National Recycling Week begins today

A few ideas for doing one thing differently this week. Avoid or refuse single use plastic such as drinking straws. The Council's Resource Recovery Centre [Whiteman St, off Normanby Rd] accepts paint, electronic waste, white goods, mattresses, plant pots, clothing and green waste. Find out how to print paper on both sides if you're not sure how. Participate in 3207 Beach Patrol's beach clean up on Saturday from 9 am - from the Port Melbourne Yacht Club, end Bay St. Check that there aren't any recyclable items going into your waste bin. Take home any plastic bottles you pass on your way round Port Melbourne and put them in your own recycling if there isn't a recycling bin handy. More ideas?

image Climate Action

'A difficult and poor place'

This is how former Supreme Court Judge Frank Vincent described Port Melbourne in the early thirties when he was growing up here. He learnt 'what it is, and what it means to have to struggle'. In commemorating the life of Alan Whittaker, waterside worker shot by police in 1928, he pointed to the contemporary relevance of his story. Whenever a group of people is de-personalised and de-humanised as the waterside workers were at that time be alert to the abuse of power. 'This place, these people and this history' have deeply influenced his personal and professional life. I had to shut my eyes to imagine that past described as a luxury boat made its way into Waterfront Place.

First food swap in Port Melbourne

Transition Towns Port Phillip hosted a food swap from locally grown produce at today's SkillsFest in Bridge St. Would you be interested if a fresh food swap like this happened more regularly? Transition Towns is a world wide network of people taking many local actions to support thriving, healthy and connected communties that are better able to respond to challenges like climate change and peak oil. These food swaps are going strong north of the river. You can contact TTPP at transitiontownportphillip@gmail.com or find out more about what they do at http://transitiontownportphillip.groupsite.com

Balloons over Sandridge

The balloon appeared to arise from Webb Dock somewhere, and hovered above the Sandridge path before whooshing onwards.

No butts

I know there are mixed views about Halloween in Australia, and anyway I'm a few days late but ... Sea Angels is a community group in Florida who pick up litter - just like 3207 Beach Patrol - and sometimes get pretty creative with it. How about this Halloween contribution made up of found cigarette butts?

Short week - its almost the weekend

The SkillsFest at Port Melbourne Uniting Church is on Saturday in Bridge St from 11 to 4. SkillsFest because there are skills to share like cheesemaking - 30 minute mozzarela! - breadmaking, fresh food swap, and composting for small Port Melbourne size gardens. The full programme is here. And then on Sunday at 11 am, the booklet on the life of Alan Whittaker, waterside worker shot by police in 1928, will be launched at Beacon Vista. Frank Vincent will speak. He is a powerful speaker because he combines the experience of his family in Port Melbourne during the Depression with finely constructed argument.

Back on deck

after the wisteria, the roses

I've been away to the south west where the coast is magnificent but the internet access is poor. Since its Cup Day and I'm ignorant about horses, I thought I would focus on roses instead. I think these are Port Melbourne's best public roses. This small reserve in front of the former Fountain Inn comes into its own at rose time.