For our final Benalla Sustainable Future Group General Meeting for 2018 we are presenting some videos about e-waste and Permaculture. 

The meeting will be held on Thursday December 13th from 7.30pm until 9.30pm in the Benalla Uniting Church Meeting room, opposite the Coles Car Park in Carrier Street.

The War on Waste has been very much in the news this year.  We are presenting a short 3 minute video on electronic waste which highlights how planned obsolescence seems to be built into the electronic gadgets we buy.  At least 18 states across the US have introduced “Right to Repair” legislation which would require electronics manufacturers to provide independent repair shops with diagnostic equipment and replacement parts to be able to service their products, https://medium.com/citizen-truth/why-e-waste-is-so-dangerous-and-how-the-right-to-repair-will-save-the-environment-ca7987de6fba?

The second 42 minute video is a presentation by David Holmgren about his book Retrosuburbia.  I notice in the presentation that one of David’s slides says “Why garden and urban farming has a strong future in a world of climate chaos, peak energy and economic contraction”.  David sees Retrosuburbia as an important strategy to deal with energy descent and the financial bubble.

If you would like to see David Holmgren talk in person about Retrosuburbia, he is doing a Strathbogie Shire Council supported Retrosuburbia presentation at Violet Town Community Complex on Friday December 7.

Enjoy a festive supper after the meeting.
​
Peter Maddock
0418 135 330
peter_maddock@iprimus.com.au

A reminder about some BSFG events you might be interested in.

But firstly we had a reasonable number of people attend our General Meeting last Thursday for the screening of the short film takayna/Tarkine, with some discussion afterwards of the difficulty of protecting the environment in economies driven by economic growth.

Note that takayna/Tarkine can be freely watched online at https://www.patagonia.com.au/pages/takayna.  After watching takayna there are also some other interesting short films from Patagonia.

Next Wednesday November 7th Kathryn McQualter is having a meeting of her Benalla Local Food Network at the Farmers Basket Café from 5.15pm.  More details at https://www.bsfg.org.au/news/benalla-local-food-network-meeting-wednesday-7th-november-515pm.

As I mentioned in a previous email BSFG will be having a stall at the Benalla Festival Day in the Gardens on Sunday November 7 from 9.00am to 3.00pm.  While we have received offers of assistance from a small number of members a few more would assist staffing the BSFG stall.  If you can spare an hour during the day can you please let me know?


Peter Maddock
Secretary
0418 135 330

The Benalla Local Food Network is a new BSFG action group where local food growers, retailers, organisations and community members come together to supply the town with healthy food.

It’s time for another local food network catch up! Join us on the Wednesday 7th November 5:15 at the Farmers Basket Café in Benalla (Nunn St).

Benalla Local Food Network Coordinator
Kathryn McQualter
Dietitian
Allied Health
03 5761 4500
Download Flyer

The newsletter released this week is the first we have attempted since John Lloyd retired as president at our AGM in June.  We often heard from John the work required to put a Newsletter together and we now appreciate what is involved.  One difficulty that John often mentioned was getting articles.  I notice that the first edition was 4 pages while later editions have been 7 or 8 with one being 9 pages.  This edition is 6 pages.  Thank you to contributors to this edition and Ian Herbert for producing the newsletter.

On behalf of the committee, current BSFG members and previous BSFG supporters I would like to thank  John not only for his diligence in putting the newsletter together over many years, the first edition being on May 2012 but also for his role as president since the Benalla Sustainable Future Group was established in 2010 by local residents who were concerned about the issue of sustainability and the lack of action on climate change both locally and nationally.

John has dedicated himself to many activities related to the environment, sustainability and climate change, promoting the activities of BSFG and contributing to its good standing in both Benalla and the wider community.  John is also the convenor of the Benalla U3A group Towards a Sustainable Future.

Now John is able to devote more time in leading the BSFG action group Renewable Energy Benalla which has the goal of Benalla becoming a zero net energy town by 2028.  I know this role requires considerable work from both John and his group.

Newsletter survey.  At a recent Benalla Sustainable Future Group committee meeting we decided to review the publication of the BSFG Newsletter.  Christine Holmes has therefor developed the attached survey to ascertain what you would like in the newsletter.  Your input will be appreciated by the committee.


Peter Maddock,
Secretary.
0418 135 330

The Benalla Food Co-op is continuing to be a wonderful, healthy organisation.
​
With the four month absence of our long term coordinators, Peter and Christine Holmes and Tanya Walker, the committee took over the mammoth effort of running the food co-op. We were all amazed by the intense work load, which previously had largely fallen on such a small number of shoulders. We welcome Peter, Christine and Tanya back home and are determined that their load will be spread in the future.

Thanks to Wendy Baker for taking over the job of paying the co-op bills in Peter’s absence.
 
Recently I spent time showing our coop to people considering starting a food co-op themselves.

The experience of watching the co-op from the sidelines and explaining how it runs, filled me with pride. The visitors commented on the diversity of our members and the very happy, engaged and friendly atmosphere of the co-op.
 
We are delighted that our food coop continues to expand and fulfil our stated aims, which are ‘to encourage the responsible use of our earth’s resources, reduce packaging and excessive handling of food, support Australian growers where possible, reduce food miles and reduce food costs.
 
Rhona Rose 
Committee Member Benalla Food Co-op

​
​It is 5:30am and I’m loading the last of my luggage in the boot of the Volvo. Dawn has not yet broken and I feel like a horse in the field as heavy streams of condensation surge from my mouth in the cold morning air. Last night I turned down going out and instead readied the 1988 blue beast for the journey ahead. I turn on the ignition and she roars to life, breaking the misty silence in the quiet suburban street. Once upon a time I would have rolled out on a Friday night straight after uni, but full-time work takes its toll and I much prefer the early morning starts these days. As I cruise through the town on my way to pick up the crew, I reflect on the week gone. I’ve been feeling good this term and I’m lucky to work in a country with rolling hills and native wildlife greeting me every day on my way into school. Yet, somehow, I need this; I need to be on the road on the early hours of the morning. I need to feel like I am contributing in a substantial way to the future of this planet. I need to know I can push my body so I feel muscles I never knew existed. I need to know there is something out there bigger than me. Some purpose to our existence beyond survival.

The weekend will give me this. All of it.

I turn into my mate’s street and the headlights swipe across the cityscape and something flashes ahead of me. She’s outside and ready, right on 6:00am. I greet Sam with a hug and we catch up while I help her load the luggage. Under the light of the street lamps, Mark emerges from the darkened sidewalk. He has never met Sam before, yet they click instantly. I don’t even pause to consider how incredible this is, the connection that always seems to occur between people committed to a cause beyond themselves. Guess I am just used to it now.

The Volvo hums as it reaches a comfortable speed on the freeway. Our journey has begun. The destination is only two hours from the city, but the time results in shared music, philosophical conversation and appreciation for our surroundings. As we stop in the service station, I happily indulge in a healthy breakfast burrito, a novelty in roadside cuisine but fast becoming the norm. This is one part of the trip that has changed since I’d been in the past; I welcome it, though. After morning coffee, the smiles appear, and we embrace the rays of the morning sun through the windscreen. The chat becomes more exuberant and the music more upbeat.

WELCOME TO BENALLA 

The town sign greets me, and I am pleased to see the entrance has not changed. As we cross the bridge I relax into the day, another year, another great weekend. Turn left at the KFC, my inner voice reminds me, though it is no longer needed. As we pull in to the scout hall, the advance party greets us with cereal and delighted smiles. Lewis, Bianca and Adele seem fresh and ready. I look around to suss out the rest of the crew that has come this year. Good, it seems the university students are still at it, and the Monash Biological Society has turned up. The legacy continues and I’m proud of them. I head straight to the kitchen and pour myself a cuppa. Inevitably, there is someone there to chat with. In such close quarters you are forced to get to know people, and I love it. Mainly because everyone is happy and open, here.

I rock up to the event tent and sign in, admiring the gorgeous scenery around us. Today we’re in Winton Wetlands and we change place according to the year but are always embraced by the beauty that is country Victoria. The system is still the same, the girls behind the fold-up table prefer it that way. Hard copies are easier to maintain in the field. We kit up, it’s a fresh morning and the winds are picking up. Today’s safety brief goes through the conditions and the big man informs us that our healthy and safety is their number one priority. Should the slightest hint of rain come we are to head into the cars and take shelter. It is too windy to risk being out there in the rain. Of course the briefing also includes a few terrible jokes and a warm thank you to everyone who is attending. This site is special, too; we’re working on land that might have cultural artifacts of indigenous and European heritage. We are instructed to leave them should we find any.

I make sure to grab a mattock and head out with the mattock crew. “Aptly named Matt” is introduced as the new Head of the Mattock Team.

“Dig a little bowl around the plants,” he says in a country drawl, “As the summer sets in we’ll be watering, and the bowls will help keep the plants going”

The next General Meeting of Benalla Sustainable Future Group will be held at the Benalla Uniting Church on Thursday the 25th of October from 7.30pm until 9.30pm.

For this meeting we are screening the short film Takayna 2018 from Patagonia Films.

Takayna/Tarkine in north-western Tasmania is home to one of the last tracts of old-growth rainforest in the world, yet it’s currently at the mercy of destructive extraction industries, including logging and mining. This documentary unpacks the complexities of modern conservation and challenges us to consider the importance of our last wild places.

The film shows Nicole Anderson a rural doctor in Smithton who runs deep into the Tarkine reporting on the hidden logging activities in the region.  Bob Brown appears in the film and activities around the Franklin River are shown.  A short interview with a former timber worker highlights how small communities relying on extractive industries for employment may feel threatened by efforts to protect the Tarkine, particularly when they feel they are sustainably harvesting old growth forests.

We are hoping the film will lead us to a discussion of how we can save our environment from further degradation when our economy is geared to infinite growth.  Some doubt that economic growth is capable of supporting environmental outcomes.  For instance the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy has recently challenged the top ten environmental NGOs to a debate on the topic, “Is there a conflict between economic growth and environmental protection?”  While in The Guardian on September 26, 2018 George Monbiot has an article titled “While economic growth continues we’ll never kick our fossil fuel habit.”

Quoting George Monbiot “Let’s be embarrassing. Let’s break the silence, however uncomfortable it makes us and others feel. Let’s talk about the great unmentionables: not just climate breakdown, but also growth and consumerism. Let’s create the political space in which well-intentioned parties can act. Let us talk a better world into being.”

Note that Takayna has some coarse language.  We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.  Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available after the film.

Peter Maddock
Secretary
0418 135 330

​Benalla Permaculture is running a Natural Beekeeping course designed for beginners to provide participants with the information they need to start natural beekeeping with confidence.

Natural Beekeeping regards the well being of the bees as no less important than the honey yield. It is simple, low cost and low effort and in tune with nature - perfectly suited for small scale backyard beekeeping and commercial beekeeping alike.

The course will take place over two days with both Theory and Practical sessions. The first day we learn all about the Bees themselves, and the second day we learn how to look after them.

Hands-on sessions will give exposure to beekeeping boxes, equipment and tools and offer demonstrations of typical hive manipulations and some honey tasting. We will also observe some local hives, although they will not be opened so no special clothing or tools will be required.

This course will be led by experienced beekeeper Warwick Bone (Woz) over the weekend of October 20 & 21, 2018.

Times: 10AM - 5:00PM inc tea breaks (provided) and a lunch break (byo lunch to share).

Cost: $150 BP/PcV members, $175 Public.

Location: Swanpool

This course has limited spaces available to offer quality training so early enrolment is recommended. If you wish to attend, please send an email to info@BenallaPermaculture.org for registration and payment details.

​The film Albatross by Chris Jordan was screened at North East Artisans on Saturday 1st August.  A joint initiative of BSFG, Plastic Wise Benalla and NEA, the film was introduced by Wendy Baker from Plastic Wise Benalla and BSFG's Peter Maddock, with the screening followed by discussion and tea/coffee.  .

​Peter's inspiration for screening the film in Benalla is evident from the preamble he wrote prior to its screening...
​
"I spoke to Tim Bowtell at NEA a few years ago about screening a film at NEA.  At the time I was influenced by seeing a recording of Art Climate Ethics: What Role for the Arts? at the Melbourne Sustainable Living Festival 2014.  This presentation featured a number of artists talking about their art and climate change and was presented by Guy Abrahams of CLIMARTE: Arts for a Safe Climate.  One of the featured artists was Chris Jordan director of Albatross who spoke about his making of the film on Midway Island, https://www.albatrossthefilm.com/

Over recent months I have looked up some of Chris Jordan’s work and have come to see how Chris wants to take us beyond the numbers used to describe our impact on the environment.  By showing us the consequences of the cultural choices we make he wants us to feel these impacts, because large numbers such as tons of carbon emissions, the number of species threatened with extinction, etc. doesn’t mean much to us.

Chris Jordan’s website presents some amazing Photographic Arts, in particular some animations titled Running the Numbers: An American Self-Portrait and Running the Numbers II: Portraits of global mass culture, visualising the numbers resulting from our personal consumption.  In his TedX talk 'Midway Journey' Chris describes his artistic work as “visualising and facing the invisible truths of our time”.

​Earlier this year I came across a video of Chris talking about the making of Albatross on Midway Island.  In particular I was taken by his comment that the tragedy unfolding on Midway from our plastic pollution in the Pacific is a bit like global warming, it is largely invisible to us.  Chris’ message is that he wants us to feel the tragedy of our times.  A wakeup call for us to make new choices.

This year Albatross was screened at the Transition Film Festival in Melbourne and has been offered by Chris Jordan as a free public screening to spread the word about the tragedy of plastic pollution in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  So thank you to Tim and North East Artisans for providing us with the opportunity to screen Albatross at NEA.

A reminder also that Tim Bowtell has in his own way been visualising some of the tragedies of our times.  His mural at Benalla Wall Art this year was “Cornography”, a critique of our modern corporate food chain.  And most recently Tim’s entry in the inaugural Swanpool SCRAP Art Prize, the “Treadmill of Perpetual Happiness” is now situated at the entry to North East Artisans." (Peter Maddock)

People who attended the screening of Albatross at NEA were clearly very moved by it.  NEA member Pamella Francis wrote the following comment on NEA's Facebook page - 

"I attended the free ALBATROSS movie last night, Saturday 1st Sept at NEA.... I was totally aghast at what we, as humans are doing to our beautiful planet and the animals who innocently go about their lives unaware of the dangers that they ingest and pass on to their offspring. The parent bird don't know that they are slowly killing them. As humans we at least have choice and can be aware of the dangers of what we choose to eat and the lifestyles we live in. Whilst there is a minority of people who are trying to do the 'right' thing with plastic, recycling etc etc... the BIG companies need to get on board if real changes can be made! I don't usually say much on FB just "like" what other people post but I can't not say something about this movie on the Albatross. If everyone took the time to watch this move, they would be moved to change".
​

Sustainable House Day 2018 is on Sunday 16 September 2018 https://sustainablehouseday.com/.

Two locations are listed for Benalla on the Sustainable House Day website - Sandy's Tiny House and BSFG Member Howard Bartlett's Solar Skillion Sleep Out.  You will need to register on https://sustainablehouseday.com to get details of the addresses.

If you missed it Howard's Solar Skillion Sleepout last year pop in to have a look and discuss with Howard options for Sustainable Housing.  Entry is free or a gold coin donation which Howard is directing to BSFG.

Howard is asking for assistance from a few BSFG members for his open house by collecting visitor details and gold coin donations.  If you are able to assist could you reply to this email indicating a preferred time from 10.00am to 4.00pm?  A one hour time slot would assist making up a roster.

Peter Maddock
0418 135 330

At the BSFG General Meeting held on August 23, our guest speaker from FRV Services, Development Manager Avantika Basu, provided an update on the 85MW AC Winton Solar Farm. 
 
The first solar farm to be approved for development in the Winton region, Winton Solar Farm will help to establish a sustainable new industry for the region.  Project Developer, FRV Services Australia, is one of the leading solar developers in the country, having now initiated six large-scale solar farms across QLD, NSW, SA and Victoria.    Avantika provided an update on the project concept, its development approval and expected social and environmental benefits and answered a range of questions from the audience.
 
Information about the Winton Solar Farm Project can be viewed at the FRV website, http://wintonsolarfarm.com/, and FRV in Australia, http://frv.com/en/tag/australia/.

This proved to be an excellent opportunity to hear more about this Solar Farm Project for which it is hoped construction will begin in 2019. Engineer Avantika and her team  stayed behind to answer questions and engage with us all about a project about which they are clearly very well informed and passionate. 

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (IAN) has contacted BSFG seeking support for the Nobel Peace Ride 2018.

ICAN was co-founded by Lima East resident Professor Tilman Ruff from Melbourne University.

ICAN are the current Nobel Peace laureate, who were awarded this honour last year for their work on pushing the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, making the greatest weapons of mass destruction illegal and paving the way towards full nuclear disarmament.

In September the treaty will tour from Melbourne to Canberra by bicycle in an effort to raise awareness among smaller towns and urge our government to sign the treaty as a matter of urgency.

Benalla is a major stop on the tour on Sept 6-7, where there will be an exhibition at BPACC at the request of Mayor Don Firth and MP Cathy McGowan.  All local residents are welcome to attend the exhibition for a chance to share in the campaign.  An event will be held from 6 - 7 pm on Friday 7 September from 6-7 pm (refer poster).  

For support along the way, ICAN are reaching out to community/peace groups and organisations for food and shelter.  Any food donations will go a long way in supporting an altering group of 5-20 riders.

Lavanya Pant is the Project Coordinator for the Nobel Peace Ride 2018 and is organising all the logistics for the ride.  If you are able to offer support or have suggestions please contact Lavanya on 0468490768 or email Lavanya Pant, lavanya@icanw.org.

More details are on the ICAN Facebook Events page,   https://www.facebook.com/events/1246449445492082/.


Peter Maddock
0418 135 330

In collaboration with North East Artisans, Benalla Sustainable Future Group and Plastic Wise Benalla presents a free screening of the film Albatross on Saturday September 1ST at 7:00PM.

On a remote atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, albatross chicks are dying, bodies filled with plastic.
ALBATROSS unflinchingly shows the horror and grief of this tragedy, but ultimately brings us to a deeply felt experience of beauty and love for life on Earth. Stepping outside of traditional documentary film style, ALBATROSS delivers a profound message of reverence and renewal.

Chris Jordan is a multi-media artist based in Seattle. His work explores contemporary mass culture from a variety of photographic and conceptual perspectives, connecting the viewer viscerally to the enormity and power of humanity’s collective unconscious. Jordan’s work edgewalks the lines between beauty and horror, abstraction and representation, and the visible and the invisible, challenging us to look both in-ward and outward at the complex landscapes of our collective choices (www.chrisjordan.com).

Jordan’s work reaches an increasingly broad international audience through his exhibitions, books, web-site, interviews on radio and television, and speaking engagements and school visits all over the world. He is currently involved in an international tour of his first feature film ALBATROSS, bringing to world the awareness and message of plastic pollution’s devastation effect on the albatrosses of Midway island (www.albatrossthefilm.com).

This film is exempt from classification and is restricted to people over 15 years.  People under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Running for 97 minutes there will be time for discussion afterwards.

Free screening at NEA, 122 Bridge Street East, Benalla, VIC 3672, Sat Sep 1ST, 6.30pm for 7.00pm Start.  Limited seating. Additional screenings may be possible.

RSVP By 27 August; Phone Peter 0418 135 330 or email peter_maddock@iprimus.com.au.

New, renewable energies are changing the way we get our energy. We are no longer reliant entirely on power from the big energy generators and companies.
We need to make sure that communities benefit from the renewable energy. The Community Energy model gives local towns and regions power over how they generate and consume electricity.
Join us at a Community Energy Forum on Friday 3rd August at BPACC and find out what community energy means for you and our region.
Locally generated renewable energy will create local jobs, cleaner energy and allow the community to control where their energy comes from. It means that towns can create mini-grids, where residents can trade power between themselves – powered by household solar and battery energy. This reduces reliance on the dirty and expensive national energy grid.
A local community energy retailer is currently being developed to allow towns and regions to achieve their renewable energy goals.
Come along and listen to some of Australia's foremost experts in the field explain how we can harness this new form of energy to build a new model of energy.
Three great speakers will outline what community energy is and how we can benefit from it: Simon Corbell, Victorian Renewable Energy Advocate; Nicky Ison, Co-founder of the Community Power Agency; Alison Rowe, Chief Executive Officer of Moreland Energy Foundation.
This is a free event but please RSVP for the Benalla meeting by 3 August at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/benalla-community-energy-forum-tickets-47537010478

Download the Forum Flyer.

The 2018 SEFF was held on Saturday 16th June and was run by Swanpool Landcare and Benalla Sustainable Future Group.  Sponsors for the event were the GBCMA, Gecko CLaN, Benalla Permaculture, Granite Creeks Landcare Network and Benalla Rural City (via BSFG).
 
This annual event is run in three sessions and the fabulous Swanpool Catering Team provides afternoon tea and dinner during the breaks.  It’s always excellent but this year they excelled with tasty Asian style rice dishes, vegetable tart and the fruit platters.
 
The guest speakers and films for the afternoon sessions really dovetailed together well.  Dr Sam Alexander from Melbourne University gave the opening talk on ‘Life in a degrowth economy and why you might actually enjoy it’ followed by the film ‘Living in the Future’s Past’.  Discussion around ‘degrowth’ centred on the definition of real human wealth versus our focus on GDP.  The more we spend on disasters for instance the more GDP rises.  A Tiny House on a trailer, parked adjacent to the hall, was supportive of the ‘simpler living’ theme.  Thanks to Neil and Sandy Garrett of Violet Town for bringing it along.
 
Dr Charles Massy from ANU took the stage following afternoon tea with his talk on ‘Can regenerative agriculture help save the world?’  This was highly appreciated by the switched on audience.  The slides displayed on the screen told much of the story; just compare one side of the fence to the other.  The promotion of non-organic fertilizers and chemicals was also addressed with their negative effects on soil and human health.  Charles’ book ‘Call of the Reed Warbler’ was on sale at the event, thanks to ‘Country Tales’ Mansfield bookshop, and is highly recommended reading.
 
The second film ‘Living the Change’ was introduced by the co-director Jordan Osmond and his enthusiasm for the material shone through.  The film starts off setting the scene then presents the stories of New Zealand individuals, families and communities who embrace change for a more sustainable and less wasteful lifestyle.  Questions from the audience were all about what we could do locally in our own environment.
 
The evening session was a bit different from past years.  A panel consisting of Prof Kate Auty, Dr Ian Herbert, Shirley Saywell and Bertram Lobert gave brief presentations on community voices and democracy, climate change, Strathbogie Forest under climate change and local actions to protect the forest.  Anthony Chisholm supplied stunning video footage for the latter and Mick Frewin gave an impassioned testimonial as to why he is engaged in forest actions.  The panel discussion concluded with a unanimous vote asking the government of the day to enact a climate policy.
 
‘Paper Trail’ was the last film and was produced in 1992.  It is still very relevant.  Starting with NSW and Gippsland logging it follows those logs through wood-chipping at Eden and transport to Japan to be made into paper then final recycling for just a fraction.  What’s changed in a quarter century?  Just the site of the woodchip mills, the destination of the ships (China now) and the extent of state forests felled for this voracious trade.  The film concluded with feasible alternatives for paper making – plantation timber or fast growing industrial hemp.
 
How do we measure the success of this annual event?  Numbers through the door is one measure (we had a full house) but the real measure is how the audience responds to the speakers and films.  They didn’t go away with a warm fuzzy feeling (there are too many pressing environmental concerns for that) but they did go home better informed and motivated.  With Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions continuing to rise (set now to miss the 2020 Kyoto target) and our land and forests under stress and threat, it’s up to each of us to act locally and nationally and press for change.
 
We thank our speakers and our sponsors and all our volunteer support once again for making SEFF 2018 such a stand out environmental film festival.
 
Ian Herbert
Event Coordinator

It appears that Australia's response to intensifying extreme weather events remains at the bottom of the national agenda, as climate change barely rated a mention in the Federal Budget.

Climate Council Acting CEO Dr Martin Rice said it was disappointing the Federal Government’s 2018 Budget had appeared to ignore climate change, despite the nation’s greenhouse gas pollution levels continuing to rise for more than three consecutive years.

“The Federal Government’s continuous failure to seriously tackle climate change is an embarrassment,” he said.

“Australia is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the developed world, with worsening extreme weather events including severe heatwaves, supercharged storms, heavy rainfall, flooding, droughts and bushfires.”

“Australia is at risk of further cementing its reputation as a global laggard when it comes to slashing growing greenhouse gas pollution levels and tackling climate change. We cannot continue to sit on our hands, while nations like New Zealand and France show real climate leadership.”

"Australia must rollout credible climate and energy policy that ramps up our transition to clean, affordable and reliable renewable energy and storage technology, while moving away from our polluting fossil fuel past. The only thing standing in our way is political will.” (Climate Council media release, 9/5/2018)

Our biggest climate error

Ross Gittins, writing in The Age, also reports that after combing through the budget's fine print he finds that its thousands of pages make almost no mention of climate change. ('Our biggest climate error', 30/5/2018)

Gittins says, "I fear that history won't be kind to the present generation. We've known of the scientific
evidence for human-caused global warming since the late 1980's. Since then the evidence has only
strengthened. And by now we have the evidence of our own senses of hotter summers and autumns and
warmer winters, plus more frequent extreme weather events. And yet as a nation we procrastinate."

Gittins states, "The biggest mistake we've made is to allow our politicians to turn concern about global
warming into a party-political issue, and to do so merely for their own short-term advantage. The initial
motives may have been short-term, but the adverse effects have been lasting."

"Global warming used not to be, shouldn't be and doesn't have to stay a right-versus-left issue. In Europe it is bipartisan. Margaret Thatcher was a vocal fighter for action on climate change, and the Conservative Party is anti-denial to this day."

Gittins concludes by saying, "But we can't put all the blame on short-sighted politicians and crony
capitalism. If enough of us did more to voice our disapproval, the pollies would change their tune very quickly. And we'd have a more convincing story to tell our grandchildren when they want to know what we did in the climate war."
​
John Lloyd

The following morning REB committee members including John Lloyd and Peter Maddock met with Kristi  and members of her team at a breakfast meeting to find out more about the proposal and share a community perspective. 
​​
Other resources:   
Lightsource BP 
Information Sheets about the Lightsource BP Solar Farm Proposal. ​

Sponsored by BSFG and Sun Real, the biennial Environmentally Sustainable Business Award  announced at the recent Benalla Business Network Business Excellence Awards went to Benalla Church Street Surgery.    BSFG President John Lloyd presented the award.  John is pictured above with Janine Rofe, Practice Manager from the surgery and Martin Nichol from Sun Real. .

​The Environmentally Sustainable Business Award for excellence recognizes a business that has taken significant steps to reduce the environmental impact of the business through using resources more efficiently and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Benalla Church Street Surgery was commended by the judges, John Lloyd from BSFG and Nick Katsanevakis from Sustainability Victoria, on

• developing an environment and sustainability plan 
• having an energy audit conducted to recommend the steps they should take to make the surgery much more energy efficient
• undertaking a number of recommended actions to significantly reduce energy and water usage
• considerably reducing the amount of waste generated at the surgery.

They were also commended on

• the impending installation of 15kW of solar panels which will mean further significant reductions in demand for grid electricity.
• the leadership taken in the establishment of the North East Sustainability and Health Group, which the judges consider a very positive way to promote environmental sustainability amongst health services.

​During the site visit the judges recommended setting a target of reducing energy, water and waste by a certain percentage as part of the surgery's environmental policy, suggesting that making this an annual target could form the basis of a policy of continuous improvement.

Congratulations go to Dr Brownstein who, inspired by discussions about the issue of sustainability and health, introduced the development of an environmental plan at the Church Street Surgery to make it more sustainable.  Energy auditors Ecomaster, presenters at BSFG's Building forums in 2015 and 2016,  completed the audit, making recommendations which were implemented at the surgery relating to draughts, insulation and waste. One of many efficiency strategies introduced by the practice has involved eliminating faxes by sending emails rather than faxes!   Interestingly, prior to the energy audit the surgery had been told that it would need 25kw solar panels, however after implementing the audit only 15KW of solar panels are required. 

​A worthy winner and an inspirational case study!