e-news 31 aug 2007
Posted on 31 August 2007 by e-news
MASG NEWS
RE-LIGHTING MALDON: 9000 light globes in 4 weekends: It’s Easy Being Green are working with the MASG Tarrengower Working Group, the local CFA, SES and Bendigo Bank to supply and refit every house in Maldon with energy efficient Compact Fluorescent globes. Volunteers from the CFA, SES and Maldon community groups will visit every house in the Maldon area during the four weekends of September. If you live in Maldon book your free refit at the Maldon branch of the Bendigo Bank.
Challenge to Change for Sustainable Living:
Schools in the Shire are busy measuring their energy use this week and next, to see how much they can save. Next week (called “Go” week) the schools will be comparing their per-student energy use. Terry White will be interviewed on ABC radio 91.1FM on Monday 3rd Sept at 6.50am, and we hope ABC will do a daily story on Challenge 2 Change on breakfast radio each day next week.
FEDERAL ELECTION LEAD-UP
MASG has a stall at Wesley Hill Market tomorrow [Saturday 1st Sept.] and Julia Gillard will be at the market from 10.30 – noon. We encourage MASG members to visit our stall and take this opportunity to meet with the Deputy Opposition Leader. We believe that the two major parties need to be much more active on climate change and must hear that message from the public in an election year. Issues that could be raised include:
- Greenhouse gas reduction targets that won’t cook the earth. Labor’s 60% reduction by 2060 without interim targets is a commitment to a catastrophic climate crisis. It’s not good enough, quick enough or consistent with the science, economic modeling and public opinion that demands significant reductions now.
- Support for renewable energy, not fossil fuels. Renewable energy should be getting some of that $17B budget surplus, many of the technologies are available now and could be rapidly and widely adopted with support.
- Mandate for a compulsory Greenhouse audit of all major projects and demand they provide information on how they will impact on our climate and how they plan to mitigate or avoid any projected impacts.
- Public transport not more roads, roads and roads as a response to transport congestion.
There are many more examples. Call the office if you wish to discuss how you could raise these issues with Ms Gillard and please go along and speak to her.
MASG Social: Friday 7th Sept at 5.15pm at Castlemaine Community House, Lyttleton St. [opposite Togs]. UK feature showing the incredible Ashton Hayes DVD and Ian’s slides.
Local Food Production: Working bee to prepare the demonstration garden at MASG. Sat 8th Sept., anytime between 8.30 and 12 noon. Rear of 233 Barker St (enter from Templeton St). We will clear away vegetation after tree removal and prepare to build raised garden beds. Bring appropriate tools – pruning saws, secateurs, rakes etc. TRAILERS NEEDED.
If you can come (or you can work at another time), please contact Peter Sansom – bundara@netcon.net.au or 5474 2403. Details about the Local Food Production group are now on this website. And of course if you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the MASG Public Fund, that would be welcome too.
Bendigo hosts renewables conference: Dean will speak at “Renewable Energy & Regional Australia” on Mon 17th September. 10 tickets for the 2 days of this National Conference will be given away next week on ABC breakfast radio 91.1FM, so listen in to win a free ticket.
Renewables – the Expo: now 9-10th November. Due to popular demand we have rescheduled the Expo to 9-10 November, and to a bigger venue: Campbells Creek Community Centre, Elizabeth Street. Details in later e-news.
Transport: Ride to work day – the Transport working group is meeting weekly to organise a cycling celebration on 17 October. If you are interested in helping make Ride to Work day a success please come to meetings at MASG every Thursday morning at 9.30. We will also need your help on the day from 6 to 9.30am – you’ll get free breakfast and have fun!
MASG in the news – transcript of ‘Going cragging’.
**Please give us your tips for greater sustainability – we will print a weekly suggestion**
OTHER news and events, not MASG endorsed:
Local Water Plan 2008-2013: Coliban Water has re-organsied it’s public information sessions in Castlemaine following many requests: it’s now on Tuesday 4 September, 2pm in the Campbells Creek Community Centre. Please call 1300 363 200 to register.
We would encourage all those interested in the water future of our area to attend, or at least register your interest in the plan.
Meanwhile Mary Crooks, Exec Director of the Victorian Women’s Trust and Project Director of Watermark Australia Project has written to The Hon. John Brumby, MLA, Premier of Victoria, calling for a plebiscite on the proposed desalination plant and the north-south pipeline. [Watermark Project – report available from libraries].
Food and water: embodied energy and water costs: producing 1kg of beef results in more CO2 emissions than going for a three-hour drive while leaving all the lights on at home, scientists said.
Green power surges despite the cost: Australians are sending green power sales surging despite a lack of Federal Government support for renewable energy.
But Australian greenhouse emissions are on the rise. ABC News, 14 August 2007: New figures shows Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions are rising again after a downward trend last year. “The Greenhouse Indicator has now been above the 2 million tonnes mark for 12 consecutive weeks. Until June this year, the Indicator had only risen above 2 million tonnes for a total of 3 weeks.”
APEC plan sets ‘high energy’ target: One of the Federal Government’s key climate change initiatives for next month’s Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit would allow energy consumption to keep increasing unchecked and set a weaker target than some APEC countries have already adopted.
Liz Minchin, The Age, August 23, 2007
“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
George Orwell
Comments are closed.
