My wish list for a nicer, greener, cleaner, more social Melbourne

1. Pay for plastic bag..bring your own bag

Target does it, Aldi does it, Bunnings does it why can't Coles and Woolworths
2. Proper recycling bins

Countries with the Highest Recycling Rates

	Country	Percentage of Waste Recycled<>
1	Switzerland	52%
2	Austria	49.7%
3	Germany	48%
4	Netherlands	46%
5	Norway	40%
6	Sweden	34%
7	United States	31.5%

3. Refund when returning bottles – don’t have to go to SA to get your measily 10 cents

4. Bike lanes & No helmets on bikes

Cycling in Melbourne was a very popular form of transport at the turn of the 19th Century, however overall bicycle use went into steady decline with introduction of helmet legislation in the 1990s having a significant negative effect on its popularity. In recent years, the popularity of cycling for health,fitness, and as a non-polluting alternative to the automobile is increasing in Melbourne. Use of bicycles for transport as cycling still accounts for around 2% of trips in Melbourne.

5. More cafes with wider footpaths to allow for outside seating. Cafes where you don’t have to eat something to be allowed to sit.

6. Oyster cards... oops! MyQui?
7. Allow cars to drive on tram tram tracks on St Kilda road.

8. Cheaper cultural programs

9. More effort put into inviting music bands from the rest of the world

10. More pubs with jam sessions

11. Deck chairs on the beach

12. Deck chairs in the park

13. Dog pooing area in parks

14. Folding bikes – make them more affordable

15. Allow busking

16. Car free areas – small section of Bourke street is not enough. A section of Chapel street and Brunswick street should be car free as well.

Something cheeky to share

http://cheekytraveller.com/


Don't miss this entertaining account of the cheeky travels of the cheeky traveller

Cars.. what a waste

Ok so I bought a classy Volkswagon last year. The sales guy said ' It's better for the engine if you use Premium Unleaded petrol but where did it say or did he say that using standard common man Unleaded would cause any harm??
I mean I thought.. ooh we are special, we have an expensive European car that needs 'Special' fuel. Stuff that.. I am a common (wo)man and this is the people's car.


10 months of standard unleaded and the engine failed.


Wow!


Servicing guy at VW - Con - condescending Con made me feel like it was ALL my fault and that it would cost anywhere between 2000 to 20000! Man was I worried. I should have just bought a Suzuki Swift.


Then Wonderful Wayne from VW called and said 'oh.. we have decided to do the job under warranty' Magic!


But now.. the question is, should I sell it?

Some thoughts on 2010

2010 was a big year for me. In chronological order, I started a new job at GE Money close to home, nice location location by the river.. a workplace that promotes leaving at 5pm and has a culture that suits my grain. Of course it is a corporate world and things are not all lovey dovey - there is an element of stress.. but things outside of work kept me pre-occupied to say the least.


I realised that it' not all about work. There are far greater and more important things - happy and sad that impact your life. Well at least that's the way I see it now-Work life balance


Next up.. I moved back to the flat and started the tweaking, renovation, enhancement - call it what you will. It went from ok to good. Started off with the 'this is an investment, do the minimum to have the maximum impact' to 'ooohhh this would look so good' - the emotions took over the cheque book.


I'll write more about the rest when I am ready. Not quite ready to go through the events of the second half of 2010.