SustainabilityMatters Feature Articles

'Big infrastructure' not the answer

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:13:39 +0000

Australians have continued to make their mark on the international water scene as part of Singapore International Water Week, sharing local experience with nations struggling with extreme water challenges. And one message is that ‘big infrastructure’ is not always the solution.

The safe use of recycled water

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:24:56 +0000

Continued population growth, droughts and limited water storage capacity are placing ever increasing pressure on Australian water supplies. One of the responses to this pressure has been increased use of recycled water. However, increased use has to be balanced against protection of public health; the greatest risk is from enteric microorganisms.

Environment groups unite to oppose emissions trading legislation

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:18:32 +0000

A series of compromises by the federal government on its pre-election commitment to take strong action on climate change has led to national and peak state-based environment organisations today uniting in opposition to the proposed emissions trading legislation.

Paperless proof, the e-government magic act

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:50:18 +0000

A French-developed security platform which turns email into the electronic equivalent of registered mail could help deal with the bureaucratic paper mountains throughout Europe.

Grants to help industry tackle climate change

Thu, 21 May 2009 02:43:35 +0000

Reducing reliance on town water through effective water recycling and harnessing the benefits of solar power are two of the initiatives among the 23 successful projects to be awarded over $3 million in Re-tooling for Climate Change grants. New guidelines for the next round of grants have now been released, broadening the eligibility criteria.

Waves for future energy

Wed, 20 May 2009 04:49:12 +0000

This article includes details on a new technology that extracts energy from ocean waves and either converts it into electricity or uses it to convert seawater into desalinated potable water.

Survey reveals increase in green consumer behaviour worldwide

Fri, 15 May 2009 02:05:48 +0000

In their second annual survey to measure and monitor consumer behaviours that have an impact on the environment, the National Geographic Society and the international polling firm GlobeScan have found an increase in environmentally friendly consumer behaviour in 13 of the 14 countries that were surveyed in both 2008 and 2009. Consumers in India and Brazil are in the top index, US consumers rank last, while Australian consumers were among the best in the improvement category.

Institute to develop CCS lauched

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:37:08 +0000

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally launched the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (GCCSI) at the inaugural meeting of institute foundation members in Canberra on 16 April 2009. The government announced the institute back in September 2008 with annual funding of up to $100 million to accelerate the deployment of commercial-scale CCS projects globally.

Mighty wings for wind power

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:32:40 +0000

A new wind turbine that promises to advance the harnessing of offshore wind energy has been given the go-ahead in the UK. No longer is the structure just a gigantic propeller atop a cylindrical tower, but instead it is a pair of V-shaped arms up to 120 m high with four rigid 'winglets' along their length.

'Alarming' use of energy, materials in newer manufacturing processes

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:39:20 +0000

Modern manufacturing methods are spectacularly inefficient in their use of energy and materials, according to a detailed MIT analysis of the energy use of 20 major manufacturing processes.

British builders gain solar skills

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:22:55 +0000

More construction groups are choosing solar photovoltaic panels than all other renewable energy technologies put together — making it the most popular, green energy system for the trades to diversify into, according to recent research from the Britsh government’s Department for Business & Regulatory Reform (BERR).

Using community grants to improve environmental outcomes

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:08:26 +0000

The Southern Hemisphere’s largest water recycling project is using a community grants program to help grassroots organisations deliver environmental programs in South East Queensland.

Calls for uniform voluntary national emissions reporting standards

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:49:34 +0000

An engineering and environmental adviser has called for a set of uniform voluntary national emissions reporting standards to guide the development of emissions reporting by companies lying outside mandatory reporting regimes.

Council streamlines waste workflows

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:19:49 +0000

Following an influx of close to 12,000 customer service requests last year, primarily for missed bins, Hume City Council in NSW has implemented a Spatial Waste Collection & Incident Recording System to streamline workflows for its waste services crew.

Guidance paper on the emissions assistance program

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:17:20 +0000

Institute supports paper on emissions assistance program and points out tight reporting timeframe.

Biochar: untested and unproven — or political football?

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:16:03 +0000

A discussion on the potential benefits of biochar technology in the fight against the global warming challenges — provided by Best Energies Australia.

Powering the future — solar cells by the metre

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:02:54 +0000

Trials promise a new era of solar cells that are printed like money.

Electric sea-snake may provide low-cost energy from waves

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:38:51 +0000

A scale model of a wave-energy device is being tested at Southampton University, UK. Its inventors believe the device may provide a practical way of producing low-cost electricity from the energy in sea waves.

Beating water losses from evaporation

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:53:46 +0000

In a continent where the evaporation rate is typically four times more than the average annual rainfall — which is declining in any case — limiting the loss of water from farm and station storages is becoming a priority, according to a report released by the Desert Knowledge CRC. The study looks at several of the new methods for lowering evaporation — floating blankets, shade cloth, floating modules and thin layers of a chemical to ‘seal’ the surface.

Unit pricing of household garbage

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:54:02 +0000

An alternative to a flat-rate waste collection service is one in which households are charged per unit of waste they produce. This technical paper, written by Dr Joe Pickin of Hyder Consulting, discusses a case study in Melbourne that studied the effect of unit pricing of household garbage. Did it improve welfare, reduce garbage, or neither?