee South, to meet at 2:00 PM at Gate 5 (same entrance as the Shadow Fax Winery), and drive through to the car park next to the Pavilion. From there, we’ll walk down to the orchard.

Kids and their families are very welcome (watch out for the river if you have toddlers).

The security gate will only be manned for about 15 minutes, so be on time or be prepared for a slightly longer walk.

Invitation to Heritage orchard launch