How Australian’s can get practical advice to reduce their energy usage
Sydney-based Todae offers businesses practical advice for cutting down energy and water usage and reducing their environmental impact.
For $A 399, a Todae consultant will come to an office or store and check everything from recycling to heating and cooling systems. The business is then provided with a detailed report that explains how to cut costs and go green. Todae’s service is geared to small to medium businesses looking to save money, be less harmful to the environment and create a “strong environmental brand ethos” amongst customers and staff.
It’s an excellent concept, and Marquette Turner believes many consumers would also be interested in environmental assessments. Plenty of people would like to diminish their negative impact on the earth, but aren’t sure exactly what to do about it. Or are too lazy or busy or both 
Having an environmental expert come to the door and give a home a full check-up would definitely help. Besides compiling a checklist of very specific issues to improve, ‘home greeners’ could of course offer to implement the necessary changes, too. So, set it up, brand it well (how about eco badges for homes?), and start knocking on doors. Before you know it, you’ll be running your own franchise.
P.S. Todae also sells a wide variety of eco products for homes and businesses, both through their website and from a recently opened shop in Sydney’s Glebe district.
Website: www.todae.com.au
Australia’s Carbon Emissions Timetable
As reported by Mike Preston in Smart Company today, by the end of this year, business should have a clear idea about the extra costs they will face under a carbon emissions trading scheme after a timetable was released by the Government yesterday.
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said she will release a green paper setting out what a carbon trading system will look like by July 2008, to be followed by draft legislation in December.
That will be followed in 2009 by a round of intensive consultation with business and community groups, Wong says, before the legislation is passed – although it will require independent support in the Senate – in mid-2009, wuth the carbon trading scheme commencing early in 2010.
“The introduction of emissions trading will constitute the most significant economic and structural reform undertaken in Australia since the trade liberalisation of the 1980s,” Wong said.
Earth Hour Launched
March 12, 2008, 5:37 am
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Business leaders have gathered in Sydney to support
Earth Hour 2008 and its global launch.Earth Hour involves people and businesses turning off lights and appliances for an hour to send a message about curbing destructive carbon emissions.
NSW Premier, Morris Iemma, speaking at the launch accused critics of the event of pedalling ‘utter rubbish’.
‘The critics and sceptics need to get on board,’ he said. ‘It’s utter rubbish to say that symbolism can’t lead to change. Yes it’s about symbolism, but it’s a very powerful one – it’s about saving the planet.’
Mr Iemma announced that all government departments would take part in Earth Hour at 8pm on March 29th, and said he had allocated $100,000 from the state’s Climate Change Fund to support the program.
In 2007, 2.2 million Sydneysiders switched off their lights for an hour, a sight which was broadcast across the world.
In 2008, 24 major capital cities will take part, along with hundreds of other smaller cities.
WWF Australia, which is organising Earth Hour says 75 per cent of the top 100 companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, all of the state’s major property companies, 70 per cent of the state’s one, two and three hat restaurants, the top five banks, 85 per cent of the state’s main hotels and the 50 largest local councils in NSW will also take part.
Simon Turner
Scrap! NIKE Launch “Trash Talk” Green
Back in 2006, Nike generated copious amounts of street cred with techies when it partnered with Apple and released its Nike + iPod Sport Kit, which allowS gadget-loving runners to synch their iPods via a special sensor placed inside their Nike shoes.
Now, the US athletic shoe manufacturer seems determined to win over green-minded customers, too. In January, Nike introduced the Air Jordan XX3, which uses eco-friendly materials. Then in February Nike went a step further with Trash Talk. From the sole to the shoelaces, this shoe is produced not only from ‘environmentally preferred’ materials but also recycled waste, with much of the latter coming from Nike’s own production facilities—scraps that would otherwise have been discarded.
Trash Talk is the brainchild of Nike celebrity endorser Steve Nash.The All-Star guard for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns is a committed green-living advocate. And a retail price of USD 100 aptly illustrates how a company can turn garbage to gold. That’s a lesson which should be well taken by beleaguered manufacturers in the US and other developed nations. As these manufacturers look for ways to compete with lower-cost producers in Asia, they might find the secret to reinventing themselves is stacked up in the trash bins of their own factories. Yet another way for brands to rack up those greenie points
Website www.nike.com
Travel With Your Own Green Personal Assistant
Travelling for business and want to be environmentally responsible? Take along your very own Green PA to help take care of the logistics of eco travel.
Rearden Commerce, creator of the first on-demand personal assistant and the first on-demand platform for services, unveiled the new green-focused Rearden Personal Assistant to provide business travelers and organizations a first-of-its kind Total Green Travel Experience when booking travel and related services.
Its new eco-friendly features and functionality includes an intelligent Carbon Calculator, hybrid car services, and Web and audio conferencing.
“The Rearden Personal Assistant has always saved people time and their companies, money. Now, it’s doing its part to save the environment by minimizing the impact of business travel,” said Patrick Grady, Founder and CEO, Rearden Commerce. “’Visual guilt’ has already proven transformative in helping users make financially responsible decisions for their companies and now we have the opportunity to guide over a million business travelers toward environmentally responsible choices for their planet.”
Read more from Rearden Commerce in the US
Travel With Your Own Green Personal Assistant
Travelling for business and want to be environmentally responsible? Take along your very own Green PA to help take care of the logistics of eco travel.
Rearden Commerce, creator of the first on-demand personal assistant and the first on-demand platform for services, unveiled the new green-focused Rearden Personal Assistant to provide business travelers and organizations a first-of-its kind Total Green Travel Experience when booking travel and related services.
Marquette Turner is especially impressed with some of the features and functionalities that include an intelligent Carbon Calculator, hybrid car services, and Web and audio conferencing.
“The Rearden Personal Assistant has always saved people time and their companies, money. Now, it’s doing its part to save the environment by minimizing the impact of business travel,” said Patrick Grady, Founder and CEO, Rearden Commerce. “’Visual guilt’ has already proven transformative in helping users make financially responsible decisions for their companies and now we have the opportunity to guide over a million business travelers toward environmentally responsible choices for their planet.”
Read more from Rearden Commerce in the US
Water, Not Down The Drain
March 5, 2008, 12:28 am
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water not down the drain
Water: Not Down the Drain
A guide to using rainwater and greywater at home
by Stuart McQuire
It’s time to think of other ways to secure water for the home. This book shows you how.
Water Not Down the Drain is a comprehensive guide to sustainable water use around the home. With Australia experiencing one of its driest phases in history, everyone has to think about how they use the water available to them and find ways to reduce their day to day water use. The good news is that with rainwater and greywater, people have more water available to them than they think.
Topics include:
- Making the most of the water you have
- Saving water, including tips on how to use less water
- Top water greenhouse savers
- Calculating how much water is available including rainwater, greywater and stormwater
- Where can you use rainwater, greywater and stormwater
- Rainwater tanks and where to place them
- Tank types including under floor tanks
- Regulations
- Rebates
- Selecting a greywater system
- Greywater health and safety
- Watering systems for greywater
- Composting toilets and complete treatment systems such as worm farms
- Wise watering in the garden
- How to use stormwater at home
Water Not Down the Drain includes case studies from author Stuart McQuire’s house, including examples of how he uses rainwater, greywater and stormwater. Useful tips and advice appear throughout the book to help you make changes at home.
About the author
Stuart McQuire’s household used to be above average suburban water users. Since then they have reduced their mains water use by 96 per cent. In fact, they use just two and a half buckets of mains water per day, but still have a thriving garden full of fresh produce. All other water comes from the site either as rainwater or recycled water. Stuart began using rainwater and greywater in the early nineties to save water, and his home has gained a national and international profile for its role in pioneering environmental technologies and sustainable living.
Stuart McQuire is an environmental scientist and past president of the Alternative Technology Association. This is his second book about water. In this book, he shares his journey to sustainable water use and shows readers what he’s done at home. Stuart’s house is surrounded by a permaculture garden with 20 fruit and nut trees, and features grid-connected solar electricity, solar hot water, rainwater tanks, water recycling, composting and chooks. The book includes photos of Stuart’s water smart house and garden.
Retail price only: $29.95
Click here to order your copy.
Now Available in Borders – check both the magazine and book section of the store to locate a copy.
The book is published by the Alternative Technology Association and supported by the Smart Water Fund.
5 Green US Trips
March 5, 2008, 12:15 am
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wine tastingWhatever your style, whatever the weather, you can make your US trip green. CALIFORNIA
1. Go wine tasting
You thought the movie Sideways told you all you need to know about Santa Barbara? You thought wrong. There is, for instance, the Sustainable Vine Wine Tour that we’re guessing you haven’t tried. The six-hour, behind-the-scenes look at organic winemaking might include a visit to Demetria Winery, lunch with the owners of Ampelos Cellars, and a grand finale at Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, run by eco-minded wine pioneer Richard Sanford.
Why it’s green You learn about water-saving vineyard techniques and biodynamic practices. And the tour vans run on biodiesel, of course.
Details $125, including tastings, lunch, and transportation to and from the Santa Barbara area; reservations required; 805/698-3911. –Matt Kettman
MEXICO
2. Be a beach bum
The villas at Playa Las Tortugas, 70 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, share 5 miles of creamy beach with nothing but a coconut plantation. When beach-bum fatigue sets in, volunteer to rescue turtle eggs on the beach or to place baby turtles on wet sand, and watch as moonlight sparkling off the waves guides them to the sea.
Why it’s green Your help — and tourist dollars — protects turtles at their most vulnerable time.
Details Nightly turtle releases Jul–Jan; villas from $149; 877/287-8905. –Laurel Delp
UTAH
3. Go spring skiing
Next time you’re planning a ski trip with your ski-hating spouse, consider this: In Salt Lake City, you get sublime skiing plus the fun of a big-city stay. With the Ski Salt Lake Super Pass, you can enjoy all-day access to lifts at the area’s top four ski resorts and base yourself right in town, taking advantage of the best hotels, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and culture.
Why it’s green The pass includes shuttle transportation from downtown — no car required.
Details Buy the pass at most hotels. From $52 per day; 800/541-4955. –Amy Wolf
CALIFORNIA
4. Ground yourself at a spa
At Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Sonoma County, bury yourself under a huge mound of fragrant, fermenting mulch made of ground cedar, rice bran, and plant enzymes. The mixture, which heats naturally, sends you into a warm dream state that’s oddly exhilarating. To prolong the sensation, follow an attendant up a wooded trail to an outdoor pagoda for a massage.
Why it’s green Can it get much more green than a mulch bath? Plus, all paper goods are composted by red worms (“global worming”), which turn waste into garden fertilizer that’s used on-site.
Details From $80 for a standard 1½-hour treatment; from $95 for a 75-minute massage; reservations required; 209 Bohemian Hwy., Freestone; 707/823-8231. –A.W.
UTAH
5. Raft a river
Make like an early explorer: Discover southern Utah’s Cataract Canyon from the vantage point of a raft. The canyon’s red-rock cliffs are every bit as beautiful as the much more crowded Grand Canyon’s.
Why it’s green River outfitter O.A.R.S. has an extensive carbon-offset policy.
Details All-inclusive six-day trip from $1,506; 800/346-6277. –Susan Crandell
Nokia’s Green Mobile Phone
Nokia has unveiled ReMade, a revolutionary mobile phone made of 100% recycled materials.
The idea behind the “ReMade” concept was to see if it was possible to create a device made from nothing new. It has been designed using recycled materials that avoid the need for natural resources, reduce landfill, and allow for more energy efficient production.
It is made out of metals from recycled aluminum cans, plastics from drink bottles form the chassis, and its rubber key mats are provided by old car tyres. Inside the phone are new more environmentally friendly technologies such as printed electronics, and the graphics used on the display save energy without compromising on style.
Remade is a concept that explores potential new ideas for the future, and is part of Nokia’s ongoing work looking at how it can help people make more sustainable choices. It is designed to help inspire and stimulate discussion on how mobile devices might be made in the future.
Nokia has been leading the way in its environmental endeavours, where 65-80% of its phones can be recycled and use the latest technology to promote energy efficiency.
Simon Turner simon@marquetteturner.com.au
