I often wish I had an ‘undo’ button in real life, not just on my computer. This feeling generally hits me after moving heavy furniture – when it looked better beforehand – or when I’ve been a bit too vicious… Read More ›
technology
Is Pokémon Go giving us a glimpse of a healthier happier future?
A few weeks ago, the world divided into two groups: People addicted to chasing small fictional creatures around cities Luddites (like me) wondering what all the fuss is about. Whichever group you belong to, there’s no denying the incredible success… Read More ›
Why we still need to stop & draw the roses
I recently discovered a fantastic new app called ‘Waterlogue’ that can turn photos into really good watercolour paintings. It’s a bargain for only a couple of dollars!* (Here’s a picture using Waterlogue that I prepared earlier of my neighbour’s dog and her favourite… Read More ›
Is it April Fools’ Year?
A few times this week I have found myself checking that the date wasn’t April 1. ************ The first was when it was reported that Australia is considering scaling back or postponing the national census that has been conducted every… Read More ›
How did you find people before phone books & social media?
In Victoria (Australia), you probably would have used a Sands & McDougall Directory to find people in the days before telephone directories & the Internet. These impressive publications were compiled annually between 1857 and 1974 and listed the occupants at every business and residence,… Read More ›
Using eye contact to help protect endangered species
Eye contact is our strongest form of non-verbal communication and plays a critical role in initiating emotional relationships between people (and other species). Photographers, for example, know that getting subjects to look directly at the lens of the camera is… Read More ›
Locative literature in a third place (Public art at a Melbourne tram stop)
I love to discover obscure, unexpected and ephemeral delights – such as temporary art installations. Hence my excitement when I chanced upon some ‘locative literature’ while waiting for a tram near Flinders Street Station in Melbourne last week! Sixteen very… Read More ›
Uno due tre quattro – what’s next? (cinque-generation & 5D printing?)
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all of the information available at your fingertips? Or find yourself totally blown away by what new technologies can do and how they are changing our lives? No sooner do I begin to get my head around… Read More ›
Car faces & body language
Humans have a fascinating tendency to see faces in random things, such as clouds. This phenomenon is called ‘paleidolia’. We do the same with cars – and often ascribe personality traits to these inanimate objects based on their front end features. “Even if people don’t… Read More ›
Using wombats to promote your blog and support good causes
I am a big believer in the power of ‘word of mouth’ marketing and ‘peer to peer’ referrals. These models rely on trust and are especially well suited to blogs – where a recommendation, link or other promotion via a blogger that you… Read More ›
Unsung heroes in environmental management
Someone commented recently that property managers are the unsung heroes of many organisations. Most people don’t think about these quiet achievers until something isn’t working or a utility bill hasn’t been paid. In promoting energy and water efficiency, we encourage… Read More ›
When did you last catch a real (or virtual) sunrise or sunset?
I have always loved Michael Leunig’s cartoon ‘TV Sunrise’ – where a father and son sit inside watching a sunset on their television while a real sunset is clearly visible through the window. Oslo Davis did a more recent cartoon… Read More ›
Why policy makers and communicators need to understand the technology adoption bell curve
A recent article* posted on The Conversation suggested that we should ban the word ‘sustainability’ due to the common practice of using a small number of performance indicators to compare companies or products while ignoring the real issues.** The article also… Read More ›
Will you even notice when I’m gone?
It used to be hard to keep in touch when you travelled. The first time I went overseas by myself, I remember sending a telegram to my parents to say that I had reached my final destination. ARRIVED SAFE STOP… Read More ›
Google glasses & beer goggles
I was very disappointed when I found out what people meant by ‘Google glasses’. I had imagined it to be a conceptual term that cleverly described the Internet’s impact on the way we see the world. Sort of like ‘beer… Read More ›
Sustainability soapbox 