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Tag Archives: Sustainability

Queensland worm farmer invents solar powered compost machine

A Queensland worm farmer believes she has invented the world’s first commercially-produced solar powered compost machine. “It certainly is, yes, and we are happy to say it has been designed here in Australia and running entirely on solar,” said Penny Mitchell, from Palmwoods on the Sunshine Coast. Waste material is put into two bins that rotate with the power of the sun, breaking down the matter with time. Ms Mitchell said the market for solar powered compost bins was environmentally conscious businesses that wanted to reduce their carbon footprint. “We are getting quite a bit of interest, we have had …

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Sprout Stack: Shipping containers provide farm-free vegies

Shipping containers could bring farming to the heart of the city as hydroponics and mobile phone apps are harnessed for large-scale urban food production. A Sydney start-up company Sprout Stack has perfected the commercial production of large volumes of leafy greens in shipping containers, producing as much lettuce, herbs or spinach leaves in eight weeks as a hectare of fertile farmland. The containers, filled with towers for growing vegetables, tomatoes and strawberries hydroponically, require only electricity and water. Sprout Stack founder Francisco Caffarena says the farming containers, which can be leased or bought outright, can be stacked on top of …

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Farmer working to make teff the next big thing in ancient grains

Ancient grains have found a place as part of the modern diet, with options like quinoa becoming common on supermarket shelves and cafe menus. But a southern New South Wales farmer is hoping Australian consumers will develop a taste for another ancient grain: teff. Wakool farmer Fraser McNaul is growing the crop and working on a system to package and market the product from paddock to plate. He said he believed consumers would be excited by the grain, if they could be informed about what it was. “Teff is an ancient grain from Ethiopia, it’s gluten free and its main …

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Consumers are demanding sustainable business practices

Sustainability is top of the agenda for consumer goods companies as customer attitudes evolve. Business has a key role to play in meeting global carbon agreements through sustainable practices throughout the entire value chain. Climate change is not just a risk for the energy industry or heavy polluters but consumer goods industries as well. Despite this, research shows consumers do not have much faith in big business playing their role. How can companies convince the public their intentions are genuine? There are three basic principles to consider. Resource efficiency Resource efficiency is a win-win scenario. Companies can cut costs and …

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Investors keen to back Western Australia’s largest solar farm

The company behind a proposed $160 million solar farm in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt says it has been spoilt for choice when it comes to investors. Sun Brilliance Power plans to start building a 100 megawatt solar farm, the largest in Western Australia, early next year and will be finalising financial agreements at the end of October. What was originally designed as a 25 megawatt facility has been expanded four-fold after the company purchased what it described as an ideal location two kilometres east of Cunderdin in May this year. Spokesman for the company, Ray Wills said it would be the …

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Anne-Marie Birkill, Partner in OneVentures to join us in March 2017

The National Sustainability in Business Conference will be held the Hotel Grand Chancellor Brisbane from the 23-24 March 2017. The National Sustainability in Business Conference theme ‘Renewables – Markets – Innovation – Opportunities – Capital’ will address the need for sustainable business practices, and what this means in today’s ever-changing world. Anne-Marie Birkill is a Partner in OneVentures, a $175M venture capital firm that invests in technology companies that serve or disrupt large, high growth global markets. She is Chair of the Board for portfolio companies Charm Health and Find-me technologies. Her previous roles include CEO of i.lab Incubator, various …

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Introducing Peta Ellis, CEO River City Labs.

The National Sustainability in Business Conference will be held the Hotel Grand Chancellor Brisbane from the 23-24 March 2017. The National Sustainability in Business Conference theme ‘Renewables – Markets – Innovation – Opportunities – Capital’ will address the need for sustainable business practices, and what this means in today’s ever-changing world. Joining us at the National Sustainability in Business Conference is Peta Ellis, a Communications Professional with 16+ years’ experience in Marketing Communications, Media Relations, Publicity, Social Media Marketing and Public Profile Management. Since 2012 Peta has worked alongside Steve Baxter, the founder of River City Labs to grow Brisbane’s …

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Abstract Submission Closing Soon!

The National Sustainability in Business Conference will be held over 23 – 24 March 2017 in Brisbane. The Conference Program will involve keynote presentations addition to oral presentations, panels and interactive forums and will address the need for sustainable business practices, and what this means in today’s ever-changing world. Conference Topics Include: Renewable Energy Systems and Sources Think Local First Innovative Business Opportunities The Energy Market Trends, Policies and Strategies The Conference will bring together leading academics, thought leaders, opinion makers and industry experts to deliberate and discuss sustainability issues confronting Australia. The program will be designed to challenge, inspire, …

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Urban Beehive co-founder calls for less chemicals, turf

The man who led the popular movement to place beehives around Sydney has called on Canberrans to put flowering plants in their backyard and end the dominance of turf and chemicals. Doug Purdie, co-founder of The Urban Beehive, said native bee populations were the ones that needed protection, and simple actions in suburban backyards could create the corridors for them to thrive and pollinate. “If everyone just planted a couple of things that flowered, it would make a big difference,” he said.  Ideally this would mean a garden where there was at least two plants flowering at all times of the year. Mr Purdie visited Canberra …

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Wood pellets proposed to replace coal used by thermal power stations

A renewable replacement for black coal burned in thermal power stations could be made by converting Tasmanian plantation wood into a pelletised biomass fuel. Private equity firm New Forests has started a $5 million feasibility study into a $130 million wood pellet plant for Tasmania’s Tamar Valley. If approved, New Forests’ hardwood plantation subsidiary, Forico, would supply 100 per cent FSC-certified plantation hardwood and softwood to the bioenergy pellet plant, according to Forico chief executive Bryan Hayes. “These pellets are able to go into an existing power plant without any modifications whatsoever,” Mr Hayes said. “These black pellets will directly …

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