TEDtalk video: My mushroom burial suit

by editor | 3 Jun 2018 | SLAM

Here’s a powerful provocation from artist Jae Rhim Lee. Can we commit our bodies to a cleaner, greener Earth, even after death? Naturally — using a special burial suit seeded with pollution-gobbling mushrooms. Yes, this just might be the strangest TEDTalk...

Solar power take-up accelerates throughout the New England North West

by editor | 3 Jun 2018 | Energy, SLAM, Starfish

The take-up of solar power has accelerated throughout the New England North West region, with a local community bulk-buy program adding 2% more installations in the last eighteen months alone. “We’ve seen the level of community interest in solar power grow...

Choose to refuse — Plastic Free July

by editor | 3 Jun 2018 | Waste

You may already know that Plastic Free July had its humble beginnings in 2011, as a local initiative driven by the Western Metropolitan Regional Council in Western Australia. The incredible growth the campaign has seen since then has seen us recently become an...

AACSGaM & Progressive Cinema: Sacrifice Zone

by editor | 9 May 2018 | AACSGaM, Event, UNE

Armidale Action on Coal Seam Gas and Mining and Progressive Cinema present Sacrifice Zone. ‘Sacrifice Zone’ — the film of the threat posed by Santos’ CSG proposals for the Pilliga. When: Thursday 10 May, 2018, 7-9pm Where: Arts Theatre 2, University...

Nonviolence Film Festival 2018 enviro film: Blowpipes and Bulldozers

by editor | 9 May 2018 | Event

Peace Studies presents the Nonviolence Film Festival 2018 7-11 May – Oorala Lecture Theatre, UNE Mon 7 May: Winter Go Away (2012, 82 mins) Tues 8 May: My So-Called Enemy (2010, 90 mins) Wed 9 May: Concrete, Steel & Paint (2009, 55 mins) Thurs 10 May:...

They keep coming back — Boomerang Bags

by editor | 9 May 2018 | Boomerang Bags, Event

Saturday 12th May, 9am, The Jacaranda Room out the back of Kent House is the location of Armidale Boomerang Bags third sewing bee. Join us to help reduce the use of plastic by sewing cloth bags. If you can’t sew, no problem, we can help you or there are...

Climate Matters: How does climate change affect our health?

by editor | 9 May 2018 | Climate

For some of us, climate change is a problem in the future. But the health impacts of climate change are already evident. Climate change is a problem right now. Worldwide, weather-related disasters have increased by 46% since 2007. Australia itself has experienced more...

North West NSW residents: Santos response to EIS submissions weak, inadequate

by editor | 9 May 2018 | AACSGaM

The Santos Response to Submissions for the Narrabri EIS fails to address the many problems that experts and community groups have raised, leaving major data gaps that increase environmental risks. The report provides a detailed breakdown of the submissions, confirming...

Paddle the Clybucca Wetlands

by editor | 3 May 2018 | AACSGaM, Event

Save Our Macleay River Inc. invite you to Paddle the Clybucca Wetlands on Saturday 26th May 2018, sponsored by North Coast Local Land Services. This event will showcase the environmental issues associated with the drainage of the Collombatti- Clybucca Wetlands. Guest...

May Forum: Melbourne to Armidale — Bill McKibben Livestream

by editor | 30 Apr 2018 | Event, Monthly Forum

It is by sheer luck that our usual monthly forum is on at exactly the same time as this important broadcast by 350.org founder and world-renowned climate defender Bill McKibben. Bill McKibben will be in Australia – as a part of 350 Australia’s Fossil Free campaign –...

Climate Matters: Armidale’s Best Kept Secret

by editor | 30 Apr 2018 | Black Gully, SLAM

Commonly known as the Mike O’Keeffe Woodland, the Black Gully Crown Reserve has been transformed from a weed-infested dumping ground into the restored and revegetated area we all enjoy today. As trustees of this Crown reserve the Armidale Tree Group was recognised as...

Partnership Renewal for Community Solar Power Bulk-buy Program

by editor | 30 Apr 2018 | Energy, Starfish, ZNET

Farming the Sun has surpassed its goal of 1MW of additional solar power installations throughout the greater New England North West region (NENW) of NSW. This amounts to a significant 2% increase in the number of small-scale solar installations. Total installations...

Electric Vehicle Expo 2018 in Inverell

by editor | 30 Apr 2018 | Event, Transport

“Gathering of the Geeks” Electric Vehicles Expo Where: National Transport Museum Inverell NSW 2360 When: 4th to 6th May 2018 Visit the New England in Autumn for the first Electric Vehicle Expo and Motor Show held over 3 days and 3 Shires. The National...

New SLA action group — Boomerang Bags

by editor | 24 Apr 2018 | Boomerang Bags

Sustainable Living Armidale’s Waste action group had this great idea — Bring-a-Bag Armidale. The idea was to promote people taking their own bags shopping so they didn’t need to use the plastic bags provided by shops. The reason was that plastic bags were...

Volunteer Times: Armidale Aboriginal Community Garden, April & May

by editor | 18 Apr 2018 | Garden

Wednesday afternoons: 4pm – 5.30pm Sunday afternoons: 3pm – 4.30pm Come along to help with weekly weeding, planting and general community garden upkeep. All helpers of all ages are very welcome, and greatly appreciated! Contact: Kate Wright Note: In the case of...

Second working bee for Boomerang Bags

by editor | 13 Apr 2018 | Boomerang Bags, Event

Saturday 14th April, 9pm, The Jacaranda Room out the back of Kent House is the location of Armidale Boomerang Bags second sewing bee. Join us to help reduce the use of plastic by sewing cloth bags. If you can’t sew, no problem, we can help you or there are...

Farm Planning Takes Innovation Approach

by editor | 13 Apr 2018 | Event, SNELC

Landholders in the Southern New England are set to take advantage of farm planning with an agro-ecology focus and a twist of innovation at the end of April. “This particular opportunity has emerged out of feedback from participants at an event with David Hardwick run...

April Forum: Sustainable Cinema presents Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret

by editor | 29 Mar 2018 | Event, Monthly Forum

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret 2014 M 1h 30m Learn how factory farming is decimating the planet’s natural resources — and why this crisis has been largely ignored by major environmental groups. Directors: Kip Andersen, Keegan Kuhn Sustainable Cinema on...

Inside Peace Armidale NSW Country Launch

by editor | 29 Mar 2018 | Event

A joint venture between UNE Peace Studies, Studio View Productions and the Regional Australia Bank. A film of hope from the depths of despair: For immediate release. A Texas prison is an unlikely setting for an educational program about the transformative power of...

Opera Under the Gum Trees at Pilliga Pottery

by editor | 29 Mar 2018 | AACSGaM, Event

Fri 6 April 2018 @ 7.30 pm Doors open 6.00pm- Pottery and Café open all day Come and laugh under the stars with your family and friends and enjoy a magical night out! Tickets: $35adult/$32conc or group (10 all paid together) $15 students (High School & Uni.) Enjoy...

Creeklands working bee behind the Phil Wheaton Oval

by editor | 29 Mar 2018 | Event

Our next working bee will be on Sunday 8 April and we are planning for a small planting session and some maintenance work including weeding at the present site along the Creeklands behind the Phil Wheaton Oval and Bruce is trying to get another site prepared by then....

Free Biodynamic Field Day at Richard Makim’s property in April

by editor | 29 Mar 2018 | Event, Local Food

Come along and meet Richard Makim whose family has been on the land for at least six generations. Richard was brought up on their mixed farming/grazing country near Moree NSW. They moved when he was 12 to a large cattle station in the Gulf country of north Qld, where...

Victoria town’s breakthrough deal on network tariffs as it pursues 100% renewables

by editor | 29 Mar 2018 | Energy

A small Victorian town that is hoping to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy as early as 2020 has achieved what appears to be a groundbreaking deal on network charges that could pave the way for similar projects around the country. Newstead, a town of less than...

Video: #time2choose rally

by editor | 29 Mar 2018 | AACSGaM, Climate, Event

Lismore Community Solarfarms have launched

by editor | 29 Mar 2018 | Energy, Event, Starfish

Lismore Community Solarfarms has ‘plugged in’ its two 99kW solar arrays which brings the project to completion. It was a day of celebration on Tuesday 30 January 2018, as we launched and “turned on” Farming the Sun’s two Lismore Community Solarfarms: the...