Food for Thought - Switch your thinking awarded Inspiring WA grant
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Switch your thinking was one of four recipients of the inaugural National Science Week WA Medium-Tier Grants for our Food is Life event program. The events will cover growing healthy soil and food at home, preserving it and sharing in your local community. National Science Week will be held 14-22 August so keep an eye on our e-news and website in the coming months for details.
The other recipients were:
Smart Farm Ag-tivities - Murdoch University
Fighting Food Waste – City of Cockburn;
WA Museum National Science Week Program – WA Museum Boola Bardip.
Find out more here.
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A big congratulations to all our member councils recognised as Waterwise at a special recognition event co-hosted by Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) last month. The event was held to celebrate the achievements of Western Australia's top Waterwise councils and aquatic centres. This includes our partner councils City of Armadale, City of Gosnells and Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale. Councils were awarded Waterwise status for implementing a range of measures including efficient irrigation, leak detection and Waterwise toilets and taps in their buildings.
Find out more here
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Should your home be all electric?
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Building a new home or even replacing your hot water system or heater is a big investment. Making the most cost effective, sustainable and practical choice about gas or electric appliances can involve some complex decisions. To make things even more confusing, what may have once been the cheapest and most environmentally friendly option may no longer be the case. Electric appliances have become more efficient, household solar panels more prevalent, fuel prices are changing and the grid itself is becoming less emissions-intensive.
A new report by Renew, a national sustainable living organisation, crunches the numbers for us on current Perth based data with some interesting results, especially for people building a new home.
The major finding of this work is that by choosing an all-electric home with solar PV, a new home will be in the order of $7,500 to $10,500 better off over 10 years, as compared with establishing that home as dual-fuel (i.e. electricity and gas), without solar. This is due to reduced fuel costs (solar electricity from your own panels is cheaper than gas), avoiding the gas supply charge and by avoiding the costs associated with plumbing and connecting the gas.
Where an existing household’s sole gas appliance needs replacing (like a gas hot water system or gas heater), in almost all cases it’s economic to install an efficient electric replacement (heat pump hot water system or efficient reverse cycle air con) instead of a gas one. This decision eliminates the gas bill including the gas daily supply charge.
One finding may save you money without an upfront cost. Many homes have an efficient reverse cycle air conditioner installed for cooling and may not be aware that it can cost-effectively heat your home as well. Households with both a gas heater and a reverse-cycle air conditioner are better off to switch to electric heating even if the gas heater is still in good working order. The report found that this decision lowers the household’s total energy bills regardless of other appliances, home type, solar case, location or tariff!
You can read the report here.
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Nidja Boodja Art Workshop
Friday 4th June
10:30am-1:30pm
Friday 11th June
10:30am-1:30pm
Friday 18th June
10:30am-1:30pm
City of Swan Recycling Centre, Bullsbrook
Cost: Free
Bibbulmun Aboriginal artist, Lea Taylor, will guide you in creating your own gorgeous artwork using recycled, natural materials rescued from landfill.
Find out more
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DIY Recycled Reusable Bag Workshop
Tuesday 8th June
6:00pm-7:00pm
Piney Lakes Environmental Education Centre, Winthrop
Cost: Free
Friday 18th June
11:00am-12:00pm
Victoria Park Library, East Victoria Park
Cost: $3
Learn how to upcycle an old t-shirt that you love or loathe into a handy shopping bag, without going near a sewing machine!
Find out more
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Thinking Green: DIY Skincare Products
Thursday 10th June
5:30pm-6:30pm
Ballajura Public Library, Ballajura
Cost: Free
Thursday 17th June
5:30pm-6:30pm
Beechboro Public Library, Beechboro
Cost: Free
This hands-on workshop introduces homemade skincare products as a natural, ecofriendly alternative to buying store-bought products.
Find out more
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Charity Drop Off Day
Saturday 12th June
9:00am-3:00pm
Town of Cambridge Administration Centre, Floreat
Cost: Free
Clean out your cupboard and donate to the local charities all in one place.
Find out more
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Thinking Green: Worm farming
Saturday 12th June
10:30am - 12:30pm
Bullsbrook Public Library, Bullsbrook
Cost: Free
Learn how to use a worm farm to transform household food scraps into useful products for your garden..
Find out more
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Drive through free tree giveaway
Sunday 13th June
8:00am-11:00am
City of Canning Civic Centre, Cannington
Cost: Free
Boost your backyard and help create a cooler and greener Canning! Available only to City of Canning residents.
Find out more
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Reuse: Embracing the Circular Economy
Tuesday 15th June
6.00pm-7.30pm
Piney Lakes Environmental Education Centre, Winthrop
Cost: $7
This talk explores the limitations of our current economic system and introduces the ideas of the circular economy.
Find out more
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Cleaning with Chemistry
Wednesday 16th June
6:00pm-7.30pm
Bassendean Bowling Club, Bassendean
Cost: Free
Cleaning with chemistry will arm you with a basic understanding of household science and a bottle full of natural alternatives to toxic and expensive cleaners.
Find out more
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Body Lotion Bar Workshop
Saturday 19th June
10:00am-11.30am
Piney Lakes Environmental Education Centre, Winthrop
Cost: $7
This workshop is for people who would like to learn how to make their own solid lotion bars (minus the plastic packaging!)
Find out more
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Rag Yarn Workshops: Kids and pet toys
Saturday 19th June
10:00am-12:00pm
Town of Cambridge Administration Centre, Floreat
Cost: Free
Save money, declutter your wardrobe and stop your old clothes going to landfill by making your own kids and pet toys from rag yarn.
Find out more
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Plastics: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Monday 21st June
6:00pm-8:00pm
Canning River Eco Education Centre, Wilson
Cost: Free
In this two hour workshop, we will discuss the history and problems with plastic and how we can move towards a more sustainable and circular future.
Find out more
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Living Lightly
Thursday 24th June
5:30pm-7:00pm
Mount Hawthorn Lesser Hall
Cost: Free
Come and see how easy it is to live lightly, helping the environment and saving money at the same time.
Find out more
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The Wasteless Pantry
Wednesday 23rd June
6:30pm-8:00pm
Canning River Eco Education Centre, Wilson
Cost: Free
Ideas to get you started on your journey toward a Zero Waste Lifestyle.
Find out more
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Modern Cloth Nappy Workshop
Thursday 10th June
6:00pm-8:00pm
Cambridge Admin Centre, Floreat
Cost: Free
Thursday 1st July
10:00am-11:30am
Maylands Library, Maylands
Cost: Free
Learn about modern cloth nappies from birth to toilet training.
Find out more
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Thinking Green: Frog friendly gardens
Saturday 5th June
10:00am-11:00am
Dayton Community Centre, Dayton
Cost: Free
Ecologists Mike and Mandy Bamford will introduce you to the native frogs which inhabit our city and give you the skills to create a frog haven in your garden.
Find out more
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DIY Personal Products
Thinking Green Workshop Series
Wednesday 9th June
5:30pm-6:30pm
Midland Public Library, Midland
Cost: Free
Saturday 3rd July
9:00am-10:30am
Bassendean Memorial Library, Bassendean
Cost: Free
Learn how to make simple, cheap and waste free personal care products.
Find out more
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Your Garden with Josh Byrne
Wednesday 9th June
6:30pm-8:30pm
John McGrath Pavilion, South Perth
Cost: Free
Your Garden with Josh Byrne is a free event series providing residents with the ideas and inspiration to create a successful garden while doing your bit to help protect the Swan and Canning rivers.
Find out more
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Reducing Water Use with Healthy Soil
Saturday 12th June
10:00am-11:30am
Bassendean Community Hall, Bassendean
Cost: Free
After this interactive presentation participants will take away skills to develop soil to hold water, minimise environmental run-off and enhance plant growth.
Find out more
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Low Tox on a Budget: DIY body care products
Saturday 12th June
9:30am-11:30am
Lyal Richardson Hall, Gosnells
Cost: $5
Saturday 26th June
9:30am-11:30am
Amherst Village Function Centre, Southern River
Cost: $5
Learn how to make low tox cleaners and body-care products using affordable, eco-friendly ingredients.
Find out more
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Winter Planting Events
Sunday 13th June
9:00am-11:00am
Mindarie Quinns Surf Life Saving Club, Quinns Rocks
Cost: Free
Friday 18th June
9:00am-11.30am
Yanchep Surf Life Saving Club, Yanchep
Cost: Free
The City of Wanneroo’s annual winter Community Planting Events kick off in June, with local residents invited to come along and help rejuvenate bushland, foreshores and dunes across the City.
Find out more
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Carnivorous plants
Tuesday 15th June
10:30am-11:30am
Bullsbrook Public Library, Bullsbrook
Cost: Free
Monday 21st June
5.30pm-6.30pm
Ellenbrook Community Library, Ellenbrook
Cost: Free
Wednesday 23rd June
5:30pm-6:30pm
Midland Public Library, Midland
Cost: Free
Come and join local botanist Laura Skates to discover the secret lives of Western Australia's amazing range of carnivorous plants.
Find out more
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Before the Bin
Wednesday 16th June
6:00pm-8:00pm
Canning River Eco Education Centre, Wilson
Cost: Free
In this two hour workshop, we will discuss all things waste and how we can move towards a more sustainable and circular future.
Find out more
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Gardening with Microbes and Microscopes
Thinking Green Workshop Series
Saturday 19th June
10:00am–12:00pm
Ellenbrook Community Library, Ellenbrook
Cost: Free
Saturday 26th June
2:00pm-3.30pm
Piney Lakes Environmental Education Centre, Winthrop
Cost: Free
Learn about the soil food web, soil succession and look at soil samples through a microscope to find out how to have a happier, healthier garden.
Find out more
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Worm Farm Workshop
Saturday 19th June
11:00am-1:00pm
Ken Jackman Hall, Kwinana
Cost: Free
You will learn all about the art of worm farming with a hands-on presentation covering all aspects of worms, worm farming and the roles worms play in recycling and waste management.
Find out more
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Thinking Green: Plastic Free July and DIY bath salts
Saturday 26th June
9:30am-11:00am
Brabham Estate Sales Centre, Brabham
Cost: Free
Attendees will make their own low-waste bath salts using ingredients purchased packaging free.
Find out more
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