Garden | Human Health | Permaculture | Food | Organics | Nature | Bees
Sustainability, Self-Sufficiency & Environment
Down-to-Earth - Meet people from all over the world who are living simply, or trying to become more self-sufficient and upskilling at the same time. Learn about how to simplify your life around your home and garden from baking bread, making soap, cooking and chickens to housework, paying off debt, budgeting and life in general.
Ecological Footprint Quiz - Ever wondered how much “nature” your lifestyle requires? The Quiz estimates the amount of land and ocean area required to sustain your consumption patterns and absorb your wastes on an annual basis. After answering 27 easy questions you’ll be able to compare your Ecological Footprint to others’ and learn how to reduce your impact on the Earth.
Green Vehicle Guide - The Guide helps you choose a greener vehicle by rating new Australian vehicles based on greenhouse and air pollution emissions.
HOPE Australia - Householders' Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Inc. - HOPE aims to raise awareness of, and encourage active participation in, waste minimisation and the conservation of energy and resources. HOPE encourages people to take responsibility for their relationship with the environment in their daily lives and provides resources and links online including helpful hints to reduce waste and conserve energy.
Living Greener - Information, how-to's and rebates for sustainable living. Includes resources to save energy; save and reuse water; reduce waste and smarter travel options.
Recycling Near You: Planet Ark - Contains information about the recycling and waste services offered by councils in Australia as well as local drop-off options for items including computers, batteries, printer cartridges, mobile phones and many more.
Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op - A blog about reskilling for a new way of living, sustainability, self-reliance and simplifying life. Posts on poultry, livestock, organic vegetable gardening, preserving and canning, bread and cheese making, stockpiling, food storage, home cooking, green cleaning, sewing, mending, knitting, families, local communities, cutting back, budgeting, living well, and much more.
Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC) - Provide a range of environmental sustainability resources; produce a fortnightly e-bulletin and a quarterly publication Eco.
Sunshine Coast Environment Network - The SCEN network is a portal to bring people together on the Sunshine Coast who work, volunteer and take an interest in the environment - where you can share your thoughts, passions, creations and actions in a positive way.
Sustainable Table - Provide information on making more sustainable food choices.
The Greening of Gavin – The journey of an ordinary Aussie guy who has a green epiphany whilst watching a documentary; gets a hybrid car; plants a large organic vegetable garden; goes totally solar; lowers consumption; feeds compost bins and worms; harvests rainwater; raises chickens; makes cheese and soap; and eats locally in an effort to reduce his family's carbon footprint and make a difference.
Think Green at Home - RMIT University provide hints on water conservation and recycling; energy conservation; alternative and renewable energy sources; waste recycling and transport.
Garden
The Micro Gardener - Want to grow your own food? Many urban gardens are confined to compact residential backyards, courtyards, balconies and containers, and renters need portable gardens they can pick up and take with them. Learn how to design and grow simple, productive edible gardens in small spaces. Inspiring design ideas; frugal gardening tips; practical how-to advice; inspiring photos; how to repurpose old materials into new gardens; free eBook and more.
Earthwise Gardening - a blog about organic gardening and sustainable living.
Green Harvest - Specialise in seeds and plants that are the backbone of organic and Permaculture systems. They have a comprehensive free online Organic Gardening Resource Guide that includes a wide range of seeds (including organically certified), propagation supplies, tools and accessories for the garden, organic pest management solutions and books.
Herbs Are Special - Shipard's Herb Farm. Isabell Shipard is well known for her books and passion for the health benefits of herbs.
The Seed Savers' Network - An Australian-based organisation that encourages the preservation of local varieties of useful plants. There are more than eighty Local Seed Networks for local gardeners around Australia.
Flowers, Plants & Gardening for Kids - Links to a variety of educational and how-to garden activities for children.
Human Health
Everyday Pollution Solutions: Your Guide to Going Green - A list of ways to remove the chemical burden from your food and environment to benefit your health.
EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides - The Shopper’s Guide will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and so are the most important to buy organic. You can lower your pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables ('The Dirty Dozen') and instead eating the least contaminated produce ('The Clean 15'). Read more about the results and get a full list of fruit and vegetables here.
GE Free Australia - A great local resource with articles explaining the problems associated with GE, links and support organisations and individuals.
Institute for Responsible Technology - Jeffrey Smith's website is the most comprehensive source of GMO (genetically modified organisms) health risk information available. You'll find GMO basics explained, 10 reasons to avoid GMOs, health dangers, research, videos, action you can take to protect yourself and a huge range of resources on this subject.
MADGE - Is a network of individuals interested in how our food is grown and the effects it has on our health. They are concerned about the lack of adequate labelling and testing of GM foods. MADGE also advocate on behalf of consumers for the right to know what is in our food and promote information on natural foods and healthy farming practices.
The Chemical Maze: Safer Cosmetic and Personal Care Products - Many people have become aware of what is in their foods, cosmetics and personal care products. The Chemical Maze has a useful list of safer cosmetic and personal care products for health-conscious consumers.
Permaculture
Holmgren Design Services - David Holmgren, Co-founder of Permaculture's website with a wide range of information and resources.
Permaculture Pathways - Local permaculture teacher Sonya Wallace provides information on permaculture, self-reliance, growing food, living local, cob ovens, traditional skills, beekeeping, small-scale farming, Transition Towns and creating community - for people interested in becoming more self-reliant.
Permaculture Principles - Permaculture graphic design professional Richard Telford provides easy access to the permaculture ethics and design principles with clean graphics and simple explanations.
Permaculture Book & Resource List - Permaculture Eudlo has an excellent list of recommended books, DVDs and magazines.
Tagari - Tagari Publications was founded by Bill Mollison in 1979 and supports the work of the
Permaculture Institute by publishing and selling books about Sustainability and then transferring the profit to the Permaculture Institute at year end.
The Food Forest - A permaculture farm that produces 160 varieties of organically certified food; is a busy centre for people interested in learning skills for a sustainable way of life through short courses and is the base for a consultancy service specialising in the design of ecologically sustainable properties.
The Permaculture Research Institute - Geoff Lawton's comprehensive website with resources, a forum, projects, courses and much more about Permaculture.
Food
Sustainable Seafood - The first online sustainability guide for seafood consumers in Australia was developed in response to growing public concern about overfishing and its impact on our oceans and their wildlife. It is designed to help you make informed seafood choices and play a part in swelling the tide for sustainable seafood in Australia. Download a useful Mini Sustainable Seafood Guide on our Resources page or get the free iPhone App so you have it handy when shopping.
Organics
Biological Farmers of Australia - Australia’s foremost organic body, that represents and develops the interests of organic industry farmers, operators, producers, processors and traders and also serves the greater community, taking on the role of public educator about the benefits of organic food and farming.
Organic Choice - Serving the organic industry. A great website packed with information and articles about the organic industry, featuring product information with links to retail outlets throughout Australia. A major feature of the site is the Organic Choice Produce Guide, a shop window through which retailers and consumers can discover, learn about and source certified organic products on a state by state basis.
Nature
Conservation Volunteers - Encourage volunteering, improving life skills and opportunities, connecting communities, enabling people to become more active in their local communities and providing ways for people to connect with the environment around Australia.
Friends of Maroochy Botanic Gardens - A group of volunteers who provide a labour of love in maintaining and improving the Botanic Gardens. The gardens are a place of natural beauty, where you can enjoy peace and relaxation, increase your knowledge and appreciation of plants, their significance and conservation, especially those native to the Sunshine Coast region and subtropical forests of South East Queensland. Free tours are provided by volunteer guides. 31 Palm Creek Road, Tanawha. Ph: 5445-3375 for more information.
Noosa's Native Plants – Information to help you identify more than 1500 plants native to the Sunshine Coast region.
Queensland Conservation Council - The state's peak non-government environment group working to protect, conserve and sustain Queensland's environment and the leading advocate for environmental protection and sustainability.
Sunshine Coast Plants & Wildlife – Provides information on Sunshine Coast ecosystems, plants, animals and biodiversity.
Bees
Australian Native Bee Research Centre - Publish information booklets, a field guide and other products to distribute information on all native bee species to the Australian public and help ensure the bees' survival in Australia. They also answer some FAQ on native bees.
Kin Kin Native Bees - Encourage the conservation of Australian Native Stingless bees through education and promote the many valuable products and services these bees can provide. Whether you are a commercial horticulturalist looking for increased production through better pollination, or a backyard vegetable grower looking for a hive of these friendly stingless bees, they provide a range of helpful services including: native bee rescue, contract pollination, sales of hives/empty boxes, honey and wax products, information on keeping your own hive, educational talks to school groups, sell nesting blocks for solitary bees and provide information on how to make your own.
Sugarbag Bees - Tim Heard is an expert on native stingless bees. His site has great photos and information about their sugarbag honey and waxes. Hive sales and rental for pollination and beekeeping resources.
Solitary Bee Hotel - Download instructions to make your own from Valley Bees.
Zabel Native Stingless Bees - A range of fact sheets, stories, photos and information on stingless native bees by Russell and Janine Zabel. Nest sales, log boxing and nest rescue services for South East Queensland.
Bob the Bee Man - Bob Luttrell, native Australian stingless bee expert, provides a wealth of information and helps rescue and relocate colonies. Especially useful for anyone who may come into contact with the stingless native bees including tree loppers, vegetation management workers, firewood cutters, earthmoving contactors, timber getters of all types and the farming community.
Buzz About Bees - A wealth of information on bees - lifecycle, facts, pollination, care, removal, identification, photos, beekeeping, stings and much more.
Adopt-a-Hive - have a share or adopt a hive on an Certified Organic, Biodynamic or clean farm and reap the rewards.
Top Bar Beekeeping Australia - Top-bar hives are a style of beehive used for beekeeping. They are especially useful in areas where resources are limited, but are also increasingly popular among hobby beekeepers in industrialized nations. This Facebook page shares photos, videos, info, contacts and links relating to Top Bar Bee Keeping.
Beginner Beekeepers - This Facebook page is a great resource for beekeepers new and old. Follow the blog www.surreybeekeeper.co.uk and this page for all information about bumble, honey and solitary bees.
Beesource - Beesource.com is the world's largest and busiest online forum for beekeepers and beekeeping. Includes resources for beginners and information for even the most experienced.
