In the know, on the net.

A list of some of our favourite websites to keep up to date with the latest in sustainability and design:

1. www.todae.com.au
Go there to find solutions for a sustainable future such as:
- Solar Power
- Energy Efficient & LED Lighting
- Business & Home Assessments
- Energy + Water Saving
- Office Products + Stationery
- Household Consumables (such as cleaning and body care)
- Eco Baby

2. www.news.worldvision.com.au
World Vision is Australia's largest charitable group. World Vision helps over 20 million people every year, thanks to the support of more than 400,000 Australians. It operates also Birrung Gallery www.birrung.com.au The award winning gallery has been in operation for over twelve years and provides unique Indigenous artwork to collectors and art lovers around the world. The ethical sale of art at Birrung supports over 400 Indigenous artists and over 25 remote area art centres across Australia.
A lively exhibition program showcases the rich diversity of art forms including painting, fibre arts,sculpture, printmaking , ceramics and more

3. www.infolink.com.au
Infolink is Australia's online directory for the architecture, building, construction and design sectors. Make online enquiries direct to suppliers, or click through to their websites. There is an online newsletter where you can get the latest news on products, services and developments in the architecture, building, construction and design sectors.

4. www.fiaa.com.au
The Furnishing Industry of Australia (FIAA), is an industry association representing the interests of businesses in the wider furnishing and joinery industries. FIAA members include:
Bedding & Mattress Makers
Furniture Manufacturers
Blind Cleaners / Repairers
Joiners and Cabinet Makers
Flooring & Floor Coverings
Blinds, Awnings & Window Furnishings
Kitchen Manufacturers
Commercial Furniture Suppliers
Picture Framers
Suppliers to the Furnishing Industry
French Polishers
Upholsterers
Built-in Wardrobe Businesses

FIAA Mission: The Mission of the Furnishing Industry Association of Australia is to represent the Furnishing and Joinery Industries and to provide services and benefits to our members.

5. www.choice.com.au
Independent and transparent, CHOICE ensures the consumer voice is heard loudly and clearly.

CHOICE empowers consumers to get the most out of all their purchasing decisions by providing a mix of advocacy and advice.

6. www.fofibydesign.com
Our favourite blog is on this site that covers design tips to improve every home. Written by Fofi Gourlas, Sydney based interior designer, this site is informative and relevant to people who are looking for inspiration.

Winter Warming

How to have a warm and energy efficient home this winter.

Install insulation batts – Insulation batts installed in a typical home over a period of 40 years will save over 340 times the energy that was required to make the batts. Not only that, it will keep your house a few degrees warmer in winter, and cooler in summer.

2. Gas vs. Electric heating - Try to opt for energy efficient electric heating. Heaters where the energy from the electricity is “burnt” or used directly to produce the heat produce approx. 3.5 to 4 times as much carbon emissions as the same unit of heating produced with gas. However; there is a much more efficient way to deliver heating electrically by using reverse cycle air conditioners and heat pumps. Essentially, these devices use the electrical energy to move heat from one place to another as opposed to “burning” it to directly produce the heat.

3. Heating in winter accounts for almost 50% of energy costs. Keep your bills down by closing doors to unused rooms. This will keep the warmth in the areas that you spend the most time in.

4. Cover up those windows – A window loses 5 to 10 times more heat than the equivalent area of a wall. Floor length curtains are a very effective insulator against those cold winter days – they stop the warm air coming into contact with cold windows, and leaving you with a cosier room to sip some hot chocolate in.

5. Dress appropriately – reduce unnecessary harmful emissions by substituting gas/electric heating by rugging up. Get yourself a cute pair of slippers and a thick blanket to rug up. It makes no point to sit in the house with a t-shirt on and the heating up full. You will save money and the environment by throwing on an extra layer or two.

6. Consider your floor finishes – Typically tiles are the coldest of all floor finishes. Consider using floorboards or carpets (the warmest) to promote a warmer environment inside the home. If you don’t want to change your flooring completely, adding a large floor rug will help to reduce the coldness of tiles.

Guerrilla Gardening

"Guerrilla Gardening" is the latest craze in greening urban areas that started in the United States. Its basic principes are to reclaim sidewalk cracks, parking lots and public spaces that are highly visible and turning them into gardens.

There are some great examples around Sydney where boring public spaces have been transformed into colourful gardens. Using plants that are native to the area and that thrive with neglect, these new feature gardens have popped up 'over night' - we've noticed a few around town -such as at Woolloomooloo and also on South Dowling Street in Surry Hills. Have you noticed a new garden somewhere? Please let us know.

Bamboo Flooring Images

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is a breathtaking alternative to hardwood timber floors. Plantation grown bamboo saves our ancient forests and is one of the world's oldest building materials, and one of the fastest growing plants known to man!
Bamboo flooring is stronger and more resilient to indentation and scuffing than many native woods, but with the same look and feel.

Why Choose Bamboo for Flooring?

• Environmentally sustainable – Style Plantation Bamboo Flooring is an attractive alternative to hardwood floors, and is the product derived from the forests of a fully sustainable, environmentally friendly and rapidly growing renewable resource.
• Easy installation – Bamboo Flooring compares favourably with traditional solid select timber floors and given it is already sanded and finished with six durable Treffert or Klummp UV coatings. Style Plantation products are capable of being quickly installed ready for use with minimal disruption.
• Coupled with its price advantage, bamboo floors are creating significant interest for their aesthetics and other performance qualities over existing hard wood alternatives. In summary, bamboo flooring provides a highly competitive product for both domestic and commercial applications.
• Style Plantation Bamboo Floors are abrasion resistant and have excellent horizontal surface friction (non-slip).
• Bamboo flooring is allergy free
• Style Plantation bamboo floorboards are sealed with non-toxic glues and are finished with aluminium oxide.
• Style Plantation offers a wide range of colours and are consistent through to the core except in the instances where surface stains are used to achieve the colour.
• Bamboo floors have high UV resistance, blocking the sun's harmful rays and protecting the floor.
• Excellent warranty protection. The manufacturer warrants Style Plantation Bamboo Flooring in the original manufactured state free from structural defects (Structural Warranty) for 10 years in residential applications and 5 years for commercial uses. The manufacturer warrants to the original purchaser that the wear layer (Coating Warranty) of aluminium oxide will not peel or separate from the flooring plank in residential applications for 5 years.
• Easy repairs, since damaged bamboo floorboards can be replaced without contrasting with the pattern of surrounding boards.
• Easy cleaning, most spills can be cleaned up with a mop or sponge. To read more about how to maintain your bamboo floor, click here.
• Very low emissions through waste and pollution; the result is a very environmentally friendly product.
• Endless design options
• Style Plantation Bamboo Floors are very hard and durable
• STYLEBOARD ™ Strand woven bamboo flooring technology is retardant against termites, fire, sunlight, chemical stains, scuffing and indentation.
• Finally, the natural beauty and durability of bamboo flooring far surpasses traditional hardwood floors.

However, above all these extraordinary features are quite simply the look of bamboo flooring. When you walk into a room floored in bamboo you truly do catch your breath. There is a quality, warmth and feel created entirely by the floor itself. Before choosing flooring, you really need to see bamboo for yourself.