News Digest: Sept 22nd 2006
Posted on 22 September 2006 by e-news
MASG News
- Carbon Neutral State Festival 2007 working groups continue to meet to plan for this big event. To participate or for more information contact Carolyn at the office on 5470 6978
- WORKSHOP: Put Your MP on the Hot Seat: MASG hosted this workshop on Thursday the 21st with 14 participants agreeing to discuss climate change with our local parliamentary members and candidates in the lead up to the state election in November.
- Sean Rooney, CSIRO Sustainable Communities Initiative, Friday 22nd September. MASG meet with Sean to discuss how we may be involved in a new CSIRO led research initiative to assist communities identify and form innovative solutions to sustainability challenges.
- Castlemaine Community House Spring Ball: We successfully gathered enough information and money to calculate and offset the emissions from the Ball. Thank you to all the MASG volunteers who helped with the night. We will publish more information about the Ball and how we will offset it soon.
Upcoming MASG Events
- Ride to work October 4th. Start organizing your workplace now. Posters are out for this MASG joint sponsored event. Contact Bronwen for more information on 54706978 or exec@masg.org.au
- Monthly MASG Quick and Clean Friday evenings: Catch up on the workings of MASG projects & working groups in a one hour gathering. First Friday of the Month. Friday October 6th, 5.30-6. 30pm @ MASG offices.
- Renewable Energy. Next meeting October 12th 7.30 pm @ MASG offices with Leigh Watkins of the Bendigo Bank discussing a possible Community Power Company.
MASG Requests
- A Voluteer for one hour every 3 or so weeks to assist set up the Renewable Energy working group events. These take place on a fortnightly or 3 weekly basis on Thursdays. Contact Dean at office 5470 6978
- A Volunteer to repaint a notice board for MASG. Contact Dean.
OTHER: Please note these events are not MASG endorsed and are for members information only.
Castlemaine Landcare Group Tree planting. 720 plants along the Happy Valley Walking Track Sunday September 24th Time: 10am – 2pm Bring: Planting tools, mash hammers, buckets. Parking: On Montgomery Street & walk down to the track. Contact Robin Haylett: phone 5470 6630 or George Ryan:phone 5470 6004.
Peak Oil Forum, What is Peak Oil, what are our alternatives? What are the timelines? Main presenter: Adam Fenderson, Editor of the Energy Bulletin Sacred Heart Secondary College, Theatre Hall, Kyneton, 7.30 pm $10, $5 concession.For more info and bookings contact Rob Evans 54270784.’Earth from Above’ – an aerial portrait of our planet towards sustainable development. Photograher is a Frenchman,Yann Arthus Bertrand.Exhibition is on River Terrace Federation Square (next to Yarra river),.It is open air and free and is on until Dec 12. The photos demonstrate the diversity and sheer beauty of the planet and the messages bring home the environmental challenges. There is also a panel suggesting how each person can ‘turn it around’ Website is : www.yannarthusbertrand.orgMt Alexander Shire Cleanup Action Group has formed. Their first project is with the Old Gasworks site cleanup and the risk to health and safety during the dig transport and early stages of bioremediation. Next Meeting Mon 25 Sept, Site meeting and public meeting Oct 2. Info from Jan 54705556, Marie 54723988 Carol 54722952.
Landmark legal case: State of California sues automobile companies for climate change damage The legal case filed today by the State of California against six major car companies asking “monetary compensation†for climate change damage.Roda Verheyen, co-Director of the Climate Justice Programme said: “This was a case waiting to happen. It is the most significant piece of climate change litigation that has ever been brought. It shows that those who suffer damage from climate change can seek compensation in the courts. More of these cases will happen until governments and companies make the deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions that the planet needs. Car makers should realise that they cannot continue business-as-usual and realise high profits while destroying the climate by selling high-consumption engines.†See http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1338
Virgin Group gets into renewables. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has made a 10-year, $US3 billion ($A3.9 billion) commitment to renewable energy initiatives. In an announcement in New York, Sir Richard committed Virgin to a green future, pledging that future dividends and proceeds from the sale of assets, including shares from Virgin’s airline and train operations, would be invested in renewable energy initiatives. He added that he would lobby the Australian Government to sign the Kyoto Protocol. The tycoon told ABC radio the Australian government was dragging the chain on global warming and he would move to make sure that next time around Australia would “get its act together” and sign the environmental agreement. “The world has a very serious problem – it’s ill and it’s going to get iller unless we do something radical,” Sir Richard said. AAP Friday 22nd.
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