The Report on the ACT Legislative Assembly’s Inquiry into the ecological carrying capacity of the ACT and region was recently tabled in the Assembly.
The Report, and the evidence given to the Inquiry, may be read here.

Oh OK … it’s Autumn and all the leaves are coloured and the air’s turning crisp and photographers are out taking pictures – as they do. I thought I’d share this one because the way the light has literally ‘infused’ the leaves and brought out some spectacluar colours. Canberra expresses it’s seasons so emphatically. I [...]

Anyone seen the below? Looks interesting.
It’s an inquiry by the local parliament, the ACT Legislative Assembly. Submissions are due Friday, 23 March 2012. A submission can be a short email or long document – whatever takes your fancy. Both can give good ideas that get inquiries on the right track, so they come up [...]

[ 25 February, 2012; 9:30 am to 11:30 am. ] Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary needs carers! Meet or join the Friends Group. Sat 25 Feb 9:30am at the main gate.

Shane Rattenbury is winding up the dudgeon on the glacial pace of adding environmental processes to the ACT Government:
The Greens have condemned the Government’s lack of action on a Commissioner for the Environment Report that was provided to the Minister in October 2010 and which found significant flaws in government processes.
Report on an Audit/Assessment of [...]

[ 20 November, 2011; ]

If you are looking to get out and enjoy the springtime sunshine this weekend, Conservation Volunteers has a great project on this Sunday (20th November) at Mt Painter Nature Reserve in Belconnen.

The team will participate in diverse activities to assist with the long term environmental goals for the reserve – to restore native vegetation and [...]

The NCA is doing yet another review, this time into Canberra’s open space system. If you like walking/riding/etc around the Canberra nature parks, or going further afield to Namadgi, you may want to provide a submission.
Details are online:
“The National Capital Authority has begun a discussion about the National Capital Open Space System.
What do you like [...]

[ 16 October, 2011; 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. ]

Canberra’s inaugural ‘Living Green Festival’ will focus on the relationship between climate change, the environment, and animals.  The Festival will raise awareness about how the choices we make in our everyday lives can affect not only the environment, but also humans and other animals.  The theme of the Festival is ‘a kinder shade of green’, [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the lucky winners of his ACT Climate Change Grants which he says “were introduced in response to the continued interest from the community in generating awareness and action on climate change.”
And if some in the community are interested in doing things Simon wants to be seen to be helping then they [...]

CSIRO announced days ago that they are growing GM wheat in the ACT, and that they will judge whether it’s fit for human trials in less than two years, e.g. nowhere near enough time to gauge health ill-effects.
Once upon a time this sort of issue was core Green.
At federal level you rarely hear [...]

[ 21 June, 2011; 8:00 am to 9:00 am. ] Numerous groups are emailing in a media release calling for protest on Tuesday (the winter solstice geddit?) to get Canberra’s retail solar industry kickstarted again after Simon Corbell took an axe to it on 1 June:

ACT households are no longer able to access ANY incentives to encourage them to install roof top solar power.

The immediate [...]

[ 14 May, 2011; 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. ]

This Saturday Conservation Volunteers is hosting a Come and Try Day at Mount Ainslie for new and existing volunteers who want to make a difference to their environment.

Participants will have the opportunity to meet some regular local volunteers as well as the Conservation Volunteers Staff.  It’s also a great chance to learn more about the [...]

Looking to buy a new home? Need to rely on the requisite building report? Has it been useful?
My conclusion after reading six or so reports by different inspectors in recent weeks is definately, NO!
ACT house vendors are required by law to provide building, energy and pest inspection reports to potential buyers and are charged in [...]

Canberra’s love of the South Coast is well documented – If you’ve ever actually spent a long weekend in this city you’ll notice it becomes somewhat of a ghost town. But now teams of Canberra locals are using their coastal trips to make a difference to the environment while they holiday. Conservation Volunteers Australia has several upcoming projects departing from Canberra that will give people the opportunity to actively contribute to the environment in some of our capital city’s most popular holiday destinations.

[ 19 March, 2011; ] For the 4th year BarCamp Canberra is on!

BarCamp Canberra is a free one-day volunteer-run ‘unconference’ where the participants are in charge.

As ever, depending the attendees, we’ll have speakers on topics such as: Social Innovation, Gov 2.0, Web, Design, Makers/Hackers, Science Communication, Skeptic/Critical Thinking, Sustainability/Environmental, interdisciplinary topics and more.

Lunch is provided, and we even have a [...]

Hey all,
We recently released an update to our application which we mentioned several times on this site before, and was featured on some local news channels.
Our free application now contains accurate bus times and routes, informs users of what bus trips are accessible for disabled commuters, and reflects what is available on the ACTION website, [...]

Author Jackie French (of the Araluen Valley) is calling for everybody to use their research skills and resources >>>>>to hunt for flaura/fauna studies for the area surrounding Major’s Creek which can be used to prevent the Dargue’s Reef mine proposal<<<<<
The Dargue’s Reef Mine proposal concerns us Canberrans, because the major waterways/water supplies of our favourite [...]

Have your say on the ACT Government’s review of the Nature Conservation Act 1980.

I’ve just completed a post-Christmas clean-out and managed to separate the spiders from five or six old bikes.
I would love to see them enter a new life, perhaps in a third world country, but I don’t have any means of getting them to a recycler.
Can someone recommend an organisation that may be able to help.

Ok so I have posted a similar rant before (refer here) but I have to have another go at the ridiculous so-called “standards” that TAMS in ACT claim they use to install traffic lights with filter turns. 
Yes, I am talking about those damn red arrows, forcing unnecessary delays to roads that barely warrant traffic [...]

As a recent “immigrant” to Canberra I am bemused and a little concerned to see great swaths of green paint slathered on the road.
I’m told this is to protect cyclists but I question the effectiveness of the colour green, it seems to just blend into the background.
I cant help but think that so [...]

The ACT Government welcomes input on Canberra’s clean economy strategy for the Territory. The direction of the strategy will be guided by a study by the University of Canberra: Framework for an Australian Capital Territory Clean Economy Strategy – Economic, Environmental and Social Perspectives.
More information on how to input and the UC Framework report [...]

[ 22 October, 2010; 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm. ] The ECO Event – Save the Orangutans
The Uni Pub Lounge Bar
Wear Green OR Jungle Theme
Prizes for Best Dressed, 80′s Dance Hour, Raffles, Games and more.
Food and Drink Vouchers included!
Free Eco sample bag + ‘Green’ gift
Tickets $15 or $20 on door – Tickets on Sale at Landspeed Records – Garema Place, City
*Eco Friendly Products [...]

[First filed: Sep 6, 2010 @ 9:35]
[Proof drivers can achieve tight groupings over time]
I do not want the Canberra Chronicle delivered.  The only reason it is delivered free is because it makes enough revenue from advertisers to be economically feasible to publish and deliver.
My reasons are: – the cost to cut the trees down, [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the lucky community groups who’ve won environment grants:
– Southern ACT Catchment Group ACT Community Weed Control Assistance – strategic weed control assistance to ACT rural landholders and community landcare through training and a weed spray trailer – $20,000
– Greening Australia Capital Region Supporting our Schools, Naturally – expansion of school [...]

Andrew Barr is asking for your thoughts on the draft Planning and Development (Environmental Impact Statements) Amendment Bill 2010 (Explanatory Guide also available).
ACTPLA describes the bill thusly:
The draft bill is designed to refine the triggers for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to ensure that the highest level of environmental assessment required for an EIS [...]

I like willows.
I like the way they look, the sound they make as they move in a breeze, the way their roots build up a shoreline, the way the highlight a watercourse across a landscape.
And I’ve got a soft spot for ratty and mole
Jon Stanhope does not like willows. His government likes to go [...]

Took the dog for a walk and a protest broke out, as a bit over 1000 people came together for the Canberra Walk Against Warming. Seems to be working as its bloody cold and cloudy today.
Senator Bob Brown was there along with MLA Shane Rattenbury, ACT Greens Senate candidate Lin Hatfield Dodds, local Getup [...]

Thanks to our fantastic supporters the National Convention Centre Canberra (a member of the International Hotels Group-IHG) we have 2 double passes to an amazing concert to be held in December.
Less than a month after being honoured with the award of a Member of the Order of Australia, guitar maestro Tommy Emmanuel has announced plans [...]

A friend, who has lived in the first stage of Macgregor West for about 18 months, recently received an unusual water bill; featuring excess water charges of well over $400.
This is unusual for many reasons, but mostly because it is only her living there, and besides the usual washing and toileting, she uses [...]

[ 13 July, 2010; 12:00 am to 9:30 pm. ] SEE-Change, in conjunction with the Canberra Loves 40% campaign, is organising a series of public discussions with members of our legislative assembly to discuss Canberra’s carbon emission targets. These meetings will give the public a chance to question their MLA’s about the upcoming government decision on Canberra’s emission targets.

 The first meeting on 24 June in [...]

I am looking to install a 5000L round water tank at our home, our second.  The first installation we had was through a local company, they were ok but we were not 100 per cent happy with their service, in particular their installers/plumbers leaving cigarette butts in our vegetable garden and all over the back [...]