Some ideas for Plastic Free July! Set personal goals; join the Benalla Food Co-op; buy a 'Plastic Wise Benalla' reusable bag; consider a trip to the Good Vibes Food Store in Nunn Street next to the Town Hall; check out the "In the Bag" exhibition by regional artists at the Wangaratta Library's Bainz Gallery; watch the new series of the ABC's 'The War on Waste'starts on July 24; listen to the North East'sLuke Davies & the Recycled String Band'perform 'Reduce, Recycle & Reuse' & more!
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 Annual General Meeting of Benalla Sustainable Future Group was held on Thursday 28th June at the Benalla Uniting Church, Carrier Street Benalla. After accepting the minutes of the previous AGM and presentation of reports all elected positions were declared open by Councillor Scott Upston and the election of Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary plus a minimum of four committee members and a nominated member from the Food Co-Op was proceeded with.
As there was no nomination for President, Wendy Sherlock, who is continuing in as Vice President, will proceed in this role in the interim. As most of you know, John Lloyd has resigned as President after many years to focus on the work of Renewable Energy Benalla. Councillor Upston made particular mention of the valued work John has played working with the Council in relation to environmental sustainability and renewable energy. Our guest speaker for the meeting was Leigh Ewbank who has worked as an activist with Friends of the Earth for six years and is the current Act on Climate coordinator for Friends of the Earth. He has also worked on the Yes 2 Renewables campaign and was very much involved with campaigning against the anti-wind farm lobby. Yes 2 Renewables was the driving force behind the campaign to restore fair wind farm laws in Victoria, and spearheaded the case for a Victorian Renewable Energy Target. Leigh has a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) from RMIT University, Melbourne. He has been engaged in climate and energy debates for years and more recently has lectured in the Urban Planning and Energy and Energy Policy and Management courses at RMIT University. Leigh presented a most engaging slide show to accompany his talk, highlighting many case studies of FOE's grass roots involvement with communities concerned about climate change issues. He spoke of his current concern at the absence of climate change policy in the State's Liberal Party policy platform and recent backward steps in some aspects of previously very positive Labour Party policy. Leigh then organised us to work in groups to develop responses to questions relating to our concerns about climate change. The 'scribe' for each group then read back the responses - these are being collated by Leigh, working with BSFG's Cath Marriott, for inclusion in a letter to be sent to local politicians which we will inclorporate into this post when available. A delicious supper, the signing of postcards as part of an advocacy campaign and convivial discussions concluded the evening. |
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Benalla Sustainable Future Group acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we live, work and meet, the Taungerang, Yorta Yorta and Bpangerang people of North East Victoria, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.