Here’s a site that will answer a whole host of questions on sustainability - while also retaining a sense of humour and plenty of practical good sense: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bloom/
[Thanks to John H for the link.]

In just 11 minutes, in a very simple plain language and cartoon format, here is a very clear explanation of the complex of factors driving global warming. If you watch this one, you will be prepared to discuss the problem with anyone!
http://wakeupfreakout.org/film/tipping.html
[Thanks to Kevin C for the link.]

Following up on the invitation to Transition Towns seminars in the last Feed (posted 19/3/09), here is an information sheet that will give you more background on Transition Towns and what they are about.
What is a Transition Town

Following on from mention in the last RSS Feed, of 'Building with Strawbale at the Food Forest', I had coincidentally previously been looking on the internet to see what came up when I used keywords like 'strawbale' 'australia' 'workshops'. The first I went to was
http://glassford.com.au/main/ and was so packed full of good information, that for now I have not gone any further. Especially see the section on 'How is it done?'
 
A linked UK website, leaders in their field are 'Amazonails' - there is an inspirational photo gallery at http://www.strawbalefutures.org.uk/projects.html (sample below)
 
Deb H

Management Committee has received a number of complaints concerning pets attacking native animals, causing distress to individual people (mostly children), damaging, and in two cases digging up, vegetables.

The Bylaws leave no doubt about the conditions under which pets are allowed in our ecologically aware Village.

Bearing in mind our ethos of consideration for the environment and people, combined with care for our diminishing natural resources, Management Committee has decided to administer the Bylaws in the way they were intended, and seeks the co-operation of all pet owners, whilst recognising that many already co-operate fully.

This was attempted last year, but we seem to have slipped a bit, and hence a slightly different system will be instituted, and it needs to be clear to all residents.

Separate letters to known pet owners will be sent with registration forms, together with a hard copy of Part 8 of the Bylaws which is the specific part referring to pets, although the last two bylaws of Part 7 (70 and 71) deals with any animals on common property are also relevant and of interest.

A register will be kept of pets in the Village (by Secretary Jane O’Connell). This will include details of Council registration, and a description, preferably with photo, and identity tags will be issued where it is practical to use them. (micro-chipping for both cats and dogs - for easy and positive identification - is highly recommended).

Cat-traps will be obtained in an attempt to rid the Village of feral cats which have caused a deal of concern, so it is important to keep pet cats inside or contained, particularly at night. The cats caught in these traps will be taken to the Council pound to be dealt with, unless they are clearly identified

Loose dogs will also be subject to impounding (with Council co-operation), although dogs probably may be recovered quite easily with the standard payment to Council.

Should you wish to check the Bylaws about pets, please read Part 8 of the Bylaws, ATTACHED to this Feed for your ready reference. You may notice that we have been concerned principally with dogs and cats, but the Bylaws apply equally to all animals, whether simply pets or whether kept for eggs and/or meat.

Naturally we have a community sensitivity to all residents and there will be a grandfather provision for those who register (with the Village) more than the single dog and/or cat allowed by the Bylaws, but only on the clear understanding and agreement that after the death or disposal of any extra animal the normal restriction will then apply.

In return we ask for owners’ co-operation too, and suggest that pets not be taken to any Village home unless it is known in advance that they will be welcome.

Richard Clampett, Presiding Officer, for the Management Committee
AAEV Animal By-Laws 2pp

**********************************************************************
PS A stray, but related, thought for consideration (not from Management Committee) just occurred to me – for people with no pets, and who may be thinking about it, what about an informal PET SHARING PLAN?

Perhaps there are children who would enjoy part proprietorship, without involving themselves, and/or their parent(s), with the total care and responsibility, and yet experience all facets of owning and looking after pets!

Our Village Online Forum is the place to be. The more of us who join in, the better, more lively, more informative and more effective it will be.

So be sure to register and get online for chat, helpful hints, sale or exchange of goods, Neighbourhood Group discussions, and general discussion Village plans and issues.

The ATTACHED instruction sheet prepared by Lucy C will tell you how to register and join in.
Using AAEV Forum

Mexican Feather Grass has been inadvertently planted our garden in Olearia Walk. This grass is a declared pest, yet was wrongly labelled as a native stipa grass and we were told it was non-invasive when we bought it. 
 
We reported it to the Natural Resources Management Board as soon as we realised and it has now been removed, but unfortunately there is a real risk that it has spread by seed. Please have a look at the photos attached as we will need to look out for it over Autumn, Winter and Spring. Young plants have very green upright stems, and it spreads by seed not tuber, so the best method of removal is simply to pull it out.
 
If you are unsure, contact the Maintenance Team, or Jenni McGlennon 8556 5227

--

Dear friends,
The ATTACHED article will give you some appreciation of the predicament we face over the next few years. It is the best advice most of those interested in sustainability have seen to date. Interestingly, although it figures in the overseas media, the article was written by an Australian.

To survive we must change everything. It's that simple!

Thomas Friedman (New York Times) has argued the need to recast our responses to the combined emerging catastrophe of economic collapse and dramatic climate change. Friedman went on to quote the work of Australian thinker Paul Gilding. As Friedman wrote: "One of those who has been warning me of this for a long time is Paul Gilding, the Australian environmental business expert. He has a name for this moment -- when both Mother Nature and Father Greed have hit the wall at once -- 'The Great Disruption'." Unusually high praise from an American for an Australian.
Gilding says Change Everything

SIX MONTHS IN! – a six months Village summary (not just MC of course)
 
As it is about halfway through the term of the current Management Committee, I thought a “term report” may be in order.
 
Our regular voluntary contributors are doing a fantastic job for us, and they have been joined by some new arrivals in our midst – it is just tooooo dangerous to name them, because I might leave some out, but this is a friendly place so I will mention Trevor K, Andy C, Franka G, John H, Tony G, Julia E and apologise to all those I missed, and then chuck in all the Convenors for good measure!
 
From my point of view all the standard functions are working well and there are plenty of new projects in consideration.
 
Services has been strained by problems with our infrastructure, but John Turner and his helpers have done a magnificent job with keeping us going under very difficult weather conditions, where tradesmen, quite understandably, chose shaded work for preference.

However, our major functions have been maintained, and lesser problems have plans for fixing to a reasonable timetable, and that applies also to defects becoming more obvious in our infrastructure and being more of a longer term concern.
 
Plain sailing, with fair winds and relatively calm water, is more obvious with, in no particular order:

• secretarial and financial functions under first class control,
• farm and orchard progressing well (a huge leap in our development, with the feral proof fence and even to ordering the trees {Not a bad advance, Nott!!}),
• plans for our community centre to consider (and work out how to pay for!),
• governance planning for a suitable way to protect our corporate financial security with a parallel legal entity,
• social functions there for us as we wish, both weekly and for special events,
• re-cycled water coming into greater use (on most if not all orchards) and plans are in progress for lifting the biological standard of the product,
• Village communications at their usual immaculate standard for anyone wishing to be informed,
• the sharing shed and surrounds being used wonderfully well,
• our new strata managers keeping us well informed
• the Village records of systems, infrastructure and facilities being centralised and available soon and down-loadable, on call, by read-only computer access. (“Mavim” is the magic word for the system, or simply “Chancoeheijnottetc Inc.”),
• grounds and maintenance looking better than could be imagined without adequate water, and so a very great compliment to all involved
• neighbourhood groups have enhanced their realistic and useful niche function
• the Village sheds soon to go up on the recycling yard
• the arts mob doing their own things, and being somewhat coy about it
• the maintenance crew organisation working out well for the Village
• discussions on a streamlined system for co-ordinating routine maintenance functions, and allowing the more farseeing and exciting matters to be put into greater focus by the existing committees.
• the workshops refitting looking very promising in its early stages (?men’s shed??)
• the number of dwellings going up, including the progress on the Cottages – wow!!

 Are there things to be done or re-arranged? Of course there are, but we’ll get there!
 
Thank you all for helping in so many ways!
Richard Clampett , Presiding Officer

Hearty congratulations to Kat Worth who has received an award at the Adelaide Film Festival for “Necessary Games”, a tryptich of 3 short dance films. Kat is co-director and choreographer of “Sixteen”, one of the films.

Necessary games was an investment of the Adelaide Film Festival and premeiered at the Festival on 22 February. It won best short film at last week's SA Screen Awards and took out 3 additional awards as well!

A local screening will be coming soon!

This is fantastic news as, in comparison with our “eco” image, our “arts” image has been a bit quiet recently. Well done, Kat.

Elizabeth H.

The ATTACHED set of diagrammatic instructions for setting up a dual water supply through your rainwater tank was originally handed out at the 2nd AGM of the Community Corporation.
Water tank setup

As copies seem to have become very scarce, I have scanned it into a PDF file and also posted it on the BDC Documents page at:
http://www.aaev.net/management/bdc/bdc_documents/index.html

Elizabeth H.

Presenting….Ecovillage Musings March 2009 (ATTACHED)

Welcome to the first official newsletter of the Ecovillage Research Group Inc. (ERG), a not for profit Incorporated Association located within Crystal Waters Ecovillage, South East Queensland.

Our aim is to bring you topical and practical articles to assist you with the many facets of sustainability. With the pressures of the global economic downturn, global warming and reduction of our carbon footprint, it is possible for individuals at a grass roots level to adopt simple strategies that will make a difference.

Generations past have grown up with “backyard farming”, even in the suburbs, something which has become lost amidst today’s fast paced, quick fix lifestyle. Whether you reside in suburbia with limited space or the rural countryside, we hope that you find these interesting and practical stories featuring tips and tricks to lessen our impacts on the environment helpful to achieve a more satisfying and rewarding lifestyle.

Ecovillage Musings is a free monthly communication of topical and practical articles to assist you with the many facets of sustainability - from EcoLogical Solutions - Consultancy & Education Services, Crystal Waters, Queensland: www.ecologicalsolutions.com.au
ERG Vol 1 Mar 09

The Transition Handbook - Australia & NZ Edition: Creating local sustainable communities beyond oil dependency - by Rob Hopkins

Finch Publishing is excited to announce the Australian release of Rob Hopkin’s “The Transition Handbook (Australia & NZ Edition): Creating local sustainable communities beyond oil dependency. See:
http://www.finch.com.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?art_id=277&nav_cat_id=220&nav_top_id=70

Around the world, societies are facing the prospect of a future with dwindling oil reserves, an unstable climate and unpredictable food production. The Transition movement, already well established in the UK, is now in initial but rapid development here. It provides an effective model for ways we might engage our local communities to create a more sustainable future and move away from dependency on oil.

This new edition of The Transition Handbook includes profiles of Australian and New Zealand initiatives currently underway and shows the necessary steps to establishing a transition town in a local area, providing an achievable model for people who would like to transform the life of their community. These local accounts (together with inspiring reports from the UK) show how individuals have responded with their local communities to the twin threats of Peak Oil and Climate Change.

This practical book explains how we can ‘transition’ from fossil-fuel based communities to ones that are more self-reliant and generate less carbon emissions. It shows how such changes will result in a greater development of local food, local economies, local water harvesting and energy generation – and so create more sustainable communities in the longer term.