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Michael Mobbs' Sustainable House

Home
My House
My journey
Electricity
Water
Wastewater
The Kitchen
Products & Services
Low bills living
Services
Book a talk
Off-grid projects
Off-grid fact sheets
Tours
General Public Tours
Model of my house at the Powerhouse Museum
Blog
About
Contact me
Media
Leaky drains and kerbside gardens
Food
4 December 2025
Michael Mobbs
Cucumber farming in the street

Story by two US interns, Michael Miniotas and Will Brandt, who are growing cucumbers in a Sydney street.

Cucumber farming in the street
21 June 2019
Michael Mobbs
Make a more natural nature strip

Here’s a simple, low cost , low tech design which keeps rain water where it falls to make a self-watering nature strip.

Let’s put nature into the ‘nature’ strips of our cities. It’s easy.

Make a more natural nature strip
2 April 2019
Michael Mobbs
23 years off grid for water in the centre of ...

What does the data tell us about living off-grid for water in the heart of Sydney?

Analysis of water quantity by an American intern in Sydney, Jillian Meehan.

23 years off grid for water in the centre of Sydney - what the data says
6 February 2019
Michael Mobbs
Aircon for on and off-grid houses

Here’s how to have aircon and be on or offgrid for electricity. Cool!

Aircon for on and off-grid houses
Michael Mobbs
3 March 2025

Rat Proofing My Gardening

Michael Mobbs
3 March 2025
Rat Proofing My Gardening

Maclaine, an intern with Sustainable House, is trialling how to deter rats from compost

Tagged: Compost, Solutions

2 Comments
Michael Mobbs
1 March 2025

Notre Dame universities kill communities

Michael Mobbs
1 March 2025
Notre Dame universities kill communities

Its about money and privilege. Notre Dame universities buy land and buildings using tax-free, rates free-privileges to out-compete, out-bid private developers. In the properties they create rivers of tax-free religious-based education.

Tagged: Garbage

1 Comment
Michael Mobbs
17 February 2025

Lucy composting her food waste in the street

Michael Mobbs
17 February 2025
Lucy composting her food waste in the street

Lucy puts her food waste into a coolseat on the footpath in Chippendale, NSW, Australia

Tagged: Food waste, Coolseaats, Streetgarden

3 Comments
Michael Mobbs
15 February 2025

More and more and more

Michael Mobbs
15 February 2025
More and more and more

“This is truly a radical and very necessary new history of energy. A rich, unnerving, funny and utterly compelling account, it destabilizes our understanding again and again.” David Edgerton, author of The Shock of the Old

Tagged: Energy, Green energy, Climate action

3 Comments
Michael Mobbs
12 February 2025

I cannot wash, flush or throw away my carbon pollution

Michael Mobbs
12 February 2025
I cannot wash, flush or throw away my carbon pollution

Interning in Sydney, Australia, my hands and life are full of . . . water, compost, food waste . . . learning by doing and having fun at the same time - my story, by Lucy Bamford

Tagged: Rain, Rainwater, compost, Climate

5 Comments
Michael Mobbs
3 December 2024

How to cool a street

Michael Mobbs
3 December 2024
How to cool a street

Councils, residents can easily, cheaply, simply cool a street - here’s how

Tagged: Cooling, Water, Rainwater, Rate rebate, Stormwater

2 Comments
Michael Mobbs
27 November 2024

Love letters to worms

Michael Mobbs
27 November 2024
Love letters to worms

I wrote a love letter to worms in a coolseat . . . Lauren Ryan’s letter . . .

Tagged: Truth, compost

Comment
Michael Mobbs
27 November 2024

Finding my stolen focus

Michael Mobbs
27 November 2024
Finding my stolen focus

“When I walk around the city of Sydney what do I notice? Is it tall buildings, cars rushing by, people, people talking?“

Tagged: Energy, Solutions, Community, Village life

Comment
Michael Mobbs
21 November 2024

Is The Coolseat Price Right for You?

Michael Mobbs
21 November 2024
Is The Coolseat Price Right for You?

“As I continue my studies in sustainable product business management through my internship with Michael Mobbs, helping him launch Coolseats to the market, I've learned how challenging it can be to find the perfect price for a product. “ Lauren Ryan’s story . . .

Tagged: coolseats, Food waste, compost, Efficiency, Energy, Green energy

Comment
Michael Mobbs
12 November 2024

Harvesting compost juice

Michael Mobbs
12 November 2024
Harvesting compost juice

Drink in this blog by Lauren Ryan showing how to harvest compost juice

Tagged: Compost Recycling Soil coolseat, compost, Food waste, Food

Comment
Michael Mobbs
10 November 2024

How much garbage in Chippendale, Australia?

Michael Mobbs
10 November 2024
How much garbage in Chippendale, Australia?

When Elizabeth Barret Browning asked in the opening lines of her sonnet, “How do I love thee?” she answered, “Let me count the ways”.

Tagged: Garbage, Incentives, Climate action, Recycling, Food, Food waste, Efficiency

Comment
Michael Mobbs
30 October 2024

What's wrong when I talk about Earth's environment?

Michael Mobbs
30 October 2024
What's wrong when I talk about Earth's environment?

Lauren in Sydney, Australia

Tagged: Energy, Efficiency, Global warming, Planting

1 Comment
Michael Mobbs
12 September 2024

Comparing Compost Bin Designs

Michael Mobbs
12 September 2024
Comparing Compost Bin Designs

"As outsiders getting introduced to the world of composting it has been interesting to work with different forms of composting bins. We have noticed some are easier to work with than others and wanted to share our comparisons."

Tagged: compost, Garden design, Streetgarden

Comment
Michael Mobbs
6 September 2024

Coolseats and Upsoil Collective win $90k Melbourne Council project prize

Michael Mobbs
6 September 2024
Coolseats and Upsoil Collective win $90k Melbourne Council project prize

Coolseats and Upsoil Collective have won the Melbourne City Council $90k project prize - watch the 4 minute pitch here

Tagged: Coolseaats, Compost Recycling Soil coolseat, Climate action, Cooling, Comp

2 Comments
Michael Mobbs
20 August 2024

Monitoring compost to get real-time data

Michael Mobbs
20 August 2024
Monitoring compost to get real-time data

"The transition from the very warm, tropical weather in Hawai’i to the winter here in Sydney has been a jarring experience, to say the least. However, I have only been here for about a month and can tell you I rightfully made a great decision coming to Sydney."

Tagged: Data, Climate action, compost, Community

2 Comments
Michael Mobbs
7 August 2024

Countdown to Melbourne pitch night

Michael Mobbs
7 August 2024
Countdown to Melbourne pitch night

Public voting opens at 7 pm Thursday 15 August 2024 for three finalists in Melbourne City Council’s Fishermans Bend Challenge - anyone in or outside the pitch room may vote just by clicking the pitch images

Tagged: Coolseaats, Compost Recycling Soil coolseat, Climate action, Recycling

Comment
Michael Mobbs
7 August 2024

Composting takes centre stage at Fishermans Bend

Michael Mobbs
7 August 2024
Composting takes centre stage at Fishermans Bend

Composting will be there in the human form of Zoe Wang and Michael Mobbs, who will pitch their project for an all-in-one mix of data display about compost of local food waste, a seat to sit on above the compost, and a garden bed with food plants.

Tagged: Coolseaats, compost, Compost Recycling Soil coolseat, Village life

2 Comments
Michael Mobbs
24 July 2024

Why Hadley gets her hands dirty

Michael Mobbs
24 July 2024
Why Hadley gets her hands dirty

Last summer, I worked at a sustainability centre in Ithaca, New York. During that internship, I researched and learned various skills, then created lesson plans and taught classes to community members on small changes they could make to lead more sustainable lives.

Tagged: Climate action, compost, Coolseaats, Food waste, Food, Efficiency

2 Comments
Michael Mobbs
19 June 2024

Clytie saw compost solutions in Canada, U.S., Mexico, Cuba

Michael Mobbs
19 June 2024
Clytie saw compost solutions in Canada, U.S., Mexico, Cuba

Clytie saw compost solutions in the US, Canada . . . “My Churchill Fellowship has given me the opportunity to witness firsthand a wide variety of community compost initiatives that have been built by local communities in diverse settings including community gardens, warehouses, urban farms, verges and prisons.“

Tagged: compost, Community, Food waste

Comment
Michael Mobbs
14 June 2024

Hadley's story . . . getting serenity at the start of my days

Michael Mobbs
14 June 2024
Hadley's story . . . getting serenity at the start of my days

Hadley’s story . . . “Since I arrived in Sydney from the US about three weeks ago, I have spent my days outdoors engaging with nature and with the people that care for it. Here are my observations so far and some early thoughts.”

Tagged: compost, Compost Recycling Soil coolseat, Climate action, Garden design, Streetgarden

Comment
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Sustainable House, 58 Myrtle St, Chippendale, NSW, 2008, Australia

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