Adelaide is one of my favourite Australian cities and recently I was lucky enough to travel there for a good friend’s wedding.

There are a lot of things I like about this city - good food and wine come top of mind plus a free city bus, but it also seems to be implementing some fantastic initiatives with solar energy.

One such initiative is the world’s first solar electric bus (also for free), which I saw driving around the city centre.

Yes, you heard it right -  world first!

Aptly named the Tindo (Kaurna Aboriginal name for sun), the bus is recharged using 100% solar energy. It also doesn’t have a combustion engine, which makes it a very quiet, zero emissions and carbon neutral vehicle.

It’s air-conditioned and can carry up to 42 passengers.

So if you are in Adelaide and you see a bright green bus called Tindo driving around, get on to check it out. Unfortunately, while I was in the city I kept missing it so I would love to hear what you think.

I’m back from a great trip to New Zealand. Besides seeing some amazing places, I also managed to catch up with some very good friends that I haven’t seen for a while.

While in the nation’s capital, Wellington, I stayed with a friend who is working for a design company called Moxie. However, Moxie is no ordinary design company because it also advises companies on how to improve their sustainability through their practices and products. Such a great idea and good to hear this company is flourishing in NZ.

On another note, the one thing that did take my notice in a big way was the fleet of Green Cabs driving around Auckland. These cabs are all hybrid Toyota Prius and the company claims to help the environment by being carbon neutral and cheaper for its passengers. The cars are also available in Wellington (although I didn’t notice any while I was there) and the fleets are growing.

Apparently, such an initiative has been approved for Sydney (and is already underway in Perth) but I haven’t seen any such cabs in my traffic choked city. Has anyone in Australia seen a green cab in their city or town?

A work colleague of mine is busily organising and promoting national Ride to Work Day. Watching him stick posters up around the office has reminded me to promote this worthwhile event.

According to the event’s organisers, the day will stimulate over 10,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas savings in the first three years. This is more than 2650 hot air balloons.

Besides the obvious health benefits, cycling just 10km each way to work instead of driving can save1.3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

So if you can, get on your bike on October 17. Register at the site to be a participant or a work place co-ordinator. You will also go into the running to win some great prizes.

Ford plans to make the interior of its cars more environmentally friendly by using a soy based foam.

Most seats are made from a petroleum-based polyol foam. Ford says the soy-based foam is more renewable, takes less energy to produce and cuts carbon dioxide emissions. Read the full story.

Sometimes using a car just has to be done. And although owning a hybrid car might be a far off dream due to budget constraints, there are ways to ensure a more fuel efficient car and driving experience.

Carsguide.com.au have a web page dedicated to just that. The site suggests a variety of easy tips to help reduce your car’s environmental impact. (more…)

Well let’s hope so. The trend of owning a gas guzzling four wheel drive in the city is well overdue for replacement by a more fuel efficient car. And it seems that Holden is spending significant resources developing vehicles to operate without fossil fuels such as hybrid, full electric and hydrogen-powered cars.

Also since 1997, Toyota has sold one million hybrids globally and this number is climbing - by 2010 the company expects to be selling a million a year.

So you never know, hybrid could soon become the new four wheel drive

A friend who I met through Greenfoot and the non profit world recently started working at a web design agency in Sydney called Digital Eskimo. Not only does the agency focus on producing websites but its owners also really focus on sustainability within the business.

Some of the green features the studio has are: an eco friendly fridge, worm farm, bokashi bin, bamboo desks and chopping board, organic food, green power and recyclable chairs made from recycled materials.

They also carbon offset their work related air travel and don’t have air conditioning. Pretty amazing stuff really. Watch the video to see what else the agency is doing. Digital Eskimo also recently launched a blog focusing on sustainability.

Do you find that public transport just doesn’t cut it when you need to get somewhere? However, you don’t really want to have to drive everywhere - particularly to work? Well car pooling could be your answer.

Car pooling is where people travel together in one vehicle to:

• reduce costs in petrol, tolls and parking;
• share driving;
• take advantage of transit lanes; and
• reduce pollution.

Cool the Globe has a handy website where you can contact other people interested in car pooling.

Tanya Ha has updated and revised her book Greeniology. This book is a great resource for anyone wanting to live a better and greener life.

It is focused on Australia and New Zealand (there is also a Canadian version) and provides really useful and easy-to-understand information and tips about green: shopping, renovating, working, transport, babies, cooking and cleaning.

Information is also split into each area of the house such as the kitchen, living room, bathroom, laundry, bedroom, office, garage and garden.

Tanya takes the approach that you don’t have to think of yourself as a greenie to make a difference and the book provides tips on reducing your impact on the earth without cramping your lifestyle. (more…)

While most bridesmaids are concerned about their appearance and pacifying the bride, Barbara Haddrill is more concerned about making the huge journey from the UK to Australia without jeopardising her environmental principles.

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