by albanymanager | Dec 3, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
40 stall holders at the Twilight Markets
Encouraging “shop local this Christmas” is the theme behind the inaugural Green Skills Twilight Markets. After extensive tours of UK Christmas twilight markets in 2018, and knowing how creative the great southern community is, Green Skills Albany Manager, Anne Sparrow, came back to Albany inspired to provide opportunity for local and regional, small, home-based and micro-businesses to increase trade in the lead up to Christmas gift giving and keeping funds circulating in our economy. Sustainable communities need sustainable economies and these small and micro-business keep money in our community.
The Twilight Markets provides a wider range of options for Christmas shoppers to support local businesses for their gifts. With over 40 stalls available across both nights, there is something for everyone. This includes a huge range of hand-crafted decorations and gifts for all ages including clothing, art, food, woodwork, mirror art, plants, decorative pieces, baskets, toys, jewellery, chocolates, functional items for house and home, beauty products, face painting, experience vouchers for wacky golf and more.
There will also be an outdoor street food alfresco area set up in the car-park providing afternoon tea, snacks, dinner and live music all night.
With two nights available shoppers have an option to leave the loved ones at home for one of the nights and shop in peace.
by Rachel | Nov 21, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Green Skills was pleased to support the City of Albany to run another successful Green Fair in November 2019. With a jam-packed schedule of demonstrations, speakers, workshops, displays, music and market stalls, there were plenty of sustainable skills to look at. The weather was looking stormy in the week prior but Saturday brought welcome sunshine. This year the event was spread over both sides of the library (and upstairs in the meeting rooms) due to the construction site next to the Albany Town Hall.
Adrian Price travelled from Boyup Brook to talk about upcycling ewaste, how to safely dismantle items for parts and the potential for selling components.
Sustainable Schools had several displays inside the library area. Several local schools also had their own stalls outside, and it was great to see the recycling and sustainability initiatives that are popping up.
Green Skills held a stall and answered questions about our Terracycle programs, bushland regeneration and other projects.
There were lots of volunteers and community groups on the day sharing their skills and knowledge. What did you learn?
by Laura | Nov 18, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Visitors to Coogee Beach will notice Ecojobs staff working in the dunes – not trampling, but using a technique called “brushing”.
This rehabilitation method involves using tree and shrub branches to stabilise dunes. Native branches create a microclimate that protects and shades sand, increases water infiltration, reduces erosion and wind speed, deters traffic, and traps sand. The essential conditions for revegetation.
Ecojobs team members Perry, Mitch and Ben have been working with the City of Cockburn on this coastline protection initiative.
by Basil | Oct 17, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
For two days in mid-October, Green Skills held a Citizen Science environmental monitoring event at the Balijup Sanctuary near Tenterden. 19 people participated in the activities, including Conservation lecturer from TAFE South, Sylvia Leighton and 10 of her Cert III students. Projects completed including monitoring of 24 Phascogale nesting boxes (some showing use), Wildlife camera monitoring, a tree hollow survey of the wandoo/Jarrah woodland, Sanctuary fence maintenance, weedy wattle road verge removal, night spotlighting, and a survey of rabbit warrens. Balijup co-owners Anne Vanderbyl and Alan Hordacre were on hand and provided valuable assistance to the activities.
Despite lots of indirect evidence of our elusive native marsupials, none were directly spotted during the two days.
The event was supported by the WA State Government’s State NRM program, the Koorabup Trust, Gillamii Centre, Janicke Environmental Consultants, enthusiastic volunteers and the owners of Balijup Farm.
A four day Bandicoot and fauna survey project is planned from Thursday 15th January 2020 to Monday 20 January 2020. Volunteer participants welcome to join in that event.
For further info on the Balijup Fauna project, contact Basil Schur, Green Skills Project Manager on 0429481019 or [email protected].,au
Volunteer team checking Phascogale nesting boxes at Balijup Fauna Sanctuary, October 2019
Inside a Phascogale nesting box with scats visible. Balijup October 2019
Wandoo and Jarrah woodland tree hollow survey at Balijup
Fence check and upkeep at Balijup Fauns Sanctuary by Conservation TAFE students
Annie Vanderbyl, one of the co owners of Balijup farm, with a photo acknowledging her parents, near entrance of the Balijup Sanctuary.
The Citizen Science Group on the edge of one of the 13 lakes and wetlands on Balijup Farm. October 2019
by Rachel | Oct 10, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
The Albany office has been running a ‘Food is Free’ cart since 2017 at 38 Graham Street, inspired by the Food is Free laneway in Ballarat, VIC. Over the last two years, hundreds of kilograms of fruit and vegetables have been given away from this humble little upcycled cart. The Food is Free concept started in Austin, Texas and has now spread around the world with over 350 cities participating. It’s a great way to build community and connect excess food to people who can use it.
The Green Skills Albany office has several raised garden beds and grows seasonal vegetables when volunteer labour & staff energy allows. We currently have one volunteer working in our garden and have planted summer seedlings such as zucchini and tomatoes. Upcycled wicking beds in the front yard are a great way of keeping the vegies going through summer holidays with gaps in garden watering. The garden produce on the Food is Free cart mostly comes from the office gardens and staff home vegetable gardens.
You can participate by dropping off your own homegrown produce or taking whatever you find on the cart. Please don’t leave items that can blow away, such as egg cartons, as this location is windy. The cart has been on the verge in the past but it now lives under the veranda where it is shadier.
The Green Skills Food is Free cart is available to the community whenever the gates are open, which is roughly 9-3pm weekdays (may be earlier or later depending on staffing). Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for current offerings. While you’re there, you may want to bring your coffee pods, toothbrushes or old pens for recycling in the TerraCycle program.
You might even like to set up a Food is Free space or edible verge garden at your place. Find out how here.
