A beer that’s green!!! Sounds absurd? Well don’t be too surprised. After organic and biodynamic wine it is green beer that is making news these days.
Going by the name of Cascade Green, this organic beer company manufactures the fuzzy liquor in Tasmania Australia with a commitment towards a greener life. Their special product is called ‘Beer of the Earth’ as Cascade Green has been consistently working for over 6 years to reduce the energy and water consumption by 16% and 30% respectively in the manufacturing process.
The website is an extremely vibrant affair. But you have to be more than 18 years of age to access it. Here I read about the brewery’s green location that is surrounded by 250 hectares of pristine forest with Mount Wellington in the backdrop. The company is doing its best to maintain the beauty of the natural surroundings. And it is also taking special care to neutralise carbon emissions by purchasing carbon offsets.
Via cascadegreen

Geothermal Energy is almost like the step-child of renewable resources and the Solar and Wind Energy departments get the treatment of being the perfect brand ambassadors for green energy. This is due to a couple of factors. One is that people do not quite comprehend how valuable and immense the potential of geothermal energy is and secondly those who know about its worth are still unable to find ways to properly harness it. But that seems to be changing fast off late as people seem to have rediscovered its magic.

Google, which has an interest in affordable power to run its growing numbers of server farms, is heavily investing (through Google.org) in research into the development of geothermal power. In the US, Google is the largest funding source for geothermal research. While traditionally the US and North European nations have been considered Geothermal Energy hubs, there seems to be a new leader in the race as well.

The Australian government is investing nearly four times as much as Google to develop geothermal power for Australia. The Australian group estimates that just 1 percent of the country’s geothermal capacity could provide 26,000 years worth of clean electricity. With more countries like Australia and firms like Google investing both money and time in Geothermal Energy, the future indeed looks ‘steaming hot’ for the energy that lays hidden in the heart of the planet.

Via Ecogeek

We have been covering products and practices depicting ways to capture the solar energy, thereby utilizing it in the best way possible. And honoring the latest pro-active nature of the drive aimed at powering the city with solar freeways is another eco-friendly solution coming from the house of “Going Solar.” I would invite your argument on possibilities to power cities, which currently is facing the problem of massive terra firma necessary to access the traditional inventions. They say photovoltaic panels are horizontal and extensive, posing a serious loss of wide space. Now Australian renewable energy vendor “Going Solar” has envisaged a clever policy that instills built-up shipment systems with energy producing potential, erecting solar panels on highway as sound blockades!

Positioned in Australia, Calder Interchange is witnessed as the first solar sound-barrier highway installation by Going Solar. The solar sound fence consists of 500 meters of photovoltaic panels that features project’s power output after being attached to a public display. Respecting its location near suburban region, each colossal solar panel offers much desired soundproofing to the residence nearby. The unique feature of the project can be counted as the fact that energy doesn’t have to travel far-off to reach its target as it is already engulfed with domiciles.

Anticipated to produce 18.7 megawatts per year, the intelligent minds behind it are hopeful to generate the cost-spent within 15 years. If you still have doubts regarding the functionality or efficiency of the project then here I have a confirmation that is suffice to erase all: The project has enabled Going Solar gab the ATRAA’s award for best grid-connected system.

Via ResourceSmart

‘Climate Porn’ is the latest term on the green block. Apparently, a soon-to-be released movie for the television in Australia has been labelled so. Interestingly called ‘Scorched’, it shows Sydney of 2012 suffering through 200 days of zero rainfall. Insiders reveal that the film focuses on the effects of drastic climate change. There are bushfires surrounding the city in the film and the authorities don’t have enough water to put them out.
So, due to its hyper-realism with fake news broadcasts (aimed at sensationalising) and websites with all that scary jazz the film is being tagged as climate porn because all that it shows will never happen. Experts (they are the ones calling it ‘CP’) describe the movie as a thrilling spectacle but they maintain, it distances the public from the main issues of global warming and deforestation.
In other words, climate porn is the marriage of fiction and non-fiction in the world of entertainment.  By that logic, should ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ also fall in the same category?
Via theaustraliannews

It might not be good news for Kangaroo lovers like me but a recent study suggests replacing Australia’s beef and lamb with kangaroo meat could reduce the continent’s gas emissions significantly. Quite a drastic solution, it’s asking to phase out some 7 million cattle and 36 million sheep from Australian greenlands. There is a reason too. Apparently, due to the unique gut microbes in Kangaroos, they emit less methane as compared to cattle and lamb. As per George Wilson, of Canberra consultancy Australian Wildlife Services, methane is a far more dangerous gas than carbon-dioxide.
The farmers too aren’t happy to hear of an increase in the number of marsupials near their farms. But Wilson feels that the kangaroos will eventually become an asset to the farmers only if Australia includes agriculture in its Emissions Trading Scheme, which is a system the government is devising to impose on greenhouse polluters. It is believed that agriculture emits the most methane and nitrous oxide in Australia.
Via natgeo

Until today, I used to think that all those tones of milk crates post their usability are thrown in incinerators or molten and used in some other form. But I’m glad to find that one can use these crates without recycling them as well and the re-use comes in the form of DIY innovative furniture. WOW!

Tasmanian furniture designer Simon Ancher and designer house MADE has come up with some very interesting furniture styles created out of colorful but discarded milk crates. The chic-furniture options are stools, chandeliers, sofas, table, chairs…you name it and it can be done using a few crates and a lot of creativity! Contemporary box life designs from Naty Moskovich also belong to this category. Her designs include very trendy, youthful and easy-to-maintain furniture pieces for your apartment. In the corners of your cramped flat if there isn’t much space to bring in a big sofa then you can opt from one of her milk crate stools.

And for increasing the glam quotient of your teenage daughter’s room the Chandelier from MADE would be just perfect!

 With such colorful furniture options at hand, at least I don’t need to spend huge money on painting the walls of my room every year! And the best part is if you opt this kind of furniture over the traditional wood furniture you can go green in style and save the precious woods too!

Via: dwell

Bright mornings and idyllic sunsets, breakfast in lush green gardens and a reconnection with nature. Sounds heavenly, feels heavenly. It’s the Hidden Valley Cabins in Australia.

The award winning eco-friendly resort is Australia’s 1st carbon neutral resort and tour company. Located 1.5hrs northwest of Townsville, near Running river on the western slope of the Paluma range in Queensland, the resort is ideal for a relaxing holiday to recharge your batteries. So, what’s new in that? Aren’t resorts supposed to be relaxing retreats for aching muscles and frenzied souls? Well, yes they are but how many resorts which help you in experiencing nature are actually worried about nature and minimally sponge upon natural resources?? Hidden Valley Cabins sure is eco-loving as it operates on 100% solar power and saves 78 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

The tour company has purchased carbon credits to off set the green house gases and their resorts are now CLIMATE NEUTRAL. Established in 1982, the resort is continually improving its facilities and its impact on eco-diversity of the region. Now, a stand alone solar system has been installed to run the entire resort 24X7. The system includes: 12 KVA inverter, 90 x 130 watt solar panels delivering 120 volts DC into 60 x 2 volt 1660 amp batteries. The resort is built up of recycled local timber only. The furniture and décor is hand crafted from again local timber.

The buildings are designed aptly to reduce their environmental footprint. Trees and vegetation planted around the resort are mostly native to blend into the natural landscape and encourage the birds and animals to visit the resort.

The area is abundant with varying species of birds, butterflies, wallabies, Lace Monitors, Platypus, nocturnal animals such as gliders and much more. Hidden Valley Cabins is a great area for bird watching and wildlife enthusiasts. The activities available at the resort are offered accordingly so that visitors and guests make the most of the natural splendours of the area without harming it. The resort has received advanced eco-tourism accreditation through Eco-tourism Australia. Other ideas besides solar energy utilization that are employed at these cabins include:
· Power conservation: Resort’s conventional light bulbs have been replaced by energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs thus reducing power consumption from 2220 watts to an amazingly low 430 watts!!!
· Waste management: Left over food and paper products are converted into compost manure to be further used in resort’s gardens.
· Education: Hidden Valley Cabins actively educates the public and guests on the importance of protecting the environment in order to protect vulnerable species. It works closely with The Australian Wildlife Conservancy aswell.

Thus the resorts offer a complete holistic experience of being in nature, understanding its intricacies and respecting it. The entire stay can change your perspective towards eco-sustainability. So, if this summers you are in a mood to experience the Australian outback tranquility then, Hidden Valley Cabins is the perfect destination to head for.

Via Inhabitat

We talk continually emissions of C02 referring to the volumes released into the atmosphere. And often becomes really difficult to imagine such quantities. The CO2 there but not seen the video and that there port to hand, shows us how much the sole household level, it is fed through the use of balloons blacks…

Each balloon represents 50 gr. CO2 housewife. The campaign was desired by the State of Victoria in Australia.

The apple enchanted exist. It is not that of Snow White, but was developing chemical laboratories in Australia, if not cut black. The apple remains of a beautiful pink color even if exposed to air for some time. It will be marketed under the name “Enchanted” and was obtained from crosses between varieties Lady Williams and Golden Delicious.

The Australian Minister for Agriculture, Kim Chance, held to clarify that led to this result without resorting to GMOs and the variety was developed through traditional technologies. “We have an apple, the quality very strong - said Chance - One can say that it is unique and we hope to be able to sell worldwide. The resistance typical of apples “Enchanted” all ‘oxidation makes them much more interesting and useful for industry. And probably become very popular for those who have the habit to eat in the office or in the canteens. It is also perfect for a fresh apple juice that is not black just done. ”

When the new variety of apples will be initially available only in Western Australia, and will be sold in the rest of Australia and worldwide later.