News Digest – Thursday June 7th
Posted on 7 June 2007 by e-news
Monthly catch-up for MASG members and friends – Our social monthly gatherings continue this Friday 8 June, 5.30pm – 6.30pm. CHANGE OF VENUE – now at COMMUNITY HOUSE , LYTTLETON STREET, opposite Togs. Along with general chat, Ian Lillington will talk about his new book “The Holistic Life”. Signed copies available. Food and drinks provided, and you are welcome to BYO extra food and drink as well
Energy Advisors still needed: MASG has a good response from people wanting to train as Energy Advisors, and we welcome more enquiries. Two separate days training will happen in June. Contact Jane at the MASG office Ph: 5470 6978 (T/W/F) or email: jane@masg.org.au
Front page of the Age: Of course you saw The Age on Tuesday June 5th (World Environment Day), but in case you missed it, here is the link to the front page story which highlighted the great changes happening in our Shire and the leadership role played by the Sustainability Group. See : The Age
More media
Jane was interviewed on ABC radio on Monday 4th regarding her energy efficiency and carbon trading project (the LOCO2) with local businesses. Jane and Jayson’s start at MASG was also noted in the Midland Express on Tuesday, complete with a photo error…using an old photo of Dean and Carolyn and claiming them to be Jane and Jayson…rest assured we are not cloning people, a photo of the real Jane and Jayson should be forthcoming.
Membership renewals and mailout. All members will soon receive our once-a-year mailing about renewal of membership. MASG membership is valid for the financial year of July 1st to the following June 30th. If you joined in 2006 it is time to renew now. Please let us know if you don’t get a letter soon as we probably need to update your address. If you have joined recently your membership will be valid for the next financial year (07/08).
The Sustainability Group values our members and the strength and credibility it lends to our work to have a strong and involved membership, so please rejoin and sign up a friend, also remember you need to be a current member to vote at the AGM on August 2nd.
School links; thanks to Bronwen who showed 60 visitors through her passive solar home this week. They were year 5/6 children from Castlemaine North Primary School.
Training for public speakers on behalf of MASG. We want to train speakers to meet the demand to give talks to a range of community groups. Sessions will be led by Geoff Chestney. Geoff is a former President of Bendigo Toastmasters. Geoff expertly creates an environment in which people feel very safe to ‘have a go’, deal with any fears they might have and work to improve various aspects of their speaking. There will be 3 x 4 hour sessions, all between 9am and 1pm in the front room at the office, 233 Barker St Castlemaine: Friday 22nd June, Friday 29th June, Friday August 10th. Cost per person will be $80 for the 12 hours. If you would like to become an accredited speaker for MASG, please enrol for this course as soon as possible. Course numbers are limited to 15.
OTHER EVENTS, not MASG endorsed:
The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil
MASG members Luke, Lars and Jilli are planning a slide show and video on the Cuban experience of transforming from a diesel powered food system to a solar powered one. 17th June. More details next week. Meanwhile they’d appreciate support and ideas for future similar events or activities on Sustainable Agriculture: Luke Bennett (m) 0407 364 654 (e) bunyip@mmnet.com.au
Heaven on Earth – Katherine Seppings stunning exhibition with images from 11 countries. Galleria Lounge, 10 Howe St, Daylesford, every day in June except Mondays. (You will be guaranteed visual overload if you visit Daylesford in June. There are about 120 events!)
Victoria’s greenhouse pollution continues to grow.
Victoria’s emissions for the week 26 May – 1 June was 31.4% above the 1990 weekly average for energy, coming in at a whopping 2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas.
For details see www.theclimategroup.org/indicator
Refugee Week (June 17 – 23) screening of LOST BOYS OF SUDAN on Tuesday 19th June, 7pm at the Theatre Royal. Entry is $5 and moneys raised on the night will further the work of the Tomorrow Foundation and Rural Australians for Refugees Castlemaine. LOST BOYS OF SUDAN is a highly acclaimed documentary which follows the extraordinary journey of 2 Sudanese orphans who flee worn torn Sudan. Their story mirrors the experience of our own newly arrived community. Enquries: 5472 4842
“Strictly Red” – a ballroom extravaganza to be held at the Theatre Royal. Ticket includes: supper, complimentary glass of 2006 Primary Red . Live music. Lucky door prizes. Prizes for best “interpretive” costume. Professional dance sport exhibition. Dancing and romancing. Coffee & cake. Dance film feast. Fundraiser for Winters Flat and Campbells Creek Primary Schools: 5472 1824 or 54 72 2180
Planting Weekend @ 80 Bubbs Lane, Faraday.
Able-bodied volunteers to assist a local people plant 2,000 trees over the weekend of July 28-29th as part of a Federal Envirofund Project . Refreshments/BBQ lunch will be available for all who book in with us: Mark & Jan Dunn 0409 009 443, or email: markdunn@pilgrimuca.org.au
Permaculture studies at a Tertiary level. The School of Rural Management at Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, is again offering a second year subject in Permaculture, as part of its Bachelor in Ecological Agriculture, this coming semester starting late July. The subject is delivered on-line by Distance Education mode. The subject is designed to take those who’ve completed a PDC more deeply into the application of permaculture to agriculture. Kerry Cochrane, Ph: 02 6365 7579, kcochrane@csu.edu.au
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Following up the Age front page story….
“None of us know all the potentialities that slumber in the spirit of the population, or all the ways in which that population can surprise us when there is the right interplay of events.”
Vaclav Havel
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