Michael Green

Farming on the fringe: Q&A with Anna Meroni

michael — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:53:34 +0000

Anna Meroni, from Nutrire Milano (Feeding Milan), visited Australia recently for the On the Edge forum, run by Village Well.

Why should people care about agriculture on the city fringe?

I AM a designer – I believe that people really understand something when they are touched by the issue, not because of rational drivers. If I have to convince someone that the food produced just close to the city is important, I would say that it’s a matter of wellbeing and wellness of the whole environment.

Buy Nothing Christmas

michael — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:21:37 +0000

What would the festive season be like without the bells and whistles?

ONE way of preparing for Christmas involves buying new things – a lot of new things. But there are other ways too.

The New South Wales Uniting Church runs a website called What Would Jesus Buy?, which contains articles and links – both spiritual and secular – on the matter of consumption. As the website’s coordinator, Stephen Webb, explains, its tagline is “Stop the shopocalypse”.

Farming on the fringe

michael — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:22:43 +0000

What will we reap when agriculture moves away from town?

IF you drive through Clyde, on the south-eastern outskirts of Melbourne, you’ll see the old farms where a new, very different, crop is being sown.

Next to the market gardens and green paddocks still lined with windbreaks are expanses of soil dotted with earthmovers and giant concrete pipes. On these properties, houses will become the next harvest of the land.

Edible weeds

michael — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:51:25 +0000

That plant you despised could become your dinner

ADAM Grubb makes a beeline for a plant clumping in the mulch, behind a park bench, next to the barbeque area. “This is mallow,” he explains, “which is related to the marshmallow plant and to okra. You can eat the leaves, the seeds and the flowers. It’s eaten widely around the world, especially in the Middle-East.”

We’re in a small, typical park in Brunswick. Mr Grubb, from Very Edible Gardens, runs regular edible weeds walks, in which he traces an extraordinary, wholly overlooked fact.

State of Australian Cities

michael — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:28:26 +0000

How well are our cities working?

Here’s some encouraging news for city-dwellers: per person, since 2006, we’ve been consuming less energy and water, producing less waste and recovering more of it, and breathing cleaner air.

This information comes from the State of Australian Cities 2011 report, prepared by the federal government’s Major Cities Unit.

Mandatory disclosure

michael — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:19:06 +0000

The eco-standard of houses will be made public at sale or lease

IF you buy a car, you can easily find out its fuel efficiency. But what about a house? The ongoing costs and eco-impacts of existing buildings vary widely, but it’s hard for would-be buyers or renters to know what we’re in for.

Retrofitting to six stars

michael — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:10:46 +0000

HOUSE energy ratings are on the rise again. From May, the regulations in the national building code were lifted from five to six stars. Within a year, the new rules will be in place throughout the country (except New South Wales, which uses BASIX instead).

The rating system is based on predicted heating and cooling requirements for your home. Depending on your location, a six-star rating means you’ll need up to a quarter less energy to stay comfortable than you would under the old five-star rules.

Backyard ponds

michael — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:22:13 +0000

Living ponds or pools are good for your garden

WITH the cost of electricity and water rising, conventional swimming pools are becoming more resource-sapping than refreshing.

But landscape designer Phillip Johnson believes there are several smart ways to keep water bodies in our gardens – from natural pools to seasonal ponds and billabongs – if only we think a little differently.

Overshadowing

michael — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 22:36:42 +0000

Solar initiatives in built-up areas may be left struggling to see the light of day

THE eco-friendly Australian cities of the future will combine dense housing with savvy, energy-smart design. Or will they? Is there a conflict looming between the twin green goals of urban densification and widespread harvesting of the sun’s rays?

Climate change in Victoria

michael — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:52:57 +0000

Climate change heralds an uncomfortable future for Victorians

It’s easy to think of climate change as a far-flung concern, well away from our daily lives. But what are the predictions for Melbourne and Victoria? How will they affect our cities and houses?