enews Friday July 15th 2011
Posted on 15 July 2011 by e-news
Dates: Renewable energy celebration Friday 15th 5pm @ Theatre Royal . MASG members carbon price briefing 5pm Friday 29th @ The Hub. Hub Plot pruning workshop 11am Saturday July 23rd @ The Hub
Carbon tax announcement – Celebrations and briefing
Renewable energy campaign celebration:
This Friday 15th 5pm @ Theatre Royal.Celebrate the great work of the 100% campaign to secure $10B over 5 years for renewable energy and thank the dozen or so local members who door knocked and spoke to over 400 people in Mt Alex Shire as part of the campaign. Download the 780 renewable energy conversations in Bendigo- Mount Alexander Report (3Mb)
Carbon Price briefing
Members gathering Friday 29th July – 5 to 6pm at the Hub. Briefing: What is good, what can be improved & most importantly what you can do at this crucial moment to support action on climate change. MASG members welcome to unpack the carbon price package without the media hysteria discuss what we need to do to make it work.
MASG thoughts on the carbon price package
Our analysis suggests that the package is that there is good news for regional Australia and renewable energy under carbon price package.
Good points
– $2 billion per year for investment in clean energy at an industrial scale, and a $3.2 billion fund to support innovation, job creation, research and development for renewables;
– An independent body, the Climate Change Authority (CCA), headed by former Reserve Bank Governor Bernie Fraser will set emission reduction targets for Parliament to approve;
– Funding to close down 2,000 megawatts of coal fired power stations – meaning we can finally close the dirtiest coal fired power stations in the country;
– $1 Billion over six years to help our environment adapt to the impacts of climate change and to reduce our emissions by protecting forests from logging and establishing green corridors for our native wildlife; and
– Lifting Australia’s 2050 emission reduction target from 60% to 80%.
Bernie Fraser- Ex- Reserve Bank Governer now to chair Climate Change Authority
Also see this fun and simple 2 minute GetUp! explaination of the carbon price package.
MASG comments as reported in the Bendigo Advertiser
Also a more detailed review of the package by Environment Victoria is available here
The Hub Plot Fruit Tree Pruning Demonstration
This great workshop will be starting at 11 a.m. Saturday 23rd of July at “ The Hub Plot” ,MASG’s food garden at the rear of 233 Barker St, Castlemaine.
Entry by donation of $5 Enquiries: heather@box311.biz or 0409 327791
Comfy Homes
The Lifehouse Design crew, listed on the Comfy Homes Building and renovating link
If you’re looking for information about building and renovating have a look at the Comfy Homes link for details about local eco-architects and designers, green builders, links to some of our owner-builder members, renovators and surveyors. And check out the list of more than 20 themes for ways to make your home more comfy this winter.
Vital Signs Workshop series for community groups
Practical and invaluable training in communication and groups skills for anyone involved in a community group. Run by skilled facilitators in the MASG area. Vital Signs will support community workers and volunteers by increasing their communication and interpersonal skills and providing mentoring and support to assist them in their work within 
the community. Vital Signs Workshop Series:
- Communication Skills series – This is a series of 4 sessions to learn, practice and develop good communication skills. Starts Saturday 23rd July, 10am-12.30pm, Anglican Church Hall, then every following Saturday.
- Group skills – facilitation – Thursday 18th August, 7.00-9.00pm The Forge
- Group skills – Consensus decision making – Thursday 25th August, 7.00-9.00pm The Forge
Bookings: admin@masg.org.au; 5470 6978. Cost per workshop: $20; $10 for MASG members and concession. Discounts for multiple workshops.
JOBS!
Exciting new Job at MASG: Community Wind Project Officer
Hepburn Wind project : help MASG develop a similar community owned asset
MASG is looking to employ a Project Officer to assist in developing a community wind farm in the Mount Alexander Shire area. This 4 day per week position is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and motivated person to make an important contribution to tackling climate change and to work in an innovative community which supports community based renewable energy. Applications close 29th July. Further details from Dean Bridgfoot on 0448 327 791 or see our community wind section of the website or email communitywind@masg.org.au .
Shire Council Waste officer part time job.
The Shire Council is seeking a project officer for one day a week for four months. Someone with some communications experience or sustainability education/engagement would be preferred. Applications close 22 July. Contact Amy McDonald Manager Healthy Environments – 5471 1808 or a.mcdonald@mountalexander.vic.gov.au
Volunteering !
Help out
Our admin manager is taking a break for a few weeks during August and we need volunteers to fill in for a few hours Tuesdays and Thursdays whilst she is gone. If this sounds like you please call Kerry on 5470 6978 or email admin@masg.org.au
Goodbye & thanks to MASG volunteer Nancy McColl Bowen
Nancy has been volunteering at MASG for the last 6 months assisting us with our fundraising and organizational policies and procedures. She is leaving us to volunteer with AVI in Vietnam for 2 years with the street kids employment program ‘REACH’ in Da Nang. We wish her all the best as she heads off on 8th August to bring her skills and enthusiasm to another worthy cause.
MASG signs MOU with Council
Susie, Amy, Miles, Janet, Dean, Jacinta and Phil....smiling over the lovely MOU
On Thursday MASG Committee members Susie Burke, Miles Bennett & Jacinta Walsh & staff Dean Bridgfoot met with Mayor Janet Cropley and Staff CEO Phil Roland and Healthy Environments Manager Amy McDonald to sign an MOU.
MASG looks forward to continuing to work with the Council and strengthening the relationship already established. To read the MOU download it here (60Kb) MASG MOU Council 2011 2014 .
NEWS AND EVENTS FROM OTHER GROUPS
Pruning & Grafting Workshops
1. Growing Abundance is running a series of fruit tree pruning and grafting workshops with experienced local teachers. Basic pruning with local permaculturist, Ian Lillington & Basic grafting workshops with local orchardist from the Mount Alexander Fruit Gardens, Merv Carr.
PRUNING – Wednesday 20th July, 9am-1pm, Sunday 24th July, 9am- 1pm, Sunday 31st July, 9am-1pm;
GRAFTING Tuesday 26th July- 9am-1pm, Tuesday 2nd August, 9am,-1pm
Bookings essential via Sas Allardice at Castlemaine Community House on harvest@cch.org.au or 5472 4842.
2. Also don’t forget the MASG Food Group’s Pruning Young Fruit Trees demonstration in The Hub Garden. Saturday 23rd July, 11am contact – Heather 0409 327791 e: heather@box311.biz
Australia’s first climate change refugees?
Assist Torres St deal with rising sea levels from climate change . Please sign this petition for climate change adaptation assistance, in the form of upgrading and constructing sea walls, in the Torres Strait by the Torres Strait Island Regional Council.
Torres Strait Islands are being flooded- threatening whole communities
Read more in the Age Torres Strait story or watch the Torres Strait Island video appeal from Mayor of the Torres Strait Island Regional Council, Fred Gela .
Don’t credit farmland as a carbon sink
Australia’s ambitious plans to use farmland to soak up carbon dioxide – an important part of the government’s new carbon price scheme and the keystone of the opposition’s policy – have been thrown into doubt by a study to be released today and reported in the Age Farmland story.
Light goes out on bid to save old-style bulbs
Charlton Heston spoof- it seems these guys will oppose anything !
A Republican campaign to defend America against a sweeping assault on personal freedoms – or old-style 100-watt lightbulbs, as they are more commonly known – has gone down in defeat. The result is a rejection of one of the great causes of the conservative Tea Party movement: the repeal of a 2007 law promoting environmentally efficient lighting. Inefficient light bulbs will be banned- following the lead Australia set under John Howard’s government 5 years ago. Lets hope they also follow the lead set with pricing pollution too !
Wave-power ships could bring cheaper clean electricity
Ships could harvest wave power, store it in batteries and then feed it into the grid to meet peak demand without the
Wave power- another clean energy source available to Australia
need for expensive undersea cables reports the New Scientist.
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