Renovation questions

Some folks are renovating in Balmain and have asked me these questions: “Some of the questions we are grappling with at present include: Whether bladder type water tanks are a good idea. They certainly give us a bit more flexibility, and also the ability to fairly easily remove them for replacement (they will be located under the main kitchen/living area The architect is... Read More

Ride on bike lunch – stall at Everleigh Markets

Alexandra and Joanne from Youth Food Movement - + their stall at Everleigh Markets The Youth Food folk had their stall at Everleigh Markets last Saturday. Visit them any Saturday between now and 15 October to find out about their ride plan – it’s to promote local, healthy food and will start at the markets, include a tour of Sydney’s Sustainable House and the road... Read More

Bill, the sustainability apprentice

Bill, who loves coffee and works at Toby’s Estate in City Road, Chippendale, has begun his sustainability apprenticeship. Bill, along with the whole of the Toby’s Estate lot are going to reduce the waste, energy, water and other resource uses of the business. Starting with the coffee-making and cafe business in City Road, Bill and his fellow workmates will garden, compost,... Read More

Youth food cyclists coming to Chippo

On Saturday 15 October the Youth Food Movement cyclists will have a bicycle ride on lunch.  They’ll have a tour of the house here and then of the road gardens. Jessica Mobbs will give the cyclists two short tours of the house, one from 1130 to 1200, the second from 1210 to 1240. The cyclists will pause in Peace Park and make smoothies with a bike. Paul and Bob will show the... Read More

On The Renovators this week

I’ll be a guest judge on the TV show, The Renovators, this week.   It’s Episode 50 which should screen on Wednesday 21st (if my calcs are right); Channel 10.   It’s about how to make a sustainable office and making it was a lot of fun.   Don’t know how the show turns out, of course, and as I don’t watch tele if you see it you might let... Read More

Of black sapote, bandicoots and the North Head Nursery

John, Black Sapote (donated by Antoinette), Antoinette, Paul This Friday we planted two Black Sapote – Bernicker  -  given as a gift to our road gardens by Antoinette and purchased by her from Daley’s Fruit Nursery; their web page says of this fruit tree: Black Sapote – Bernicker This Chocolate Pudding fruit variety has proved very popular in Australia. The near... Read More

Getting paid for solar credit

Today I phoned my electricity supplier, Origin, and asked them to pay me the credit due for the clean energy I’ve been selling them.   “Sure thing,” the Origin rep said on the phone, “Would you like that by cheque?”   “Yes”, I said.   “You should receive that in ten days.  Will there be anything else?”, she said.   So.... Read More

Rubbish taxi

A client has emailed me about a beaut ‘waste’ business: A friend of mine Paul Younan runs a company called Rubbish Taxi, they come and clean up and remove any rubbish you want removed.  They are stong believers in recycling what other people throw away.  They recycle as much as they can before heading to land fill and at the end of most months sell what can be re-used... Read More

Wool miles to be cut

I’ve just received this email from a passionate knitter, Kristine, seeking support for a campaign to reduce wool miles (what next?): Hi Michael, This is something I was hoping you might share with your various email connections. A friend of mine in Victoria has spearheaded the TON OF WOOL project: wool.pozible.com… Kylie is passionate about minimising the “air... Read More

Book talk, Hurstville Library, Thursday 22 September

At 7 pm, Thursday 22 September, I’ll be talking about what worked and didn’t at my sustainable house over the last 15 years. How has the house kept over 1.5 m litres of sewage on site? How have the solar panels worked over these years? How can four people live in an ordinary house for energy and water bills for less than $300 a year? Bring your questions, doubts, curiousity... Read More