Michael on Twitter
When is a park not a park?
Three years of fenced off park . . . Promises three years old of “Park Renewal” When is a park not a park? When it’s Peace Park, Chippendale. For over three years we’ve watched in growing wonder at the succession of failed attempts to manage the park, in particular to grow traditional grass there. The latest grass growing effort... Read More
Using underground water
A reader has sent me this question: ‘Dear Michael I may have a spring (h2o) or some form of h2o course running through my front yard under the middle of my house & than exiting from the northern corner of the rear of the house. This has been confirmed by a builder who has taken the ‘levels’ to level the house where the house has ‘sank’ in these... Read More
Tree veneration art show opens at Chippo Child Care Centre
Canopy Invite On 24 November, 6 – 8 pm, the art show, Canopy, opens at the Chippendale Child Care Centre, Pine Street. Artists have been celebrating trees at the Centre by venerating them. The idea is explained by Louise Fowler-Smith in a flier for the show: “Louise has been researching the Sacred Tree for the past decade and has found that the practice of venerating... Read More
A magic puddin’ pump
Glockeman pump in creek On Thursday I went to Melbourne and got a gift. I saw the most wonderful, inspiring, “I can’t believe that’ pump. (Yes, I know, I love water and sometimes my passion gets the better of me, but wait.) This pump uses no electricity. It was pumping water up over 60 metres. It pumps day and night. During the day one household on one side... Read More
Kids make doco at the house
Well. What a Saturday afternoon. Kids have just been here making a documentary. Of the hundreds of times the house has been given the once-over by different media this is the first time kids have given it a go. I’ll let you know when it’s on the Web. In the meantime you must, must, must check out the youtube, No such thing as waste, by the supervising photographer,... Read More
A six star evening
I was sitting watching the light fall less in my garden. Evening coming on. It’s slower, isn’t it, than the sun rising? Lingers. And I thought of all the shadows soon to be complete. My neighbours in full dark night. And out of all this, the seven billionth human being born somewhere. But left all that, and with cold, soft red wine, just stopped... Read More
Waverley Council’s free movie and talk
On Friday 11 November from 630 to 8 pm at Waverley Library, Denison St, Bondi Junction, the Council will provide a free screening of the 28 minute doco, Waste not, and I’ll be talking about sustainable design and food. Details in the Council’s flier which you can download here: Library Recycling Week A5 flyer OCT11 page 1 Press See you there, Michael Read More
Chinese delegation investigates Chippendale’s Sustainable Streets Plan
On 25 October a delegation of 21 government and industry representatives visited Chippendale to discuss the Sustainable Streets and Community Plan (Chippendale). The delegation from Hangzhou in coastal China included representative from the city’s Construction Committee, Training Centre, Illegal Construction Inspection Office, Centre of Demolition and Relocation Housing... Read More
Port Phillip Composting
Just in: email update from the Port Phillip composting trial: Dawkins Reserve Pilot Status Month 3 ish Dane and I headed down to the compost bins on Sunday to see how they were doing. Bin 3 was in a bad way, so with gloves, buckets and shovels we undertook a bit of a compost intervention: localcomposting.wordpress.com… This includes some tips on better working compost. We’ve... Read More
Someone burnt two compost bins last night
Two burnt, melted bins and compost Area cleaned and mulched after bins removed Two burnt, melted compost bins awaiting Council collection The two bins in Myrtle, near the corner of Rose, were burnt last night. The fire was so hot the plastic was melted to bits. James and I cleaned it up and we put the compost around the plants with some new mulch... Read More
