Performances in the VIP area of the recent Byron Bay festival ‘Bluesfest’ were powered solely by the sun thanks to Southern Cross University’s (SCU) new green initiative - a solar-powered sound system. [ + ]

Barossa Valley farmers and winemakers no longer need to wait to recycle their empty and clean agvet chemical containers, after some recent changes to the local drumMUSTER program. [ + ]

A new toolkit is being launched to provide businesses - particularly marketing professionals - with the knowledge required to have a greater awareness and positive influence on decisions about sustainable packaging design and end of life. [ + ]

Solarcity New Zealand and Panasonic New Zealand have won a competitive tender to supply a 131 kWp (kilowatt peak) solar system to power a new desalination plant on the Pacific Island of Nauru. [ + ]

Smith & Loveless grit removal technologies relevant to Australian wastewater treatment plants will be presented by CST Wastewater Solutions to the Ozwater’13 international water conference and exhibition in Perth from 7-9 May. [ + ]

In a world-first study, researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED) have developed a way for governments to balance the needs of society and industry with those of endangered wildlife and environments. [ + ]

MWH Global, a strategic consulting, technical engineering and construction services firm in the wet infrastructure sector, has announced its intent to purchase Outback Ecology, an Australian environmental consultancy associated with the natural resources and mining industry for more than 20 years. [ + ]

KFC Australia has announced the completion of the rollout of new recycling systems at selected KFC restaurants throughout Victoria. This follows the successful rollout in NSW and South Australia. [ + ]

Climate change will bring both big opportunities and threats to the fish-dependent nations of the Pacific, international scientists say. [ + ]

New research to expand the use of water recycling for irrigating South Australia’s vineyards has been initiated by the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence. [ + ]

The 2013 NABERS training series for people to become accredited assessors or simply better understand how the NABERS rating tools work are now open for registration. [ + ]

Murdoch University researchers are touting biogas from small-scale food waste digesters as a source of renewable energy for rural and regional communities. [ + ]

The University of Western Australia (UWA) has become the state’s first Fair Trade University following its decision to switch to ethical and environmentally sustainable products in the workplace. [ + ]

Origin’s Energy Savers education program has taught over half a million Australian students how to manage their consumption and use energy safely at home, at school and in the community. 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the program. [ + ]

Dr Sheila Nguyen, from Deakin University’s School of Management and Marketing, is organising two Sports Sustainability Summits - one in Melbourne on 25 March and the other in Sydney on 26 March. [ + ]