On Wednesday 13 August we held our first general meeting for some time, this time over Zoom.  It was, (just quietly), an adventure for most of us, but it worked!  The first of four weekly meetings following Craig Reucassell's The Fight for Planet A' series, it provided us with an opportunity to share our impressions of the show and begin to explore ways in which we can reduce our own emissions and contribute to the reduction of commissions in our neighbourhoods and broader community.  Thank you to John Lloyd for hosting the meeting, and to Peter Maddock for facilitating the process.  

If you are watching the series, please consider joining our Zoom 'Fight for Planet A' follow up discussion group  - the next session will be on Wednesday 20 August at 8 pm.  

If you have not used Zoom before we suggest you join the meeting 10-15 minutes before 8.00pm as there will be a small program to download and install before you can join the meeting.  Once the program has installed you will then have an opportunity to test and adjust audio and video settings.  To assist you with this I have attached John’s document with details about Joining a Zoom Meeting for the First Time.

The meeting will be held with a 10 minute coffee break between two 40 minute sessions. 

Please contact BSFG's Peter Maddock on 0418 135 330 if you would like to become involved and he will send you out the link to the meeting so that you can join us on Zoom.  

​Here are some of the links and resources recommended in the first discussion session:

• Fight for Planet A Solutions Plan with particular reference to 'Good for the Hood'  (Recommended by John Lloyd)
• Cities Power Partnership Re-Energise Australia: Clean Jobs Summit  (Recommended by Callum Morrison),  This includes Helen Haines; also Richie Merzian who appears in the first episode of Fight For Planet A talking about the offsetting not carried out by the WA miners.  He is also in an SBS news item https://www.sbs.com.au/news/insight/former-climate-negotiator-on-why-he-quit-under-tony-abbott-s-leadership.
• 'Reduction revolution has the equipment we have been talking about'  (Recommended by Peter Maddock) 
• 'The Future We Choose', Christina Figueres  (Recommended by Frank Dunin)
• National Press Club Address by Dr Larry Marshall - CSIRO Chief Executive, which can be viewed on ABC iView to September 11   (Recommended by Callum Morrison)

We'd like to recommend a new series relating to a sustainable future commencing this coming Tuesday on ABC TV.  The ABC's new show to inspire our thinking and challenge our behaviour on climate change, Fight for Planet A: Our Climate Challenge premieres on August 11th at 8.30pm.
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Over three episodes Craig Reucassel takes on a climate challenge to reduce our carbon emissions and understand where our energy comes from, how transport and travel emissions affect our health and just what is the carbon footprint of the things we eat?  If you're motivated to get involved in solutions to reduce our carbon emissions there is an online personalised plan which will provide you with useful tips, tools and advice, https://fightforplaneta.abc.net.au/solutionsplan.

The series features Coalition for Community Energy members and will showcase how individuals, families, schools and businesses can help reduce our carbon footprint by making practical day-to-day changes, especially in our homes.  Far from taking the pressure off governments and industry, Craig will check in to see if they are doing all they can to make the changes we need and challenge them to do better.

The ABC has suggested this is an opportunity to host an online conversation about climate change and has provided a toolkit to assist us with this.  It has been suggested we arrange a Zoom event possibly at least the day after the screenings to enable this conversation with BSFG members.  More information about this will be sent to you once we have finalised the details.

Also, of interest this Monday 10th August at 8.30pm on ABC 4Corners is Plastic Wars: Recycling spin in the plastics industry, a PBS Frontline production presented by Craig Reucassel.

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Peter Maddock
Secretary
0418 135 330