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Cool clear nights, frosty mornings, wattles in bloom (yes, I know they can be weeds, but they’re still nice to look at) and my wooden spoon award in the pub footy tipping competition looming over me like a gargoyle can only mean two things; one: that I should NOT enter the tipping comp next year, and two: it’s August!

So if the thrill of watching your favourite football team fall from the grace of the top eight proves too much (as it has for me!), here are some top gardening tips for your place in the month of August.

via August In Your Patch « Sustainable Gardening Australia.

So, most of us have had a pet of some sort over the course of our lives – be it a delightful dog, fickle feline, cute as all get out guinea pigs, or gallons of goldfish mine were always a touch, well, suicidal, our pets bring us joy, love, laughter, and good times. But imagine owning over 500 pets that never need to be walked, are happy to eat your scraps, provide you with amazing fertiliser AND help reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint! Sound too good to be true? Well, welcome to the wonderful world of worm farms – top little carbon crusaders and garbage gobblers who just happen to be awesome and fairly low maintenance pets!

via Worms – They Make Great Pets « Sustainable Gardening Australia.

WWF and the National Toxics Network today released a list of Australia’s most dangerous pesticides, more than 80 of which are prohibited overseas because of the risks they pose to human health and the environment.

The list includes 17 chemicals that are known, likely or probable carcinogens, and 48 chemicals flagged as having the potential to interfere with hormones.

More than 20 have been classified as either extremely or highly hazardous by the World Health Organisation yet remain available for use on Australian farms.

“Australians are at risk of being exposed to a dangerous cocktail of poisonous chemicals, many of which have been prohibited in other countries due to their risks to health and the environment,” said WWF spokesperson Nick Heath.

“Surely Australian farm workers, wildlife and ecosystems deserve the same level of protection as those in Europe or the United States.”

Jo Immig from the National Toxics Network said the list was evidence that Australia’s chemical regulatory system was failing to keep people and the environment safe from dangerous pesticides.

“European pesticides regulation is founded on a precautionary principle designed to give human health and the environment the benefit of the doubt,” Ms Immig said.

“Here in Australia we have the opposite, where chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer and other health problems remain on the market for years.”

Mr Heath said the list was a warning that Australians were not being adequately informed of the risks associated with harmful pesticides.

“The pesticides regulator must recognise that while Australia may have unique wildlife and different farming conditions, the chemistry of these dangerous pesticides is the still the same. If smoking causes cancer in the US, it will also cause cancer in Australia – it’s the carcinogens that matter not the country,” Mr Heath said.

“The list demonstrates just how far we are lagging behind the rest of the world. It’s time for us to catch up and give Australian farmers safer and better choices.”

Read the report here.

More information

Charlie Stevens, WWF Media Office, 0424 649 689;

Juliette King, WWF-Australia Conservation Policy Officer, 0438 864 997;

Jo Immig, National Toxics Network, Coordinator, 02 6687 1900, 0413 683 782

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The non-GE policy of one of Australia’s biggest food companies is under threat, as they prepare to sell part of their business to the pro-GE multinational, Cargill.

via True Food Network :: News and events.

Each week the average Australian household generates up to 800 litres of washing and cleaning water. With many Australian cities and regional centres enduring drought conditions the opportunity to correctly recycle water used in cleaning and washing is vital, and when done correctly, it can be used for watering plants and gardens, flushing toilets, washing cars and much more.

However, users beware; not all greywater is created equal. If the washing or cleaning detergent you have used contains phosphates, petrochemicals or non-biodegradable materials it can do more harm than good. Why you ask?

* When it enter waterways phosphates feed blue-green algae resulting in algae blooms which contribute to weed and algal slime build up.

* Petrochemicals can cause allergic reactions and take a long time to break down

* They are made from non-renewable resources

Maximise the benefits of your greywater by choosing a washing powder such as Aware Eco Choice or Sensitive Skin to ensure the water you put back into your garden is as safe as possible. When looking for a greywater friendly detergent make sure it is plant based, able to break down quickly and made from renewable resources.

Using greywater needn’t be a chore either. It can be as simple as attaching a hose from the washing machine and into a catchment bucket for later use or for the more hi-tech consumer there are treatment systems available that collect water from the laundry or shower and treats it to a suitable level for indoor use.

Follow these greywater use tips to take a ‘green’ step in the right direction:

* It is law to ensure greywater does not run onto neighbouring properties or into stormwater drains

* Don’t use greywater on vegie patches or food plants you intend to eat raw

* Cool water from hot wash cycles before using on the garden

* It is best to discard water used to wash nappies to avoid spreading diseases including Giardia

via http: www.orangepower.com.au/messages/09dec2009/web.html

Image by Artcatcher via Flickr

The wholesale disappearance of bees, sometimes called the Vanishing Bee Syndrome or Colony Collapse Disorder, has resulted in the loss of a quarter of all managed honey-bee colonies in the US since 1990. And a growing number of European and Asian nations, have reported similar declines.

Despite intensive research, the collapse of US bee populations remains largely unexplained. Two species of mite have been implicated in some of this carnage, but about a quarter of the current decline seems unrelated to any specific cause.

Reg Morrison – A fresh perspective on life.

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Europe is not immune from Monsanto’s political and bureaucratic influence. Part 3 of this series explores the pressure exerted by U.S. GM companies in Europe. It also looks at claims made by these biotech companies that GM soy would require lower doses of herbicides and contrasts this claim with the Argentinean experience. Argentina’s soy farmers, who were among the first to adopt GM technology 10 years ago, are now faced with having to use increasingly large quantities of chemical herbicides to control herbicide resistant super weeds.

via Following the trail of the genetic conspiracy – Part 3 | Organic Guide.

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Following the trail of the genetic conspiracy – Part 2

What is Monsanto’s relationship with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration? How about Monsanto’s relationship with Washington’s power brokers? In Part 2 of this series, the links between former Monsanto Executives, senior U.S. Bureaucrats and Politicians is considered. Watch out for the interview with Andrew Kimbrell from the Center for Food Safety. Andrew raises some very serious concerns regarding the independence of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

via Following the trail of the genetic conspiracy – Part 2 | Organic Guide.

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Nestlé, Foster’s, Schweppes and Lindt are the latest leading brands to commit to keeping their food and drinks free of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients in the 2010 Truefood Guide.

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