Emergency Planning: Preparing for the summer ahead!
As we reach the tail end of the year, and our thoughts turn to holidays and warmer times, it is also becoming important to contemplate the subject of emergency planning and preparedness. The library is spread across areas that have been affected by bushfires in the past and in the advance of climate change it is important to reflect that we may yet be touched by them again. For those interested, we recommend this upcoming session at the Eltham branch:
Fire Emergency Planning Workshop, Thursday 2 November, 6.30pm—8.30pm at Eltham Library
Summer is coming and that means fire season. Have you started to think about your emergency planning? Come to this free workshop where we will cover planning basics. Representatives from the Red Cross, SES (State Emergency Service) and CFA (Country Fire Authority) will share their expertise and speak about keeping safe. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Are you interested in learning more about this subject? Or, more broadly, sustainability and living on the land?
Here are a few titles from our collection that might suit your interests:
Bush life : stories from the beating heart of rural Australia : told through the camera lens of ten exceptional photographers
The Beauty in the Bush Collective is a team of ten rural photographers from across Australia who are all women, working and living on their land. In this, their first book, they share the homes, work and play that make up the lives of those living in the bush – from rodeos and mustering to cooking, childrearing and harvest time. Beautiful and romantic but always achingly real, here you will find a mix of heartfelt writing and photography – landscape, lifestyle and portraiture – that share the strengths, locations and unique perspectives of those Australians who live and love on our wild and sunburnt country. They’re farmers, producers and graziers living at the whim of the weather, while bearing huge responsibilities to their families, stock and the land. But that doesn’t mean they don’t also live rich creative lives.
Eco-Houses: Sustainability & Quality of Life
"Sustainable design integrates consideration of resource and energy efficiency, healthy buildings and materials, ecologically and socially sensitive land-use, and an aesthetic sensitivity that inspires, affirms, and ennobles..." The construction process affects the environment and surrounding ecosystem. Once buildings are constructed, the occupants and administrators face a series of challenges in their attempt to maintain a healthy, efficient, and productive environment. In order to face these challenges, innovative and varied building strategies have been developed to contribute to the achievement of environmentally friendly homes that are alive and "breathe".
Safer gardens : plant flammability & planning for fire
Destructive bushfires are increasing in frequency and intensity around the world. For people living in fire prone areas there are no reliable guides about which plants have low flammability and which are frighteningly flammable. Safer Gardens is that guide, with over 500 plants assessed, based on fire research from around the world. Readers can look up a plant in the Plant Flammability Table to get an idea of its flammability then turn to the A-Z for more detailed information. The book contains advice about ways to create a more firesafe garden, including the need to carefully manage the use of mulch and hedges.
Firewise, fire-safe : how to survive a bushfire
Firewise, Fire-safe tells you to how to protect yourself and your home from a bushfire. Bushfires are our most dangerous natural disaster, producing on average the highest number of deaths and injuries in Australia. This book helps you prepare for a bushfire and advises on what to do when a fire threatens you and your home. There is preparation information for when the fire approaches, when the fire arrives and after the fire. First aid is approved by St John Ambulance and there is a list of emergency contacts.