Are you concerned about climate change, peak oil, etc?
Join a dynamic, creative community group focused on education and action. Geelong Sustainability Group's vision is an environmentally and economically sustainable, spiritually fullfilling and socially just human presence on the planet.
Climate change is an emergency for our community, our nation and our planet : we bring together Geelong residents and organisations who want to create solutions.
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We are organising Sustainable House Day in Geelong - Architect panel September 10th and open houses on September 12th. More details to come on events page soon. It's organised nationally by http://www.shmeco.com
Here are some of the sponsors: The Gordon Institute, Zero C Architects, New Earth Systems, Geelong Organic Gardeners, Studio 101 Architects, City of Greater Geelong and more to come...
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100% Renewables Campaign. Here's a few of us in the top left at the launch of the national campaign.
To see a You Tube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbbFXqLdCmo
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Our next bi-monthly meeting will be on Wednesday 29th September. Future meetings are usually on the last wednesday of the month. Click on events for more info coming soon. Details of what happened at past general meetings are set out in our blog.
For people between 12 and 28yrs, you can connect with Geelong Youth for Climate Action (a sub group of GSG) as well if you like.
Also please spread the word about the site and encourage others to join as a friend or member.
August News
Energy / Solar
How does the Gulf Oil Spill fit into the bigger picture of peak oil ? Click on Global Energy Update (under Energy / solar) to find out?
Surfcoast residents check out SCEG (Surf Coast Energy Group) June news
To enter the Footprint Challenge click here before the end of August 2010
The Green Loans and Home Insulation scheme has been dramatically wound back as of Feb 2010 and the home insulation scheme was abolished in April 2010. To find out more about the Green Loans changes click here or the home insulation changes click here. A comment piece in the Geelong Advertiser by Gavin Brown discusses the changes (click here)
Sustainability checklist (from A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology - click here for a great checklist to help work towards sustainability.
New document for selecting_a_better_greener_house available from Derek Wrigley, author of the best seller "Making Your Home Sustainable - a guide to retrofitting" by clicking here on
For a look at the connection between food, health and climate change watch Mark Bittman - an American food author and journalist who writes weekly for the New York Times http://www.therealfoodchannel.com/page/44.html
To check out the impact of air travel for CO2 emissions and the other climate change impacts go to www.chooseclimate.org/flying/mf.html.
- Eg: a return trip to Venezeula flying economy on a plane that is 80% full would emit 3478kg of CO2 and have a warming effect of 10433kg CO2 equivalent ie 10 times the ideal annual emissions per person for a year ie 10 years of carbon emissions in a 2 week period just for the return journey.
Please share this website as many seem to be unaware of the impact of their travel and the need to restrain themselves in this area of life.
Sustainability Guide for Renters : This new guide is packed with useful information. Download from www.envict.org.au/rentersguide
Bulk Buy of Solar heating and Ventilation system Solar Venti. Contact Gavin on gavinb@globalneighbourhood.org or call Gavin on 0411 788 057 or Phil on 0417 554 791 for a site visit or for questions. Bulk buy ends in October 09 but you can purchase after that by contacting Phil.
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Climate Campaigning
“We all know that our planet is getting hotter – climate change is the biggest social and economic challenge of our generation. The science is overwhelming and after years of inaction, we can no longer sit on our hands and hope that the problem goes away."
Who said this? Al Gore? Tim Flannery? No, it was actually our new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, in a speech in 2008. Great words - now we need to hold her to them.
To find out why the Federal Budget's announcements on renewable energy don't make up for the lack of action on greenhouse targets, click on our Federal (in)action sidebar. To find out about the State Liberal Party's (no) wind farm policy click on Victoria - coal and more
Switch off Hazelwood - Environment Victoria and a number of environment groups are leading a campaign to switch off Hazelwood in Victoria, one of the industrialised world's most greenhouse-polluting coal-fired power stations. It can be done - click
here for a detailed plan,
here for an Age article on the issue and campaign and
here for their
campaign video
Liberal Government Cuts : A detailed outlining the savings measures or cuts that would be made by the Coalition has been released by the opposition's finance spokesman Andrew
Robb. Based on the content of the statement it seems the Coalition would cut over $1.5 billion in climate related funding set out in the Budget over the forward estimates (next four years). This includes the $653 million renewable energy and energy efficiency fund announced in the Federal Budget. In addition they would also reduce funding to the Carbon Capture and Storage
Flagships Program by $200 million. Click here for more.
The State Government has committed to developing a Climate Change Bill for Victoria. In the absence of decisive federal action, it is imperative that the bill be as strong as possible. To find out more, click on Victoria - coal and more
20% Renewable Energy Targets passed! The Federal Government has finally passed the 20% Renewable Energy Target. To find out more, click on Federal Govt targets
Feed-in tariff : The State Governnment's feed-in tariff legislation was passed by the upper house on 25 June 09. It now includes many of the amendments that were lobbied for by groups such as hours. To find out more click on Feed-in Tariff
Thanks to all those who participated in our Walk Against Warming Geelong on 12 December 2009. Apart from the movie of our human sign (above) you can see Geelong Advertiser photos here Gavin Brown has been organising bulk buys in energy efficient appliances.
Community Change
To enter the Geelong Advertiser's Sustainable Living Awards, click here. There are awards for sustainable homes, waterwise gardens and schools.
Geelong LETS (local energy transfer system) and Surf Coast LETS has started up. These are community-based trading
system that allows you to trade without using your hard-earned Dollars.
You 'pay' for what you receive by offering back to the community goods
and services that you can provide.To find out more, click here
(see sidebar)
Liz Hines has taken on the job of Sustainability Co-ordinator for Manifold Heights Primary School.
Congratulations to GSG members / supporters Thea Carbines, Joe La Spada, Sam Smith, and Peter Baird who had their gardens featured in the Geelong Adve
rtiser's guide to Geelong's best vegie gardens
(27/2/10). Well done to Pete for getting permaculture and peak oil into
the article about his garden (click on picture to read article). Pete has also been commissioned to build using straw bales.
Georgie Brachold's garden with a wicking bed will appear in Earth Garden's Annual magazine. Georgie also works with a team of parents who run a Green Shop at Highton Primary School and they are planning a sustainability day.
Congratulations to member Sam Smith who has been employed as Sustainability Officer for the Borough of Queenscliff! Also congratulations to Rachel Brown who is the Surf Coast Shire Sustainability Officer and to Andrew Lucas who is now the Eco Living Manager of 9 community Houses!
South Barwon Community Centre has partnered with Transition South Barwon to host a library for members. Donations of relevant books, magazines, DVD's etc welcome
Transition Bell and Transition South Barwon: Both are doing some of“We all know that our planet is getting hotter –
climate change is the biggest social and economic challenge of our
generation. The science is overwhelming and after years of inaction, we
can no longer sit on our hands and hope that the problem goes away."
Who said this? Al Gore? Tim Flannery? No, it was actually our new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, in a speech in 2008. Great words - now we need to hold her to them.
To find out why the Federal Budget's announcements on renewable energy don't make up for the lack of action on greenhouse targets, click on our Federal (in)action sidebar. To find out about the State Liberal Party's (no) wind farm policy click on Victoria - coal and more
Switch off Hazelwood
- Environment Victoria and a number of environment groups are leading a
campaign to switch off Hazelwood in Victoria, one of the industrialised
world's most greenhouse-polluting coal-fired power stations. It can be
done - click here for a detailed plan, here for an Age article on the issue and campaign and here for their campaign video
Liberal Government Cuts : A
detailed outlining the savings measures or cuts that would be made by
the Coalition has been released by the opposition's finance spokesman
Andrew
Robb. Based on the content of the statement it seems the Coalition would cut over $1.5 billion in climate related funding
set out in the Budget over the forward estimates (next four years).
This includes the $653 million renewable energy and energy efficiency
fund announced in the Federal Budget. In addition they would also reduce
funding to the Carbon Capture and Storage
Flagships Program by $200 million. Click here for more.
The State Government has committed to developing a Climate Change Bill
for Victoria. In the absence of decisive federal action, it is
imperative that the bill be as strong as possible. To find out more,
click on Victoria - coal and more
20% Renewable Energy Targets passed! The Federal Government has finally passed the 20% Renewable Energy Target. To find out more, click on Federal Govt targets
Feed-in tariff : The
State Governnment's feed-in tariff legislation was passed by the upper
house on 25 June 09. It now includes many of the amendments that were
lobbied for by groups such as hours. To find out more click on Feed-in Tariff
Thanks to all those who participated in our Walk Against Warming Geelong on 12 December 2009. Apart from the movie of our human sign (above) you can see Geelong Advertiser photos here Gavin Brown has been organising bulk buys in energy efficient appliances.
the most exciting work assisting communities to transition to a low energy future and create community resilience. Check out the web pages on this site and "Events" for exciting and informative ways to meet like minded people and build solutions from the ground up. A number GSG members have been particularly active in establishing and running these ie Andrew Lucas, Goshen Watts, Robyn Hodge, Alex Bourne, Janet Massey, Doug Rolfe, Mark Hoffman etc If you are interested in Transition Towns, check out this Energy Descent Action Plan produced in the UK : http://totnesedap.org.uk
Proposed Otway Surf Coast / Eco Arts Community : to find out the latest, click here or contact Tabitha or Justin on tabitha_inbox@bigpond.com
Phil Baulch and Monica Winston are facilitating Changing the Dream Symposium events. It is a powerful way to be empowered or empower others to take inspiring actions to transform our world. They ran a private one recently in a team including Karina Donkers (Geelong Youth for Climate action) for 60 year 8 students at Clonard College on their fantastic Sustainability Day, 4th Dec. Contact us to organise one in your area/workplace/school/home.
Here's 20 things to do in challenging times.doc
Sustainable food / permaculture / Biodiversity
Geelong Organic Gardeners are a fantastic group to join full of laughter, great books, knowledge to share, seeds and an incredible newsletter. www.gog.org.au
Kylie and Lars organise an organic vegie box. If interested see purchasing organic
Monica Winston and Pete Baird are running more Permaculture education courses in 2010 including Eat Your Garden. Email Monica on goldenalight@yahoo.com.au if interested.
Random Quote "What you guys have created is more powerful than the gardens you have made, it is the concept of the permablitz... the idea that landscapes of lawn, shrubs, concrete and dog mess are not the pinnacle of human achievement, but are an odd manifestation of an age with more oil than sense, and the idea that we can change them, and we can change them fast. Out with the lawn and in with the salad!" Rob Hopkins, originator of the Transition Network
Water
The Government is currently offering an extra rebate on water bills to people who purchase water saving products for the garden. This offer only goes to the end of May and is in addition to the annual rebate for the 'basket of goods' rebate. You can read all about it here or see Water
Current discounts for members
Bike Power in Belmont (corner of Corio and Belmont Streets - just east of the PO) run by members of GSG are offering 10% discount ongoingly.
Yoga Dojo
In appreciation of all the fabbo work and commitment to our precious environment provided by members of Geelong Sustainability Group, I'd like to provide a 10% discount on all yoga classes and courses at Yoga Dojo. To get the discount, members will just need to let me know they are members of GSG when they are paying for their class / course.
Some new courses events coming up they may be of interest to your members are:
Namaste,
Adrienne Stephens, Director, YOGA DOJO
3/34 Malop Street, Geelong, 3220
P: 03 5229 1910
M: 0450 959 191
We have parents, educators, gardeners, artists, social workers, builders, architects, business people, local govt employees, scientists, leaders, health professionals etc in this group.
There are many many talented, educated and skilled people who have joined this network and it's wonderful to be connected.
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