Some of the best ideas come out of a pun. In fact I often have the pun and then have to think of a clever way to use it in general conversation.

This wasn't actually my pun ...it was my husband Nicks'. He wanted to start a cow-operative - a community meat-market based around a cow.

He established a steering committee and invited around 12 peoples to become steak-holders. A steer, aptly named T-bone, was bought and raised on a small acerage outside Yass. He was a free-rangin', free-lovin', grass-munchin' happy cow until the moment of truth last week when he met his meat maker, Justin Baird, the local mobile butcher.

I am not a fan of cleaning at the best of times but my least favourite cleaning job would have to be the oven.

I haven't done it for 18 months. The last time was when we left out previous rental house.

I know there are products that you can spray around but the toxic fumes generated from the the likes of Monsieur Muscle send me coughing and spluttering.

People always talk up the wonder of microfibre oven gloves. I am a big fan of the technical fabric but the muscle power and patience required with this method also make me a little mad. 

A good friend in NYC just highlighted this opinion piece from the New York Times - 'Going green but getting nowhere'.

It got me thinking and now trying to work out what to do with it now that it has set itself up in my head.  It goes against all my ideas that little things do count ...saving a bit of fuel here, reducing a bit of energy there, cooking 10 things in the oven at once.

Sustainable House Day  11th September 2011

If you really want the low-down on what it is like to live in an all-glowing, low-emitting, big-living, energy efficient home then get thee out there this Sunday 11^th September from 10am – 4pm and find a Sustainable House near you ... they are all over Australia ... and have a good poke around.

On Sunday mornings my dad likes a croissant. Warm from the oven.

One oven. One croissant.

I love dad, and I love warm croissants but this challenges my notions of energy efficiency – basically because it is not at all. Dad just wants a croissant for breakfast and I want to use all that pent-up oven–energy and go baking mad. 

I didn't want this site to get all political but I listened to Dr. Richard Dennis debate Lord(?) Christopher Monkton at the Press Club. Eeeek.

I did like the Adam Spencer (ABC Radio) interview with Lord Monkton. He tried valiantly to get Lord Monkton to answer a few questions but his is good at getting around details and got around the questions with some 'shut-up' put-downs and good old-fashioned British bombasity. 

I have just been part of the first Carrotmob in Canberra and loved it.  It is a bit like a flashmob only less of the Beyonce-style syncronised dancing and more of the people-coming-into-the-store and buying groceries. It is the sort of positive community action that is more yes than no.

GIY Green It Yourself was taken from headspace to a www. type space with financial support from the British Council’s Big Green Idea grant program. They are open for 2011 applications.

Eeeek. Arghhhhhh. Ooooo - the sound I make when I drop a real, virtual clanger. You, my early adopters, get the benefit of this inexperience.

I have just made my first ever loaf of sourdough. Apart from my two kids, it is the best thing I ever baked.