Paddle for Patterson

Join Parks Victoria and partners for the inaugural Paddle for Patterson community clean up.

Saturday 23 March, 9.30am-1pm, National Water Sports Centre, Bangholme

Let’s unite our lower Dandenong Catchment communityJump into one of our kayaks. We will navigate the tranquil waters, collecting storm-gnerated litter from the reed beds. This will prevent it polluting Western Port.

Love Food, Hate Waste 

Join us for a fun session that’s part cooking demo, part info session, and includes lunch! Learn simple food storage tricks, what to do with leftovers, and how to slash food waste.  

Tuesday 26 March 10.30 am – 1.30 pm 

Balla Balla Community Centre 

Sustainable home series

Orana Community Place in Clyde North is hosting a three-part sustainable home series. Join us for session two - All Electric Homes this month on Thursday 7 March 2024 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. 

Going all-electric is an essential step in making your home sustainable. This session explores the importance of selecting the right heating, hot water and cooking appliances to create an all-electric home. Learn about the many benefits to you and your family by choosing all electric appliances. 

This session is designed for people who are looking to renovate, are in their design phase of building a new home or are going to be building in the future. Light Supper will be provided.

Introducing Casey’s Youth Climate Action Committee  

Congratulations to the thirteen passionate young people ready to  represent the Casey community!

 They'll be working together on projects that will help reduce Council’s emissions and raise awareness of the impacts of climate change.  

NOTE: Photo does not reflect our cohort but is another type of fledgling - baby girl Buddy, a tawny frogmouth hatched at Moonlit Sanctuary. 

Cranbourne Growing Friends Autumn Sale 

The Growing Friends Autumn Plant Sale will be held on Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 March 2024, between 10 am and 4pm each day. With a great range of indigenous and native plants available why not pick up some beauties to create a wildlife garden at home.  

 Image: Native Crowea growing in the Australian Garden.    

World Wildlife Day 

Sunday March 3 is a day to celebrate our world's Wildlife. Why not do something for the wildlife that call your neighbourhood home and create a wildlife friendly garden! Check out our guide here.  

Image: Common Bronzwing on a novelty bird bath. Credit - E and R Kowal 

Sea Week 

5-13 March is Sea Week. This week is to celebrate our connection with the seas and looks at the influence we have on the ocean and how it influences us.

Why not pop down to Blind Bight, Tooradin or Warneet and soak in the sea air?   

STEAM Lab at Bunjil Place Library - Wetlands and Waterways 

This month discover more about the biodiversity found in the waterways of City of Casey. Casey is home to many different species of bird, insect and fish. Casey’s Sustainability and Environment team will be in the library to teach us all about the animals you can find in our wetlands and water systems. We'll also design our own home-made water filters! 

Thursday 14 March, Bunjil Place Library

Buyers' guide - Sustainable whitegoods, new and second-hand

Energy & water efficiency- higher star efficiency will save you money and reduce your energy and water use over the life of the product, be prepared to pay slightly more now for long term savings. 

Research your options & read other users reviews. 

Follow the manual and use the item correctly to increase its lifespan and optimise efficiency. 

Tricky topics - Tetra Pak and UHT containers

These cartons are increasingly used to package liquid items including milk, juice, and other beverages.

Due to their intricate makeup, these cartons present difficulties for recycling. Tetra Pak containers include several layers. They are unable to be recycled in your City of Casey household co-mingled recycling bin. 

Tetra Paks between the size of 150ml to 600ml are accepted by Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) since 1st Nov. 2023.

Buyers' guide - Toilet paper

Last month we had the wrong link! Please see this updated article on TP. 

Try to pick toilet paper that is made from sustainable or recycled materials and comes in minimal and recyclable packaging. 

Edible natives - River Mint Mentha australis

This fast-growing mint can be used the same as any other mint variety. Who can resist a rich minty chocolate fudge brownie?

Fresh or dried, it’s a great and easy to grow native herb. Like any mint, under the right conditions it can take over in the garden, so grow it in a pot. They do well in a moist and shaded position in the garden. 

If you'd like to share your edible native photos with us to be in the running for a Green Living prize, please post them via the link below.

What to plant

It's allium time! Pretty and pungent, oOne of the most commonly-used groups of food plants are the alliums. Whether you prefer robust elephant garlic, delicate shallots or chives or chunky sweet leeksIt's allium time! Pretty and pungent. Whether you prefer robust elephant garlic, delicate shallots, chives or chunky sweet leeks these also bring all the pollinators to the yard ...

Use it up recipe - Abbie's Hedgerow Jelly

Sick of watching other critters eating your rosehips, elderberries and blackberries before you can?

After 12 years, the Green Team's Abbie Lane has bitten the bullet. Click on the photo for the whole saga! The recipe that inspired the journey is below.

Unearthing the nutritional potential of Australia's sovereign grasses

While working with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Melbourne Water has  found that the native, or sovereign, kangaroo grass is more nutritious than wheat.