Did you know that if you spend more than $150 on garden items that help save water you can get $50 rebate from SA Water?   Eligible items include mulch and compost, tap timers, soil wetting agents, compost bins, and drip watering systems. For more information see:
http://www.sawater.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/E7CE95CB-E4E7-495E-9E4C-54409BC6EB33/0/HomeRebateGardenOutdoor.pdf
or phone the SA Water Rebates Hotline on 1800 130 952.

Jenni McG.

Thanks to Tricia O'D. for sending in the attached PDF cutting of a feature in this week's Messenger on Tony and Franka's home - The Straw Barn - at 5 Clematis Walk. You can be they are going to be busy this Sunday on Sustainable House Day!
Gerlachs eco-home

Check out this website for a very innovative static or rotating dome-home concept and beautiful use of mezanine design!
Thanks to Leonie H. for the link.
www.solaleya.com

Hi everyone - I think this article is brilliant. Michael V.

Going All-Electric - http://www.nanosolar.com/blog3/?p=93 

"The following is one of my favorite charts: How far a car can drive based on either of the following forms of energy, each produced from 100m x 100m (2.5 acres) of land:



How come that biofuel does not really cut it? Electric cars are about four times more energy efficient than fuel based cars. This is because fuel engines create mostly heat and thus waste the majority of the energy units available. Combine this with biofuel plants not being very efficient solar energy harvesters relative to semiconductor based solar electricity, and the result is this huge difference.

In other words, it is clear that if the goal is to maximize energy efficiency, the end point to go after is all-electric cars everywhere. Moving all of transportation to all-electric would essentially cut in half our overall energy consumption without compromising on distance to go.

I for one have vowed that the Prius I bought six years ago will have been the last fuel powered car I’d buy in my life. (Given that I may very well own the highest-mileage Prius on the planet, this presumably reflects my confidence in the quality of this vehicle and the near-term readiness of electric car technology). Presently, it is baking in the sun all day while I’m at work. My future all-electric car would charge up while idling under a solar carport."

Villagers might be interested in this article from 'Online Opinion' - an analytical critique of spiritual eco-communities from Dr Chris James, an artist, writer, researcher and psychotherapist who lives in regional Victoria. It contains some food for thought around a number of issues we have not really considered for our community as yet. (Maybe you can do better with a posted comment in response than those already there!)

See: http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=7822
 [Thanks to Brad N for the link.]