Specialising in sustainable interior decorating, I have used several resources and websites that I think you would find useful in starting your journey to a more sustainable lifestyle. I have also included a small selection of beautiful products made by local designers. This list is by no means comprehensive, it's just a snippet of what's out there.
Sustainable Design Resources
Sustainable Furniture Presentation - See talk HERE
Good Environment Choice Australia (GECA) www.geca.org.au
Global Green Tag www.globalgreentag.com/certified-products-australianz
Your Home Design Page www.yourhome.gov.au/
Live At The Cape House Designs www.liveatthecape.com.au/ecohousedesigns.html
Green Building Institute www.greenbuilding.org.au
Home Environment Assessment Kit (Moonee Valley City Council) www.mvcc.vic.gov.au
Appliance Energy Rating Calculator www.energyrating.gov.au
Authentic Design Alliance www.authenticdesignalliance.org/
Magazines & Networks
Sanctuary Magazine www.sanctuarymagazine.org.au/
Green Magazine www.greenmagazine.com.au/
Peppermint Magazine www.peppermintmag.com/category/home-lifestyle/
Junkies Magazine www.junkies.com.au/
The Local Project www.thelocalproject.com.au
Books
Healthy Home Healthy Family - Nicole Bijlsma
The Smart Living Handbook - Melissa Wittig & Danielle KIng
The Energy Freedom Home - Beyond Zero Emissions
Greeniology & Australian Green Consumer Guide - Tanya Ha
How to Rethink Building Materials - Edited by Dick Clarke
Rethink the way you live - Amanda Talbot
Green Design - A heatlhy home - Alan Berman
Waste Not - Erin Rhoades
What's In This Stuff - Pat Thomas
Remodelista The Organised Home - Julie Carson & Margot Guralnick
Affluenza - Clive Hamilton
Eco / Sustainable / Upcycling Blogs
Recycled Interiors www.recycledinteriors.org/
Undercover Architect www.undercoverarchitect.com/architecture-blog/
Second Hand Directory & Upcycling
The Junkmap www.thejunkmap.com.au/
Halsey Road Recyclers www.halseyroadrecyclers.com.au/
Bower Centre http://bower.org.au/
Vintage Shop Directory www.vintageshops.com.au/
Furniture - Lounge & Dining (retail & bespoke)
Handkrafted www.handkrafted.com/ Directory on craftsmen.
Jardan www.jardan.com.au Locally made in Melbourne
Maker & Son www.makerandson.com/ Organic & natural products
Nicholls Design www.nichollsdesign.com.au
Felix Furniture www.felixfurniture.com/
Uliks / View Furniture www.viewfurniture.com
Thomas Gannan www.thomasgannan.com.au/
Arthur G www.arthurg.com.au/
Schembri Fine Furniture www.schembrifinefurniture.com.au/
East Style Furniture www.eaststyle.com.au/
Neel Dey Furniture www.recycledtimberfurniture.net/
Yard Furniture www.yardfurniture.com.au
Retrograde Furniture www.retrogradefurniture.com.au
Idle Hands www.idlehands.design/
Christopher Scott Furniture www.christopherscott.com.au/
Westwood www.west-wood.com.au
Auld Design www.aulddesign.com.au/
Deep In The Woods www.deepinthewoods.com.au/
Kitchen Retro-fit or New Fitout
Cantilever Interiors www.cantileverinteriors.com/
Woodbeast www.woodbeast.com.au/
Smarter Kitchens www.smarterbathrooms.com.au
Dreamdoors www.dreamdoorskitchens.com.au/
Swap-a-top www.swapatop.com.au/ (quick overview of benchtop types)
Arkie Design www.arkiedesigns.com.au/
Fittings - Bathroom
Ingrain Designs www.ingraindesigns.com.au/
Bombora Custom Furniture www.bomboracustomfurniture.com.au
Timber Revival www.timberrevival.com.au
Onsen Design www.onsen.net.au/
Wood Melbourne www.woodmelbourne.com/
Formed www.formed.com.au/
Sussex Taps www.sussextaps.com.au
Phoenix Taps www.phoenixtapware.com.au
Rams Taps www.ramtaps.com.au
Methven www.methven.com/au/home
Caroma (Stainless Steel - Titan Range) www.caroma.com.au/
Bathe (Stainless Steel - Kaldewei Range) www.bathe.net.au
Materials & Coverings
Green painters www.greenpainters.org.au/
Ecolour www.ecolour.com.au
Livos www.livos.com.au/
Porters Paint www.porterspaints.com/
Whittle wax www.whittlewaxes.com.au/
Osmo Oil www.osmoaustralia.com.au/
Anro www.anrofloorcare.com.au/
Cork Flooring www.corkfloors.com.au/
Hardware
Kethy www.kethy.com.au/
Hepburn Hardware www.hepburnhardware.com/
Made Measure www.mademeasure.com/
Spark & Burnish www.sparkandburnish.com.au/
Carpets & Rugs
Armadillo&Co www.armadillo-co.com/
Velieris www.velieris.com/
Oh Happy Home www.ohhappyhome.com.au
Floorspace www.floorspace.com.au/
Textiles & Bedding
Ink & Spindle www.inkandspindle.com
Willie Weston www.willieweston.com/
Yolande Zarins www.yolandazarins.com/
Sustainable Living Fabrics www.sustainablelivingfabrics.com.au/
Print Ink Studio www.printinkstudio.com/
Bhumi www.bhumi.com.au/
Ettitude www.ettitude.com.au/
Slower Dawn www.slowerdawn.com/
Sheets on the Line www.sheetsontheline.com.au/
Introduction to certification for textiles Found Here
Introduction to issues on fabric types Found Here
Lighting
Lighting Matters www.lightingmatters.com.au
Who Did That www.whodidthat.com.au
Tub Design www.tubdesign.com.au/
Satelight www.satelight.com.au/
Plants. Lamps. Functional Accessories.
Growing Green Guide www.growinggreenguide.org/
One Tiny Jungle www.onetinyjungle.com.au
Lightly www.lightly.com.au/
Phil & Lea www.phillipandlea.com.au/
Idle Hands www.idlehands.design/
Big Design Market www.thebigdesignmarket.com/
Recycling & Repairing Organisations
Recycling near you resource http://recyclingnearyou.com.au/
Melbourne Repair Cafe www.melbournerepaircafe.org/
Ecoactive (Batteries & E-waste) www.ecoactiv.com.au/
BrightSparks (appliances) www.brightsparksaustralia.com/donate/
Brotherhood St Lawrence (appliances) http://stores.bsl.org.au/our-range/fridges-whitegoods/
Kids Off The Kerb (appliances) http://kidsoffthekerb.org/whitegoods-refurbishment-recycling-project/
Zilch (give your things a new home, no charge) http://au.ziilch.com/
Freecycle (give your things a new home, no charge) https://groups.freecycle.org/group/Melbourne/posts/all
Ebay www.ebay.com.au
Gumtree www.gumtree.com.au/
Diabetes Australia (Clothes and rags) www.diabetesvic.org.au/get-involved/clothing-collection
Menshed (Tools & Wood) http://mensshed.org/find-a-shed/
Local Aldi & Mitre10 stores take batteries
How Can I recycle...? http://www.recyclethis.co.uk
Picobello www.picobello.com.au
Tile Rescue www.tilerescue.com.au
DIY Craft courses / workshops
EcoGatherings www.putyourheartintoit.com.au/
Handmakers Factory www.handmakersfactory.com.au/
The Windsor Workshop www.the-windsor-workshop.com/
CERES www.ceres.org.au/education/courses/
The Thread Den www.threadden.com
Workshop Classes www.work-shop.com.au
Health / Organic / Bulk Shops
The Source Moonee Ponds https://moonee-ponds.thesourcebulkfoods.com.au/
Urban Wellness Project www.urbanwellnessproject.com.au
Ladybird Organics www.ladybirdorganics.com.au