A University of Queensland (UQ) study has found that people who have environmentally friendly lifestyles at home often engage in environmentally harmful behaviour when they go on holiday. [ + ]

The City of Sydney has signed an environmental upgrade agreement (EUA) to help fund an energy-efficiency upgrade to one of the city's commercial office buildings. The $700,000 agreement will fund energy-efficient lighting, air conditioning and building management system upgrades to St James Hall. [ + ]

Consumer goods company Unilever has unveiled the first phase of its global #BrightFuture campaign in Australia and New Zealand. The campaign encourages employees to think about how they can create a brighter future and take small, everyday actions to make sustainable living commonplace. [ + ]

The 7th edition of the Industry Code of Practice for the Management of Biohazardous Waste (including Clinical & Related wastes) - formerly the Industry Code of Practice for the Management of Clinical and Related Wastes - will be launched on 23 July at the National Energy from Waste Symposium. [ + ]

Researchers from the University of Adelaide are using new magnetic materials to develop energy-saving electrical motors and generators. [ + ]

A new report from 202020Vision has analysed tree canopy cover in Australia's most urban, dense, local government areas (LGAs), revealing the complexities and barriers in addressing increased greenery. [ + ]

The carbon tax was given the axe today as senators voted for the scheme's repeal. [ + ]

According to the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), the Productivity Commission's report into public infrastructure has failed to grasp the features of the energy industry that make it different to other infrastructure types such as roads, public transport and ports. [ + ]

The National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA), based at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), has received a funding boost of $89,190 from the Queensland Department of Natural Resources & Mines. [ + ]

Urban water corporation Wannon Water, after evaluating other alternatives, has chosen Mono's InviziQ pressure sewer system as the most cost-effective and easy-maintenance option for the Dutton Way project in Portland, Victoria. [ + ]

A recent report for the government-sponsored Battery Implementation Working Group (BIWG) has found that the recycling rate for handheld batteries was only 2.7% in 2012-13, thus supporting the need for a national product stewardship scheme. [ + ]

The Daily Telegraph claims to have obtained a secret government report, written in March this year, which contains figures for a proposed national container deposit scheme (CDS). Such a scheme could cost consumers $8 billion a year - up from the $1.4 billion originally estimated. [ + ]

A new study by researchers from RMIT University's Centre for Design and Society has found planning meals is crucial to cutting household food waste, regardless of socioeconomic status. [ + ]

The majority of the world's major cities have disclosed that climate change presents a physical risk to the businesses operating in their cities - and local governments are taking action in response. This information was published in the report Protecting our Capital, written by not-for-profit organisation CDP, infrastructure and support services firm Aecom and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. [ + ]

ARC engineers created a customised version of the Rollmax prefabricated reinforcement for use at Meridian Energy Australia's Mt Mercer Wind Farm. The company now expects the remodelled version to be used on wind farm developments in the future. [ + ]