The Open Desk

Margie Beilharz

Freelance editor and writer in science, environment, education, health

Tag: environment

  • Hello 2016

    As I get down to work in the new year, here’s a reminder of my Christmas and New Year break.

  • Save the Winton Wetlands sea-eagles in seven days

    There are a gazillion conservation causes to donate to, but you don’t often get the chance to save two particular wild animals – let’s call them Seymour and Serena. They are a pair of white-bellied sea-eagles that nest at the Winton wetlands in north-east Victoria (a long way from the sea, despite their name). These wetlands are being restored (the biggest […]

  • Review: Junkyard Planet

    My review of Adam Minter’s Junkyard Planet:  travels in the billion-dollar trash trade is out on Science Book a Day today: Do you recycle? Separate out your paper, cans and labelled plastic from your landfill waste? Take your computer waste to a resource recovery centre? Go you! I do too, and every little bit helps, […]

  • Advocating for environmental education

    Advocating for environmental education

    I was excited to get my hands on the July issue of Eingana – the journal of Environment Education Victoria – it was my first issue as copyeditor, and the journal featured a new design to go with the organisation’s new name. This issue brings together education and advocacy, summed up nicely by EEV Vice President […]

  • 400 ppm carbon dioxide: we’ve reached it

    … which is not good news Shared on my Facebook page.  

  • The good and bad of global recycling

    The good and bad of global recycling

    Soon I’ll be reviewing Adam Minter’s new book Junkyard Planet for Science Book a Day – just waiting for that parcel in the mail! George Aranda has already posted a synopsis and book trailer – they’re new thing, have you noticed?

  • Decoy nest protects young yellow-rumped thornbills

    Decoy nest protects young yellow-rumped thornbills

    These little brown birds, seen flitting around woodlands and occasionally my garden, are clever architects whose nest deceives potential predators. I discovered this after I chose to write a piece on the yellow-rumped thornbill for the Bimblebox 153 Birds Project—a conservation meets art project highlighting the bird species recorded in Bimblebox Nature Refuge in Queensland, which is […]

  • Yellow-rumped thornbill: Bimblebox Art Project

    This is the text of my audio piece on the yellow-rumped thornbill for the Bimblebox 153 Birds Art Project, which is touring around Queensland to raise awareness of the Bimblebox Nature Refuge, which is threatened by coal mining. 153 species of birds have been spotted in the reserve. Yellow-rumped thornbills (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) are endemic to Australia and widespread, particularly […]

  • Write for conservation, and art

    I’ve picked the yellow-rumped thornbill to write about for the Bimblebox 153 Birds Project. 153 because they’ve recorded 153 bird species at Bimblebox Nature Reserve in central western Queensland (although their website now says 154). The privately owned high-biodiversity remnant woodland reserve is now under threat