• About
  • Archive
  • Contact
The Greening of Gavin
  • Home
  • Our Green Shop
    • Little Green Workshops
  • Green Workshops
    • Cheese Making
    • Soap Making
    • Soy Candle Making
  • eBooks
    • Clay Oven eBook
    • Keep Calm and Make Cheese eBook
  • Podcast
    • TGOG Podcast
    • TGoG Podcast Archive
    • Little Green Cheese
  • Vlog
  • Cheese
  • Green Living
    • Chickens
    • Gardening
    • Soap Making
    • Recipes
    • Climate Change
    • Peak Oil
    • Solar Power
  • Resources

Archives for November 2012

How Would You Rate Your Greenness?

November 30, 2012 @ 07:30 By Gavin Webber 9 Comments

Self reflection is something we should all do often.  Otherwise, how would we be able to fully understand how far we have travelled on our sustainable living journey.
However, our sustainable living journey needs to have a reference, a spectrum or scale if you like, so that we can all gauge where we are on the journey.

This spectrum shown above is a good tool to help one understand where they personally are.

Personally, back in September 2006, I was firmly in the red area.  I was shocked into action from the red end of the spectrum through to the light green within the span of a few months, then finally over a longer time period to the dark green end.

Although I have experienced a real paradigm shift in behaviours, beliefs and personal reality, sometimes I loose that optimism which comes with green, and go to a much darker place.  Those who follow this blog regularly would have observed this in my writing from time to time.  It happens to us all I think, but then I snap out of it with some self reflection or meditation.

I believe that it isn’t until we measure something objectively, that we can truly improve upon our performance.

Anyway, that is where I think I am on the scale, where do you think you are?  You don’t have to share if you don’t want to, but it would be great if people self reflect a little, and draw a line in the sand so to speak.  While you are at it, have a think about behaviours you could be doing better or start to move towards the greener end of the scale.

Join in, the waters fine.  The more the merrier, I say.  What would be really interesting would be if we did this again in six months time.  Who is up for the challenge?

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Environment, Green Psychology

A Day At The Museum

November 29, 2012 @ 21:31 By Gavin Webber 11 Comments

I have been working diligently on my Clay Oven eBook so I needed a break away from the screen.  Ben suggested that we visit the Museum, so off we went.

The Melbourne Museum is big.  So big, that we didn’t get to see all of it in the time we had allocated.

Firstly, the dinosaur exhibit.

We read all the information and looked at all the bones.  The displays were very well made, with information about the era each dinosaur lived in, what they ate, and how they lived.  We must have spent the first hour just reading all the information.

My thoughts and comments to my daughter Megan were that the timelines of the dinosaur age are just unfathomable when compared to the human timeline.  We have been around for the blink of an eye, and managed to stuff up the environment in only a couple of hundred years.  The dinosaurs were around for hundreds of millions of years and didn’t manage to stuff anything up.  Kudos to the dinosaurs!

We then looked at how old the earth was.  It was old, like 4.5 billion years old.  It surprised Ben, but I had already learnt this when I was his age!

From a globe of red hot magma, to a planet with water and continents supporting life.  An amazing transformation, and somewhere amongst it all was life.  Precious in all its forms.

Then into the mammal exhibition.  Walking into a room full of preserved animals made me feel very sad.  To think that many of these beasts are nearly extinct, because of our disregard for our actions, with no thought of the consequences.  A barrel of fun to take to the museum, aren’t I?

I spent a lot of time here looking and looking, with moist eyes.  I didn’t let the kids see though, as I didn’t want to spoil their day out.

What did make me shed a tear was an exhibit at the entrance to this room.  It was the Human Population Growth Exhibit.  Here is a video of it.

It really made me think, because I have never seen it represented so graphically.  I stood there for a good ten minutes watching it over and over again.  Observe the years (AD) and the dots which represent a million people grow exponentially after 1900.  The good thing was that the exhibit had text below it that talked about overpopulation, resource depletion and climate change, and the impact upon the planet that we are causing.
You know, if someone from outer space was observing this, it would appear that we are a virus on the face of the earth, multiplying until we kill the host.  Quite shocking really, all driven by cheap energy and the surplus of food via the green revolution.  If we didn’t have access to oil or coal, our growth may have slowly increased to a steady state.  We may have lived lighter on the planet (or not).
Anyway, I explained this to Ben, but I think it went over his head.
We wandered through the human body display for a while, then into the forest.  The forest was full of insects, tortoises, frogs, and I am sure many other animals.  This really cheered me up, and was most peaceful.
So what did I learn from my trip to the museum?  Well, I learnt that if we don’t stop our system of economic growth soon, our civilization will be the one that alien archaeologists will be digging up in a few hundred thousand years (we may not be around any more), trying to figure out where we went wrong and how we were so short-sighted.  They would probably think that we were a monumentally stupid race, expanding and destroying until we, like a virus, killed our own habitat.
It makes me shudder.  Am I the only one who visits a museum and thinks like this during a visit? Sometimes I think all this truth and reality is doing my head in.

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: An Inconvenient Truth, Gaia

Cheese Tips on Little Green Cheese

November 27, 2012 @ 19:25 By Gavin Webber Leave a Comment

Just for all you curd nerds out there, I have published a post over on my cheese blog, Little Green Cheese.

It is about maintaining a consistent temperature with your cheese (aka wine cooler) fridge.  The question came from a reader, Sandra who was having trouble with her own cheese fridge.

Pop on over and have a read of the post titled “Cheese Fridge Tips“.

Gav

-37.6777778144.5686375

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cheese

Next Page »

Search This Blog

Follow my work

About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

Delve Into the Archives

Visit Our Online Simple Living Shop

Little Green Workshops

Latest Podcast Episode

Subscribe on iTunes

Top Posts & Pages

The Seven Stages Of Change
How To Remove Scaly Leg Mites
Building a Wicking Bed on Concrete
Black Aphids On Garlic
Selling Your Own Soap in Australia
Connecting Two Rainwater Tanks
Growing Queensland Blue Pumpkins (Winter Squash)
Home-made Passata di pomodoro
Chicken Hygiene
Curing Olives

Recent Awards

Recent Awards

Local Green Hero

Categories

Favourite Daily Reads

Debt Free, Cashed Up, and Laughing

The Off-Grid Solar House

Greener Me

The Rogue Ginger

Little Eco Footprints

Down To Earth

Surviving the Suburbs

Little Green Cheese

Eight Acres

The Witches Kitchen

TGOG Readers On-line

Podcast Reviews

  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

  • ms
    July 22, 2016 by Ketaea12 from New Zealand

    I really enjoy listening to Gavin, he has a kind lovely voice. He covers some great relevant topics for the everyday greenie. With lots of tips or how to or what not to do. Thanks Gavin, love it!!

  • Well worth your time to tune in
    October 23, 2015 by A Vision Splendid from Australia

    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

  • very good
    June 28, 2015 by Scared pax from United Kingdom

    This is a great podcast if you want to improve your life in so many aspects and become a more sustainable person. I love the soothing voice, the good pace, and it contains lots of useful information. Recommended!

  • opened my eyes
    May 25, 2015 by Gorn4lyfe from Australia

    A wonderful show!

  • Inspiring
    April 30, 2015 by Alan Whelan from Ireland

    This is a great podcast if you're looking for practical info on saving money by living more sustainably from someone who's made that journey over the last few years. Told in a nice, easy conversational style

  • Green Living, inspiring and practical
    January 8, 2015 by EliseMac from Australia

    Thanks Gav for sharing what has (and hasn't) worked along your journey for living a greener lifestyle. Inspiring and achievable for anyone, I look forward to this podcast weekly.

  • Local food equals less waste
    December 27, 2014 by allotmentadventureswithjean from Australia

    Another brilliant podcast from Gavin Webber encouraging us, and showing us how, to cut down on food miles, growing our own food, and cutting down on food waste. Gavin is a really interesting speaker, showing us how to eat better, growing our own food and how to live more sustainably.

  • Honestly australian
    December 15, 2014 by HodgepodgeOz from Australia

    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

  • Morning motivation
    December 8, 2014 by Bunnyworm from Australia

    Gavin has a great passion for living this greener lifestyle that motivates others to do the same. The podcasts are always interesting and informative. :)

  • Passionate Advocate
    October 18, 2014 by BoomOpGirl from Australia

    Gavin's enthusiasm and passion for creating a more sustainable world is nothing short of contagious. Thanks Gav, you are my weekly source of motivation for living a sustainable life! :)

  • Gavin speaks from the heart
    October 13, 2014 by Green gavin from Australia

    Gavin's podcasts are required listening for anyone planning to live a more sustainable life. He doesn't preach, but tells you his story from the heart. You'll laugh, smile, share in his concerns and along the way you'll pick up some great tips on living a simple life.

  • Green thoughts, so well iterated
    October 9, 2014 by Kwasikwami from Australia

    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

  • Easy listening inspiration on being green
    September 24, 2014 by Broomedy from Australia

    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
    August 31, 2014 by Honeywoodmilk from Australia

    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

  • Enjoyed those ideas for staying warm
    August 15, 2014 by enduringdragon from United States

    Like you we are having winter here in Chile—brrr! Every bit we can save on heating we will.

  • Green Podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Carneu from Australia

    Excellent podcasts, which are full of information to help get started on a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Practical ideas and inspiration
    July 19, 2014 by HeathrowHeath from Australia

    I highly recommend Gavin's podcast and blog. Down to earth, entertaining and inspirational. Thank you.

  • Interesting & easy to listen to
    April 27, 2014 by Velocity3 from New Zealand

    Gavin & his guests make this green journey lots of fun.

  • Great green listen
    April 18, 2014 by Obscurenickname from Australia

    Gavin is a great down to earth, tell it like it is aussie with a passion for sustainability and growing food and making cheese

Carbon Offset website

Copyright - Gavin Webber © 2023