New Sustainable Sydney 2030 plan

The new City of Sydney Sustainable Sydney 2030 plan responds to the challenges of global warming, rising oil prices, declining housing affordability and growth by suggesting five "Big Moves" to make Sydney more sustainable, vibrant and successful. Alongside the five Big Moves are ten strategic directions and many hundreds of small steps that are aimed at transforming Sydney into a green, global, connected city. The five Big Moves are:

1. A revitalised City Centre at the heart of Global Sydney
2. An integrated Inner Sydney transport network
3. A liveable green network
4. Activity Hubs as a focus for the City’s village communities and transport
5. Transformative development and sustainable renewal

South East Queensland Water Strategy released

The Queensland Water Commission's draft South East Queensland Water Strategy - released on 26 March 2008 – is designed to meet the region’s water supply needs for the next 50 years. South East Queensland includes the major urban areas of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. The Strategy outlines a long-term plan aimed at guaranteeing future water supply, including:

• Target 230 – the Commission's permanent residential water-usage target
• Businesses striving for best practice water use
• New climate resilient water supplies like purified recycled water and desalination schemes
• Drought response plans so medium level restrictions occur no more than once every 25 years on average
• Power stations and major industrial customers using recycled water where available
• Additional water supplies for rural production

Round 11 of Threatened Species Network Community Grants Program now open

More than 380 on-ground conservation projects have been funded through the Threatened Species Network Community Grants Program, enabling community groups right across Australia to help save threatened species and ecological communities.

Round 11 of the TSN Community Grants Program is now open.

Bigfoot ecological footprint calculator

The Powerhouse Museum has upgraded its Bigfoot ecological footprint calculator using the latest current Australian data. Developed in 2001, Bigfoot was the first online ecological footprint calculator for individuals in Australia. It estimates the size of your ecological footprint from your answers to 15 questions. Bigfoot uses Australian data and terminology.

Sydney Event: Randwick Ecoliving Fair & Harmony Day Festival Sunday 6 April

The Randwick Ecoliving Fair is being held on Sunday 6 April. This year's fair includes the Harmony Day Festival, free sustainability workshops and Conversations for the Future with sustainability thinkers - Today's big challenges need small, local solutions...