Bondi Gobbler feeders tour Sydney’s Sustainable House

The Gobbler crew outside Sydney’s Sustainable House Having trialled the Bondi Gobbler at Bondi Pavilion with the cafes there and Waverley Council, and turning food waste into compost in 24 hours to be taken to John Fairley’s Country Valley Dairy farm at Picton for six months I’m convinced this is the way to end food waste, cut on farm and cafe costs and cut air pollution.   So I’m working to sell four year leases of the Gobblers to cafes, food courts... Read More

Project takes carbon pollution out of Earth’s air, puts hope in my heart

  Dairy calves on Country Valley Dairy farm There’s a new wave carrying hope with it at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Mayor Sally Betts of Waverley Council has initiated a project to turn food waste into compost in 24 hours and take it to a farm to grow soil.  As the soil grows it takes carbon pollution out of Earth’s air. The project cuts cafe and council waste costs. Using the compost cuts the farmer’s fertilizing costs and produces healthier cows and dairy... Read More

We’re taking carbon pollution out of Earth’s air this year

  The drone being used to film installation of the composter   Today was a good day. Waverley Council, wecompost and farmer John Fairley of Country Valley Dairy, along with Bondi businesses are working together to cut food waste, cut business costs and to grow soil on a farm.  wecompost is a joint project involving myself, Jess Miller and Closed Loop. Our project to take carbon pollution out of Earth’s atmosphere started when we installed the big composter at... Read More

ABC Radio – turning food waste into farm soil

ABC Radio 702 Linda Mottram spoke to Mayor Sally Betts of Waverley council and I today about a ‘game-changer’ project at Bondi to turn food waste into farm soil. The 17 minute interview and background is  here: May the food waste, the soil and the hope this project offers bring a smile to your face,   M  Read More

Getting existing carbon out of Earth’s air this November

Getting existing carbon out of Earth’s atmosphere this November – simply, cheaply – gives hope, increases profits. An inspiring project at Bondi Beach will take existing poluting carbon out of Earth’s atmosphere. Food waste will be turned into compost to grow soil on a farm. The why, the hope and the trust that the project embodies is in this article I’ve written, Hope comes to Bondi Beach. Enjoy, Michael    Read More

Trial of new 200 litre compost bin

New 200 litre compost bin – a bit (~ 100mm) wider than a milk crate Today we began trialling a new 200 litre compost bin made by Aerobin.  It’s half the size of their 400 litre bin.  It’s footprint is half the size, too:  it’s 510mm x 510mm x 1175mm high.  To my eyes it’s more elegant.  It’s smaller size increases the range of locations it may go into.   It looks as though it will aerate the compost more effectively than the 400 litre bin and prove more... Read More

Composting on the frontier

In Chippo we have public compost bins on our road gardens.   Friday and Saturday nights – pub nights – sometimes bring the urban galah, alcohol and our bins together.  About a month ago an urban galah or two tipped over two bins and damaged them. Michael with two heavy duty tapes screwed around the bins – sorry about the poor photo in the poor evening light Today, a new gardener who’s just moved into Myrtle Street, Michael, worked with me to strap... Read More

Kids garden in the roads

Kids harvesting tucker from road gardens Last week some 5 and 6 year old kids from a local child care centre came a-gardening with me and their parents and carers in Chippendale’s streets. They harvested lemon grass, nasturtium flowers and leaves, lemon tea tree, bay leaves, caffre lime leaves and, more than that, some ancient connections with food.   Marie, child care cook, using public compost bins The cook at the child care centre walks with the kids from the centre... Read More

Frankston Council shows leadership with rate rebate for composting

Frankston Council, Victoria, has a run-away success with it’s rate rebate for composting program, Halve Garbage.   The designer of the program, Alison Winn, says: “I originally designed the ‘Halve Garbage Waste’ program and secured a $100 000 grant to roll out a smaller garbage bin service to residents.  Residents who signed up received either a compost bin or a worm farm and a $20 rate reduction.  I think the smaller bin was a 60L bin.  The program incorporated... Read More

Free mulch, free spring and other positives

Free mulch – Australia-wide While in Fremantle recently –  a very beautiful place to walk around – I met Tim Lawrence, whose business, MulchNet, provides free mulch across Australia. No catch here, just someone using imagination and wit. It works like this:  most landscaping and other mulch-making businesses have to pay to take the mulch to the tip if they can’t find a way to make it useful.  MulchNet allows anyone in any Australian state to register... Read More