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19 Comments
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Re: very interesting marketing strategy (AdAge.com)
2006-08-11 19:45:03 UTC
The Downshifting thing in Australia is more about moving relatively young families into declining regional areas, as work becomes more portable (Australians do love gadgets such as internet and mobile phones). This is allowing existing infrastructure to be maintained, not so much creating new greenfield developments.
Regards,
Anna Hitchcock
Monitoring Officer,
Fitzroy Basin
Port Curtis Waterwatch
Coordinator
(07) 4970 7293 0412 502 798
[email protected]
http://pcwaterwatch.blogspot.com -
Re: very interesting marketing strategy (AdAge.com)
2006-08-10 16:46:10 UTC
Hi All,
You may wish to check out Downshifting Downunder, which is a website and newsletter about people choosing to downsize and live a more sustainable life. Many subscribers haven't got there yet, but are working towards it. They find the stories 'inspiring'. Also, I've been a long-term reader of Earth Garden magazine (also Australian) and many subscribers are stuck in the city and dream of a better life, and the mag is full of stories starting 'well, we finally made the move!'. So generating buzz is important when getting people to move to a more sustainable lifestyle. And by sustainable, I also mean simply working/commuting less hours.
Regards,
Anna Hitchcock
Monitoring Officer,
Fitzroy Basin Association
Port Curtis Waterwatch
Coordinator
(07) 4970 7293 0412 502 798
[email protected]
http://pcwaterwatch.blogspot.com -
Re: Communication Strategies for Marine Protected Areas
2006-07-27 17:57:45 UTC
Hi Fiona,
You definitely need to talk to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority who have been doing some sterling communication work in Queensland. I'm sure the communications people there would be happy to help.
Regards
Anna Hitchcock -
Re: Waste minimization in primary - elementary schools
2006-06-25 19:16:41 UTC
Hello Marie,
For some ideas try looking up the 'Green and Healthy Schools' program which runs in Queensland, Australia. Not sure if it runs in other states.
Regards,
Anna -
Re: Back to the leadership question of the Long Emergency
2006-06-05 00:27:00 UTC
G'day All, (again)
I seems to me that the posts fall into a couple of camps - those who are keen on the policy side of things, and those who prefer grass roots activities. Both are equally important, but tend to attract different sorts of people. You'll note from my last post that I'm more of a grass roots kind of person. A previous post identified a missing ingredient from all of this sustainability push - and possibly the reason people get turned off by the message. Where is the fun?? Why does it all have to be so serious? Why are we stuck in doom and gloom rhetoric? Why are fun projects not funded, or have trouble getting funds? Why do we have to make a 50% difference all at once? isn't a 1% improvement a fantastic result? I think that, sticking to grassroots principles, and beginning with ourselves, we need to learn to laugh at ourselves a bit more, and this will inject more relevance into policy decisions and more success into projects. When you learn to speak in public, one of the first things drummed in, is to start with a joke, to get people's attention. Funny campaign slogans always work well (cigarette butt campaigns are the obvious one here!). Righto, and since I'm the one who suggested it - first funny definition for an environmentalist: The 'khaki' - a practical shade of greenie, keen on getting dirt under fingernails and planting trees. Fails to complete paperwork on time, and uses policy manuals for mulching her organic vegetables. Not suitable for work with politicians, may unaccountably use rude words when they explain policy reasons for removing funding from favourite project. Hard wearing and durable. I'm sure others can come up with other definitions!
Regards,
Anna Hitchcock
Monitoring Officer,
Fitzroy Basin Association
Port Curtis Waterwatch
Coordinator
(07) 4970 7293 0412 502 798
[email protected]
http://pcwaterwatch.blogspot.com -
Re: disagree - Back to the leadership question of the Long Emergency
2006-06-04 23:37:49 UTC
G'day all from sunny Gladstone, Qld.
I think this gets down to the old 'it's too big a problem, how on earth do you tackle it?' problem which brings many people (and groups) unstuck. I've been involved in a couple of 'sustainability' groups which folded after a year or two because they bit off more than they could chew and became immobilised. I'm also involved with some smaller scale community projects which focus on a couple of small projects, and they are strong and gain momentum each year. One is an environmental festival held annually, one is a pest removal project, and one is a coastal restoration project. My feeling is that, being human, we try to do more than is achievable, and then fail, and then give up on the whole thing. So, to be sustainable, start with yourself, make small changes one at a time - ie 'be the change you wish to see in the world'. Can you really advise others on sustainability if your own lifestyle is a consumerist one? But don't try to do it all at once....you may end up divorced! If there isn't an environmental group in your area, start one! Weed your local nature reserve, if nothing else. You will learn a lot, and bring the community together in a small way. In the same way that many small careless acts can add up to a litter problem, many small caring acts can add up to a large solution. And it costs a lot less as well.
Regards,
Anna Hitchcock
Monitoring Officer,
Fitzroy Basin Association
Port Curtis Waterwatch
Coordinator
(07) 4970 7293 0412 502 798
[email protected]
http://pcwaterwatch.blogspot.com -
Re: Recognition for environmental efforts
2006-05-30 02:24:34 UTC
Hi Claudia,
perhaps the prize needs to be more interesting? Kids love movie tickets as a prize. For adults try lightbulbs or anything practical and useful.
Regards,
Anna Hitchcock
Monitoring Officer,
Fitzroy Basin Association
Port Curtis Waterwatch
Coordinator
(07) 4970 7293 0412 502 798
[email protected]
http://pcwaterwatch.blogspot.com -
Re: sustainabilty programs from the workpalce to the home
2006-05-22 21:20:57 UTC
G'day from sunny Queensland,
Check out South East Qld's "Healthy Waterways" program, where people sign a pledge to become a 'crew member' (Or at least, they did a couple of years ago). Also have a look at the 'David Suzuki Nature Challenge' where people are asked to sign up to do at least three of the following:
Reduce home energy use by 10%
Choose an energy-efficient home & appliances
Don't use pesticides
Eat meat-free meals one day a week
Buy locally grown and produced food
Choose a fuel-efficient vehicle
Walk, bike, carpool or take transit
Choose a home close to work or school
Support alternative transportation
Learn more and share with others
The website is at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/WOL/Challenge/
Regards,
Anna Hitchcock
Monitoring Officer,
Fitzroy Basin Association
Port Curtis
Waterwatch Coordinator
(07) 4970 7293 0412 502 798
[email protected]
http://pcwaterwatch.blogspot.com -
Embedded Energy Calculator
2006-05-14 20:47:02 UTC
G'day all from sunny Queensland, Australia,
I can't help with the de-icing thread, as it's generally not an issue in the subtropics! Here's something the list can help with, though. I need an embedded energy calculator, specifically for housing, and for slab construction of single storey dwellings. Ideally it would be for Australian conditions, but anything would be better than nothing. (Our climate here is similar to Florida) Also, I need some embedded energy totals for existing dwellings as well.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Regards,
Anna Hitchcock
Monitoring Officer,
Fitzroy Basin Association
Port Curtis
Waterwatch Coordinator
(07) 4970 7293 0412 502 798
[email protected]
http://pcwaterwatch.blogspot.com
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Re: Request for information - community-based waste prevention and recycling.
2006-02-20 20:52:24 UTC
Calliope Shire Council here in Central Queensland, Australia, has recently trialled a new two - bin waste system (before the trial the system was a single split bin with recyclables in one compartment and rubbish in another). The initial results doubled the recyclables being collected, which was way in excess of expectations. For more info contact the Council directly, or try looking for articles from the local paper - the Gladstone Observer. From my personal observation and experience, the split bin prevents some recycling as the recyclables compartment is too small and fills up too quickly, forcing recyclables to be placed in the general waste compartment. Thus the community capacity for recycling is not being met because of the system in place for collecting it.
Hope this is of help,
Regards
Anna Hitchcock
Port Curtis Waterwatch Coordinator
(07) 4970 7293 0412 502 798
[email protected]
http://pcwaterwatch.blogspot.com
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