Vegetarian Challenge...

This week I’ve been posting about how eating less meat is good for the environment. Next week I’ll be putting my money where my mouth is, and going meat-free for 7 days. Dave is joining in too, and I’m going to take photos of what we eat and write about what we’re learning. We’ve already cut back on the amount of meat we eat, but the idea is to push ourselves to do more than we normally would....

6 ways to eat less meat...

Yesterday I posted about how eating less meat is good for the environment. Today I’m going to show you some tactics you can use to gradually cut back on the frequency or quantity of meat you eat. I’ve put them roughly in order from easy to more difficult, so you can start with the slack options Tasty treats The next time you decide to go out for dinner, try a vegetarian restaurant, or one that caters to...

ANZ and Gunns...

If you’re an ANZ bank customer, and you oppose the Gunn’s pulp mill in Tasmania, check this out: GetUp.org.au is asking ANZ customers to speak to their bank managers about the pulp mill. ANZ is considering funding the pulp mill, and could be swayed against it if they think that it will affect the way the public sees them. GetUp is asking people to tell ANZ that they’ll take their business elsewhere if...

The 7th way to choose eco-friendly food...

Last year I wrote about the 6 ways you can choose eco-friendly food. Mostly they were choices that you could make while doing your shopping, like paying attention to the source of your food, it’s packaging and how processed it is. These are simple habits that you can learn. There’s another important thing you can do, but it’s a bit harder than the first six. The 7th way to reduce the eco-impact of your...

Reaction Time in the Quarterly Essay...

Today we’ve got a guest post from Wendy Palmer, who you might recognise from her comments on earlier posts here. Wendy is a fiction writer with an interest in environmental issues. She’s written a review for us of the Ian Lowe essay I mentioned yesterday. Reaction time: climate change and the nuclear option. Ian Lowe. Quarterly Essay 27; Melbourne, Black, Inc.Over the last year or so, the ‘nuclear power...

Quick links...

Online An interim report on the Garnaut Review (PM Rudd’s research into the cost of climate change action) has been released today, stating that we need to take action urgently on climate change or risk great damage to our country. You can read the full report or the executive summary here. Pictures of a Greenpeace protest in the US. They used light to project a slogan onto the Washington Monument, like a better-looking...

Mount Franklin - greenwashing or not?...

Hmm. I think this is greenwashing. What do you reckon? Mount Franklin bottled water is currently running a trio of ‘earth-conscious’ promotions. One is that you can win a Prius, and another is that you can win a trip to an eco-resort in the Daintree rainforest. The catch is that to enter, you have to buy a multi-pack (for the other two) of their bottled water. The third promotion is one where you sms them...

Happy Valentine’s Day...

I’m away for the next couple of days, but here’s a link I hope you’ll like: Grist.org’s Sermon on the Mounting: How to Green Your Love Life As they say, “greening the bedroom is easier, more erotic, and involves a heck of a lot more nakedness than any other eco-action we can think of”. Have fun, see you next week!

Green Valentine’s Day...

Valentine’s Day can be a greenie’s nightmare, like any other event that’s become commercialised. There’s a lot of hype and advertising pushing for us all to buy more things to prove we love each other, and if I see one more ugly stuffed toy holding a heart, I think I’ll go mad! But I still like to celebrate it anyway. I like the little reminder not to take a relationship for granted, and...

A new plan, a new paradigm...

A new plan for dealing with industrial development in WA’s Kimberley region has been announced by Environment Minister Peter Garrett. The Kimberley is home to whale and turtle breeding grounds, coral reefs, ancient Aboriginal rock art, and has World Heritage listed sites. But it’s also home to a lot of natural gas deposits, nickel, diamonds and oil… Previously, the Wilderness Society, the WWF, the Conservation...