Angel’s Trumpets bloom twice

Brugmansia - Angel's Trumpets flowers, Myrtle Street The trumpet-shaped Angel’s Trumpets plant in Myrtle Street, on the southern side, outside the units on the corner of City Road has bloomed for the second time this year. Beautiful, fragrant blossoms. The technical name is Brugmansia. The first lot were completely cut off by someone; another Urban Galah. Toot! M    Read More

Waverley Council’s free movie and talk

On Friday 11 November from 630 to 8 pm at Waverley Library, Denison St, Bondi Junction, the Council will provide a free screening of the 28 minute doco, Waste not, and I’ll be talking about sustainable design and food. Details in the Council’s flier which you can download here: Library Recycling Week A5 flyer OCT11 page 1 Press See you there, Michael  Read More

Ride on bike lunch – stall at Everleigh Markets

Alexandra and Joanne from Youth Food Movement - + their stall at Everleigh Markets The Youth Food folk had their stall at Everleigh Markets last Saturday. Visit them any Saturday between now and 15 October to find out about their ride plan – it’s to promote local, healthy food and will start at the markets, include a tour of Sydney’s Sustainable House and the road gardens of Chippendale. Check it out here, too:   www.yfmsydney.wordpress.com/events/   I’ll... Read More

Bill, the sustainability apprentice

Bill, who loves coffee and works at Toby’s Estate in City Road, Chippendale, has begun his sustainability apprenticeship. Bill, along with the whole of the Toby’s Estate lot are going to reduce the waste, energy, water and other resource uses of the business. Starting with the coffee-making and cafe business in City Road, Bill and his fellow workmates will garden, compost, gather data and work out where the business can save on resources and avoidable costs. He’s... Read More

NSW Minister Humphries gardens with us in Chippo

Photo Left to right: Nathan (about a quarter of him), Bob, Paul, Minister Kevin Humphries, Michael, Greg, Paddy, James (about a quarter of him) Here is a photo taken today of Kevin Humphries MP, NSW Minister for Mental Health and some TAFE Outreach gardeners at a vertical garden in Chippendale. The Minister planted a lettuce and inspected the Chippendale gardens, compost bins and will be in touch soon about how the state may become involved. Great to see a hands on Minister... Read More

Greg builds a shed

Shed in bits + Greg Greg and shed, finished Greg built a shed this weekend.  Provided by Sydney City Council through the good work of Russ Grayson there, it arrived at Pine Street Creative Centre on Friday.  Starting on it after some lunch time tucker at the Duck n Swan on Saturday, young Greg downed tools after sunset when the torch held by his assistant failed to find the holes for the screws to go in.  Today Greg finished the job and now it’s ready for the Pine Street... Read More

Our new shed arrives

This Friday our new garden shed arrives. It will be in the yard of the Pine Street Creative Centre near the western boundary fence. Any gardener will have access to it. Now anyone will be able to get garden gear and garden at any time that suits them. The Council officer who has made this happen, Russ Grayson, will get a lock for it and we can give the combination code to any gardener so they may gain access. The manager of Pine Street, Jane Hooper, is getting one of the Centre’s... Read More

Scenes from a Chippo walk today

Wrong Connection [phone hanging from electricity wires - good throw, I reckon What's that little lump on the corner ahead? Aah, horseman, passing by Shall I think of myself as 'etc' today? To finish the walk - some trees: Paw paw, Tamarillo, Pomelo, Caffre and more . . .  Read More

Cockroach crusade and other journeys

These last six weeks, with help and guidance from Russ Grayson and Helen Bradley of Sydney City Council, we’ve been fertilizing, getting rid of cockroaches, and mulching the gardens here. Russ managed the purchase by Council of the lucerne mulch and the organic fertilizer.  I haven’t seen the fertilizer before and here are the details: Paton Fertilizers Gold Citrus Food, 126 Andrews Road, Penrith NSW 2750  tel 1800 644 753   www.paton.com.au Helen managed the... Read More

Food is the second biggest greenhouse polluter after power stations

This quote from the NSW EPA helps to explain why we’re growing food where we live and work in Chippendale: ‘In Australia, the food supply chain is responsible for approximately 23 per cent of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions, making it the second-highest emissions generating activity after power stations. This includes direct emissions from agriculture, and those attributed to energy, transport, food production, processing and distribution.” NSW EPA www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au/love-food/environmental-impacts.aspx  Read More

  • Michael Mobbs

    Michael is a former Environmental Lawyer who is uniquely placed to consult in four main areas:

    • Sustainability Coach and Speaker,
    • Sustainable Urban Farm Design greening, watering and cooling the cityscape, roads, parks, suburbs,
    • Major Projects Consultant Commercial and Industrial,
    • Residential Sustainability Consultant.
    For permission to re-print any articles or to book Michael for a speaking engagement go to Contacts. Please ensure all quotes from Michael's blog include a reference to sustainablehouse.com.au.