Weekly News Digest, Friday 10th October 2008
Posted on 10 October 2008 by e-news
Key dates -summary
Wednesday 15th October Ride to Work
Thursday October 16th Volunteer morning tea, 11am at MASG
Thursday 16th October FOW launch at the Theatre Royal at 11am
Thursday 16thOctober Focus on Community
Saturday 18th October Low Energy Solar House Volunteer Training
Sat/Sun 25/26th October Festival of the Wheel
Tuesday 28th October Low Energy Solar House Volunteer Training
Wednesday 29th October Annual General Meeting
Thursday 30th October Challicum Hills Pacific Hydro farm tour
Other MASG News and Events
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
All members are invited to attend our second Annual General Meeting which will be held in the Ray Bradfield Room (behind the Market Building) at 7.00pm on Wednesday 29th October
Only current financial members will be able to vote
Following the AGM, at 8.00pm there will be a public meeting to hear a talk by Mike Hill, titled:
Communities Taking Action on Climate Change – Lessons from the Coalface.
Note: All members should have received a detailed notice about the AGM either by email or post. For any enquiries, please contact the Office on 5470 6978.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers Complete First 20
Maurice and Leroy from the Sydney Energy Cooperative have now completed the first 20 PV installations out of a total of 73. Things went very smoothly for them, thanks to Jayson’s preparation at the MASG office, Stephen Breheny’s work and the cooperation of all the householders involved. Over the lifetime of the panels, the project so far will save around 700 tonnes of CO2. The guys will be back in a month or two to complete this phase of the project.
MASG Ride2Work (Wednesday 15th October).
Free breakfast and cuppa, Victory Park, 6-9am, entertainment, blessing of the bikes, bike displays, information, bike health checks, give aways and much more. For further information, contact Jill Gibson on 5472 3098 or jillg@vic.chariot.net.au
Volunteers’ Morning Tea
Outside in the garden (hopefully) at MASG, Thursday 16th October at 10:30am. After a cup of tea and a chat you will have time to go down to the media launch – see details below.
Media launch of FOW
Carrying local celebrities, the new MASG trishaw in its splendid livery will feature at the Media Launch for the Festival of the Wheel on Thursday 16th October at 11:30am, outside the Theatre Royal! Organiser, Helena Read, is inviting MASG members to turn up and show support for the event.
Festival of the Wheel 25th & 26th OctoberNote that Early Bird entries for the Festival close on Monday 13th October. Early Bird prizes include a $500 giant bike. The Festival includes 4 major events: the Rides on Saturday, the Cycling’s Big Night Out on Saturday night, the Duathlons on Sunday morning and the Don KRC Free Family Fun Day in the gardens on Sunday starting at 11-30am. You can book for the whole weekend and help MASG’s funds at the same time by clicking here OR of course attend particular events.
Cycling’s Big Night Out
For non-riders unlikely to book for the whole weekend, we are now selling tickets for the Big Night Out separately. Comedians, Team and Tim Hurley, will turn on their own special brand of wackiness and the film Breaking Away is really worth seeing, whether you’re a sports nut or simply a lover of good movies. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for 17s and under and are available from the MASG office or Fergus the Frog at 188 Barker St. Tables for up to 12 can be made available on request.
We all need a good dose of worms!
Announcing a joint fundraising venture between MASG and the Damascus College (Ballarat) Energy Breakthrough Team – the current world speed record holders for a solar powered vehicle. The vehicles will be here at the FOW Family event on October 26th. The students manufacture the bins and they come supplied with 2000 fresh and frisky worms just itching to get started! The ‘bin and worm’ package is $135 and most purchasers will be eligible for a $30 government rebate. For full details, click here, or contact Peter Sansom at bundara@netcon.net.au or phone 5474 2403
The Grand MASG Raffle, 2008
Raffle tickets are selling quickly so don’t forget to come in to the office and buy your own and/or a book to sell. A bike valued up to $700.00 is the 1st prize, a mixed dozen bottles of wine is the 2nd prize and a solar powered radio is the 3rd prize.
Focus on Community – Projects that support the community in a creative, meaningful & sustainable way. These are great platforms for informing the community about positive opportunities and messages. Last workshop Thursday 16th October, 9.15 – 1.30pm. Contact facilitator, Deanna, on 0428 751 090
Low Energy Solar Home training sessions on Saturday 18th October between 10am and 3pm and Tuesday 28th October between 7and 9pm. If you haven’t already signed up for this fantastic opportunity, please email Fran on fran@masg.org.au as soon as possible. Why not walk or ride past the house and check out the landscaping which is happening right now!
Trades Directory. Keep the information rolling in about good trades people who work in a sustainable way, so that we can develop this community resource for anyone wanting to renovate or build. Email fran@masg.org.au with the details.
Community Wind Park information
MASG has produced the Spring 2008 first edition of our Community Wind Power newsletter which highlights some up and coming events. You can get a copy at the office or download at the Community Wind Power page . The next event is below:
Wind Tour: Thursday 30th October
Following on from our MASG wind farm tour in May we are planning another tour to the Challicum Hills Pacific Hydro farm.
Date Thursday October 30th, leaving Castlemaine at 9.30am and returning at 4pm. For bookings contact Dean on 5470 6978 or email dc@masg.org.au
Events organised by other groups
Wind Farm Tour: Hepburn Wind
Would you like to get up close to a wind turbine for a first-hand impression? Most people are surprised at the low noise level.
Hepburn Wind has re-commenced conducting free bus tours to the wind farm at Challicum Hills near Ararat. The next tour is on 12 October.
Tour Details
Date: Sunday, 12 October
Meeting time: 10:00am. Meeting point: Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre, 13 Camp St. Return to Daylesford: 15:00pm. Cost: Free. Bring a picnic lunch. Please e-mail or phone our tour organiser David Wait to reserve a seat on the bus.
E-mail: david.wait@hepburnwind.com.au Telephone: (03) 8804 3138
Box Iron Bark Ecology course, Nagambie 13th -17th October 2008. Brings together leading researchers and experts to share up to date knowledge and thinking about this landscape in change. For further information email: katestothers@dpi.vic.gov.au
Castlemaine Steiner School and Kindergarten is having their Open Day on Wednesday 22nd October. For further information ring: 5470 6235
Wilderness Bike Ride, Bairnsdale to Orbost in a day, 1st – 3rd November. For further information see the following website.
Centre for Sustainability Leadership is running a course on 8th November in Ballarat. Further information can be found here clsshortcourse@csl.org.au
Bike/Triathlon/MTB Swap Meet on Saturday 15th November 2008 in Laverton, VIC. For further information ring David on 0403 132 965 or email. bikeswapmeet@optusnet.com.au
Walk Against Warming is on Saturday the 15th November. If you would like to volunteer click on the following: jennifer.jordan@envict.org.au
Soap Making Workshop – Sunday 23rd November in Castlemaine
Learn how easy it is to make your own all vegetable/natural soap which is grey water friendly, kind to the environment, you and your family.
Contact Jill Gibson for more details 5472 3098
Interesting Information and Links
Whatever Happened to Brenda Hean? An interesting documentary which looks at the disappearance of environmental activist Brenda Hean who rallied to save Lake Pedder back in the early 1970’s. Her plane went missing whilst en route to lobby the PM in Canberra and no trace of it has ever been found. Season starts this Sunday, at the Theatre Royal with the filmmaker, Scott Millwood, attending at 4pm to introduce the film and conduct a Q&A and discussion after the screening.
Global warming set to change our eating habits:
Interesting link on long term Green Planning
Imago – The collectionIf you are in Melbourne between 8th October and 7th November, call by and see the prints and drawings of endangered Victorian and NSW invertebrates, by Chewton artist, Jan Palethorpe, at the Baillieu Library, open seven days a week.
Green tip:
While it may be tempting to cover the racks of your oven with aluminium foil to keep spills to a minimum, don’t. Foil reduces the heat flow and increases cooking time, which uses more energy and raises your electricity or gas bill.
Quote of the week:
This twenty-first century of ours will be faced with appalling social injustices, with conflict and pestilence. But these will not be its defining challenges. Instead, our task is a far more difficult one: to bring sustainability to a species that has not known it since it manufactured its first tool. And yet it is a defining responsibility, for by our actions we shall determine whether Gaia shall achieve intelligent control, or whether the blind watchmaker will tinker on, just as he has for the past 4 billion years. If we fail, all of out species’ great triumphs, all of our efforts, will have been for naught. And perhaps the past 4 billion years will have been for naught as well.
Final paragraph of Tim Flannery’s excellent Quarterly essay, ‘Now or Never – A Sustainable Future for Australia? 2008
MASG’s E News is currently compiled by Jill Bryan and edited by Neil Barrett. If you would like to advertise an event or comment on any items, please send to:e-news@masg.org.au. Closing time for copy Wednesday 3pm. If you would like further information, phone 5470 6978
Comments are closed.
