Otway Ranges Climate Action Committee Meeting 26th August 2009 6.30pm
Minutes
Chair: Simon Pockley
Present: Simon Pockley, Nicola Philp, Patt Williams, Karen Wales, Lewellyn Johns, Fern Rainbow, Magaer Lennox, Allen Hokin, Trish Hokin, Dianne Inglis, Vanessa Wrighton, Carole Webley, David Webley, Anna O’Brien and Greg Denny.
Apologies: Matt Armstrong, Peter Bourne and Rob Wertheimer.
Actions from Meeting
1. Anna to contact Mandy Baker in Deans Marsh to organise training days for the 22nd and 29th September and get back to those interested.
2. Anna to send around current draft of strategy to Magaer, karen and Llewellyn.
3. Group to organise 350 hand-painting activity in September Meeting. Decide Slogan, reserve stall at the market on 24th October, purchase paints, get roll of canvas and wooden mount.
4. Group to organise BBQ for Climate Change Run in October meeting.
5. Nicola to pass onto Anna what equipment is needed for her to put the word out. Greg to look in his shed.
6. Simon to upload National Community Climate Network voting link onto the ORCA website.
1. Treasurer’s Report
Rob provided a current bank account statement. Beside the $5000 in the account for the RMIT workshops, ORCA only has $29 in available funds. The group felt we need to do a little bit more fundraising to be able to cover administration costs.
Rob also provided a copy of a letter from the ATO requesting that we pay income tax. Rob has responded and explained that as a non-profit community organisation we should be exempt.
2. Regional Household Energy audits with My Home My Climate
Anna, Karen and Magaer attended a meeting with Dinh Truong from My Home My Climate last week. They are offering to train up local community members to conduct household energy audits in Apollo Bay. Each trained assessor can receive up to $40 per audit and each audit takes approximately 45 minutes. This $40 (or part there of) could also be used as a fundraising for their community group. Magaer, Anna, Peter Bourne, Krsiten Lees, Vanessa, Dianne, Simon, Greg, Llewellyn, Fern, David, and Nicola & Craig Philp were all interested in being trained as assessors. The group agreed that the assessor receive $35 with $5 going to ORCA to help with administration costs.
Action: Anna to contact Mandy Baker in Deans Marsh to organise training days for the 22nd and 29th September and get back to those interested.
3. Bendigo Community Bank Light Bulb Exchange
Allen explained that the community bank will initiate their free Globe Exchange Program next month. They have gotten local community groups involved to replace incandescent lights with energy saving bulbs at no cost to the householder over 4 weekends in October. To register interest, visit the community bank in Apollo Bay.
4. Colac Otway Shire Environment Strategy
Anna explained that the Shire are currently drafting their first ever environment strategy. This strategy covers all of the Shire’s operations and realm of influence. There is a community consultation session in Apollo Bay on the 17th September.
Action: Anna to send around current draft of strategy to Magaer, karen and Llewellyn.
5. RMIT Futures Workshop
Simon explained that the dates for this workshop have been confirmed for the afternoon of the 24th and morning of the 25th October. Simon is finishing the invitees list which includes a cross section of the community. He is looking at trying to make it work for ORCA and hopes that following the workshop all local groups could work together more effectively to prepare for and adapt to climate change.
6. 350 Actions
On the 24th October is the “350 day of action” where we have agreed to be involved and do some kind of action relating to the number 350. 350 relates to 350 parts per million being an estimated level of atmospheric carbon dioxide for a safe climate.
350ppm came out of the Climate Change Summit in Canberra. There was consensus on 3 matters at the Summit:
- 100% renewable energy by 2020;
- Scrap the CPRS; and
- That Rudd go to the Copenhagen Summit with 300-350ppm as the Australian emissions target. At the moment his target is 500ppm.
Examples of 350 actions:
- Spelling out 350 as a human sign
- The Darebin Shire is planning to have an afternoon tea at exactly 3.50pm.
Nicola suggested something with 350 fingers or hands. Everyone agreed that ORCA will hold a stall at the Apollo Bay market on the morning of the 24th October with a canvas and paints for everyone to paint their hand on the canvas – if we don’t get 350 hands, at least we’ll get 350 fingers. The canvas should have a slogan/heading at the top, such as “Hands up for Climate Action”, “Otway Ranges Climate Action” or “Hands up for 350 parts per million C02” etc. Simon said he can supply a roll of canvas and Greg offered the timber to mount the canvas onto.
Action: Organise 350 hand-painting activity in September Meeting. Decide Slogan, reserve stall at the market on 24th October, purchase paints, get roll of canvas and wooden mount.
7. Darebin Shire Action Plan
Simon showed the Darebin Shire Action Plan and remarked that this should act as a model for our Shire. At the launch of this action plan they had a footballer, Shane Wakelin, presenting and spoke about his passion for climate action. This gave the action plan and event more media attention.
Dianne pointed out that the Darebin action plan included the replacement of street lamp light bulbs for energy saving bulbs and felt that this was a simple action that ORCA could lobby the Colac Otway Shire to do.
8. Community Engagement
Llewellyn felt that ORCA is lacking a presence in the local community and proposed some community activities that have been popular in other areas:
- Jelly Belly Fest: this was a family fun day with climate awareness talks in Gellibrand. Having family and kids activities helps to provide a positive feeling around climate action.
- Queenscliff Climate Action group “Eco-Expo”: at this event they had a local produce dinner as a fundraising event.
Everyone felt they were good ideas and thought the upcoming 350 day and Climate Change Run (below) could provide good opportunities for community events.
9. Climate Change Run (Al Gore Movement)
Coming out of the Al Gore Climate Change movement is an upcoming relay run down the South-east coast of Australia. The runners will come into Apollo Bay in the afternoon/evening of the 26th November and leave the following morning. The group agreed that ORCA should have a BBQ on the foreshore for the runners as they come into town. See run-for-a-safe-climate-proposal1 [PDF 1.3MB]
Action: Organise BBQ for Climate Change Run in October meeting.
10. Apollo Bay Community Garden
Nicola explained that they applied for a $1000 grant for a rainwater tank, pipes and fittings, but only received $500. This is only enough to get a very small tank which wouldn’t hold enough for summer. She also told of Barwon Water not wanting them to use tap water for the garden. Greg suggested to put the word out for what equipment they were after as a lot of people have pipes and fittings lying around that they could donate.
Action: Nicola to pass onto Anna what equipment is needed for her to put the word out. Greg to look in his shed.
They also need the shed moved to the garden in order to hole more events there, but they need someone with machinery to do it or perhaps several strong people. Roger is currently helping to build a gazebo at the site.
11. Sustainable Schools Project Talk by Andrew Mangels
Peter Bourne was approached by the Apollo Bay P-12 College to attend and represent ORCA at a talk by Andrew Mangels in regards to the Sustainable Schools Project. The group were happy for Peter to do so and will hear his report at the next meeting.
12. National Community Climate Network
A National network for community climate action groups around Australia has been proposed. You can vote online whether or not you think this is a good idea by following the link: National Community Climate Network voting link [PDF 93KB]. Such a network could act as a lobbying group for climate action, as advocating at the national level is very difficult for local community groups.
Action: Simon to upload National Community Climate Network voting link [PDF 93KB] onto the ORCA website.
13. Sustainability Fund
Applications for the Sustainability Fund are open until the 30th September. $4.5 million is available projects that will help Victorian Households take action on sustainability. More information can be found at http://www.sustianability.vic.gov.au/sustainabilityfund or call Sustainability Victoria on 1300 363 744.
Next Meeting
September Committee Meeting
Wednesday 30th September 6.30pm
Marrar Woorn Community House, 6 Pengilly Ave Apollo Bay.
Meeting closed 7.45pm
