Melton Sustainable Living Group

On Saturday, the group held a clay oven workshop at Gavin & Kims place which was well attended by members of the Melton Sustainable Living Group.  We had ten willing workers at our disposal, and we managed to occupy them all on various tasks during the day. So from this: To this in two hours (plus one day's drying and sand removal)! So let me step you through what we did during the workshop.  However, be warned, there are lots of photos (click to enlarge). Before everyone turned up at 10am, I received an order at 8am of 1 cubic metre of packing sand, which has a high clay content.  Kim and I had to shift this sand from the roadside to the area where we were making the oven.  It took me the good part of an hour to do this work alone.  After a cuppa and a biscuit, I made this template for the sand dome.  It is 50cm high and 85cm wide. This picture shows how the sand dome was being formed.  Four people on a quadrant building up sand. ...

"It doesn't cost the Earth to be green."   The members of Melton Sustainable Living Group believe in changing the world by thinking globally, but by acting locally. The MSLG brings sustainable living to Melton Shire ensuring a cleaner, greener and more resilient community for all. The MSLG meets once a month, every 3 rd Saturday, to exchange ideas, harvests, produce, and discuss sustainable living projects.   The group provides practical knowledge and experience via workshops, about how to lower personal emissions, energy efficiency, growing your own food garden, renewable energy, frugal living, soap making, preserving food, composting, worm-farming, rainwater harvesting and the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle).   In addition to monthly meetings, documentary nights are held on the 1 st Wednesday of each month, to educate members and friends about current environmental issues facing our society.   Membership is $20 per year. Newsletters are sent ...

Yesterday, my friend Jan and I presented a workshop to the Melton Sustainable Living Group members and friends.  The workshop is one of the regular monthly activities the group holds on the 3rd Saturday of each month. I believe that it was informative and I certainly had a good time presenting it.  As requested by one of my readers on The Greening of Gavin , we captured the highlights on video and I placed it on YouTube. I hope you enjoy all the chicken antics and my presentation! Gavin Webber President, MSLG Inc.

The group had a stall yesterday at the Djerrawarrah Festival, which is the main event of the year in our town.  Our stall had display boards, educational pamphlets, drought tolerant succulents, vegetable seedlings, and buckets and buckets of sheep poo.  Everyone who volunteered had a great time telling people about the sort of things they can do at home to grow their own food, save energy and money, and to green up their lifestyles.  We even had about 6 people express interest in joining the group, which is a fantastic outcome.  Hopefully they will join our merry band of environmentally aware citizens. Here are some photos and commentary from throughout the day. David, Jonathan, Caroline, and Amy David and Renata, The growing section of the stall The undercover educational display boards and pamphlets Gavin holding up the tent, looking friendly in an attempt to entice the crowds in to the display. Jake manning the displays Jake, Gavin, Rick and...

On Sunday 23rd of October the group held a Soap making demonstration at Gavin & Kim’s house in Melton West.  It was well attended by 12 members who were keen to learn the basics of cold processed soap making. Here is a slide show of the gathering. To learn a bit more about how this process works, have a look at this video tutorial made by Gavin & Kim a few months ago. For the recipe that we used visit this article titled, “ Our Soap Recipe ”. For a pictorial guide and a details step by step guide visit this article titled, “ Lather Up Folks ”. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to email us via the address on the side bar to the right.

Here is a radio interview that I gave over the weekend promoting Sustainable House Day.  I think you will find it entertaining, and it is formatted as an episode of my normal not-so-weekly podcast over on The Greening of Gavin . Sustainable House Day will be held across the country this Sunday, 12th of September and for more information about houses open in your area, please visit www.sustainablehouseday.com . The Melton Sustainable Living Group hopes to see you all there! Gavin Webber, President, MSLG Inc.

The group is proud to present one home in Melton West that will be open to the public on Sunday 12th of September 2010.  Visit http://sustainablehouseday.com for the address closer to the date. I hope you take the time to visit and get some ideas about how to make your own home just that little bit more sustainable.  The ideas you take away will most probably save you money as well! Gavin Webber President, MSLG Inc