A WA musician who turned his love of gardening into songs about composting and growing vegetables has seen his musical efforts bear fruit, playing the big stage at the Glastonbury Festival and having his music pushed by the United Nations.

February 10 is World Umbrella Day, an occasion not typically marked by raucous celebrations but one always remembered in Melbourne's east.

Once driven by social responsibility and the dream of affordable housing for all, architects now favour profits over people, architectural theorist Reinier de Graaf says.

Researchers say the concentration of plastic waste in the European Arctic is now comparable or even higher than in more urban and populated areas.

Tasmania's prime convict-era farm at Longford near Launceston gets a new visitor centre, with galleries and a restaurant, to attract more tourists and secure its future.