sustainable e-news 18 October 2007
Posted on 19 October 2007 by e-news
MASG spring calendar event summary:
19th & 20th Oct: Finding Our Power – community forum
9th & 10th Nov: Renewables Expo – Dr Mark Diesendorf opening night
11 November: Walk Against Warming – MASG goes to Melbourne
3rd – 11th Nov: Castlemaine Garden Festival – MASG Garden open
16th November: Movie Fundraiser – The Bicycle Thief
MASG NEWS
Ride to Work: 250 cyclists and many walkers joined this year’s ride and walk to work/school day in central Castlemaine on Wednesday. Full report with further pedal power links …
Renewable Energy Expo: Campbell’s Creek – 9 and 10 November – FREE!
Come to the MASG Expo to see the latest in renewable energy that you can use now. Learn how you can use solar PV, solar hot water, biomass, electric cars, etc., in your home, school and business. With technology improving all the time this is a great chance to talk to the manufacturers and get involved in the renewable future.
Expo Friday Night special: “Getting to zero”: MASG is very excited to have Dr Mark Diesendorf speak at the opening of our Renewables Expo on Friday 9th November. Dr Diesendorf is Australia’s Al Gore who will outline how we can get to zero emissions with practical, no nonsense actions using renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Full House for Diesendorf: MASG wants to fill the Campbells Creek Community Centre and demonstrate the support for Renewable Energy in our area. DON’T MISS THIS! Tell your friends and RSVP to Jayson@masg.org.au. We will be publicising the RSVP tally each week as we count down.
Volunteer Opportunities at the Renewable Energy Expo: The organization of the renewable energy expo is being fine tuned and these volunteer skills are needed:
1. Someone with a good level of experience and understanding of the operation of audio visual equipment: responsible for co-ordinating data projectors, laptops and screens for all the expo presentations.
2. A team to talk with/distribute information to non-members at the entrance and help at the MASG exhibit on Friday evening at Saturday.
3. More general assistance to set up and pack down before and after the event.
4. Anyone keen to improve their fitness and distribute posters and flyers for the event throughout the shire – walk around and pin or post them.
* If you can help, please contact Jayson at MASG on 5470 6978 or Jayson@masg.org.au
MASG on Stateline last Friday: the ABC team did a great job, and so did all out local ‘movie stars’!! Transcript …
Walk Against Warming – Sunday, 11th November. Let’s make sure Mount Alexander is well represented at this year’s Walk Against Warming event in Melbourne. Join fellow Australians in calling for urgent government action on climate change and be the voice for our environment and our children’s future. The next election will be too late. Local Rally at 9.30 and then take 10.10 train to Melbourne – booking seats on this train is necessary, so if you plan to go, let us know before 3 November – we can ask V-Line for an extra carriage if we really do well! Email ian@masg.org.au. More information and local info from Heather Barrett on 0409 327791.
WANTED: old mobile phones. Please drop them at the MASG office. We will receive $5/phone from EnviroFone. Phones will be recycled: less toxic waste to landfill….and clean out your cupboard too! Proceeds to MASG’s Solar-on-Public-Buildings Fund.
Cycling’s Big Night Out: Tickets now on sale for “The Bicycle Thief” – Theatre Royal, Fri 16th Nov., 7.30pm. It is widely agreed that The Bicycle Thief is one of the best films ever made. Plus Castlemaine’s own Ministry of Delight, comedy acts, and Justin Shortal. Tickets are available from Fergus Frog in Barker St. $20 and $16 concession. Enquiries: Neil Barrett 5472 3094. more …
OTHER NEWS and EVENTS NOT ENDORSED BY MASG
Water Week: next week, including CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL in Victory Park, Tues 23rd Oct. Winters Flat Primary classes perform music and dance: “Tiddalik” – an indigenous story with a water-wise message, narrated by Ron Murray at 10.50. Also Castlemaine Primary School choir and other performers and entertainers. Music, art, tactiles and yo-yo throughout the day! Free community lunch served from noon. Let’s hope it rains!
Water resource: valuable website by Prof Mike Young in Adelaide: each of his ‘droplets’ covers a different aspect of water policy. What features would a new planning, entitlement and register system have to have to be deemed future proof? Droplet #9 and earlier droplets plus many reports related to water policy can be found at www.myoung.net.au
Save Water, Save Energy Expo – in Melbourne this weekend
Oxfam Walk against Want, Sunday October 28 starting between 11.00am and 1.00pm, Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. Walk, run or cycle 5 or 10 km along bush roads to the north of the Gardens, or walk around Lake Joanna. Dogs welcome. The donkeys will be walking from Maldon again. Lots of entertainment from 10.30, with local singers, unicyclists and circus performers. Bring a picnic lunch if you like. Judy Tregear 5470 5747 for a sponsor book or just turn up on the day, make a donation and enjoy the Walk. An easy and enjoyable way to make a difference.
Second hand books wanted – for Steiner School Fair: 10 Nov. Reduce/reuse/recycle. Leave books c/- Ian at the MASG office, thanks.
Petrol price rises only kept in check by strong dollar: with record oil prices, it’s only a matter of days or weeks before pump prices rise significantly according to the RACV.
An interesting game about your carbon footprint – Consumer Consequences asks you a series of questions about your lifestyle, and as you play, shows you how many “Earths” of natural resources it would take to sustain all 6.6 billion humans… if everyone lived like you.
Great links on local food production: Sydney Food Fairness Alliance, and Russ Grayson’s website in relation to: “Urban farming on way to extinction” and “Drought makes urban food production more than a good idea.”
Australia to Stage World’s First “Carbon Farming” Conference: Mudgee, NSW on 16th, 17th November. Organisers include CMAs, Dept of Primary Industries, the Australian Soil Science Society, Carbon Farmers of Australia (Carbon Coalition), Central West Conservation Farmers’ Association, and STIPA.
Good news on wind from The Australian. Denmark producing enough wind power to export to other countries, even though it is less windy than in southern Australia
Solar takes off with US power supply deal – Two of America’s biggest power utilities unveil plans for a multi-billion-dollar expansion of solar power supply, showing that solar energy can become a viable alternative to coal. The technology developed by Dr Mills already exists here in Australia, at pilot plants attached to the Liddell coal-fired power station in the Hunter Valley. Dr Mark Diesendorf says the huge US investment into solar make talk of clean coal and nuclear as solutions to climate change redundant. “… the solar thermal technology will be on the ground, certainly in the United States and many other countries long before so-called clean coal and nuclear power,” he said. By Matt Peacock, Tue Oct 2, 2007.
Dr David Suzuki, live via video conference from Canada: “Can We Avoid the Looming Ecological Armageddon?” Thursday 25 October, 2007 at 12.30pm, McKay Lecture Theatre & Circular Lecture Theatre. La Trobe University, Edwards Rd, Bendigo, RSVP essential – Bendigo: Edwards Rd Bendigo – McKay Lecture Theatre and Circular Lecture RSVP is ESSENTIAL as places are limited – Jennifer Benmasaud, Phone: 5444 7744 j.benmasaud@latrobe.edu.au
“Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” H. G. Wells, 1904
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