Renew 171 out now: we look at building in fire zones, community resilience, the circular economy, timber sustainability, maritime CO2 emissions, Phillip Island’s push towards renewables, and much more!

In Renew 171, we continue to paint a picture of the state of play for Australia’s energy transition: the successes it’s had so far, and the challenges it faces to meet the emissions targets needed so that we can mitigate the worst effects of climate change.

In our wide-ranging interview with Australian actress, climate communicator and founding director of Hi Neighbour, Yael Stone, we unpack the community and grassroots efforts happening to upskill local people for renewable jobs. Yael has lots to share about building partnerships and ensuring positive outcomes for community.

We take a trip to Victoria’s Phillip Island to look at the conservation and renewable energy initiatives that are setting the region up to become a world-leading sustainable tourism destination. We hear from energy advisor Dean Lombard on how we can win this winter by keeping our energy bills down and staying warm in our homes. Plus, architect Chris Freeburn shares the most up-to-date information on building and renovating for bushfire resilience.

Also in this issue: we hear from three neighbourhoods building their resilience by opening their front yards, look at back-up options for electricity when the grid is down, and learn about a simple and cheap design for a composting loo. And much more!

Renew 171 is on sale now and available to purchase in newsagents. Or, you can always subscribe, and guarantee you’ll get every issue delivered to your door.

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further reading
Data in the city and the invisible impact of the cloud

Data in the city and the invisible impact of the cloud

As AI and cloud computing drive a boom in data centre construction, Australia faces growing questions about how these energy-hungry facilities will affect electricity demand, local communities and the transition to net zero. Mia-Francesca Jones examines the trade-offs—and asks whether Australia can build the cloud more sustainably.

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Product profile: Tiny homes your way

Product profile: Tiny homes your way

One of the many advantages of a tiny home is their flexibility; being able to configure one online, and see the actual cost in real time, is a great idea that many more tiny home suppliers need to adopt.

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Signals of change

Signals of change

From global risk assessments and climate adaptation to the complexities of ‘free’ electricity offers, Alan Pears looks at some of the forces driving change in Australia’s economy and energy system.

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