We’ve mentioned the Australian Federal government’s home sustainability assessments program regularly in the past on our website, in our workshops and at events. Whilst the program has changed since July 1st and is no longer offering loans towards any recommended improvements, the assessments are still available, still free and we heartily recommend them as a useful insight into your home’s energy efficiency.

Whilst we maintain a list of assessors we recommend in particular areas and don’t necessarily recommend any particular assessor over another, Green Return have started an associates program that means groups who refer assessments to them get a small commission, so not only do you get a free assessment, but you get help fund groups like Green Renters.

So, what do you need to do?
Simple, head to greenreturn.com.au/book-now and enter ‘GRS‘ into the referral code box when you book your assessment, and that’s it.

Thanks! Enjoy your assessment, it’s very enlightening…

If you’re a City of Melbourne or City of Yarra resident and would like some help bringing your home up to environmental standards, potentially getting lightglobes and showerheads replaced, insulation advice and more then you’re in luck.

The two councils have accessed funding from the State Government’s Energy Saver scheme and in the case of the City of Melbourne, several other sources, and coordinated organisations in their areas to carry out assessments and installations for little or no cost.

If you live in the City of Melbourne,  visit here to find out more.
If you live in the City of Yarra, visit here for more information.

Apologies for that headline there, it was cheesy and mildly offensive (to some), but I wanted to grab your attention and tell you about a bunch of great and really interesting links I came across yesterday.

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Energy to burn

JOANNE BROOKFIELD

I recently installed a Shower Saver (www.showersaver.com.au) after the good people at Green Renters asked me to undertake some independent testing.

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We’ve written quite a lot about toilets in the past and so I was interested to read that  Water Aid Australia and Lift the Lid are inviting Melburnians to be part of a Global Guiness World Record Attempt to form the World’s Longest Toilet Queue!

The World’s Longest Toilet Queue is a mass mobilisation event and Guiness World Record attempt bringing together thousands of campaigners from over 50 countries across the world to demand real change. This si your chance to show your solidarity with the 2.5 billion people worldwide who don’t access to safe and hygenic toilets and help to lift the lid on the global sanitation crisis that kills 4000 children everyday. To be part of the World Record, go to River Terrace at Federation Square between 11am and 3pm and queue up for just 10 minutes to sit on the giant toilet.

Saturday 20th March
River Terrace, Federation Square, Melbourne
11am-3pm

Salihan Crafts shows readers some great ways to reuse a bath puff: creating a yarn sleeve & pot scrubber

Tutorials from Salihan Crafts