The Greening of Gavin | Sustainable Living in the Suburbs: Recent Episodes
Gavin Webber
Want to learn more about Sustainable Living in the Suburbs? Search no more because this is the podcast for you. From backyard chickens to renewable energy and everything in between! Regular interviews with ordinary people who endeavour to live more sustainable/simple lives.
Yes, dear reader, the time has come. Everything in life has a beginning and an ending, and I believe that it’s time to wrap up The Greening of Gavin blog and podcast. All good things come to an end (to quote a very famous Star Trek series)! All Good Things… With no major greening projects [Continue Reading …]
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Is your place a house or a home? Kim and I have some thoughts on the subject in today’s podcast episode. Welcome back. Sorry for the hiatus, but we’ve been working and launched a big project over the last 3 months, which we’ll talk about in next week’s episode. Today we are going to be talking [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 132 – A House or a Home appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Yay! It’s our Christmas Special 2015 podcast episode. Whether you celebrate or not, please take the time to join us recapping the events of 2015 and sharing not one, but two songs during the episode! It’s been a very busy year now that Kim and I are teaching sustainable living courses most weekends during the [Continue Reading …]
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Kim came up with a brilliant theme for this episode that will get you all fired up to start making budget gifts to give during the Christmas season. We all know that this time of year can be expensive if others expectations are high, so cut your costs by making your own personalised gifts. We [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 130 – Budget Gifts appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Downshift (ˈdaʊnʃɪft) verb – change a financially rewarding but stressful career or lifestyle for a less pressured and less highly paid but more fulfilling one. Yes folks, after another sorrowful wakeup call, I have decided to downshift another work day. Life is just too short, and I have so much more to give. Have a listen to the show [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 129 – Downshifting Again appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Some major events around the place this week so this week’s episode is a bit of a round-up. We had to remove the greenhouse due to catastrophic failure of the polycarbonate sheeting. Its being replaced with a storage shed for soap making supplies for Little Green Workshops. I will make some trellis against the new [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 128 – Major Events Around the Yard appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Today is International Podcast Day so in the spirit of the day, Kim and I co-hosted an episode about something that we are quite proud of. Proud of not keeping up with the Jones’s, especially when it comes to our home, furnishings, and garden. Not anti consumers, but conscious consumers leaning towards home producers. Join [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 127 – Not Keeping Up With the Jones’s appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Today I had a revelation. I realised that if Kim hadn’t gone along with me at the beginning of my green epiphany, we wouldn’t have started our sustainable living journey nor started our small green business, Little Green Workshops! And you know what? I gave her a big hug, a loving kiss, and thanked her from the [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 126 – Why We’re Passionate about Little Green Workshops appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This show is all about the 22 things you should start adding to your compost bin. If you don’t have a compost bin, I highly recommend you source one, because there are many used household items that you can add to it that gives back nutrients to your garden! From hair to cotton balls, there [Continue Reading …]
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Today I am inviting you into our dining room or inner sanctum if you like, for a candid lunch-time chat with me, Kim, and Emma Sutcliffe. There’s nothing quite like having lunch with like minded-people and chatting about sustainable living. Not much more to say about this episode except to pour yourself a cuppa, [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 124 – Sustainable Living with Emma Sutcliffe appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Recently, I was interviewed by Emma Sutcliffe about my small solar power system that I built myself. You can read about it in this post titled To Grid or Go Off Grid. Why Not Do Both? We conducted the interview just before a delicious lunch that Kim prepared, so you will hear her in the background of [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 123 – Solar Talk with Emma Sutcliffe appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
There are many ways to describe how many of us live, but one that resonates strongly with me is old-fashioned living. Living in a simple and hard-working manner like our grandparents did to maintain a peaceful and joyous life. Its the simple things that often bring the most joy in our lives. It kind of reflects the this weeks guest [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 122 – Old Fashioned Living with Michelle Snape appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
What can you do if your partner is resistant to your green lifestyle? How do you convince them that it is in their best interest financially and good for the environment. Well today we explore the topic of influencing your partner with my special guest Amy Webber. We dive into various ways we have both [Continue Reading …]
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Growing food in a small space is often challenging, but Sue St. Jean has taken on that challenge head on. She ripped up her lawn in back and front of her 5000 ft² (464 m²) Rhode Island home, and began planting edibles to feed her family. She then became a URI Master Gardener and began [Continue Reading …]
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Have you ever wanted to measure how sustainable your home is? I have often wondered if there was a means to do this beyond the basic environmental footprint. Well, it just so happens that Jennifer Richards has developed a method of measurement that she has called the Household Sustainability Index. During this episode we discuss [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 119 – Household Sustainability Index with Jennifer Richards appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
All that plastic getting you down? Want to live a plastic free lifestyle? Well I have a treat for you! On the show today I’m joined by Lindsay Miles who is the author of the popular blog Treading My Own Path. After watching the documentary Bag It, she made a fundamental change in her life [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 118 – Plastic Free Living with Lindsay Miles appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
I’ve often said that Debt equals Slavery in another form. Given the current economic climate, I think that this episode is well-timed. The stock market is trembling, Greece is on the ropes, and we have been warned of a housing bubble here in Australia. It is now a good time to act. Getting out [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 117 – Getting Out of Debt appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Kim joins me on the show this week and during this episode we delve into what is working in our sustainable lifestyle and what is not. We cover such topics as non laying chickens and short showers on a cold morning, to going on holidays using Google Maps, loving homebrew beer, homemade cheese, and real food. As always, [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 116 – What’s Working What’s Not appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Bek Stiegler went pretty much went from the average consumer (supermarket shopping, buying stuff she didn’t need, buying the cheapest and not caring where it came from etc) to growing pretty much all her own food (except meat and dairy), reusing and recycling, and being an extremely conscious consumer. She lives in Melbourne on a 750m² suburban [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 115 – Bek’s Backyard with Bek Stiegler appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This week we catch up with Gürkan Yeniçeri, a fellow sustainable living practitioner who lives in Canberra, ACT. For those of you who listen to the Little Green Cheese podcast, you would have heard his cheese making story during episode LGC 04. Gürkan and I talk about so many different sustainable living subjects during the show that [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 114 – Sustainable Living with Gürkan Yeniçeri appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Erin is the author of The Rogue Ginger a blog dedicated to sharing her plastic free and zero waste lifestyle. During this episode and via her blog she shares plastic free alternatives to shopping, cooking, makeup, fashion, cleaning and travel while trying to create zero waste. The journey began June 2013 when she watched a [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 113 – Plastic Free July with Erin Rhoads appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
In the studio this week I have a chat with my daughter Megan. This is her first time on the show, and we discuss in-depth on why and how she now lives a vegetarian lifestyle. It is amazing that she only embraced vegetarianism a year ago and it has changed her complete outlook on life. [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 112 – Megan goes Veggie appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Catching up with friends made via this community is always a treat. Sarhn McArthur-Gumbley is one of those many friends that I have made over the years via this podcast and blog but never met. Sarhn’s first visit to the show was way back in episode 014 where she was living in inner Sydney, well on her [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 111 – Sarhn McArthur-Gumbley Revisited appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Knowing where our meat comes from very important to Kim and me. We want to ensure that any meat we consume has had the best possible life and has only one bad day. Ethically raised and not factory farmed. Imagine my delight when I was contacted by Lucy who runs a free range farm in [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 110 – Lucy House: Dawson Valley Free Range appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
You’ve heard me talk many times about my sustainable living journey, but what about Kim? After all, she has been right by my side for the entire trip, so what does she really think about it so far, and how does she think she has changed along the way. It’s an interesting question that we [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 109 – Kim’s Journey appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Who loves their daily cup of coffee? I know that I do! But instead of brewing it up in you K-cup machine, or grabbing that takeaway in a styrofoam cup, think again. There are better and less harmful ways of having your morning cup of coffee. I’m taking about brewing, coffee cups, coffee grounds, and alternatives to [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 108 – Your Daily Coffee appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Influencing others is often so subtle that you don’t realise that you are doing it! Whenever you talk about your sustainable lifestyle with passion, others pick up on that, and you may just get them thinking that they could also do that in their own lives. If anything, a sustainable lifestyle is infectious when you [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 107 – Influencing Others with Stories appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This episode is essential listening for gardeners at all stages, from raw beginner through to the seasoned green thumb. It has a little something for everyone, even if you don’t currently have a garden, but are wondering what tools to buy or borrow before you start growing your own vegetables. I list and describe my [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 106 – The Top 8 Tools I Use When Gardening appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
I was recently interviewed by Randy Adams as part of his leadership studies at the University of Florida. Randy is a big fan of my other podcast Little Green Cheese and reached out for an interview. Of course I said yes and the rest is recorded history, and I answered in my own modest way. [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 105 – Randy Adams Interviews Gavin appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Budget cooking without waste is our theme this week. We talk about all the ways we save money in the kitchen feeding our family. Includes 101 things to do with Zucchini (just joking)! Also during the show we talked about using quality ingredients, growing and using herbs, growing your own veg, how to get your [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 104 – Budget Cooking without Waste appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
It is autumn here in South Eastern Australia and time to start preparing for your winter planting. I talk about all the beds I have to prepare, what I am going to plant, basic crop rotation, and some tips about composting and worm castings and how to keep snails/slugs and earwigs off your newly planted seedlings. [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 103 – Preparing for Winter Planting appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Can you be self-sufficient in the suburbs? That is a big question. It may have worked for Tom and Barbara, but can it actually be done? Let Gavin guide you through some of the barriers that may hinder true self-sufficiency in the suburban context. Being self-sufficient is hard work. There is a bit of something [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 102 – Can You Be Self-Sufficient in the Suburbs? appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Our topic is this week is Downshifting. We explain why I downshifted and how it is possible by living a simple/sustainable lifestyle. We cover the decision-making process, finances, family discussion, telecommuting, and much, much more. It was a big decision, but it was one of the best decisions that we ever made. And the best thing [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 101 – Downshifting appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
100 episodes! I had no idea that when I started the show back on 26th March 2010 that I would reach this lofty goal. Nor did I think that the show would become so popular and have so many guests and eventually a part-time co-host (aka my lovely wife Kim). During this episode I start [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG 100 – Remembering the Past appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Kim joins me on the show this week where we talk about our recent visit to the Mill Markets at Daylesford, Victoria. This market had lots of very cool old stuff that we discuss during the show, which inevitably leads to a rant about designed obsolescence. We finish off with a little bit of our philosophy [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 099 – Old Things appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Firstly, I would just like to let you know that Episode 100 is rapidly approaching. It is going to be a massive show, and it will focus on listener questions. So don’t be shy. Send in a sustainable living question or a message for Kim and I using the widget below, and we will play [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 098 – Sustainable Living Events appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
During this episode I share all the tips and tricks that I have learnt over the years to take charge of my personal time and to live a life with purpose. I cover off the following topics for Personal Time Management; Setting SMART goals Planning ahead, doing specific tasks on certain days Keep a diary/planner (I [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 097 – Personal Time Management appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
A quick garden update, accompanied by a chorus of native Australian fauna. I recorded this episode outside in my garden at about 9pm, just as twilight was waning. I announce that I will be creating a series of gardening video tutorials which will cover any vegetables that I plant, maintain, or harvest. An interesting project [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 096 – Quick Garden Update appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
A retrospective look at 2014 and all the things we achieved during the year. Join Kim and I as we share the highs and lows of the last 12 months, and what our simple goals are for 2015. There is laughter and tears as we step through each month’s events. We held it all together [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 095 – As It Was 2014 appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
When you grow your own food you are less inclined to waste it. This is the basis of this weeks episode. My belief is that organically grown local food equals less waste. I talk about our failed 100 mile diet and how hard it was to stick to it, and the realisation I came to [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 094 – Local Food Equals Less Waste appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Greening our business is now second nature for us. When Kim and I started our Little Green Workshops business, we wanted it to be as green as we possibly could. We strive to make sure that our personal values shine through when we teach our classes and that all of our ingredients and equipment are as [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 093 – Greening Our Business appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
As promised, I managed to have a chat with my son Adam on the last day of his visit. I was interested to discover how the cultures that he had been immersed in during the last five years viewed sustainability and treated the environment. Of course there is a caveat in which rightly he states that [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 092 – Greening Around with Adam appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
It is about this time of year that I have my annual “consumerism gone wild” rant. Everywhere you look, the effects of Affluenza are clear for everyone to see. But what is Affluenza? Now, Wikipedia defines affluenza as; affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 091 – Christmas Consumerism appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
How many of you have old electronic goods lying around, or just dump them in landfill? I am certainly not one to judge, as I have bought a few computers in my time. However, I dispose of and recycle my computers and electronic goods as responsibly as I can, or at least attempt to extend [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 090 – How to Reduce e-Waste appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
One of my regular Suburban Food Farm updates, this time for late spring. We, hopefully, had our last frost of the season, so I have been going crazy in the garden planting up this season’s crops. It certainly kept me busy for most of the long weekend we had here in Victoria. During the show, [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 089 – Suburban Food Farm Late Spring appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Sleepwalking into the future. These are thoughts that have been mulling around in my head for quite a few years. I have finally been able to put it down coherently so that I can share it with you today. As this episode was read from notes I have a transcript for you to read. We [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 088 – Sleepwalking Into The Future appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Did you know that you can make at least seven effective fertilizers in your very own backyard? Let me step you through the process of making fertilizers at home. Here are the ones that I talk about; Compost Worm castings Worm Wee tea Liquid Fertilizer Urine (yes I went there) Chicken manure Coffee grounds All [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 087 – Making Fertilizers at Home appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
It has been a sad week. Kim and I have been grieving the loss of her mother, Pam. We each have gone about it in our own way, coming together often for hugs and tears. To reflect and grieve, I have been practicing gardening therapy, which is something that I discovered a while back. It [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 086 – Gardening Therapy appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
We humans all think differently, that is a given, and is human nature. Our perception of reality is an accumulation of our life experiences and thoughts. Therefore it is no surprise to anyone that I believe that it takes a different mindset to live a simpler lifestyle. A simple living mindset! During this episode I [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 085 – Simple Living Mindset appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
It was a brilliant day at the Royal Melbourne Show. Join me as I walk you through some of the highs and lows as Ben and I saw it. From the funny and cute farm animals and my backyard display, to the excessive consumerism and advertising. It had it all. Some parts made me cringe, [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 084 – Country Visits the City appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
My special guest this week is Amy Webber, who gives her old Dad some feedback about his Climate Reality presentations that I gave to some students at the school she teaches at. We also discuss the Peoples Climate mobilisation, and our thoughts on the current state of climate action. I think you will find it [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 083 – Amy Webber on Climate Reality appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Spring has finally arrived in South Eastern Australia and the fruit trees are full of blossom with busy bees everywhere doing their thing. I love this time of year. The soil is heating up as are the days, and finally a bit of sunshine to boost growth here in the suburban food farm. During this [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 082 – Spring Fruit Tree Tips appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This week I answer a listener question about growing food. Lex says; Do you find that you need to buy much in the way of food, with this much garden produce? What kind of things do you find yourself still purchasing? How Much Food Can a Suburban Backyard Produce? Great question! The answer is quite [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 081 – How Much Food Can A Suburban Yard Produce? appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
The main part of this episode is an interview that I gave when I appeared on Reaction Podcast as a guest of Matt and Beau. We talk about all things sustainable living, including a bit of analysis about this podcast. It is full of fun and laughs and the odd swear word. What can I [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 080 – Reaction Podcast Interview with Voicemail Questions appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Way back at the start of the year I wrote a post about Pip Magazine. Robyn Rosenfeldt was seeking funding via crowdsourcing to launch Australia’s first permaculture magazine in 10 years. I caught up with Robyn during this episode to see how things were progressing with the magazine (now in its second issue), to learn [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 079 – Robyn Rosenfeldt from Pip Magazine appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This episode is a roundup of what is growing well, what isn’t, and what I am planning on planting for spring in a few weeks time on my Suburban Food Farm. During the show I talk about the following items; Curly Kale Chips Veg Trug African Horned Melon Also, a funny thing happened today when I [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 078 – Suburban Food Farm in August appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
The Brass Monkey Challenge is something that Kim and I came up with this winter to see if we could avoid using the natural gas heating in our home for the entire winter. Join Kim and me as we talk extensively about what this challenge has thrown at us over the last three months. So far we [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 077-Staying Warm Without Heating (Brass Monkey Challenge) appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Last week, I was interviewed by Andrew Moore from Radio 2GB in Sydney at 7am. Talk about dedication! His radio show “Wake Up Australia” has a segment called Blog of the Week. Anyway, we talked a little about the blog, but a lot about how we started greening our lifestyle. If you think this topic [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 076 – How to Start Greening appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
When the price on carbon legislation here in Australia was repealed on July 17th 2014, I along with many concerned citizens, were distraught. Our country went from an effective price on carbon emissions to a big fat nothing where major polluters are free to pump as much greenhouse gas as they like without financial consequences. [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 075 – Australian Price on Carbon with Massachusetts Climate Action Network appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Pollution in Australia is not too bad compared to other countries. During this episode I talk to Kate Nye-Butler and Amy Webber about the pollution they encountered in their recent travels through China and Southeast Asia. It is not pretty folks, that’s for sure. Airpocalypse and the Beijing cough come foremost to mind. Then around [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 074 – Pollution with Kate and Amy appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Ever thought of getting backyard chickens to augment your sustainable lifestyle? Ever wondered if they smell, or attract vermin? Not sure if they are right for you. Well, let me help you out. Let me introduce you to the way of the chicken! I have over 6 years of experience with backyard chooks, and during [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 073 – Way of the Chicken appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
I put out an invitation via my Facebook page for podcast guests the other day, and a lovely lady called Kathy Finigan replied. She is passionate about sustainable living and she is a qualified in agricultural science, urban horticultural and permaculture. A handy person to have around, so I asked her to be my guest on [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 072 – Growing Organically with Kathy Finigan appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Lots of gold nuggets in this weeks episode all about saving money with solar. This episode idea spawned from an email that my friend Jessie (aka Rabid Little Hippy) sent through to me. Instead of just answering her question individually, I decided to record an episode so that all would benefit. During the show, I [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 071 – Saving Money with Solar appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
A longer wrap-up from days two and three of the Climate Reality Leadership training. What an amazing two days! I am now officially a Climate Reality Leader (I have the certificate to prove it), and now my goal is to go out and perform 10 acts of leadership during the next 12 months. The acts [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 070 – Climate Reality Leadership Day 2-3 appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
A quick wrap up of Day 1 at the Climate Reality Leadership training here in Melbourne during the 25th June. This episode is short but sweet, and captures how I feel right now, and what I have learnt so far. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. Looking forward to meeting Al Gore tomorrow. If you [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 069 – Climate Reality Leadership Day 1 appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
As you may know, I make home brew beer. Not only is it economical at 20 cents a bottle, it deliciously thirst quenching, and quite welcome after a hard days graft in the garden. Not that I am promoting consumption of alcohol, far from it. Everything in moderation of course. However, if you are into [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 068 – Home Brew Beer appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Tonight, I attended a webinar hosted by the Australian Conservation Foundation that got me all fired up. It was titled ‘Don’t drop the ball on climate action’. It was great and Victoria presented it like a pro. So it got me so enthused that I just had to record this weeks podcast episode about the [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 067 – Simple Climate Action You Can Take Right Now appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Ever wanted to learn how to build a backyard clay oven? Want to know how to cook in it effectively? Well look no further for the answers because this podcast episode is for you. I talk about design considerations, the build of our backyard clay oven, preparing to cook in it, basic pizza recipes, and [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 066 – Building and Cooking in Our Backyard Clay Oven appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
During her visit, my sister Teena was telling me all about her balcony garden on Bribie Island Queensland, which sounded very impressive. So impressive in fact, that I just had to bring her on to the show as a guest to talk about it. She lives over 1776 km (1103 miles) away from where I do [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 065 – Balcony Gardening and Quilting with Teena Webber appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Has the recent Australian Federal Budget got you down? Don’t know how you are going to stretch your income to pay all your bills and debts? Well, we may have some help for you. To strike while the iron is hot, this very special out-of-schedule podcast episode is about how we budget and tips to [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 064 – How We Budget and Tips to Save Money appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
I do love talking about growing food, and I enjoy bringing you these regular updates about what is growing well and what is not. I also have a few observations about climate and the weird things that are happening to a couple of my fruit trees. Near the end of the show, I talk about [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 063 – Suburban Food Farm in May appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
It has been a very busy week here at the house of TGOG! This weeks show is full of news and sustainable lifestyle events. With the article in Green Lifestyle Magazine in the latest issue, the blog has been on fire, visit wise. It has been great to see so many new faces joining this [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 062 – Sustainable Lifestyle Events appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Sometimes it can be difficult to gauge what an outsider thinks of our sustainable lifestyle, and how they can adapt to sustainable living in the ‘burbs. Are we perceived as new aged hippies, or just people with a quirky outlook, or neither? So luckily during this episode of the podcast, we get the opportunity to see if [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 061 – An Outsiders View of Sustainable Living appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
My guest this week is Stacey Warlich, who is also the President of the Melton Sustainable Living Group, and she could be classified as a green renter. I invited Stacey on the show today to talk about green renting as she lives a sustainable lifestyle in the same town as me, but in rental accommodation [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 060 – Green Renting with Stacey Warlich appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
As global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide pass through 400 parts per million, vested interests are still campaigning against action on climate change. Listen to the good, the bad, and the downright ugly facts about this global issue. I call the facts out as I see them, backed by sound science. Over 97% of climate [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 059 – Climate Change Beyond 400ppm appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
A great show this week! Firstly I talk about a few events that are coming up soon. This weekend I am attending the opening of the Shoestring Gardening Aquaponic installation at the Eco Living Centre which is located at 28 Ridge Dve, Wyndamvale, Victoria. The event is being held between 2 to 4 pm on [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 058 – Listener Mailbag appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
During this episode of the podcast, I give a Suburban Food Farm update for this season, and talk about the types of vegetables to plant during autumn in a temperate climate zone. My climate here in Melton West is Hot Zone 10, Cold Zone 4. I mention all the different types of vegetables I will [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 057 – Suburban Food Farm in Autumn appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This episode was all about soap making at home, and I was lucky to have Kim on the show today as my co-host. We talk about how we got into soap making, the basic process, some early failures and successes, safety suggestions, and some advanced soap making techniques that we use. I also mentioned a [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 056 – Soap Making at Home appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Back into the fold and behind the mic once more after a bout of laryngitis. It took a while to recover, but I am now very excited to be bringing you this episode. Today I provide an update about some very exciting things that have been going on around the place. As diverse as being [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 055 – Update and Solar Case Study appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Want to hear me, warts and all. Raw and uncut and rough as guts? Well your wish is my command. No editing those crazy umms and ahhs out this time folks. This episode is as raw as it gets. I decided to test out some software and hardware to see if I could broadcast live [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 054 – First Live On-line Show appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
It is great to get a different perspective from the younger generation. Today we talk to Amy Webber who last appeared in Episode 10, some four years ago. Since finishing university, she pursued a career as a high school teacher and heads up the Humanities department of a local school and is passionate about educating [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 053 – A Gen Y’s Perspective of Sustainable Living with Amy Webber appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This weeks special guest on the podcast is Greg Foyster. We originally caught up with Greg and his partner Sophie in Episode 40, so it was about time that we found out what he was up to after his book tour for Changing Gears – A Pedal-Powered Detour from the Rat Race. During the conversation, [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 052 – Beyond Changing Gears with Greg Foyster appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This weeks special guest is none other than Tanya Ha. Tanya is an award-winning environmentalist, best-selling author, science journalist, television presenter and sustainable living advocate. I first met Tanya at the Sustainable Living Festival in 2007. It was quite surreal actually. I had just listened to her speak, and lined up to get a copy [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 051 – An Interview with Tanya Ha appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
The state of climate change denial in Australia and the USA is a seldom discussed topic on my podcast, but today we break it wide open. As we experience record heat here in Australia, the opposite is occurring in North America, who are snowed in. Today, I talk to Ted McIntyre from the Massachusetts Climate [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 050 – The State of Climate Change Denial appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This week’s guest is Michael O’Connell. You met Mick in episode 46 and 47, and this time he shares with us the ins and outs of bee keeping in the suburbs. Mick has a few hives in his backyard which he looks after, and collects honey from. During the interview we cover swarming, how they [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 049 – Bee Keeping in the ‘burbs with Mick O’Connell appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This week my guest is none other than the NZ Eco Chick aka Madeleine Booth-Smits. We talk about her greening journey and why she is passionate about living a greener lifestyle. During the discussion we cover food gardening, chickens, blogging, green kids, waste reduction methods, and her love of Star Trek (yes really!). There are [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 048 – NZ EcoChick aka Madeleine Booth-Smits appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
I never thought it would happen, but here it is. This episode is our final podcast for the year, so lets go out with a bang. My lovely wife Kim joins me as co-host for the show, and we recap all the sustainable living projects and events that occurred during 2013. The show is a [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 047 – Christmas Special appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Energy descent is not a topic that everyone is talking about in the streets or coffee shops. But I think it should be on the tips of everyone’s tongues. As it would happen, my guest this week is Michael O’Connell and we talk about what we think may happen when the finite energy resources that [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 046 – Energy Descent and Food Security with Mick O’Connell appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Today I caught up with my friend Michael O’Connell who is currently in East Timor teaching locals how to build and maintain solar power systems. Mick with some of the locals! This is a fascinating interview about the current state of play of off-grid solar in one of our closest neighbours. Mick’s students learning [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 045 – Solar Power in East Timor with Michael O’Connell appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Time for an audio update about what is growing around the Suburban Food Farm in December. Lots of food growing very, very quickly now that the summer has finally begun in earnest. During the podcast I mentioned one of my favourite pickles recipes which is Bread and Butter Cucumbers, just like my Mum used to [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 044 – Suburban Food Farm in December appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
My guest this episode is Jennifer Richards who blogs at Beyond the Trolley, and has begun producing a podcast called Turn Me Green. You can find her first episode here; http://www.beyondthetrolley.com/2013/11/turn-me-green-podcast.html We have a great chat about her experiment to avoid supermarkets for a year and what the outcomes of that challenge were. Food security, [Continue Reading …]
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As I am currently writing a new eBook titled Suburban Food Farm, I thought it would be good to talk each month about what food is growing in my garden to help me stay motivated and focused. This month, I talk about what is growing in my part of the world in October. I give [Continue Reading …]
The post TGOG Podcast 042 – Suburban Food Farm in October appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
On the show today is an interview by a couple of gents from the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, Rob Garrity and Ted McIntyre for their regular podcast “Climate Hawk’s Companion“. We discuss how I got into sustainable living, why I started the blogs and podcasts, and the current state of affairs regarding climate change action [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 041 – Climate Hawk’s Companion Interview appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
I have two very special guests on the show today, Greg Foyster and Sophie Chishkovsky, who rode their bicycles from Melbourne to Hobart, then up the east coast of Australia to Cairns; that’s over 5000 km (3107 miles) and eight months of peddling. If you are a regular reader of the blog you would have [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 040 – Changing Gears appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This weeks episode is the start of a mini-series that I have titled The Failing Suburban Experiment. This particular episode is all about car dependency and what may happen to suburbs without them. I give you the good, bad and the not so ugly view of energy descent. If you enjoyed the podcast, please pop [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 039 – The Failing Suburban Experiment: Cars appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
Last night I had the pleasure of being invited onto a panel discussion at the Dancehouse in Carlton North. It was more of an open discussion than a panel, but still a thoroughly enjoyable experience. We touched on many topics, and I was a little uncomfortable at the beginning, but I soon come out of my [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 038 – How Uncomfortable is Comfort? appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This episode is all about stockpiling essentials. Things like food, water, cooking methods and the like that are good to have at hand during an emergency. A while ago, I wrote a post titled Nine Meals from Anarchy, which talks about what might happen in an emergency. This podcast episode takes it one step further [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 037 – Stockpiling Essentials appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This episode is a great interview with Kate Flint, who recently starred on Gardening Australia. We talk about seed saving, and food security. Also, here is the information about the rally that Kate mentioned and asked me to share. Please read and spread this through your network of friends about Monsanto’s mandatory Seed Registration and [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 036 – Seed Saving with Kate Flint appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This week I talk about saving water around your home. I use the 5R’s method of saving this precious liquid, and many free or cheap methods to considers. The 5R’s are Reduce, Repair, Retrofit, Rainwater, and Recycle. With a growing population and climactic changes already impacting many parts of the world, it is just plain [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 035 – Saving Water Around Your Home appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.
This podcast episode is about the essential skills and useful items that may be required during an energy descent. The discussion is based on maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and I describe important considerations that you should act upon, now. If you enjoyed the podcast, please pop over to iTunes and rate it and leave [Continue Reading …]
The post TGoG Podcast 034 – Essential Skills For Future Times appeared first on The Greening of Gavin.