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Sustainability initiatives

Campaigns

Don't Frack the Territory

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Initiatives by topic

Biodiversity

Wikipedia:

Conservation in Australia: Conservation in Australia is an issue of state and federal policy. Australia is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world [citation needed], with a large portion of species endemic to Australia. Preserving this wealth of biodiversity is important for future generations.
Animal habitats like reefs and forests must be preserved in order to preserve population and diversity of animal species. Conservation is vital for future study and for field research to be undertaken, and because biological richness is an unmeasurable aesthetic that may be developed into commercial recreational attractions.
According to Janine Benyus, the potential for advances in biomimicry in Australia are great because the extreme weather and conditions found here provide an excellent evolutionary incubator. Research on natural processes can only occur if habitat is preserved and organisms continue to thrive. Rainforests such as the Daintree have immeasurable value.
Federal and State governments manage protected areas and national parks; a number of non-governmental organizations are also involved in conservation.
Conservation organisations based in Australia (category)

Climate action

The per-capita carbon footprint in Australia was rated 12th in the world by PNAS in 2011.

In 2013, the CSIRO released a report stating Australia is getting hotter. In 2014, the Bureau of Meteorology released a report on the state of Australia's climate, which highlighted several key points, including the dramatic increase in Australia's temperatures (particularly nighttime temperatures) and the increasing frequency of bush fires, droughts and floods which have all been linked to climate change. [1]

Beyond Zero Emissions

Australian climate action groups on greenlivingpedia (category)

Australian Youth Climate Coalition

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Wikipedia: Climate change organisations based in Australia (category)

Campaigns: The Transition Decade (Wikipedia): non-partisan shared campaign which is coordinated by an alliance of Australian community, social, and environmental groups, non-profits and NGO's. The initiative forms a unified plan to campaign, lobby and work to restore safe climate conditions and a sustainable future.

Coasts

One of the notable issues with marine conservation in Australia is the protection of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef's environmental pressures include water quality from runoff, climate change and mass coral bleaching, cyclic outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish, overfishing, and shipping accidents. [2]

Wikipedia: Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef

Community energy

Community Power Agency, social enterprise setup to support the development of a vibrant community energy sector in Australia

YourEnergySavings.gov.au, information from the Australian Government as well as state and territory governments.

Energy For The People

Maps

Solar PV Maps and Tools, Australian Photovoltaic Institute

See also: Energy transition in Australia

Cycling activism

Critical Mass bicycle rides in Australia

Wikipedia: Cycling organisations in Australia (category)

Education for sustainability

Cool Australia, educating for a sustainable future

Environment quality

Clean Up Australia, (Wikipedia): Clean Up Australia Limited is a not-for-profit Australian environmental conservation organisation founded by Australian Ian Kiernan, and co-founder Kim McKay, in 1989. It works to foster relationships between the community, business and government to address the environmental issues of waste, water and climate change. Since its inception, Clean Up Australia has grown to include other projects and campaigns including Business Clean Up Day, Schools Clean Up Day, Clean Up the Alps, Clean Up the Kimberley and Clean Up the World. The organisation is behind Clean Up Australia Day, as well as other environmental projects and campaigns.

Ethical consumerism

Ethical consumer guide, The Ethical Consumer Group is a community based, not-for-profit network set up to help facilitate more sustainable purchasing practices for the everyday consumer.

Food activism

Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network - Local Harvest, national initiative aiming to help people find local sources of food and grow their own - My Home Harvest - Open Food Network, openfoodnetwork.org.au - Solar cooking resources in Australia

Farmers' markets: Australian Farmers' Markets Association

Resources: Planning and running open farm days, openfoodnetwork.org

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Sharing

Open Shed

Social inclusion

Wikipedia:

Homelessness in Australia: The majority of long term homeless people are found in the large cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. It is estimated that on any given night approximately 105,000 people will be homeless.
Poverty in Australia: Some of the latest information on poverty in Australia comes from a study conducted by the Australian Council of Social Service in 2012. The Report, Poverty In Australia, shows that in 2010, after taking account of housing costs, an estimated 2,265,000 people or 12.5% of all people, including 575,000 children (17.3% of all children), lived in households below the most austere poverty line widely used in international research.

Sustainable transport activism

Wikipedia: Better Place#Australia, Environmental impact of transport in Australia, Public transport in Australia

Trees, woodland and forest

Wikipedia: Forests of Australia: Australia has many forests of importance due to significant features, despite being one of the driest continents. Australia has approximately 147 million hectares of native forest, which represents some 19% of land use. The majority of Australia's trees are hardwoods, typically eucalypts, rather than softwoods like pine.

Urban sustainability

Australia is one of the most urbanized countries in the world. Many Australian cities have large urban footprints and are characterised by an unsustainable low density urban sprawl. This places demand on infrastructure and services which contributes to the problems of land clearing, pollution, transport related emissions, energy consumption, invasive species, automobile dependency and urban heat islands.

The urban sprawl continues to increase at a rapid rate in most Australian cities, particularly the state capital cities, all of which (with the exception of Hobart) are metropoleis. In some centres, such as Sydney and Greater Western Sydney, Greater Melbourne and South East Queensland large metropolitan conurbations threaten to extend for hundreds of kilometres and based on current population growth rates are expected to become megacities in the 21st century.

In recent years, some cities have implemented transit-oriented development strategies to curb the urban sprawl. Notable examples include Melbourne 2030, South East Queensland Regional Plan and the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy. [3]

Urban Reforestation, organization in Australia, which focuses on sustainable living in urban places.[4]

Events

2017

Nov 13 - 19 National Recycling Week

2016

Nov 7 - 13 National Recycling Week

Oct 17 - 23 National Bird Week, Aussie Backyard Bird Count

2015

November 9 - 15 National Recycling Week

May 4 - 10 International Composting Awareness Week Australia

March 23 -29 Meat Free Week Australia

2014

March 2 Clean Up Australia Day

October 3 - 12 National Organic Week

Ocotber 15 Ride2Work Day

October 18 National Divestment Day

News and comment

2017

What about the people missing out on renewables? Here's what planners can do about energy justice, Sep 10 [5]

Cities Are Driving a Public Library Boom in Australia, Apr 4 [6]

Renewable energy spike led to sharp drop in emissions in Australia, Mar 9 [7]

Australian consortium launches world-first digital energy marketplace for rooftop solar, Feb 22 [8]

Climate change: 90% of rural Australians say their lives are already affected, Jan 15 [9]

2016

As doctors, we are worried about climate change, Nov 20 [10]

Here are ​9 Aussie Towns Going 100% Renewable! Legends, Jun 22 [11]

People-powered: renewable energy project changes Indigenous lives in Barkly, Jul 26 [12]

'Largest community-owned' solar farm in Australia taking root in Canberra vineyard, Jun 28 [13]

Australia's emissions rising and vastly underestimated, says report, Mar 18 [14]

Australian first: Newstead aims to run on 100% renewable energy within five years, Feb 29 [15]

2015

How an Australian Mining Town Became a Solar Power Trailblazer, December 20 [16]

Australia’s powerful web of grassroots climate resistance, December 17 [17]

Organic farmers 'WWOOFing' mad as willing workers hit hard by working holiday visa changes, November 18 [18]

Australia’s first community owned retailer awarded licence, October 19 [19]

Blueprint for the future: Australia's first town to go emissions-free, October 6 [20]

Transition in Australia: an open letter to Transitioners, September 3 [21]

Cotton wool could save endangered Australian bird, August 31 [22]

Australians prefer renewables: 84% say solar their ideal energy source, 69% wind, August 10 [23]

Free seeds swapped for stories at urban farming studio, August 5 [24]

Following Dutch Footsteps, Activists to Sue Aussie Government on Climate. Landmark ruling raised 'energy and appetite of the community to stand up and use the courts when government fouls them,' says environmental lawyer, June 30 [25]

2014

Australia Blasted by Record Heat — Again, October 27 [26]

Australia's 2013 heat waves linked to human-caused climate change, studies conclude, September 29 [27]

Call to Action: Reclaim the Climate Movement (Australia), September 17 [28]

Lord Howe Island tilts at renewable energy independence, July 29 [29]

Lismore City Council aims for 100 per cent renewables by 2023, May 21 [30]

Climate change is already changing the Australian landscape, April 3 [31]

Cattle prices tumble amid eastern Australia's drought, March 4 [32]

Connecting the dots to win on climate, February 26 [33]

News sources

Environment and Energy Views and Research, The Conversation

Resources

Apps for sustainability

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Snap Send Solve - Trolley Tracker™, smartphone app to report wayward shopping trolleys on the run

Citizens data initiative

Australian Bureau of Statistics - Open Knowledge Foundation Australia

Wikipedia: Australia, State of the Environment reports

Community resources

communitylandtrust.com.au

Maps

Wikimedia Atlas of Australia

Local communities in Australia community action

Interwiki links

Wikipedia: Australia, Drought in Australia, Environment of Australia, Environmental issues in Australia, Environmental organisations based in Australia (category), Water security in Australia

Greenlivingpedia: Australia (category)

External links


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