Jerry Coleby-Williams

Big Solutions Create Bigger Problems

Built or not the Traveston Dam is an historic relic of a bygone era. Building it in defiance of all the science, in defiance of a united community, and during a rapidly warming climate defines Queensland as a 21st century failed state. Shelving it in favour of a strong environment supporting our food and water security and protecting endangered species might yet make us a smart one.

AEF Still Spells FAKE

Don Burke is a well known Australian celebrity who blends public relations with gardening. He’s made his name through commercial gardening shows selling product. Since the demise of Burke’s Backyard TV show, Burke’s started selling ideas, encouraging us to destroy our last native forests so the rich can get richer. “I think Gunns are desperate…

The First Day Of Crematoria

The first koel of summer has called, the first mosquito has bitten and the first dust storm has sprinkled Brisbane red ochre. While I’m out there watering, counting every drop as it falls onto the crisped ground, thunderstorm clouds are full of promise yet lacking in rain. It’s the first day of crematoria, south east Queensland’s flexible new season, that bridges that rigid, neat European concept of spring and summer.

So Who Says Supermarkets Are Cheaper?

Well, supermarkets do of course… Michael Mobbs, Sydney’s famous sustainability coach, has been shopping in Chippendale. The results of his comparison between supermarket food and locally grown and supplied food speaks for itself.

Sustainable House Day 2008

‘Bellis’, Brisbane’s sustainable house and garden, will be part of the 7th annual Sustainable House Day. ‘Bellis’ will be open on Sunday 14th September only. With a gentle nudge from ‘Bellis’, budding Solar House Day has bloomed into Sustainable House Day. People realise they need to reduce their use of energy and water and to…

Agrochemical Farming – A System In Crisis

John Vidal reports that “Fertiliser prices have mostly doubled and in some cases risen by 500% in 15 months as US farmers have rushed to plant more biofuel crop”… ”There have been fertiliser riots or demonstrations in Vietnam, India, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Egypt, Pakistan and Taiwan in the last few months. Last week one man…

Families Dig For Dinner As Oil Crisis Hits

Here’s a range of news items related to the cascading effects of rising oil prices around the world: Degraded land, unsustainable agriculture and unaffordable fuel prices are devastating ordinary people in Lesotho, a small, mountainous African nation. How are ordinary families feeding themselves? Click on this link to read this special BBC News report about…

Sustainability Messages From The USA Salmonella Outbreak

Small is good for your health, especially where locally grown and consumed food is concerned. Why? It minimises the scale and spread of disease. The latest Salmonella outbreak in the USA has important messages for Australians: 1.Wash fresh food before eating 2.Install and maintain rainwater systems properly 3.Local food networks contain and minimise certain diseases

Honey Flora Report – June

Blue-banded bees are up early, busily pollinating our eggplants and tomatoes. Our potatoes and Phillip Island hibiscus are budding. Meanwhile our honeybees are zooming around gathering far and wide… AUSTRALIAN WILD PLANTS Broad-leaved Paperbark, Melaleuca quinquinervia Forest red gum, Eucalyptus tereticornis Spotted gum, Corymbia citriodora subsp. maculata (syn. C. maculata, Eucalyptus maculata) Brisbane wattle, black…

Any Suggestions For Reducing Our Larder’s Ecological Footprint?

I’m looking for simple suggestions as to how I could further reduce our larder’s ecological footprint, reducing food miles, greenhouse emissions and making Bellis more sustainable. The cost of food is intimately linked to the cost of oil so prices are rising and I have a tight budget. Last month I listed all the products…

Open Letter To The Climate Change Minister: How Effective Carbon Sequestration Offers A Healthy Economy

An organically farmed Australia could naturally sequester almost 70% of national Greenhouse Gas emissions. The amount of CO2 sequestered is based on achievements through current low-till, sustainable farming practices. “This is not a theoretical estimate as in some of the tree plantation models, or unproven like the millions of dollars being spent on clean coal or mechanical…

Using Every Drop More Than Once

The last thing we want is for any water to go down the drain. By mid-morning today, heavy showers filled our 21,000 litre rainwater tank. It’s starting to overflow into our network of drainage pipes, which soak the soil deeply from 70 cm down and below. When this network has done its job the subsoil…