Australian David Holmgren, cooriginator of the Permaculture concept, has launched a new website exploring future scenarios in the context of climate change and peak oil. Site is still under construction but already has plenty of content. Lots to read, discuss and consider... Here is the link http://www.futurescenarios.org./... (read more)

Climate Code Red: The Case for a Sustainability Emergency is a new report published by Greenleap Strategic Institute Inc., Carbon Equity and Friends of Earth. It is the starkest, most honest report I've ever read on the seriousness of climate change and it demands immediate and global action - what... (read more)

Interview with Melbourne Community Radio station - a link to the podcast of an interview I did on Transition Towns, Peak Oil, Community Education Centres etc etc. http://wonderfulworldmedia.net/?p=137... (read more)

From 6pm (Melbourne time) tonight (5pm Queensland time), Sonya Wallace - Relocalisation Group coordinator and co-founder of the Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre will be interviewed on Wonderful World Media network on 94.1FM (in Melbourne) 3WBC. Also available on podcast via wonderfulworldmedia.net I'll be discussing the community education centre here on... (read more)

QUEENSLANDERS are the highest producers of greenhouse gas in the world, emitting 38.9 tonnes per person every year – nearly 11 tonnes more than the Australian average, a first-ever audit has found. The audit, undertaken by the Wet Tropics Management Authority between Cooktown and Cardwell, offers stark warning about the threats... (read more)

In early 2008 the Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre (associated with Sunshine Coast relocalisation groups) will offer an intensive energy descent action planning course for individual home owners. An abridged version of our popular new Time for an Oil Change course, this course will cover how to prepare your home,... (read more)

The latest IPCC assessment report pulls no punches. This urgent, Nobel Prize winning call to action is yet another tool for any relocalisation group trying to convey the importance of reducing consumption and producing locally. Climate change is "severe and so sweeping that only urgent, global action" can head it off,... (read more)

Last night I interviewed Klaus Harvey, from one of the most well known and successful relocalisation groups in the world, Transition Town Kinsale in Cork, Ireland. Hearing about the progress they're making and the involvement and enthusiasm from the community and the local council is inspiring. I have high hopes... (read more)

Tim Flannery, one of Australia's top scientists and author of The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact of Climate Change talks to Andi Hazelwood of Global Public Media about his suggested mitigations for climate change on the heels of the alarming new report from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial... (read more)

NEWS FLASH... The Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre received official notice today that the Sunshine Coast has been recognised internationally as a 'transition town' by the UK Transition Town Network. Through SEAC, the Time for an Oil Change course, the Energy Descent Action Plan, plus all the long-term, well-established, and strong... (read more)

This upcoming ad campaign has become a big hit around Australia - the organisation running it has asked for donations to allow them to air it in today's AFL Grand Final and have been overwhelmed by the response. The fundraising continues with the intent of airing the ad in other... (read more)

[From the current issue of Eco News - the newspaper of the Sunshine Coast Environment Council, Queensland Australia - due out Sept 21] A NEW community action centre has opened on the Sunshine Coast, which aims to lead the way with real community-based solutions to climate change and peak oil. The... (read more)

I'm very proud to have just completed and published this interview with our new Sustainability Minister for Queensland, Andrew McNamara. Queensland's newly appointed Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation talks with GPM's Andi Hazelwood about his robust new portfolio (with double the previous environmental budget), the impending public release of... (read more)

QUEENSLAND is heading for an oil shock. And it is not a matter of if, but when. As crude oil prices hit a record high yesterday, an as-yet unreleased Queensland Government report warns of massive social dislocation, rising food prices and infrastructure headaches because of rising oil costs. The report on the... (read more)

PLEASE NOTE; The Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre will be closed on Saturday August 25th due to weather conditions. Due to heavy rain and localised flooding around the Sunshine Coast, the decision has been made to cancel the 9.30am presentation on climate change and the 11am Time for an Oil Change... (read more)

For the past few days, the Sunshine Coast is being affected by a low off the coast which has caused excessive winds and usually heavy rainfall. We've recorded 230mm this week at our place. This morning the town end of Highlands Road had knee high water across it. At Caloundra,... (read more)

Hi everyone, There is a new relocalisation group on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia - at Eudlo. We've had our first meeting and some great ideas came up such as exchanging excess fresh vegies from our own gardens within the group (we have a few permaculturists in the group with their own... (read more)

Great to see some local stats on our food miles... Web links * /PDF/ Food Miles in Australia * http://www.theage.com.au/ed_docs/food_miles.pdf HAS that bunch of bananas on the kitchen bench travelled further than you have? According to a study being launched today,... (read more)

Tomorrow 16 people will begin the very first Time for an Oil Change course and the first Sunshine Coast Energy Descent Action Plan. The ten-week part-time course has been designed to generate community-led, positive, practical solutions and action strategies in response to peak oil and climate change. The response has been excellent,... (read more)

The Australian Government’s Drought Bus is wrapping up its tour of Southern Queensland and is now headed further north to speak with local farmers and small businesses about the range of drought support available. “To make it easier for farmers to access drought assistance payments and other support services, the Drought... (read more)

In response to what has been called Australia's worst drought in a thousand years,1 on Tuesday January 23rd Woolworths will donate its entire supermarkets profits from all Australian Woolworths & Safeway supermarkets to the Country Women's Association to help farming families with household bills, and for research into sustainable farming... (read more)

In what's believed to be a world first, 16 of Australia's leading faith communities released a document on global warming. Entitled 'Common Belief', it's a collection of theological and spiritual statements on the climate change debate. ABC Radio National spoke to representatives of a number of the involved faith communities. Listen... (read more)

This issue in LIVING SMART Jo Turner looks at the effects of globalization and the countermovement that’s gaining momentum in Queensland – relocalization; starting with people using their consumer dollars to support their local community from within. I wonder if our great-grandparents would have imagined a global trading system worth $10... (read more)

Peak Oil is the term used to describe the peaking of global oil production. After the peak, there will be a gradual, but irreversible decline in the world’s oil production. There is a high probability that this will occur within the next decade. Currently only about 1 barrel of oil is... (read more)