Axel Munthe’s house in Capri

“My house must be open to the sun, wind, and the voice of the sea just like a Greek temple and light, light, light everywhere”  - Axel Munthe A friend, Jeni, is leading a tour to Italy and will show folks the house of Axel Munthe, a Swedish doctor who made his life in Italy. So beautiful, as it appears in this photo, it seems words can’t do. From Chippo, where... Read More

David Whyte, poet – when poetry can be enough . . .

TEN YEARS LATER When the mind is clear and the surface of the now still, now swaying water slaps against the rolling kayak, I find myself near darkness, paddling again to Yellow Island. Every spring wildflowers cover the grey rocks. Every year the sea breeze ruffles the cold and lovely pearls hidden in the center of the flowers as if remembering them by touch alone. A calm and lonely,... Read More

Rushi’s photos of Sydney’s Sustainable House tour

Sustainable House, and Sustainable Food books Last Saturday’s tour of Sydney’s Sustainable House was a pleasure; great company, interesting discussions and gentle, positive curiosity was the order of the morning.   Two people travelled from Goulburn to see the house and discuss how to make their new house sustainable, several other folks about to set forth on sustainable... Read More

New short uni course on sustaining neighbourhoods

Do join me in the new uni short course I’m running at UTS, Sydney, called, Building Sustainable Neighbourhoods. There will be three blocks of uni, each of a day and a half. I’ve described it like this on the enrolment site: Meet industry, council and community leaders who are designing and building sustainable neighbourhoods. Learn how to make your neighbourhoods... Read More

Bondi ecopops pops up

  Waverley Council’s ecoPOPs at Bondi Beach planted out today Today, Friday, 16 August, we planted out the ecopops for Waverley Council at Bondi Beach. The tanks are gleaming in the sun and the plants will provide food, nectar for birds and the whole will shade and cool the bit of Roscoe Street that it is in. Next week the Mayor and the Minister for the Environment, Robyn... Read More

The how and where of sustainable streets

Come and hear four speakers tomorrow night at 99 York St, Sydney, where they’ll talk about the how and where of sustainable streets they are creating – see you there! It’s a gig by a group called Think, Act, Change.   M  Read More

Waverley Council to put an ecopops at Bondi Beach

Courtesy of Waverley Council, Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach will soon see an ecopops pop up. According to Council’s website, the beach will see “ the installation of its first temporary ecoPOPS in Bondi in August 2013″. With the Steel Stewardship Forum sponsoring an ecopops, the Sydney University’s electrical engineering experts partnering ecopops... Read More

Steel Stewardship Forum sponsors an ecopops

The Steel Stewardship Forum has sponsored an ecopops.   The Forum represents all those involved in the steel industry in Australia, from mining through to fabrication of such things as rain tanks, steel rods and steel mesh.  The Forum’s website notes that the recovery rate for steels at the end of life in Australia exceeds 90 per cent.   The Forum sees the ecopops... Read More

When a black kelpie rounds up the chooks

Helen, Jeni, Amanda’s mum and Amanda at some of the road garden Yesterday, Sunday 4 August, I went to look at a verge garden that Amanda Townsend and her family have built at Maroubra.  Beautiful and inspiring. Then Amanda took us out the back of the house and I saw the funniest, most tender thing; a beautiful, so smart, black kelpie herding some chooks.  Both dog and chooks... Read More

Bronte sunrise today, 2 August 13

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  • Michael Mobbs

    Michael is a former Environmental Lawyer who is uniquely placed to consult in four main areas:

    • Sustainability Coach and Speaker,
    • Sustainable Urban Farm Design greening, watering and cooling the cityscape, roads, parks, suburbs,
    • Major Projects Consultant Commercial and Industrial,
    • Residential Sustainability Consultant.
    For permission to re-print any articles or to book Michael for a speaking engagement go to Contacts. Please ensure all quotes from Michael's blog include a reference to sustainablehouse.com....au.