Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013

GREEN EARTH GROUP

The history of Green Earth Group, the all�vegan environmental festivals, creating a tribe, and the conclusion.

The History of Green Earth Group

In late 2008 in Adelaide at the Adelaide Vegan Festival, two of my friends, Jess (from The Cruelty Free Shop – who started the Sydney Cruelty Free Festival) and Kas (from Bliss Organic Café, who started Adelaide’s festival) suggested that I also put on a vegan festival in Brisbane, Australia. I was in the middle of writing a detox diet and already had too much on my plate, but the seed was indeed planted.

Cue to about a year later and the seed began to grow. In and around my full‐time job I began to work out what exactly I needed to make this non‐greenwash and non‐preaching to the converted event happen. I contacted my friend, Dariusz who works on all the big name music festivals and he gave me a lot of advice and soon became the festival manager.

I created a not‐for‐profit group as the local vegetarian, vegan and animal rights groups didn’t want to be involved in organising this event. I started to fill in forms, which always leads to countless more forms. I learned everything from the ground up.

We started our grassroots movement by holding regular meetings at the local Loving Hut restaurant and slowly we built a tribe of committed folk from all ages and backgrounds – some were still in high school and some were grand parents. We joined together in our desire to create something that was truly a green and eco festival that didn’t harm our animal friends – and thus we created a community.

Our first festival, Green Earth Festival in March 2010 at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens was magnificent. Many people didn’t believe that Brisbane was a big enough place to get many people to an event but we had 4000 attendees! It’s still one of the best days of my life. It was great to see how much hard work, effort, money and time created such a great day for all of the family.

People still say that it’s the best vegan event they’ve ever been to. It could only get better, right?

In January 2011, right in the midst of marketing and promoting the upcoming festival, now called Green Earth Day, Brisbane experienced a deluge. The skies cleared for our promotional photo shoot around the 10th but it was chaos from that afternoon onwards. Our sunshine state, Queensland soon had three quarters of it declared a disaster zone. Our volunteers were out using their skills to help others, our sponsors were donating money to those in need, and our stallholders were worried about the next wrath of nature.

This was exactly the time we needed to educate people about the environment, in particular how an adoption of a vegan diet and lifestyle could really change things for the better. However, we just couldn’t get the money together to put on the event – we needed at least $30 000. I met with Dariusz on the 11th and he gave me three choices: cancel the event, postpone the event or scale down the event. After an intense week and an almost‐breakdown on my part, I chose the later.

The second festival, Green Earth Day was held in Windsor at the Albion Peace Centre hall and outside using the overpass instead of marquees and tents. Everything was completely scaled down but it was still a massive success with 2000 people. If we didn’t have such high standards of our previous event to compare it to, it would have felt even better. And we actually even made money this year.

A few key volunteers and myself were now completely exhausted and burned out. I escaped to Byron Bay, New South Wales and Cariad Animal Sanctuary where I had my head shaved, and contemplated what the future would hold for Green Earth Group. We started as a group to put on a vegan festival and educate the mainstream to the ways they could use their skills, passions and expertise to change the world. What would we do now there would no longer be a festival?

Meetings were chaired and our regular team decided that we wanted to have smaller, more regular events. Over the next couple of years (2012‐2013) we’ve hosted many video screenings, outreach and leafleting, letter writing events, nutrition and environmental information nights, food outreach, bake sales, pot lucks and attended environmental festivals. Myself and a couple of our other members have also given countless talks about the environment and a vegan lifestyle.

We also started a new blog where various authors would write for us – this was the beginning of our aim to launch an online vegan and environmental magazine. Unfortunately, it’s hard to keep people active, focused and committed. Everyone has their own version of how they can and want to get involved as well as how they want to get involved and what they’re comfortable with doing.

After my overseas adventures and gaining the clarity I needed when being away from the Australian and American (vegan and animal rights) scenes, I decided that I would no longer be running Green Earth Group. The option was there for someone to take it over, but for a non‐paid volunteer position it was too big to ask. With our members all agreeing, at the end of December 2013, Green Earth Group would no longer exist.

If you had asked me a few years ago how this makes me feel I would have been upset. As I write this in December 2013, I know that I gave Green Earth Group, the festivals, my volunteers and the Brisbane community my all and am more than ready to let go of the old to make way for the new. I feel so grateful for all the experiences – good and bad – that have come over the past five years, but after this all‐encompassing period since 2009, I’m ready to move onto the next phases in my life.

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For me on a personal level, that’s (still) my Viva la Vegan! website. It’s also writing, speaking, coaching, teaching, blogging and my other job of Social Media Marketing and Content Creation. For many of the volunteers, they are now working with other people outside of our circle, and extending the knowledge they’ve gained to new people who need it the most. We all still do various outreach events and inspire others by the simple but effective way of leading by example.

Most of my closest friends are from the wonderful Green Earth Group tribe. I learned so many amazing lessons about myself ‐ and others ‐ since our inception. If you were involved in any of our festivals, websites and events over the past five years, I sincerely thank you for your participation and for your belief in myself, our wonderful volunteers, and our goals and aims.

Every single day we are given reasons and ways to disconnect from ourselves, others, our animal friends and our environment.

Now ‐ more than ever ‐ we need to connect back. Think about all the things you may have in common with another, and make those connections happen. I am here to educate and be educated and I believe in the power of this movement. Together we can make it happen. We need to all work together.

Green Earth Group aimed to promote a better way of living – for us, for our animal friends and for our planet. With our group of like‐minded individuals raising awareness to the environmental problems we are currently facing and aiming to provide simple but effective ways in which every individual can make a positive change.

We do believe that we made some positive changes and we’re handing over now to you to continue planting the seeds of hope, compassion and inspiration. Good luck!

Thank you always, Leigh‐Chantelle

Stay in touch Leigh‐Chantelle on: FaceBook . Google+ . iTunes . MySpace . Pinterest . Twitter . YouTube Viva la Vegan! on: FaceBook . Google+ . iTunes . Pinterest . Twitter . YouTube

About the Book

This eBook has been created as a compilation of all of the events, articles, interviews, press releases, promotional materials, photos and more that have been created from 2009 – 2013 for Green Earth Group.

I hope you will not only follow our journey from creation to completion, but also gain some insight into the process of running a not‐for‐profit and putting on successful events.

For the foreseeable future, we will continue to need lots of oil in order to maintain our standard of living. That is not true. We need lots of oil in order to maintain our particular standard of living.

If we changed two things ‐ eliminated suburban development that requires automobiles and stopped eating animal products, the production of which is extreme in its inefficiency ‐ our standard of living would be just as high (in fact, it would increase along with our quality of life) but we would need only a fraction of the oil we now need. And all that needs to happen for both of those things to occur is for the government to stop subsidizing them both. ‐ Gery Steighner

Contents

Our Website ‐ 5 About Green Earth Group ‐ 5 Committee Members & Meetings ‐ 6 Fundraising Events ‐ 7 ‐ Bake Off ‐ 7 ‐ Nutrition Panel ‐ 11 ‐ Zeitgeist Viewings ‐ 12 ‐ Princesses & Pirates Dress Up Days ‐ 12

Green Earth Festival – 15 ‐ Promotional Photos ‐ 15 ‐ Festival Contacts ‐ 15 ‐ About the Festival ‐ 20 ‐ Information Pack ‐ 21 ‐ Application Form ‐ 23 ‐ How to Help & Volunteer Information ‐ 23

Green Earth Group Membership ‐ 25

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 3

Green Earth Festival ‐ Merchandise ‐ 25 ‐ Posters ‐ 26 ‐ Supporters ‐ 29 ‐ Press Releases ‐ 30 ‐ Articles & Interviews ‐ 33 ‐ Our Sponsors ‐ 42 ‐ Stalls & Green Cuisine ‐ 43 ‐ Speakers & Workshops ‐ 44 ‐ Music & Spoken Word Performers ‐ 44 ‐ Stage Layout ‐ 45 ‐ Information for Performers ‐ 46 ‐ Kids Zone Performances ‐ 48 ‐ Video Zone Schedule ‐ 49 ‐ Competitions ‐ 49 ‐ Creative Day ‐ 50 ‐ Volunteer Booklet ‐ 51 ‐ Festival Map ‐ 52 ‐ Green Earth Festival Photos ‐ 53 ‐ Feedback ‐ 63 ‐ Volunteer Thank you ‐ 70 Events Attended ‐ 71 Greening Up Your Workplace ‐ 72 PARK(ing) Day ‐ 73 World Farm Animal Day ‐ 74 2010 Expenses ‐ 75

Green Earth Day ‐ 76 ‐ Website ‐ 76 ‐ Information Pack ‐ 77 ‐ Application Form ‐ 78 ‐ Volunteer Information ‐ 79 ‐ Promotional Photos ‐ 81 ‐ Posters ‐ 82 ‐ Competition Information ‐ 84 ‐ Press Releases ‐ 87 ‐ Merchandise ‐ 89 ‐ Sponsors ‐ 90 ‐ Stalls & Green Cuisine ‐ 90 ‐ Speakers & Workshops ‐ 91 ‐ Acoustic Performers ‐ 91 ‐ Kids Zone Program ‐ 92 ‐ Video Zone Program ‐ 92 ‐ Competition Winners ‐ 92 ‐ Getting There ‐ 93 ‐ Bake Sale Fundraisers ‐ 93 ‐ Video Viewing Night ‐ 95 ‐ Creative Day ‐ 95 ‐ Setting Up ‐ 97 ‐ Site Plan ‐ 98 ‐ Green Earth Day Photos ‐ 99 ‐ Green Earth Day Videos ‐ 111 ‐ Feedback ‐ 112

Green Earth Group ‐ Online Articles ‐ 113 ‐ Worldwide Vegan Bake Sales ‐ 114 ‐ May 2011 Magazine ‐ 115 Go Green with Renata DVD launch ‐ 119 2011 Expenses ‐ 122

Green Earth Group Events for 2012 ‐ 123 Help out Green Earth Group ‐ 125 Forks Over Knives handout ‐ 125 Effective Letter Writing handout ‐ 126 Food Outreach Tips & handout ‐ 129 Zine Workshop & All About Zines handout ‐ 135 Worldwide Vegan Bake Sales ‐ 136 Bake Sale Zine & Baking Tips ‐ 137 Green Earth Group June 2012 Magazine ‐ 141 More Articles & Blogs ‐ 144

Green Earth Group Events for 2013 ‐ 180 Merchandise ‐ 182 Be The Change handout ‐ 182 Staging Effective Events & Engaging Volunteers handout ‐ 193 Goodbye Green Earth Group ‐ Poster and Press Release ‐ 198 ‐ Photos ‐ 198 Volunteer Feedback ‐ 200 Google Analytics Info ‐ 202 Staging Effective Events Videos ‐ 209

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Our Website:

Designed by Design Voodoo ‐ http://designvoodoo.com

About Green Earth Group Green Earth Group is a volunteer run, not‐for‐profit, non‐government environmental awareness group aiming to promote a better way of living – for us, for our animal friends and for our planet.

Green Earth Group is a group of like‐minded people raising awareness to the environmental problems we are currently facing and aiming to provide simple but effective ways in which every individual can make a positive change.

Watch about Green Earth Group video

Green Earth Group goals  Green Earth Group aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, water and energy use by educating and promoting to the public on environmentally responsible, recycling, cruelty free and ethical alternatives to current food production and lifestyle choices  Green Earth Group aims to provide education, ensuring that this learning is passed onto others to encourage the wider community to make simple changes to support the health and integrity of our environment and the world we leave for generations to come  Green Earth Group is a cooperative society whose principle purpose is to provide information and education on the impact of animal‐based industries on our natural environment.  Green Earth Group aim to educate and promote the health and environmental benefits of consuming a plant‐based diet  Green Earth Group aim to work with other already established groups and recently created groups who share our aims to form a community alliance  Green Earth Group conducts fundraising to help with our above goals and strategies for the benefit of our local community and the community at large

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 5

Strategies for achieving our Goals  Hosted Green Earth Festival in 2010 & Green Earth Day in 2011  Environmental outreach  Compile the Green Earth educational video  Host the future Green Earth Prom  Green Earth education market stalls  Various other fundraisers, seminars, how‐to sessions, video viewings and talks that relate to our goals  Social get togethers and fun green activities

Achievements thus far  Green Earth Festival 2010 (now Green Earth Day) attracted 3000‐4000 people who attended talks, video viewings, sampled Green Cuisine, and supported local environmental and not‐for‐profit groups who share Green Earth Group’s aim of education  Green Earth Festival & Green Earth Day attracted over 50 volunteers from all walks of life, age groups and various areas of expertise  Green Earth Group has over 1700 people on our mailing list, over 1200 members on our FaceBook page, plus more followers on Twitter and YouTube  Green Earth Group has organised various seminars, talks and other educational events that many people have attended  Green Earth Group Magazine is a members‐only print and download magazine that gives green education as well as information on Green Earth Group's achievements and upcoming events.

Donations to Green Earth Group ‐ Click here for Donations

Please become a member of the Green Earth Group to help us continue with our environmental education.

For only AU$20 per year you will receive regular updates and discounts for various services.

Your monetary help keeps the not‐for‐profit Green Earth Group on target with its aims for the future.

Logos

Designed by Design Voodoo ‐ http://designvoodoo.com

Committee Members President: Leigh‐Chantelle Secretary: Renata Halpin (previous Secretary: Glenn Martin) (Acting) Treasurer: Angela Dillon (previous Treasurer: John Lynch)

We are currently looking to fill this position. Please Contact Us if you are interested in becoming the Green Earth Group Treasurer.

Meetings Please join the Green Earth Group for our semi‐regular meetings.

The meetings start at 6:30pm sharp so please be on time. Meetings usually go for about 2 hours. Each meeting will be held in the back area at Loving Hut: Shop 2, 1420 Logan Rd, Mount Gravatt 4122 (next door to the Coffee Club.) Please bring along a positive and eager disposition, open mind, pen and paper – the more the merrier.

Our first meeting on Tuesday 24 February 2009 at Loving Hut was with: Leigh‐Chantelle, Glenn Martin, John Lynch, Lefki Pavlidis, Dean Love, Mark Fox and Alistair Dark. Second Meeting on Wednesday 27 May was with: LC, Glenn, Josh Woods and Sam Hayes

Other Meetings were massively attended over the years with a mix of the following people: LC, Renata Halpin, Adele Walker, Techa Charles, Janenne & Graeme Kornfeld, Kathy McIlvenny, Darcy Shapcott, Alistair, Gerry Bisshop, Gwen & Bill Koch, Helen Ross, Angela Dillon, Ajay Pattan, Sam, Kylie Mitchell, Carolyn Wagner, Ruchi Sharma, Carol & Fenn Hughes, Dariusz Jasinki, Madhu Manning, Crystal Obst, Jackson Walkden‐Brown, Anton White, Daniel Humphries, Naomi Boscoe, Samantha Ayton, Nigel Allen, Corinne Leach, Sue & Des Reid, Chay Neal, Kisha, Katie, Justin Ryan, Emily Looney, Peter Ryder, Daniel & Georgie Hennessey, Steve Garratt, Adrian & Jess, Cameron Green, Jeremy Staples, April, Ray, Emma and more I’m sure!

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Fundraising Events

Bake Off!

Bake Off! Rules and Entry Form

All entries are to be brought to the Albion Peace Centre (102 McDonald Road, Windsor) from 12pm‐1pm on Saturday November 21st 2009. $2 per entry. No entries will be accepted after 1pm. There is no limit to the number of entries a person can enter.

Judging will take place from 1pm‐2pm. No‐one is allowed in the judging area except the judges. Judges decisions are final. First and Second prize ribbons will be awarded in each category with a prize given to the overall winner.

Awards and Cake Walk Ceremony begins at 2pm with all items sold to raise funds for the Green Earth Festival, to be held in Brisbane, March 2010.

Entries will be judged on: Originality Presentation Taste Creativity Categories: Cakes Biscuits Cupcakes Slices

One copy of your recipe must be submitted with each entry form for verification. All ingredients must be cruelty‐free, and therefore strictly vegan. Ingredients must NOT contain:  Albumen (derived from egg), Egg  Bee Pollen, Beeswax, Honey, Royal Jelly  Cochineal/Carmine (additive 120), Shellac  Collagen, Gelatine, Tallow (tallowate)  Dairy (milk, cheese, butter, cream etc) including Casein, Rennet, Whey  L‐cysteine  Vitamin D3 (Vitamin D2 is vegan) For more information, See the Animal Products ingredients list: http://www.happycow.net/health‐animal‐ingredients.html http://www.vnv.org.au/AnimalProducts.htm Vegan/Vegetarian Society of Qld Shopping Guide: http://vegsoc.org.au/resources_details.asp?ID=407

Entry Form: Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 7

Address: ________________________________________________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: _______________________________________________________________________ Signature: ________________________________________________________________________

By signing the above, you agree to abide by the above rules to ensure that the Bake Off! is a successful, fun, family‐orientated, cruelty‐free, fundraising event for the Green Earth Festival.

Thank you for being creative and being involved in the Bake Off!

LC, Aimee and Lara modelling cakes

Bake Off! Judging Form

Thank you for participating in the Judging process of the Green Earth Group Inc.’s Bake Off! Please be honest and keep in mind the following criteria: Originality, Presentation, Taste and Creativity.

Please be fair and consistent in your judging. Provide positive comments and constructive criticism.

For each entry in each category, one of these Judging Forms needs to be completed.

This Judging Form is only for the judge and the Bake Off! organisers to view.

An entrant may also request to see the score sheet for their entry.

Judging Criteria: External Characteristics – points are determined before the product is tasted or cut into. Decisions are based on the appearance of the product.

Factors include uniformity, shape, size, colour and surface texture Internal Characteristics – decisions are based on tasting and interior appearance.

Factors include texture, grain and colour Flavour – judges look for a well‐balanced flavour that mirrors the recipe (eg. An appropriate lemon flavour in a lemon cake recipe.) Smell is sometimes a factor Criteria Deductions: Over‐baked

1‐3 points deducted Under‐baked

1‐3 points deducted Flavour

1‐5 points deducted External Appearance

1‐5 points deducted Internal Appearance

1‐5 points deducted No recipe included

5 points deducted No recipe quantity

5 points deducted Not displayed properly

1‐5 points deducted Doesn’t conform to recipe 1‐3 points deducted

JUDGING SHEET: Entrant # ________________________

Judge’s Name: _____________________________________ Category: ________________________

Recipe Name: ______________________________________

External Characteristics (shape, size, colour, volume, surface)

/30

Internal Characteristics (texture, grain, colour)

/30

Flavour

/40

TOTAL

/100

(100 = Perfect score) Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 8

Comments: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

Thank you for your feedback. The Green Earth Group Inc. appreciates it

Performances by Ben Gill, Ben & Leigh�Chantelle, and Stu

Photos by Cameron Blewett

The winning recipes Techa Charles’ Pumpkin Pie with mixed Nut Base:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 9

Josh Leuner’s Gluten‐Free Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies:

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Runner up, Gwen (LC’s Mum)

Photos by Cameron Blewett

Nutrition panel

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

Native American Proverb

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Zeitgeist viewing

Posters by Dariusz

Princesses & Pirates

Poster by Dariusz

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Windsor – August 29

Ipswich – September 12

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Jimboomba Times article, Wednesday 4 November

Jimboomba – November 7

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Promotional Photos of Leigh�Chantelle

Photos by Willis

Festival Contacts

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Leigh‐Chantelle Leigh‐Chantelle started the not‐for‐profit environmental awareness Green Earth Group in 2009 and organised the successful Green Earth Festival in March 2010. She is the creator and operator of Viva la Vegan! and vivalavegan.net, and has been involved in the music industry in many ways for since the late 90's. She looks forward to bringing Green Earth Day to more of the Brisbane public in 2011.

Seeing the potential for educating and inspiring others to the environmental and cruelty‐free lifestyle in Brisbane as in other Australian states, Leigh‐Chantelle started the Green Earth Group Inc with a group of like‐minded friends. Green Earth Group is a not‐for‐profit charity group who aim to promote a better way of living – for us, for the animals and for our planet, and who aim to raise the awareness of the environmental problems we are currently facing by providing simple but effective ways in which every individual can make a positive change. One of the ways the Green Earth Group is aiming to educate the mainstream to all things green, sustainable and cruelty‐free is via Green Earth Day (previously Green Earth Festival) in March 2011. Green Earth Day is a free, family orientated, grassroots, community event that aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye.

Green Earth Day encourages people to make simple changes in their everyday lives to help our environment and the world we leave for generations to come. Green Earth Day aims to empower the community and the people within it to become more aware, more informed and thus more able to take action to implement the basic changes we need to help our planet.

Leigh‐Chantelle is the creator and operator of vivalavegan.net the online and interactive community for vegans and vegetarians.

Leigh‐Chantelle has released three Viva la Vegan! recipe calendars, combining her passion for vegan and vegetarian health along with her natural therapies and healing skills. Since 2005, Leigh‐Chantelle has focused on the marketing and promotion involved in getting the Viva la Vegan! name and company to the vegan and vegetarian community within Australia and overseas. Her interactive website features her own recipes and information for vegans and vegetarians as well as allergy and intolerance sufferers. The vivalavegan.net website includes easy to prepare recipes as well as new interactive features including forum, articles, videos, interviews and a social connectivity to connect to other like‐minded individuals. Leigh‐Chantelle has most recently written and released her plant‐based Viva la Vegan! Detox Diet as an online e‐book as well as re‐releasing her recipe calendars as recycled recipe cards. Over the past 5 years Leigh‐Chantelle has been involved as a sponsor, performer, speaker and stall holder for various vegan/vegetarian and cruelty free fundraisers, organisations and festivals throughout Australia and internationally, and has an extensive membership, readership and mailing list for Viva la Vegan! Leigh‐Chantelle has recently been recognised by Supreme Master Ching Hai for all her work for the animals, the planet and for her promotion of the vegan diet.

Leigh‐Chantelle has also been involved in the music industry in many ways for over ten years, from festival organising, performing, promotion as well as photography, modelling and film clip production. In 2000 Leigh‐Chantelle started her own independent record company, Fanatic Records and website leigh‐chantelle.com to launch her debut EP Inspiration Relocation.

Since this time she has promoted, marketed and advertised her website and its products, which now include a recycled clothing range, CDs, merchandise and other creative and interactive products. Leigh‐Chantelle continues to write and record songs, as well as co‐writing with various musicians in Brisbane.

Leigh‐Chantelle is banding together with her many comrades from many areas including musicians, performers, artists, vegans and vegetarians, media and promotional people, festival organisers, grassroots activists, volunteers, and many other community groups to bring about the positive change needed to ensure that our planet is thriving in the greenest way possible.

Dariusz Jasinski Dariusz specialises in everything related to events, including but not limited to: site production/planning, stage manager, logistics, front gate manager, consultation, site/production crew, IT manager, media‐AV crew, head art design, graphic/web design, multimedia, floor manager, site theme/props manager, guest and artist services assistant, driver, prop house operations manager, mobile applications management, PR and promotion, Logan Youth Events Inc co‐manager, Youth & Family Services event management committee, Logan City Council Youth programming and policy initiator, YMCA youth entertainment co‐ ordinator and more. From a management‐level staff member to hired labour, he’s the man for the job.

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Dariusz has worked on many national and international events including tours for the Rolling Stones, Midnight Oil, Inxs, Status Quo, Ben Harper, Eskimo Joe, Silverchair, Powderfinger and many others. He has worked with various companies in the past including The Prop House, Showbiz Constructions and Ross Davey Entertainment. Dariusz annually works with such events as the Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass, Homebake, Byron Bay Blues & Roots Festival, Quicksilver pro show, Good Vibrations, Fortitude Valley Fiesta, Buddha’s birthday, Gold Coast Indy, Toowoomba Flower Festival, Channel [V] skate tours and more.

Dariusz is about to establish his own production business to ensure he is well established in the Queensland Arts, events and festival, and occasions industry and is always willing to help with events he is passionate about.

Justin Ryan Justin Ryan is known to many by various names: Justin to most, Hellhound to his faithful hotdog customers and Jud the Vegan to fans of his music. He may go by various names but he has one passion in his heart: equality, respect and compassion for all. Justin has worked in the entertainment industry for over ten years. He has toured Europe for six of these years and the USA for another three and he has managed to learn a few tricks of the trade along the way. Justin put these skills to the test at Green Earth Festival 2010 where feedback for him was nothing but praise for his friendly, can‐do attitude and professionalism. "The amount of positive feedback I received for Justin was a testament to the fact that he has worked hard in his industry gathering all the skills and experience that he can, and just as importantly, being very humble and approachable to all members involved with stage production, as well as the volunteers, public, band members and their entourage," says Organiser, Leigh‐Chantelle.

Since Green Earth Festival, Justin has focused on selling his vegan hotdogs to late night dwellers in the Brisbane area most weekends. You may also catch him performing in one of his bands: drummer for Ringpull, guitarist in Vegan Fight Club or his solo acoustic project Judthevegan. When Justin is not playing music or selling vegan goodies, he tries to get involved in various charities and community events including but not limited to Animals Australia, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Food Not Bombs. Justin looks forward to another display of vegan unification at Green Earth Day 2011.

If you would like to perform at Green Earth Day please contact Justin Ryan PLEASE NOTE: your act must have AT LEAST one vegan member

Samantha Hayes Since helping out with the Logan Youth Events‐run FieldDay, Samantha has continued her passion of organising and promoting various music festivals and events around Brisbane. She has been involved with Logan Youth Events in various roles as well as her recent event management for Sounds Giving Life 2007, a music festival organised to fundraised for the sustainable aid organisation, Aliamos.

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Samantha has completed a Bachelor of Environmental Management (Sustainable Development), with Honours in environmental strategy. She is passionate about environmental sustainability and the potential to integrate environmental issues and action into the music industry.

Crystal Obst Crystal Obst completed her Bachelor of Business in Conventions and Event Tourism Management in 2009. She has spent the last couple of years working and volunteering for major music events such as Big Day Out, Good Vibrations, Summer Field Days and Future Music Festival. Crystal has also worked on numerous other events including Newton's Playground Gravity Fuelled Festival, 3 International Board Sports Expo, Australian National Skateboard Competition, Grand Prix and Indy Lexmark 300.

Crystal was the Volunteer Coordinator for the successful Green Earth Festival 2010 and continues to be for Green Earth Day 2011. Crystal ensured that all volunteers were informed of shifts, arrived on time and participated in making sure that Green Earth Festival was a success. As Crystal supports environmental awareness and sustainability, she was glad to donate her time and expertise for Green Earth Festival. Crystal said that working with Green Earth Festival gave her the opportunity to give back a little of what she takes from our planet. Organiser Leigh‐Chantelle stated, "with Crystal's help all avenues of Volunteer Coordination and Management were taken care of. Therefore this was one less thing that I needed to worry about, knowing that the Volunteers were in experienced and capable hands."

Event development, small team management and marketing are Crystal's main passions as she enjoys organising people and tasks as well as training others. She is mature, confident and very committed to continuing to build her career, taking up opportunities to travel and continue to increase her education. Crystal is enrolled to begin a Masters in marketing mid 2010 and has casual employment working on a product launch soon to hit Australia and New Zealand.

Please contact Crystal if you need someone like her on your team!

Emily Looney Emily Looney is an enthusiastic and passionate young entrepreneur who loves to multitask and get involved in multiple arenas within event producing and music management. With projects constantly on the go, Emily’s most recent event was Park on the Mall, a promotional music event held in the Queen Street Mall for Brisbane Parking Day, from which she has taken on a new found love of utilising public space especially through music. Since working on Green Earth Festival 2010 Emily has worked with the Logan City Council Logan Eco Action Festival as Volunteer Coordinator, participated in work experience with different Brisbane businesses including Brisbane Sounds Events, The Rise Agency, In Bloom Entertainment, as well as multiple volunteer roles including Big Sound volunteer and Un‐Convention.

Emily was on hand at Green Earth Festival 2010 as the Assistant Volunteer Coordinator, lending valuable assistance to Volunteer Coordinator, Crystal Obst, on the day and leading up to Green Earth Festival. “Without Emily’s enthusiastic presence and willingness to take on any challenge, the volunteer roles and coordination wouldn’t have been as effective as they were,” says Organiser, Leigh‐Chantelle. The great experience of meeting likeminded volunteers at Green Earth Festival encouraged Emily to be involved with more events and she is currently starting up her own business. Emily has been inspired by Green Earth Festival to always be conscious of the environment and what we’re putting back into it.

Emily Looney is the Green Earth Day 2011 Stalls & Green Cuisine Manager.

Please contact her if you would like to be involved as a stallholder.

Renata Halpin Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 18

Renata Halpin has been a professional in the Early Childhood Industry since 1991, both overseas and in Australia. By crossing over to performing, she instills important messages for young children in her musical shows. Renata has written over 12 different types of shows including Use Your Words, Healthy Caring Superheroes, and Multicultural Storytelling. With her original songs and stories she has designed her shows to entertain and educate, encouraging the children to be involved in each story.

Renata’s shows themes reflect her passions: animal welfare, the environment, multiculturalism, family issues, and co‐operating with peers. She has performed her popular children’s shows at thousands of childcare centres, schools, preps, family day care associations and festivals in Queensland, NSW and South Australia.

Renata is also an experienced speaker, presenting a workshop of Music Drama and Storytelling for Early Childhood Programs at many venues, childcare centres, community centres, festivals, conferences and seminars including Bond University Literacy Week and Murri and Torres Strait Network Community Centre renatashows.com.au

Renata and her work colleague, Indian performer and presenter, Roushini launched their Passion For The Planet show at Green Earth Festival 2010. These two performers have joined together to create a fun‐filled message about what children can do to save the environment, and that the best thing to do is to change the menu at home to a plant‐based diet.

Renata was very excited, passionate and thankful to be managing the Kids Zone at Green Earth Festival 2010. “Renata was the perfect organiser for the Kids Zone as she was able to combine all her passions and give her all for something she truly believes in,” said Organiser Leigh‐Chantelle, adding “Renata was an enormous support for myself with all the behind the scenes work for Green Earth Group.” The Kids Zone was busy all day and brimming over with excited, entertained and most of all happy kids who enjoyed every moment sharing in Renata’s Kids Green Earth kingdom.

Please contact Renata if you would like to be involved with the Kids Zone

Jaylene Musgrave Jaylene Musgrave has spent most of her working life surrounded by music and musicians. From 1985 to 2007 Jaylene was the personal assistant and publicist for Australian rock legends such as Jimmy Barnes, The Divinyls and The Rockmelons. Jaylene was also national promotions manager as well as artist and repertoire (A&R) manager for Mighty Boy Records and the general manager for Sodapopz Music Management.

Jaylene has helped with many music industry events and has had many of her music interviews regularly published in Vegan Voice and various animal rights websites. She now spends her time organising events related to our animal friends, including her recently formed Sunshine Coast‐based Vegan Warriors, who campaign against such animal rights issues as intensive farming, foie gras and live animal exports.

Jaylene has many music, media and press contacts from her background in the music industry who would be more than willing to help her and her comrades with promoting any events she is passionate about.

A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy. ‐ John Sawhill

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 19

Green Earth Festival

About the Festival Environmental Awareness . Health & Lifestyle . Sustainability . Recycling

Green Earth Day (previously Green Earth Festival) is a free, family oriented, grassroots, community event which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye; encourage people to make simple changes in their everyday lives to help our environment and the world we leave for generations to come.

Green Earth Day will comprise live bands/performers, a second stage for demonstrations and speakers, a food zone, kids' zone, video zone, art and fashion displays, roving entertainment and many stalls to create a full‐filled festival atmosphere strongly supporting the promotion of local grassroots communities, multiculturalism and the Indigenous people and their culture.

Green Earth Day is a not‐for‐profit event that is first and foremost a public education event but also acts as the best possible environment to research, test, trial, promote and a fundraise for the not‐for‐profit Green Earth Group and the other environmental, green, health and lifestyle, recycling, sustainable, animal rights and welfare groups who attend. Green Earth Day aims to empower the community and the people within it to become more aware, more informed and thus more able to take action to implement the basic changes we need to help our planet. Green Earth Day will use this platform to give opportunities to link organisations and local communities to information and education to further create and sustain development.

Green Earth Day goals  To act as the best possible environment for the promotion of your ethical and environmentally friendly products or brand to your target market, predominately the 18‐35 age group  To encourage the public and community to be more aware of the products that they purchase by supporting ethical, locally made and cruelty free products  To raise awareness to the environmental problems we are currently facing and to provide simple but effective ways in which every individual can make a positive change  To allow not‐for‐profit and grassroots groups to reach the public with their educational material and to provide them with fundraising opportunities  To provide a fun‐filled day for all families from all walks of life who are dedicated to leaving the planet still intact for generations to come  To encourage families, children, environmental students, art, film and fashion students, and many other groups within the community to be involved and take an interest in the future of our planet

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The first poster by Alien Punk:

Information Pack

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Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 22

Designed by Adele Walker ‐ http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/

Help Out Street Team / Volunteer Please DOWNLOAD the Volunteer Information pack if you're interested in volunteering at Green Earth Day or if you can contribute your time or services in any way.

Promote Us Spread the word to ‐ your friends ‐ your community ‐ your colleagues.

Visit the Promote Us page for our flyers, posters and promotional material.

Show your support with our Festival Merchandise

How YOU can help DOWNLOAD the Volunteer Information pack (below)

HELP NEEDED TO PROMOTE Ongoing: Street Team People to hand out Green Earth Festival flyers, postcards, posters People to wear the Green Earth Festival shirts in groups, combined with dance and or mime, however creative you feel!

Clem7 open day on 28th February: fun Run 6am‐8:45am or Open Day 9:30am‐3pm people needed to wear Green Earth Festival shirts in the fun run or at the open day

Internet Team ‐ People to help promote the Green Earth Festival online on: Press Release sites Sites on: green, environmental, kids’, vegan, vegetarian, tourism, community, grassroots, health, lifestyle, recycling, sustainability, not for profit, art/fashion/short film, music, video etc Event listing websites

ALSO: Competitions: Art, Short Film and Green with Envy Fashion competitions – entries due by 28th Feb http://greenearthfestival.net/take‐ part/enter‐competitions.html Merchandise: Show your support for the Green Earth Festival with our green calico bag and badges! http://greenearthfestival.net/shop.html Meetings: come along to our regular meetings at Loving Hut, Mt Gravatt to add your imput, find out what’s happening and how you can help out the best Become a GEG Member: for only $10 for a one year membership to the Green Earth Group Inc you can not only receive discounts from various places, but also help the Green Earth Group Inc raise money for their on‐going environmental awareness education. http://greenearthfestival.net/membership/membership.html Donate: to help us raise the funds needed to put on the Green Earth Festival please donate to the Green Earth Group Inc. http://greenearthfestival.net/donate.html

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PROMOTE OUR SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES: FaceBook group: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78436223187 MySpace page: www.myspace.com/greenearthfestival Twitter page: www.twitter.com/greenearthfest YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/greenearthfestival

Other ways to help: Email all the people on your contact/mailing lists Change your email signature to include the Green Earth Festival details Add banners/web buttons on your site Promote the Green Earth Festival on social Networking sites, groups, blogs Write to your local papers/magazines about the Green Earth Festival Write about Green Earth Festival in your blogs, Add Green Earth Festival details to your school/work newsletters Ring or text your radio/TV stations to let them know Help us countdown to the Festival: Every Saturday post a “_ weeks left until the Green Earth Festival” on your social networking updates Use your imagination!!

If you are interested in helping out in anyway please fill in and email to Leigh‐Chantelle: Name: Email address: Phone Number: T‐shirt size: (Small 93cm, Medium 101cm, Large 108cm, X‐Large 116cm around the chest/bust) Date/Time you can help: Area/s you’d like to help out in:

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE FOLLOWING DAYS: Saturday 6th March – Create with Us Creative Types gathering at New Farm Park to create signage and more for the Green Earth Festival Plus a crash course in Face Painting for those who want to learn‐ this is a requirement for the festival Face Painters. All food will be provided, please bring your own drinks 9am ‐ meet for brunch 10am – start creating!

(11am – 1pm Face Painting crash course) 1pm – Lunch 2pm – continue creating!

Bring your own: Chairs, blankets, tarpaulins, paint, paint brushes and other creative tools!

Friday 12th March (night before) Setting up and decorating, helping with bump in Volunteers (4 hour shifts) 8am‐12pm 12pm‐4pm 4pm‐ 8pm

Saturday 13th March – Green Earth Festival!

Volunteers to walk from the city to the festival at 9am, 12pm, 3pm in Green Earth Festival shirts, animal costumes and with banners or signs Helping with bump in, setting up stalls, Raffle ticket sellers, making sure everything in every area is taken care of as well as packing up at the end Volunteers on the day of the festival (4 hour shifts) 8am‐12pm 11am‐3pm 3pm‐ 7pm 6pm‐10pm

Kids’ Zone: Face Painting Managers: Gwenda Halpin 10am‐1pm & Carla Gill 1pm‐4pm Face Painting shifts (3 people per 2 hour shift) for people who love kids – must attend Face Painting crash course on Saturday 6th March 10am‐12pm, 12‐2pm, 2‐4pm

Sunday 14th March (day after) Volunteers to help with cleaning up of the site 8am‐12pm

Thank YOU in advance for your help, without YOU the Green Earth Festival would not be happening!

The revolution is not a question of virtue, but of effectiveness.

Jean‐Paul Sartre

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Become a Green Earth Group Member For only AU$20 per year

The benefits of becoming a Green Earth Group paid member:  Voting rights at our annual general meetings  10% discount on the Green Earth Group merchandise  Discounts on a variety of businesses and groups  Monthly email updates  Being part of a innovative and successful independent, not‐for‐profit organisation  Helping to be part of the increasing need to take responsibility for our actions and to be proactive in enacting change

Your monetary help keeps the not‐for‐profit Green Earth Group on target with its aims for the future.

Membership Benefits Includes discounts and benefits to such websites as:  Aduki ‐ 15% off  The Cruelty Free Shop ‐ 10% off  Good Concepts ‐ 10% off in store  Jennifer Price Nutritionist ‐ 15% off phone consultations  Loving Hut, Mt Gravatt ‐ 10% off (except Tuesday after 3pm)  Organic Hair Care Supplies ‐ 10% off  Our Place on Earth ‐ 20% off  Plantopia Garden Centre ‐ 10% off all bamboo products  Sustainable Hemp Products ‐ 10% off  TelcoGreen ‐ 2.5% off monthly bill PLUS 2.5% of monthly bill donated to Green Earth Group  TLG Lawyers ‐ Family and Animal Law ‐ $50 discount per hour for all family law and animal law matters.  Vegan Perfection ‐ 10% off  The Vegan Store ‐ 7.5% off  VegeRama, Myer Centre ‐ 5% off

Get a yearly Membership for $20 AUD Purchase membership online or send your payment by cheque or direct deposit.

Green Earth Festival Merchandise

T‐shirt, Bag, Badge & Fundraising with Fregie Sacks

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Designed by Design Voodoo � http://designvoodoo.com

Final Posters for Green Earth Festival

Main

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All posters designed by Adele Walker � http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/

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Music

Kids

Both posters designed by Adele Walker � http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/ Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 28

Buttons for websites:

Designed by Design Voodoo � http://designvoodoo.com

Supporters

Andrew Bartlett

Amy Barker & Jaylene Musgrave

Ady Gill

Trash McSweeney

Terri Irwin

Aidan McLindon

LC, Aidan & Renata

Renata LC & Michael Dalton Kim Churchill

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Paul Watson David Toomey

Coleman Ridge Lindsay McDougall

Press Releases Be Creative ‐ Be Green! ‐ 11 Jan Are you a budding filmmaker, artist or designer who wants to get creative and help the universe at the same time? The Green Earth Group Inc has the competition for you! The not‐for‐profit environmental awareness Green Earth Group Inc is running a Short Film Competition, Art Competition and a Green with Envy Fashion Competition as part of the Green Earth Festival that will take place in Brisbane on Saturday 13th March at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. “The Green Earth Group Inc competitions help to raise awareness of artists, filmmakers and designers and to give a great platform for the artistic expressions of all creative types in Brisbane, Queensland and beyond,” says event organiser Leigh‐Chantelle Koch. “Creativity and originality are the key requirements, with the competitions open to anyone from anywhere in the world regardless of background and level of experience.” Short films can be about anything and in any genre. The theme for the Art Competition as well as the Green with Envy Fashion Competition is anything to do with environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable practices.

Artwork must fit into one of the following categories: drawing, painting, sculpture or photography. Fashion creations must fit into one of the following categories: wearable art, casual wear, bridal/evening wear, menswear and children’s wear. Entry fee is $10 per entry. Entries can be submitted by email or post from anywhere in the world. Each competition closes on Sunday 28th February. Art and Fashion competition entries will be judged publicly online.

All interested parties should visit www.greenearthfestival.net for more information, rules and to download entry forms. The Green Earth Festival is a free, family orientated, community event which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye; and encouraging people to make simple changes in their everyday lives to help our environment and the world we leave for generations to come.

The Buzz ‐ Green Earth Festival – 31 January If ever there was a buzz about a Brisbane environment event, it has to be the one surrounding the upcoming Green Earth Festival taking place on Saturday 13 March at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

This wide‐ranging festival is focused firmly on the family and includes everything you need for a day out such as stalls, food, speakers, live music and entertainment, kids’ zone, video zone, as well as short film, art and fashion competitions.

The Green Earth Festival is being organised by the fledging, not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group Inc. which began early last year when like‐minded friends of singer/poet and author Leigh‐Chantelle’s saw the need for a uniting of the environmental and animal rights groups.

Combining with these friends who have the passion are others who have the know‐how: people who have been involved with large music festivals such as the Big Day Out. This combination, according to Green Earth Festival organiser and promoter Leigh‐ Chantelle, is what makes the magic happen!

“My goal is to encourage all people from all backgrounds in Queensland to be involved in a positive way to help our environment and to meet other like‐minded individuals,” says Leigh‐Chantelle.

The Green Earth Festival is a free, family orientated, community event which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye; and encouraging people to make simple changes in their everyday lives to help our environment and the world we leave for generations to come.

The festival will comprise live bands, performers and roving entertainment, food, demonstrations, speakers, children’s zone, video zone, art and fashion displays, plus stalls from many companies including local not for profit organizations.

Together with many other volunteers from across Brisbane and beyond, the Green Earth Festival team are united to form a strong grassroots, community event where everyone from all areas of the community are invited to join in with the passion, but Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 30

most of all in having fun in the name of green earth education.

See www.greenearthfestival.net for more information. http://www.prlog.org/10512806‐the‐buzz‐green‐earth‐festival.html

Musicians Unite for a Green Earth – 15 February Many local Brisbane performers are lending a helping hand at the Green Earth Festival by providing their musical talents with the aim of educating the public to all things green.

With less than a month until the Green Earth Festival takes place on Saturday 13 March at Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens, many local Brisbane performers are lending a helping hand by providing their musical talents with the aim of educating the public to all things green.

“I am very excited about the talented and passionate musicians who have put their hands up to perform,” says Green Earth Festival Organiser Leigh‐Chantelle Koch. “We have Brisbane’s very own Emma Dean along with local acts and other up and coming ethical artists who are all passionate about the goals of the festival.”

The main stage at Green Earth Festival will feature bands including the Black Stars, Dead Riot, Malevolence, Kosmic Evolution, Quinn and The Maltese Falcon. Local teenage band wheeleR will also be performing along with electric duo Holy Voodoo, and electric soloists Sanat and Ballad Boy. There will also be acoustic performers including The Jah Band, Leigh‐Chantelle featuring Doug de Jong, Eddie Blume and Alex Campbell. A selection of local Spoken Word performers from Words or Whatever will also take to the main stage.

The Green Earth Festival is being organised by the fledging, not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group Inc that began early last year when like‐minded friends of singer/poet and author Leigh‐Chantelle’s saw the need for a uniting of the environmental and animal rights groups.

The Green Earth Festival is a free, family orientated, community event that aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye. This wide‐ranging festival is focused firmly on the family and includes everything you need for a great day out: live music and entertainment, stalls, food, speakers, kids’ zone, video zone, as well as short film, art and fashion competitions.

“My goal is to encourage all people from all backgrounds to be involved in a positive way to help our environment and to meet other like‐minded individuals,” says Leigh‐Chantelle. Combined with friends who have the passion are others who have the know‐how: people who have been involved with large events such as the Big Day Out, Sea Shepherd fundraisers and publicity for Jimmy Barnes. This combination, according to Green Earth Festival organiser and promoter Leigh‐Chantelle, is what makes the magic happen!

See www.greenearthfestival.net for more information. http://www.prlog.org/10534139‐musicians‐unite‐for‐green‐earth.html

Kids Day Out at Green Festival – 25 February Many local Brisbane children’s entertainers are joining together in a great kids day out programme at the Green Earth Festival on Saturday 13 March at Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens.

With a bit over two weeks left until Green Earth Festival takes place on Saturday 13 March at Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens, many local Brisbane children’s entertainers are joining together in a great kids day out programme.

The Green Earth Festival is a free, family orientated, community event that aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye.

This wide‐ranging festival is focused firmly on the family and includes everything you need for a great day out such as stalls, food, speakers, live music and entertainment, kids’ zone, video zone, as well as short film, art and fashion competitions.

“Expect a great day of fun for all families,” says Renata Halpin, Kids’ Zone Manager. “The gardens are a great place to get the whole family involved with doing their bit to help the environment.”

Popular entertainer, Magic Mike the magician will mesmerise the little ones with his tricks, Renata and the Children’s Acoustic Show will have you singing and tapping your feet and Roushini’s Bollywood Fun and Fitness will have you dancing.

Also on stage at the Kids’ Zone is Ranger Rozzie’s Water Wizards show, captivating the kids by entertaining as well as educating.

Local Brisbane Author, Miss Helen will host Storytelling Time where she will be reading from her latest release 10 Yellow Bananas. There will also be face painting, arts and crafts throughout the day and an hour of Karaoke Kids where the budding performer can sing to their heart’s content.

The Green Earth Festival is being organised by the fledging, not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group Inc that began early last year when like‐minded friends of singer/poet and author Leigh‐Chantelle’s saw the need for a uniting of the environmental and animal rights groups.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 31

Together with many other volunteers from across Brisbane and beyond, the Green Earth Festival team are united to form a strong grassroots, community event where everyone from all areas of the community are invited to join in with the passion, but most of all in having fun in the name of green earth education. http://www.prlog.org/10549896‐kids‐day‐out‐at‐green‐earth‐festival.html

Countdown to Green Earth Festival ‐ 28 February Green Earth Festival will comprise live bands, performers & roving entertainment; green cuisine, demonstrations, speakers, children’s zone, videos, art & fashion displays, & stalls from many companies including local not for profit organisations.

With less than two weeks until Brisbane’s newest environmental event, the countdown is well and truly on for Green Earth Festival taking place on Saturday 13 March at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

This wide‐ranging festival will comprise live bands, performers and roving entertainment; green cuisine, demonstrations, speakers, children’s zone, video zone, art and fashion displays, plus stalls from many companies including local not for profit organisations.

Green Earth Festival is being organised by the fledging, not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group Inc that began early last year when like‐minded friends of singer/poet and author Leigh‐Chantelle’s saw the need for the uniting of environmental and animal rights groups.

Leigh‐Chantelle Koch is a one‐woman powerhouse, the driving force behind Green Earth Festival who is extremely pleased with the amount of support, assistance and dedication she has found in many of the volunteers from Brisbane and beyond. “People see that Green Earth Festival is coming from a sincere and positive place and people want to get involved from the grassroots up in helping us enact the positive changes that are needed in our society,” says Leigh‐Chantelle.

Combining with these passionate volunteers and friends are others who have the know‐how: people who have been involved with large music festivals such as the Big Day Out. This combination, according to Green Earth Festival organiser and promoter Leigh‐Chantelle, is what makes the magic happen. “Every single person involved with Green Earth Festival has volunteered their time, energies and skills for the day and lead up to the day,” says Leigh‐Chantelle. “We have had an overwhelming response from people young and old who want to be involved and I thank each and every person.”

Green Earth Festival is a free, family orientated, drug and alcohol free community event which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye; and encouraging people to make simple changes in their everyday lives to help our environment and the world we leave for generations to come.

“My goal is to encourage all people from all backgrounds to be involved in a positive way to help our environment and to meet other like‐minded individuals,” says Leigh‐Chantelle. “Anyone can get involved with helping each other, our animal friends and the universe. It doesn’t matter what age, sex or colour you are, what job you do, what your hobbies are, if you are willing to you can change yourself and others by your example.”

It’s easy being green and Leigh‐Chantelle and her comrades are here to show you how. http://www.prlog.org/10553021‐countdown‐to‐green‐earth‐festival.html

Green Earth Festival Competition winners announced – 8 March This Saturday Brisbane’s newest environmental event, Green Earth Festival will be making its mark by showing the winners of the Green Earth Festival Short Film, Art and Green with Envy Fashion competitions at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

The short film competition was judged at a film viewing and voting night by the general public last Tuesday night. Shiny Alumina was clearly the crowd favourite with the short film exploring the controversial issue of bauxite mining at Steve Irwin's Wildlife Reserve in Cape York. Shiny Alumina was made, filmed and written by a group of youngsters including Luisa Randall (9, Producer & Writer), Darcie Mudd (10, Writer & Presenter), Alexia Guifre (10, Editor), Emily Wiliamson (10, Director), Nicholas Clough (10, Camera Operator). Shiny Alumina will be shown at 11am and 1pm in the Video Zone at Green Earth Festival followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew.

Another clear winner chosen from online voting on greenearthfestival.net, is Angela Ryder’s Under the Fig Tree a piece that like many of her paintings, started life out as an entirely different piece. This piece once depicted an alien landscape! But after layer upon layer of acrylics, spray paint and permanent marker, a fig tree emerged staring out from what was once a barren planet.

Angela Ryder (aka A M R) is a self taught Brisbane based artist. Born in Redcliffe and raised in North Brisbane, she formed the punk band Shoot Down The Angels in 2003. After a long hiatus, she started painting again while pregnant with her first child Lola, who was born in 2009. Angela’s winning entry will be on display in the Art and Fashion Zone at Green Earth Festival.

Velvet Pesu from Kangaroon Point is the winner of the Green with Envy Fashion competition with her wearable art piece made entirely of recycled materials. Entitled Concentric Circles On Red Velvet’s piece is a woven recycled film skirt. Velvet will also perform at Green Earth Festival in the Film Zone at 5:30pm her spontaneous improvised expression through voice, sound, light and image featuring her highly distinctive decomposed texture based recycled art, woven film costume and the hand cranked Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 32

projection of her Gutter Trash Films. Velvet describes her art and life as inseparable, each process informs the next, mapping her ephemeral collaborations with the temporal.

Green Earth Festival is being organised by the fledging, not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group Inc that began early last year when like‐minded friends of singer/poet and author Leigh‐Chantelle’s saw the need for the uniting of environmental and animal rights groups.

This wide‐ranging festival will comprise live bands, performers and roving entertainment; green cuisine, demonstrations, speakers, children’s zone, video zone, art and fashion displays, plus stalls from many companies including local not for profit organisations.

Green Earth Festival is a free, family orientated, drug and alcohol free community event which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye; and encouraging people to make simple changes in their everyday lives to help our environment and the world we leave for generations to come.

“My goal is to encourage all people from all backgrounds to be involved in a positive way to help our environment and to meet other like‐minded individuals,” says Leigh‐Chantelle. “Anyone can get involved with helping each other, our animal friends and the universe. It doesn’t matter what age, sex or colour you are, what job you do, what your hobbies are, if you are willing to you can change yourself and others by your example.”

It’s easy being green and Leigh‐Chantelle and her comrades are here to show you how.

Articles & Interviews Nova Magazine, 1 February ‐ Green Earth

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 33

Northside Chronicle – 3 February Chance to Show Your Creativity

Southern Star, 3 February ‐ Giving all for green Earth

Bmag, 9 February ‐ Competition Greens Up

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 34

Brisbane News, 17 February ‐ Unsung Hero

Tamborine Times, 18 February ‐ The Buzz ‐ Green Earth Festival

''The more I stayed here, the more I realised the world is not going to change by staying here and reflecting,'' Bob Brown explains to The Saturday Age. ''You have to pat the verandah post, get on the bike and get involved.''

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 35

The Courier Mail, 24 February ‐ For the love of earth

Peppermint Magazine, Issue #5 March ‐ Viva la Leigh‐Chantelle!

This question wasn’t published: Finally, what do you yourself do to keep the earth green?

I guess the biggest help that I can give the planet is to live the vegan lifestyle. By not consuming any animals or animal products I’m saving water, energy, land, materials, emissions, people, animals and obviously the planet. Being vegan is the single most effective way of any individual to make a difference. I am also very big on anti‐materialism and waste and try very hard to use and purcahse already created products instead of participating in the creation of many new products being made when there are many pre‐loved, second‐hand and vintage options available. I try very hard not to use plastic and support locally owned and operated stores as much as possible.

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The Senior, March ‐ Shades of Green

Vegan Voice, March‐May – Green Earth Festival

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Map Magazine Street Editors, 1 March ‐ Dreamers, Environment: Green Earth Festival

by Libby Davis

Release your inner greenie at the Green Earth Festival on Saturday March 13, when the Brisbane City Botanic Garden opens its gates to a celebration of all things green and environmentally stimulating. The festival’s organiser, Green Earth Group Inc. is a non‐for‐profit environmental awareness group spreading its wings in Brisbane’s environmental circles. The group’s founder, Leigh‐Chantelle Koch identified a need for green advocacy groups and animal rights groups to unite forces to spread the message that ‘it’s easy being green’. The festival will celebrate caring for the environment with live bands, ‘green’ cuisine, speakers, workshops, roving entertainment, art and fashion displays, and information stalls from companies promoting environmental awareness. The festival will help the wider community learn more about environmentalism, grass roots activism and how to promote greener ways of living.

OnYa Magazine, 1 March ‐ Environment: Green Earth Festival

by Lauren and Shauna Sieger

Above: Leigh‐Chantelle, promoter and organiser of the Green Earth Festival.

1. What inspired you to take the health of our environment into your own hands?

There’s a lot of companies out there that are willingly involved with “green wash” – they are not part of true environmental change at all, but are just getting on the band wagon and patting other companies on the back that are doing the exact same thing. I do not agree with this.

Instead, I want to bring change back to the community and grassroots level where everyone can get involved from the ground up and create Brisbane’s own Green Earth Festival that is true to its name.

Green Earth Festival is about educating others to alternatives to the mainstream idea of not really caring about the environment, our carbon footprint and the planet we leave for generations to come. I started the not‐for‐profit environmental awareness Green Earth Group Inc to herald the dawn of a new era in which people can start to respect and admire our planet again.

2. The Green Earth Festival is about creating awareness that our environment and nature is not a playground, and should be admired and nurtured, not stomped through. Is that what inspired you to start the festival?

Yes, definitely.

I see and hear from a lot of people who want to do something to help, who want to be involved but really have no idea where to start. That’s where I come in. I have a vision about how our planet needs to get back to the basics, the way it was revered in the past and we’re surrounding ourselves with people who also crave this and see that the way of doing things at present obviously isn’t working. People don’t seem to be looking to the Government or other larger organisations for help anymore as most people can see through their words.

3. A lot of festivals aren’t actually allowed to be held in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens anymore, but you are fortunate enough to be permitted. Why is this so?

I’ve met with council as well as the manager and staff of the gardens, they know we’re in it for the right reasons; I think most people can see this, and want Brisbane to be able to have a grassroots event for the people and by the people.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 38

4. Compared to other environmental events, what unique activities and morals do you explore during the Green Earth Festival?

Well we’re definitely not a “green wash” event; we have a lot of passionate people who have all donated their time, skills, energy and more to this. No one involved with Green Earth Festival is getting paid. We have some great musicians all giving up their time to be a part of the first year of Green Earth Festival with hopefully many more to come. Other than that the biggest thing that sets apart Green Earth Festival is that we are obviously a cruelty‐free event, just as much as we respect the planet, we respect all others on the planet including our animal friends.

Therefore, everything sold and promoted at Green Earth Festival is cruelty‐free and therefore vegan. We don’t want any blood on our hands.

5. We think it’s a great collaboration; family entertainment and embracing our earth, helping to save it. What is the most important message of the whole event?

The most important message is that anyone can do something to help the environment and that by joining together with like‐minded people you will not only be appreciative that there are others who understand you in our not‐so‐understanding world, as well as knowing that true change happens from the ground up when people create change together.

6. How do you see the future of Brisbane, with all of these changes including climate change? Is the level of significant changes to Brisbane and our rapid growth in population taking hold of our environment?

There are a lot of huge changes in Brisbane from many more people residing here to the additional infrastructure that brings. We’ve had a lot of water and road issues lately that hopefully will be sorted in the next few years. It’s hard to make the city more user‐friendly when the town planning in the beginning didn’t allow for such growth in our city. As with anything, if something is all about the money, then other aspects, such as the environment, are overlooked. Obviously all avenues and considerations need to be considered before making any significant changes.

7. What environmentally friendly procedures or facts should we keep in mind to minimise the risk of damaging places such as the beautiful Botanical Gardens suffering from these major environmental changes?

From our perspective, we’re not allowing any driving on grass at Green Earth Festival when cars are bumping in and out. All palms and specific areas that are of great value to the gardens will be fenced off on the day of Green Earth Festival. We have waste management measures in place along with encouraging attendees to participate in the recycling aspects of the event. All vendors must have biodegradable plates, bowls, cups and cutlery, we are also encouraging vendors to use crockery and cutlery that can be returned, washed and reused.

8. How would you like to see your venture grow over the next few years?

We would love to see Green Earth Festival as an annual event in Brisbane. Green Earth Group Inc will also be continuing with educating the public to be more ethical, environmentally aware and inspiring others to help us with our aims. We started in 2009 so we’re only a new not‐for‐ profit environmental awareness group, but we hope to meet with many like‐minded people and groups to create an alliance with others who share our objectives.

9. Where are your favourite places in Australia to eat, drink, visit and enjoy?

I love eating anywhere that serves great vegan food. In Brisbane my favourite place is Loving Hut at Mt Gravatt. I also love the markets at West End and Northey Street, in Brisbane. In Sydney I frequent Newtown and surrounds and love Iku, Green Gourmet and Green Palace Thai. In Melbourne I really like Brunswick and those similar areas and enjoy Vege Bar, Lentil as Anything and a little bakery in Preston. I was just in Melbourne in January and came across a great (new to me) whole foods store, Habib on Flinders Street – I love their muffins, hot food and salads.

The Green Earth Festival is being held at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens on March 13th from 10am‐8pm and entry is free. To find our more about the Green Earth Festival visit http://greenearthfestival.net.

Sunshine Coast Daily, 6 March ‐ Earth's Green Light

If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results ‐ Jack Dixon

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City News, 11 March � Festival Tinged With Green

Albert & Logan News, 12 March � Living in Green Harmony

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mX Magazine, 12 March ‐ Sustainable Fashion ‐ Mother nature would approve

Other Photos:

Weekend Notes, 13 March ‐ Green Earth Festival

by Tracey Lloyd

Art, fashion, food, music, shopping and sustainability come together at the Green Earth Festival on Saturday 13 March at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

The festival offers something for everyone with lots to keep the kids entertained as well: * a kid's zone with storytelling, magic tricks, karaoke and Bollywood fitness; * a variety of food stalls for the eco‐friendly gourmet including Funky Pies and Conscious Kitchen; Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 41

* workshops on meditation and cruelty free cooking; * presentations on environmentalism, health, animals and social activism; * shopaholics are catered for with skin care, clothing, music, detox products and even environmental toothbrushes for sale; and * fashionistas can explore eco‐friendly fashion in the art and fashion zone.

Throughout the day enjoy being serenaded by a variety of acoustic and electric performers inlcuding Holy Voodoo and the JahBand.

Spoken word poet Andrew Lang will also be peforming. If live performance isn't your scene, the Video Zone at the Green Earth Festival will be showing short films, documentaries and movies as well as announcing the winners of the Green Earth Festival Short Film Contest.

Alternatively stretch your legs and enjoy a guided tour of the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. Choose from the Water Wise Garden Tour, Australian Native Species Tour, Food Garden Tour or try all three (tours last between 30 ‐ 60 minutes).

In keeping with the Green Earth Festival's theme of sustainability, why not leave the car at home. Catch a train, bus or ferry to the city and then hop on the free bus service The Loop which will drop you off right outside the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

The Courier Mail, 13 March ‐ Dry and Green

Sponsors from Green Earth Festival Premium Sponsors Be Veg. Go Green. Save Our Planet Loving Hut

Silver Sponsors Viva la Vegan!

Bronze Sponsors Australian Ethical Investment Bounty Burgers Funky Pies Peppermint Magazine Good Vibes Vegan Era Vegan Voice Vegetarian and Vegan Society of Queensland

Supporting Sponsors Leigh‐Chantelle Miss Helen Renata and the Children’s acoustic shows Supreme Master TV Temporary Fence Hire Twisted Pair Productions Unfuski

Media Partners Black Rose Magazine PureCalma SuperGreenMe Vegan Era Vegan Voice Zhem Guide

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Raffle Donors 4MyEarth Aduki Independent Press The Cruelty Free Shop FourBody Global Spirit Records Good Vibes Leigh‐Chantelle Natural Health Marketing Rambilldeene Farm Red Dragon Inn Vegan Voice Viva La Vegan!

Wild Soapnuts

Volunteer Gift Pack Donors BOOST juice bars FourBody Good Vibes Leigh‐Chantelle Rambilldeene Farm Vegan Voice Viva La Vegan!

Stalls & Green Cuisine at Green Earth Festival Stalls Aduki Arbonne Australian Ethical Investment Chemical Free Kids The Cruelty Free Shop Ecofund Queensland Global Spirit Records Go Green at Home Good Concepts Good Vibes for You The Green Edge The Green Shop iDetox Kathmandu Affairs Lenore Wright ‐ Home Sustainability Assessments Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics Miessence Mynah Fashions Australia Natural Health Marketing Naturally Sustainable Organic Hair Care & Beauty Supplies Peppermint Magazine Quikfix Coffee Red Dragon Inn Super Green Me Supreme Master Television Ugandan Paper Beads Vegan Era Vegetarian & Vegan Society of Qld Viva la Vegan!

Wild Soapnuts

Not For Profits Alternative Technology Association Animal Liberation, Qld Animals Australia Australian Marine Conservation Society Australian Orangutan Project Battery Hen Adoption Project Charlie's Angels Horse Rescue Inc. Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 43

CoralWatch Go Fair Trading Miss Earth Australia Oxfam Australia PETA Asia‐Pacific Queensland Environment Activist Network Sahaja Yoga Meditation Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Still Wild, Still Threatened Transition Brisbane Wilderness Society Wild Mob World Vision

Green Cuisine BOOST Juice Bars Bounty Burgers Conscious Kitchen Funky Pies Go Veg Govinda's Food For Life Hare Krishna Pure Vegetarian Ice Blocks!

Indian Bites Langos Loving Hut Made in Africa Raw Food Creations Vege Rama Vegetarian & Vegan Society of Qld

Speakers & Workshops at Green Earth Festival Time

Speaker

10:00 – 10:15 Jude Menon & Megumi Kitasako, Oxfam A Climate For Change Electric Bicycle Demonstration 10:20 – 10:35 Mark Pelmore, Good Concepts 10:40 – 10:55 Hugh Dickson, BrisLETS

Local Energy Trading Systems

11:00 – 11:25 Sahaja Yoga Meditation & Peter Hewitson Guided Meditation Workshop

11:30 – 11:45 Fiona Barlow, Social Psychology Lecturer Peaceful Conversion 11:50 – 12:20 Tim Lang, Northey Street City Farm Permaculture in the City

Grassroots Animal Activism

12:30 – 12:55 Jaylene Musgrave, Vegan Warriors 13:00 – 13:25 Katrina Fox, Writer & Activist

Animal agriculture: An environmental disaster Food and Climate Change: how you can help 13:30 – 13:45 Andrew Bartlett, Qld Senator Chemical Free Kids

13:45 – 14:05 Dr Sarah Lantz, Researcher at UQ Cruelty Free Cooking demonstration 14:15 – 14:35 Renata Halpin, Children’s Educator 14:45 – 15:00 Amanda Benham, Dietitian & Nutritionist Healthy You, Healthy Planet

Paradise Earth: Green wash in the Green State 15:00 – 15:15 Amy Barker, Author Animal Law in Australia 15:20 – 15:35 Tracy‐Lynne Geysen, TLG Lawyers Horse Rescue in Australia 15:40 – 15:55 Joanne Schoenwald, Charlie’s Angels 16:00 – 16:20 Cassie Bryant & Diana Kleine, Coral Watch Coral Watch workshop: monitoring charts

Health, Food & Environment 16:25 – 16:45 Ruchika Sharma, Vege Rama

16:50 – 17:10 Soraya Saraswati, Intuitive & Naturopath Spiritual Depression & Ascension

Climate Refugees in Papua New Guinea 17:15 – 17:35 David Rafter, Vegan Era 17:40 – 17:55 Jackson Walkden‐Brown, Bond University The next great Social Justice Movement 17:55

CLOSE

Performers at Green Earth Festival Time Performer

10:00 Alex Campbell 10:20 Changeover/ Isobel Dow Spoken Word 10:30 Eddie Blume 10:50 Changeover/ Andrew Lang Spoken Word 11:00 The Jah Band 11:30 Changeover / Kimbeaux Dawson Spoken Word 11:40 Ballad Boy 12:10 Changeover / Deb Watson Spoken Word 12:20 Leigh‐Chantelle featuring Doug de Jong Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 44

12:40 Changeover / Words or Whatever Spoken Word 12:50 Sanat 13:20 Changeover / Words or Whatever Spoken Word 13:30 Ben Gill from Malevolence 14:00 Changeover / Words or Whatever Spoken Word 14:15 WheeleR 14:45 Changeover / Alex Stratton‐Funk Spoken Word 15:00 Emma Dean 15:30 Changeover / Greg Secomb ‘The Loaded Dog’ Spoken Word 15:45 Holy Voodoo 16:15 Changeover / Dissent of Didymus Spoken Word 16:30 Quinn 17:00 Changeover/ Raffle Prizes 17:15 The Maltese Falcon 17:45 Changeover / Ivan Raddix Spoken Word 18:00 Kosmic Evolution 18:30 Changeover / Darkwing Dubs Spoken Word 18:45 Dead Riot 19:15 Changeover / Reverend Hellfire Spoken Word 19:30 The Black Stars 20:00 Thank you & Good night!

Stage layout for bands (by Dariusz) ARTIST NAME:

Use the space below to include specific details / explaining the above (if needed)

BASIC LINE CHECKS WILL BE DONE ON THE DAY.

BAND CONTACT #1 NAME MOBILE

BAND CONTACT #2 NAME MOBILE

NUMBER OF VOCAL

POWER

FOLDBACK DI’S (PLEASE MARK) MIC’S

BOARDS

USE OF BANNERS OR

PROPS ON STAGE ?

ANY CHAIR / STOOL /

TABLE REQUESTS ?

DETAILS OF ANY

ELECTRONIC EQUIP

ANY EXTRA

INFORMATION?

ADD HERE …

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 45

Information for Performers

Music 10am ‐ 8pm Stalls 10am ‐ 6pm Kids’ Zone 10am – 4pm

Green Cuisine . Stalls . Live Music & Entertainment . Kid’s Zone Video Zone . Education, Demonstrations & Speakers . Art & Fashion .

Green Earth Festival is a free, family orientated, drug and alcohol free community event organised by the not‐for‐profit environmental awareness Green Earth Group Inc which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye; encouraging people to make simple changes in their everyday lives to help our environment and the world we leave for generations to come.

Green Earth Group Inc is a not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group who aim to promote a better way of living – for us, for our animal friends and for our planet. Green Earth Group Inc is a group of like‐minded people who aim to raise the awareness of the environmental problems we are currently facing and to provide simple but effective ways in which every individual can make a positive change.

Event Details: Date:

Saturday 13th March 2010 Venue:

Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, Alice Street, Brisbane Time:

10am – 8pm Organisers: Green Earth Group Inc & Unfuski Productions

The Green Earth Festival has been promoted as a free, family‐orientated, all‐ages, drug and alcohol free, community and grassroots event.

The festival will comprise live bands/performers, a second stage for demonstrations and speakers, a food zone, children’s zone, video zone, art and fashion displays, roving entertainment and many stalls to create a full‐filled festival atmosphere strongly supporting the promotion of local grassroots communities, multiculturalism and the Indigenous people and their culture.

The Green Earth Festival officially starts at 10am and ends at 8pm.

Please contact our Festival/Site Manager Dariusz on 0419 170 912 or unfuski@unfuski.com for any technical or site‐related queries.

CONTACTS In an emergency call 000

Event/Site Manager/Production: Dariusz Jasinski Event/Site Assistant Manager: Samantha Hayes Event Promoter/Organiser: Leigh‐Chantelle Music Stage Manager:

Justin Ryan Spoken Word Manager:

Thomas Day

On Saturday 13th March we are expecting approximately 2000 people. As this is our first year and all media and promotion has been done in‐ house this is our estimate for attendance, however there may be more. A lot of the stallholders will be bumping in (setting up) on Friday after lunch as well as Saturday morning before the start of the festival. Most stalls will be bumping out (packing up) from 6pm onwards on Saturday.

SITE ACCESS There is limited vehicle access on site, on the day we will only have one access road with one way, one car width with NO driving on the grass – PLEASE be prepared to move fast, be organised and follow the instructions from our staff Entry via Edward Street gate and exit via Alice Street gate only (see map) You are able to quickly unload, please contact Festival/Site Manager Dariusz on 0419 170 912 or unfuski@unfuski.com to organise this. If you have trolleys and can move your goods to your car outside of the gardens, please use this option. Green Earth Festival or Green Earth Group Inc takes no responsibility for lost or stolen property.

St Patrick’s Day march is also happening on the same day with a lot of road closures in effect. When you are about to arrive on site please contact either Dariusz or Justin who will tell you where to park. This is the best we can do at the moment due to the march.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 46

ARRIVAL TIME Performers need to arrive on site at least 1 hour before the start of their performance. You will need to see Stage Manager Justin (or Thomas if you are a spoken work performer) or one of the Main Stage Assistants when you arrive. Please head to the information section where the volunteers will direct you to the right place to be. Please keep in mind that we have very short change over times in between each performer, so please co‐operate, make sure that you are quick and follow the instructions from the staff.

PERFORMANCE TIME PLEASE know the timetable, as well as your EXACT performance times. DO NOT go over your allocated time slot as we are on a very tight schedule. Set up and pack up quickly please.

SOUND Twisted Pair Productions are an experience and professional team who will make sure that each performance sounds great. Each performer will get a line check, but not a sound check as time does not permit. All sound/mixing will happen from the side of the stage by people experienced with sound and mixing

MERCHANDISE There will be a merchandise table set up near the Information tent that you are more than welcome to leave merchandise to sell on the day. Let us know if you would like to participate in any signings after your performance.

GEAR Please ensure that you bring your own gear to Green Earth Festival. While the utmost care will be taken with your gear, Green Earth Group Inc and Green Earth Festival take no responsibility for your gear if damaged, lost or stolen.

TRAFFIC The overall philosophy of the Green Earth Festival and the Green Earth Group is on environmental awareness, therefore encouraging festival goers to utilise public transport instead of cars is one of our priorities and is publicised on our festival website www.greenearthfestival.net The public area of the grounds on the day of the event is designated as no vehicle access with Emergency vehicles being the only exception.

Parking management staff will be on duty throughout the day to monitor drop off zones and to ensure traffic is directed to areas where car parks are available.

TRANSPORT This is a public transport area venue. The gardens are walking distance from the Queen Street Mall and close to ferry stops, bus stops, train stations; as well as being easy to walk or cycle to. All avenues of transport are within minutes walking distance, and we have encouraged festival goers to journey to the event by public transport with specific transport details online on the festival website. In the inner city all avenues of public transport are available, including buses, trains, ferries and taxis plus walking and cycling is also encouraged.

Please see getting there: http://greenearthfestival.net/info/getting‐there.html for more information on said transport options.

FACILITIES ATM – the closest ATM is located at the adjacent QUT Gardens Point Campus, Y Block Public toilets and portable toilets are located near the rotunda WIFI networks – all the normal broadband wireless services have a strong signal in the City Botanic Gardens. Please ensure that you bring your own wireless laptop if you would like to utilise these networks. Please contact your internet provider for more information

SITE PLAN

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 47

Assistance on the day

If you require assistance throughout the day, volunteers and committee members will be wearing green outfits with the Green Earth Festival logo and nametags to assist you. Queries can also be directed to the Information team at the Information section.

Help promote this event

As this is our first year we’re not really sure how many people to expect to Green Earth Festival. We are expecting around 2000 people based on our in‐house press releases and marketing.

Along with the thousands of posters distributed around Brisbane and Queensland (festival, music and kids), word‐of‐mouth is an enormously important element. We would appreciate your help in spreading the word to as many people as you can. Some ideas for promotion include:  Posters and other marketing materials will be sent out to you (if you contact us) to be put up in your workplace, children’s school, university etc  Please include mention of the event in any newsletters you may publish  See the promote section on the website for banner and button links (see below) to add to your website, as well as posters and press release downloads  Add the festival website to your email signature  Tell all your family, friends, employees, workmates, volunteers and customers about this family orientated, free entry festival  Forward the Green Earth Festival emails to all of your email contacts  Also, buttons to add to your website as per below:

See http://greenearthfestival.net/help‐out/promote.html for buttons and more

Kids Zone at Green Earth Festival 10:00 ‐ 10:30 Renata and the Children’s Acoustic Kids can go Green too show 10:30 ‐ 11:00 Miss Helen's Storytelling 11:00 ‐ 11:30 Ranger Rozzie's Water Wizards 11:30 ‐ 12:15 Renata and Roushini's Passion for the Planet Show 12:30 ‐ 1:30 Karaoke Kids on Stage 1:30 ‐ 2:10 Magic Mike the Magician show 2:15 ‐ 3:00 Bollywood fun and fitness with Roushini 3:00 ‐ 3:30 Miss Helen's Storytelling 3:30 ‐ 4:00 Renata and the Children’s Acoustic End Show

Colouring In Competition:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 48

Designed by Adele Walker ‐ http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/ Video Zone at Green Earth Festival 10:00 – The Emotional World Of Farm Animals with Jeffrey Masson 11:00 – Shiny Alumina 11:30 – Food Matters: You Are What You Eat 12:50 – Factory Farming In Australia with Kisschasy’s Darren Cordeux 1:00 – Shiny Alumina 1:30 – Best Friends Animal Society 1:50 – Home 3:50 – The Cove 5:30 ‐ Velvet Pesu’s Art/Fashion/Film 6:00 ‐ CLOSE

Competitions Short Film Winner: Shiny Alumina

The short film competition was judged at a film viewing and voting night by the general public. Shiny Alumina was clearly the crowd favourite with the short film exploring the controversial issue of bauxite mining at Steve Irwin's Wildlife Reserve in Cape York. Shiny Alumina was made, filmed and written by a group of youngsters including Luisa Randall (9, Producer & Writer), Darcie Mudd (10, Writer & Presenter), Alexia Guifre (10, Editor), Emily Wiliamson (10, Director), Nicholas Clough (10, Camera Operator). Shiny Alumina was shown at 11am and 1pm in the Video Zone at Green Earth Festival followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew.

Art & Fashion Art Competition Winner 2010

Under the Fig Tree Another clear winner chosen from online voting on greenearthday.net, is Angela Ryder’s Under the Fig Tree a piece that like many of her paintings, started life out as an entirely different piece. This piece once depicted an alien landscape! But after layer upon layer of acrylics, spray paint and permanent marker, a fig tree emerged staring out from what was once a barren planet. Angela Ryder (aka A M R) is a self taught Brisbane based artist. Born in Redcliffe and raised in North Brisbane, she formed the punk band Shoot Down The Angels in 2003. After a long hiatus, she started painting again while pregnant with her first child Lola, who was born in 2009. Angela’s winning entry will be on display in the Art and Fashion Zone at Green Earth Festival. http://www.facebook.com/pages/A‐M‐R/348634815071?ref=nf Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 49

Green with Envy ‐ Fashion Competition Winner 2010

Concentric Circles On Red Velvet Pesu from Kangaroon Point is the winner of the Green with Envy Fashion competition with her wearable art piece made entirely of recycled materials. Entitled Concentric Circles On Red Velvet’s piece is a woven recycled film skirt. Velvet will also perform at Green Earth Festival in the Film Zone at 5:30pm her spontaneous improvised expression through voice, sound, light and image featuring her highly distinctive decomposed texture based recycled art, woven film costume and the hand cranked projection of her Gutter Trash Films. Velvet describes her art and life as inseparable, each process informs the next, mapping her ephemeral collaborations with the temporal.

Creative Day – 6 March

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 50

The Night Before – 12 March Dinner at Kuan Yin, Fortitude Valley

Volunteer Booklet

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 51

with GEF map and info:

Designed by Adele Walker � http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/

Festival Map

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 52

Photos from Green Earth Festival – 13 March

Photo by Sean ‐ http://fatgayvegan.com/

Photo by Phoenix

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 53

By Carol Slater ‐ http://c‐s‐p.com.au

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 54

Photos by Bill & Gwen

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 55

By Jen Dainer ‐ http://www.industrialarc.com.au/madhouse‐studios‐brisbane/

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 56

By Krystal Cherry � https://myspace.com/krystalcherryphotography

We cannot do great things, only small things with great love. � Mother Theresa

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 57

By Kylie Gill

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 58

By Sundara DeSilva � email

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 59

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 60

By Willis

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 61

By Yan Chan ‐ http://lefugitif.wordpress.com/

The Day After

We cannot command Nature except by obeying her. ‐Francis Bacon

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 62

City News Online article, 17 March Forget the Battered Sav, it's a Vegan festival

by John Corlett The Green Earth Festival held at Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens on Saturday featured a variety of performers and stallholders to promote vegan culture.

The festival included a talk by Amanda Benham, a nutritionist specialising in the Vegan diet. She unravelled some of the myths associated with animal cruelty free living and believes there’s a stigma attached to the vegan lifestyle; “People think if I’m going to be vegan I must have dreadlocks and tattoos but anyone can be a vegan, you can [be vegan] and wear a suit, whatever you want to do”.

Vegans don’t eat any form of meat and avoid animal products including leather, down, eggs, wool and dairy.

Leigh‐Chantelle Koch director of Green Earth Group Inc and festival organiser also believes going vegan is “one of the very least things we can do for the environment.”

Throughout the day a variety of performers entertained with poetry, music, arts and crafts and information stalls. Leigh‐Chantelle hopes to hold the festival in the Botanic Gardens again next year.

She relies on participation from the local community so everyone is encouraged to get involved, “[it’s] beautiful to see so many people are willing to give something” she said.

Leigh‐Chantelle preformed original music as part of the festival but admits she has given up the dream of being a rock star and has settled for a career saving the world.

A Great Green Success Press Release – 22 March Brisbane’s newest environmental event, Green Earth Festival made its green mark on Saturday 13 March at the beautiful Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, with the attendance estimated at 3000 to 4000 people.

Brisbane’s newest environmental event, Green Earth Festival made its green mark on Saturday 13 March at the beautiful Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. After almost 2 weeks of pouring rain, the skies cleared with only a few drops from the heavens just in time to cool off the mass of festival attendees, estimated at around 3000 to 4000.

The wide‐ranging festival comprised live bands and performers including Emma Dean, Quinn band and teenage newcomers and crowd favourite wheeleR. Also roving entertainment, green cuisine, demonstrations and speakers like Tim Lang from Northey Street City Farm. The very popular Kids’ zone was run by local children’s entertainer, Renata, with the video zone featuring the Green Earth Festival short film winner Shiny Alumina, also art and fashion displays from other competition winners, plus a huge variety of stalls from many companies including local not for profit organisations.

Green Earth Festival was organised by the not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group Inc that began early 2009 when like‐minded friends of singer/poet and author Leigh‐Chantelle’s saw the need for the uniting of environmental and animal rights groups. Green Earth Group Inc plans to continue with its green education, focusing next on a mini Kids Day Out.

Leigh‐Chantelle Koch, the one‐woman powerhouse and driving force behind Green Earth Festival is extremely pleased with the amount of support, assistance and dedication she has found in many of the volunteers. “People understand that Green Earth Festival is coming from a sincere and positive place and therefore so many people want to get involved from the grassroots up in helping us enact the positive changes that are needed in our society,” says Leigh‐Chantelle. “Every single person involved with Green Earth Festival volunteered their time, energies, skills and expertise. Without all the amazingly committed volunteers, both young and old, Green Earth Festival would not have been possible.”

“My goal with Green Earth Festival and beyond is to encourage all people from all backgrounds to be involved in a positive way to help our environment and to meet other like‐minded individuals,” says Leigh‐Chantelle. “We proved with Green Earth Festival that there is a strong market in Brisbane for environmentally friendly and cruelty free products, goods and services.”

It’s easy being green, ethical and cruelty‐free with Leigh‐Chantelle and her comrades here to show you how.

Feedback Email sent to everyone involved: Thank you for being a part of the first Green Earth Festival in 2010!

We had a beautiful day with intermittent light rain with over 3,000 people who attended. The Green Earth Festival volunteer team was complimented by many on their great teamwork and can‐do attitude. Every single person involved in the Green Earth Festival team volunteered their time, energies, skills and expertise in the lead up of the festival, set up the day before, pack up the day after and obviously on the main day. Without all of our volunteers, Green Earth Festival would not have been possible.

Green Earth Group Inc is a not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group who showed with Green Earth Festival that there is a market in Brisbane (and beyond) for environmentally friendly AND cruelty free products, goods and services. The great Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 63

atmosphere on the day was infectious to all people attending on the day. Working with limited resources, we made this up with a vast array of volunteers who shared their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm on the lead up as well as on the day of Green Earth Festival. Obviously, this was our first year and a few things have to be ironed out for next year.

Please take the time to send in your feedback from the day: What you believe was GREAT about Green Earth Festival What you think can be worked on for next year.

Thank you in advance for your help ;)

Here’s the feedback (both good and constructive) we received: (I’ve not edited any of them, including grammar and spelling)

A big thanks to all of you from all the Wheelers. Yesterday was fantastic fun, and we hope you met your own goals for the festival.

A special thanks to Justin, the guys from Twisted Pair (please pass on our thanks) and everyone from the crew who gave us a hand with gear etc.

Also, a big thanks to whoever managed to get the footage of the little bird on the big screens at the same time Knox was singing Little Birdie ‐ top shelf work.

If someone (at their leisure) could let me know about how to get our hands on photos of the band taken by the GEF photographers (who were also terrific) that would be great.

Cheers, and congratulations on hosting such a great first‐time event.

Juanita Wheeler on behalf of Knox, Flaxton & Xane (Wheeler)

Hi Leigh You did a truly fantastic job with the festival.

While I was a bit disturbed by the number of people giving talks that weren't vegan or presented a welfare approach (maybe both!), the vibe, the variety of stalls and the food were excellent.

How you managed to get all the volunteers you did, coordinate everything and stay calm all the way through ‐ a wonder!

Plus I liked the touch of the vegan signs around the place ‐ you thought of everything, dincha? ; )

You really did yourself credit and produced something as good as any other vegan festival in the country.

My hat ‐ if I wore one ‐ off to you!

Rico

Hi Leigh I had a wonderful time yesterday and enjoyed fellow artists performance as well as my own. I was kindly looked after by the stage crew. Loved being in the round.

Great stage great everything. Thank you Green Earth Festival. Thank you to the botanical vision and thank you to the spirit of the dreamtime.

Cheers, Andrew Lang

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle What a great day yesterday was!! Congratulations to you and all the people who put it together.

Myself and all the other volunteers on the Animal Liberation Qld stall had a great day and said the music, food and mix of groups was great.

I hope it was as successful for you and that you will be able to hold it again next year.

Cheers Annette, Animal Lib Qld

Dear Miss Leigh, Thanks for having me on the line‐up of your fabulous festival. Good to see people making things happen in a grassroots way. You can certainly sign me up for future events.

Salutations, The Reverend Hellfire

Just wanted to say I haven't enjoyed myself so much for a long, long time (without alcohol and drugs) as I did at gef!

Thank you for being such a brave woman and putting this important event on.

Adam also had so lotsa fun and has re‐thought his eating and said it opened his eyes so much.

You deserve a freaking medal for everything you do and you are loved so much by so many.

Jaylene Musgrave

I had a great day. My only thing is I don't think the spoken word guys went down as well with the crowd as one would have liked.

The music acts that were on during the day were brilliant. And the circular set up ‐ it wasn't segregated, you could just drift around (if you had the time to do so). We saw you a few times walking between things and you were looking radiant. I didn't get to go to the speaker's tent or to the film tent or even to check out the kids zone...was crazy

It was funny when we were walking around some of the stalls, especially the business stalls, some of the in‐fighting that was going on haha Like palm oil and packaging and all that... jeez you must have had your hands full with that stuff on the day hahaha can NOT say that I’m jealous.

But yeah ‐ congratulations! you did a brilliant job and achieved a LOT! If I wore a hat, I'd take it off to you hahaha.

Were there any cooking demos at all? I didn't get to do too much research / looking around so I’m not sure ‐ but if not, next year you could look at that perhaps.

Perhaps even market some of the allergy‐related things with cooking demos ‐ celiacs, egg‐free people etc ‐ might drag a few extras in. I don't know ‐ just a thought.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 64

Steven Rixon, Vegetarian & Vegan Society of Queensland

Hi Leigh Chantelle, I thought the Green Earth Fest was an awesome day!! Just wanted to congratulate you! I really loved the selection of stalls & the food!! & the video tent. I spent about 3hours talking to my boyfriend under a tree. The location was great!

All your (& your awesome support) hard work paid off. Well done!!

Janelle Twine

Hello Ladies, I just wanted to say thank you so much for the opportunity to set up at the Green Festival. I had a really great time and the atmosphere and other stallholders were brilliant.

Thanks again Renata for your kind gesture. It is really appreciated.

You did a remarkable job organising all that, it blew me away.

I look forward to catching up with you guys soon.

Regards, Ruth O'Dowd, GO FAIR TRADING

Hi Leigh Chantelle, I hope you're recovering (and still on a high!) from the awesome festival at the weekend‐ you had an amazing team working together so well!

It was so great to be able to be a part of it ‐ the poets who all had a chance to read said that they thought performing during the set changes worked really well ‐ obviously some performers were more 'high energy' than others, and there were some spots that 'worked' better than others, but it was a great opportunity for all of those involved, and we'd love to be again in whatever way you'd like...

Let me know if there's any other feedback you want ‐ and please pass on any other feedback reports you got ‐ both good and critical!

Oh, and once things have settled down (or do they ever!?) we'd love to have you come and perform/read at our event in West End Word or Whatever ‐ after this Saturday the next one will most likely be in May ‐ let us know if your keen to bring your words & music...

Thanks again for the opportunity, it's great to work with such awesome, motivated and conscious people!

Peace, Thomas Day, Words or Whatever

Hey Leigh‐Chantelle, Firstly, congratulations on an awesome festival. I think there was a really positive vibe, heaps of people and a reeally good range of food and other stalls :D!! Hope you are going to have a bit of a well deserved break. Thank gawd the rain held off for most of it & wasn't too heavy when it did rain. The following mixture is a feedback from myself and others who I spoke to throughout the day :)

Positives: 1. Great range of food stalls with lots of options for everyone ‐ I felt sick from eating so much.

2. The movie and demonstration tents were a great idea (and good when it rained to). I noticed quite a fair few people at both at all times :) 3. Botanic Gardens was a great location, the setup of the large area in the middle with stalls all around were really good as you could see it all & walk around seeing the stalls without missing them had they been in different areas (however some of the stalls around the back may have missed out on a bit of business had people not thought to walk around)

Recommendations: 1. There was no big sign outside the Botanic Gardens informing people of it happening in the park, so people who were passing by wouldn't have known it was on. Also, maybe some signage up near the Goodwill Bridge and around QUT? 2. More seating would have been great for people to be able to relax/eat etc. Even though there was plenty of grass, some people prefer a seat (especially if it's been raining/elderly etc).

3. The guys who were speaking loudly and forcefully on the stage were a huge turn off to me and many others.

Glenn Martin

Hi Harry, Brian, Green Earth Festival 2010 was a great success, for the organisers and for the C.B.G. There was no damage except for one divot that took two shovels of sand to repair.

This is mainly due to Dariusz Jasinski Site Manager for the event and C.B.G. Staff who ensured no vehicles except for our gators and one Ute drove on the lawns. This was only a small event though the no vehicle on lawn rule ensured the parks integrity was upheld. Harry I will send you the completed work roster today. Brian there is no damage to report on, feel free to release the bond at your convenience.

Eddie Williams, Operations Supervisor, City Botanic Gardens

Hi Dariusz, I would like to personally thank ‐ you and your Team "Unfuski Productions" for putting the time and effort in, to ensure the integrity and heritage on the City Botanic Gardens was respected during Green Earth Festival 2010. The professionalism shown by you and your team was greatly appreciated. Also, please pass on my gratitude to Leigh‐Chantelle and all the Volunteers who helped to ensure the success of this event. I look forward to working with you again, enjoy the success that hard work brings.

Regards, Ed (Eddie Williams)

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle I am not sure if you are the right person that I should direct this email to ‐ please pass it on to the correct person if need be ‐ but I would like to pass on my thoughts about the festival on the weekend.

Firstly, congratulations on organising such a great event. I understand the amount of time/organisation that goes into producing a festival such as this.

I was disappointed however to find that you had stallholders that did not meet your requirement of "cruelty free accreditation".

I know this because I am a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils and I contacted you regarding a taking part in the festival and hiring a stall. I also contacted our General Manager of Australia who was very willing to look into getting the necessary accreditation for the cruelty free logo, as the oils are 100% cruelty free ‐ we just haven't been through the accreditation process yet.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 65

So I VERY surprised to see another Young Living distributor there with the oils when I refused a stand on the cruelty free issue and because I have been liaising with the company directly I know that that requirement of accreditation has not been meet at this point in time.

I accept that I should not have my products at the festival because it did not meet your requirements. However, I am very disappointed that you have bent the rules for somebody else and are potentially deceiving the public through advertising that states all products are accredited cruelty free.

I hope this is an oversight on your behalf, and the only instance, but I feel that it is important that if you are going to maintain the ethical standards of the festival that you be aware of this situation. A suggestion is that you could ask each stallholder to provide written proof of cruelty free accreditation.

I am happy to discuss this with you further and I look forward to the next festival being authentically cruelty free and vegan.

Thanks for your time and understanding on this matter.

Warm regards, Jen Gallagher

Hello DJ, Thank you for your email, I do appreciate the opportunity to give feedback. Ta.

I was amazed how many people came to see what’s on form the public, being a very small niche market on a small budget, that was a big positive and surprise for me.

Not so much impressed, or rather disappointed with you DJ, I must say, we spoke a couple of days prior to the event, confirming with an email, than I found myself in the second row, where nobody saw us. I told you what I needed and how much space I do require. Marking location on the grass with something Council approves makes everyone’s life in the morning much easier, especially yours.

I will not comment about power issues, we all know about it.

However, I do will make a point about the amount of people that have been accepted to sell food at the festival ‐ being twelve. For its first time running, being such a small market ‐ vegan, how can the event organiser ‐ Leigh‐Chantelle? accept soo many foodies? Obviously to make or cover coast.

Unfortunately there are now many unhappy vendors who made very little profit, if any. I mean two Hare Krishnas on one grass root event, how can that be?

I have been participating at events and festivals for almost three years now ‐ that's what I do for a living, I have never seen that before, not at Woodford or at the National Folk Festival over Easter in Canberra. We all know that the Hare Krishnas take at least one third of the market. If the amount of foodies were kept to six with one Hare Krishna outlet, we all have big smiles, and would be praising all of you for a wonderful event.

The idea is one with prospect, the location excellent, the public happy to come along. It fizzled out after lunch, pity for the main acts on stage.

It would be great and appreciated to reduce the foodies next year to a max at six, happy to pay a little more in compensation to the festival. That will ease the power consumption too.

Finally a Thank you to the many volunteers for helping moving all of Conscious Kitchen equipment ‐ a lot‐ back to the van, and in general to help with the running of the event.

Kind Regards, Thomas, Conscious Kitchen

Dear Leigh‐Chantelle, Congratulations on the Green Earth Festival being a success. I actually ended up attending it for a while because I had to postpone the bike ride till next month because I was told I needed to secure a council permit for it seeing as I'm using a public park as the starting point.

I was impressed with the amount of stalls there, particularly Loving Hut and the Hare Krsnas stall. I bought some food from the former and it tasted absolutely great!!

Emma Dean's set was fantastic as always. Having been a friend of hers for the last 2.5 years now I'm hoping that she will go on to further success with her music and acting career down in Sydney, and I also liked the poet who was on after her, he was a real crack‐up.

I'd like to come along to the meetup on Tuesday and also let the others know about my web groups. The support for the Brisbane Vegetarians group has been quite good, and I'd like to keep the impetus going.

Have an awesome week, and talk to you soon. :D Best wishes, Dario Western

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle This was our first Green Earth Festival. I have to say, that as the veteran of many festivals and markets, yours would be the best organised yet. Your guys ( helpers?) were courteous, efficient even to the extent of coming to all the stalls to tell us that Alice st was being cleared of cars for the Paddy's Day Parade.

You are all to be congratulated. we will be there for you next year or at any of your events.

Regards, Mike (Muzungu) & Mona (Nabankema)

Hello Leigh Chantelle and Green Earth fest people I really enjoyed being a part of the festival.

The kids area was fantastic.

The organization was great and the before hand communication great.

Attitude was wonderful.

Everyone was helpful and cheerful especially volunteers.

Great Stalls ‐ Great people with open and sharing hearts. xxx

On the improvements side.

I found the stage music loud and not very clear.

Some of the poetry (in my opinion) was coming from anger not love.

I believe LOVE is the way to change the world not ANGER. Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 66

As I was giving balances and healing, I was too close to this loud and aggressive expression.

Some people said they could not stay because of the loud music and aggressive voices on the stage.

As a musician myself I am very sensitive to sound.

Having said this a couple of the acts were much more professional.

Maybe next time give people some pointers when talking in the pa that they don't have to yell.

If people are not used to a microphone they may appreciate this and then we can hear them better without the distortion.

I hope this is helpful.

I definitely would offer to be part of the Green Earth Fest again as I believe in all you stand for.

Great Job everyone and thank you for all your hard work.

Peace every step of the way, Soraya

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle, Thank you so much for organising such a wonderful event. I think you will definitely have success again next year and in the future! We would love to continue to be a part of it.

I just have one suggestion that we noticed about the day. We only had 6 people show up to our workshop, and we were thinking that it might have had to do with the location of the speakers tent. It might also have been that it was late in the day, but there were still a fair number of people at the festival. The speakers tent just seemed to be a bit out of the way, behind all the food, and I didn't even notice it until I had to find it for our workshop. If you want to put more emphasis on speakers/workshops, I would suggest having the tent a bit more centrally located.

Other than that though, I thought everything was great. The stallholders were all very interesting and the music was excellent. As a non‐vegan, I was a bit worried about what I would find to eat, but I ended up having too many options! Overall, I think the festival was a great success and I definitely look forward to being a part of it again next year.

Kind regards, Cassie Bryant, Coral Watch

Thank you so much for such a great day guys.

I am extremely impressed on the turn out and the smooth running of this event, especially being the first.

Well done, and I look forward to being involved with more of them in the future.

Please keep in touch!!

With gratitude & good vibes, Ajanta Willert, Good Vibes for You

We just wanted to say a big thank you for allowing us to attend! Our stall was very successful, the team had a fantastic day and said that the festival was enjoyed by all!

Warm regards Rachael Brown, The Wilderness Society

My only major comment is make sure you get a better emcee next year!

Tough call re spoken word. I think it should be mixed up a bit on the main stage in the band changeovers between SW and general speakers... with more general speakers than SW. Then the speakers tent could operate as more of a “workshop” tent for those presentations that are suited to a workshop style etc.

I think the main stage speakers should be similar to those who were invited to present in the speakers tent... as well as some of the sponsors perhaps. SW is probably better suited to a smaller tent, although having one or two of the better ones on the main stage is fine also.

Jackson Walkden‐Brown (our fabulous emcee!)

GEF truly WAS family‐friendly, with loads of stuff for the kids to do and see and taste. Everyone we spoke to was so committed and into their thing, whatever that thing was. I loved that I didn't have to check for bees wax etc, because everything there was already certified cruelty free.

Altogether, there was a really happy vibe and lots of positive, passionate energy. An amazing day!

Lara, Bonar, Olly, Mylo (and Gutz)

Leigh‐Chantelle, Following are some comments / suggestions re the GEF. I didn’t have much opportunity to really take it all in, so my observations are rather general, apart from the areas I was specifically involved in.  Congratulations on a great festival with a really good atmosphere. Thank God the weather was on our side!  Organisation was overall well done, particularly considering how many ‘stakeholders’ were involved and how much co‐ordination was necessary to bring it all together. (Not for the faint‐hearted!!)  The signage was bright and hand‐made which added to the festival ambience.  Layout: Having the majority of the activities located around a central area (like a piazza) facilitates cohesion, and makes the main stage more of a focal point. It also makes it easier to get around all the stalls.  The kid’s entertainment was very popular – great job Renata and helpers!  We were grateful that marked bins for recycling were provided.  Great to have a variety of vegan food choices!

Antje’s (VVSQ stall volunteer) comments:  Really great to get the vegan community together! Good day and good atmosphere.  Very helpful to have volunteers assisting with the unloading of goods at the bump‐in.

Points for further consideration for next time:  If we require that stall holders indicate when they will be setting up, it will allow for better co‐ordination and scheduling of volunteers who are to facilitate their entry and off‐loading.  It may be beneficial to put more thought into the organization, allocation and roles of ‘floating’ volunteers on the day.  Graham suggested that when an activity area is located away from the main hub, as was the case with the kid’s zone and speakers tent, that some prominent signs be placed in the main area directing people to these “fringe areas”. Also, ideally more than one sign with the speakers schedule could be located around the busy areas.  There were more toilets than were needed, though perhaps you have to provide a minimum number according to projected attendance(?)

Antje’s (VVSQ stall volunteer) comments:  Small problem with some merchandise getting wet during a shower.  Restricted space would have been an issue if they’d had a pie warmer there (as had originally been planned).  Some confusion with volunteers helping with the unloading not knowing where to locate their stall.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 67

 Next time, would like to know beforehand, where is best dumping point for waste water.  Volume of music was a bit loud for stallholders.

Janenne K

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle, The photos are great ‐ I particularly like Yan Chen's photos!

It was a great day to be apart of.

What was GREAT about the festival: Music, MC, Location, Kids Zone; Stage, sound, etc. was all professional; Volunteers, smooth set up and pack down; variety of stall holders, great food, toilets were never busy/dirty, weather!!, signage, map, communication leading up to festival, website

What can be improved: To be honest, I didn't enjoy most of the 'spoken word' on main stage ‐ it completely changed the feel of the festival and I think some of it was too aggressive for children. I think it would be more appropriate to have it in another tent so that people who want to listen to it can, without affecting the family‐orientated, festival vibe.

The layout of the stalls could also be improved in my opinion. While it was great to have the circle layout because it was open and inviting, I think if I was placed on a stall that faced the back of the festival I would have been a little annoyed. Perhaps you could have a section specifically for food, then a couple of rows of market stalls?

I think there are some ways you could make the festival more appealing to sponsors so that you can get more cash next year ‐ yay! You could push them in your press releases, do a feature on a different sponsor with e‐newsletters leading up to the festival, you could organise some sort of networking event or launch event for the sponsors before the festival, etc. Make them feel special. :)

Also I think you could be a little clearer about what the festival is about in the future. For example, I think you made a point of not advertising it as a vegan festival in press releases etc but then bombarded patrons with the vegan message (and only the vegan message it seemed ‐ I didn't hear anyone talk about recycling, solar, etc) once they arrived. And then from our point of view we thought everyone, especially sponsors, had to be vegan to be involved but then Peppermint Mag were selling mags that had ads for "eco‐friendly possum fur' etc. eeewww!!! Anyway, just a thought.

I hope that all made sense.

That's all I've got for you! It was a great festival, with an unbelievable turn out and I hope it continues to be an annual event. The stallholders on either side of us both seemed very happy all day. The Green Earth Group Inc. did a wonderful job in organising it and bringing it all together for a smooth and professional festival.

Hopefully I'll see you soon, Amanda, Vegan Era

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle and other organisers,

Thanks so much for involving us at your event. Although we had some power problems during the day, it was a success for us and we look forward to working with you next year. Thank you also to the lovely volunteers who helped us throughout the day.

I am currently working with Boost Juice to provide us with another solution for biodegradable packaging for next year’s event. The problem is that the current paper cups I have been informed actually take more energy to produce than the non‐biodegradable Styrofoam type we currently use. So hopefully with some time, these issues will be ironed out ready for next years event.

Thanks heaps again.

Sincerely, Sarah Williams, Boost Juice

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle, Positive:  Lots of positive comments on the videos: Food Matters, The Cove and Home. Also the Shiny Alumina video and talk went down very well.  Everyone said the "vibe" of the festival was really good.  Food got a big rave!  The Botanic Gardens was a beautiful place to hold the festival.  Plenty of toilets.

Negative:  Got a little hot in the video tent, had to leave sides open for air, which reduced picture quality but not a big issue.  A few people wanted info about which bands/speakers were on at which times and I didn't have that info handy. A big central timetable board would be good next time.  Perhaps a big central "signpost" pointing to the different zones would also be fun!

Love, Carol Hughes

Things for next year:

Start to contact volunteers about 3 weeks prior to event rather than 1 week Maybe sell volunteers t‐shirts for $5 rather than $10 as people would be more willing to pay If we are lucky enough to get our lunch cooked again tell all volunteers prior the event Proper Radio system to keep track of radios and check ups threw the day.

Always have radio on both gates Not so many volunteers between 11am‐3pm More volunteers scheduled for clean up Have speaker tent in a more visual place Time schedules placed around more places

From my end this is all I could think to add.

Everyone did such a great job for me I can’t complain about anything..

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 68

Have a lovely night and I look forward to next year.

Speak again soon, Crystal Obst, Volunteer Coordinator

Hi Leigh Chantelle, I thought I'd drop you a note with some thoughts;

I) Clearly overall, the festival appeared to be an overwhelming success ‐ I don't know if there were things behind the scenes that could have run better ‐ but from the front of stage and around all the stalls there was such a great vibe and atmosphere.

ii) Related to this, a fair few people who I saw on the day commented on how Green Earth Fest had much more of a grass roots, and community vibe to it than Green Fest ‐ less corporate sponsorship or council/govt eco‐green washing ‐ this was noticed and loved! (Although one friend did come and ask if this was Green Fest ‐ doh! similar name issues maybe ;‐/ )

iii) Almost every performer I spoke to commented on how unusually AWESOME the sound, stage management, and tech. crew were ‐ I have worked at a fair few events and it's not uncommon to find the most critical people in terms of sound/stage etc lacking in good communication skills ‐ not so for Green Earth ‐ I think the sound and stage, management crew, & MC's are hugely responsible for setting a 'stress level' back stage ‐ and at Green Earth ‐ it was chilled, peaceful and a great place for people to have the chance to perform. Congrats on an amazing team of people!

iv) While I think that the poetry did work well for the most part during the set changes ‐ there still seemed to be a bit of space during most of the changes ‐ perhaps some of the groups there, Sea Shepherd, Friends of the Earth etc could give an info. plug or brief 2 minute call out for support or something in addition? Just a thought....

Poetry Thoughts: Overall, I thought that poets during set changes was a great success.

One poet got in touch to say he thought this really didn't work and that the poets could have been on in the speakers tent later in the day – I disagree, and I have to say for exposure, interaction and effectiveness, I think the main stage was a great venue.

That said ‐ I also think that some 'styles' of poetry worked better than others ‐ poets who either had the ability to 'hold the stage' or interact with the crowd I think had a better experience than some who are used to reading in more intimate, quiet settings. I also realized that there were some programming issues as far as sending on some more 'abstract' poets after big crowd pulling bands ‐ again something that could be worked on for next time if you wanted to do a similar thing...

Thanks for all you feedback that you've fwd throughout the week ‐ I have my own thoughts about voice volume and passionate expression not equalling anger and hate as per one of the emails that someone sent in ‐ but I can see why people find it confronting to experience some of the more intense spoken word stuff ‐ as long as this is done respectfully and in a spirit of performance I think this can often be a good thing.

Well that' about all from me ‐ I am really keen to hear the other feedback from the day ‐ and all (good AND bad!) relevant info about how people thought the spoken word sets went down.

Have a good de‐brief, sorry again I can't make it.

Cheers, Thomas Day

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you to say a big thank you for putting on such a wonderful festival. The day was awesome. It had a great range of products, people, music, speakers and vibes. Well done to you and all the team. Every one was great and the day had an amazing atmosphere. A really good turn out of people and the weather held. Keeping the event in a circle created a great homely feeling.

The only thing that I think could be improved on was promotion to try and get more people through. But I am sure that word of mouth will do wonders.

You really have done an amazing job. Well done. Stick to the principle of the festival and you are onto a winner.

I hope it all can together your end and that we are looking forward to next year.

Thanks again.

Best regards, Mark Pelmore, Good Concepts

The positive experiences was there was no vegetative experiences, there may have been some problems with power with some of the stall holders, but they were very nice, I wasn't even expecting anything for helping out but some offered me some of their products to try for free, I guess if they see we are doing our best to help them out in return they were very appreciative in us trying to fix the small problems.

I'd like to help out next year with using a lot of Recyclable materials for signage/Art and get other people involved as well. Make some positive signage to put around the event, this stuff makes people happy :)

Also I spoke to Jonathon from Yogafeast he's interested in doing an early morning yoga session to start off the event, we could catch up with him in brissy in the next few weeks to chat.

Sorry we can't be there tonight but next time your down the coast we are more than happy to catch up, discuss how we can help you out next year. Look forward to hearing all the positive stuff from the meetings, and your goals for the year for GEF. You have our full support for next years event, this time round we're happy to come on board earlier for the event‐given the short notice we had, we did the best to help out.

Thankyou Leigh, it was a magical experience :) Warm Regards!

Anton White

Hi Leigh Here are some of the things that come to mind as good and bad points of the festival:

Good Fantastic event overall!

Quite a few people, especially for a first event Excellent Location Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 69

Nice weather ‐ the few drops of rain didn't matter Plenty of space for people ‐ not crammed closely together Great selection of food Good variety of stalls Good range of music, spoken word, speakers...

Bad Stalls near stage had to talk over music etc?? ‐ maybe stage should be away from stalls area?

People talking about being vegetarian People presenting welfare views Not a big problem, but talks a little disorganized eg speakers missing, ad hoc talks, people late.

Nonvegan food vendors making vegan food? Then again, the Hare's aren't vegan, but I’m ok with them making food.

Rico

We would just like to thank you for organising an excellent event in the form of the Green Earth Festival. We liked very much the general vibe, good general organisation, type of people attracted, and general mix of activities. There was also plenty of volunteer assistance and great organisation of the get in and out.

Dariusz asked us to give any feedback we could to further improve future events. Our main thoughts would be to have a clear layout of the stalls/ power before vendors arrive. For example, when we arrived all power sockets had been taken (clearly necessary for freezers), there was no space for us and we had to make room between two tent which meant than when it rained the rain came down directly in the middle of the stall (not great for electrical equipment). This arrangement also meant we had less that 3m of stall space so we could not display all advertising material (Benna had sewn up a 3m long banner for the event).

Please don't take this the wrong way though. We sold out in the first 4 hours and loved the event. We would also like to be involved in any future events you may arrange. Our stock was at this time limited by bringing the kids and only one van. We also appreciate we only heard about, booked and payed for the festival late in the day and were the last vendors to arrive :‐). Our stall is quite minimalist and handcrafted so does not take too long to set up ‐ which is how we like it.

We are slowly expanding into Brisbane and install our first freezer at the Organic Green Grocers on Friday. Any ideas where you may like to see them?

Thanks anyhow and we hope you enjoyed it too!

All the best, John / Benna, Ice Blocks!

Congratulations on a job well done re Green Earth ‐ but just a suggestion ‐ the noise from the stage was far too loud. It was extremely difficult trying to talk to people, and several people commented ‐ but apart from that, it was a good show.

Maureen, VVSQ

Volunteer Thankyou at Burleigh Heads – 3 April

Surprise & Thankyou Party for Leigh‐Chantelle – 10 April

(Dress up as LC theme)

Great Green Success – article in UK The Vegan magazine, (UK) Summer Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 70

View the whole magazine

Annerley Sustainable Festival – 19 June

LC’s talk on the Environmental Impacts of our Diet at A Green Expo, Redland Bay ‐ 20 June

Teens Get Keen As Festival Fever Goes Green article – July Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 71

By Melanie Cox

Brisbane’s newest environmental, The Green Earth Festival has been confirmed to take place this September at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

The free, wide‐ranging festival will aim to increase environmental awareness for all ages (yes, teenagers too) through a more appealing setting.

A variety of entertainment of live bands, local acts and other up and coming performers will be offered. It will be an attempt to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye. The key here is to encourage people to make simple changes in their everyday lives such as recycling trash instead of unrealistic drastic measures.

We must protect our environment and set an example of a world we want to leave for generations to come.

Festivities include green cuisines, second stage for demonstrations and guest speakers, children’s area, video zone, art and fashion displays, plus a variety of stalls from businesses and not for profit organizations.

Following the success of last year’s 3,000 person turnout and 100 volunteers, the Green Earth Festival is a great opportunity for anyone to get together promoting environmental awareness and protection measures at local grassroots communities, on multiculturalism and the Indigenous people of their culture.

The family‐orientated event is run by not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group Inc, led by organizers with an array talents to bring to the table including singer/poet / model and author Leigh‐Chantelle Koch. It began with a bunch of friends with similar interests. Professional event organizers of large music festivals such as the Big Day Out also volunteer their expertise making this the most educating and stimulating environmental festival to date.

“Music Festivals are one of the ways to best engage audience attention for long periods of time, especially Generation‐Y; a big part of our target audience, and probably the hardest to reach. We spent lots of time coming up with cool new concepts for a fun festival that also sends out the right message”.

Koch has praised for successfully reaching Generation‐Y audiences. Getting Generation‐Y motivated has seemed impossible to older generations, but Koch has regular volunteers who in turn, bring their friends to meetings leading up the event.

“The older generations may see Generation Y as lazy and less likely to take action, however I believe that if you can get people inspired to want to change and believe that they can enact these changes, the possibilities are endless”.

Koch attributed her success to utilizing new media, in particular social media networking sites to reach Generation‐Y; a mistake many make in the past, using methods such as social networking, online teams, street teams, word of mouth, regular meetings, competitions, fundraisers, creative days.

“Generation‐Y have shown they are willing to help if given a push in the right direction” says Koch, “ this is where the older generations need to step in, and lead them the right direction in a way that appeals to them”.

Facebook in particular paid off, with 500 people joining the GEF fan page in the first 5 days. “Anything creative that encourages all different types of the community to be involved is what we were trying to promote with GEF” says Koch.

GEF now has YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter pages as well as mailing lists, blogs, podcasts, all necessary tools to effectively appeal to younger generations.

To become a volunteer, all are invited to attend meetings. See http://www.greenearthfestival.net

Greening up your Workplace seminar with Dr Aryan Tavakkoli Loving Hut: Tuesday 7th September

The struggle to save the global environment is in one way much more difficult than the struggle to vanquish Hitler, for this time the war is with ourselves. We are the enemy, just as we have only ourselves as allies. ‐ Al Gore

Albion Peace Centre: Wednesday 8th September Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 72

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GcKemmnO7Q for part 1 of Dr Aryan Tavakkoli's informative talk!

Dr Aryan interview with Leigh‐Chantelle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZCi4PbnlZk

PARK(ing) Day Brisbane outreach – 17th September

Photos by Carol Slater Photography

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 73

World Farm Animal Day outreach – 2nd October

Photos by Carol Slater Photography

Coorparoo Stall 19‐20 December

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Newsletter sent out on 27 December 2010:

With only 75 days left until Green Earth Day 2011 I thought it was a great time to say thank you for your support the past year or so ‐ plus a welcome to some new members!

Green Earth Group put on the successful Green Earth Festival (now re‐named) in March this year with a huge 3000‐4000 people coming to a not‐for‐profit, grassroots, community event that the nay‐sayers said was too much of a niche market for Brisbane folk. Well, we proved them wrong, so thank you if you attended, spread the word and especially if you were/are one of our fabulous volunteers!

Maybe I use too many exclamation points, but I do get excited (!) when an idea from two friends of mine, Jess and Kas, became a goal that I was able to connect with many like‐minded people, directing them to a cause that they believed in and turning it into a great festival for everyone involved. I still get amazing feedback. From school students to grand parents, our volunteers are from all stages and walks of life. We are always on the lookout for positive, committed and enthusiastic volunteers to help with Green Earth Day, the various market stalls we have and many more activities throughout the year. If you're interested in helping out, please let me know.

Other than Green Earth Festival we had various educational events including nutrition seminars and Greening up your Workplace talks. We also attended various green events and I also gave some talks on the Environmental consequences of our Diet. There are many people who want to learn more about the environment and the ways our food and lifestyle choices are affecting our planet. We are the only ones who can take responsibility and control for future generations, so obviously the time is now. We are also working on a long‐term project involving the important information we belief needs to be known but in a much more accessible, entertaining, aesthetically‐pleasing and informative medium. Stay tuned.

Green Earth Group were also involved in a few fun outreach adventures in Brisbane city, including PARK(ing) Day where we converted some concrete space in the city to a Green Earth shrine. Not only do our volunteers like dressing up to help promote our goals and objectives but they do it with a smile and such positive attitudes. Even when it was pouring down rain from the skies one day in early October, I dressed up as Little Bo Peep and my group of (humans dressed up as) animal friends were still an enthusiastic bunch for World Animal Day. We love meeting new people and having discussions with them.

We started our market stalls this month at the Coorparoo indoor markets and will be continuing them in the new year, with New Farm, West End and Northey St markets all getting a visit from Green Earth Group. If you are able to help in anyway please get in contact.

Thanks again to everyone who was a part of the inception of Green Earth Group. I really appreciate all of your help, feedback, advice, assistance and friendship over the past year. Here's to an even better 2011 and I hope to see you again, along the Green Earth Group fabulous ride!

2010 Expenses

Green Earth Day:

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Website designed by Design Voodoo ‐ http://designvoodoo.com

Logos

Designed by Design Voodoo ‐ http://designvoodoo.com

Green Earth Festival Information Pack Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 76

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 77

Designed by Adele Walker � http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/

Green Earth Festival Application Form

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Designed by Adele Walker ‐ http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/

Volunteer Information Sheet

HELP NEEDED TO PROMOTE Ongoing: Street Team Handing out Green Earth Day postcards and business cards, sticking up posters Finding Sponsors and Stallholders for Green Earth Day Wearing the Green Earth Day shirts in groups, combined with dance and or mime, however creative you feel!

Attending our Market Stalls, volunteering for a few hours, baking vegan desserts or donating ingredients. New Farm, West End and Northey Street (various dates – check Upcoming Events page) Internet Team ‐ People to help promote Green Earth Day online on: Press Release sites Sites on: green, environmental, kids’, vegan, vegetarian, tourism, community, grassroots, health, lifestyle, recycling, sustainability, not for profit, art/fashion/short film, music, video etc Event listing websites

ALSO: Competitions: Art, Short Film and Green with Envy Fashion competitions – entries due by 27th Feb http://greenearthday.net/take‐part/enter‐competitions.html Merchandise: Show your support for Green Earth Day with our green calico bags, t‐shirts and badges! http://greenearthday.net/shop.html Meetings: come along to our regular meetings at Loving Hut, Mt Gravatt to add your imput, find out what’s happening and how you can help out Become a Green Earth Group Member: only $20 for a one year membership to Green Earth Group you help us raise the much‐needed funds for Green Earth Day PLUS you get:  Voting rights at our annual general meetings  10% discount on the Green Earth Group merchandise  Discounts on a variety of businesses and groups  Monthly email updates  To be part of a innovative and successful independent, not‐for‐profit organisation  To help to be part of the increasing need to take responsibility for our actions and to be proactive in enacting change http://greenearthday.net/membership/membership.html Donate: to help us raise the funds needed to put on Green Earth Day please donate to Green Earth Group http://greenearthday.net/donate.html

PROMOTE OUR SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES: FaceBook: follow our Green Earth Group & Green Earth Day pages Share the Green Earth Day event with your FaceBook friends (plus other Green Earth Group events, including Creative Days and Market Stalls) Twitter: follow us and re‐Tweet our updates on Twitter YouTube: follow us and share our videos on YouTube

Other ways to help: Email your contact/mailing lists Change your email signature to include Green Earth Day details Add banners/web buttons on your website Promote Green Earth Day on social Networking sites, groups Write to your local papers/magazines about Green Earth Day Write about Green Earth Day in your blogs, or on your websites Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 79

-

Add Green Earth Day details to your school/work newsletters Ring or text your radio/TV stations to let them know Help us countdown to the Festival: Every Saturday post a “_ weeks left until Green Earth Day” on your social networking updates etc Use your imagination!!

If you are interested in helping out please email the below to Leigh‐Chantelle: Name: Email address: Postal address: Phone Number: T‐shirt size: (Chest measurement in inches “) Gals: S – 32.25, M – 34.75, L – 37, XL – 38.25 Guys: S – 36, M – 38, L – 40, XL ‐ 42 Date/Time you can help: eg. 2pm‐6pm Friday & Saturday Area/s you’d like to help out in: eg. Speakers tent (ALL face painters MUST attend at least one Creative Day)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE FOLLOWING DAYS: Upcoming Markets/Bake Sales: Sat 5th Feb – West End – 6am‐2pm Sat 12th Feb – New Farm – 6am‐12pm Sat 19th Feb – West End – 6am‐2pm Sat 26th Feb – New Farm – 6am –12pm Sun 6th Mar – Northey Street – 6am‐10: 30am (Organic Only, Gluten Free preferred) Sat 12th Mar – Green Earth Festival Cake Stall Volunteers needed to help out at stalls, people to bake vegan desserts or donate ingredients – especially gluten free (organic for Northey St) WE also need Bakers and ingredients for the all‐vegan Cake stall at Green Earth Day

Saturday 26th Feb & Saturday 5th March – Creative Days Creative Types gathering to create signage and more for Green Earth Day Plus a crash course in Face Painting for those who want to learn ‐ this is a requirement for the festival Face Painters. Lunch will be provided 10am – 2pm Saturday 26th February ‐ New Farm Park (near the Powerhouse) Saturday 5th March ‐ Albion Peace Centre, Windsor Bring chairs, tarpaulins, paint, brushes, tools and other creative items to create what will be used at Green Earth Day and decorate the St Patrick’s Day float ALL face painters NEED to attend at least one Creative Day

Friday 11th March (day before) Setting up, decorating, helping with bump in of stalls (4 hour shifts) 10am‐2pm: 1pm‐5pm: 2pm‐6pm: Bump In: 1pm – 6pm

Saturday 12th March – Green Earth Day! Volunteers to walk from the city to the festival at 9am, 12pm and 3pm in Green Earth Day shirts, animal costumes and with banners or signs

St Patrick’s Day Parade: 10:30am – 11:30am People with bikes and/or with signs wearing Green Earth Day t‐shirts needed to accompany Justin’s recycled pedal‐powered float with live band, El Guano. Begin intersection of Elizabeth & George Streets, down Elizabeth Street to Edward Street, Right turn into Edward Street to Alice Street, Right turn into Alice Street, Parade concludes at corner of Alice and George Streets.

Areas at Green Earth Day to help out at: Stalls & Green Cuisine, Main stage, Kid’s Zone, Video Zone, Art & Fashion, Speakers & Demonstrations, Competitions, Surveys, Raffles, Auctions, Head Quarters, Vegan Police, Recycling Educators and MORE!

Help needed to bump in (setting up) and bump out (packing up), setting up stalls, making sure everything is running smoothly in all the areas at the festival (4 hour shifts) 7am‐11pm: 10am‐2pm: 2pm‐ 6pm: 4pm‐8pm: Bump In: 7am – 9am Bump Out: 6pm – 8pm

Kids’ Zone: Face Painting:(2 hour shifts) for people who love kids and have done Face Painting training at the Creative Day 10am‐12pm: 12pm‐2pm: 2pm‐4pm:

Sunday 14th March (day after) Volunteers to help with extras 10am‐2pm

Thank YOU in advance for your help, without YOU the Green Earth Day would not be happening!

This document uses Ecofont, the Dutch font that uses less ink and toner if printed.

See www.ecofont.eu to download

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 80

Promotional Photos ‐ 10 January Leigh‐Chantelle

Kids Zone Crew

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Renata

Miss Helen & Andrew

Photos by Carol Slater ‐ http://c‐s‐p.com.au

Posters Main

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Updated (pocket�sized version) poster

Kids

All posters designed by Adele Walker � http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/

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Competition Information & Entry Forms Art

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Fashion

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Film

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All designed by Adele Walker ‐ http://bambiwantsrevenge.com Press Releases

Be creative and Green this year – 4 January Brisbane’s newest environmental event, Green Earth Day (previously Green Earth Festival) will take place once again in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens on Saturday 12 March. Green Earth Day is organised by the not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group that began early 2009 when like‐minded friends of Founder and President, Leigh‐Chantelle Koch saw the need for the uniting the public to become more environmentally aware.

Green Earth Group is looking for artists, filmmakers, fashion designers and other creative types to create a masterpiece for Green Earth Day’s Art, Short Film and Green with Envy Fashion Competitions. These competitions help to raise awareness of creative and artistic types, especially in Brisbane and to give a great platform for their creations. The theme for all the competitions is anything related to environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable practices. “This is a great opportunity for the artistic community to participate in reaching the mainstream with their work,” says Organiser Leigh‐ Chantelle.

Artwork must fit into one of the following categories: Drawing, Painting, Sculpture or Photography. Fashion entries must fit into one of the following categories: Wearable art, Casual wear, Bridal or Evening wear, Menswear, Children’s wear. Film entries must be a maximum of 10 minutes long, in any genre with no minimum length.

Public voting for the Art and Green with Envy Fashion competitions will take place on the Green Earth Day website (greenearthday.net), and the Short Film competition will be voted at a viewing night open to the public. Entry fee for each competition is $20 per entry with no limit to the number of entries a person/group can enter, competition entries accepted from anywhere in the world. Entries must be submitted by Sunday 27 February 2011. Winners of the Art competition will be on display at Green Earth Day, Fashion competition winners will take place in the Green with Envy Fashion Parade and the winning Short Film will be shown at Green Earth Day.

Shiny Alumina won the Short Film competition in 2010. The film was made, filmed and written by a group of youngsters including Luisa Randall (9, Producer & Writer), Darcie Mudd (10, Writer & Presenter), Alexia Guifre (10, Editor), Emily Wiliamson (10, Director) and Nicholas Clough (10, Camera Operator). Angela Ryder won the Art competition with her Under the Fig Tree Painting and Velvet Pesu won the Fashion competition with her Concentric Circles On Red Wearable Art piece, made entirely of recycled materials including woven recycled film.

Green Earth Day is a free, family orientated, drug and alcohol free, grassroots, community event which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye; encouraging people to make simple changes in their everyday lives to help our environment, our animal friends and the Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 87

world we leave for generations to come.

This wide‐ranging festival will comprise live bands, performers and roving entertainment; green cuisine, demonstrations, speakers, children’s zone, video zone, art and fashion displays, plus stalls from many local businesses not for profit organisations.

See greenearthday.net for more information on the competitions and festival. Green Earth Group is currently looking for Sponsors, Stallholders and Volunteers.

Promotional Videos

GED advert by Nick

Interview with LC at GEF

Kids Green Fun in the Park – 12 January Many local Brisbane children’s entertainers are joining together in a great kids day out programme taking place at Green Earth Day (previously Green Earth Festival) on Saturday 12 March at Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens.

“Expect a great day of fun for all families,” says Renata Halpin, Kids’ Zone Manager. “The gardens are a great place to get the whole family involved with doing their bit to help the environment. Last year’s festival was great for kids of all ages with the Kids Zone entertaining non‐stop all day.”

Green Earth Day is a free, family orientated, community event that aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye.

This wide‐ranging festival is focused firmly on the family and includes everything you need for a great day out such as stalls, food, speakers, live music and entertainment, kids’ zone, video zone, as well as short film, art and fashion competitions.

Start the day with yoga for kids and join in with face painting, bubble blowing, games, kids gardening and fitness fun throughout the day. Shows include Renata’s guitar show, Roushini’s Bollywood Fun and Fitness, Passion for our Planet theatre show and Andrew’s Little Green Thumbs gardening show. Local Brisbane Author, Miss Helen will also be hosting Storytelling Time where she will be reading from her independently‐released books.

Green Earth Day is being organised by the not‐for‐profit environmental awareness, Green Earth Group that began early 2009 when like‐minded friends of event organiser, Leigh‐Chantelle saw the need for a uniting of the public to become more involved with being environmentally aware.

Together with many other volunteers from across Brisbane and beyond, the Green Earth Day team are united to form a strong grassroots, community event where everyone from all areas of the community are invited to join in with the passion, but most of all in having fun in the name of green earth education.

For more information, see www.greenearthday.net/info/kids‐zone.html Find us on FaceBook, YouTube and follow us on Twitter

Planting the Seeds of Change – 8 February With just over one month until Brisbane’s environmental festival, Green Earth Day (previously Green Earth Festival) takes place, the not for profit environmental awareness Green Earth Group is preparing to guide others towards planting the seeds of change needed to ensure that we are protecting our environment for future generations.

Green Earth Day will take place on Saturday 12 March once again at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. This wide ranging family‐ friendly festival includes everything you need for a great day out such as live bands, performers and roving entertainment, green cuisine, speakers and demonstrations, kids’ zone, video zone, art and fashion displays, plus market stalls from many local companies including not for profit organisations.

Green Earth Day is a free, family orientated, community event, which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye. Green Earth Day is being organised by the not‐for‐profit environmental awareness, Green Earth Group who aim to provide education and encouragement to the community, showing others how to make simple changes to support the health and integrity of our environment and the world we leave for generations to come.

President and Founder of Green Earth Group, Leigh‐Chantelle Koch who also organises and promotes Green Earth Day says, “The time has come for everyone to step up and take responsibility for our actions. With the devastation that Queensland, Australia Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 88

and other countries are experiencing, we are being called to action, to work together to create the changes that our universe is crying out for.” The passion, commitment and dedication one person has, when combined with other likeminded people is, according to Leigh‐Chantelle, what makes the magic really happen.

“My goal is to encourage people from all backgrounds to be involved in a positive way to help our environment,” says Leigh‐ Chantelle. “People see that Green Earth Group is coming from a sincere and positive place and want to get involved from the grassroots up in helping us enact the positive changes that are needed in our society.” “We have had an overwhelming response from people young and old who want to be involved,” states Leigh‐Chantelle. “Every single person involved with Green Earth Day volunteers their time, energies and skills to our yearly environmental event.”

Green Earth Group information stalls can be found at some of Brisbane’s markets and will also be participating in the St Patrick’s Day parade with a recycled, pedal‐powered float, created by one of their volunteers, Justin Ryan. Together with many volunteers from Brisbane and beyond, the Green Earth Day team are united to form a strong grassroots, community event where people from all areas of the community are invited to join in with having fun in the name of green earth education.

It’s easy being green and Leigh‐Chantelle and her comrades are here to show you how.

See www.greenearthday.net for more information and find us on FaceBook, YouTube and Twitter.

New venue doesn’t stop the Green Earth Day – 28 February The aftermath of the Brisbane floods is effecting everyone, even Brisbane’s environmental festival, Green Earth Day (previously Green Earth Festival) who have had to change the venue for their Brisbane event due to lack of Sponsors and large donations this year. Green Earth Day (the Pocket‐sized version) will now take place at the Albion Peace Centre in Windsor on Saturday 12 March instead of at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

Green Earth Group, the not for profit environmental awareness who organise Green Earth Day each year, is still prepared to ensure that the Brisbane community has something special taking place even with the setback of changing the venue so close to the day of the festival. Green Earth Group will provide a guide towards planting the seeds of change needed to ensure that we are protecting our environment for future generations. Green Earth Group aim to provide education and encouragement to the community, showing others how to make simple changes to support the health and integrity of our environment and the world we leave for generations to come.

Green Earth Day (the Pocket‐sized version) is a wide ranging family‐friendly event that is stripped back from the original festival but still includes everything you need for a great day out such as live acoustic performers, green cuisine, speakers and demonstrations, kids’ zone, video zone, plus market stalls from local companies including not for profit organisations. Green Earth Day is a free, family orientated, community event, which aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye.

President and Founder of Green Earth Group, Leigh‐Chantelle Koch who also organises and promotes Green Earth Day says that she was initially upset that the festival wouldn’t be in the form she had hoped for and worked towards but is still passionate about getting the green message out. “The time has come for everyone to step up and take responsibility for our actions. With the devastation that Queensland, Australia and other countries are experiencing, we are being called to action, to work together to create the changes that our universe is crying out for.” The passion, commitment and dedication one person has, when combined with other likeminded people is, according to Leigh‐Chantelle, what makes the magic really happen.

“My goal is to encourage people from all backgrounds to be involved in a positive way to help our environment,” says Leigh‐ Chantelle. “People see that Green Earth Group is coming from a sincere and positive place and want to get involved from the grassroots up in helping us enact the positive changes that are needed in our society.” “We have had an overwhelming response from people young and old who want to be involved,” states Leigh‐Chantelle. “Every single person involved with Green Earth Day volunteers their time, energies and skills to our yearly environmental event.”

Green Earth Group are a not‐for‐profit group that relies on memberships, donations and fundraising to ensure that their message is promoted to the public. Green Earth Group will also be participating in the St Patrick’s Day parade with a recycled, pedal‐ powered float, created by one of their volunteers, Justin Ryan. Together with many volunteers from Brisbane and beyond, the Green Earth Day team are united to form a strong grassroots, community event where people from all areas of the community are invited to join in with having fun in the name of green earth education. It’s easy being green and Leigh‐Chantelle and her comrades are here to show you how.

See www.greenearthday.net for more information and find us on FaceBook, YouTube and Twitter. http://www.prlog.org/11336937‐new‐venue‐doesnt‐stop‐the‐green‐earth‐day‐festivities.html

Green Earth Day Merchandise

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Bag, T‐Shirt & Fregie Sacks

Designed by Design Voodoo ‐ http://designvoodoo.com

Green Earth Day Sponsors Premium Sponsor: Loving Hut restaurant

Gold Sponsor: Cruelty Free Super

Silver Sponsors: Viva la Vegan!

Bronze Sponsors: Vegan Easy Challenge VegeRama

Supporting Sponsors: Good Vibes for you water Meatout Vegan Voice magazine Radical Paint VegFund

Media Partners: The Green Directory

Raffle Donors: Dogs Deserve Better Cocolo Chocolate Hei cubes Qi Tea Rhino Coffee

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The Smoothie Cycle Planet Earth Singles

Volunteer Gift Pack Donors: Animals Australia Planet Earth Singles Universal Village Vegan Pet

Green Earth Day Stalls & Green Cuisine Selling and promoting environmentally aware, recycled and certified cruelty�free products ranging from skin care to cleaning, clothing to cookbooks and everything in between.

Stalls The Cruelty Free Shop Cruelty Free Super Go Green at Home Good Concepts Good Vibes for You Miessence Mojarra Natural Health Marketing Organic Hair Care Supplies & Beauty Products Pure Bamboo Solar Shop Ugandan Paper Beads Viva la Vegan!

White Lotus Health & Healing

Not for Profits Animal Liberation, Qld Animal Rescue Queensland Animals Australia Australian Marine Conservation Society Australian School of Meditation and Yoga Battery Hen Adoption Project Brisbane Independent School Charlie's Angels Horse Rescue Inc. City Smart EcoDigs Green Earth Group Last First Networks Nonhuman Rescue Ops Our Place on Earth Sahaja Yoga Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Suseonjae Meditation School Transition Brisbane Vegetarian/Vegan Society of Qld Zeitgeist/Venus Project

Green Cuisine Stalls from cruelty�free food producers and restaurants, selling and sampling a wide range of multicultural hot and cold meals, snacks and sweets, foods and drinks.

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Funky Pies Hellhound Hotdogs Orgazmic Langos ROAR Foods The Smoothie Cycle

Speakers & Workshops Program 10:00 ‐ Yoga Class with Australian School of Meditation and Yoga asm.org.au 10:30 ‐ Dr Sarah Lantz, Miessence ‐ Not just a pretty face: the dirty secrets of the cosmetics industry 11:00 ‐ ROAR FoodDemonstration with Suki & Brendan from ROAR Food 11:40 ‐ Michael Dalton from Eyes on Taiji Effective Activism Overseas 12:00 ‐ Rolf Kuelsen, Transition Brisbane Transition Initiatives 12:30 ‐ Natania Clarke, Solar Shop AustraliaThe Environmental Benefits of Solar 13:00 ‐ Michael Wiedermann, Zeitgeist Sustainability & Resource Management 13:30 ‐ Lee Coates, Cruelty Free SuperEthical Money & Cruelty Free Savings 14:00 ‐ Cooking Demo with Leigh Drew, vegan cook and author 15:00 ‐ Gerard Bisshop, Green Earth Group Eating up the World 16:00 ‐ Jodi Ruckley, Our Place on EarthTalk with our Animal friends 16:30 ‐ Andrew Bartlett, ex‐Democrats Senator & Brisbane Greens candidatePolitics and the Environment 17:00 ‐ Billy Simmonds, Mr Universe 2009Vegan Bodybuilding 17:30 ‐ Amanda Benham, Accredited Practicing DietitianTo Supplement or not to Supplement 18:00 ‐ Thank You

Acoustic Performers Program 10:00 Yoga/Meditation music with Des 10:30 Matt & Rob 11:00 Ballad Boy 11:45 Ben Gill 12:30 Stephen Denham 1:30 Caught Jester 2:30 Wheeler 3:30 RAFFLE draw 3:45 Jud the Vegan 4:45 DC Love 5:45 JAM session – open for all

Kids Zone Program 10:00 ‐ 10:30 Kids Yoga 10:30 ‐ 11:00 Renata's Acoustic Show link 11:00 ‐ 11:30 Bubble Blowing 11:30 ‐ 12:00 Forest Friends Show 12:00 ‐ 12:15 Hula Hoop Games 12:15 ‐ 12:30 River Story 12:30 ‐ 1:00 Ball Games 1:00 ‐ 1:30 Green Thumbs Plant Show 1:30 ‐ 2:00 Storytelling Session 2:00 ‐ 2:30 Dance and Freeze Music Game 2:30 ‐ 3:00 Roushini's Bollywood Fun and Fitness Show 3:00 ‐ 3:30 Renata's Acoustic Show 3:30 ‐ 4:00 Passion for the Planet Show

Video Zone Program 10:00 Story of Stuff 10:25 The Animals You Eat 10:40 Chow Down 11:55 Animals Australia ‐ Bobby Calves 12:10 Making the Connection 12:45 A Vegan Life ‐ Competition Winner PLUS Q&A with the film maker Carolyn Wagner 1:10 No Impact Man 2:45 Story of... Bottled Water, Cosmetics & Electronics 3:15 Fearless & the Great Reef ‐ Shark footage 3:45 Call of Life 5:05 Sisters on the Planet 5:50 Story of... Cap & Trade

Art & Fashion Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 92

Congratulations to our Art Competition winner (and youngest entrant) Jhett who won with his Spiders in the Flood Zone photograph:

Other entries include Earth Tribe by Michaele, Our Friends by Carol & Balance by Marilyn Anderson:

Someone who works with Nature, cooperating with her ways, will waste less energy and time than the person who works against her

Getting There

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Bake Sale Fundraisers at various Markets in January & February

New Farm Market

West End Market

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Photos by Willis

Newsletter sent out on 22 February 2011 Due to the Brisbane & Queensland floods (plus the ongoing weather), which has impacted everyone ‐ whether or not their home/business were affected, many people in Brisbane, Queensland and interstate are uncertain about the future. Due to this we are not able to raise the necessary funding to put on Green Earth Day, as we know it.

We’re a not‐for‐profit group who relies on memberships, donations, fundraising as well as our amazing Sponsors and Stallholders to put on Green Earth Day. We have NO council or government funding, whatsoever. We do however want to ensure that something special for the Brisbane community takes place, even though it will not be as we originally planned. We want to ensure that the hard work and effort our volunteers, and the faith our Sponsors and Stallholders have in us is not wasted, therefore:

On Saturday 12th March from 10am – 6pm Green Earth Day (the Pocket‐Sized version) will take place at Albion Peace Centre, 102 McDonald Road, Windsor.

The activities and festival will go ahead as planned in all ways except for the venue change.

We know the festival will still be a great day out for all who attend and we hope to see you in 18 days, Leigh‐Chantelle

Video Viewing Night – 3 March

Carolyn Wagner’s film, A Vegan Life won

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 95

Creative Day – 5 March

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By Carol Slater ‐ http://c‐s‐p.com.au

Brio Daily article 7 March – Green Earth Day to help plant the seeds of change

by Amber van Sloten

Green Earth Day (the brainchild of Leigh‐Chantelle Koch) will delight Brisbane greenies this Saturday 12 March at a new venue: Albion Peace Centre, 102 McDonald Road, Windsor, Brisbane. This free, family orientated, community event aims to stimulate awareness by bringing environmental, green, health and lifestyle, cruelty‐free, recycling and sustainable issues into the public eye.

Green Earth Day could not be possible without the passionate volunteers of the Green Earth Group (founded by Leigh‐Chantelle Koch). It’s a team of like‐minded individuals who have come together to make a much‐needed platform to provide education and encouragement to the community. This helps to plant the seeds of change needed to ensure that we’re protecting the health and integrity of our environment for future generations.

This diverse festival is focused firmly on family and includes everything you need for a great day out such as stalls, food, speakers, live music and entertainment, video zone, as well as short film, art and fashion competitions and an action‐packed kids’ zone.

There’s yoga for kids with the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga, face painting, bubble blowing, games, storytelling and kids gardening. What better way to make a change than by reaching out to the young generation to engrain their belief structure at an early age.

Despite the lack of sponsors & contributions due to the recent Brisbane floods, Leigh‐Chantelle’s dream has not been quashed.

“The time has come for everyone to step up and take responsibility for our actions. With the devastation that Queensland,

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle 97

Australia and other countries are experiencing, we are being called to action, to work together to create the changes that our universe is crying out for,” Leigh‐Chantelle said.

The passion, commitment and dedication one person has, when combined with other likeminded people is, according to Leigh‐ Chantelle, what makes the magic really happen.

“My goal is to encourage people from all backgrounds to be involved in a positive way to help our environment,” she said.

“People see that Green Earth Group is coming from a sincere and positive place and want to get involved from the grassroots up in helping us enact the positive changes that are needed in our society. We have had an overwhelming response from people young and old who want to be involved.

“Every single person involved with Green Earth Day volunteers their time, energies and skills to our yearly environmental event.”

Come along this Saturday for a day of fun and learn how you can help to save our earth.

See www.greenearthday.net for more information and find them on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Yours for the Environment, Amber van Sloten

Setting Up the Day Before – 11 March

Site Plan

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Photos from Green Earth Day – 12 March

Photos by Juicy

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Photos by Naomi Boscoe

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Photos by Salman Nourbakhsh

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Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 102 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 103 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 104 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Photos by Sundara DeSilva � email

Great opportunities come to those who make the most of small ones.

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Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 106 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 107 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Photos by Willis

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Photos by Winnie Tsai

Photo Booth Photos

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By Carol Slater ‐ http://c‐s‐p.com.au

Video Interview at Green Earth Day

John Coleman interviewed by Nick Douglas

Brisbane Celebrates Green Earth Day Video

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Watch video

Green Earth Day Speakers Presentation Videos

To Supplement or Not?

Vegan Bodybuilding

Eating up the World

Effective Activism Overseas

Green Earth Day Food Demonstration Videos

Brendan & Suki ROAR Food Leigh Drew baking

Green Earth Day Music Performance Video

Jud the Vegan

It is absolutely imperative that we protect, preserve and pass on this genetic heritage for man and every other living thing in as good a condition as we received it. ‐ David R. Brower

Feedback from GED – both positive and constructive: (no editing including grammar and spelling has happened with feedback)

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle, Thanks for organising such a brilliant festival on Saturday. There was a fantastic 'vibe' all day, everyone seemed to be smiling. Much better with more of an atmosphere than some of the other vegan festivals. you should be REALLY proud of what you've achieved ‐ big thanks to all of your helpers as well as without them it would not have come together.

Best wishes, Lee V Coates, Cruelty Free Super

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 112 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

I didn't manage to make it along but I have spoken to our volunteers and they all said it was a wonderful day and they are looking forward to next year. They said the changed venue was good but they are looking forward to being in the botanic gardens next year.

Thank you for taking on this huge day and giving Brisbane it's own vegan festival.

Cheers, Annette, Animal Liberation Qld

Hi Leigh‐Chantelle Thanks so much for giving my students the chance to be involved in Green Earth Day. The students I've spoken to really enjoyed it.

I hope we can be involved again in 2012.

Cheers, Fiona Priddey, Activities Officer, Griffith English Language Institute, Griffith University

Hello Leigh–Chantelle, we had a great day. Thank you – lots of people there, so it turned out well.

My suggestion for next year is: fashion parade for dogs ..As a fund raiser – entry fees (to raise money) and prizes are donated – maybe for kids with their dogs –with judges Best dressed best smile most handsome male dog prettiest female dog or whatever

RSPCA would support this as they have raffle license etc…

just a thought and see you next year. thanks for all of your time with the festival ….

Kind Regards, Susan Lockie, Organic Hair Care Supplies

Thank you Leigh‐Chantelle as I think it turned into a good day. Thank you for the extra table too. It made the world of difference. To be honest ‐ I think it was a much better arrangement than the Gardens. Hope it worked well for you too.

Cheers, Maureen, VVSQ

Dear Leigh‐Chantelle, Hi! Just a word of thanks for allowing me to do a stall it was right up my alley.

Loved being with all the stallholders who were all on about good things.

If you can let me know if there are any other and put me on the list to contact.

Thanks, Angie Andrews, Last‐First Networks

Hi Leigh‐chantelle: How are you? I'm Winnie. I'd like to tell you that we had a really great day yesterday.

I sent you some photos from my camera, hope you'll like it.

Actually, it was my first voluntary work in Australia and learnt how to face‐painting!

It was a wonderful experience for me. What impressed me most about the GED was the Kid zone's activities.

I had to ask every kids what did he/she want to be first then drew beautiful colors on their small face...

Every little girls wanted to be a princess but no boys liked to be a prince, haha.

Thanks for everything yesterday! If I’m still studying my master degree in Brisbane, I might join next years' Green Earth Day and wear my cute green T‐shirt. See you next year!

Regards, Winnie

Newsletter ‐ 25 March Thank you once again if you attended, had a stall or helped spread the Green Earth Day word!

I have decided that Green Earth Day will not be continuing in the immediate future, but I don't discount the possibility that the event will take place sometime later.

For now Green Earth Group will be focusing our energies and attention on smaller, more regular events throughout the year including: working on our educational seminars and DVD, video viewings, information and how‐to sessions, talks and seminars, more social get togethers and other fun green activities. I hope to see YOU and your friends involved in the next phase for Green Earth Group.

Until next time, Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 113 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Leigh‐Chantelle

Articles from website:

Great Green Day Out & the future of Green Earth Group Mar 28 2011 Brisbane’s popular environmental event, Green Earth Day (previously Green Earth Festival) once again made its green mark on Saturday 12 March at the new venue Albion Peace Centre.

2011 has been a hard year already for Brisbane residents, with disasters and the fallout impacting even green events. A lack of sponsors and large donations resulted in a last minute venue change for Green Earth Group, the organisation who organised the event, but this still did not deter the mass of festival attendees, estimated at around 1000 to 2000.

The wide‐ranging festival comprised live acoustic performers, green cuisine, yoga demonstrations, raw food and baking demonstrations, plus many speakers including Lee Coates from Cruelty Free Super; Mr Universe 2009, Billy Simmonds, and Green Earth Group’s environmental scientist, Gerard Bisshop who delivered an inspiring talk on how we are eating up our planet.

The popular Kids zone was run by local children’s entertainer, Renata, with the video zone featuring the Green Earth Day short film winner A Vegan Life, by Carolyn Wagner plus a variety of stalls from many local companies and not for profit organisations.

Green Earth Day is organised by the not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group, Green Earth Group who began early 2009.

Green Earth Group aim to provide education and encouragement to the community, showing others how to make simple changes to support the health and integrity of our environment and the world we leave for generations to come. Formed by Leigh‐ Chantelle Koch who also organises and promotes Green Earth Day, the Green Earth Group mission is to educate, involve and inspire as many people as possible to make the positive changes that our planet needs.

“It was hard to accept that we needed to change to a smaller venue this year, especially as the precedent was set so high at last year’s festival held at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. But once the decision was made it was all about what can we do with what we have,” says Leigh‐Chantelle. “I believe the lessons that we’re all meant to be learning this year are to remain adaptable, but still focused and committed to the tasks we’ve set for ourselves. No matter what happens and even if things do not go to plan, keep the momentum, continue the education and the small steps plus always surround yourself with positive people who are aiming for the same things as you.”

Leigh‐Chantelle has decided that Green Earth Day will not be continuing in the immediate future, but she doesn’t discount the possibility that the event will take place sometime later. Leigh‐Chantelle states, “For the time being Green Earth Group are working on our educational seminars and DVD, video viewings, information and how‐to sessions, social get togethers and other fun green activities.”

Leigh‐Chantelle hopes to see other interested parties becoming a part of the next phase for Green Earth Group. “Everyone in the community needs to get involved and be proactive with what they want to happen in the future for our cities, for our countries and for our world.”

The time is now, what’s stopping you?

Originally published as a Press Release here.

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Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale at West End Markets – 30 April

Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us. � Henrik Tikkanen

First Green Earth Group members magazine May 2011

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Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 116 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 117 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Designed by Adele Walker ‐ http://bambiwantsrevenge.com

Video Interview with Bob from VStar in Sydney – 1 May

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNegd7gGq5A

Working Bee & Camping Trip to Cariad Farm Animal Sanctuary 20‐22 May

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Eating Green ‐ New South Wales Greens article, Spring

Read the unedited Why we don’t need to use Animals for Profit article by Leigh‐Chantelle.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 119 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Renata’s Go Green DVD launch, New Farm Park – 9 October

Watch the Live Performances

Buy the DVD

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Photo Booth Photos

Photos by Carol Slater ‐ http://c‐s‐p.com.au/photography/events/enter‐the‐booth/kids‐parties‐info‐759.html

Muriel’s Organic Farm Outing, Mount Cotton – 17 December

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A shift is necessary toward lifestyles less geared to environmental damaging consumption patterns. � Maurice Strong

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Photos by Techa Charles & LC

2011 Expenses

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Green Earth Group events for 2012 Jan 2 2012 GEG are hosting various events throughout 2012 including Video Viewing nights, Outreach, Food Outreach, Letter Writing, Bake

Sales and more.

Video Viewing Nights ‐ Brisbane ALL Video Viewing events take place on the first Wednesday of each month 6‐9pm at Brisbane Square Library in the Tiered Theatrette: 266 George Street, Brisbane City Gold Coin donation  February 1 ‐ Forks over Knives ‐ View the TRAILER ‐ AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE  March 7 ‐ DIVE ‐ View the TRAILER  April 4 ‐ Latest in Clinical Nutrition Volume 6 by Michael Gregor, MD  May 2 ‐ CRUDE The Real Price of Oil ‐ View the TRAILER  June 6 ‐ Vegucated ‐ View the TRAILER ‐ AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE  July 4 ‐ Heal Your Self ‐ View the TRAILER ‐ AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE  August 1 ‐ Dirt! ‐ View the TRAILER ‐ Dirt website event info  September 5 ‐ Toxic Soup ‐ View the TRAILER  October 3 ‐ Bag It ‐ View the TRAILER ‐ This is a joint GEG & Positive Change for Marine Life event  November 7 ‐ Growing Green: Grow your own Fruit and Veg ‐ more info on Veganic Gardening

Video Viewing Nights ‐ Gold Coast ALL Video Viewings take place on Wednesdays 6:30pm sharp at Gecko House, 139 Duringan St Currumbin MAP Gold Coin donation  August 29 ‐ Making the Connection, Meet your Meat and Story of Stuff ‐ three short documentaries  (More to come) Please bring your friends and families along

Letter Writing Nights ALL Letter Writing events take place on the third Tuesday of every second month 7‐8:30pm at Loving Hut restaurant: Shop 2/1420 Logan Rd, Mount Gravatt (back room)  February 21  April 17  June 19  August 21  October 16 Please bring pen and paper, or laptop to join in with various letter writing ideas including Letters to the Editor, local businesses, companies, prisoner support and more You can also get involved online with our GEG Letter Writing group on FaceBook

Outreach & Leafletting ALL Outreach & Leafletting events take place on the 2nd week of each month on either Friday night or Sunday Meet Daniel Hennessey at Reddacliff Place at the top of Queen Street Mall (the area between the Queen Street Mall and Victoria Bridge, or between Brisbane Square Brisbane City Council building and the Treasury Casino Brisbane City) Fridays: 7‐9pm OR Sundays: 11am‐1pm  February 10 Friday  March 11 Sunday  April 7 Saturday 11am‐1pm NOTE: this is a date change from Easter Friday.  May 13 Sunday  June 8 Friday  July 8 Sunday  August 10 Friday  September 9 Sunday  October 12 Friday  November 11 Sunday Please wear your Green Earth Festival/Day t‐shirt or something green if possible. We will be handing out primarily the Eating Up The World leaflets to the public along with Animal Liberation Victoria's Be Vegan leaflets. You are welcome to bring your own environmental and/or Vegan/Animal Rights handouts as well. Leafletters will join together for lunch on Sundays.

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photos by Carol Slater Photography

Food Outreach ALL Food Outreach events take place on various Saturday mornings at Chermside Library: 375 Hamilton Road, Chermside ‐ Front Meeting Room 9am‐12pm  March 24 ‐ this will be in conjunction with the worldwide MeatOut grassroots campaign  May 5  July 28  September 22 If you are interested in making food for any of the above dates, please contact Renata

Home Festival Green Earth Group are participating in this year's Home Festival taking place at Raymond Park, Kangaroo Point (behind the Pineapple Hotel) on 21 July from 11am. We will be having an information and merchandise stall along with vegan baked goods. If you are interested in volunteering to bake for the event or help out on the stall, please Contact Us.

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale Green Earth Group are once again participating in the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale taking place internationally from April 21 ‐ April 29.

West End markets on Saturday 21 April and Saturday 28 April from 6am‐2pm If you would like to help out by baking VEGAN desserts, donate ingredients or help out on the day/s with Techa & Keira, please CONTACT US Come along and support the Green Earth Day Bake Sale!

West End markets: Davies Park, Montague Road, West End

Is there a Bake Sale near you? If not, Create one.

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Postcard designed by Adele Walker ‐ http://bambiwantsrevenge.com/

Want to help Green Earth Group?

We have various events and a lot of behind the scenes work that we're always on the look out for people to help out with. Here's some ways you can get involved: Donate Become a Paid GEG Member In Person  Help distribute environmental leaflets with Dan at Outreach in Brisbane City  Help Renata with Food Outreach at Chermside Library  Come along to our regular Video Viewings, the first Wednesday of most months  Come along to our Letter Writing nights and add your voice to our campaigns. We also have an online group.  Help out at our upcoming Information stalls ‐ next one is at Home Festival on Saturday 21 July  Bake some vegan goodies (or donate ingredients) for Bake Sales ‐ next one is Home Festival on Saturday 21 July  Wear our Green Earth Day t‐shirts and use the GED calico bags to spread the word  Use your GEG members discount card whenever possible ‐ ask if your favourite store would like to offer GEG discounts  Come along to our Meetings Online  Become a fan of our Social Media pages online and invite your friends and family as well. We're on FaceBook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest  Follow and share our RSS Feed to get our Blogs and Articles  Share our links, Events, information and more online on social media channels  Join our online Letter Writing group on FaceBook and share your letters and responses with others  Write for the GEG website and blog  Spread to word about GEG to other websites and groups who have similar goals eg green, environmental, kids, vegan, vegetarian, community, grassroots, health, lifestyle, recycling, sustainability, not for profit etc  Purchase our GEG merchandise: calico bags & t‐shirts  Support the stores who offer GEG members discount  Find other stores and groups who may want to give discounts to GEG members  Add the GEG logo or banner to your website Use your Imagination!

February 1 – Forks Over Knives Screening Handout by LC

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Back:

See the Blog

Leaflet: Tips for Effective Letter Writing Written by Leigh�Chantelle Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 127 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

22 February 2012

To celebrate the first night of my not�for�profit Green Earth Group's first Letter Writing event for the year, I made up a new leaflet to hand out to our attendees last night and to share online:

One of the major things I try to focus my efforts on is inspiring other vegans to be active in all the ways that they possibly can.

Based on skills, expertise but mostly what they're passionate about. There are so many different ways that people can inspire others. By being passionate about what you're promoting is a great place to start. So, what are your passions? Mine are all related to communication, in all its forms. Letter Writing is just one way I can get the vegan lifestyle message out to the mainstream by writing to businesses, newspapers, magazines, politicians as well as showing support to our Animal Rights activists who are incarcerated.

Here's the other side of the flyer:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 128 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

If you would like me to email you a copy, please Contact Me.

The information on the leaflets about writing to Businesses, Editors and Politicians was sourced from Animal Rights Advocates, PETA and the Media Awareness Project. Our Hen House also has some great information on Writing for Animal Rights. If you want to find a newspaper in your area, see HERE. I strongly encourage everyone in the Animal Rights movement to write letters to activists who have been imprisoned and show them some support. See AR Prisoners Support, Bite Back, Support Vegans In the Prison System and Vegan Prisoners Support Group for more information.

Green Earth Group is a not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group who aim to promote a better way of living – for us, for our animal friends and for our planet. I've put on two successful all‐vegan festivals (along with the help of wonderful volunteers) the past two years in Brisbane, Australia but now the focus is on smaller, regular events. We have regular Letter Writing nights, Video Viewings, Outreach & Leafletting and free vegan food samples. If you're in the Brisbane area, I hope you can get involved. If you're not in Brisbane and would like to be involved with Letter Writing, please see our Letter Writing group on FaceBook.

Originally posted here on the Viva la Vegan! website.

Tomorrow would have been Green Earth Day 2012 Mar 9 2012 – Newsletter and blog posted

Tomorrow would have been the third all‐vegan, environmental‐awareness festival for my grassroots, volunteer‐run, Not For Profit Green Earth Group if I was continuing to organise the event.

Green Earth Festival first took place in March 2010 in my hometown Brisbane, Australia at the beautiful Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. The accumulation of over a year of hard work creating, organising, marketing and promoting the event ‐ not to mention starting and maintaining a NFP ‐ resulted in the first festival being a huge success. It's amazing, inspiring and humbling to see all the time, energy, money and effort you've put into an event result in a beautiful day, oh and we had 3000‐4000 people!

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I met some wonderful people and made some lifelong friends. We had a great team of 50+ volunteers for whom I received amazing feedback from everyone involved with the event. This day is still the best day of my life. Here's some wonderful photos.

You can also click on each of the photos within this blog to see more.

Last year's Green Earth Day took place just after three quarters of our Queensland state was declared a disaster zone due to horrific floods and cyclones. Obviously it was hard for most people and not the best time for raising money for a festival. My festival site manager, Dariusz gave me three options 2 weeks before the event: 1. Cancel the event 2. Change the event to later on in the year or 3. Scale back and find another venue.

I didn't believe that a few months would matter at all and I knew how much time and effort people, including myself had put into the event, so I chose to scale back the event completely and introduce the "Pocket‐Sized version" in March 2011. The weeks before the event were the worst days of my life. Because the precedent was set so high it was hard, but the lesson to learn was to make the best of what we had. So we did. It was still a great day, if there was nothing to compare the event to it would have been wonderful.

Here are the important lessons that I learned from the event, from my volunteers, from my family and friends and from myself:  Just because something is my passion does not mean it will be others  My 100% is a lot different that other people's 100%  To not put a whole load of responsibility onto only a few people as they will BURN OUT/have a breakdown. And we did.  People who TALK the most, DO the least  Always trust my instincts  I learned who my true friends are, and who I can trust and rely on completely  I learned that people look to others who lead by example  I learned it's about HOW you handle a situation that matters the most  Sometimes you need to re‐assess your goals and the way you action them so you can be more effective with your time and energies  The best thing I did to move on from the festival was to shave my head! You know, emotional changes that become physical and all that.

After I shaved my head and had a break from everything, I finally decided not to put on the festival anymore. READ the Press Release. Instead, GEG is now putting on more regular, smaller events run by various people.

I am fortunate and grateful that:  I BELIEVE more often than I doubt  I have an extremely supportive family  I surround myself with positive, enthusiastic and passionate people who get things done

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

I get the chance to meet wonderful people all of the time who want to make a difference to help the environment, the animals and the people with whom we share this beautifully tragic world

Thank you to everyone who I've met these past few years.

Thank you to the amazing volunteers past, present and future.

Thank you to the businesses and people that supported the festival ‐ especially the pocket‐sized version Thank you for believing in myself, my vision and Green Earth Group.

Hope to see you at one of our next events, Leigh‐Chantelle

Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals. ‐ Margaret Mead

Leaflet & Top 10 Tips for Vegan Food Outreach Written by Leigh‐Chantelle 28 March 2012

On Saturday, Renata and I ran the first of the Green Earth Group Food Outreach events for this year in Brisbane. It also neatly coincided with MeatOut. I made a flyer to hand out to people on the day, which had vegan recipes and more information:

Please feel free to download the leaflet, print out and distributing at your own Food Sampling events. I've decided to share some tips for putting on Food Outreach events and share some photos that will hopefully help inspire your own event.

Top 10 Tips for organising Food Outreach events: 1. Find a venue that is free or cheap to use ‐ libraries, universities, colleges and schools are good 2. Make sure you know all the food handling and preparation guidelines, Public Liability Insurance, council laws etc in your area and follow them 3. Focus on big holidays and specific events where there will be more foot traffic and you can reach more people.

Worldwide events such as Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale and MeatOut are great as well as Valentine's Day, Christmas, Easter and large events to celebrate public holidays.

4. Organise at least two people to host and run the event who are good at interacting with the public Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 131 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

5.

Organise for at least two people to buy, cook and/or prepare delicious vegan food eg. curries, spaghetti, cupcakes, slices, sandwiches etc for handing out 6. Gather together a selection of vegan literature, brochures, samples, cook books to hand out of for people to browse through as well as signs for each dish 7. Show other vegan options for groceries, toiletries and more, plus have contact information on where to buy these products 8. Get the word out via your website, email lists, Social Media websites, friends and family 9. If you are not raising money for your own charity or group, consider raising money for your local animal rights organisation or animal sanctuary 10. Dress well, Act professionally, Be Polite and have fun on the day

Renata and I set up 3 different tables on Saturday. One with the brochures and leaflets, one with the food, plates and knifes and another one with some smaller samples and other vegan products on display. Make sure you have signage or banners. We utilised the whiteboard and I wrote Free Food, which always attracts a lot of inquiring. We will also be using the projector and screen (that you can see in the background) for a photographic slideshow in the future including photos of other Green Earth Group events, food, animal friends, food facts and more.

The more outreach events you are involved in, the better you will get at interacting with the public, knowing how to respond to particular questions and, most importantly, knowing how to pick your battles! Keep in mind that not everyone is good at one on one interaction and may not be suited to (Food) Outreach. If you have people like this who want to help, encourage them to make some food for you, print and distribute leaflets, share the events online etc.

Here are the samples and other vegan products table:

Here's the main food table:

Myself and Renata:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 132 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Here's the brochure table including some of my recipe cards, tea samples, business cards from local veg restaurants, cruelty free cosmetics list and more.

Ideas for brochures to have include:  Eating up the World ‐ by Vegetarian Network Victoria  Be Vegan ‐ by Animal Liberation Victoria  Why Vegan? ‐ by Vegan Outreach  Vegan magazines eg Australia's now defunct, Vegan Voice

Renata made two of her famous dishes, Spaghetti Bolognaise:

and Pumpkin, Tofu and Chick Pea curry:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 133 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Both of these recipes are on the handouts so people could take home and make for themselves later. Renata also used some Veggie Roast, added some gravy and made some sandwiches:

We had some great products donated for the day from one of our sponsors, Brisbane's online The Vegan Store. Brisbane's very own all�vegan grocery store The Green Edge are another one of our sponsors. Some of the goodies included Lamyong steamed buns:

If you get the time, not only is it good to have signs for all of the food, but also list the ingredients. This is particularly good for people with allergies.

We also had a selection of Sheese and Brisbane's own Notzarella dairy�free cheese samples (but forgot the crackers!)

Also, as it's nearly Easter, we had some Moo Free, Sjaak's and Go Max Go chocolate for sampling:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 134 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Here's the table with the handouts, plus other vegan groceries and toiletries:

As Green Earth Group is an environmental‐awareness group, we focus on educating the public on how to get active to help the environment. The easiest and most effective way anyone can help right now is to go vegan. Find out Why HERE.

I hope this has inspired you to get active and be involved in some Food Outreach events in your area.

GEG has various events for the year. Want to get involved? See HERE.

Originally posted here on the Viva la Vegan! website.

The Reporter – article 28 March 2012

(This was the first article that I’ve ever not managed to get veganism mentioned in print. I was a bit upset about this, but the angle was Earth Hour…)

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Leaflet for Jeremy's Zine Workshop plus Vegan Zine ideas Written by Leigh�Chantelle 18 April 2012

On Saturday in the back room of Brisbane's Loving Hut restaurant, Jeremy Staples held a Zine workshop for my volunteer�run, not for profit, environmental awareness, Green Earth Group. Here's a selection of some of Jeremy's own zines from his personal library:

We also had a table of zines for sale and Green Earth Group merchandise:

Here's the participants:

Jeremy with his Zine compilation book, Bizoo. Check out the website HERE

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I took the opportunity to create my latest leaflet/handout, this time all about zines obviously! Here's the back and front cover:

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Zines are a great DIY and cheap way to get the Vegan, Animal Rights and Environmental message out in a unique way. See the leaflet for more information and other websites.

For more on Jeremy, see his websites: The Staples, Beared Hobo, Faces of Nippon, Bizoo.

Originally posted here on the Viva la Vegan! website.

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale stall at West End Markets – 21 April

Green Earth Group Bake Sale blog by Kommoner Apr 25 2012

Here's a blog by Keira from Kommoner who helped out with the GEG bake sale over the weekend.

Last Saturday I got up at 3:30am to help Green Earth Group with their bake sale at the West End Markets (6am � 2pm Saturdays).

Green Earth Group is a small local organisation that aims to help the environment by showing people how to have less impact through personal choices, such as going vegan, using reusable bags and cups and making green consumer choices.

This bake sale is part of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale. I made and donated some strawberry cupcakes and some blueberry cupcakes. There were a variety of things, like cheesecakes, banana bread, cookies and cream cupcakes, chocolate spiders and more. I'm still deciding on what to make for this coming weekend.

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Come along and join us at the next one. If you sign up to the mailing list, you have a chance of winning some prizes (including a pig plushie by me!). There are shirts, fregie sacks and information packs too! We're nice and friendly and won't bite, I promise!

View the original blog here. Thanks Keira!

Keira ended up making Jam Filled Donut Muffins for the second bake sale. Here's the RECIPE.

How to Create a Bake Sale Zine with Vegan Baking Tips Written by Leigh‐Chantelle 26 April 2012

Saturday was the first of the Green Earth Group Bake Sales at West End markets, Brisbane as part of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale that took place this year from 21 ‐ 29 April. There are many different groups taking part from all corners of the globe. Food, in particular sweet foods, are a great way to show the mainstream that vegans have many choices to chose from to eat as well as some vegan outreach and education at the same time. Inspired by Jeremy's zine workshop from last weekend, I decided to create an 8‐page zine from one piece of A4 paper ‐ instead of my usual handout. Here's the cover:

The zine opens like a lil' magazine with some Baking without Eggs info from Colleen Patrick‐Goudreau's The Joy of Vegan Baking

Some other cruelty‐free baking alternatives: book:

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With some recipes from Renata & myself. See more of my Dessert recipes.

The back page has websites to check out for more info:

How to Make an 8�page zine So, how exactly does one make a zine this amazing? I hear you ask. Well, you may want to start by checking out my previous blog for the handout about Ideas & Tips for Zines as well as What a Zine is and some Websites. I have obviously decided on a Baking Tips zine with some subtle vegan info throughout. This is what becomes the 8�page zine:

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Which will be folded and cut to make the zine. You can also choose to print in the "hidden area" of the zine, which I did with the following info on hosting your own Bake Sale and more of my Dessert Recipes:

Click on the above two images to download or see the FaceBook album. Please feel free to download, print and distribute.

Here's the how�to info for how to make the zine once you've compiled all your info together:

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How‐to Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B‐c‐D5gTWQI

Oh, and here's a photo of the Brisbane Bake Sale on Saturday:

Photo by Techa Charles. More HERE.

Originally posted here on the Viva la Vegan! website.

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale stall at West End Markets – 28 April

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Mention on the WWVBS website

http://www.veganbakesale.org Green Earth Group Members Magazine – June

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Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 144 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Designed by Adele Walker � http://bambiwantsrevenge.com

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Sci‐art Installation + Public Art by John Coleman Jul 13 2012 Written by Leigh‐Chantelle

A few weeks ago I attended the launch of John Coleman's latest site‐specific art installation for the Logan Art Gallery. John's latest work entitled Sci‐art focuses on the links between objects, audiences, surroundings and the potential energy of a site when visitors interact within it.

Sci‐art makes evident the essential links between environment and entity, between artworks and the people who interact with them. John says: I like to consider the potential energy of the site. For example, solar, wind, water, people and automotive traffic. By utilising and/or interacting with these energies my work becomes physically responsive and dependant upon the site where it "lives."

Power Lines is the main interactive installation ‐ eight "flying" sculptures that when are released when viewers press a button.

This activity prompts brushes to fly to the roof and trigger a light:

Various other mixed media sculptures are on display including Bent Wire, First Flight, Solar Powered Paintings, Tangled Web and many more.

The exhibition is open on Tuesdays through to Saturdays from 10am to 5pm at the Logan Art Gallery until the 4 August.

John at Green Earth Day 2011 You may remember John who had one of his portable art installations on display at Green Earth Day last year ‐ his solar powered globe of the world that spun:

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See John being interviewed by one of our GED volunteers, Nick Douglas at the festival:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PQOEMkOM8A

Public Artworks John has various public artworks throughout Brisbane and Logan areas including: Aquativity commissioned for South Bank Parklands and themed on the Brisbane river. It covers an area of approximately 1500 square meters and includes 10 sculptural water features:

More information on Aquativity from Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.

Arrow of Justice which sits outside the Caloundra Courthouse and rocks gently in the breeze. When it rains, the a large, pivoting shard of the arrow collects water off the central box gutter fills, and when full spectacularly dumps the water (tipping to an angle of 60 degrees) into a collection area from which it is recycled. It then slowly returns to a horizontal positition:

Cicada (Two Wings of Culture) is a 10 metre long sculpture located between the Queensland Art Gallery/Queensland Museum and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. It "sings" cicada sounds while showing off its stainless steel irodised glass wings:

Synergy is a six�metre stainless steel structure representing a man reaching to the sky with joy as he releases a four metre wide representation of Mibunn the sea eagle, the one�time guardian of Scrubby Creek. The kinetic element of the eagle consists of a solar powered motor used to propel the wings and a motion sensor and sound system (activated by people walking under the bird), which reproduces the sounds of the sea eagle. LCD lighting on the wings are timed to illuminate at night and are powered by solar energy stored in a battery located in the head of the male figure. Synergy is located at SW1 Enterprise Park, Berrinba Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 147 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Wetlands. The artwork is positioned in the wetlands Outlook Precinct which features the Interpretative Centre and is installed in relationship to an existing colony of sea eagles at the site:

Information on Synergy from Art+Place. Read the original article.

View the Installation and launch video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goZCjhu_zA0

The Sunflower exists at the base of Kangaroo Point cliffs and is a 5 metre tall flower that spins whenever the Sun hits its solar panel petals:

Toowong Gateway Sculpture is a 5 metre tall solar powered "Sun" which opens and closes during the day. In the evening, stored power is used to illuminate thousands of pinholes of light in the cloud wall, which makes up images from the Toowong area:

Water Play is a collection of five 16 millimetre diametre water jets at Roma Street Parklands that randomly wiggle to a distance of up to 10 metres:

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Green Tips: Giving Plastic Bags the Flick Jul 18 2012 Written by Genavive St Clair Every year, I say NO to hundreds of plastic bags. I’d like to share with you how I do it and why I do it.

Every year, I say NO to hundreds of plastic bags. I’d like to share with you how I do it and why I do it.

Many years ago, the revelation of how devastating plastic rubbish is to wildlife, particularly marine life, became public knowledge.

In case you’ve forgotten the facts (or haven’t heard) here’s a few to remind you:  Approximately 500 billion shopping bags are consumed each year around the world. It takes about 500 years for a plastic bag to degrade. They break down into tiny toxic particles that contaminate the land and waterways and enter the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them.  Plastic bags are now amongst the top 12 items of debris most often found along coastlines. Animals and sea creatures are hurt and killed every day by discarded plastic bags, mistaking plastic bags for food is commonplace amongst marine animals. Plastic clogs their intestines and leads to slow starvation. Others become entangled in plastic bags and drown.  Every year, a million seabirds and 100,000 sharks, dolphins, turtles and whales die from swallowing plastic waste.

Currently, there is six times more plastic than plankton floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

These sad truths lead me to decide to take personal responsibility in my generation of plastic waste. Previously, I like most people, I just accepted the single‐use plastic bag as “normal” and convenient, and while I was always careful to dispose of used bags, I never set myself the goal of minimizing my acceptance of them from retailers.

Armed with a new determination, I purchased a couple of non‐woven polypropylene bags (the “green bags” common in the supermarkets) and stuffed some old plastic shopping bags inside one. My initial efforts to (a) remember to put the bags in the car and (b) to take the bags out of the car and with me at the shops were sporadic. However I persisted, and learned a few tricks to both remind myself to take the bags into the car and into the shops.

It’s important to establish a routine for the movement of your bags from house to car (assuming you’re driving) to shops. When the bags are in the house, after unpacking, place them at the door where you’ll have to notice (and pick them up) them on your way out. When you get to the shops, get in the habit of taking them with you. Perhaps have them beside you on the seat, or if they are kept in the boot, leave your wallet/purse there so you’ll have to go to the boot before entering the shops.

Over time, I’ve organized my bags in a way that works well for me (see photo below) and it is a rare thing for me to ever have to accept a plastic bag now. I encourage you to find what works for you and your circumstances.

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The polypropylene bags can be recycled now, and you’ll get a heap of use out of them before they need discarding. As we inevitably seem to acquire some plastic bags, we can at least reuse them as much as possible before putting them in the recycle bin outside supermarkets.

Obviously there will be items (such as bread or pre‐bagged veggies) which you will have to accept in plastic bags if you really want or need the item. It is these types of bags along with my Freggie sacks, that I re‐use to pack my own fruit and veg in at the shops. And yes – I do wash out (when necessary) plastic bags to re‐use them. My small drying rack outside the kitchen frequently has plastic bags securely pegged to it. Once the bags have holes or rips, they get recycled.

Another tip I’d like to give (to anyone who carries a purse/handbag or similar) is to always have one or two pre‐used plastic bags tucked into your purse. That way, if you make a purchase or two and don’t have your contingency of shopping bags with you, you at least have something to put your goods into without having to take another new plastic bag.

I trust you’ll have a go at reducing your plastic bag waste too. Good luck!

This article was previously printed in the GEG Members Magazine

Green Earth Group Volunteer Spotlight: Renata Jul 26 2012 Renata was the Kids Zone manager at both of our festivals, runs the Letter Writing nights every second month as well as the Food Outreach events at Chermside. Renata is the first in our GEG Volunteer Spotlight series!

How did you learn about Green Earth Group and why did you decide to get involved?

I met LC at a festival and we have been BFF ever since! Hehe

What ways have you been involved as a volunteer with Green Earth Group?

Involved in children's activities with two festivals, a little outreach, and some mentoring for people wanting to transition to a greener vegan diet!

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with Green Earth Group?

I love meeting new people and learning, and helping others feels nice!

What have you learned from your experience volunteering with Green Earth Group?

I have learned a lot about how every choice I make effects animals by mixing with conscious people ‐ and I am grateful for the learning!

What advice can you give to others considering volunteering with Green Earth Group?

Just do it! Get involved in helping people learn positive habits, and change the old habits! It's lots of fun and it will make you happy :)

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How to build a no‐dig garden with the kids Aug 13 2012 Written by Caroline Roberts

No‐dig garden beds are perfect for kids to grow plants in. They are easy to build, they can be constructed anywhere at any time and obviously there is no‐digging involved so they are physically easy for children to maintain.

If you are interested in making a no‐dig garden with your children you will need the following supplies:  Some sort of border to contain the garden e.g. bricks, timber sleepers, large rocks. It is not essential but it does help prevent the contents of your garden being washed away. We used a simple pre‐made kit that we bought from a discount variety shop  Newspaper or cardboard  Lucerne hay  Manure (we used a mixture of sheep and cow)  Straw or sugar cane mulch  Compost  Gloves  Water  Seedlings (these grow better than seeds in no‐dig gardens). Have the kids select which seedlings they would like to grow.

If they can take ownership of their garden and what is being grown in it, they will be more likely to eat the produce.  Garden decorations (optional)

Instructions 1. Choose and prepare an area to build your no‐dig garden. Ideally it should get at least 5 hours of sunlight every day. Make sure that your area is reasonably level so that your garden does not get washed away.

2. Layout out your border on the ground to make a garden bed. We used a pre‐existing garden kit so we didn’t have a choice of shape however if using something like bricks or logs give the kids the opportunity to come up with their own garden design. Who says you need to have a square garden bed? Make a triangle, a circle or even a star! Just make sure they can reach into the middle of the garden to tend to it and harvest their produce. An ideal garden bed for children should measure approximately 1 metre at its widest point.

3. If you are building your garden on a hard surface such as concrete, you will need to allow for drainage. To do this, place a layer of sticks or leaves on the ground inside your garden bed to allow for water to drain away.

4. Lay a thick layer of newspaper or cardboard inside your garden bed. Make sure it covers the complete area with no gaps.

It should be approximately 6cm deep and overlap.

5. Spread a 10‐20cm layer of lucerne hay across the bed.

6. Sprinkle a layer of approximately 2cm of manure over the hay (kids love this bit just make sure they are wearing gloves!)

7. Add a 10‐20cm layer of straw or sugar cane mulch.

8. Sprinkle over another 2cm layer of manure.

9. Add a 10cm layer of compost.

10. Finish off with another 10cm layer of straw or sugar cane mulch.

11. Add some colourful garden decorations.

12. Water the whole bed in and it is now ready to go!

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13. Plant seedlings by gently pulling apart the layers of the garden with your hands and placing the seedling inside the hole before back�filling.

In a few weeks time your kids will be able to pick their produce.

Happy Gardening!

This article was originally published on the Gardening 4 Kids website here.

Caroline Roberts is a primary school gardening teacher who runs the Gardening 4 Kids website that encourages children to develop their natural wonder of the environment and to foster fun in the garden for a healthy and sustainable future. She is passionate about educating children about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and a sustainable future and believes that gardening is the perfect tool for doing this.

Spring Gardening for Kids Aug 27 2012 Written by Caroline Roberts

Gardening is a fun and engaging activity that teaches kids skills that will stay with them throughout their lives. It actively connects children with nature and helps develops their understanding and empathy for our environment which encourages eco� friendly practises such as composting, recycling and organic food principles.

Children learn through their senses and gardening stimulates all five. They love smelling flowers and herbs, seeing the changes that occur with the seasons and, of course, eating the fruit and vegetables they grow. With spring almost upon us the weather is beginning to warm up and conditions are great for heading outside with the kids. Here are some fun and practical ideas to get your little green thumbs active in the garden:

Create a flower garden Kids love flowers and spring is the perfect time to plant a flower bed. Children tend to favour bright and colourful flowers that they can explore and pick so varieties such as fuchsias, marigolds, sunflowers and lavender are good choices. These flowers can easily be grown in pots too if space is limited and the best thing of all is that they are edible which is fascinating for kids.

Plant some vegies Once the weather starts to warm up and the threat of frost has passed start planting some vegies in preparation for summer.

Lettuce, carrots and tomatoes are all easy for children to grow and can be used in a great range of dishes that kids can help prepare once they are ready to harvest.

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Grow a theme garden There are a wide range of theme gardens that kids love and are really only limited by their imagination. Some great garden ideas include a salad garden (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber), a pizza garden (basil, tomatoes, capsicum) or a taco garden (tomatoes, lettuce, coriander, chilies). Some non�edible themed gardens that many children enjoy are fairy, elf and dinosaur gardens.

Compost or worm poo tea Now is the time that many plants need to be fed in preparation for their growth season so why not make a worm poo or compost tea with the kids? This can be done by adding some broken down compost or worm castings (poo) into a hessian bag, placing in a bucket or water and leaving it to steep overnight. Kids love feeding plants a cup of tea made from worm poo and compost the next day.

Look for new life and growth Spring is such a lovely time of year. It is a time of birth and growth and is the perfect opportunity to teach your children about these wonderful events. Take some time to head outside and look for signs of spring and new growth. Look for spring bulbs popping up through the ground, for blossom on the trees and new shoots growing on plants in the veggie patch. Also look for signs of new life such as birds nests (though please don’t disturb) and chrysalises or cocoons.

Enjoy the wonderful season and spring and happy gardening with your little green thumbs!

Caroline Roberts is a primary school gardening teacher who runs the Gardening 4 Kids website that encourages children to develop their natural wonder of the environment and to foster fun in the garden for a healthy and sustainable future. She is passionate about educating children about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and a sustainable future and believes that gardening is the perfect tool for doing this.

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Green Earth Group Volunteer Spotlight: Daniel Hen. Sep 3 2012 Daniel Hennessey runs the Leafletting & Outreach for GEG each month. He is also an activist with other Brisbane groups and loves nothing more than to chat to others about the things he's passionate about.

How did you learn about Green Earth Group and why did you decide to get involved?

I heard about Green Earth Group by attending the Festival, Green Earth Day in 2011.

What ways have you been involved as a volunteer with Green Earth Group?

I have been involved with Green Earth Group by helping with Outreach once a month in the city where we get out in the public and inform people of the environmental issues associated with an omnivore diet.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with Green Earth Group?

Just seeing the surprise as people become aware of how incredibly devastating their diet is. I have also met some great people whilst doing outreach.

What have you learned from your experience volunteering with Green Earth Group?

I myself was not that aware of how unsustainable an omnivore diet is and was blown away at the rate at which this planet is being raped of resources to fund such a cruel and unhealthy diet.

What advice can you give to others considering volunteering with Green Earth Group?

Don't be shy to get out in public and speak up for what needs to be said. This is bigger than one's self and feelings can't stand in the way of that.

Water shortages will mean our planet needs a non�meat diet Sep 11 2012 Written by Ronan Lee

Researchers in Canada and the Netherlands have recently published details of how our planet's use of freshwater from aquifers is leaving them in a perilous state.

This graphic accompanied their article in the journal Nature and explains how freshwater aquifers are shrinking as farmers and others exploit them to supply our cities and towns, irrigate crops and feed livestock.

The aquifers shown in the graphic to be coloured red, orange or yellow are of the most serious concern and the grey areas underneath show the water being removed from each aquifer compared to the natural replenishment rate. For instance, the water footprint of the Upper Ganges aquifer, a region home to hundreds of millions of people, is a huge concern being 50 times larger than the size of the aquifer itself.

This is not the first time people have pointed to the perilous state of our water resources but since the majority of environment news in the media recently has focussed on macro�issues like climate change it is an important reminder we are about to face some major environment issues regardless of whether we act on climate change.

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American researcher Lester Brown has been providing a step by step guide for policy makers to tackle challenges involving food, energy, transport and urban design for years courtesy of his regularly updated book 'Plan B'. Every couple of years Brown updates 'Plan B' to include the latest research about the planet's situation and consequent medicine for how our civilisation can cope with the effects of climate change and tackle the environmental trends that threaten our way of life and, in some cases, may undermine the foundations of our civilisation.

Rather than focus on how bad things may be, Brown aims to reassure the reader there is still time to reverse some of the trends that most threaten our now fragile planet. Since many of the trends do not get reversed, or sometimes even addressed, in the time between editions, every revision of 'Plan B' (currently it is version 4.0) suggests a need for stronger medicine than before.

One of the most interesting parts of Brown's research is in the areas of energy and food security. While most are familiar with the consequences of conflicts over energy issues, especially oil, fewer are familiar with the growing tensions between countries because of concerns about the allocation of food and water resources. International tensions in South‐east Asia are particularly high at the moment where Laos is preparing a major new Mekong River dam to the detriment of downstream users in Cambodia.

Brown's explanation of recent and historical trends revolves around the question of 'How many people can the earth support?' A question often glossed over by decision makers but likely to be crucially important in the near future as our population creeps towards the upper limits of our planet's currently available resources and technological capabilities. Sensibly, before proposing any population figure, Brown adds another question ‐ 'at what level of food consumption?'

Globally, people have vastly different environmental footprints usually determined by their consumption of energy and food.

Unlike food production, energy issues are likely easier to tackle as parts of the world have the capacity to move away from reliance on fossil fuels by embracing renewable energy. In the future energy has the potential to be less of a source of global conflict as it is replaced by concerns over food and water security issues.

Brown explains how if the average US diet was the global norm our planet could support as few as 2 billion people, while the average Indian diet writ large would allow the planet to support 10 billion people. The key difference between the two is of course the high volume of meat consumed by the 'US diet' compared to others and the consequent high volume of water required to produce this meat compared to non‐meat alternatives. It is generally agreed the water requirement for beef production for instance, is six times that of soybeans.

Like a great deal of Brown's writing this information is both helpful, hopeful and alarming. It suggests our planet does have the capacity to feed all people but not at the rate of meat and so water consumption per person we do presently. The rising living standards of much of the developing world are great news and should be encouraged but no country should be encouraged to develop into another USA or Australia where diet is concerned. And both the USA, Australia and other countries relying on high meat diets should immediately change this.

The good news is our planet as a whole can cope with decreasing water supplies so long as we are quick to step down the food chain. This shift may well see countries currently importing food because their domestic production is so heavily skewed towards meat, becoming food exporters. This would help address the next big resource challenge – making sure the water and food resources are in the right parts of the world to actually feed people.

The message here is simple – water security is becoming a major global concern and the solution involves our planet's population consuming much less meat. Or better still, none.

The Nature article is here: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v488/n7410/full/nature11295.html

Ronan Lee is a political consultant and former Greens MP and adviser. He has traveled extensively in Burma, observing the 2010 elections and meeting Aung San Suu Kyi in the days following her release from house arrest. A long‐time vegetarian he advocated in Parliament for people to eat less meat because of the environmental benefits associated with this. He blogs and sometimes tweets

Green Earth Group Volunteer Spotlight: Genavive Oct 9 2012 This month's Volunteer Spotlight is on one of GEG's most valuable volunteers, Genavive:

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How did you learn about Green Earth Group and why did you decide to get involved?

I heard about GEG through my friend Renata, who suggested that I connect with the group as I had moved to the south side of Brisbane, where GEG is based. I was impressed with the ideals, which the group were embracing, and admired Leigh‐Chantelle's dedication and strength in organising the GE Festivals. People like this deserve plenty of support!

What ways have you been involved as a volunteer with Green Earth Group?

I volunteered to help out with both festivals, so participated in a variety of activities, including managing the Speakers’ tent/area, baking vegan goodies, sign writing, etc. I’ve also been involved in letter writing and campaigning, writing a submission /grant application, baking for fund‐raising cake stalls, and contribute to GEG’s magazine.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with Green Earth Group?

You know you are contributing to the efforts of people who hold similar values, goals and ideals as you, i.e. we all are acting for a better life for people, animals and the planet. Getting to know and work/socialise with these lovely individuals has been a great gift, and is very supportive when you happen to be striving for changes, which generally push against the “mainstream”.

What have you learned from your experience volunteering with Green Earth Group?  There are many wonderful members of the younger generation who give so much to make the world a kinder, more liveable place for all sentient beings.  Adaptability is vital in volunteer organisations. Perfectionism is not an option!

What advice can you give to others considering volunteering with Green Earth Group?

Have a look and see if GEG offers you an opportunity to express / extend yourself in creatively living your ideals. At the very least, you will get to connect with some great like‐minded people.

Live Travel Blog 24.10.2012 A Few of Queensland’s Best Festivals

by Janine Smith (We’re right at the top!)

With vibrant cities, a beautiful rainforest, miles of beautifully kept beaches and enough kid and adult‐friendly activities to keep any family occupied for months, Queensland is a diverse and culturally‐rich area with plenty to offer. There’s the quirky, fun side of Queensland, which is showcased in the region’s many festivals. From pumpkin rolling down Main Street to raising your awareness of green technology; Queensland’s festivals and celebrations offer something for everyone.

Green Earth Festival Held at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, the Green Earth Festival is quickly becoming a popular event in Queensland’s most populous city. Aimed at improving the community’s awareness of green technology, eco‐conscious initiatives, organic living and sustainable energy; this festival is still about positively impacting your environment while having a good time. A separate zone is created just for children, where they’ll learn about preserving the environment and living a healthy lifestyle through music and books. Stages featuring performers and spoken word poets are scattered among booths selling eco‐friendly fashions, environmentally safe foods and personal hygiene products. Get into the spirit of the Green Earth Festival by slipping on a pair of walking shoes and exploring the botanic gardens– and several of the other attractions Brisbane has to offer — by foot.

Portable Workshopping with Jeremy & Elouise Nov 20 2012 This month, Green Earth Group interviewed Jeremy Staples & Elouise Quinlivan about their plans to create a portable venue workshop space.

Once its built they're planning a variety workshops from portable gardening, DIY arts, home brewing to market stalls. Here's the interview:

Why is a portable workshop space important to you?

We love art spaces and existing venues but we’d also love to share skills and knowledge with people that wouldn’t normally access workshops/projects/events. We could pop up at a night event hosted by a small community group, at a large‐scale festival we feel passionately about like the vegan festival, run our own events, or help others create projects with the space.

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Elouise: Documenting the regional areas and finding out what goes on there is what led me to change my uni degree to Journalism. How do you know what happens in an area if no one is encouraged to write about where they’re from and what goes on there?

Jeremy: I think it’s a great excuse to travel and give back a little something to the community. Meeting people on the street can lead to so many amazing experiences, from discovering the real attractions in each town that aren’t in the tourist guides, to someone opening their home up for a place to sleep the night.

What sort of workshops will you run?

Elousie: I guess that depends on the needs of community, region and passions. At the moment Jeremy and I run workshops around print making (Gocco prints), stencil graffiti, business in the arts and zine making, but with so many passions, interests and experiences, their really isn’t a limit as to what we can do. Nothing says the venue can’t be used to put band nights on in the park, host Food Not Bombs or meetings for action groups, ignite laneways, run a coffee stall, or pop up at festivals creating collaborative art. Plus we’re also excited about people borrowing out the trailer to run their own workshops as well as inviting guest facilitators with their own unique skill set to share their knowledge.

How did you go about creating the trailer?

Jeremy: The original idea came to me on a flight to Auckland after we moved a workshop to a swimming pool in Longreach due to the heat. I don’t own a car and I ride basically everywhere. So I drew up a crude sketch of a pop up venue that a bicycle could tow and brought it back to show my good friends Matias Chadwick and Nick Ovens who I originally met via Home Festival. Both designers and architects by trade with a love for community. I couldn’t have asked for a better team. A full sized wooden model isn’t far off completion. Having the full sized model has helped a lot with adding in extra additions and modifications to make it as versatile, compact and portable as possible.

Do you think crowd sourcing is good for not for profits and grassroots organisations to raise funding?

Definitely. Crowd funding (a kind of social philanthropy with a reward at the end) ensures that your project is relevant and engaging to audiences that want to see it happen. You need to focus on realistic budgets, rewards and how to get your idea off the ground ‐ with the help of connections across Australia getting involved. But it can also be dangerous uncharted territory. Not everything gets funded. Around 42% of projects get funded. That’s scary stuff. It’s a big leap of faith putting together a crowd funding project – you literally put it all on the line, and not everyone comes out the other end with a funded project.

What are your backgrounds with workshops and the environment?

Elouise: While the government is happy to keep the unemployed and studying well below the official poverty line, the relationship with the environment and reducing waste is furthered. People become resourceful out of necessity and find ways to make their own lives easier; growing your own veggie garden, brewing your own beer and looking after your health to reduce the need for doctor visits. Unfortunately my housemates think of me as a bit of a hoarder but I’m willing to cop that.

Jeremy: I would have never dreamt that I’d be travelling throughout Australia delivering skill share workshops. As I kid I loved making things by hand and loved learning new skills. I learnt a lot from making the zines and art the hard way, then progressed to putting on my own festivals and events which led to teaching others then running my own ventures. I’ve been delivering workshops now for roughly a decade. Being a workshop facilitator, I think it’s important to lead by example with everything.

From highlighting the use of recycled materials to catering the workshop with cruelty free food. Not a single person has ever Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 157 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

complained about the food, actually the opposite. Consumer culture is sickening but when kerbside pickup is on, don’t get in my way. Half, if not more of my house and garden is found items from the side of the road.

What is your favourite workshop that you’ve attended?

Elouise: Memorable workshops that we’ve attended in the past all seem to include a number of factors that I try and relate to the workshops Jeremy and I do. They often feature skill sharing, hands on, tangible outcomes or products, real life experiences and stories being shared and making connections with other participants that can lead to future collaborative projects.

Where do you see portability and DIY heading in the next few year – in Brisbane, in Australia and worldwide?

With the continuous nature of de‐funding organisations we see a lot more collaboration between organisations and arts groups, individuals and events happening. The structure and nature of events are changing to fill the funding shortfalls, and engage new audiences and income streams. DIY is in full swing, people are realising they can in fact do things for themselves and not rely on other people or just go to the shops and buy it ready made, whether that’s cooking, composting or creating. That said we’re big fans of DIT – Do it Together – so many projects are made more fun through having multiple brains working on it.

What projects are coming up for you?

The rest of the regional VIC tour is the main one, then on to conquering the rest of Australia! Once the pop up trailer is made it can be incorporated into the plan, but Canberra has You Are Here coming up, and we are hoping to get through every state with the Bizoo Book launches and workshops.

A great crew of people in Brisbane and surrounds are starting work on ZICS – the Zine, Indy and Comics Symposium in the works for late 2013 that is going to be a huge weekend event that should bring all the worlds together.

Want to help fund this project? See HERE for more information on how you can get involved.

Summer Gardening for Kids Nov 26 2012 Written by Caroline Roberts

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 158 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Summer is upon us bringing with it longer days and school holidays, which means there is more time and opportunities to get the kids outside in the garden. There are many great activities you can do with the kids during the summer that will keep them happy and occupied. Your garden will benefit from them too!

Grow sunflowers Sunflowers are hugely popular flowers for kids to grow. They are bright, come in a variety of colours and their height amazes children. Growing sunflowers is a great way to encourage children to practise their mathematical skill by measuring and tracking their rate of growth. Once your sunflowers have bloomed keep the biggest flower heads, dry them out and collect the seeds to replant next year.

Give a living gift this Christmas Green thumbs of all ages appreciate a new plant and there are endless inexpensive varieties that can be given as a beautiful and useful living gift at Christmas. For edible gifts choose easy to grow plants such strawberries, capsicums, lettuces, and herbs. Help your child pot up the chosen plant to give as a gift and then decorate it together in a festive way.

Plant a butterfly garden Kids love butterflies so why not plant a garden that will attract them? One of the best plants you can grow to attract these beautiful creatures is Buddleia. This plant has large flowers full of nectar that attract butterflies and birds into your garden. It may be a good idea however to plant it in a large container as it can grow to be quite large and tend to take over areas if not controlled.

Water the garden During the summer months not only do we get hot and thirsty but our gardens do too. Get the kids outside with buckets and watering cans to help water the plants. Your plants will be happy and yours kids will have fun and keep cool splashing about in the water.

Spread some mulch Mulching is a great way to retain moisture in your soil and is an activity that children often enjoy. Show them how to spread it around the plants and not on them. Ensure they are wearing gardening gloves to protect their hands from any spiky parts or little critters that may be hiding in the mulch.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 159 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Harvest your produce Many spring crops are now ready to harvest so head outside and see what is ready for picking. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums are great in salads at this time of year. If you grow edible flowers such as marigolds or nasturtiums add some to your salad for a splash of colour. Kids are fascinated by the fact that many flowers are edible and are often eager to have a taste.

Remember to talk to them about the importance of checking with an adult before picking and eating produce from the garden to ensure that it is safe to do so.

Have a wonderful festive season with your family, stay cool and enjoy the garden with your little green thumbs!

Caroline Roberts is Mum to her own two little green thumbs, primary school teacher and owner of Gardening 4 Kids. As an environmental educator and gardening specialist, she has a passion for educating children about a healthy lifestyle and a sustainable future.

Reducing Plastic Waste in Packed Lunches Dec 5 2012 Written by Genavive St Clair

When I was working as a relief teacher in Primary schools, I would frequently find myself on playground duties. This put me in the perfect position to observe the types of food which children were consuming and the volume of waste generated each day. It is the latter which I will discuss in this article.

Of particular concern was the amount of plastic waste which found its way into the drains and from there with the next downpour of rain, to our rivers and seas. Free floating pieces of plastic‐wrap (cling‐wrap) were the most prevalent items in the drains. As most of us know, plastic waste in our waterways and oceans wreaks havoc on marine life, all too often resulting in slow and painful deaths of a variety of marine birds and mammals.

As a teacher, I made it a priority to make sure that every bit of litter was securely in a bin, and I often informed classes and individuals of the hazards of plastic litter in the environment. While rubbish bins are standard issue at schools, certainly not all items make it into the bins, nor stay there.

The “lighter than air” quality of plastic wrap, when unsecured, makes it easy for even gentle breezes to lift and blow it away from its owner. Once ‘gone’ its owner (I’ve observed) either is oblivious to its departure, or immediately disowns the item and abandons any responsibility for its whereabouts. Even if these items make it into a bin, strong winds can easily whip up the contents of un‐lidded bins, whirling them upwards and blowing them to all corners of the school grounds. Also over‐full bins easily result in the escape of many items.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 160 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Another issue (surprisingly) which has become a problem at many school, is the presence of crows, which being a natural scavenger, take full advantage of the waste food on offer. They routinely wait till the kids are back in the classroom, then alight upon any abandoned food scraps, and won’t hesitate to pick through any open garbage bins for edibles. Of course, they often empty out significant quantities of wrapping in the process, which then may end up in the gutters.

There are some fairly obvious strategies to address the above:  Reduce or eliminate the amount of plastic wrap you use in your child’s lunchbox. (See below)  Make your child aware of the problems associated with plastic wrap once it is in the environment, and work out ways to make sure that any wrap they use is disposed of carefully.  If you are aware of poor management of waste at a school, make some effort to work with targeted members of the school community to address the problem, eg work with the P&C group to “crow‐proof” lids on bins; find a teacher who is environmentally aware and collaborate to develop a strategy for dealing with litter in the school grounds.

I still remember my amazement one day when a little girl asked me to help her to open a tiny tub of some sort of yogurty food.

The amount in that tub must have been only about 2 tablespoons full (about 2 mouthfuls for an adult) yet that tiny quantity generated a single‐use plastic tub and its peel‐back lid as rubbish. Of course the mother would have paid dearly per gram of yogurt for the convenience of not having to pack it herself. To my mind this is over‐packaging and resource wastage gone crazy!

It seems that the volume and number of pre wrapped foods being sold over the years has steadily increased, while the actual volume per portion has decreased. We seem to have accepted the individual packaging of tiny portions of all sorts of foods. So how do we reduce the amount of litter and packaging in packed lunches, whether they are for an adult or child?

1. Avoid buying single‐use serves of food. This will be easier on the budget and the environment. Lunch boxes with compartments for different items are the better way to go and can be used for years. (see photo above) 2. Reuse plastic packaging. Bread bags can be used to pack sandwiches, nuts, fruit, etc, and can be washed and reused many times. Zip‐lock sandwich and snack bags can likewise be reused many times.

3. Try reusable lunch bags which are now on the market.

4. Use cloth napkins to wrap certain items, eg dried fruit, then secure with a rubber band or reusable clip.

5. Only wrap what needs to be wrapped! You can easily pack a bunch of grapes in the same container with some dried fruit and raw nuts without any needing to be individually wrapped.

6. Refill water bottles rather than purchase single use ones….. and the same goes for fruit juices.

7. Use cutlery which can be reused. If you don’t want to use pieces of your home set, buy some used cutlery (always cheap at Second‐hand Shops) and train yourself and / or your child to bring them home.

Experiment and find what works best for you. With a bit of awareness, a bit of organization, and the determination to reduce the volume of packaging we discard every day, we all can make a difference.

Genavive has had a love for animals and a keen interest in food, health and the environment for most of her life. She believes that although efforts to transform old paradigms based on power, corruption and greed at times seem futile, the sincere efforts and intent of relatively few people will eventually transform our future to one based on respect and compassion for all life, including our wonderful planet.

8 simple ways to reduce household energy usage Jan 24 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

The question of how to reduce our environmental impact, reduce energy consumption, and reduce energy costs can seem enormous – too big for any one person to tackle. It’s understandable why this perception persists when you consider that everything is described on a global scale, and it’s easy to feel powerless. But there is great power in collective action, and even simple, low‐impact changes to our lifestyles can have a huge effect on the global situation. If everyone followed these eight simple, easy steps in their everyday lives, the collective result would be staggering.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 161 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

1. Research Before You Buy. Purchasing an Energy Star rated appliance (television, washing machine, refrigerator, dishwasher, etc.) can save you over $4000 in operating costs than buying less efficient appliances. For example, an energy‐efficient television will cost the average owner $57 a year to operate, while a less‐efficient television will cost $183. This not only represents a monetary saving, but significantly lower energy consumption. Cribbed on a global scale, and it’s easy to feel powerless. But there is great power in collective action, and even simple, low‐impact changes to our lifestyles can have a huge effect on the global situation. If everyone followed these eight simple, easy steps in their everyday lives, the collective result would be staggering.

2. Don’t Rely on Standby Power. Your appliances use energy even when they’re not being operated. Even your television, dark and silent, is sipping energy from the grid at all times. While most modern appliances operate in ‘standby’ mode which is designed to use less energy, there’s an even better solution: Turning them off altogether when not in use. The easiest way to do so is with an EcoSwitch, which allows you to switch off several appliances at once with a single simple switch. The introduction of just one EcoSwitch can save the average household a significant amount on their annual electricity bill.

3. Use Less Hot Water. Water is a precious resource that needs to be conserved as well. Consider setting your water heater’s temperature to a lower setting to save heating costs, and limiting your showers to four minutes. Installing an efficient low‐flow showerhead can save up to $100 in water and energy costs as well. If you’ve got the right property and the gumption, a solar water heating system can reduce your water heating bills by 50% every year.

4. Wear More Layers. While a warm home in the cool months is a joy and a comfort, reducing the thermostat in your home to 18 – 20 degrees can save a lot of money and energy. Every degree you increase the temperature in your house raises your cost by 10%. A thick pair of socks, some slippers, and that nice Christmas jumper your Nana knitted can make sure you’re comfortable.

5. Full Loads Only. Using your washing machine and dishwasher at capacity will make for the most efficient use of energy. If possible, consider drying your clothes on a line as opposed to running the dryer – this alone can save you up to $150 in energy costs, and make your clothes smell amazing.

6. Careful Lighting. Changing all the globes in your home to the newer energy‐efficient type can reduce your energy costs by 20% (and reduce the number of times you have to get the ladder out of the garage, as the new globes last 8‐10 times longer).

Remembering to close lights as you leave rooms or the house can also have an impact on your energy footprint. If you can, install skylights or solar tubes as these can eliminate the need for electric light during the day, further saving you money.

7. Insulate! Having a professional inspect and assess the insulation of your home is a great way to reduce costs and energy usage.

Proper insulation, especially around windows, can reduce heating costs by up to 40% in the cold months. Even in the warmer months, insulation works for you by maintaining the interior climate.

8. Carpool and Bus Fare. Taking public transportation or sharing a car with co‐workers or co‐shoppers can shave your energy use and expenditure on your car. Joining an on‐demand car service like GoGet allows you to forego a second (or even primary) vehicle, and shares the fuel and maintenance costs of the cars among a wide number of people, reducing everyone’s impact.

Finally, if you must have a car, consider a ‘green’ vehicle – the government can help you shop for one at http://www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au/.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Vegan Organic Growing ‐ The Basics Jan 25 2013 Written by Vegan Organic Network Growing with concern for people, animals and the environment Organic growing involves treating the soil, the growing environment and the world environment as a resource to be preserved for future generations, rather than exploited in the short term. Veganorganics means doing this without any animal products at all, which is not difficult when you know how.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 162 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

All soil fertility ultimately depends on plants and minerals ‐ these do not have to be passed through an animal in order to work.

Fertility can be maintained by plant‐based composts, green manures, mulches, chipped branch wood, crop rotations and any other method that is sustainable, ecologically benign and not dependent upon animal exploitation.

The guidelines below do not attempt to be fully comprehensive. The extent to which you adhere to any system really depends on you, your conscience and circumstances. We can only do our best with our available time and money. The Vegan‐Organic Network has now published comprehensive Stockfree Organic Standards, which are available to commercial growers and can also be used as a reference for home growers. Of course, no one person or organisation knows everything about the subject, so constant co‐ operation and updating of ideas and information is needed.

Whilst conventional cultivation relies on synthetic chemicals and animal products, traditional organic production also generally relies on animal wastes and by‐products. Both involve the exploitation of living creatures, and the inefficient use of land, water and energy resources. Vegan‐organic methods minimise these drawbacks. Many people who are not themselves vegan or vegetarian are coming to appreciate that animal‐free growing is the most sustainable system: it is the future of organics.

Vegan‐organic information sheets are produced on various topics by the Vegan‐Organic Network, and are aimed mainly at those with allotments, kitchen gardens, or other small growing areas, although many of the techniques will also apply to larger‐scale situations. We welcome feedback on this information sheet and any other related topics.

In adopting these methods you will certainly not be alone! Various groups exist to help out and many are listed below. Whether or not you grow some of your own food, it is still possible to support the Vegan‐Organic Network and other organisations that promote animal‐free growing, and thereby lend a hand in the movement towards a cruelty‐free and environmentally friendly world. The option of buying animal/cruelty free food is open to very few of us at the moment, unless we are fortunate enough to live near one of the small but increasing number of commercial vegan‐organic producers.

There are one thousand million reasons for growing vegan‐organically; this being a conservative estimate of the number of sentient creatures killed just in the UK every year to provide food and raw materials for the UK population.

Here is some advice about growing your own crops.

First of all, remember to use appropriate protective clothing; some materials such as limestone, can irritate the eyes and skin, as can some plants such as comfrey (not to mention nettles!)

Preparing the soil Most bacterial activity and soil organisms live in the top few inches of the soil helping to create drainage and build up fertility.

Constantly digging the soil and exposing it to erosion from the elements disturbs the natural balance resulting in the loss of availability of organic matter and the breakdown of soil structure.

When cropping you need to constantly replenish soil organic matter levels by the addition of plant‐based composts, mulches and by using plants grown to improve fertility, i.e. green manures. With the exception of green manures, digging is not necessary for incorporating materials as organic matter spread on the surface will soon be drawn under by worm activity and plant nutrients will be available at root level and not be buried out of reach.

It is advisable to dig heavy clays as exposure to frost and rain can result in a more workable soil, especially over winter.

Compaction, caused by standing or running the wheelbarrow over the soil when it is too wet, can be avoided by making permanent beds that are never stood on. These can be timber lined as raised beds, with soil from the paths being placed on the beds to raise them.

Where soil has been compacted it may be loosened by forking.

When clearing land for the first time it is important to remove all the perennial weeds such as bind weed, couch grass, ground elder and horsetail whose roots are deep and wide spreading. Dandelions, docks and thistles have a long taproot. You remove them through a process of digging a trench, at spade depths across an area. Work backwards by pushing the soil continually Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 163 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

forward, almost like a sieving process so that you can inspect every part of the soil and remove all the weeds. Do not stand on your new soil tilth! Finally when all the weeds are removed rake the soil level with the back of the rake to reduce hillocks and mounds. All weeds will re‐grow from a small piece left in the ground so it is important that you are thorough.

After digging, the soil will soon be covered by germinating weeds blown in or brought in by birds etc. therefore it is important to manage weeds so that they do not outcompete the crop. Weeding is a constant task for the vegan‐organic grower but it is always easier to hoe small weeds when they are at the white stringy stage rather than having to uproot established weed clumps by hand, which is far more arduous.

Weeds are not all bad as they contain nutrients that have been brought to the surface level via the roots. Rather than waste this valuable resource, annual weeds (if not seeding!) can be composted and perennials can be chopped and added to water to make a liquid feed, as outlined below.

Mulching and no dig Mulching is the method of applying organic matter to the soil surface, providing a constant supply of material to break down, suppressing weed growth, ensuring more even soil temperature and moisture. Mulch can be applied at any time except when the soil is frozen or dry.

When using no dig methods, weed infested sites can be cleared by firstly covering with a barrier, e.g. cardboard boxes (flattened and wetted), newspapers (avoiding toxic‐coloured inks), carpets or coconut matting (only those made from natural materials such as hessian and cotton, avoiding synthetic mixtures and foam backing). A sufficient quantity of organic material is then spread over the barrier. Plants can be planted into holes cut into the barrier. Any weeds growing out of the planting holes can be removed by hand. After two years of covering weed‐infested land, most perennial weeds should have died off.

Organic material Obtaining sufficient organic matter is often the most difficult aspect of veganorganic gardening. These are some potential sources.

• Grass cuttings: rich in nutrients, mix with compost or fork into the top of the soil, or use as a mulch.

• Old hay: ideal for mulching, containing a balance of nutrients. It must be at least a year or two old so that no seeds will germinate.

• Spent hops: an excellent soil conditioner, containing some nitrogen, available from many breweries.

• Tree leaves: obtainable from your own trees or from local councils. Be careful of street trees, which may contain litter, dog faeces or lead pollution.

• Comfrey: leaves can be cut when ready and added to water to make a liquid feed or applied when wilted; you can grow your own comfrey for this purpose.

• Composted garden waste: some councils now have recycling centres where garden waste is shredded, composted, bagged and sold as soil conditioner.

• Compost: all organic material from your own kitchen and garden or from local suppliers can be composted; using cooked food is not recommended.

• Seaweed: use washed‐up seaweed, stack and allow rain to wash out salt, or buy seaweed meal.

• Chipped branch wood (ramial): the shredded growth of young branches and leaves

Green Manures There are many plants that can be grown in order to increase the fertility and humus content of the soil. Basically you sow the seed and allow the plant to grow, then cut it down before it flowers. Many gardeners will then incorporate this into the soil, though it is also possible to either let it break down in situ or to remove it and compost it. A number of green manure crops, in particular peas, beans, clovers and winter tares will enrich the soil with nitrogen as well as providing organic matter. Green Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 164 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

manures have many benefits and can be grown as catch crops in land that would otherwise be empty. Species to consider include buckwheat, cereal rye, winter tares, clovers, and alfalfa. Winter tares are good for heavy soil and lupins are good for light, sandy soil types.

Liquid Feeds When properly carried out, organic systems should not need supplementary additions as the soil provides all the necessary nutrients. However, getting enough potash for your luscious fruiting crops ‐ tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines (eggplant) and peppers (capsicums) ‐ may prove difficult. It is possible to buy vegan liquid feeds or you can make your own much more cheaply.

The process is simple: you fill a container, e.g. water butt with a tap, with plant material such as comfrey, nettles or weeds. You then fill the container with water (and you will be surprised how much water will fit in) and leave it for a week or two. It will then be very smelly, and you dilute it perhaps 3:1 with water and then pour it on the soil around the plants. Alternatively you can increase the dilution and spray it over the leaves of plants, preferably in the evening or on cloudy days.

Human Manure Composting human manure properly requires great care and skill and should only be attempted if you really know what you are doing. While many consider humanure an essential part of a closed system, others would only use faeces from vegans free from chemical intakes, and some would reject this altogether. Your own urine is a strong and easily handled fertiliser, dilute it and use it to activate the compost heap; or add it to a small straw bale until the bale is saturated, (perhaps using it as an outdoor strawbale urinal) then cover the bale and after 6 months or so you will have a heap of excellent compost.

There are some materials that we would not recommend: • Peat: there has been a lot of publicity about peat bogs being destroyed in order to provide peat for composts, mulching, etc.

• Calcified seaweed: this material is obtained from the temperate ocean equivalent of coral reefs, and is being harvested in an unsustainable way; it is being phased out of organic practice.

• Spent mushroom compost: just in case you were not aware of it, this material is usually made from animal manures, especially horse manure. It is also heavily polluted with all the chemicals they use in growing mushrooms.

• Coir: this is being used in increasing quantities as a peat replacement. Although this is an excellent soil conditioner it is imported from countries that need the fertility of their own soils improving.

• Slaked lime: is a by‐product of the chemical industry. Dolomite and ground limestone has to be quarried, so should be used in moderation.

Pests and Diseases Crops grown in a soil containing high levels of organic matter and plant nutrients with a good soil structure and texture, will be healthy plants, and will therefore have a greater resistance to ‘pests’ and diseases which tend to attack weaker, sappy plants.

There are many organic sprays available for treating pests and diseases in plants.

These are not recommended because whilst they are not based on artificial chemicals, they can still be poisonous (e.g. copper sulphate) to non‐target insect species, many of which are very beneficial in the garden. If you want to consider the alternatives to spraying, then it is important that you adopt a holistic approach, i.e. use all of the following growing suggestions to increase your likelihood of healthy crops. Think of ‘pests’ as ‘competing organisms’ and you will feel better towards them!

Rotations Pests and diseases spread in monoculture. It is important that you adopt at least a four‐course rotation. A typical example is to split your garden into four plots: 1. Potatoes and curcubits (courgette, marrow, squash), 2. Legumes (peas and beans) and alliums (onions and leeks), 3. Brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprout, turnip, radish, swede, oriental salad leaves), 4. Salads, roots and miscellaneous (lettuce, chicory, beetroot, carrot, parsnip, sweetcorn).

Each year the crops are rotated into different parts. So in year one potatoes are growing and they will be followed the next year by peas etc. VON can provide information about incorporating green manure leys into rotations.

Providing a habitat for predators Providing permanent predator belts, including incorporating undisturbed perennial plants, shrubs and trees for insects and beetles to overwinter are all good ideas. Hedges are the best example of this. It is also possible to provide annual predator belts Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 165 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

by leaving uncultivated strips between beds. Beneficial insects, birds and mammals will not inhabit your garden unless they have a water body in which to drink and places to shelter. Think about hedgehog shelters, log piles, bark piles (favoured by ladybirds) compost heaps, lacewing hotels and bird boxes.

Planting attractant species for beneficial insects By planting aromatic species amongst your other plants you will find that the incidence of pests and diseases will fall. Camomile, garlic and many of the Mediterranean herbs are very useful here. Plants such as borage, limanthes (poached egg plant) echium and members members of the umbellifer family (let several parsnips run to seed) attract predatory insects such as hover flies, parasitic wasps and other insects. Phacelia will attract bees and hoverflies and growing marigolds on the bed perimeters will help reduce greenfly. Companion planting and mixed cropping increases the biodiversity of plants and the insects it attracts.

Physical barriers and tempting the slugs!

The dreaded slugs (and snails) are bound to get any vegan‐organic grower down. It is very important to try to be as tidy as possible in the immediate growing area. Leaving things lying around, for example, will give slugs a place to shelter. You can take advantage of this by laying rhubarb leaves on the ground to attract slugs to shelter there; it is then a simple matter of collecting the slugs and moving them, especially after dark with a torch. Bear in mind that slugs and snails have a homing instinct and will return if you do not move them far enough away! Other things you can do are to place a circle of bran around tender plants; copper tape around plants or guttering around beds filled with sharp stone can be effective. For flying pests use physical barriers like netting, fleeces, pop bottles as cloches and collars around brassicas to prevent the cabbage root fly laying its eggs.

Grow perennial species where possible The gardening world, especially when it comes to growing food, is becoming aware of the advantages of perennial crops. Thanks to the pioneering work of amongst others, Ken Fern Plants for a Future, and Robert Hart’s Forest Gardening Techniques.

There are plenty of perennial food crops available. These are much easier to grow ‐ once established they will come back of their own accord year after year. Very little research has been carried out on perennial food crops, but if you would like more information on this then we recommend you contact Plants For A Future. This organisation is vegan‐organic; they have carried out extensive research into alternative food crops and other useful species.

How do we know that horticultural products are animal‐free?

It can be very difficult to ensure that purchased material such as compost is truly free from animal by‐products; the word ‘organic’ often means that poultry manure, fish emulsion or slaughterhouse by‐products are included. Question the manufacturers carefully; consult the Animal‐Free Shopper or Vegan‐Organic Network.

One common problem is obtainingvegan‐organic compost for potting plants, raising seedlings etc. This can be obtained by post from the Organic Gardening Catalogue but is costly to obtain this way. A good easily available product is B&Q multipurpose organic compost: this is peat‐free, GM‐free and free from animal ingredients (it says so on the bag! But it’s also been checked out Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 166 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

by the Vegan‐Organic Network). To use this for raising small seeds first sieve out any larger bits of material and try mixing a little sharp sand with the compost before sowing. See Suppliers here.

And what about worm composters?

Indoor or outdoor ‘wormeries’ are promoted as a means of using up small amounts of household waste. For vegans these are not such a good idea because unlike ordinary compost heaps, the worms cannot move to the soil and worm populations are often killed by neglect.

And it’s not just fruit and veg...

Indoor plants, flowers, shrubs and in fact every growing thing can be cultivated using the above methods. Roses shrubsand trees can be mulched and fed using vegan‐organic composts and liquid feeds.

It is possible to make a smell‐free liquid feed for indoor plants using seaweed meal. Put three flat tablespoons of seaweed meal into two litres of water, preferablyin a glass bottle; leave to marinate for two to three weeks or more. Every month in the growing season feed plants with one mugful of this brew in two litres of water; shake the bottle well before use. This brew may not be very high in available nitrogen and/or potash, of which pot plants do not usually need too much.

Download this Fact Sheet (PDF) along with more info on Seed Suppliers, Organisations, Books etc.

Vegan‐Organic Network (VON) is an international educational charity with a wide supporter network providing information and research on vegan‐organic methods. In cooperation with the Soil Association VON have produced the Stockfree Organic Standards, which enable farmers to consider stockfree certification using the SA and VON symbol.

Key reasons to implement a green cleaning process Jan 29 2013 Written by Murray McDonald Many homes and businesses are now aware that considering the environment during your cleaning process is something that can be easily achieved. However, for people to understand and be aware that green cleaning is more than simply switching to the use of green cleaning products is less common.

Green cleaning uses a holistic approach to the cleaning and maintenance of a home or facility. It includes having the right equipment and products, commitment, a plan that focuses on high traffic areas and education that inturn impacts attitudes and behaviours towards green cleaning.

Without the education of why green cleaning is necessary and the knowledge of the impact it can have on various factors, domestically and commercially, then the idea of green cleaning is at risk of merely becoming just another “fad”.

The following are key factors that businesses and homes should be educated on to understand the full impact of what a green cleaning process could mean for them.

Health and wellbeing The most obvious factor to health and wellbeing is that the exposure to toxic chemicals is eliminated. To the average person, cleaning agents and detergents when used correctly are not harmful; however, they can have serious consequences to the vulnerable. The vulnerable include pets, particularly newborns, as well as the sick or elderly.

Toxic chemicals can affect breathing capabilities as well as indoor air quality. Another key reason why chemicals can be dangerous to the vulnerable is that it is not efficient against the elimination of disease and bacteria. Using a green cleaning agent such as steam at a high temperature completely removes all pathogens, disease and bacteria.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 167 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Cleaning efficiency Traditional cleaning methods that use large amounts of water, as well as manual scrubbing and detergents are not sufficient for many cleaning applications. The reason being is that most of these methods either transfer the dirt or bacteria from one surface to another or cause a greater build up of dirt and grime rather than removal due to creating a sticky substance i.e. excess detergent.

Using sustainable cleaning products, such as microfibre cloths, or sustainable cleaning methods such as high temperature steam can greatly improve cleaning results. Compared to other methods, steam is renowned for being a top and sustainable cleaning method, particularly for industries where infection control is paramount.

According to the International Commission on the Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) – HACCP in Microbiological Safety and Quality (1988) a comparison was made of the more commonly used disinfectants which included steam, chlorine, iodophors, quats and acid anionic surfactants. Steam resulted in the best disinfectant compared to other common methods. The results concluded that steam ranked number one compared to other disinfectants, and was the most effective disinfectant against common bacteria such as: ‐ gram‐positive bacteria e.g. clostridia, Staphylococcus etc ‐ Gram‐negative bacteria e.g. E. coli, Salmonella etc. ‐ Bacteriophage

Financial and legal requirements Particularly for commercial facilities, the financial savings of green cleaning practices can save significant amounts of money.

When green products and processes are implemented, costs decrease due to the reduction in chemical consumption and the number of cleaning chemicals needed, as well as green cleaning processes such as placing door mats in high traffic areas limiting the resources needed to clean an area.

Legally, some businesses, such as schools, have an obligation to only procure and use environmentally sensitive cleaning and maintenance products. The accommodation sector also prioritises sustainable processes, for example, asking guests to place used and clean towels/sheets in separate areas so water and energy is saved from not having to re‐clean already clean bedding or towels.

Overall, sustainable cleaning doesn’t just decrease our environmental footprint; it is actually easier to implement than traditional methods. However, the key element is education. Once businesses and individuals are correctly educated on green cleaning practices, and understand the impacts and outcomes, sustainable practices will become the common way of operating.

Murray McDonald is Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines and has over 20 years experience in the distribution of green cleaning machines and products in the Asia‐Pacific region. Murray writes articles for various industry publications on how to implement a green cleaning process as well as provides free online e‐learning courses to customers on green cleaning methods.

How to eliminate standby power Jan 30 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

We all know the reasons why we need to eliminate standby power ‐ it's to save money and reduce CO2 because our hi‐tech appliances use standby power. We also know the easiest way to eliminate standby power is to switch off our appliances at the wall. But for most of us this is difficult ‐ either because the power point switch is hard to reach and hidden behind furniture, or because we simply forget.

Here are several solutions to this problem available in the market; from the hi‐tech to the unbelievably simple. In this article we review the different options and the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 168 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Remote control energy saving devices A remote controlled powerboard can be used to replace your existing one (unfortunate if you’ve already purchased a high end powerboard with lots of safety features). Alternatively a remote controlled powerpoint adapter can be used to do the same job.

These energy saving devices can be effective in switching off standby power, particularly if you're already in the habit of using a remote control to turn things off at night.

However these devices come with a number of drawbacks, including:  The relatively high price  The requirement for batteries  The requirement for programming, and potentially reprogramming after a power‐out event  Potential conflicts of signal frequency (you might accidentally open your neighbour’s garage door)  Yet another remote control to misplace  Maximum wattage restrictions on some models  Their lumpy design which prevents furniture going back to the wall and means they have a tendency to fall out of the powerpoint.

But worst of all (and often unknown to the unsuspecting consumer), is that these hi‐tech devices actually use standby power themselves, always waiting for a signal. So the standby power problem isn't ever 100% solved ‐ it's merely shifted from the appliance to the gadget itself.

Master/slave energy saving products In the second category we have master/slave standby switches, where a master device (e.g. your PC or TV) triggers your slave devices (e.g. PC peripherals) to turn off. These energy saving products are usually available in a powerboard format and can work well for a hubs of appliances where ALL the slaves have patterns of use consistent with the master device (e.g. you never use the peripherals independently of the computer).

However, these products also come with a number of drawbacks, including:  The relatively high price  The requirement for the master device to draw a certain level of current  The recommendation from some manufactures that their devices are not suitable for certain appliances (e.g. laser printers)

Again, these devices remain on standby themselves waiting for a signal, but in the case of master/slave products this doesn't seem to be the biggest complaint. Instead, it appears this standby power 'solution' fails to take into account basic human behaviour and usage patterns. Typically, most hubs don't consist of one master and several completely dependent slaves.

Normally there is a master appliance and several peripherals that can be used with or without the master. For instance, do you ever play a CD when you’re not watching TV? Does your wireless modem need to stay on so others can access the Internet with their laptop? Do people use the printer independently of the PC? A sub‐category of master/slave products also exists in which the 'master' appliance (e.g. your TV) is automatically switched off after a set period of time. These devices seem to be causing quite a bit of user‐frustration, with the complaints gaining increasing press coverage (see Standby power controllers are free but 'flawed').

Switching off standby power with the EcoSwitch It's hardly surprising that devices which are complicated to set‐up and use, lead to frustration and thus to non‐use.

Just because our individual appliances are complicated and the variety of ways we combine our appliances is also complicated, doesn't mean we require a complicated solution to the standby power problem.

Thankfully, the EcoSwitch offers a refreshingly simple solution. An EcoSwitch is an extension cord with a switch, and is used between whatever you want to switch off and the powerpoint. When you've finished using an appliance (or group of appliances), you simply flick the easy to reach switch. And so that you actually remember to turn things off, the switch glows green to remind you.

The benefits of the EcoSwitch include:  The low price (just $19.99 RRP)  Reliable, easy and simple  No batteries, no remote controls, no electronics  Works with your existing powerboard  Doesn't consume standby power itself, waiting for a signal  Can be used for either hubs of appliances or a single appliance  Doesn't prevent your furniture from sitting tight against the wall

And the drawbacks of the EcoSwitch? Well, we can think of only one ‐ it's not a hi‐tech solution!

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 169 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Top 10 Tips for Helping our Environment, Today Feb 5 2013

By Leigh‐Chantelle

Here are some basic tips on how you can help our environment, today.

(photo source: http://edu.glogster.com/media/6/39/76/14/39761457.jpg)

1. Eat a well‐balanced, whole food, plant‐based (vegan) diet with as much organic, locally grown produce as you can afford.

2. Use Public Transport as much as you can and Car Pool when you don’t.

3. Buy products that don’t use plastic eg. stainless steel water bottles or coffee cups, reusable calico shopping bags. If you do get anything plastic, reuse as much as you can.

4. Buy second‐hand goods and items as much as you possibly can.

5. Turn off all electrical appliances at the wall when they’re not in use.

6. Turn off the lights when you’re not in the room.

7. Take containers with you when you get takeaway or for leftovers.

8. Don’t print emails unless you really need to.

9. Support your local fruit and vegetable shops, especially if they’re organic ‐ even better if veganic.

10. Encourage companies, stores and brands who are doing the right thing by sending an email or letter to let them know that you appreciate that they use biodegradable takeaway containers, not give out plastic bags in their shop, use cardboard boxes instead of bags etc.

Top 10 Reasons to Bag‐It this February Feb 11 2013

By Samantha Ayton

Share the adventure, go Bag Free this February with us.

Queensland Conservation Council have initiated a campaign to raise awareness of the negative impact plastic bags have on our environment. Support this campaign and pledge to go bag free.

Of all the facts and figures out there, here's Sam's Top 10 reasons why we choose to be bag‐free this February: 1. The environmental impact from the production of plastic bags is enormous, not to mention the fact that the majority of people use them once and then throw them out. Clean Up Australia reports that a car would be able to drive 11 metres with the amount of petroleum used to make a single plastic bag.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 170 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

2.

The recyclability of plastic bags isn’t feasible. It is possible to recycle plastic bags into other plastic items, though all the chemicals and materials used to make a plastic bag and the fact that they are so thin means that you will need around 250‐300 plastic bags to make just one kilogram of recycled plastic. To be able to recycle them involves a lot of burning which results in the release of toxic ash and pollution into our air.

3. Plastics are known to contain phalates and dioxins among other cancer enhancing chemicals. If plastic is left in the heat (and it does get pretty hot in Australia), the heat invites these chemicals to be released increasing the risk.

4. As an environmental group, we like promote the reuse of products. Many things breakdown into the earth including our cotton clothing. But not plastic bags. Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they do what is called photo‐degrade. Through photo‐ degradation, plastic bags become smaller portions of plastic, which easily soak up even more toxins than what they already contain. Further to this, these smaller fragments then go on to contaminate our precious waterways and soil.

5. Further to this, plastic bags take anywhere between 400 to 1000 years to photo‐degrade, which is an extremely long time.

6. Apparently millions of plastic bags end up in our oceans every year. Which leads us to point 7...

7. Plastic bags can cause some serious damage to our animal friends (or human children) if they get them caught around their necks. Even worse, if the bag does eventually breakdown into tiny fragments, some poor turtle (or any animal for that fact) may see it as food source and ingest it ‐ that’s not particularly nutritious.

8. For all our stylish environmentally conscious friends out there ‐ by using your own bags, you have the opportunity to be unique and have a bag that (hopefully) nobody else has.

9. Plastics bags are an unnecessary commodity and we can easily live without them ‐ so why don’t we?

10. Most importantly ‐ by not using plastic bags, we are sending a message to the supermarkets and hopefully the government that we do not support the use of them and that we want action to be taken.

Reduce power consumption with an energy efficient car Feb 13 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

The market and production for energy efficient cars has matured to the point where there are real savings involved for just about every consumer. Statistics have shown that a hybrid petrol‐electric vehicle such as the trailblazing Toyota Prius can save the average driver thousands of dollars over the course of years in reduced fuel costs.

As more and more people become aware of the twin crises of energy production and climate change, the energy‐ and climate‐ friendly products that have been introduced to the market in recent years have moved out of the periphery and square into the mainstream. While it remains the case that the best way to deal with the looming energy crisis is to change the way we use energy – by applying a ‘turn it off at the wall’ approach with products like the EcoSwitch – the fact is, we all still need to commute to our jobs or drive to the grocery store.

The idea that people might be convinced to stop driving altogether and use public transportation is simply not going to happen unless economic factors force people to do so. As a result, instead of admonishing people to stop using petrol and stop driving, it’s a better strategy to educate them on the benefits of energy efficient cars, such as electric cars, hybrid cars, or simply good old‐ fashioned high‐MPG models.

Save energy, save money The market and production for energy efficient cars has matured to the point where there are real savings involved for just about every consumer. Statistics have shown that a hybrid petrol‐electric vehicle such as the trailblazing Toyota Prius can save the average driver thousands of dollars over the course of years in reduced fuel costs. These fuel cost savings are persuasive in selling more energy efficient automobiles to consumers who are not particularly aware or concerned about energy shortages or the impact of emissions and energy production on the climate.

Energy efficient cars not just about hybrids In today’s market for energy efficient cars, the ‘classic’ hybrid is just one option. Fully electric cars and traditional internal‐ combustion engines have matured into legitimately environmentally‐friendly options.

However, the hybrid remains the strongest technological player due to its extremely efficient fuel economy, best‐of‐both‐worlds approach, and established popular recognition. The Ford C‐Max line, for example, unveiled at the International Auto Show 2013, is Ford’s direct competitor to the Prius. The C‐Max is a hybrid car that will get an average of 47 MPG in the city or on the highway.

It was recently named the world’s greenest car due to Ford’s recent commitment to using recycled and post‐consumer materials in its cars, such as recycled denim upholstery and soy‐based cushioning material. This underscores the evolution of the energy Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 171 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

efficient car market, from a pure focus on MPG and fuel efficiency, to a growing awareness that car makers need to take a holistic approach to the concept of the ‘green’ car.

Fully electric cars are beginning to appear practical to consumers as well, and this is reflected in a growing focus on the technology at the International Auto Show. The Fiat 500e, for example, fully charges at a standard household outlet in four hours and gets an impressive 108MPGe, and the Nissan Leaf, which gets 106MPGe. The Chevy Spark is another major player in the field of all‐electric costs. Of course, currently electricity is cheaper than petrol, but electricity has to be generated and costs are bound to rise, and the electric car could be seen as simply passing the environmental impact of your car down the line.

Finally, the fuel efficiency of the traditional petrol engine has improved tremendously, making it possible for consumers to purchase a car with no hybrid or electric components but still be making an environmentally‐sound decision. The Ford Fiesta, for example, is a traditional petrol‐powered engine, but sports 40MPG, which is amazing enough to make it a car you can buy in good conscience.

Energy efficiency for every lifestyle As the market for energy efficient cars matures, it means that whatever a consumer’s car needs are, they can find a model that serves them. From the C‐Max, a perfect model for a young family on the go, to the Chevy Spark, a traditional mid‐size sedan that will appeal to a large segment of the working population, to the Tesla S which will appeal to anyone lusting after a sports‐car experience, the new hybrid, electric, and fuel‐efficient cars service every possible segment of the market. This means that being responsible in your car purchase no longer means sacrificing utility or performance.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Power Consumption: Changing Times in Australia Mar 6 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

As the Australian population becomes increasingly aware of the cost and environmental impact of their energy usage, many people are finding that understanding the available information and data is difficult, with conflicting information in some areas and a complete lack of data in others. This makes it very difficult for the average Australian to understand their own power consumption and the impact of power consumption across states and territories and ultimately Australia as a whole.

Power Consumption: The Big Picture In the period spanning 2009 – 2010, the main fuels in Australia’s power consumption picture were natural gas (24%), electricity (22%), diesel (18%) petrol (16%), and solar (1%), and the overall power consumption around the country went up about 1%.

Industry accounts for about 74% of the total power consumption in Australia, with the remaining 26% consumed by households.

Coal is overwhelmingly used to generate electricity, which makes up the bulk of household power consumption.

For many years, the cost of electricity to consumers (retail electricity) was among the lowest in the world. However, in recent years the costs of electricity have risen by a staggering 72%, and Australia now has some of the most expensive retail electricity prices in the world, ahead of only Greece and Denmark. The low price of electricity before this period resulted in little investment in new facilities or technologies, meaning that the industry now faces the challenge of modernising at a time when demand is beginning to show signs of slowing down and costs are at an all‐time high.

Power Consumption: Demand Although overall demand for electricity has increased by about 14% since 2001 in Australia, there have been recent declines: In 2008 – 2009, usage declined 5.4% Australia‐wide, and in 2009 – 2010 usage declined again by 1.2%. These declines are small, but this is the first time any measurable decline has been noted. The electricity generators have always banked their profitability and Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 172 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

the maintenance and development of equipment on the market being in perpetual growth. The assumption has always been that Australians will continue to find new ways to use electricity, but these recent declines indicate that this period of perpetual growth may be over.

Reasons for the decline are unclear, as data is collected by a large number of independent sources who do not communicate with each other. Some possible explanations are: Efficient appliances and construction. New construction codes and more efficient appliances such as refrigerators or televisions are designed to use less electricity out of the box. As these new designs and technologies proliferate, power consumption automatically goes down.

The Internet. Online shopping has seen a reduction in retail space as more people purchase goods from websites.

New Legislation. Laws which require efficient water heating systems, low‐flow shower heads in new construction, and other requirements have slowly brought up the power consumption standards in Australia, reducing electricity usage.

Higher Prices. The simplest explanation, of course, is that the huge increase in the cost of electricity has forced many households to rethink their power consumption habits. A variety of energy saving devices have also become more widely available, for example the EcoSwitch provides a simple solution to the problem of standby power leakage.

Power Consumption and Environmental Impact Most of Australia’s electricity is generated from Black Coal. Black Coal accounts for about 54% of electricity generation, with the balance being made by Brown Coal, Natural Gas, and Hydroelectric. The coal Australia burns for electricity generation is relatively ‘clean’ by international standards, but electricity generation still accounts for about 37% of the greenhouse gas production in Australia.

Recent legislation setting a foundation for carbon pricing aimed at reducing the production of greenhouse gases promises to put increased pressure on the energy sector in general and electricity generation specifically. With demand falling, albeit slightly, environmental concerns at an all‐time high, and the government moving to force more efficient and cleaner forms of energy production, costs are likely to rise even further. This may have the unintended consequence of driving down demand further. For example, since 2011, Australians have installed over 650 megawatts of solar panels on their homes. While this remains just 1% of the power consumption story, this is a clear sign that the times are changing in regards to Australia’s energy market.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Be Inspired: Paul Hawken's Commencement Address Mar 11 2013 There is an inspiring speech that Paul Hawken (renowned entrepreneur, visionary environmental activist, founder of Wiser Earth and author of many books including Blessed Unrest) gave to the University of Portland Class of 2009. Paul was being presented with an honorary doctorate of humane letters by University of Portland on 3 May 2009.

Here are some wonderful excerpts: ...you are going to have to figure out what it means to be a human being on earth at a time when every living system is declining, and the rate of decline is accelerating. Kind of a mind‐boggling situation... but not one peer‐reviewed paper published in the last thirty years can refute that statement. Basically, civilization needs a new operating system, you are the programmers, and we need it within a few decades.

This planet came with a set of instructions, but we seem to have misplaced them. Important rules like don't poison the water, soil, or air, don't let the earth get overcrowded, and don't touch the thermostat have been broken.

Forget that this task of planet‐saving is not possible in the time required. Don't be put off by people who know what is not possible.

Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 173 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren't pessimistic, you don't understand the data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren't optimistic, you haven't got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world.

You join a multitude of caring people. No one knows how many groups and organizations are working on the most salient issues of our day: climate change, poverty, deforestation, peace, water, hunger, conservation, human rights, and more. This is the largest movement the world has ever seen. Rather than control, it seeks connection. Rather than dominance, it strives to disperse concentrations of power. Like Mercy Corps, it works behind the scenes and gets the job done. Large as it is, no one knows the true size of this movement. It provides hope, support, and meaning to billions of people in the world. Its clout resides in idea, not in force.

Millions of people are working on behalf of strangers, even if the evening news is usually about the death of strangers... Abolitionists were the first people to create a national and global movement to defend the rights of those they did not know. Until that time, no group had filed a grievance except on behalf of itself. ...their goal was ridiculous on the face of it: at that time three out of four people in the world were enslaved. Enslaving each other was what human beings had done for ages. And the abolitionist movement was greeted with incredulity. But for the first time in history a group of people organized themselves to help people they would never know, from whom they would never receive direct or indirect benefit.

We have an economy that tells us that it is cheaper to destroy earth in real time rather than renew, restore, and sustain it. You can print money to bail out a bank but you can't print life to bail out a planet. At present we are stealing the future, selling it in the present, and calling it gross domestic product. We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future. One is called restoration and the other exploitation. And whenever we exploit the earth we exploit people and cause untold suffering. Working for the earth is not a way to get rich, it is a way to be rich.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 174 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Life is creating the conditions that are conducive to life inside you, just as in all of nature. Our innate nature is to create the conditions that are conducive to life. What I want you to imagine is that collectively humanity is evincing a deep innate wisdom in coming together to heal the wounds and insults of the past.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would create new religions overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead, the stars come out every night and we watch television.

The generations before you failed. They didn't stay up all night. They got distracted and lost sight of the fact that life is a miracle every moment of your existence. Nature beckons you to be on her side. You couldn't ask for a better boss. The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hope only makes sense when it doesn't make sense to be hopeful. This is your century. Take it and run as if your life depends on it.

Read the Entire Speech.

Green Earth Group are having our first meeting for 2013 this Wednesday. We need people to help us to encourage others to join with us to change the world. We'd love for you and your positive, can‐do attitude to join us on Wednesday night from 7pm at Loving Hut. See more.

Originally published on The Daily Good.

Photos taken from laminated info at Little K cafe, Yoga Barn in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Ground Water Awareness Week Mar 12 2013

By Samantha Ayton

Groundwater is located under the earth’s surface and is generally formed from rain periods and condensation in the air. This natural resource counts for 95% of fresh water in the world and flows into many streams, lakes and oceans or it soaks down further into the earth’s water table. Groundwater is used in everyday live to provide water for irrigation, farming, manufacturing, mining, personal use and many other purposes.

Ground Water Awareness Week runs from 10 – 16 March and asks you to conserve water and consider the impact you have on groundwater by educating yourself and pledging actions to protect contamination of this valuable resource.

NGWA asks you to take the following steps: 1. Properly store hazardous household substances in secure containers 2. Mix hazardous household substances over concrete or asphalt where they can be cleaned up or absorbed 3. Dispose of hazardous household wastes at an appropriate waste disposal facility or drop‐off 4. Do not put hazardous household wastes down the drain or in the toilet 5. Do not put any wastes down a dry or abandoned well 6. If you own a septic system, service it according to local health department recommendations 7. If you own a water well, get a yearly maintenance check to ensure sanitary seals are intact Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 175 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

8. Decommission abandoned wells on your property using a qualified water well contractor 9. Fix or replace any leaking aboveground or underground tanks storing hazardous substances.

To read more information about this week, please visit the Ground Water Awareness Week webpage.

Looking after the Sea beyond Sea Week Mar 18 2013

By Samantha Ayton

From this year’s Sea Week that took place during 3–9March, we learnt that the sea around us is a very important and valuable thing.

We all can make some small adaptions to our everyday habits that will have a significant impact on the environment such as:  Don’t eat seafood. Fish populations are being wiped out due to the over consumption of fish and the loss of their habitat due to unsustainable fishing practices. By not eating fish at all, it is healthier for you and you are reducing the consumer market for seafood.  Don’t use plastic bags. Millions of plastic bags end up in our oceans every year, causing habitat destruction and serious damage to our animal friends.  Don’t drain it. Many things that we allow to go down the drains, such as oil and food scraps can find its way into the ocean. Consider the washing detergents and soaps, etc that you use as if they are high in chemicals, these also get washed into the waterways.  Educate yourself and others. The more you learn about the issues, the more you will understand its importance and what you can do. Further to this, with this knowledge, you can lead by example and educate others.

Reduce Energy Consumption by Driving Green Mar 20 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

Sometimes it seems as if technology makes us all lazy, in the sense that instead of solving our own problems the old‐fashioned way – by being creative and meeting the issue head‐on – we sit around and wait for someone to invent an App or a device that will solve the problem for us. This sort of ‘Consumer Warrior’ attitude strikes everywhere, from personal problems to worldwide issues. People are more than willing to spend money on a technology that offers to improve the world, but seem unimaginative beyond that.

Image Courtesy Local News 8

Waiting for Hybrids This phenomenon is clearly apparent with automobile technology. Everyone acknowledges that the world is facing an environmental crisis in part caused by our energy needs, and that we all must find ways to reduce energy use and be more energy efficient. But many people seem to leave it at a vague desire to purchase a hybrid car the next time they buy a new car, and shrug powerlessly when asked when that will be. But the fact is, being more environmentally responsible isn’t always about buying energy saving products like an electric or hybrid vehicle. Often it’s about changing your everyday behaviour to be more Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 176 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

responsible – and no matter how unfriendly your current car is to the environment, you can change the way you drive to be more energy efficient.

Energy Efficient Driving There are many ways you can reduce your energy consumption and increase the efficiency of your car just by changing your driving habits: 1. Don’t Idle. Idling is just wasted energy, because the engine is churning and burning fuel but you’re not going anywhere – it’s similar to the standby power used by the appliances in your home. If you’re going to idle for more than thirty seconds, switch the car off and save the fuel.

2. Inflate Your Tires. It seems impossible, but improperly inflated tires have an incredible impact on your car’s fuel efficiency.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated and in good shape at all times.

3. Keep it Steady. Smooth acceleration and deceleration can improve your fuel efficiency by up to 33% as opposed to sudden speedups and slowdowns. Using cruise control when appropriate can have a dramatic effect on your fuel usage – use it!

4. Slow Down. On the highways, the more you exceed posted speed limits, the less efficient your vehicle becomes due to the increased air drag. By maintaining a steady, reasonable speed (don’t go too slow, either – that has a similar effect on your fuel economy) you’ll drive at peak efficiency.

5. Lighten the Load. The heavier your car is, the less efficient it is. Get rid of heavy items you don’t need to be hauling around with you, and don’t forget the exterior of the car – that rack on the roof you never use could get you a 2% increase in your fuel economy if you removed it.

6. Plan Your Trips. Joyriding is just a waste of fuel, but so is an inefficient route or a poorly‐planned itinerary. Group chores together geographically so you’re not driving all over creation to accomplish three things, and plot out your shortest, fastest route – that’s why the Internet exists, after all!

7. Don’t Skimp on Maintenance. The simplest thing you can do to make your driving more environmentally‐friendly is to keep your car running in tip‐top shape with regular maintenance. Keep the fluids fresh and the belts tight, and your engine will run at peak efficiency, use less petrol, and produce less pollution.

Waiting for a windfall to give you the funds for a new car before you join the fight to make our world a greener, more energy‐ efficient place is the wrong attitude. Instead, take charge and take action – change your own behaviour. This goes beyond not waiting for a hybrid to magically appear in your driveway. You can analyse all aspects of your daily life and find ways to reduce your carbon footprint and make the world a better place. Many of the world’s problems will be solved when more people stop waiting for technology to solve their problems, and take personal responsibility instead.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. He soon realised that he could have a broader influence on communities by sharing his experience with low embodied energy sustainable design rather than just construction. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Autumn Gardening for Kids Mar 25 2013 Written by Caroline Roberts

Autumn is almost upon us and the milder weather is a wonderful opportunity to spend time out in the garden with the kids.

There are some fantastic ways you can connect your children with gardening and nature at this time of year. Here are ten of my favourite:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 177 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

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Plant spring bulbs. Tulips, irises and daffodils are popular choices for children and the bulbs are easy for them to handle.

Build a scarecrow to keep away the birds and to add some character to your garden.

Collect a pile of fallen leaves and let sit for a week or so then don a pair of gardening gloves, grab a trowel and a magnifying glass and explore what creatures are living within.

Measure any sunflowers the kids have grown to see how tall they have reached then harvest the seeds for next year's crop.

Teach the kids how to pull spent summer crops from the garden and put them in the compost bin. Show them how to spread manure and broken down compost over the garden beds in preparation for autumn and winter crops.

Plant garlic and onions. They are great in cooking and can be used for natural pest control in the garden.

Plant brassica vegetables such as brocolli, cauliflower and asian greens. Teach your kids to be on the look�out for cabbage moths who like to lay their eggs on brassicas and how to pick off any caterpillars that may be feasting on the tender plants

8. Harvest tomatoes, capsicums, chillis and zucchinis to make chutney and relish. Collect the seeds, rinse and then leave to dry on some paper towel. You can then save to plant later on in the year when the weather warms up.

9. Encourage and help your kids to build, grow or design something special in the garden for Mother's Day. Potting up some beautiful flowers as a gift is always well received.

10. Finally, enjoy all the beautiful autumn leaves. Make piles of them and have fun with the kids jumping, stomping and playing in them.

Have a wonderful autumn outside in the garden with the kids!

Caroline Roberts is a primary school gardening teacher who runs the Gardening 4 Kids website that encourages children to develop their natural wonder of the environment and to foster fun in the garden for a healthy and sustainable future. She is passionate about educating children about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and a sustainable future and believes that gardening is the perfect tool for doing this.

Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid that Harm Environment Mar 28 2013 Written by Murray McDonald

When most people think of giving something a “deep clean� many think of chemicals, disinfectants and lots of hot water.

However, doing the exact opposite of this and replacing your key cleaning processes with environmentally friendly techniques is not only better for the environment, but is actually far more effective and efficient.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 178 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Sectors such as heath care and aged care need to have the highest standards of infection control procedures implemented into their daily cleaning routines. Many of these facilities are now aware that traditional methods of sterilisation including excess chemicals such as chlorine are not leaders in contamination prevention.

The methods that are sustainable and also top infection control methods are not new, and have been around for decades. It has only been through education and greater awareness through research and advocates that we are now starting to see these green friendly methods become mainstream.

Stop Overusing chemicals and deodorisers Common carpet cleaning methods use large amounts of chemicals and water as contract cleaners or DIY methods consist of pressure washers or chemically based stain removers.

An overuse of chemicals is not only harmful to our environment due to chemicals ultimately getting washed down our drains, but it can also lead to unnecessary irritations and allergic reactions.

However, it’s common for many people to assume that a “chemical” smell means something has then been sanitised. The number one rule to remember when it comes to stale odours and smells is that “no smell is a clean smell”.

A fragrance or perfume merely masks bad smells, and does not solve the original problem. When smells are masked, the source of the problem still remains and bacteria continues to grow leading to the flow on effect of various hygiene issues.

Upgrade your processes When it comes to cleaning, the old mop and bucket is still one of the top cleaning methods being used. However, the mop and bucket process is outdated and highly ineffective.

The mop doesn’t actually “clean” but merely “wipes”. This causes the grime and dirt that was thought to have been eliminated to be transferred to corners and hard to reach areas making it an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

The amount of water that is used during the mop and bucket clean up can be up to 53,000 Litres per month for a medium to large sized facility. It is possible for all homes and businesses to reduce their water usage by up to 70 per cent by looking at their methods and replacing most of thein heavy water methods with alternatives.

What are the alternatives?

High temperature, dry steam at +150 degrees Celsius provides a deep clean for all surfaces and kills all bacteria and disease.

Extensive data and research shows that steam is the leading method for cleaning and sanitising, and is the cleaning method that poses no risk to the environment.

Research conducted by infection control expert Elizabeth Gillespie (AM J Infect Control, Vol 40, June 2012) shows a comparison between using a mop and bucket or steam cleaner, and its use of detergent, water, time and effectiveness. This research was conducted in a medical ward over the period of a month.

The results showed that steam cleaning required zero detergent, 137 litres of water and had a 93% success rate for effectiveness, whereas the mop and bucket required 9 Litres of detergent, 1422 litres of water and had a 65% effectiveness rate.

Dry steam can be created via steam machines and/or tools and attachments for specific machines. Many steam machines come in all sizes, for domestic, commercial or industrial purposes. The quality of a steam machine lies in its ability to reach a high temperature, and have the right tools and accessories to fit your cleaning needs.

Microfibre cloths are also known for its environmentally friendly cleaning capabilities. Microfibre (also spelt microfibre) is a man made synthetic textile fibre usually made of very fine nylon or polyester fibre strands. The microfibre cloths sustainable elements lie in the fact that it doesn’t require chemicals because it is highly absorbent, picking up grime, fats, oils and dirt on its own, for both wet and dry cleaning applications. The microfibre’s durability allows it to be washed hundreds of times without fraying or losing its cleaning abilities.

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Murray McDonald is Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines and has over 20 years experience in the distribution of green cleaning machines and products in the Asia‐Pacific region. Murray writes articles for various industry publications on how to implement a green cleaning process as well as provides free online e‐learning courses to customers on green cleaning methods. Visit www.duplexcleaning.com.au. For more information on green e‐learning courses visit www.onlinelearningcourse.info

Wind Potential in Australia Apr 10 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

The key to thinking about the global energy crises and their solutions is to not focus on a single strategy. Energy is not one‐size fits all, either in its form or in its generation. If you suggest that solar power will supply our clean energy in the future you’re ignoring areas of the world with poor exposure to sunlight. If you suggest that natural gas is a better alternative to oil‐based energy, you ignore the uneven distribution of the resource and the expense of reclaiming it from the world. When contemplating the state of energy in the world today you have to be flexible and reasonable and leverage the traits and advantages of each region.

Power Consumption from Wind in Australia Which is why Australia’s failure to truly harness wind power is such a mystery. Australia is ideally suited to take advantage of this natural, clean, and energy efficient way to produce electricity. With wind speeds in excess of 8 meters a second even fifty meters above sea level along the southern coastline, and with most of the southern half of the country exposed to excellent wind resources, one would imagine Australia would be generating a great deal of its electricity using this source. Yet in 2011 wind was only generating 2.4% of Australia’s total electricity demand. While this number is actually quite robust compared to many other developed nations, when compared to the potential wind resources Australia enjoys it is depressingly small.

South Australia Leads the Way in Energy Efficient Wind Power One way to demonstrate the lost potential is to consider South Australia as if it were a distinct region. In South Australia electricity generated by wind rose from 0% of all power in 2003 to 25% of all power in 2012. This is a truly remarkable, and one can only imagine the impact if the rest of the country had followed suit. It also puts the 2.4% figure into stark relief: If South Australia gets 25% of its power from the wind, how pitiful must the rest of the country’s efforts be if the average is just one tenth of that? When compared to a nation such as Denmark, which now generates 28% of its total electricity from wind, this number becomes even less impressive.

Considerations for Wind Power Wind Power has two main disadvantages. On the one hand, almost all of the overall cost of creating a Wind Farm is up‐front investment costs – the design and construction of the farm itself. Once in operation, Wind Farms require very little maintenance and run very efficiently. On the other hand, Wind Farms require a large amount of flat, open space, and the turbines are often considered unattractive and are therefore not desired in local communities.

Australia is, of course, perfectly suited to compensate for the second problem, being blessed with large areas of unsettled land where Wind Farms can exist far away from offended sensibilities. The environmental impact on the local bio‐systems is very light, and Wind Farms generate the energy used in their construction within 3 months of going operational, putting them in the black environmentally almost immediately. Wind power does not create pollution, and studies have shown that there is almost no negative impact on local bird and wildlife populations.

Wind Power could therefore slash the economic and environmental costs of continued energy production. Australians have proved themselves more than willing to do their part; they have embraced energy saving products like the EcoSwitch, employed strategies to reduce electricity in their homes, and supported many other energy and environmental initiatives. Many have even set up personal wind turbines that generate kilowatts of power for their own use. If a serious conversation were begun on the subject of increasing Australia’s Wind Energy projects and investment, no doubt the Australian population would do us proud Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 180 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

with a full‐throated approval. While the funds required to invest initially can be substantial, the fact that these installations will pay for themselves almost immediately is a key factor to raise when dealing with the budget‐minded.

Overall, Australia is one of the worldwide leaders in alternative energy and energy conservation. Embracing wind energy would remind the world that Australians are one of the most progressive and globally‐conscious populations in the world.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. He soon realised that he could have a broader influence on communities by sharing his experience with low embodied energy sustainable design rather than just construction. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

The Sum of the Parts of Your Environmental Impact Apr 24 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

Today everybody is seeking ways to reduce energy consumption and their environmental impact on the world we share. Some people feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem, and become convinced that only large‐scale initiatives driven by governments and large organisations can make any kind of real change when it comes to being energy efficient and ‘green.’ But this isn’t true – even the smallest changes in our everyday living can add up to huge benefits for the climate and the future of our energy sources, if they are enacted on a global scale.

Energy Saving Tips for Everyone It’s vital that people feel empowered – a small adjustment in how you live, multiplied over the span of your country and then the world, can make a real dent in both our power consumption and the damage being done to the environment as a result. In fact, there are hundreds of ideas that anyone can do today, with very little effort or expense, that can make a difference. Here are five of our favourites: Pick one and implement it in your own life, and then encourage others to do the same.

Five Easy Ways to Reduce Energy Consumption 1. Change Your Light Bulbs. This is the ultimate ‘small gesture’ that can become huge if leveraged on a global scale. Old‐style incandescent bulbs are incredibly inefficient and give off more energy in the form of heat than light. They don’t last long, and as a result eat up resources in their manufacturing and clog our landfills when they burn out. A Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulb on the other hand runs cool, gives off just as much light, uses less electricity and lasts much longer – reducing your impact across the board.

2. Install a Standby Switch. Your house is a power vampire, constantly sipping power from the grid because your appliances and devices think they need it. By installing a standby power switch (like the EcoSwitch), you can eliminate standby power in your home and reduce the amount of energy you use on a daily basis. The total amount saved is small but measurable, and not only will you save money on your electricity bills, but if extrapolated around the world the impact could be huge.

3. Shop Locally. This is one of the simplest measures anyone can take almost without changing any aspect of their lifestyle. The food you purchase at your local supermarket is typically trucked in from remote locations. That means that every apple you eat and every sandwich you make has a carbon footprint attached based on the energy it took to harvest, transport, and stock.

Purchasing locally‐grown produce eliminates the truck, and saves energy.

4. Go Digital. Are you still getting paper statements in the mail for your bank accounts, credit cards, and investments? Switch to a digital or online statement and you eliminate not only the resources involved in making the paper and ink, but the transportation costs. Plus, you won’t have to store mounds of paper in your home!

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5. Use a Rain Barrel. If you have a lawn or garden that you’re maintaining and watering from a hose, you’re using energy every day that you don’t need to. A rain barrel is a simple, passive system of collecting the water that comes down naturally on you a few times a month, which can then be used to water plants, clean pavers, or wash your car – all without costing the world a dime or a kilowatt.

None of these techniques – or the hundreds of others (see one list here: http://www.instructables.com/id/100‐Ways‐to‐Reduce‐ Your‐Impact/?ALLSTEPS) by themselves solves anything. But if millions of us around the globe did as many as we could, our lives would be no less comfortable, but our combined impact would be enormous!

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. He soon realised that he could have a broader influence on communities by sharing his experience with low embodied energy sustainable design rather than just construction. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Green Earth Group Events for 2013 Apr 26 2013

Green Earth Group are organising and hosting a variety of events for 2013. From activism and outreach to social events, I'm sure you'll find something you can get involved with including: Video Screenings Social Trail Walking Letter Writing Outreach & Leafletting Pot Luck Dinners Portable Workshops

Video Screenings ALL Video Screening events take place on the second Thursday of each month starting in June at Brisbane's one‐stop vegan shop, The Green Edge: 229 Lutwyche Rd, Windsor. View Map. 6pm ‐ dinner from The Green Edge menu (kitchen opening end of May) 6:30pm ‐ movie start time The night will close at 8:30‐9pm

Gold coin donation  Thursday 13 June ‐ Vegucated ‐ View the TRAILER  Thursday 11 July ‐ Bag It ‐ View the TRAILER ‐ This is a joint GEG & Positive Change for Marine Life event  Thursday 8 August ‐ Behind the Mask ‐ View the TRAILER  Thursday 12 September ‐ Latest in Clinical Nutrition by Michael Gregor, MD  Thursday 10 October ‐ No Impact Man ‐ View the TRAILER  Thursday 14 November ‐ Heal Your Self ‐ View the TRAILER Please Contact Adrian or see our FaceBook Events Page for more information closer to the date.

Social Trail Walking ALL Walking Events take place on the last Sunday of each month starting in May. Arrive at 7:50am for an 8:00am start. Gold Coin donation appreciated.

Each hiking track and length will be dependant to who is attending and the overall decision of these attendees. Although we will more than likely do different trails each time, the meeting points (below) will be the same:  Sunday 26 May ‐ Mount Coot‐tha ‐ JC Slaugther Falls car park near the toilet block. View Map.  June ‐ No walk scheduled Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 182 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

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Sunday 28 July ‐ Whites Hill Reserve ‐ the car park near the Touch Metropolitan Touch Association building ‐ not the Soccor building.

View Map.  Sunday 25 August ‐ D’Aguilar National Park ‐ D’Aguilar Visitor Information Centre on Mt Nebo Road. View Map.  Sunday 29 September ‐ Mount Coot‐tha ‐ JC Slaugther Falls car park near the toilet block. View Map.  Sunday 27 October ‐ Toohey Forest ‐ car park to Nathan campus track field near the toilet block. View Map.  Sunday 24 November ‐ Whites Hill Reserve ‐ the car park near the Touch Metropolitan Touch Association building ‐ not the Soccor building. View Map. Contact Sam for more information or see our FaceBook Events Page closer to the date.

Letter Writing ALL Letter Writing events take place on the first Wednesday of various months Loving Hut Restaurant: Shop 2/1420 Logan Rd, Mount Gravatt (back room) View Map. 7pm ‐ 8:30pm  Wednesday June 5  Wednesday September 4  Wednesday November 13 Please bring pen and paper or laptop to join in with various letter writing campaigns including Letters to the Editor, local businesses, companies, prisoner support and more. Contact Renata for more information.

You can also get involved online with our GEG Letter Writing group on FaceBook.

DOWNLOAD our Tips For Effective Letter Writing. Page 1 & Page 2.

Outreach & Leafletting ALL Outreach & Leafletting events take place on Wednesdays on the last week of every second month from May. Meet Daniel at bottom of the Brisbane Central Train Station on the corner of Edward & Ann Streets.

From 4pm until 6pm  Wednesday 29 May  Wednesday 31 July  Wednesday 25 September  Wednesday 27 November Please wear your Green Earth Festival/Day t‐shirt or something green if possible.

We will be handing out the Eating Up The World leaflets along with Animal Liberation Victoria's Be Vegan leaflets.

You are welcome to bring your own environmental and/or Vegan/Animal Rights handouts as well. Contact Dan.

photos by Carol Slater Photography

Pot Luck Dinners ALL Pot Luck events take place on the first Friday or Saturday of each month starting in June.

Friday's events will be on Brisbane's Southside and Saturday's events will be on Brisbane's Northside.

Start time 6:30pm.

Please bring one plate of vegan food to share.

June ‐ Saturday 1 at Dan's in Milton July ‐ Friday 5 at Genavive's in Cornubia August ‐ Saturday 3 at Dan's in Milton September ‐ Friday 6 at Genavive's in Cornubia October ‐ Saturday 5 at Dan's in Milton November ‐ Friday 1 at Genavive's in Cornubia

Please Contact Dan or Contact Genavive for address and other details. Also see the FaceBook Events page.

Portable Workshops Composting Saturday 11 May from 1pm Together we can share ideas and learn new things about composting while building a compost heap for fellow Green Earth Group members, Pete & Sarah.

We plan to build a compost heap from material you may have lying around your house.

Location: Pete & Sarah’s house, please contact Sam for details.  Edible Container Garden ‐ Saturday 14 September  Recycling ‐ Saturday 16 November More details to come. Contact Sam or Contact Jeremy for more information

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Festivals  Brisbane Veg Food Festival ‐ Sunday 10 November, Brisbane

For More Information Please see our Events Page on our Blog Join our Mailing List See our FaceBook Events page

Merchandise 2013

Be the Change ‐ Green Earth Group flyer Apr 29 2013 At our last meeting, Leigh‐Chantelle and Adele designed a handout to encourage attendees at the Green Earth Group meeting to get involved in positive change. Here's the cover:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 184 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

The front page of the flyer asks what people are passionate about and what they love to do. The inside breaks down these things by asking how others can use these passions, skills and more to get involved to help solve the world's biggest problems. Plus a lot of ideas for how people can help:

Feel free to click on the images to download the flyer to use at your next meeting.

Green Earth Group hope to see you at our next meeting this Wednesday night at 7pm at the back room at Loving Hut restaurant. Please bring a pen and paper or laptop and a positive disposition.

Data Centres: the Invisible Problem May 13 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 185 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

One of the main challenges of the modern day is how much of our lives are now invisible to us. There was a time when energy was visible: Logs burning in a fireplace, for example. There was a time when pollution was visible: Black smoke billowing out of a chimney, maybe. And there was a time when data was obvious: Stacks of paper on your desk. In some senses the world has become more and more invisible to us, transformed into a maze with hidden walls. This makes conceptual challenges like ‘why save electricity’ more difficult, because for most of us electricity is magic: You plug something in, turn it on, and it works. Even when we understand the impact of our own personal energy use and seek to save power in our own lives, we often can’t see all the ways we impact the world with our energy use, because everything we use these days is invisible. Take data for instance.

The Cloud of Power Consumption Data is one of the fastest growing business sectors in the world. After years of wondering where the ‘office of the future’ was, as we still dealt with paper for just about everything, the tide seems to have turned and the Cloud has come. Data seems like a weightless, formless item of infinite size; when you need more space for music and videos at home, you simply buy a new hard drive – or, more and more common these days, you buy a Cloud service from a company like Amazon or Dropbox. Data has almost no physical presence in your life.

Yet it has a very real physical impact. Data is stored on servers in Data Centres. Not only do these servers consume electricity to run, of course, but they also generate immense amounts of heat, and when dozens or hundreds are combined in one space, the heat issue is a difficult one to deal with. The servers must be maintained at a cool operating temperature or they will malfunction.

So data centres represent several invisible problems: The resources required to manufacture these delicate machines, the electricity required to run them, and the power needed to cool them down and keep them running.

Data Centres: The Growing Energy Efficiency Problem The number of Data Centres in the world is expected to double within the next two to three years, and they represent an immense drain on energy resources. Currently there are only about 13,000 data centres in the world and yet they already represent about 1.2% of the world’s energy consumption. In England, the country is expected to reach ‘maximum power’ by 2015 and already purchases 20% of its power from France in order to keep up with the demand. As Data Centres grow, the need to make them sustainable becomes increasingly difficult.

One of the key ways this can be achieved is by designing the data centres to be more efficient from the very start, by using natural cooling. Cooling servers down to efficient operating temperatures is where the largest power consumption occurs in a data centre, and using outside air to cool the interior or to chill water‐based cooling systems can have a tremendous impact on the energy efficiency of a data centre. Google, one of the leading data centre companies in the world, has located many of their data centres in geographically cold climates to take advantage of the natural cooling of cold air from the outside.

However this approach does have its challenges. While natural cooling reduces the energy used in cooling a data centre to almost zero, it often requires that the centres be built far away from other infrastructure, which increases construction and maintenance costs.

In conclusion, Data Centres will constitute a larger and larger piece of our energy consumption picture as our lives move increasingly into the digital realm. Despite the fact this means we’ll no longer be able to see the direct physical evidence of our impact on the world as we go, reducing that impact becomes more important. The less we see, the more we have to do.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. He soon realised that he could have a broader influence on communities by sharing his experience with low embodied energy sustainable design rather than just construction. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Why Education is Vital to Sustainable Cleaning May 15 2013 Written by Murray McDonald Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 186 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

The philosophy of green cleaning has become a commonly discussed issue within industry and in the home over the last 10 years.

Green cleaning ties in with various factors that encourage its implementation, such as, reduction in costs, OH&S or allergy prevention in the home and corporate social responsibility.

However, the key factor that will enable both businesses and individuals to truly implement a sustainable cleaning process is through education. Without education, the concept of green cleaning could become a fad, rather than a way of life.

Education doesn't just involve reading up on an issue or becoming so familiar with a process it is second nature. Although these factors are important of self窶親ducation or educating others, true education involves understanding the core of why we do what we do.

The following points are key ways that both businesses and individuals can educate themselves on sustainable cleaning processes, and looks at both the why and the how of sustainable cleaning.

Research With busy schedules, it's common for people to overlook the background, the issues and the reasons as to why they are changing or implementing a particular process. Research is the foundation of why you are implementing a particular process and what direction the process will take.

Research doesn't just mean physically testing out a green cleaning method, but also relates to reading research papers and reading up on current sustainability issues in the media.

Through research you will find that detergent has been tested against natural cleaning processes, such as high temperature steam, in a variety of settings, and the natural process is significantly more effective. Through research you will uncover that sustainable methods that hospitals and infection control experts implement into their cleaning processes are becoming mainstream into other sectors such as the accommodation sector and in homes.

Research will allow you to make an informed choice on what sustainable practices are right for you, and cut through the advertising and promotional elements of sustainable cleaning products and practices.

Delegation of responsibility For individuals to truly embrace sustainable cleaning practices, it's important that they are actively involved in the process. The best way to encourage others to be actively involved is to delegate set responsibilities to each person. Specialisation in an area of green cleaning is a valuable form of education that gives individuals a deep understanding of its impact at results.

It is common for there to be a resistance to a new process or to change, but if people can see how their individual task is making a difference to the environment, business or home, this will help make the change visible in actions and in attitudes.

For example, providing a family member with the task of organising sustainable carpet cleaning is a way of encouraging participation in green cleaning for the home. Carpet cleaning can be one of those tricky tasks that can leave people feeling overwhelmed or confused as to what choices they have. Have them research what type of carpet they have, what bacteria it can harbour and what effective sustainable methods are out there that require no chemicals and minimal water.

When someone discovers a solution for a tricky task, they will almost feel compelled to help others out with the same difficult cleaning task and in turn be an advocate for sustainable cleaning.

Ongoing Training Once you have your sustainable cleaning routine in place, it's important to be continually learning about what else is out there and what you could possibly do better.

Ongoing training doesn't have to be time consuming or cost you money. There are a variety of ways to learn more about green cleaning that are free and allow you to do it at your own pace and in your own time.

Online courses, online newsletters, expert blogs and groups are some of the ways you can keep up with the latest tips and advice, as well as hear about local events or seminars that might be of value to your green cleaning education.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 187 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Checklists are also an important method in keeping sustainable cleaning top of mind. Ensuring that you are not missing elements or steps in your process will show you the true results of your green cleaning routine.

Overall, one of the best forms of education is repetition. The more you do something, the more you will learn about the process, the benefits and the outcomes. Taking sustainable cleaning education seriously will make both business and individuals strong advocates for green cleaning and help it become the mainstream way of thinking about cleaning.

Murray McDonald is Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines and has over 20 years experience in the distribution of green cleaning machines and products in the Asia‐Pacific region. Murray writes articles for various industry publications on how to implement a green cleaning process as well as provides free online e‐learning courses on green cleaning methods.

Air Travel ‐ Your Biggest Carbon Sin? May 22 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

For a lot of people, the concept of their own ‘carbon footprint’ and energy impact is a difficult one to conceptualise. Even if they are committed to making their own lives as energy efficient as possible – with an EcoSwitch on every hub, energy efficient appliances in every room, and a commitment to following all the energy saving tips they can find out about – their sense is often one of inconsequence. After all, how much of a footprint can you possibly generate just living a modest, environmentally‐aware lifestyle?

The answer has a lot to do with the answer to another question: How often do you fly?

Taking Your Footprint to the Air Australia has one of the world's largest ecological footprints per capita, requiring 6.6 global hectares per person. In fact, if all countries consumed the resources that we Australians do, it would take three Earth's to support their lifestyle. For the year to June 2012, the average Australian had a carbon footprint of about 24.4 tonnes ‐ more than 4 times the world average! Most people have little context, but we all know that in general we should be reducing our footprint if we can. A lot of this depends on our lifestyle: Those of us who live in small apartments in big cities and use public transportation instead of personal cars have a much smaller footprint than people living in large suburban homes and driving everywhere, everyday.

But no matter your persona lifestyle or your personal efforts to reduce your power consumption, one thing that ties everyone – suburban, city‐dweller, old, young – together is air travel. A flight from Sydney to L.A. creates what’s known as a ‘warming effect’ that equals 5.72 tonnes of carbon dioxide per person. When you consider that in the context of the average carbon footprint, it becomes obvious that flying is the major carbon sin people commit in the modern age. For an average Australian, it means a single international flight can represent 20% or more of their yearly carbon production.

The Rising Cost of Flight Travel emissions currently account for 5% of all warming effects in the world, but air travel is poised to become a larger and larger factor in those numbers. Emissions from other forms of travel are falling as greener and more efficient designs are implemented in cars and public transport. Air travel remains relatively cheap, there are more flights every day, and the fuel efficiency of airplanes is not changing very much over time. As a result the percentage of worldwide warming that air travel is responsible for is going to rise dramatically, making it an even bigger portion of every individual’s personal carbon footprint.

Part of the problem is that the airlines have so far successfully evaded any real regulation attempt. They proposed to regulate themselves, with internal goals and systems in place to reduce their impact. This, naturally, has not been very successful so far.

The European Union has attempted to put requirements in place that would have airlines purchasing carbon offsets if they exceed government‐designated standards of fuel efficiency, but airlines around the world have reacted so strongly they have so far successfully avoided any attempt to force them to participate. The United States, in fact, passed a law forbidding airlines in the USA to comply.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 188 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

This doesn’t make much sense, of course, as most analysts agree the steps to comply with these standards and reduce the carbon footprint of most airlines would not be difficult to implement, and the costs would almost certainly be passed on to their passengers. The end result, however, is that each individual needs to be aware of the proportion of their personal carbon footprint that is represented by their plane trips.

It may not be reasonable to never fly again, but if everyone in the world gave up one flight a year, the impact on warming effects would be dramatic and noticeable – not to mention beneficial to the world at large. And the economic impact on the airlines might actually force them to sit up and take notice, and finally change their policies. In this sense, giving up one flight a year can be seen as potentially one of the most effective acts of activism anyone can engage in.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. He soon realised that he could have a broader influence on communities by sharing his experience with low embodied energy sustainable design rather than just construction. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Why we need to protect our planet Jun 20 2013 Written by Kiara O'Leary Everyone's talking about the need to protect our planet, reduce greenhouse gasses, focus on sustainability etc etc etc. But to get us all involved, this author believes we first need to ensure everybody knows exactly WHY we need to protect our planet. So, why?

“But why?” It’s a question we hear from children all the time, but should we as adults be asking it too? Media, organisations, environmental protection groups, schools and NGOs… they’re all talking about the need to protect our planet, and the various ways we can do that. However, I think while most of us ‘know’ we need to live more sustainably, many don’t truly comprehend the great need to do so or the real danger behind not doing so.

We live in a wonderful time when modern medicine has made incredible advances and we are now living much, much longer than our predecessors. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian males now have a life expectancy of 79.5 years, already 2.5 years more than last decade (and estimated to rise by the same amount every 10 years). As for the ladies, Australian females are living even longer with an average life expectancy of 84, and 57.8% of females expected to live until the ripe old age of 85. “It is possible, if we continue to make progress in reducing mortality, that most children born since the year 2000 will live to see their 100th birthday – in the 22nd century,” says demographer James Vaupel.

Along with the incredible opportunity for each one of us to live longer lives and receive that all‐important letter from the Queen for our 100th birthdays (yay), comes overpopulation and the increasing pollution and destruction of our planet.

Despite global warming being a contentious and highly‐debated topic –facts are facts. According to National Geographic, the last two decades were the hottest in 400 years and possibly the warmest for several millennia. Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice‐free summer by 2040 or earlier. Polar bears and indigenous cultures are already suffering from the loss in sea‐ice. Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting, including Montana’s Glacier National Park, which had 150 glaciers in 1910 and now only has 27. In the Northern Hemisphere, ice and snow is thawing a week earlier and the freezing is beginning a week later. Coral reefs, highly sensitive to small changes in water temperature, suffered the worst die‐off rate in response to stress (up to 70%) ever recorded in 1998. Furthermore and perhaps most widely recognised in Australia, there has been an upsurge in the amount of extreme weather events such as wildfires, heat waves and tropical storms, which some experts have also attributed in part to climate change.

The reality is, if we don’t do something now then future generations will suffer and eventually, the entire human race may become extinct as many species before us have.

That’s why.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 189 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Kiara O’Leary is a Director at ESIC Lighting where she helps businesses (including Ford and Godfrey Hirst) to grasp how much their lighting is really costing them, and how much switching to intelligent LED lighting systems is GUARANTEED to save them in terms of electricity, maintenance and carbon output. Kiara provides these lighting audits absolutely FREE as she is so passionate about businesses understanding the financial benefits of sustainability measures in order to achieve widespread adoption and environmental change.

Polar bear image sourced from http://dreamof‐ways.blogspot.com.au/.

A Planet Up in Smoke Jun 24 2013 Written by Alisha Young

We all know that smoking is an unhealthy habit and one of the leading causes of premature death. Of the thousands of chemicals in a single cigarette, at least 250 are damaging to human health, and at least 59 are proven carcinogens. Several of these chemicals work synergistically to amplify tobacco addictiveness, giving rise to a behemoth industry of tobacco harm reduction products from nicotine chewing gums to electronic cigarettes to hypnosis therapy sessions.

But aside from the physical damage and psychological dependence caused by smoking, there are also numerous environmental concerns regarding the smoking industry. In 2004 an in‐depth study by the Tobacco Control Unit headed by Italy’s National Cancer Institute revealed that the amount of pollution and carcinogens emitted by “three smouldering cigarettes produced a 10‐ fold increase in air particles compared to those produced by [an] idling vehicle.”

Then we have to factor in the plant and growing conditions for the tobacco leaves – the tobacco industry is a relentless production powerhouse. To ensure a steady and reliable product supply, tobacco plant crops usually undergo numerous insecticide spraying treatments to discourage pests, including but not limited to DDT, Aldrin, and methyl bromide. All of these chemicals are toxic to humans and can lead to illnesses, birth defects, and even death in strong enough doses.

The problem for the environment is that these chemicals, aside from transferring into the leaves, are very difficult to contain and can leach into water supplies and other eco‐systems in the vicinity of the treated tobacco plants. They can contaminate watersheds and endanger wildlife, and can often remain in animals and in the water table for years (as we’ve seen with previous cases of DDT exposure).

On top of this, the tobacco industry is also a major contributor to clear‐cutting and logging, especially in foreign countries like Malawi where it accounts for nearly 20% of deforestation. On average, around 600 million trees are harvested each year for the production of cigarettes. This is compounded by the fact that cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world, in part because they are easy to cast away and because most people and establishments don’t like putting them in their own trash. In the United States, a 2008 survey found that in the 1000 smokers they interviewed, over 35% admitted to “littering five or more cigarette butts per pack on the ground.”

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 190 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

The small filters on all brands of cigarettes are non‐biodegradable, and cigarettes that are thrown away can end up in wilderness sanctuaries and other ecosystems where their chemicals can continue to leak. This is particularly dangerous for marine and aquatic animals like fish who are the most vulnerable to this sort of trash.

In rural and arid areas the risk is two‐fold, as errant cigarette butts pose a significant forest‐fire threat. A single burning cigarette cast out of a window which lands in a patch of sedge can ignite the undergrowth and spread (quite literally like wild fire!) through forests, endangering fragile habitat and adjacent human settlements.

The environmental effects of smoking are often overlooked or overshadowed by the more immediate health threats posed to the individual smoking, or to those inhaling second hand smoke. However, while the personal damage to lung tissue and organs is definitely a concern, we should also try to remember that from an environmental perspective, the cost of smoking is far more long term.

By cutting down on conventional smoking by either quitting or considering safer alternatives to cigarettes, we’re not only limiting the danger to individuals, but we’re also taking a strong conservational stance against a force which continues to have a very detrimental effect on our natural world.

Alisha Young is a blogger and entrepreneur who believes that business and sustainability go hand in hand. You can find Alisha writing about her passions for clean living, health education and tobacco harm reduction at the Genecigs blog.

Zero Carbon Housing From the Word Go?

Jun 26 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

The dilemma has existed for years: people in general are concerned about the environmental state of the Earth and the slow depletion of our natural resources, and are willing – even eager – to do what they can to mitigate their own impact. If everyone ‘did what they could,’ after all, the collective impact would be incredible. The dilemma comes when you push people beyond their comfort zones and ask them to change their lifestyle in ways both drastic and uncommon – it’s one thing, after all, to make some simple adjustments like adding a standby power switch (for instance an EcoSwitch) to your appliances, quite another to suggest they come off the power grid and go 100% solar. Few people want to be a pioneer. The goal, therefore, is to create a new, ready‐made lifestyle for people that requires little or no effort on their part. One of the more popular strategies along these lines has been the Eco Village.

The Ultimate Power Saving Device: Your House Eco Villages aren’t new to Australia, of course; the concept has been tried many times, usually with somewhat disappointing results. Many previous attempts have failed to combine true energy efficiency (often having porous building envelopes or poorly‐ placed thermal mass, or appliance and other infrastructure packages that eschewed energy efficient appliances in favour of more ‘wow factor’) or have failed to create a comfortable and attractive living environment. The dilemma raises its head again: No one wants to live in a shabby or uncomfortable home, no matter how environmentally‐friendly it is.

The people behind the new Cape Paterson Ecovillage in Victoria believe they have tackled these problems and created not just the first truly Zero Carbon housing development, but a place that people will want to live, with affordable homes, beautiful design, and a charming lifestyle that just happens to be zero‐carbon and the greenest way to live that modern science can offer.

Impressive Data Based on the information released about the development, things looks incredible: Each home is designed for ideal northern sun exposure for the solar power, and the internal systems of each home are designed to be entirely electric. For the time being the load is split between the solar panels and a green‐certified outside grid, with the expectation that eventually the electricity will be supplied entirely by solar panels. Every aspect of the homes has been carefully planned and designed to contribute towards a zero‐carbon lifestyle. The buildings have been assigned impressive ratings by an inspection team composed of Tony Isaacs (FirstRate software) and Wayne Floyd (former chair of the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors board), and ten of the houses in the development were awarded 7.5 stars – with no concessions. That is an amazing rating for a new home. Even more impressive is that these homes are not inordinately expensive, meaning these could be a simple, no‐stress way for people to launch themselves into a zero‐carbon lifestyle that will be incredibly beneficial to the world.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 191 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Questions However, the data released by the product doesn’t offer any information about the carbon‐cost of the materials and construction used in the development. These costs can be quite high, especially when the fabrication of specialised materials is taken into account. Without knowing what the Carbon Debt of these homes is, calculating when they truly become ‘carbon neutral’ is impossible. What is also impossible is that they begin their existence as a new home in a carbon neutral state – there must be some Carbon Debt owing to their construction that will take some time to ‘pay off.’ Without this information, judging the true ‘zero carbon’ status of the homes is simply impossible.

That being said, these homes still represent the right direction and the right decisions. Building new homes to have the capability of being Zero Carbon is the right first step; making these homes attractive, comfortable, and affordable to a wide section of the public is the right (and necessary) second step. It’s exciting to see more of these sorts of developments go up. We certainly don’t want to discourage such endeavours – but the more information freely offered, the more people can make informed, environmentally‐conscious decisions.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

What to look for in a home Jul 3 2013 Written by Danielle King With rising energy costs, water shortages and growing environmental awareness, more and more people are now looking for energy efficient and ‘green’ features in homes.

Why? Because they simply cost less to run and are likely to bring better market prices in the very near future.

Such homes have certain features, so here’s some tips on what to look for next time you move.

Given that heating and cooling can be the cause of up to 50% of your energy bills, closely followed by hot water, here’s some things to look out for.

North Facing Living Areas – With north facing living areas (depending on the property) you should be able to take advantage of passive solar heating (free heat from the sun) to help keep your home warm in winter. This can significantly reduce your heating costs which is why it’s a highly desirable design feature.

Heating systems – Passive solar (as above) is great but won’t always cut it in our climate. Look for a heating system that can be zoned, has a timer and is highly efficient (check the star labelling). Gas is generally cheaper than electricity and can be a good option. Electric under floor heating costs a small fortune to run. If a home has this type of heating (even the efficient models), don’t use it and find another heating source.

Draft Seals & Insulation – You can easily check for draft seals around external doors and windows as you look around a home.

Good draft proofing will help keep the indoor temperature comfortable and works best in conjunction with good insulation.

Insulation is not so easy to see but you can always ask. Ideally you’d want a minimum insulation level of R3.5 value in the ceiling, R2 in the walls. Anything higher than that is all the better.

Hot water systems – Hot water can make up 25% of your energy bill. Solar hot water, gas boosted is the cheapest to run.

Alternatively gas instantaneous or gas storage (in that order) is the most cost effective. If you find the home of your dreams and it has an electric hot water system, consider changing it when you move in.

Pools and Spas – Nice to have but these use a significant amount of energy. To help minimise costs look for solar pool heating (gas boosted), covers that are easy to use and ideally use of ionisers to control water algae (they also help reduce the amount of time a filter needs to run).

There are many more things you could consider and it really does all depend on the house. An efficient house will give you great opportunities to minimise your living expenses which means you’ll have more money for the fun things in life!

If you want to know more about a house you’re considering moving to, Green Moves has a free ‘Efficient Home Checklist’ online that you could download. Or if you would prefer some help think about getting a pre‐purchase sustainability review done. It will tell you what the house already has and how you could improve it further should you choose to. It’s always good to know what you’re getting into!

One Billion in the Dark Jul 10 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 192 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Everything in this world is a matter of perspective. Whether you are rich or poor often has more to do with where you live than your actual income; someone earning $100,000 a year might be perceived as extremely rich in Mumbai, for example, but be firmly “middle income” in Manhattan. The same goes for our concepts of energy and being eco‐friendly; in a nation like the United States or Australia where the cities and suburban areas are all wired up, the issue is conserving energy and living an efficient lifestyle centred around saving power and energy efficiency. But what about the more than one billion people in the world who currently still live without electric power? When we consider ways to save power, it’s all well and good to tackle personal use with things like an Ecoswitch or energy efficient appliances, but when you consider that the world’s energy grid is already overtaxed, we have to ask ourselves: Are we prepared for this onslaught?

Wiring the World And it is coming. In the First World, we’re all used to being wired up because we were largely born into it – there are few people of adult age in modern society in Australia or other First World nations that can remember a time without electricity. But it’s important to know that the process of wiring up the world has never stopped. Between 1990 and 2000, about 1.6 billion people gained access to electricity for the first time in their lives, and that process is continuing. There are still 1.2 billion people living without electric power, led by a staggering 306 million people in India alone.

The fact is, most of the electrical grids in the world are overtaxed as it is, with frequent brownouts and blackouts. In many places in Asia and the Middle‐East, city dwellers are quite used to going hours or days at a time with no power. Forget about energy efficiency, forget about conservation, these nations are struggling simply to provide power to their citizens.

The Need for Planning The problem here is that often just getting any form of electrical service to people is a nearly‐insurmountable problem, so asking for sustainability and efficiency is simply impossible. It would be one thing if these people were waiting on electricity so they could play video games and keep their beer cold, but in many of these areas there are entire school systems with no electricity.

Entire hospital systems without electricity. The improvement to education, health care, and longevity that results from the introduction of reliable electrical systems is staggering – and impossible to delay. How can you argue that more people should suffer health‐related problems and shortened lifespans so that we can come up with a way to pipe power to them sustainably?

Of course, it can be done, the real problem is that no one is looking at it in that way. Work to bring electricity to these areas continues, but it is a disorganised and slap‐dash affair, being completed piecemeal as resources and opportunities arise. The fact is, these 1.2 billion people who are currently not draining the world’s energy resources will be draining those resources very soon – the United Nations has set a formal goal of universal electricity by the year 2030 – and if it is impossible to argue against this sort of progress, we all must begin a more aggressive response to planning this sort of progress. Otherwise, all the energy saving switches and five‐minute showers in the world aren’t going to help very much.

Obviously, there are limits to everyone’s personal ability to effect change, and this is not meant to discourage anyone from making their own contribution by being as energy‐efficient and environmentally conscious in their own lives as possible. In fact, as more and more people need to share our energy resources, it’s even more important for everyone else to be efficient in their own use. So next time you turn your thermostat up in the summer to save some power, think of it this way: Someone in India might have an extra hour of electricity that day because you did.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. He soon realised that he could have a broader influence on communities by sharing his experience with low embodied energy sustainable design rather than just construction. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Are You a Climate Change Skeptic?

Jul 16 2013 Written by Liz Nelson There are points to both sides of climate change that help solidify those respective arguments. Can both sides of the coin be correct? It's hard to dispute the receding icecaps and the continuation of the melting of Peru's glaciers, but can it be attributed to man‐made solutions or is this a natural occurrence of the planet? Regardless of what your points of view are, there is one Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 193 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

inescapable point that everyone can agree on. Renewable energy sources are more efficient in cost as opposed to antiquated methods we use to generate power.

1. Fuels ‐ As opposed to all methods of generating power, renewable energy products don't need a cash investment for fueling the broilers. There are no tangible consumables in solar and wind that need to be purchased from a third party. They are powered by naturally occurring instances. There is nothing to drill for, mine, or radiate in order to heat water to turn a steam turbine. In fact, solar panels for the home have absolutely no moving parts and can be installed in order to produce more power than is consumed.

2. Costs ‐ Is the cost of building and maintaining a coal‐fired power plant really that much cheaper than building a solar array to produce the same amount of power? There are two consumable properties in traditional coal power plants ‐ coal and water. Both of these are materials have to be shipped in or piped through in order to maintain the facility. Are these materials donated by the mines or piped into the power plant free of charge?

After 10 years of operation, how much money has been spent on maintaining the level of coal and water in order to keep the turbines spinning? What about the fuels that are used in order to ship the coal to the plant's location? How many souls have coal mines consumed or attributed to the deaths of those who have worked this hard labor? How many insurance claims have been filed due to mining accidents or deaths? The money just keeps flowing out of the use of powering these coal‐based technologies.

3. Uninhabitable ‐ Although nuclear power produces less of a carbon footprint than other methods, is it really that much cleaner than alternatives? Chernobyl and Fukushima are two examples of the dangers of nuclear power. How hot does water need to get?

If a catastrophic accident happens at a solar array, we just need to clean it up and build a new one. There are no special HAZMAT suits needed for handling the clean‐up. This is aside from the point that the worst a solar array could face is perhaps a fire or an earthquake. However, radiation won't spread across hundreds of miles if a solar array or wind turbine malfunction.

You don't have to be on board with those who believe in climate changes and human intervention in order to see the bigger picture of what renewable energy can do for the populace of Earth. Don't view these technologies as pipe‐dreams of a bunch of "tree‐huggers" trying to save the planet or promote world peace. Instead, view these innovations as ways to save additional money across the board. Renewable energy sources are only getting cheaper to implement. Regardless of your views about climate change, wouldn't you rather save additional money on your energy bills?

Liz Nelson is a writer for Whitefence and green living enthusiast from Houston, Texas. She loves to help others learn more about green lifestyles, eco‐friendly businesses, and how the world is changing for the better!

Make being green part of your family plan

Jul 24 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

Far too often in our efforts to be responsible and forward‐thinking, we become very pleased with ourselves. After all – we’re doing the right things. We’re pursuing energy efficiency in our homes, using energy efficient appliances and other energy saving products. We take short showers and we use the right light bulbs, we have everything in the house hooked into a standby power switch like the EcoSwitch, we wear sweaters in the winter and close the drapes in the summer and always have our thermostat set a few degrees higher or lower because we know the impact that can have. These are all good things. So what’s the problem?

Simply put, there’s too much ‘I’ in those sentences.

Teach Your Children to Save Energy Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 194 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Saving energy is a group effort that involves everyone in the world – but it also involves every future generation that will live on this earth. It’s not crazy to say that our children will have to live with our mistakes as well as our good decisions, but it can’t be that passive. The work involved can’t just be undertaken by this generation, and whatever we manage to accomplish is what our children get. We have to involve them in the process today, and start teaching them everything from the simplest ‘why save electricity’ reasons to the most complex concepts in how to save power, how to ensure adequate energy for a growing world, and how to make sure their future – a future in which they’ll be raising their own kids – will have enough resources to go around.

Lead by Example The best way to teach your children anything, of course, is by example. It isn’t enough to instruct them – you have to demonstrate to them that not only are lifestyle choices immensely important, but that these choices are important enough for you to follow through on them.

This means involving your children in the day‐to‐day conservation efforts of the home and being prepared to answer their questions about the efficacy and implementation of recycling programs, energy saving devices, and alternative methods of energy generation. If you’re trying to teach your children about resources, teach them how much things cost and where things come from. If you’re going to put rules into place, like short showers and efficient thermostat settings, make sure you follow the same rules.

Additionally, involving your children in interesting and hands‐on activities can help them to understand the stakes and why these actions are necessary today to ensure the stability of their future world.

Recycling Projects Instead of making recycling simply a special bin for plastics and metals, get the family together and collect bottles and cans from the neighbourhood, then drive everything to the recycling centre. This can show them the infrastructure that exists specifically for this purpose and can demonstrate to them how important recycling is. Re‐using bottles and other containers in creative ways can be a fun way to bring the lesson home – many bottles can be re‐capped with simple kits you can buy online, meaning that the leftover lemonade from the kids stand can be bottled and stored, and drinking water can be run from the tap instead of wasting resources on more plastic bottles.

Visit the Landfill One of the most effective ways to demonstrate how much waste is involved in the daily lives of modern people is to simply show your children the sheer scale of waste being collected. While no one thinks of a trip to the dump as a fun day activity, it is a striking and effective image your kids won’t soon forget.

Put Things on Their Scale If your children earn pocket money from you, sit down one night and teach them this simple concept: Show them a utility bill and calculate how much your electricity costs. Then look up on the Internet how much electricity your average television uses. Then show your kids how many minutes of television their allowance would buy them, and ask them to imagine they had an electric allowance each week of just a few hours. Explain to them that there are many countries in the world where this is a common occurrence, because there are so many blackouts.

You can’t simply tell your children one thing while doing another – they see how you behave and will model themselves after you.

Make energy saving and being responsible for the future of our planet part of your family plan.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. He soon realised that he could have a broader influence on communities by sharing his experience with low embodied energy sustainable design rather than just construction. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Staging Effective Events & Engaging Volunteers Jul 30 2013 Written by Leigh‐Chantelle

I gave a 60‐minute workshop on Staging Effective Events & Engaging Volunteers at the North American Conference for Critical Animal Studies in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on Saturday 22 June. See below for the handouts and video.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 195 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Here's the Blurb: How to engage and empower community members to use their skills and expertise to solve the problems that exists in our universe. Leigh‐Chantelle will use her previous experience with events and volunteers in the vegan, animal rights, environmental and feminist movements to impart her knowledge and inspire others to become effective activists – both in person and online.

Topics include (but are not limited to): Staging Effective Events:  Goals, Aims and how to gauge Achievements  Who and What you need  Venue and Transportation  Public Liability, Licences and Regulations  Grants, Budget & Covering Costs  Marketing, Promotion, Networking & Word of Mouth  Environmental Practices & Leaving No Trace Team Building & Engaging Volunteers:  Inspiring passion in others  Leading by Example  Working together & Autonomy  Respecting differing opinions and work styles  Focusing on Strengths and working on Challenges  Engaging every age at all stages Here's handout #2

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 196 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

(Click on the above images to download)

Here's the Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC24wj5_3UQ

This article originally appeared on the Viva la Vegan! website.

Easy steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle Aug 7 2013 Written by Rod Sheppard

One of the major challenges of the conscientious, environmentally‐aware modern lifestyle is the fact that it is a moving target – and it can be exhausting. In all fairness, most people in the world have enough troubles just getting by, and the scale of your challenges is relative. Certainly people in developed countries have a higher standard of living and many more resources to draw on in their daily lives – but that does not mean that the daily challenge of working, raising a family, and living a responsible life is easier.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 197 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

And the goalposts move: At first you are to be praised for simple things, like changing out the light bulbs in your house – and then you find that isn’t enough. If you try to tackle living a ‘sustainable’ life all at once it’s a monumental task, and society at large is often far behind your own personal efforts, making every change Herculean in effort. As a result, many people lose heart and lose energy, and give up.

It doesn’t have to be this difficult, of course. No one person or family can single‐handedly change (or save) the world. Make it easier on yourself: Take a step back and a deep breath, and simply follow this Easy Guide to Living More Sustainably – and note the strategic use of the word more.

Saving Power and Water the Easy Way One of the key things to remember is that you don’t always have to shoot for the top‐tier of sustainable living. Yes, you could move your family to the wilds and spend your life savings on an Earthship or similar 100% sustainable home. But there are real costs to that decision, and perhaps these costs are beyond you. Instead, go for Step One instead of Step Twenty – simply reduce the energy and resource footprint of your current home.

Change those light bulbs, yes. And while you’re at it, install a standby power switch on your appliances – and replace those appliances with energy efficient versions. Don’t run the dishwasher unless it’s 100% full, or wash your dishes in the sink using a single sinkful of water and only running the tap when you’re actively rinsing. By simply being mindful of the resources you’re using, you will reduce your waste and improve the world by a measurable amount. That’s Step One. Don’t try to cross the ocean in one day – just start paddling.

Think about Waste We’re almost trained to ignore our waste materials, to pretend that they magically disappear. Trucks arrive and whisk away our trash; our sewage is pumped away from the house automatically. It’s not all our fault, either – the packaging materials used in the products we buy are often far too complex and bulky, resulting in a huge amount of waste being generated just by opening the package!

What we can do is be mindful of our waste. Step One isn’t a dramatic refusal to contribute to landfills and investing in expensive home water treatments for your own sewage, it’s simply being mindful of your waste and seeking the simple ways to reduce it.

Make sure you understand the recycling programs in your community and follow them carefully. Switch from paper bills and statements to electronic versions and have much less paper to recycle. When organising trash one night, consider every item you’re throwing away and ask yourself if there is a simple way to re‐use these things instead of buying a constant supply of new ones.

Vote with Your Wallet Finally, one of the simplest aspects of Step One is to simply put your own resources, however modest, behind bigger organisations ‐ the Green movements that seek to change the laws and customs of whole areas to be more sustainable. Your contribution of time and/or money may not be large, but when combined with hundreds or thousands of people like yourself it becomes monumental, and real change can be implemented. By combining your personal efforts with support for larger organisations – or simply by voting with your wallet by purchasing products and services from companies which have public commitments to sustainable practices, supply lines, and the like – you are helping to make real change.

And once you’ve incorporated Step One into your life, and see how little harm it’s done to your overall lifestyle, you might begin to eye the next step and think, why not? One step at time – that’s how we’ll all get there in the end.

Rod Sheppard is the founder of Carbon Reduction Industries and inventor of the EcoSwitch; a simple but ingenious solution to the problem of standby power waste. Rod's interest in sustainable living and green solutions emerged from a background in building design. He soon realised that he could have a broader influence on communities by sharing his experience with low embodied energy sustainable design rather than just construction. Rod is an avid supporter of sustainable living in Australia and encourages people to consider their actions.

Engaging Children About Sustainable Energy Aug 13 2013 Written by Ken Myers

In today's world, everywhere we look there is something about green sustainable methods to create energy. Whether this is displayed by the use of windmill turbines or covering the rooftops of homes in the form of solar panels, sustainable methods for energy surround us. Although some have labeled sustainable methods as "premature," it is difficult to argue the efficiency and potential savings these technologies have already developed in current society.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 198 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Teaching your children why sustainable energy is important now can help shape the future of humanity. They will grow up knowing why sustainability is important to humankind's survival and why innovative developments need to be utilized. Although you may not have the funding to teach your children by building full‐scale systems, there are more affordable ways that you can show them how it all fits together.

1. Solar Battery Charger ‐ For less than $20, you can buy what you need at your local Radio Shack to build a basic solar battery charger. Of course, you can spend more by building an elaborate system or fancy container. The only components you need are:  Small solar cell  Copper wiring  Rechargeable batteries  Battery Compartment  Blocking diode The larger cell you buy, the quicker the batteries will charge. You could even save money by recycling copper wire from broken electronics. Since the voltage you'll deal with is low, you can get buy with a smaller gauge of wire. By connecting the positive and negative terminals from the panel correctly to the battery compartment, you can slowly charge batteries throughout the day. The blocking diode will stop power from flowing back to the panel, which is good if you are combining other methods of power together. There are many tutorials on the Internet available for different styles of charging including building a USB charging unit for phones and other devices.

2. Wind Turbines ‐ Developing a wind turbine from scratch is a bit more difficult as compared to solar power. Without the use of a kit, there is quite a bit of engineering involved. Essentially, you are building a generator that is moved by wind currents.

Although there are tutorials and videos depicting those using a car's alternator, the amount of amps it produces could be dangerous for children to attempt on their own. However, there are many good place on the Internet where you can buy turbine kits specifically for children.

3. The Power of Lemons ‐ Many have been allured by the "potato battery" experiments that depict how chemical reactions within certain foods creates an electrical current. Did you know lemons are capable of producing more power than potatoes in this fashion? This is one of the most least expensive methods to demonstrate power development to children. All you need is:  Lemon  Zinc‐coated screw  Copper nail  12‐inches of copper wire

By inserting the screw and nail into the lemon, you have just created a battery that produces roughly one volt of power. However, the actual power developed in this manner will be dependent on the size of the lemon. Although it may produce enough power to light up a LED, the amps it produces are too little to be of any real practicality. By combining additional lemons together, it is possible to power a small electronic device such as a clock.

These are just three ways you can show children how there are alternatives to power than simply burning fossil fuels to create steam to move a turbine. Through innovation and idea, we can change how the world looks at energy producing methods. Get them excited now in order to build a brighter future.

Image sourced from here

Ken Myers holds a master’s in business leadership from Upper Iowa University and multiple bachelor degrees from Grand View College. As president of morningsidenannies.com, Ken’s focus is helping Houston‐based parents find the right childcare provider for their family. When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his three children and his wife.

The Climate Reality Project, Chicago 2013 Sep 19 2013 Written by Janelle Rees Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 199 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

In July 2013 I was privileged to be selected as one of 9 Australians to attend the Al Gore Climate Reality training in Chicago, Illinois. From around the globe over 1,200 attendees converged on the conference venue with one goal – to use every tool at our disposal to solve the climate crises.

One of the group photos taken with Al Gore

Throughout the three day training event we were taught presentation and communication skills, and heard from powerful guest speakers who have not only fought their climate battles, but who have won them. To see everyday people who are so dedicated to spend their time working towards a better life for their children was inspirational. One speaker spent 12 years on a single campaign, proving the local coal plant was causing respiration issues in her community.

For more information about the climate reality project head to: http://climaterealityproject.org/

The obvious highlight of the training was to spend a day with Al Gore, learning his slideshow presentation ‐ which is a modified version of the one shown in An Inconvenient Truth. At the end of the day, he stood in front of us all and spoke from the heart about his own personal battle. When he had that moment of realisation that life is so special and should never be taken for granted. Climate change is the greatest current threat to this life, and as a united strength we have to all stand united and fight this battle together.

As part of my personal commitment to the project, I have returned to Brisbane where I will now undertake a minimum of ten acts of climate leadership. This includes the opportunity to present the Al Gore slideshow to anyone interested in learning more about the impact of climate change, blog posting about the project and climate change, and most importantly individual climate conversations to spread the word.

As part of my acts of leadership I will be posting monthly for the Green Earth Group, to keep you up to date on my acts of leadership progress, and to share information about the realities and science of climate change.

Janelle Rees is an Environmental Scientist and policy writer. She is undertaking a law degree as a part time student with Southern Cross University. She became part of the climate reality program in 2013, the Oscars Law Advocacy Program 2013 and volunteers as city coordinator for 350.org Queensland. Janelle is a committed environmental and animal advocate and her greatest loves are her two dogs, Zulu and Moose. If you wish to book Janelle to do a climate reality presentation, please contact her.

Goodbye Green Earth Group ‐ Indoor Picnic @ Albion Oct 18 2013 Green Earth Group started in 2009 to put on an all‐vegan festival in Brisbane, Green Earth Festival in 2010 and then Green Earth Day in 2011.

This not‐for‐profit environmental awareness group has put on various events, outreach and ran this blog since the last festival.

We will be finishing at the end of the year and want to celebrate our successes and achievements.

Please come along to our indoor picnic at Albion Peace Centre on Saturday 9 November from 10am. See the Acoustic Artists who are performing below.

See the PRESS RELEASE.

Here's the poster:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 200 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Poster designed by Adele Walker ‐ http://bambiwantsrevenge.com

Please spread the word ‐ we would love to see you there.

Acoustic Artists (who've played for us over the years) performing on the day: 10am ‐ Children's Entertainer, Renata 12pm ‐ Tony Dean 1pm ‐ Dean Love 2pm ‐ Unison Sound System 4pm CLOSE

Photos from the Goodbye

Tony Dean photo by Emma Dean

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 201 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

No photos of the massive amount of food, sorry!

Article in City North News Nov 15 2013 Thanks to everyone who came to our goodbye on Saturday! Especially to our wonderful performers: Renata, Tony Dean, Dean Love, and Unison Sound System.

City North News published an article in yesterday's paper about the end of the Green Earth Group era. Hope you like it:

View Online (page 13)

5 Combined Technologies that Would Change the World Nov 19 2013 Written by Stephanie Green

While some may believe that it could take decades to change the shape of the planet for the better, the truth is it could take considerably less time than what you may think. The worst part about it is that the technology already exists for what needs to be done. Although humanity is making great strides to help ensure our survival as a species, it is still hindered by the prospect of profit. When these technologies are combined, the world itself could change in profound ways.

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 202 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

Photo from Dinner is Printed article

1. Water Condensers ‐ The technology exists that can pull water directly from the atmosphere to be filtered and consumed by humans. Some of these establishments already exist around the world. So, why not utilize the technology everywhere in order to provide free and clean water to the masses? It would cost too much to build for no monetary return. It's too profitable of a device to merely assemble for no other reason than to hydrate those who are without a healthy way to live.

2. 3D Printed Foods ‐ By combining the basic elements of food together in a 3D printer, we could feed the world for far less money. By arranging our food at the molecular level, we could essentially be eating healthier than we've ever had in our existence while providing the sweet tastes we enjoy. Could you imagine a cupcake having more nutritional value than a salad constructed from the most vitamin rich vegetables on the planet?

3. Solar and Wind ‐ Although we are finally coming around to erecting these two pieces of technology, both have been around for a great amount of time. This year, the development of solar has been threatened due to tariffs being placed because profit losses by companies in competition of Chinese manufacturers have been forcing them to close down. It's simply not profitable enough to improve upon the energy crisis.

4. Electric Automobiles ‐ Instead of relying on 100 year old technology to move us from one location to another, electric automobiles can be superior. Have you ever wondered why you can play a video game while downloading your important business emails while running a GPS app to determine your location as you wait for an important phone call all on one device, but it costs more than four or five dollars per gallon at the gas pump? It's called a lack of priorities.

5. Health Care ‐ Why does it cost $1300 to hook a man up to an EKG monitor for an hour or $800 to drive a teenager four miles in an ambulance? Does that monitor really pull that much power? Does the ambulance get 0.0195 miles to the gallon? Medical expenses are ridiculously high because they can be. If you are without insurance, you could put yourself in bankruptcy in the event of an emergency.

Personal religious beliefs and conquest for gold have always been the most detrimental aspects to science and advancement.

Whether it is the heretics who believed the world was round more than 500 years ago or the improvements alternating current had over direct current last century, personal politics have always had a hand in throttling back innovation. Until humanity can shed these beliefs and work for the advancement of the species instead of the bank account or religious influence, we may not be able to sustain ourselves much longer.

Stephanie has many years of experience as a nanny. She has always loved children and has continuously been involved in childcare activities. Currently she is one of the writers for houstonnanny.com. If you want to get in touch with her, you can email her.

Volunteer Feedback I love to volunteer for environmental groups because I get great satisfaction from the little I can do. I need to help, as I do not have a lot of funds that I can contribute. It is empowering to do my bit and I don't end up feeling so helpless about the situation on this most precious planet we call home.

Andrea C

I volunteer because the people less fortunate, animals, and environment of this world need us to! It also allows for a busy and fulfilling life and meeting many, many amazing people along the way!

Chay N

I volunteer for environmental and vegan groups because this work benefits people, animals and the planet as a whole. These outcomes are worth more than a big pay‐cheque and the material 'happiness' one might chose to buy with it.

Dani D

Volunteering has been a valuable and enjoyable way of connecting with people who share a similar goal or vision, eg love and respect for animals and the planet. It has allowed me to learn, share and extend my skills in many areas over the years, such as organizing Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 203 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

food stalls, face painting, writing submissions and grant applications, promoting a plant‐based diet. Overall, I would recommend volunteering as a great way to support causes that inspire you ‐ and you'll make new friends along the way.

JK

When people smile because they get the help and I just turn a finger to help, I feel so happy.

Juicy

I enjoyed volunteering with Green Earth Day because I had lots of fun face painting and the spirit of the event is very inspiring!!

Mia C

I’m a member of Green Earth Group because they are a great bunch of people, fighting for a great cause.

Naomi B

I love volunteering with environmental and vegan groups because it feels great to know that I can make a difference in the world one step at a time.

Paria R

Volunteering in animal rights and vegan groups is my way of attempting to undo but a few of the many wrongs we have inflicted upon animals. Far from selfless ‐ doing something feels good, and I have met so many amazing like‐minded people who inspire me daily to keep trying. But really, in the end, it’s the animals who bring me the most joy.

Sally G

I volunteer with organisations I believe in the values of because I like to see where my contributions go. When donating money, you rarely see where it goes.

Sam A

I volunteer with environmental and vegan groups because I feel that if more people help out and get involved in these events even more people will find out about something that is not only wonderful but healthy. Also it is super fun and you get to enjoy meeting a whole variety of great people.

Silvana C

I am optimistic, I hope that others will also want to act in ways that will preserve and heal the earth, so that we can eventually live in our earthgarden. I hope that this group can gather together like‐minded people to effect the change we all hope for ‐ even if the government is opposing such humane things. Well something like that!

Robert J Green Earth Group Blog Dec 2013

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Google Analytics info Here’s the information for our two websites. Green Earth Day (took over from GEF) from 20 October 2010 – 19 December 2013.

Also the Green Earth Group website that started on 10 July 2012 – 19 December 2013.

Both websites had really similar gender and age statistics:

Green Earth Group: The History 2009-2013 204 compiled by Leigh-Chantelle

With the total amount of views for Green Earth Day:

and for Green Earth Group:

Here’s the breakdown of each month’s statistics

2010 Green Earth Day

October & November

2011 Green Earth Day

December

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January

February

March

May

June

July

August

April

September

October

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November

December

2012 Green Earth Day

January

March

May

July

February

April

June

August

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November

2012 Green Earth Group

July/August GEG

September GEG

October GEG

November GEG

December GEG

September

October

December

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2013 Green Earth Day (on the left)

January

February

March

April

May

Green Earth Group (on the right)

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June

July

August

September

October

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November

December (1st – 19th)

As of December 19, our followers on Social Media were: FaceBook – 1124 (Green Earth Group) & 476 (Green Earth Day) Google+ ‐ 250 Pinterest ‐ 22 Twitter – 173 YouTube – 33

We still come up at the top for search engine results:

When leading, be generous with the community, honourable in actions, sincere in your words.

As for the rest, do not be concerned. ‐ Buddha

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Leigh‐Chantelle’s Staging Effective Events videos

Animal Rights Conference, Washington, DC, USA – July 2010

Q&A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHFCnbnmem4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59RzdFdKPdE

Animal Activists Forum, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia – October 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zejhCvPXRBo

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Staging Effective Events & Engaging Volunteers Workshop Video

North American Conference for Critical Animal Studies, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ‐ 22 June 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC24wj5_3UQ

Thank you!

(That’s it now – wonderful if you made it this far!)

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. ‐ Anatole France

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