What would Mandela say?

My chook, Pesky, looking for a star to steer by Stars to steer by; we need them, whether we know we’re using them or not.   A pilot needs a harbour light, a navigator a star or compass bearing, a car driver a traffic light or roadside edge.   But inside the mind as we choose how to steer, what happens there?  How do we ‘see’ the star, what thoughts do we have as we choose how to react to it?   At some moment during so many years in prison, Nelson... Read More

Life while you wait

Nobel laureate Wislawa Szymborska (July 2, 1923–February 1, 2012)   “When Szymborska was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1996 “for poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality,” the Nobel commission rightly called her “the Mozart of poetry” — but, wary of robbing her poetry of its remarkable dimension, added that it also emanates “something of the fury of Beethoven.”... Read More

A modest recommendation

Sitting by my fire now, quietly polluting the night air via my chimney, and so I come to this.   A recommendation.   Travels with Epicurus by Daniel Klein.  (Sub titled, A journey to a Greek island in search of an authentic old age.)   Funny, smart, direct, thoughtful.   Above all, honest.   He also wrote, Plato and  Platypus walk into a bar.   This tries a bit too hard while the Travels book doesn’t.  Funny, too, but doesn’t resonate... Read More

Cut your solar buying costs and buy in bulk with me and 30 others

The stylish black integrated inverter and battery system on the balcony of my house   It’s all solar systems go.   After the solar info evening last night, we’re going to do it – over 30 of us from across Australia will buy in bulk to bring down individual prices for solar power systems for schools, houses and offices.   A solar power station or three is in the making, those already with solar are keen to try out the new battery technology and... Read More

Is climate our dictator?

I’ve been walking the streets of Chippendale, reading, and thinking about my life, my children, friends and all that I love. And now I’ve written an article asking, Is climate our dictator? What do you think? I’d like to hear from you if you have a moment. Thanks, Michael  Read More

Sustainable school in Ubud, Bali

At yesterday’s tour of Sydney’s Sustainable House I met two people from Indonesia and they sent me this email to provide more information about a sustainable school in Ubud: Hello Michael, How are you? I’m Andra, I visited your house yesterday with my girlfriend, Asela, Firstly, thank you for the tour, it was very entertaining and informative. This is the Green School near Ubud, Bali, that I talked about yesterday. www.greenschool.org… Last year I did... Read More

When poetry can be enough

Sometimes, by accident when reading, or talking, or listening, I come upon words and ideas, or silence; and then what I see or hear can be enough.  Sufficient.  Sustainable, sustaining. May I offer Will Shakespeare’s 29th sonnet in this sense, and invite you to read it aloud with a song in your heart: When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state And trouble deaf heaven with my... Read More

How we save 4 million litres of rain each year for less than $300

Cutting leaky drain to size Each year in Chippendale we save over 4 million litres of water to irrigate our road gardens.  We built the drains for this ourselves at a once-off cost of $300.  The story is here.  Read More

Special international tour and dinner at Sydney’s Sustainable House

The specialist touring company, AFAR, is offering US and other overseas folk a special tour of Sydney in the week commencing Sunday 6 May 2013. The itinerary includes special tours and experiences of buildings, architecture, restaurants, streets, museums and some of Sydney’s special spaces.  Travellers will roam from Wendy Whiteley’s garden, to the Mint at night, Janet Laurence’s studio in Chippendale to some hidden-away places in Sydney. There’ll be a... Read More

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