Joost with one of many experiments and collaborators. Testing non-toxic straw bale insulation with the CSIRO. Photo: courtesy of Joost Bakker
Environment

Fertile ground for change: Joost Bakker tackles the toxic city

By — March 7, 2019

The 'upside-down' Yarra River / Birrarung flows through a city of 5 million people. New efforts aim to clean up its reputation along with its water.
Environment

Detoxing the river: toward a swimmable Yarra

By — March 1, 2019

Visible emissions are just one part of the rapid increase in toxic global air pollution. Photo: Veeterzy
Environment

Air pollution: the single greatest health risk of our century

By — February 26, 2019

Dark skies are vital to our wellbeing but they are increasingly rare. Photo: of Duane Hamacher, Wild Researchers UNSW by Tamara Dean
Cities

Killing us softly: the perils of light pollution

By — February 21, 2019

Responsibility, transparency and environmental fragility are this month’s themes for our pick of web reads. Image: Tracey Clement’s 'Banquet' 2019 (detail)
Cities

Foreground reads: our pick from around the web in Feb

By — February 21, 2019

Powerplants is a design-led, multi-disciplinary phytoremediation research project at Sydney's White Bay Power Station. Photo: Jedidiah-Cranfield
Cities

Power Plants: Turning Brownfields Green

By — February 20, 2019

Not far from most cities is a water or seascape to watch sunsets on Valentine's Day. Photo: Will O
Culture

Landscapes of love

By — February 14, 2019

Toxic cemeteries are contributing to early deaths but examining the history of burial practices can teach us to live better. Photo: Eddie Howell
Environment

Rethinking the landscape of death

By — February 7, 2019

Gentrification of inner city suburbs is occurring on old industrial sites. Fitzroy St, Victoria, Australia Photo: Foreground
Cities

What lies beneath: To manage toxic contamination in cities, study their industrial histories

By — February 4, 2019

Just 40 minutes from a city of 5 million people, the Western Treatment Plant provides a constructed wetland for over 100 bird species.
Environment

In Australia, a sewage facility is now one of the world’s greatest bird habitats

By — January 30, 2019

Elevated rail frees space for public parks and plazas in Melbourne's built-up suburbs.
Transport

After the ribbon cutting: lessons learnt from Melbourne’s sky rail

By — January 24, 2019

A view of Bendigo Hospital from above shows some of the diverse courtyard, rooftop, and pocket gardens.
Public domain

Nature heals: the return of therapeutic landscapes

By — January 18, 2019