Earth Hour has grown in popularity over the years. Anecdotal evidence shows that more people are now familiar with the term Earth Hour and what it stands for.
This year to mark Earth Hour 2011 a musical event was organised at my residence with over 80 friends joining from various parts of Sydney neighbourhoods. Friends were provided with a brief overview of the event at the beginning of the Earth Hour.
Lights went out at 8PM and candles/Citronella oil torches were lit. Everyone participated in singing competition, poems and story telling "in the dark". The event concluded at 9PM and was followed with delicious food.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Earth Hour 2010
The Earth Hour 2010 initiative is now a global event. At 8.30pm on Saturday, March 27, nearly 100 iconic landmarks in 1,000 cities and towns around the world will switch off their lights for Earth Hour 2010, joining hundreds of millions of people showing their commitment to the environment.
Earth Hour will reach new heights this year, with the world's three tallest buildings - the new Burj Khalifa in Dubai, CN Tower in Toronto and Taipei 101 in Taiwan - going dark for the global event.
Earth Hour will reach new heights this year, with the world's three tallest buildings - the new Burj Khalifa in Dubai, CN Tower in Toronto and Taipei 101 in Taiwan - going dark for the global event.
Clean Australia Day - Sunday, 7 March 2010
This year was special for Clean Australia Day and provided a great opportunity to get out and help clean neighbourhoods.
I participated at Glenwood and Kellyville sites. This is one example of taking direct action for your neighbourhoods.
Hundreds of thousands of volunteers around the nation today helped celebrate Clean Up Australia Day’s 20th anniversary year, donning gloves to clean up Australia’s major rubbish hotspot areas and clear the most frequently dropped items, including cigarette butts and recyclables such as glass, plastic and paper.
It has been estimated that a staggering 15,560 tonnes of rubbish has been removed from beaches, waterways, parks and bushland across Australia. Approximately 588,000 volunteers across the country are taking part in the day at 7073 registered sites, which marks an increase of 6% from 2009.
I participated at Glenwood and Kellyville sites. This is one example of taking direct action for your neighbourhoods.
Hundreds of thousands of volunteers around the nation today helped celebrate Clean Up Australia Day’s 20th anniversary year, donning gloves to clean up Australia’s major rubbish hotspot areas and clear the most frequently dropped items, including cigarette butts and recyclables such as glass, plastic and paper.
It has been estimated that a staggering 15,560 tonnes of rubbish has been removed from beaches, waterways, parks and bushland across Australia. Approximately 588,000 volunteers across the country are taking part in the day at 7073 registered sites, which marks an increase of 6% from 2009.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Blog Action Day 2009 - Climate Change
Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day on their own blogs with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Blog Action Day 2009 will be the largest-ever social change event on the web. One day. One issue. Thousands of voices.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Avaaz.org - The World in Action
I encourage you to consider this campaign....
Avaaz.org - The World in Action
Source: http://www.avaaz.org/
A fund-raising campaign to support the largest climate coordinated event ever on September 21st.
Avaaz.org - The World in Action
Source: http://www.avaaz.org/
A fund-raising campaign to support the largest climate coordinated event ever on September 21st.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Graduation - Leadership Development Programme
On 11 June 2009, I was awarded Diploma of Management - a workplace based Leadership Development Programme. The programme was delivered in a workshop style experiential learning format since 21 August 2008 and covered a range of topics including team building, stakeholder management and change management. The programme was designed and delivered by the Leadership Management Australia for the NSW Department of Commerce.
The Healthier Neighbourhoods Community Project was presented by me as a community based initiative where a range of skills learnt from the Leadership Development Programme found valuable application. In particular, one of the programme coach Kate became my inspiration to create this blog. Also Rita coach and instructor covered this Project in LMA's newsletter. Thank you LMA. Please find link to LMA website on this blog's project links.
Enjoy the world of learning and contributing to your local communities!
The Healthier Neighbourhoods Community Project was presented by me as a community based initiative where a range of skills learnt from the Leadership Development Programme found valuable application. In particular, one of the programme coach Kate became my inspiration to create this blog. Also Rita coach and instructor covered this Project in LMA's newsletter. Thank you LMA. Please find link to LMA website on this blog's project links.
Enjoy the world of learning and contributing to your local communities!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Enjoy a more sustainable festive season with your loved ones...
(Source: Australian Conservation Foundation)
Another year bites the dust, and the festive season is here once more!
Often the best time of year for catching up with family and friends, it's also the biggest time of spending - on presents, food, alcohol, parties and holidays. Unfortunately, all of our spending and consumption results in significant environmental damage and carbon pollution.
However, you don't have to be a scrooge to reduce your carbon footprint at Christmas!
Here's our top five tips for a more sustainable festive season:
1. Buy a service, not a product: To reduce embodied carbon pollution and water consumption, think about buying someone a service - say a voucher for a massage, rather than a massaging appliance. Vouchers for other services, (such as gardening or housecleaning) or film and theatre tickets are also good.
2. Buy gifts that give twice:Give your friends and family membership to charities, overseas aid groups or environment organisations - such as the Australian Conservation Foundation! Get someone an ACF membership, see Karma Currency for charity gift voucher ideas or visit Oxfam Unwrapped.
3. Buy carbon offsets:You can choose the amount you want to spend and offset someone's car travel, household energy use or airline travel, once-off or for a year. A great gift for people coming from interstate to celebrate the festive season!
4. Get a really green Christmas tree: Go for an Australian native tree in a pot which you can use year after year, or can plant in the garden after Christmas. Tip: Support the campaign to revive the native Wollemi Pine, an endangered Australian native which makes a great Christmas tree!
5. If you're organising a get-together with family or friends, check out what you can do to make your event more sustainable here.
To see how your local area rates in its consumption, check out ACF's Consumption Atlas.
Enjoy a safe and happy festive season!
The Team at Who on Earth Cares
Another year bites the dust, and the festive season is here once more!
Often the best time of year for catching up with family and friends, it's also the biggest time of spending - on presents, food, alcohol, parties and holidays. Unfortunately, all of our spending and consumption results in significant environmental damage and carbon pollution.
However, you don't have to be a scrooge to reduce your carbon footprint at Christmas!
Here's our top five tips for a more sustainable festive season:
1. Buy a service, not a product: To reduce embodied carbon pollution and water consumption, think about buying someone a service - say a voucher for a massage, rather than a massaging appliance. Vouchers for other services, (such as gardening or housecleaning) or film and theatre tickets are also good.
2. Buy gifts that give twice:Give your friends and family membership to charities, overseas aid groups or environment organisations - such as the Australian Conservation Foundation! Get someone an ACF membership, see Karma Currency for charity gift voucher ideas or visit Oxfam Unwrapped.
3. Buy carbon offsets:You can choose the amount you want to spend and offset someone's car travel, household energy use or airline travel, once-off or for a year. A great gift for people coming from interstate to celebrate the festive season!
4. Get a really green Christmas tree: Go for an Australian native tree in a pot which you can use year after year, or can plant in the garden after Christmas. Tip: Support the campaign to revive the native Wollemi Pine, an endangered Australian native which makes a great Christmas tree!
5. If you're organising a get-together with family or friends, check out what you can do to make your event more sustainable here.
To see how your local area rates in its consumption, check out ACF's Consumption Atlas.
Enjoy a safe and happy festive season!
The Team at Who on Earth Cares
Sunday, December 7, 2008
How do we calculate our carbon footprint?
There are many ways of calculating carbon footprint...and there are many nifty calculators that can help you do that, you can spend 10-15 minutes to several hours trying to calculate impact of your activities on the environment..depends on how accurately you want to do it.
For the purpose of this community project, I am trying to find an easy to use carbon footprint calculator which everyone can use without much technical background or training. In this quest, I have located the links below that provide fun and engaging options (courtesy: EPA Victoria):
Personal Calculator
Home Calculator
[Note: Just follow the instructions. Keep your latest electricity, gas, fuel, water bills handy.]
The calculators can help you to set the targets to reduce your carbon footprint and live sustainably. You can even save money.
Enjoy...let me know your experience. Drop me a line...
For the purpose of this community project, I am trying to find an easy to use carbon footprint calculator which everyone can use without much technical background or training. In this quest, I have located the links below that provide fun and engaging options (courtesy: EPA Victoria):
Personal Calculator
Home Calculator
[Note: Just follow the instructions. Keep your latest electricity, gas, fuel, water bills handy.]
The calculators can help you to set the targets to reduce your carbon footprint and live sustainably. You can even save money.
Enjoy...let me know your experience. Drop me a line...
Friday, December 5, 2008
A few highlights todate...
The genesis of the project lies in my participation in the Self Expression and Leadership Programme, by the Landmark Education, Sydney.
The project was covered on 4 November 2008 in the Hills Shire Times - A local community newspaper with over 65000 readers.
The possibility of the project was presented to the Local Public School - Kellyville Public School who took upon themself to do a school project for childrenwhereby students measure the carbon footprint of their homes and families. This is happening in Term 1, 2009. And a great lead in the community involvement.
The Baulkham Hills Shire Council has agreed to provide every assistance as may be required to engage with the local community.
The Climate Action groups such as Hills against Global Warming invited me to their event, wherein we viewed a docmentary on the Carbon Connection (the downside of carbon trading on the local communities).
Climate Friendly - a commercial organisation provided 50 brochures and marketing materials to support the programme.
The programme was mentioned on the Carbon Footprint - an interest group on the LinkedIn, leading to several enquiries from overseas ventures to support the project.
The programme generated considerable interest in the local neighbourhood with a few enquiries about how to participate in the programme.
More to follow....
The project was covered on 4 November 2008 in the Hills Shire Times - A local community newspaper with over 65000 readers.
The possibility of the project was presented to the Local Public School - Kellyville Public School who took upon themself to do a school project for childrenwhereby students measure the carbon footprint of their homes and families. This is happening in Term 1, 2009. And a great lead in the community involvement.
The Baulkham Hills Shire Council has agreed to provide every assistance as may be required to engage with the local community.
The Climate Action groups such as Hills against Global Warming invited me to their event, wherein we viewed a docmentary on the Carbon Connection (the downside of carbon trading on the local communities).
Climate Friendly - a commercial organisation provided 50 brochures and marketing materials to support the programme.
The programme was mentioned on the Carbon Footprint - an interest group on the LinkedIn, leading to several enquiries from overseas ventures to support the project.
The programme generated considerable interest in the local neighbourhood with a few enquiries about how to participate in the programme.
More to follow....
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Healthier Neighbourhoods - A Community Project to reduce Carbon Footprint
Dear Friend,
My name is Inderjeet Singh Virdi and I am your neighbour in Kellyville NSW 2155. I work full time. I have often thought about contributing to a healthier and cleaner environment for the future of our children and the next generations. However, I never got a chance to focus on and actively contribute to this area due to hectic lifestyle.
To create a safer, healthier environment always seems like somebody else’s problem (e.g. governments, councils, business and environmental activists). We all live busy lives and it seems days, weeks and months fly past without us taking any action at home to reduce waste and our carbon footprint.
As a result I have initiated a community project and I would like to invite you to be part of this programme which aims:
1. To create greater awareness about carbon footprints created through our daily activities
2. To help us measure the impact of what we do on our environment
3. To help you to choose ways to reduce your own carbon footprints
4. To acknowledge your achievements and celebrate with your family and neighbours
I am reaching out with this message to households in the Hills Council area.
If you want to make a difference to the environment for our children and future generations, I am keen to talk to you. Together we can promote better practices in households throughout our neighbourhoods and reduce our carbon footprint through learning from each other.
Being a community project, it is important that people engage in this initiative on their own and contribute as much as or as little as they can. Every bit counts….Together we can make a huge difference. If you can’t participate in this programme directly, please also let me know and you can still benefit through shared learnings from other participants and thus promote the cause.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully
Inderjeet Singh Virdi
Email: Inderjeet.virdi@gmail.com
My name is Inderjeet Singh Virdi and I am your neighbour in Kellyville NSW 2155. I work full time. I have often thought about contributing to a healthier and cleaner environment for the future of our children and the next generations. However, I never got a chance to focus on and actively contribute to this area due to hectic lifestyle.
To create a safer, healthier environment always seems like somebody else’s problem (e.g. governments, councils, business and environmental activists). We all live busy lives and it seems days, weeks and months fly past without us taking any action at home to reduce waste and our carbon footprint.
As a result I have initiated a community project and I would like to invite you to be part of this programme which aims:
1. To create greater awareness about carbon footprints created through our daily activities
2. To help us measure the impact of what we do on our environment
3. To help you to choose ways to reduce your own carbon footprints
4. To acknowledge your achievements and celebrate with your family and neighbours
I am reaching out with this message to households in the Hills Council area.
If you want to make a difference to the environment for our children and future generations, I am keen to talk to you. Together we can promote better practices in households throughout our neighbourhoods and reduce our carbon footprint through learning from each other.
Being a community project, it is important that people engage in this initiative on their own and contribute as much as or as little as they can. Every bit counts….Together we can make a huge difference. If you can’t participate in this programme directly, please also let me know and you can still benefit through shared learnings from other participants and thus promote the cause.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully
Inderjeet Singh Virdi
Email: Inderjeet.virdi@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)