Spring is almost here and it’s been great to feel a bit sun kissed this week despite the wind. While sloths and lamas seem to be reigning supreme in the world of children, it’s been the livestream of our penguins and falcons that has caught my imagination this week. I joined over 700,000 people watching the antics of our Little Penguins on Penguin TV at Philip Island as one was joined by a whole raft of penguins as they came in from the sea and up the beach to the safety of their burrows. I’ve found it just as fascinating to gain a bird’s eye view of Melbourne’s CBD falcons located at 367 Collins Street down the Paris end of town. The freedom to explore the ocean and the blue skies above is something that we’re all craving at the moment.
With coronavirus cases dropping down to double digits this weekend, it’s been good to contemplate moving out of stage 4 restrictions and seeing the economy re-start especially here in Melbourne and Victoria. Click for Vic has been launched and it’s a great idea to help retailers and producers located in the city or regionally by purchasing from them. I’ve actually done most of my Christmas shopping over this second lockdown taking advantage of the sales and an income while I still have one.
Coupled with re-starting the economy is the need for us to do this sustainably as I think most of us couldn’t bear to have another summer marred not only by this global pandemic but another round of bushfires. I was lucky enough to see economist Ross Garnaut speak earlier this year at La Trobe on his book Superpower: Australia’s low carbon opportunity published by Black Inc. – part of the stable that publishes the La Trobe University Press. He has a fascinating and positive view of the road that Australia could take if it seized the moment to do things differently.
Sustainability is something that La Trobe takes very seriously given our Net Zero target for 2029 of which we are well under way and I’ve been interested to read about the renaissance of science with technology over the pandemic period – scientists have become the new sexy! Literally in the case of our Victorian Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton who has released his new video series answering all our COVID-19 questions.
It’s great to see hospital waste and hospitality waste now coming under the microscope and the launch of Responsible Cafes – a website with a coffee bean rating outlining cafes tackling the war on waste. Cafe owners have often taken a pioneering role in this area when you look at people like Melbourne brother and sister duo Jamie and Abigail Forsyth – the original owners of Bluebag cafes who respectively created BeetBox and Keep Cup.
Locally, I’ve been interested in local cake maker Harry from Ministry of Cakes in Rosanna who is not only offering a COVID-19 Small Birthday or Celebration Cake from $35 but a ready to bake Greek dessert (in 3 different varieties) called Bougatsa for $20 which you can pre-order online. I think it’s something I may need to take advantage of!
Miss Rosanna 