The Earth Garden Path - News

Earth Garden at The Sydney Gardening Australia Expo

Earth Garden and The Good Life Book Club will be at The Sydney Gardening Australia Expo.

Outback ranks highly in the world wild web

A STUDY has identified 40% of Australia - 3 million square kilometres - as the largest intact wilderness on Earth that ranks in quality with the Amazon forest, Antarctica and the Sahara.

Cats eating into world fish stocks

GOURMET meals dished up to pampered pets could be threatening world fish supplies, Victorian scientists have warned. Calculations by Deakin University researchers show an estimated 2.48 million tonnes of forage fish are used each year by the global cat food industry. Leading this fishy business is the US, where more than 1.1 million tonnes of small forage fish, including sardines, herrings and anchovies, go into cat food.

Incense linked to respiratory cancers

Researchers in the United States say regular incense smoke inhalation could put people at risk of cancers of the respiratory tract. In a study of more than 61,000 ethnic Chinese living in Singapore who were followed for up to 12 years, the investigators found a link between heavy incense use and various respiratory cancers. The findings are published in the medical journal 'Cancer'.

WA Labor pledges to pay householders for solar power

WA Labor says it will pay West Australians to generate solar power if it wins the election on 6 September. Under the plan, people who buy rooftop solar panels will be paid 60 cents per kilowatt hour for all the electricity they generate. The Premier, Alan Carpenter, says the gross metering scheme is the most generous in the country.

10,000 marchers target mill

THOUSANDS of protesters marched through Launceston yesterday to show their continued opposition to the development of Gunns' pulp mill in the Tamar Valley. Clear skies and spring-like weather greeted the massive crowd, which met in City Park to listen to a series of speeches before walking through the city to Civic Square.

GIVE-AWAY Todae Eco Prize Pack

Want to be in the running for the Todae Eco Prize Pack?
Find out how � click the �Read More� button.

Solar Success WINNERS

Thanks everyone for entering our SOLAR SUCCESS GIVE-AWAY.
A great book for those about to go solar or for anyone wanting to know more.
The three winners are ...

Yummy Yards is HERE!

Produce gardening is the fastest growing sector of the gardening industry, and for
good reason! Rising food costs, petrol prices, interest rates and overall cost of living
means that people are keen to grow their own �Incredible Edibles�, for the health of
their families, their back pocket, and the planet!

Solar scientist wins Eureka's top gong

Nail polish and pizza ovens will help provide cheap, clean energy to the world's poor if Nicole Kuepper has her way.

The young PhD student's MacGuyver-like efforts to create a revolutionary solar cell using everyday items has won two Australian Museum Eureka Prizes - the nation's top science awards.

EG launches GreenWheels

GreenWheels is our new website and discussion forum for news, articles and stories about LEVs - low-emissions vehicles. We intend to gather information for a book to be released next year. Feel free to submit news and articles for inclusion here in the forum, on the web pages and in the book.

GIVE-AWAY

We have three copies of Collyn Rivers excellent new book Solar Success to give away.
This down-to-earth book on solar technology and its practical use, shows householders how to make solar work effectively and economically.
The author has kindly donated three copies of this comprehensive guide (thanks Collyn!).
Read on for your chance to win �

Builder's doubts over pulp mill construction

One of the companies involved in the construction of Gunns proposed pulp mill in northern Tasmania believes the controversial project will never be built. The John Holland Group - which is owned by the construction giant Leighton Holdings - has been working with Gunns to help build the $2 billion project. But Leighton Holdings' chief executive, Wal King, has cast serious doubt over the future of the pulp mill.

Kimberley whale nursery under threat, says green group

A NEWLY discovered nursery for humpback whales will be destroyed if industrialisation of the Kimberley goes ahead, an environmental group claims. The Wilderness Society said the whale playground recently discovered at Camden Sound off the coast of Broome would be in grave danger if proposed gas projects for the area are developed. Japanese company Inpex are pushing for approval to build a Natural Liquid Gas processing plant on Maret Island - an area 300km from where whales to teach their young to feed, breach and navigate currents.

South Burnett poised to host giant wind farm

THE South Burnett region is poised to become home to the biggest wind farm in the southern hemisphere, with plans for the $1.2 billion facility The Coopers Gap Wind Farm, proposed for the Bilboa and Cooranga North region, almost midway between Kingaroy and Dalby, will consist of up to 252 wind turbine generators spread over 10 large grazing properties, producing enough power for 320,000 homes.

EARTH GARDEN BOOKS

Invite To Contribute to Natural Home Builder Volume Four
Our Natural Home Builder books are proving to be extremely popular as more people seek inspiration, advice and knowledge on building in a more sustainable, earth-friendly way. Our books offer first-hand experience from those who have paved the way.
We would like to invite you to contribute a submission on your building project for Volume Four, due to be published in February 2009.
If you are interested, here is what we require:

Aust firm unveils plans to build 'world's biggest solar plant'

An Australian engineering firm has announced plans to build what it says would be the world's biggest solar plant in Australia within three years. Worley Parsons has launched a study into finding possible sites to host the $1 billion plant. The study is backed by nine Australian companies including miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.
See video on The Age website.

Solar customers feel the heat from rebate means-testing

CONSUMERS are paying more to install smaller solar systems since the federal Government's move to introduce a means test on rebates for the green power units. The Senate committee examining the consequences of means-testing the $8000 rebate heard from the Environment Department in Brisbane yesterday after Environment Minister Peter Garrett stopped officials from appearing late last month.

Sustainable House Tour in Beechworth

On Saturday November 8 2008, the Beechworth Montessori School will hold a sustainable house tour. Visit homes in the area using sustainable design, including passive solar, thermal mass, ventilation, insulation and zoning. Explore material and construction techniques including earth, masonry and lightweight construction. Talk with owners and builders. Experience the integration of the built environment, people and nature.
More information at www.housetour.beechworthmontessori.vic.edu.au/

Innovation plan unveiled

Victoria is set to revolutionise the way it deals with household waste as part of a $300 million innovation statement launched today.
The Victorian Advanced Resource Recovery Initiative will explore new waste recovery technologies to process Melbourne's waste into clean energy and products such as compost.