The Buckminster Fuller Challenge is an annual international design Challenge awarding $100,000 to support the development and implementation of a strategy that has significant potential to solve humanity’s most pressing problems. It attracts bold, visionary, tangible initiatives focused on a well-defined need of critical importance. Winning solutions are regionally specific yet globally applicable and present a truly comprehensive, anticipatory, integrated approach to solving the world’s complex problems.

» Applications are now being accepted: How to Enter

» Deadline is Monday, October 4, 2010 at 5pm, Eastern Standard Time

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Oxfam Australia and CarriageWorks presents Exchange for Change: The festival for a fashionable world without poverty

The latest kicks, those perfect fitting jeans, that jaw-dropping dress. We all have fashion cravings. But often our fashion sense has a flow-on effect that we don’t get to see. What are our clothes made of? Who makes them? Under what conditions? Could we be making better choices – more eco-friendly, people-friendly choices?  Oxfam Australia and CarriageWorks are delighted to join forces to present a series of events that examine the workings of the fashion industry. Exchange for Change celebrates the positive steps many have made to address the environmental impacts of clothing production, as well as fair wages and safe working conditions for the people who make our clothes.  Above all, the three day event will focus on what we can do in our everyday lives to make a difference.

Stitched together with a lineup of live local music, and wintry treats from the CarriageWorks café and bar, this is an event for anyone ready to evolve their fashion sense.   The 3-day event features discussions, a designer showcase, and one of Sydney’s biggest clothing swaps – all for free!

Rethreads: mass free clothing swap

Rethreads is for the style & sustainability savvy. Here, clothing is your currency – bring up to 20 of your best cast-offs, and exchange them for new pieces to reinvigorate your wardrobe. There is no entry fee, so anyone can participate! There are guidelines for what you should and really shouldn’t bring, so make sure you check the CarriageWorks website for info prior to rocking up.

Workshops and interactive spaces

While at Rethreads, you’ll have the opportunity to meet representatives from Oxfam Australia’s labour rights unit and other organisations fighting for fair fashion. There’ll also be DIY Re-mixed Fashion workshops run by The Social Studio, where you can re-vamp your old clothes or a new find from the swap. You can also add your bit to Oxfam’s interactive petition, The Guilt Quilt, to let industry know you want them to lift their game.

DATE Saturday 31 July
TIME Swap opens at 12pm, and closes at 6pm.
EARLYBIRD Check your clothes in the week before for Earlybird entry at 11am.
VENUE The foyer of CarriageWorks
ATTEND It’s free! Just turn up!

Talks: Over three days, Exchange for Change will host 3 very different discussion sessions, exploring and challenging ideas around ethical fashion, and celebrating innovation within the fashion industry.

Stories: Rising to the Challenge
Thursday 29 July, 7 – 8.30pm
A panel of fashion activists, academics, designers and critics talk about how why they work toward an ethical fashion industry.

Ethics on Toast: Brekky Talks
Saturday 31 July, 8.30 – 10.45am
3 influencial people talk about their 3 burning issues within the fashion industry – over breakfast.

Super Seminar: Behind the Seams with Oxfam Australia
Saturday 31 July, 7 – 8pm
All about Oxfam’s work on labour rights, and how you can help.

All talks are held at CarriageWorks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, NSW.

Visit the website for more details.

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From Design Everything, a futures conference by Mark Vanderbeeken:

I finally had a chance to listen to the two excellent keynotes of Design [Future] Everything, the futures conference that took place last month in Manchester, UK.

Keynote: Ben Cerveny

Ben Cerveny’s keynote explored how, as newly-emerging urban-scale technology infrastructures are implemented, citizens will begin to gain the ability to affect their environment in new ways, using city services the way they would use a digital application in an online environment. Through collaborative interaction with such tools, users of public spaces can configure them for specific temporary functions and even begin to ‘perform’ space together.”

Keynote: Keri Facer

In her keynote, Keri Facer explored the scenarios emerging from the Beyond Current Horizons programme and ask how, as a society, we can learn together as communities to respond to the profound environmental, demographic and technological opportunities challenges we face over the coming two decades.

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The Golden Jubilee Congress of the Eastern Regional Organisation of Planning & Human Settlements (EAROPH)

Congress Objectives and Philosophy

The main theme of the Congress is the impact of population change related to climate management and the associated issues that are being debated at an international level including infrastructure planning, water security, renewable energy and sustainable tourism.  The conference aims to draw these themes together to allow debate about their impact on the Asian Pacific rim. The key purpose of the conference will be to focus the various opinions presented by international speakers into a forum that allows for policy directions coming from the Congress to be directed to the EAROPH Executive, the Planning Institute of Australia and all spheres of Government within the region.

Local Government Caucus

A parallel session to be hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of Adelaide, The Right Honourable Michael Harbison, will be conducted at the Town Hall on Wednesday, 3rd November 2010 to allow visiting Mayors and Executive Local Government Staff to address the topic of Leadership as a Catalyst for Change within the region.  It is proposed that the Lord Mayor will lead a forum of speakers during a morning session that will focus upon the need for strong leadership at a Local Government level to address the impacts of growing cities on environmental sustainability through ‘green initiatives’.  The afternoon will be devoted to inner-city inspections of buildings and sites devoted to the principles of sustainability. The conducted tour will be undertaken on the World’s First Solar Electric Bus, “Tindo”.

Student Forum

On Sunday, 31st October 2010, the combined Universities of Adelaide, Flinders and South Australia will come together to present a forum for students and young professionals.  The objective of this forum is to provide a platform for students and young professionals to raise issues and concerns related to congress themes. The guest speakers will include those delivering keynote addresses to the Congress. The forum wil be facilitated to enable students and young professionals to focus on the topics from their perspective and learn from each other.

October 31 – November 4, 2010
Adelaide, South Australia

Visit the website for registration and further information.

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If we could co-create the city we wanted, what would it look like? The Visioning the City panel will explore our collective dreams of urban utopia as well as addressing practical plans to understand and improve city life.

FutureEverything is an award winning, world class organisation using mass participation in creativity and social innovation to bring the future into the present. It has a strong global network and international profile, and is recognised around the world for leading pioneering projects and important international debates. The organisation delivers a range of benefits, including mass engagement, awards, international networks, local advocacy, training and thought leadership, on themes including innovation, technology, art, society and the environment. It is embedded in business support networks, and is central to the innovation ecology in the UK.

The Future Everything Conference is a desination for a world-wide community of inspirational people; an engaging, entertaining and essential event to attend. Exploring the interface between technology, society and culture, the internationally acclaimed FutureEverything Conference is the crucible that allows artists, technologists and future-thinkers to share, innovate and interact. Keynote speakers include Keri Facer, Dame Wendy Hall, Ben Cerveny, Nigel Shadbolt and Darren Wershler.

Taking place at Contact on Oxford Road, Manchester, 13 – 15 May 2010

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In the days and weeks before 16th December Feeding the 5000 received tonnes of generously donated fresh produce from farms, packers and markets – from the tonnes of produce that are ‘outgraded’ for being cosmetically imperfect and which would have been wasted though they are still good to eat.

From the original press release:

The produce will be delivered to the food depot of our main partner, FareShare. From there it will be taken to the commercial kitchens which have been kindly given over to us for the event. Here it will be prepared into soup and other food for the day by an army of volunteers trained in food handling and preparation.  The food will be delivered by FareShare to Trafalgar Square on the 16th December and prepared in time for the free lunch, starting at 12 noon. Meanwhile, smoothies from fresh surplus fruit will be made by a team of bicycle-powered smoothie makers and handed out to passers-by.

For an insight into how the event turned out on the day, watch the Guardian.UK’s video of the event.

Come along to the Walk Against Warming and help form a massive human sign, a sign so big that the message will reach Copenhagen! In Melbourne, the walk will start by the State Library, on the corner of Swanston Street and La Trobe Street at noon on December 12 and end at Princess Bridge. On the bridge, 20,000 people will make a human sign saying: SAFE CLIMATE – DO IT. Zero Carbon Moreland friends and supporters are invited to meet and walk together. To find actions in other cities, visit the website.

What is the Walk?

Walk Against Warming is Australia’s biggest day of community action on climate change. This year we’re taking an international focus.

Imagine the big names in world politics; Obama, Brown, Sarkozy, Hu, Putin, Hatoyama, Merkel, Rudd. Now, imagine them all in one room.

In Copenhagen this December decisions will be made about what the next Kyoto will look like. This meeting will determine how the world will work together to stop climate change.

Walk Against Warming is happening smack bang in the middle of this meeting – Saturday 12 December. And we want them to take notice.

We won’t be alone either. Saturday 12 December is also the International Day of Action on Climate Change. All around Australia, and all over the world, communities will be gathering in the big cities and country towns to call for immediate, bold and effective action to tackle climate change head on.

So – what would you say to these world leaders if you had the chance?

One hour of your life

It will only take one hour of your life to get your voice heard. One hour to help persuade our leaders we will accept nothing less than a commitment to strong action that delivers a safe climate future.

One body on the bridge

The difference could be you, and thousands of others like you. We need your body on the bridge on Saturday 12 December. Can you help us form the largest human sign in history? A sign that sends a strong message to world leaders that can’t be ignored.

One message to the world

Our human sign will be photographed from the air with the spectacular Yarra River and CBD backdrop – our message will be sent all over the globe. It will be amazing – and you can be a part of it!

One climate to save

Think it can’t be done? Then think again.

In the past four years alone, more than 100,000 Victorians have taken part in Walk Against Warming to demand that our political leaders take effective action to deal with the climate crisis. In 2007, Melbourne’s Walk Against Warming mobilised 50,000 people in the world’s largest ever climate protest! Two months later, the new federal government finally ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

The Copenhagen Conference will decide how the world will come together to stop climate change. We need your voice to convince our leaders that bold and decisive action is the only way forward. If ever was there was a time to come out in support of a Safe Climate, this is it.

For more information, visit the website

Green Cities 2010 – People, Places, Performance – is now taking bookings.

“Join us in Melbourne from the 21-24 February 2010 at the largest and most influential green building conference in the Asia Pacific region. Bringing together green building innovators and leaders from around Australia and internationally we will explore new ideas and share practical knowledge in the expanding sustainable building industry. ”

• Hear from renowned global green building experts including: Malcolm Smith – Director of Integrated Urbanism, Arup UK;  Jerry Yudelson – Principal, Yudelson Associates USA
• Learn about the latest industry developments, techniques and strategies
• Network with global and domestic sustainability leaders
• Visit some of Melbourne’s latest Green Star certified buildings including CH2, The Gauge and Goods Shed North
• Brush up on your professional development at a Master Class

An innovative funding scheme for eco-visionary Australians

Got a big green idea? Need money to help it grow? Then the British Council wants to hear from you. The Big Green Idea is a new funding initiative from the British Council designed to help put eco-visionary ideas into action. For the first time, in 2009 we’re offering five project grants of AU$10,000 each to people who will make a real contribution to Australia’s environmental future. The Big Green Idea is designed to assist in initiating new projects that motivate people to minimise their own climate change impacts. We’re looking for eco-entrepreneurs with savvy ideas to address some of the biggest sustainability challenges faced by urban communities.

British Council Director Rebecca Matthews said: “More than half the world’s population now lives in cities and in East Asia alone, millions of people are moving to urban areas every month in search of better opportunities and lifestyles – and putting more strain on all elements of these environments. “The Big Green Idea is seeking ambitious community-based initiatives that not only educate, but provide people with tools and opportunities to make positive changes to the sustainability of their own community.” Specifically, grants will be provided to projects that help urban communities become more sustainable by: – Reducing waste – Coming-up with better ways of travelling and using transport – Reducing energy use – Becoming more efficient with water or, – Through sustainable design.

The Big Green Idea is a part of the British Council’s International Climate Champions programme that works in sixty countries across the globe, with people who are passionate and committed to action on climate change. International Climate Champions have the opportunity to meet with local and national leaders to share their experiences, and on occasion have the opportunity to express their views to world leaders at international meetings, such as the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December 2009. Successful Big Green Idea applicants will have the opportunity to take part in this global network, with opportunities for training and networking at global events announced throughout the year.

Applications are now open at www.biggreenidea.com.au and will close on Friday 4 December 2009.

For more information please contact info@biggreenidea.com.au or call (02) 9362 2022.

On October 24, join people all over the world to take a stand for a safe climate future.

This will be the most widespread day of climate action ever, with 158 countries participating and 3000+ actions planned to help ‘uncook the planet’ by setting a safer target of 350 parts per million CO2 in our atmosphere.

Visit www.350.org/map to find and RSVP for an action near you.

This movement has room for everyone

24 October won’t be like anything you’ve ever seen before–not just in terms of scope and scale, but in terms of diversity as well. 24 Oct events will be of every stripe and color–in addition to the thousands of amazing rallies, educational events, and protests, there will be unique contributions from unlikely places and people:

- The president of the Maldives, a near-extinct island-nation, will be holding a cabinet meeting underwater, complete with scuba gear and 350 banners.

- Afghan youth will be creating a giant chalk image of 350 on the side of a mountain in the Hindu Kush.

- Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli activists will put aside political differences to push for a fair, ambitious and binding climate treaty. On the beaches of their respective shores of the Dead Sea, they will make a big 3, 5, and 0.

The media is getting very interested…

350 is gaining momentum in the mainstream media – what politicians use as the barometer of public opinion. The Washington Post, New York Times, BBC, CNN, are but a few sources covering the 350 movement this past week. And this is just a taste of the global & local media headlines we’re going to make together on the 24th-and beyond!

We’ve got the most powerful tool on the planet–the internet

Just a few years ago it would have been laughable to try to pull off a global campaign, in 10+ languages, with events in 150+ countries. Now, a web-powered campaign can harness video (like these animations), social networks (like our pages on Twitter and Facebook), e-mail (like this one), online maps, and more. And now you can help build this buzz online–take 15 seconds to emblazon your Twitter avatar or Facebook profile picture with a 350 badge.

The world will hear our call

350.org staff have got permission to display your 350 action photos & videos from around the world on the MASSIVE screens in Times Square, in the HEART of New York City. This is sure to reach world leaders: www.350.org/bigscreen

On the Monday after 24 October, the 350.org crew will be visiting UN headquarters in NYC to hand-deliver the photos to diplomats and delegates from around the world to make sure they know how much you want a global climate deal that meets the science.

Partners are pulling out all the stops

Al Gore invited his millions of email subscribers and 1.75 million Twitter followers to join or start actions around the world at 350.org. Read more about this exciting announcement here: www.350.org/gore

Other partners-from environmental groups like Greenpeace and 1Sky, to online powerhouses like Avaaz, to brand new coalitions like TckTckTck-are all coming forward in an unprecedented alliance to create a global climate movement. This movement is only possible because of a network of friends and allies around the world, including major international NGOs and local, grassroots organizations.

It’s not too late to join the action

The European team whipped up a “Quick & Easy” Action guide to help new organizers pull off a great 350 action just in time–check out all the great actions you can organize, even if you have only a week left before the big day: www.350.org/quick

Last week was “Blog Action Day” – an annual event when thousands of bloggers all over the world write about a single topic. This year’s subject: climate change. Over 7,000 blogs signed up, reaching 10+ million readers!If you have a blog and want to get involved just click here: www.350.org/bloggers

And speaking of good timing, it turns out the International Day of Climate Action just happens to take place on the internationally recognized “UN Day”, and the UN just happens to be a major target for the outpouring of action the world will see on October 24th. Perfect.

350 has gone mobile

Keep the movement in your pocket at www.350.org/mobile. Join the world’s first grassroots global SMS text messaging campaign.