A community partnership which has seen more than 5000 trees planted in the Brisbane area during the past two years has been extended for a further five years. [ + ]

Scientists at Wake Forest University have made a new kind of light from mouldable plastic, which can glow in any colour, won’t shatter and won’t leave you with the problem of searching for the one bad bulb on a strand of dozens. [ + ]

The state government of Victoria has welcomed the return of National Manufacturing Week (NMW) to Melbourne in 2013 as a reflection of its strategy for revitalising the state’s manufacturing sector. [ + ]

Curtin University has launched the Green Electric Energy Park (GEEP), an innovative new laboratory showcasing $1.2 million of renewable energy systems, which will be used for teaching and for extensive research. [ + ]

The National Packaging Covenant Industry Association (NPCIA) has commended the Western Australian government for significantly increasing fines for litterbugs over the weekend. [ + ]

MWM Energy Australia, the local subsidiary of the German-based gas genset manufacturer, has been awarded the service contract for the Melbourne Airport trigeneration facility. [ + ]

The Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, and Industry and Innovation, Mark Dreyfus, will visit the United States this week to highlight the best of Australian innovation, tourism and produce at the 10th annual G’day USA: Australia Week in California. [ + ]

Australia’s plastic garbage has made its way into every ocean in the world. New research shows that it doesn’t matter where in the world plastic garbage enters the ocean; it can end up in any of the five ocean basins. [ + ]

Central Highlands Water has awarded its engineering support services contract to MWH Global from January 2013 for an initial period of three years. [ + ]

CST Wastewater Solutions, in a partnership with Smith and Loveless, is providing grit seminars in Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney on 19, 20 and 21 February. The seminars will focus on all the important aspects of grit removal. [ + ]

The Australian Packaging Covenant has announced joint funding of a state-of-the-art plastic recycling facility to be built this year in Queensland. [ + ]

Engineering, architecture and environmental consulting company GHD has merged with Hill Michael, an Australian firm specialising in the development and operation of electricity supply systems. [ + ]

Is it your New Year’s resolution to be eco-friendly? Consult your friends first. [ + ]

The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has released a consultation paper on the efficiency of reporting under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) scheme. [ + ]

A wireless vibration sensor being developed by a Victoria University student could provide a low-cost solution for engineers to monitor the damage of buildings affected by earthquakes. [ + ]