Any time is a good time to look at how you can bring a little more green into your life. And September is the time of year that Canberra’s favourite Sunday markets, the Old Bus Depot Markets bring going green into focus with their special theme day Green Savvy Sunday.
“This is the day you can check out products and community groups focused on domestic green sustainable living,” said Old Bus Depot Markets Director, Morna Whiting.
“You can discover the latest in green technology for the home, buy specialist green/sustainable products, and speak to a variety of agencies and companies about what programs, assistance and products they provide to the community and householders,” Morna continued.
And it seems it’s not hard to get people on board, particularly in the field of recycling and repurposing.
Ken Flower leaves his Sydney home behind to travel to Canberra for Green Savvy Sunday where his low energy lights have been popular in previous years. Ken is a lighting designer who specialises in creating low energy and sustainable lighting designs made from vintage kimono silks, linens, lead crystals and acrylics.
“These lights are super low energy and last about five times longer than any other light. They all use RGB diode technology so you can make any colour of the spectrum by wireless remote,” said Ken from Here Comes the Sun Lo Energy Lighting.
Ken is not the only one finding new purposes for old materials. David Kingsberg from Kingfish and Co uses recycled timber and old pieces of furniture to create new pieces. He salvages and refurbs some pieces, and builds others from scratch, creating beautiful furniture and homewares including bedside tables, consoles, mirrors, picture frames with an environmentally friendly message.
Local Kathryn Scobie is new to Green Savvy Sunday this year and has come on board to showcase her new business Good Food Gardens which provides advice and design for edible gardens in Canberra. Kathryn’s services include offering advice on where to put fruit and vegetables in the Canberra garden, to full permaculture design for an entire property or portion of a yard.
“I take into account how people want to use their garden space. I work with them to integrate systems that make their garden more sustainable – with things like water supply, nutrient recycling and animal systems such as chickens,” Kathryn said.
At Green Savvy Sunday, the Good Food Gardens display will include an insect ‘hotel’, a worm farm, compost tumbler, wicking bed and seedling greenhouse display along with some of the permaculture designs that Kathryn has created.
“I’m really looking forward to chatting with people about growing their own food that is best suited to the Canberra climate,” said Kathryn.
Morna Whiting from the markets says at Green Savvy Sunday you can find lots of products made using low energy, organic techniques or recycled materials, organic food and information on different green initiatives.
“It’s also about teaching the next generation the importance of using recycled materials and that beautiful things can be individually handcrafted rather than mass produced and made of brightly coloured plastic,” said Morna.
Carol Mead works with old and used dolls that have been either thrown out or given to her and gives them a ‘make-under’ recycling them to better represent little boys and girls. Her Just Like Me Dolls are created by keeping clothing simple, either hand sewn or knitted, changing shoes from high heels, and just giving the dolls a new, age appropriate feel. Another stallholder, Suitcase Dollhouse, recycles and upcycles beautiful old suitcases creating gorgeous dolls houses for kids to play with, and adults to admire.
You can see these local and regional sustainable stallholders at Green Savvy Sunday at the Old Bus Depot Markets, Sunday 20 September. For more information visit www.obdm.com.au
