MASG News Dec 8th
Posted on 15 December 2006 by e-news
MASG NEWS
*MASG had a regional ABC radio interview Monday 4th Dec about the tipping point that is occurring in Castlemaine, we had a short article on Climate Change and how we can act locally in the Anglican Church newsletter (The Agitator), and several articles in the Midland Express and Mail about Castlemaine North Primary School, the Film night and the recent Council commitment to reduced greenhouse emissions.
*Approximately 18 people attended the “Quick and Clean” last Friday evening to celebrate Mount Alexander Shire Council commiting to 30% carbon emissions reductions by 2010, the outcomes of the private screening and subsequent screenings of the “Inconvenient Truth” and Castlemaine North Primary School commitment to becoming carbon neutral. Heather Barrett also shared some of her tales of Carbon Neutral Ashton Hayes in England.
MASG EVENTS
*CSIRO comes to Castlemaine on Dec 12th to “scope” the “energy security and greenhouse gas reduction project” that MASG proposed. The meeting will include representatives of MASG, CSIRO, KR Castlemaine, Flowserve, Victoria Carpets, Powercor, MA Shire Council, MA Hospital, Central Victorian Area Consultative Committee and the Australian Industries Group.
*Combined SF Working Groups gathering Tuesday 12th 4pm @ MASG offices.
*Renewable Energy working Group will meet on Thursday the 14th starting @ 7.30pm @ Faulder-Watson Hall. We will be hearing about the latest in community owned renewable energy initiatives in Europe from Neil Barrett.
MASG REQUESTS
*We are looking for some volunteers to help with waitering/waitressing and cleaning up duties at the Carbon Neutral Hub during the State Festival ( March 30th to April 8th 2007). Contact Carolyn 54706978
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OTHER:
Please note these events are not MASG endorsed and are for members information only.
*Ma LETS Christmas Party, 5-7pm Friday 15th Dec, Wesley Hill Market Hall, ph 54705952 for more info
*Volunteer “Recycling Queen” Claire Phillips of Maldon 54751910 recycles waste from Maldon businesses. If anyone is either interested in utilising her services or setting up a similar venture in Castlemaine, please contact her.
FINAL WORD
*CARBON TRADING…licences to pollute?. The debate how carbon trading may be used to tackle climate change is beginning to uncover some unsavoury practices. It some cases big polluters are using Carbon trading to continue business as (dirty) usual whilst making money cashing in the emissions credits they were granted. It’s likely that Carbon Trading in offsets will have a role if they were a subsidiary instrument operating under a carbon quota rationing system. This would guarantee that emissions are reduced in a fast, verifiable manner to zero total emissions. However the current systems are not delivering real cuts and in some instances are being rorted or worse.For more details see Larry Lohmann’s article in Issue 2580 of New Scientist magazine or a BBC Radio show on Trading Trees, available to listen to online .
“One body of opinion suggests that there are better ways of tackling climate change than by privatising the Earth’s carbon-cycling capacity. Public investment, shifting subsidies away from fossil fuels and toward renewables, conventional regulation, support for the work of communities already following or pioneering low-carbon ways of life, requiring that businesses pay the costs their competitors incur in developing green technologies – all these are stronger and more direct ways of bringing about the structural change required.”
Larry Lohmann
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