Be curious; see how I link Paul Keating, Roger Scruton, Rob Stokes MP and Gary Sturgess

In my Bathurst Burr column today I discuss curiousity and how it affects our culture and lives . . . and the lives of some folks we may know . . . former PM Paul Keating, Roger Scruton the UK philosopher, NSW MP Rob STokes and former Greiner Government brains trust Gary Sturgess . . . enjoy it here.     M  Read More

Join food conversation with Costa and I, 26 March

Costa and I would love to talk food with you when we have an open conversation at Berkelouw Books, Paddington, Sydney, Tuesday 26 March. We’ll be discussing my new book, Sustainable Food, and ours and your gardening experiences. What can we do to sustain ourselves with local food, local connections, local farmers, our soils, our water and air . . . . let’s talk, and... Read More

What to do when your native stingless bees swarm

  Native stingless bees swarming in Enmore, Sydney, 3 March, 2013 On 3 March I got a call from Greg, a friend who said, “We have a situation . . . “.  He described a big cloud – more than a metre in diameter – of bees from the hive in the garden, and he sent me some photos one of which is here. It shows bees all over the hive and, if you look closely,... Read More

Coal a dying business say Deutsche Bank and Standard & Poor’s

Two recent reports say coal, and the mining infrastructure for it, have only a few years to go before world-wide investment in them will not be available. Referring to the reports today the online magazine, Reneweconomy, reports that: “CLP Holdings, the Hong Kong based company that is one of the largest power companies in Asia, said it wouldn’t invest any more money in coal-fired... Read More

Climate change a cause of Arab spring and more to come . . .

In his New York Times column today, Thomas L Friedman attributes climate change and the collapse of the world’s food crops, particularly wheat, as a major cause of civil unrest, particularly in the Middle East and specifically as a cause of the “Arab spring”: “Consider this: The world’s top nine wheat-importers are in the Middle East: “Seven had political... Read More

Citizens may self-approve their road gardens

Sydney City Council has recognised that its citizens don’t need nannying if they wish to garden. Citizens may give themselves  approval to garden in public in the road verge. A new policy adopted by Council on Monday 25 February 2013 makes clear that Sydney citizens may self-approve their own road gardens. “The Footpath Gardening Policy (the Policy) allows residents and... Read More

Watch ice bigger than Manhatten Island break away from a glacier

This speeded up film on Youtube, taken from a remote and distant mountain in the Arctic, shows ice breaking away from a glacier as it gets smaller and smaller. The video shows the 75 minute collapse in 4.41 minutes. Ice in chunks as high as 90 or more storied buildings and the size of Manhatten Island (87 square kilometres) rises three to four hundred metres high as the ice smashes... Read More

Spiders getting bigger, ants dying out in hotter cities

Black roads that absorb heat are killing ant populations, making spiders bigger and causing premature human mortality, too, mainly among the young and old. There’s growing research and more diverse research into the impacts of the growing heat in our cities. Our cities are 6 or more degrees hotter in summer because of black roads, no tree cover and dark roofs. At least two... Read More

Sheehan’s Herald article sows a seed

In today’s Herald Paul Sheehan says that if we don’t discuss the impact of mining on Australian food supplies in this coming federal election, and get solutions from the politicians now, we’ll reap a poor harvest; worth a read, worth a vote: “We’ll reap what we deserve“.  Read More

Innovation and courage when shame’s won over by vulnerability

For a courageous – that is, the will to do or commit to something where there is no guarantee – talk about where innovation and courage and connections with each other come from try this talk by Brene Brown, Listening to shame. If you’re interested in new ideas, design, medicine, communications, city life – how we work and connect with each other and in our... Read More