Air Fryer vs Standard Oven for energy saving?
Check out our guide to which of these appliances delivers the best energy savings and when.
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Find your local food experience
From crustaceans to cooking schools the Sunshine Coast is a mecca for food experiences.
How to check for water leaks
Yikes, the water bill just arrived and it's more of a William than a 'bill'! Avoid a nasty surprise. Learn how to check for leaks and what to do when you find a leak.
Berry nice! Chia Jam in under 10 minutes
Fancy a no cook, low sugar alternative to traditional jam? Get the kids in the kitchen - they'll love making this three ingredient Chia Berry Jam. It's the perfect way to use up those slightly bruised berries.
UNITED JOURNEY BY JANDAMARRA CADD
United Journey by First Nations Artist, Jandamarra Cadd is the latest addition to the temporary public art on display at the MET.
Help Renew build the Getting Off Gas Toolkit
Efficient all-electric homes cut bills, cut emissions, and improve our comfort and health. But for many households thinking about getting off gas, it’s hard to know where to start.
Seasonal Gardening Tips for Summer by Anne Gibson, The Micro Gardener
During our summer months, it’s harder to grow a healthy garden.
Image of butterflies takes out fan favourite award
A rare image of Richmond Birdwing butterflies in flight at Point Cartwright, has taken out the People’s Choice award for the Our Sunshine Coast Biosphere Reserve Photography Showcase.
Pick up good year long habits during National Recycling Week
What’s the big problem with takeaway coffee cups? Can aerosols go in the bin? Why is scrunching up foil so important?
What is the Climate Change Bill 2022?
The Albanese Government’s Climate Change Bill has passed the Senate and will now become law. Its target to slash climate pollution by at least 43% this decade falls far short of what the science tells us we need (75%), but it is a significant step forward that we can build from.
Grow for gold in patch-to-plate adventure
Local residents have the opportunity to grow a garden salad from scratch alongside master gardener and celebrity chef Paul West, as part of Sunshine Coast Council’s partnership with the Grow It Local program.
PLACE ACTIVATION GRANTS PROGRAM
Need $10K to fund your next event, art installation or cultural activity?
The MET Maroochydore - Place Activations Grant Program
3oK in FUNDING NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS!
Meet our eco-pioneers who have been leading the way with sustainability before it was 'cool'
As the effects of climate change hit home, more people are making thoughtful decisions about the products they purchase – and they’re buying local.
QLD plastic ban: New items added to the prohibited list
More single-use items will be added to Queensland’s banned plastics list as the state moves to further protect the environment.
Sustainable Swaps: Why Bamboo is Better Than Plastic
Since the 50’s over 9.2 billion tons of plastic have been manufactured for product use.
How to Freeze Food Without Using Plastic
When I post pictures of my jar-filled freezer on social media, I get lots of questions about it, usually along the following lines:
Your go-to guide for buying bulk food and household products on the Sunshine Coast
There's a bulk food-buying buzz around the sunny coast at the moment as savvy shoppers seek out ways to avoid excess packaging when buying food and household products.
Make your own beeswax wraps with Natasha Odgers
Join Natasha Odgers from Natural Connections Wax Wraps Workshops on and learn how to make your own beeswax wraps. You’ll be rapt with this sustainable alternative to plastic food wraps.
10 Natural & Plastic Free Medicine Cabinet Swap Essentials
When it comes to our health and the protection of our family, we want nothing but the best right? So when it comes to our medicine cabinets, what we use to heal & treat our loved ones should be exactly it!
June Garden Tips - The Micro Gardener
Here in SE Queensland Australia, we’ve had horrendous weather with flooding and heavy rains recently. We skipped our usual Autumn with unseasonal high humidity!
How to have plastic-free periods
The average menstruator spends 3,000 days bleeding. That equates to roughly 12,000 pads and/or tampons in the bin.
Your How-To Guide For Plastic- Free July
Each year in July, 326 million participants around the world rally together to reduce their waste and ditch unnecessary plastics.
Holistic Wellness Festival
Get ready for a weekend of wellness, awareness & connection !
WEEK 3 - Love Food Hate Waste Challenge
How and where we store food will help keep it fresh and safe to eat for as long as possible. But it’s not a one size fits all. If you understand how to store your food to maximise its life, you will cut waste, save money and save time.
How ecoBiz can save you business money
ecoBiz is a great way to be more sustainable, save money and increase efficiencies in your business.
Butterfly Workshops
Join an workshop - Learn more about our local butterflies, their host plants and how you can create a butterfly garden.
Fast-growing edibles for Autumn in South East QLD
Whether you plant in the ground or in pots, horticulturalist Claire Bickle rounds up the fastest-growing veggies and herbs for the cooler months in South-East Queensland.
Sustainable Wedding? I do.
It’s March, one of the most popular months of the year in Australia to get married, and I have been thinking about this because as of 2022 I have been with my partner for 8 years! It is fair to say, people (especially from grandparents) are starting to wondering when I am going to pop the question 🤯
Swimwear designer draws the line at fishing waste
An Animal Ecology graduate who has expanded her passion for the marine environment to designing swimwear made from recycled fishing waste is a finalist in a national competition for aspiring young female entrepreneurs.
1 Million Women App
WE ARE WOMEN AND GIRLS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE PLANET BUILDING A LIFESTYLE REVOLUTION TO SOLVE THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
How to Make Sauerkraut
My first experience with sauerkraut was when I was working at a sandwich shop in college. The rule was if you showed up late you had to make the “sauerkraut.” It was kind of awful because the sauerkraut was pre-made and came in a giant can, and once you got past the smell, you had to mix it with mayonnaise. Needless to say, it was one of my least favorite tasks and a major motivator to get to work on time.
Every electric car available in Australia
If you think electric vehicles might be just a fad, like a Rubik’s Cube or a Livestrong bracelet, or even those Oakley stickers everyone had on their windscreens that said “Thermonuclear Protection”, we have news for you: EVs aren’t going anywhere. They’re going everywhere.
Festive lighting and decorations
More than 350 Christmas and New Year themed street banners are installed along road corridors throughout the region.
More opportunities to celebrate this festive season
A new, free, family-friendly Christmas lights event at the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden will be a highlight of this year’s festive season calendar and one of several new opportunities for our community to celebrate, following council’s endorsement of a new Festive Season program.
Nothing new for Christmas - DIY decorating
Discarded Christmas ornaments, artificial trees and lights can languish in landfill for centuries. Fortunately there are loads of natural, recycled or upcycled alternatives that are simple and fun to make.
Get creative with handmade and upcycled presents
Upcycle pot planters, make your own pet presents and craft your own handmade gifts for a Christmas to remember.
Nothing new for Christmas: Ditch the wrapping
Christmas doesn’t have to be expensive, wasteful or plastic-filled. Take Living Smart’s Buy Nothing new for Christmas challenge.
Buy local this Christmas – it’s a win win
Eating mangoes, fresh prawns, and listening to Mariah Carey on every radio station three times a day. It’s beginning to feel very festive on the Sunshine Coast and to celebrate, council has partnered with Buy Local Sunshine Coast to give away $2000 each week for four lucky winners to spend locally.
Plastic free Christmas Tinsel and Decorations Video
Plastic free Christmas Tinsel and Decorations Video
Christmas settings - Table Decorations
Turn your table into a decorative feast for your eyes with these easy to find and simple to make household and garden items.
Christmas Settings - Paper Chains
Martin and Roz show us some wonderful ideas to create homemade table decorations for Christmas.
True cost of Christmas
From our friends from the World’s Biggest Garage sale.
Love your Leftovers tips for less waste this Christmas
Love your Leftovers tips to help you not waste anything this Christmas with Kim McCosker, Roz White and Martin Duncan
Creating a roadmap for Sunshine Coast climate action – we need your input!
Noosa and Sunshine Coast councils have joined forces to develop a climate action roadmap to prepare for climate events and the opportunities that can come from this.
Pineapple on pizza? Ballots encourage smokers to bin their butts and protect our planet
More than 19,000 cigarette butts are collected from Sunshine Coast beaches and streets every year. An estimated 7 billion butts are littered in Australia annually.
Plogging: the locals turning a workout into a treasure hunt
Committed sunny coast locals are turning their daily exercise into a treasure hunt by picking up litter along the way.
July Seasonal Gardening Tips – Subtropical Queensland
July is typically our last ‘short winter’ month. Winter occasionally stretches into early August, as every year is a little different. So, we can still expect cool temperatures day and night with relatively low humidity. Unless we get rain of course! There’s still time to sow many winter crops. Ideally, after it rains or is watered so the soil is moist. Make sure to prepare your soil well before planting for the best results.
Cook Along with the @ZeroWasteChef for Plastic Free July
Cook-along with Plastic Free July Founder, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz.
What will you refuse and reuse this Plastic Free July?
This Plastic Free July Sunshine Coast residents are encouraged to refuse single-use plastic products and adopt more sustainable behaviours by transitioning to reusable alternatives.
These Four Plastic Items Make Up Almost Half Of All Ocean Trash
With coronavirus and the climate emergency soaking up media attention, a third man-made crisis—plastic pollution—has largely drifted under the radar. But the publication of a new study on the make-up of ocean trash is a sharp reminder of this growing global threat.
Reuse wins: top findings show reuse beats single-use every time
Reuse Wins shows how a new reuse economy is emerging to replace the use of single-use products in food service.
How This Groundbreaking Sailboat Is Clearing Plastic From the Oceans
The 185-foot sailboat, the Manta, collects and recycles marine waste and is powered by renewables.
Hidden Microplastics in the Fabrics of our Lives
Hidden plastics surround us, leaching into the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe…but where is all of this plastic coming from?
Tea Blending with Monica Naples presented by living Smart
local tea blender/botanist Monica Naples from ArTe shows you how to craft your own (plastic free) tea from your home garden.
Make your own cutlery keepers with Gretchen Keelty
Cutlery Keepers - learn how to make cutlery wraps
COUNTRY IS CALLING
Country is Calling is a visual art exhibition that celebrates the work and stories of the Jinibara people; the Traditional Custodians of the mountains, valleys and hinterlands of the Sunshine Coast.
Talking Circular Communities with Chad Buxton
As a marine scientist, Chad Buxton sees the impact our actions and decisions have on the oceans every day. He also knows the power of community when it comes to changing our behaviour and embracing sustainability.
What is the the Circular Economy
If you’re someone who has a reusable coffee cup (and remembers to use it), has a compost at home and regularly engages in meat-free mondays, then you might have heard of the phrase the Circular Economy (CE) before.
What keeps climate scientists like me awake at night - and why the next 10 years are so critical
Every day, thousands of Australians find or experience a bodily symptom that could be a harbinger of something serious. Perhaps a suspicious lump, or a mole that has changed colour, or unusual gut pain. The sensible strategy, and one that most of us would take, would be to hightail it to our doctor at the earliest opportunity to get it checked out. Should the news be bad, most people would seek the life-saving treatment they need.
Getting the mail on solar installations
The Australian Energy Council has reviewed the latest Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data to highlight the top suburbs and areas for solar installations by state and territory.
15 Easy Ways To Reduce Your Plastic Consumption
We brush our teeth with it, eat and drink from it and even wear it: from the moment we wake up until we go to bed, plastic is all around us. As I type this sentence, I use my keyboard — made of plastic.
Laura Di Mambro on living a conscious life
If you had told changemaker Laura Di Mambro 15 years ago that she would be the founder of one of Queensland’s biggest and most successful conscious living expos, she would not have believed you.
How to have a fashion revolution at home
Fashion Revolution Week is back from 19 to 25 April. Last year op shop blogger Hannah Klose shared why there's never been a better time for a personal Fashion Revolution, and her words are as relevant as ever.
TOP 5: Sunshine Coast trails by the sea!
Get the kids off the couch and outside with Adventure Sunshine Coast
Make your own bone broth or vegetable stock
Save food waste and money by using food scraps to make your own broth. Nicole Lutze shares the benefits of broth, what to use and how to cook it.
Local health service embraces global green challenge
According to the World Health Organisation, hospitals in high income countries like Australia can generate over 3.3 kilograms of rubbish per bed per day. The carbon footprint attributed to the health industry is about 7 per cent of Australia's total.
Is your plastic food packaging recyclable?
When you look around the supermarket, plastic wrapped food is everywhere. From biscuit wrappers to yoghurt tubs and even plastic lined boxes, it’s hard to avoid.
Complete list of electric cars under $75,000 in Australia in 2021
In 2021 there will be as many as 30 electric car models to choose from in Australia, and although more than 10 will not be launched until next year, many of them are available right now.
Gardening Tips for Autumn 2021
Autumn in our climate is short – typically starting early April and extending into May. This time of year is a LOT more comfortable to enjoy your garden than our long hot summer from December to March. With lower humidity and cooler temperatures, many pest insects exit stage left and there are so many more plant varieties you can grow.
MobileMuster encourages Australians to Go for Zero in March
In his new role as MobileMuster Ambassador, leading Australian astrophysicist Professor Alan Duffy is encouraging Australians to join the product stewardship scheme’s nationwide challenge to Go for Zero in March.
First New article in forestry
This is a summary of what the article contains
Join the movement: Healthy Sunshine Coast is back for 2021!
One of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular fitness and wellness programs for the whole community to enjoy and benefit from is back and just in time for people to tackle their New Year’s resolutions for 2021.
5 easy reuse projects to become a DIY master
Turn your trash into treasure with these quick and easy craft projects.
Coast “fix it” cafés reduce landfill and keep skills alive
Repairing, fixing and mending have all made a comeback as awareness grows about the impact of our throw-away society on the planet.
Yandina business compost pilot an Australian first
An innovative community composting program in Yandina has diverted a massive 10.3 tonnes of waste from landfill in just six months.
Love your Leftovers tips for less waste this Christmas
Love your Leftovers tips to help you not waste anything this Christmas with Kim McCosker, Roz White and Martin Duncan
Christmas Settings - Paper Chains
Martin and Roz show us some wonderful ideas to create homemade table decorations for Christmas.
Christmas settings - Table Decorations
Turn your table into a decorative feast for your eyes with these easy to find and simple to make household and garden items.
Seasonal Gardening Tips for Summer by Anne Gibson
Our long, hot humid summers are the most challenging time of year to grow food and maintain a garden. By being prepared and with good planning, you can enjoy an abundant harvest without too much effort.
Eco-friendly sanitary products: join the reusable revolution
Periods. It’s a topic that has always been a bit awkward to talk about. But shining a spotlight on the amount of waste generated by single use sanitary products is fuelling a revolution in the way we think about periods and sparking conversations about alternative options.
True cost of Christmas
From our friends from the World’s Biggest Garage sale.
HAVE YOUR SAY on the future management of our coastal areas
Our coastal areas form an integral part of our Sunshine Coast identity and lifestyle, and are fundamental to the future of our economy.
Recycle right Sunshine Coast
Find out how to recycle right in the kitchen, after a party and with your pets on the Sunshine Coast.
From trash to treasure – the online marketplace for business waste
ASPIRE: Platform to source and exchange business resources
Connect and Share with Spare Harvest
The inspiration to bring about change can come from unusual places. For Helen Andrew, a surplus of mandarins that no one else wanted was the motivation for starting an online community aimed at creating connection and reducing waste.
FOOD WASTE LOOP – WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SEPTEMBER?
Yandina Community Gardens Food Waste Loop program has been operating for just over a month and we couldn’t be happier with the impact we’ve had already!
Plant a self-assessable verge garden
Council has developed self-assessable criteria to support residents wishing to enhance or beautify the road verge in front of their property. Verge gardens could include native, edible or rain gardens.
Breakfast Box recipe from 4 Ingredients
This simple and nutritious breakfast is another popular before school breakfast from 4 Ingredients.
SPRUNGG delivers world-class sustainable change accelerator for businesses
World-class education in innovation and sustainability is about to become more accessible for small to medium business owners, with a new program being launched on the Sunshine Coast.
Our Resilient Coast - Have your say
HAVE YOUR SAY on how we can manage the impacts of coastal hazards
How much do you value your waterways?
# Your creek, your river, your voice
Sourdough - Fermented Foods Friday
Learn how to make your own fermented sourdough bread
Recycle Right Sunshine Coast video
Getting it right when you get to the bin is important when it comes to getting the most out of our recycling efforts.
Not sure what plastics you can change?
By taking the Plastic Free July Quiz, you will:
Annual Humpback Whale Migration – East Coast Australia
Each year between April and November, Australia’s eastern coastline comes alive with the spectacular acrobatic displays of humpback whales. After a summer of feeding on krill in Antarctic waters, these charismatic animals migrate north to sub-tropical waters where they mate and give birth. And we are lucky enough to be able to easily spot them on their travels from our majestic coastline!
The 'ABC Quick Check' bike service
Bikes in regular use need a service every year to replace worn out parts. Bikes that haven’t been ridden for ages need a service to replace rusted parts and perished tyres.
Cloth Nappies 101: eco-friendly alternatives to disposables
Here in Australia, we send up to two billion disposable nappies to landfill every year. Each nappy takes up to 500 years to decompose, making them disastrous for our environment.
Pick up Ten Little Pieces – anywhere, anytime
The Sunshine Coast is a place where nature meets nurture and Ten Little Pieces encourages all of us to make a difference to the places we love by collecting ten little pieces of litter anytime, anywhere, especially with children involved.
Amy’s zero waste mission
One of our favourite Living Smart stories on Amy Handy from a wee while back - simply full of great advice that’s perfect for sharing during Plastic Free July. Amy Handy is on a mission: to reduce her personal footprint on the earth. The mother of three has spent the past the past five years working towards a zero waste household.
