Build Back Better for Bees
Next Thursday (20th May) is World Bee Day. Much of our food depends on pollinators such as bees, so we take a look at what we can do at home to protect, preserve and encourage them. Globally, three out of…
News
Check kitchen appliances
Australians are being warned to check their kitchens for recalled or worn appliances, to reduce risk of burns, lacerations or even explosion. In the last five years, more than 30 kitchen products have been recalled by Australian retailers and manufacturers.…
Be gone, slime
Slime. Kids love it, parents not so much, especially when it ends up on the couch or carpet. Fortunately, slime is easy to clean away with vinegar. Remove any excess using your fingers, then soak the rest in vinegar for…
Visual chaos? Hide it
If you have kids, or are just naturally messy yourself, it is a good idea to avoid having too much open shelving. Shelves have a tendency to rapidly overflow with toys, books, games or knick-knacks. They can also make it…
Values rising, more slowly
Home values continue to rise but the pace of growth lost a little steam in April, research shows. According to CoreLogic’s national home value index, values lifted by 1.8% in April, with the pace of gains easing back from a…
Bank will be watching
Interest rates will continue to stay low, with the Reserve Bank (RBA) this week not even considering any change to the official cash rate, which currently sits at 0.1%. RBA Governor Philip Lowe again warned lenders that the Bank will…
Compost for vitality
The effects of climate change are not only being felt through extreme weather events, but also through loss of nutrients in our soil. Prolonged droughts dry out the soil, causing the organisms in the soil to die and nutrients lost.…
Investors are back
Investors are flocking back to the property market again, according to lending data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The latest figures show that new loans for housing rose 5.5% in March 2021 (seasonally adjusted), to…
Housing shortage? Print more!
Like many countries, the Netherlands has a chronic shortage of housing, but it’s taking an innovative, sustainable path to tackle the problem. Project Milestone, a collaboration between Eindhoven’s Technical University, town council and construction companies, is building homes using a…
Celebrate and win
International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is on right now, but that’s no reason to stop celebrating compost after Saturday. ICAW wants to see photos of our composting efforts in the #CelebrateICAW Photo Competition 2021. Send in pics of your home…
