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Category Archives: Uncategorized

Liveable Communities Through Engagement, Culture & Connection

It is every conservationist’s goal to bring nature back to urban areas. Life begins with nature, yet sometimes it needs a little help to keep thriving. Our current economic crisis is not deterring organisations in continuing vital conservationist work, and many are teaming up together to push forward with finding the best ways to achieve environmental and cultural sustainability. Webinar 3 of the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 will take this focus on Tuesday 23rd of June, with three keynote speakers delivering an incredible line-up. CLICK HERE for the program details and read below for a glimpse of what …

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Long Term Planning with Liveable Communities in Mind

Long-term community planning is vital for our liveable cities to prosper. Organisations involved in their community’s infrastructure must be able to look ahead and construct plans where anticipated. Change is not only considered but prepared for in advance. We cannot always know what the future holds, as we have recently discovered through unanticipated change and subsequent adaptation. However, the last few months have not deterred Australians from continuing to practice and strive for the future of the sustainable movement. New bike paths have already been put into future planning, due to increased demand. Transport Secretary Rodd Staples mentioned in an …

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Architectural Design Making a Positive Impact on Sustainability in your Liveable City

If you are faced with the question; “Are you part of a liveable city”, would you know how to answer? Many would consider any city that they live in as a liveable city, but what does that really mean? The answer revolves around a few simple words that some of us are well versed with, while others are not. – sustainability, conservation, environmentally friendly, eco-friendly and carbon friendly (to name a few). Creating a more liveable city comes down to several factors, beginning with residential and commercial designs that offer sustainable features. Modern technology is now proving that there are …

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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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Q&A With LUSH Cosmetics Australia and New Zealand

At the Association for Sustainability in Business, it’s our mission to connect and collaborate with businesses and individuals passionate about sustainable business practices. LUSH Cosmetics is one of the leaders in the health and beauty industry dedicated to minimising waste and focusing on the power of local buying. We spoke with Elisia Gray, Buyer at LUSH Cosmetics Australia and New Zealand about LUSH’s sustainable business practices, the sLush fund and what makes LUSH a little different. Q. What are some of LUSH’s green initiatives? A. Sustainability is at the core of what we do at LUSH. In 2007 we created Charity Pot Hand …

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How Do Food Scraps Turn Into Renewable Energy?

During a trip in India, Yair Teller, then a curious student and today the co-founder and CSO of Homebiogas, saw a family cooking on gas in a village of people who predominantly cooked over firewood. This was quite shocking. The family used the biogas their biodigester produced from food waste to cook their food, and the fertilizer it produced to nourish flowers, which they then sold  in the market to create extra source of revenue. They got all of those benefits simply from recycling their cow’s manure in a biodigester. Fast forward a few years and Yair was joined by …

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Why Australia imports so many veggie seeds (and do we really need to treat them with fungicides?)

Organic farmers have reacted with alarm to a draft review released last week that recommends mandatory fungicide treatment for certain plant seeds imported into Australia, including broccoli, cauliflower, radish and spinach. Over 19,000 people have signed a change.org petition objecting to the proposal, which is designed to strengthen biosecurity for plants of the brassicaceae family. Opponents say mandatory fungicide treatment could spell the loss of organic accreditation for organic vegetable growers who rely on imported seed. Why do we need to import seeds? Australia’s vegetable growers do rely heavily on imported seed. But why? The answer lies partly in where plant breeding expertise and effort is …

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THE ROLE OF URBAN RESERVES IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABIILITY

THE ROLE OF URBAN RESERVES IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE PORTLAND, OREGON METROPOLITAN REGION By Edward J. Sullivan, Adjunct Professor of Urban Studies and Planning Portland State University Oregon has developed a unique comprehensive urban growth strategy.  Rural areas are separated from urban areas by an urban growth boundary (UGB) concentrating most urban uses within the boundary and fostering policies to provide urban levels of facilities and services, as wells as varying use intensities for residential, industrial, employment, recreational and commercial uses.  The UGB encompasses existing and anticipated urban uses over a rolling 20-year period.  Expansion of the UGB requires extensive …

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Sustainability in Business Speaker Opportunity

Sustainability in Business: The National Sustainability in Business Conference; renewables, markets, innovation, opportunities and capital will be held 23 – 24 March 2017 at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Brisbane. The Conference will address the need for sustainable business practices, and what this means in today’s ever-changing world. Included will be an extensive range of topics with keynotes, concurrent sessions, forum presentations, case studies, panel discussions and poster presentations. Sustainability in Business Speaker opportunity Presenters or organisations wishing to speak are invited to submit an abstract of no more than 300 words.  All proposals will be reviewed by the program …

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Sustainability is the reason Ikea are selling bikes

Curtin University food and agribusiness marketing professor Peter J Batt said the likes of Nestle, Kelloggs and Heineken were making dramatic changes within the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative. “Sustainability is becoming mainstream,” Batt told HuffPost Australia. “Big multinationals are involved in the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative to say to their suppliers ‘I’ll only take your product if you can show me it’s farmed sustainably’.” Batt said this meant changes to farming methods, supply chains and attitudes to ethical issues. “There’s a saying that it’s hard to be green when you’re in the red,” Batt said. “Increasingly businesses are finding ways to be …

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