Live lightly and save money
By Bruce Key, member of Wodonga Albury Toward Climate Health (WATCH) For some people, the phrase living lightly implies a spartan existence and additional costs. This need not be so. Take for instance the obvious example of solar panels. The payback period is only a few years and thereafter you save money on your electricity …
A Dam Good Idea
By Jonathon Howard I’ve built a series of ‘leaky weirs’ on my property. A leaky weir is a structure designed to slow water flow, filter the water through the vegetation, and reconnect the water to the surrounding floodplain. People might be familiar with these structures if they have seen Peter Andrew’s ‘Natural Sequence Farming’ on …
It’s a Dog’s Life
By Alan Hewett Since the Covid lockdowns and restrictions dog ownership has increased to such an extent that there is now a shortage of pooches and people are prepared to pay thousands for one. Dogs are loveable of course, (unless you have one next door barking incessantly.) For over eleven thousand years humankind has established …
Birds of a Feather
By Jonathon Howard Some people confuse currawongs with magpies. Both birds are common to our gardens. Both birds are similar in size and are black and white in colour, however, there are significant differences. A keen ‘birdo’ will tell you the black and white colour extends to the top half of a magpie, while a …
The value of a garden
By David Thurley Every year in late January or early February Albury will experience a number of days where the temperature is in the high 30s or the low 40s and we are challenged to keep ourselves and our pets cool. What do we do? The first thing we do is reach for the switch …
Bringing thrifty back
By Melissa Kane I’m bringing thrifty back, which might sound quite presumptuous, but I’ve been using the time during COVID and on the back of Plastic Free July to pause, reflect and examine what going plastic free means for me. Everyone is on their own plastic free journey and I respect that your house means …
Don’t forget the little guys this spring
By Jonathan Howard
In spring most of us turn our attention to the garden and plants. Some of us might look to plant natives with nectar-producing flowers to attract honeyeaters and wrens in the garden.
This spring, I encourage you to do something different – why not install some insect hotels …
Cat enclosures
By Lizette Salmon, Gardens for Wildlife Albury-Wodonga To be purrfectly honest I’ve always been more of a dog person, but having recently visited a dozen cat enclosures, I’m feeling the fuzzies for cats. But first things first. What’s a cat enclosure? Many people think it’s a cage for transporting cats. Wrong. Cat enclosures are outdoor …
Frog chorus
By John Whale It was the hour before midnight, the moon shone brightly and some very welcome rain, which had been falling since I went to bed had finally stopped. From out of a rain drenched garden, I heard a distinctive voice calling out, or more precisely I should say, I heard a unique creature …
Water for wildlife in your garden (not just the big ones!)
By Karen Retra, Wild Pollinator Count Do you provide water for birds and other animals during hot weather? Perhaps a birdbath or shallow dish of water in a shady part of the garden? Don’t forget our insect friends who also appreciate a helping hand. The best way to support flower-feeding insects in your garden is …
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About Living Lightly …
Living Lightly is a column in the Border Mail newspaper on Wednesdays featuring local stories about sustainable living.
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