A letter to my unborn child about climate change Sam Drummond Just days before my first child was born, I escaped apocalyptic scenes in Sydney to return home, with the country’s biggest city blanketed in thick red smoke from out-of-control bushfires.
Buildings are not lifeless objects, it’s time to treat them as such Hugo Chan, Cracknell & Lonergan Architects In our obsession with newness, we can easily forget that the narrative of sustainability is not merely about technical longevity, but also about cultural sustainability, an expression of our city’s identity and thus a continuation of our collective memory of place.
Deodorants, perfumes and other personal pollution: The next frontier in healthy indoor air? Poppy Johnston | 8 October 2019 Fragrances have been under fire for their toxicity lately and now the evidence is mounting that wearing deodorant and other simple acts of human existence – including breathing – may be the biggest source of air pollution in offices.
Rethinking traffic congestion to make our cities more like the places we want them to be Brian Feeney, The University of Queensland | 26 February 2019 Soon after becoming prime minister last year, Scott Morrison appointed a minister for “congestion busting”, signalling the importance he attaches to this issue. The large number of Google search results…
PFAS contamination problem could affect virtually any construction site Willow Aliento | 26 July 2018 The Department of Defence is being dragged over the coals for its handling of the PFAS contamination crisis, but the problem is emerging at more sites such as airports and fire stations. And, according to experts, it could be a problem for “virtually any property development or construction project”.
This problem is urgent, dangerous and widespread – why we need to act on PFAS chemicals Willow Aliento | 21 June 2018 One of Australia’s leading experts on the chemicals used in firefighting foam and Scotchguard, suspected of causing cancer, says the action of Australia’s government on the issue “incomprehensible”.
Governments talk tough on trash, but will anything change? Willow Aliento | 10 August 2017 ABC’s Four Corners waste and recycling exposé has everyone talking about rubbish, with the NSW and Queensland governments squaring up for a stoush over garbage sent to Queensland to avoid landfill levies.
Victorian government’s coal to hydrogen plans come under fire Willow Aliento | 11 July 2017 The Victorian government’s plan to turn brown coal into hydrogen in line with long-term plan by Japanese interests will make it harder for the state to meet its climate commitment of keeping global warming under the two degree threshold, environmental critics say.
Could green design principles make us sick (and what can we do about it)? Cameron Jewell | 2 February 2016 Concerns have been raised that green building principles such as energy and water minimisation strategies may be increasing the risk of dangerous Legionella pneumophila bacteria proliferating in potable water systems.…
Nanomaterials and health: regulation playing catch-up with reality David Thorpe | 28 January 2016 Nanomaterials are increasingly being used in the industrial, built and consumer environments but concern is mounting over their potential negative environmental and health effects.
Australian workplaces contain 227 substances that trigger asthma Annie Kane | 12 November 2015 There are 227 substances commonly found in Australia’s workplaces that can contribute to adult-onset asthma, a new study from Perth’s Curtin University has found.
Alarm bells for strata owners as firefighters told to stay on sidelines Cameron Jewell | 20 August 2015 Dodgy building products causing excessive fire risks could see firefighters refuse to enter high rise apartment buildings to fight fires, the head of Strata Community Australia has warned.
Australia’s poor governance on mercury lighting a bad look for property Willow Aliento | 9 April 2015 SPECIAL REPORT: The property industry is in the cross-hairs with mercury, found in old technology lighting and potentially damaging in the extreme to humans and ecology, clogging up landfills and…
Australia's poor governance on mercury lighting a bad look for property Willow Aliento | 9 April 2015 SPECIAL REPORT: The property industry is in the cross-hairs with mercury, found in old technology lighting and potentially damaging in the extreme to humans and ecology, clogging up landfills and…
Fracking & pals: dizziness, nosebleeds and eye irritation Willow Aliento | 5 November 2014 A report released this week in the US on air pollution from unconventional gas extraction, also known as fracking, showed that there are high levels of various chemicals of concern…
Fracking & pals: dizziness, nosebleeds and eye irritation Willow Aliento | 5 November 2014 A report released this week in the US on air pollution from unconventional gas extraction, also known as fracking, showed that there are high levels of various chemicals of concern…
Toxic playgrounds: Broken Hill kids exposed to poisonous dust Mark Patrick Taylor, Louise Kristensen, Marek Rouillon and Simon Mould | 16 October 2014 From The Conversation: In the shadows of Broken Hill’s rich mining history lies a legacy of contamination and regulatory failure that will likely outlive any benefits locals derive from mining.
