Practical Ideas For Self-Sustaining Homes

Raising ecological awareness has become imperative in this modern era. It is our responsibility and a great necessity to advocate and apply eco-friendly practices in order to stop climate changes, prevent global warming and eventually protect our precious environment. Thus, it does not surprise that self-sustaining homes have gained so much popularity. The idea has been welcomed by an impressive number of people and we can rightfully expect to build a more sustainable world in the near future. So, what are the best practical ideas for self-sustaining homes? Here is a comprehensive answer. Features of self-sustaining homes Self-sustaining homes have …

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These Charts Show Just How Much Forest We’re Losing Every Year

The tropics lost 12 million hectares of tree cover in 2018, the fourth-highest annual loss since record-keeping began in 2001. Of greatest concern is the disappearance of 3.6 million hectares of primary rainforest, an area the size of Belgium. The figures come from updated data from the University of Maryland, released today on Global Forest Watch. Old growth, or “primary” tropical rainforests, are a crucially important ecosystem, containing trees that can be hundreds or even thousands of years old. They store more carbon than other forests and are irreplaceable when it comes to sustaining biodiversity. Primary rainforests provide habitat for animals ranging from orangutans and mountain gorillas to …

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Next Level Sustainability Training: GRI Standards for Sustainability Reporting

Last chance to enrol in Pre Conference Training: GRI Standards for Sustainability Reporting Next Level Sustainability is offering the Global Reporting Initiative’s Standards for Sustainability Reporting training course on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 March. This 2-day GRI Certified Training Course will cover corporate sustainability reporting know-how, and how to run a smooth and effective reporting process. Registration fees start at $1,265. GRI Certified Training on Sustainability Reporting This course is provided by GeoTrends Sustainability, a GRI Certified Training Partner with training materials certified by GRI under the GRI Certified Training Program. The course explains how companies/organisations obtain value through GRI Standards …

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5 Sustainability Tips That Require Minimal Effort

When it comes to going green, many can be overwhelmed with advice to cutting your carbon footprint, including making your own compost, installing solar panels and trading in your petrol-powered vehicle for an economic electric one. Whilst we advocate for all of the above, we also want to provide you with sustainability tips that are quick, easy and simple to implement into your day-to-day living. Embrace your fresh local produce This is one of the easier sustainability tips to undertake. Opt for a trip to the local farmer’s markets to enjoy fresher (and more flavoursome) produce. Support your local community …

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The Road Ahead to Building a More Sustainable World

“The Garden of Eden is no more”, Sir David Attenborough told Davos 2019 as he delivered his verdict on the destruction that humanity has inflicted on the natural world. Sir David also offered hope, noting that we humans are a “problem-solving species”, but he reiterated that we have just a decade to solve climate change. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres mirrored these sentiments in his “State of the World” address. Megatrends such as climate change are more and more interlinked, he said, but responses are fragmented. He warned that not tackling this was “a recipe for disaster”. While few of us should need …

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The Healthiest Destinations in the World Have Been Revealed

When it comes to health, you’d think London would be leading the pack with its extensive amount of spas, gyms and health-centric eateries. But, according to a new list, no UK city even makes the top 10. TravelSupermarket has just revealed its list of the world’s healthiest cities, taking into account the number of spas, fitness centres, gyms, yoga studios, pilates studios and parks they have, along with restaurants with vegan options, health food shops, the city’s average daylight hours and how much it costs to stay for a night. All of these things considered, the site revealed Paris to be the world’s healthiest …

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Here’s What Happens to Our Plastic Recycling When it Goes Offshore

Last year many Australians were surprised to learn that around half of our plastic waste collected for recycling is exported, and up to 70% was going to China. So much of the world’s plastic was being sent to China that China imposed strict conditions on further imports. The decision sent ripples around the globe, leaving most advanced economies struggling to manage vast quantities of mixed plastics and mixed paper. By July 2018, which is when the most recent data was available, plastic waste exports from Australia to China and Hong Kong reduced by 90%. Since then Southeast Asia has become the new destination for Australia’s …

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What Australian Cities Can Learn About Sustainability from Asia

What makes a city sustainable? Is it a focus on traditional, “green” sustainability, economic strength or how liveable the city is for people? Global sustainability heavyweight Arcadis believes it is a mix of all three. Arcadis’ latest Sustainable Cities Index, which ranks 100 of the world’s leading cities on three pillars of sustainability: people, planet and profit, found that there are some significant variances across the Asia Pacific region. Australian cities all scored middle of the road on the index, with Melbourne not making the top 50. While not a cause for alarm, these rankings reinforce that Australian cities must …

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Australian Sustainable Design: the Challenges, What We’re Getting Right, and Where to From Here

The drive behind building more environmentally friendly residential homes is coming from individuals, not government bodies, and cookie-cutter developments are holding us back, according to a think tank assembled to address the issue of implementing sustainable design. The chair of the discussion, organised by LG Electronics, was architect and TV host Peter Maddison, who argued that changing our behaviour was key to these kinds of properties having their maximum benefit. “In my view, sustainability is a lot bigger than just green stuff,” Maddison said. “We can put the best solar panels in the world in our house, and that’s a …

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Success in Sustainability Combines These 3 Ingredients

Commit. Collaborate. Communicate. That seems to be the mantra these days when it comes to tackling the complexity of sustainability challenges. Whether the topic is carbon removal, renewable energy procurement, transforming supply chains or creating a circular economy, inevitably the road to success is paved with these three ingredients … The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, organised by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and U.N. Environment, sets forth a set of broad targets, including eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging, increasing reusable packaging and making all plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable. It’s a bold and audacious set of commitments, and the …

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