Green Action News: Issue 11, Winter 2010 by Environment Victoria

Green Action News MOBILISING PEOPLE TO SAFEGUARD OUR ENVIRONMENT

It’s time. PLUS We’re on the election trail New landfill levy to boost recycling

I S S UE 11 • WI NTER 2 0 1 0

THIS ISSUE

Replace Hazelwood. It’s time.

Green Action News Issue 11, Winter 2010 Design 2Fish Productions Print Print Bound Contributing writers Amelia Young, Domenica Settle, Josie Lee, Kelly O’Shanassy, Mark Wakeham, Michele Burton, Murray Irwin, Nina Bailey, Sarah Dobney, Vicki Kyriakakis. Editor Vicki Kyriakakis (03) 9341 8125 editor@environmentvictoria.org.au Advertising sales enquiries Vicki Kyriakakis (03) 9341 8125 editor@environmentvictoria.org.au Membership enquiries (03) 9341 8100 admin@environmentvictoria.org.au Media enquiries (03) 9341 8127 louise@greenmedia.org.au Green Action News is an Environment Victoria publication. For more information, visit www.environmentvictoria.org.au

Rescue Our Rivers

State and federal budgets disappoint

Big funding win for GreenTown

Emissions trading on the backburner

On the election trail. Our special report on Hazelwood

One million green makeovers

Sustainable Living: Where to now?

New landfill levy a big win for recycling

Environmental champion: Abdul Wedai

6 8

Elections loom and Environment Victoria goes into overdrive > Kelly O’Shanassy, Chief Executive Officer

We’re already half way through 2010 and the state and federal elections loom ever closer. So it’s just as well that here at Environment Victoria, we’ve really hit the ground running. FROM OUR CAMPAIGN to Replace Hazelwood, to retrofitting One Million Homes and Rescuing Our Rivers, we’ve been out on the streets, mobilising Victorians across the state behind our big campaigns and crucial programs. We’ve had an important win for recycling, with the state government announcing an important increase to the metropolitan landfill levies. And our award-winning Sustainable Living team has secured the most funding for any community project in Victoria for their innovative GreenTown program. So you’d be forgiven for thinking that by now, we’d be ready for a bit of a break. The truth is though, we’re just getting started.

The last three months have been as busy as any I’ve seen here at Environment Victoria. We’ve been meeting and lobbying politicians, advisors and bureaucrats. We’ve built an extensive alliance with grassroots climate action groups, environment groups and NGO’s across Australia. We’ve released a report called “Fast-tracking Victoria’s energy mix to replace Hazelwood” that’s met with extensive media and public support. And generally, we’ve been punching way above our weight. And the momentum is really starting to build. While publically our state political leaders have yet to commit to replacing Hazelwood, privately the pressure of the massive grassroots movement we’ve

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

kicked off has started to have an effect. Even Sunday Age chief political correspondent, Melissa Fyfe, is calling our Replace Hazelwood campaign the ‘number one ask of the environment movement’ this year and a ‘powerful symbolic move’. It’s safe to say that we’ve got people’s attention. Now we just need to ramp it up, until the will of the people on these key environmental issues is impossible to ignore. This is an election year, which means your support and donations now go further than any other year. With your support, we’ve already made an impact on our political leaders. Now you can help us mobilise thousands more by making a donation to our campaign to Replace Hazelwood. We’re excited by the potential for real change this election year. Help us ramp it up and change the game on climate action in Victoria.

REPLACE HAZELWOOD

Hazelwood campaign takes flight > Victoria McKenzie-McHarg, Safe Climate and Sustainable Transport Campaigner

HELP US

Replace Hazehlwood wit

clean energy

SMS your name to

0427 687 129 Photograph by Greenpeace/Hunt. Authorised by K. O’Shanassy, Environment Victoria, Level 2, 60 Leicester St, Carlton VIC 3053. Printed by MetroMedia Technologies Interna onal Inc, Unit J94 21, Hall St, Port Melbourne VIC 3205.

www.replacehazelwood.org.au

Thanks to some very generous donors, our billboard on Hoddle Street will reach 40,000 people a day and kicks off a bold and visual public advertising campaign. We’ve got half of the money we need through the door already to run this and another billboard. Help us reach even more people!

Victoria’s climate action community has rallied behind our call to Replace Hazelwood. The result is a cut-through community campaign that is already making our politicians sit-up and take notice. OVER THE PAST three months, we’ve been busy building a strong community alliance to Replace Hazelwood. And key groups across the country have rallied to the cause - from grassroots climate action groups in Victoria, to affiliate member groups and national NGO’s like Greenpeace and GetUp. Together, we’ve been hitting the streets, letterboxing, doorknocking and taking the message to the Victorian people. And momentum has really been building here in Victoria and across the country.

•

We’ve launched the campaign to Replace Hazelwood on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne in early May. Organised with key environment and community groups, almost 300 people turned up and called on Premier Brumby and Ted Bailieu to Replace Hazelwood with Clean Energy by 2012. We released our new report called “Fast-tracking Victoria’s clean energy future to Replace Hazelwood”. The report received fantastic media coverage from The Age, Sunday Age, ABC Television, 3AW, ABC radio, commercial radio stations and local newspapers. For more details, read our story on page 4.

•

We launched our new website – www.replacehazelwood.org.au – to promote the campaign and act as a hub for the organisations involved.

•

We developed a new YouTube video about the campaign to rally Victorians online, with the generous pro-bono help of Andrew Rainbow from The Vagabond and Rebecca Mercer.

•

We launched the first in a series of billboards that will go up across inner city seats in Melbourne. The first billboard has gone up on the corner of Hoddle and Roseneath Streets in Clifton Hill. It kicks off a bold and visual public campaign and will reach 40,000 people a day!

We hosted a breakfast briefing for almost 100 people, featuring leading US environmentalist Bill McKibben. Bill was in Australia to launch his new book “Eaarth”. Described by Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery as ‘the most effective environmental activist in the world’, Bill said a win in this campaign would be an important and symbolic step in the global climate movement.

With your support we’ve kicked some major goals. But we need your help now more than ever. We want to take the message even further and change the game on climate action in Australia.

YOUR DONATION NOW CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE Victorians and Australians around the country are already rallying to our cause, but we need a game changer. It’s time to turn things around. It’s time to Replace Hazelwood. You can make your donation today by filling in the form on the back of this newsletter.

Other ways you can be involved: • Visit www.replacehazelwood.org.au. Go to the Make it Happen page for the latest opportunities to get involved. • If you’re part of a group or organisation and would like to endorse the Replace Hazelwood campaign, contact Victoria McKenzie-McHarg at victoria.mckenzie-mcharg@environmentvictoria .org.au. We’ll add you to our site as a supporter!

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

ELECTION NEWS

SPECIAL REPORT! Fast-Tracking Victoria’s Clean Energy Future > Victoria McKenzie-McHarg, Safe Climate and Sustainable Transport Campaigner

On the election trail > Mark Wakeham, Campaigns Director

While the state and federal pollies are moving into election mode, here at Environment Victoria we’ve been powering ahead with our election work.

Thanks to the generous donations of our supporters, we were able to commission energy market analysts Green Energy Markets to investigate how we can Replace Hazelwood Power Station by the end of 2012. OUR STRATEGY WAS to look at projects that were already on the table and ready to go – projects that would achieve the least emissions possible at a Sunday Age Chief Political Reporter reasonable cost. The final Melissa Fyfe said replacing Hazelwood report – “Fast-tracking was a ‘powerfully symbolic move that Victoria’s clean energy future would dramatically reduce the state’s to replace Hazelwood Power carbon footprint’. Station” – demonstrates that by using a combination of renewable energy, energy efficiency and some combined cycle gas (as a transition fuel), we can Replace Hazelwood by 2012 and maintain energy security while we’re at it. The report finds we can bring forward investment in renewable energy across the state, and have 1500MW of renewable energy ready to go by the end of 2012. At the same time, we can build an efficient gas-fired power station that will allow us to generate power during peak periods, like on hot summer days when demand for energy increases. And we can actually reduce the amount of energy we need by rolling out energy efficiency measures such as solar hot water across the state. The plan is not only good for the environment, it also creates more jobs than Hazelwood Power Station currently employs. Our analysis shows that we could expect between 1900-2500 jobs in building the clean energy replacements. In addition, around 2300 new ongoing jobs would be created, mostly in energy efficiency. While some of these would be located in the Latrobe Valley, support for workers and investment in alternative industries across Gippsland would also be needed. Green Energy Markets estimated that the cost of replacing Hazelwood and bringing on-line the clean energy replacements would be $320 million per year. In summary, the report clearly shows that we can Replace Hazelwood with Clean Energy by 2012 at reasonable cost, while creating more jobs, freeing up 27 billion litres of water each year, and slashing our greenhouse pollution by 12 percent while we’re at it. We think that’s an outcome worth fighting for.

You can download the report at www.environmentvictoria.org.au/replacehazelwood

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

Nearly 300 people turned up on the steps of Parliament last month to ask our political leaders to Replace Hazelwood. SINCE OUR LAST edition of Green Action News, we’ve made significant progress in getting our three major campaigns up and running: Replace Hazelwood, Rescue Our Rivers, and One Million Homes. We’ve increased our lobbying activity at the state level – briefing Ministers, shadow Ministers, backbenchers and bureaucrats. And we’re working with other state and national environment groups to prepare the framework for a scorecard that we’ll be using to rate the commitment of each party to the environment closer to the election. We’re planning a regional roadshow to take our campaigns all over the state in July and August. Federally, we’re also preparing for a possible election in August/September. So we’re ensuring our work is concentrated on issues and in areas that are relevant to both elections. We’re anticipating holding another Walk Against Warming ahead of the federal election and we’re about to crank up our lobbying federally with both major parties. We’ve been keeping the pressure on, but the truth is none of this work would be possible without supporters like you. Thank you for your ongoing support, financial and otherwise. The next six months will be extremely exciting as our campaigns build to a crescendo and hopefully deliver some really strong environmental outcomes. See you on the campaign trail!

To talk to Mark Wakeham about our any of election campaigns, contact him on (03) 9341 8127 or email him at mark.wakeham@environmentvictoria.org.au.

G LOEOC D E TIO NN E WNSE W S

Give Water, Give Life.

Rescue Our Rivers

> Amelia Young, Rescue Our Rivers Campaigner

It’s time to Rescue Our Rivers. And this election year, we have a major opportunity to do so. IT’S REALLY JUST common sense. Rivers with water not only sustain ecosystems, they bring life to our community. But the last ten years tell a sad story for rivers and water mismanagement in Victoria. After decades of taking too much water out of our rivers, the growing effects of climate change have become all too apparent. Our state government has been asking us to save water, and we’ve been doing a good job. We’ve met their Target 155. But the question is: What have they been up to? Here at Environment Victoria, we don’t think expensive desalination plants and pipelines are the answer. For one thing, there’s no guarantee that any of the water from these projects will make it to our rivers. That’s why, in the lead-up to the state election, we’re asking each

political party to commit to Rescue Our Rivers. We’re doing our bit. It’s time for the government to do theirs. In particular, we’re asking each political party to commit to: 1. Delivering the water promised to our rivers. The Goulburn, Moorabool, Yarra, Thomson, Barwon, Wimmera, Snowy, Glenelg, Werribee and Murray Rivers have all been promised water they’re yet to receive. 2. Secure enough water for northern Victorian rivers by 2014, prioritising watering of River Red Gum National Parks by 2012. 3. Protecting our rivers’ rights to water. We want them to reform the Water Act to make sure our rivers get the water they’re entitled to.

We’re mobilising Victorians in key electorates and hitting the streets to drum up support for our campaign. Get involved by visiting us online at www.environmentvictoria.org.au/ rescueourrivers or call Amelia Young on (03) 9341 8120 for more information on how you can help us.

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

ELECTION NEWS

One big ask One million green makeovers > Josie Lee, Safe Climate Campaigner

It’ll provide a green makeover for one million homes, reduce gas emissions by 2.3 million tonnes a year, save 32.5 billion litres of water and create 6900 additional jobs. It’s our One Million Homes campaign and, according to a growing alliance of groups, it’s a no-brainer. IT’S A VISION THAT’S brought together broad community support. Environment groups, social welfare groups, unions, manufacturers and business are joining together to put pressure on the government to retrofit one million Victorian homes. At half Victoria’s housing stock, it would go a long way towards a safe climate future for our state. The program would also increase householder protection against heatwaves and cold-snaps. Under the program, households would receive a combination of solar hot water

systems, insulation, weather seals, low-flow shower heads, tap flow restrictors, dual-flush toilets, efficient fridges and more. And while all Victorian homes would benefit from the green makeover, low-income households would be the big winners. It’s a benefit that Campaigns Director, Mark Wakeham says would go a long way towards offsetting rising energy and water costs. “Energy bills have increased over 50 percent from 2000 to 2008 and they’re still growing,” Mark said. “Water prices are now set to join

them, with a projected increase of 51 to 64 percent over the next four years. Our One Million Homes program would not only save water and energy, it would also protect vulnerable households from skyrocketing prices.” The campaign has brought together a range of groups who will be launching the campaign later this month with a new report on the program. We’ll also be kickstarting a round of community action with online cyberactions planned, letter writing to local MPs and much more.

Stay tuned for the latest as our One Million Homes campaign heats up: www.environmentvictoria.org.au/onemillionhomes For more information, contact our Safe Climate Campaigner, Josie Lee on (03) 9341 8118.

GREEN ACTION NEWS | ISSUE 11

| W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

PRE-ELECTION BUDGETS

State and federal budgets disappoint in election year. > Mark Wakeham, Campaigns Director

May saw both the state and federal budgets handed down. Both governments framed their budgets as being ‘economically responsible’, with only very modest environmental spending. Environment Victoria’s Mark Wakeham reviews the good, the bad and the ugly this budget round.

State Budget The State Budget was delivered on 4 May 2010. Once again we took part in the budget ‘lock-up’, pouring over the budget papers to see if our politicians are taking our environmental challenges seriously. And while there were some positive initiatives in the budget, it overall missed the opportunity to scale up Victoria’s response on climate change, water insecurity and the loss of biodiversity. On the bright side, the Green Jobs package was a positive investment in environmental industries, with the increased landfill levy the highlight of the package. The budget also included welcome investment in grasslands protection on Melbourne’s fringe, public transport and promised funding for the Land and Biodiversity White Paper. However we were disappointed that the budget didn’t address some of the major environmental challenges facing Victoria. There was little there to reduce the state’s over-reliance on polluting coal-fired electricity generation and nothing to fast-track the replacement of polluting power stations like Hazelwood. There was also no substantial new funding to get water back into our rivers or to overhaul the water and energy efficiency of homes across the state. And there was no funding to

secure water for the newly created Red Gum National Parks. Our response to the budget concluded that the state government needed to address these budget environmental ‘gaps’ in upcoming government policy papers – the Climate Change White Paper, Future Energy Statement, Regional Blueprint and the ALP’s election platform – if the ALP is to go to the election with a positive story to tell on the environment. By contrast the Coalition’s budget response barely mentioned the environment and included no new policy measures or promised funding for environmental programs, highlighting that it is not just the state government that has a lot of work to do in coming months.

Federal Budget The Federal Budget, delivered a week later, was even more disappointing for the environment. The government made clear its plans to shelve emissions trading till 2013, and saw money that had been earmarked to set up the scheme re-allocated to support renewable energy projects. It was very disappointing that there was no new funding in the budget to encourage the economy wide emissions reductions that would have been delivered by an effective price on carbon.

THERE WAS LITTLE THERE TO REDUCE THE STATE’S OVER-RELIANCE ON POLLUTING COAL-FIRED ELECTRICITY GENERATION

THE GOVERNMENT MADE CLEAR ITS PLANS TO SHELVE EMISSIONS TRADING TILL 2013 Elsewhere there were further cuts to the Natural Heritage Trust ($81 million cut over four years) and Landcare, cuts to urban water efficiency programs and a wind-back of the Green Car Innovation Fund by $200 million. More positively there was some spending brought forward to buy environmental water for the Murray Darling Basin and new money for a national waste policy. The proposed Resources Super Tax will also see the community benefit more from mining projects, even if the revenues are being used to support nonenvironmental programs. Again the Coalition’s budget response was short on detail, however it was clear that if elected the Coalition would make further cuts to renewable energy and Green Car programs in an attempt to balance the budget.

What does it mean for our environment? Our hope is that the state and federal governments are both saving their big environmental announcements for the elections. The lack of a coherent climate policy in particular will become a real problem for both governments when they return to the ballot box.

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

S U S TA I N A B L E L I F E S T Y L E S

Sustainable Living: Where to now? > Murray Irwin, Sustainable Living Director

After four years, more than 225 workshops and other activities, 47 partner organisations, and 1831 direct participants, our Regional Sustainable Living Program is coming to an end. IT’S THE END of one era, but the start a whole new one, as we work up a whole raft of new project proposals that will build on the success of our programs. The Regional Sustainable Living Program (RSL), started as a four year program back in 2006. It used innovative projects, carefully shaped for the groups we work with, to help people live more sustainably. We’ve worked with everyone from senior citizens in Colac to young mums in the Latrobe Valley, and young

TOGETHER THEY ARE NOW SAVING MORE THAN 1.6 TONNES OF GREENHOUSE GASES AND 46 KILOLITRES OF WATER PER HOUSEHOLD.

migrants and refugees in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Together they are now saving more than 2,083 tonnes of greenhouse gas and 61,482 kilolitres of water each year – that’s 1.6 tonnes of greenhouse gases and 46 kilolitres of water per household. Over the past years, our program has empowered some of the most disadvantaged people in Victoria to take Green Action. It’s proved that anyone, regardless of means or background, can contribute to a greener future. And the

GREEN ACTION NEWS | ISSUE 11

| W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

STORIES FROM THE FIELD Over the years we’ve been lucky enough to work with thousands of Victorians from all over our fine state. Together we’ve made real inroads. And the last six months have been no exception. After working on the Mornington Peninsula, and in Victoria’s north and west, we’ve been hitting the pavement in Gippsland and working hard as ever to help local communities become more sustainable. Here are just a few of their stories.

results have very often been mutually beneficial, with many past participants finding new green jobs and building invaluable skills and social networks. Now, the new projects we’re developing will take our work in whole new directions. They include expanding our training of Home and Community Care workers to hundreds more, so that they can help 7500 home care recipients make their homes more environmentally sound and comfortable. Other projects in the pipeline include: • A program for faith groups that builds on the work we’ve done with church groups in the past; • A program for the 30,000 first-time mums across the state; • A program for not-for-profit workplaces, as a pilot that we could then apply to the commercial sector; • A project to help people get the most out of their big ticket green items – such as solar hot water and insulation – and to change other behaviours and habits along the way. Meanwhile, work is continuing as we wrap up the Regional Sustainable Living project and continue to make a difference across the state. We’re running a Multicultural Leaders in Sustainability project in Melbourne’s western suburbs, and we’re hoping to run it there again later in the year. We’ve also been running GreenTown with four migrant and refugee communities across Melbourne. In late April, GreenTown received a Sustainability Fund grant, which means the project will be doing a bit of expanding of its own. See our article on page 10 for all the juicy details.

All in all, it’s been a big four years. And we’re optimistic that the next four will be just a good. We’re still looking for funding to run some of our brilliant new programs, so if you’d like to support our Sustainable Living projects, and help build a more sustainable Victoria, donate online now at www.environmentvictoria. org.au/give.

260 seniors get sustainability audits

Young Victorians take up the challenge

Location: Latrobe Valley

Location: Morwell

We’ve trained 110 Home and Community Care workers to conduct their own audits in clients’ homes. So far, they’ve conducted over 252 audits. And counting…

Budget sustainability Location: Morwell

Kate Nesbitt, Andrew McKenzie and Tamara Jones may just be finishing our Youth Eco-Challenge, but they’ve already figured out what’s important. Completing the program as part of their Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, the trio told us: “It’s important because it’s not just about us. It’s about all of us, and the future.” Nice one guys.

Somali kids learn about energy and water Location: Flemington

Kath Alderwick took part in our Sustainability on a Shoestring program that we ran in Morwell. She liked it so much, she’s now working with us part-time to help organise more workshops! In the last few months, we’ve run workshops in Traralgon, Churchill, Moe and Morwell. We’ve also been running workshops with Berry Street Young Mums.

Ahmed Adem has been busy carrying out sustainability audits for fellow East Africans, after completing our GreenTown program. Originally from Somalia, he is passionate about teaching other Somalis to save energy and water. He’s even given GreenTown presentations to school kids.

Seniors change the way they shop Location: Traralgon Dee and Alan Thompson took part in Eco-Wise Action through the Traralgon Uniting Church. The workshops have changed the way they shop, making them aware of some of the more – and less – environmentally friendly products on our supermarket shelves. We’ve also run Eco-Wise Action at the Morwell RSL, and we’re currently running it with the Probus Latrobe Ladies.

Want more Green Action stories? There’s lots of people who are passionate about the environment, just like you. Read their stories at www.environmentvictoria. org.au/content/stories.

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

BIG WINS!

Big funding win for GreenTown > Domenica Settle, Project Officer, Sustainable Living Program Acting CEO & Campaigns Director, Mark Wakeham, accepts GreenTown funding on behalf of Environment Victoria at the announcement of winners of the 2010 Sustainability Fund. With Ministers Gavin Jennings and Richard Wynne.

On a cloudy day late in April, a small group of people gathered in front of the Collingwood Housing Commission flats for a big announcement. AMONG THEM WERE staff from Environment Victoria’s GreenTown program. When the recipients of the 2010 round of the Sustainability Fund were announced, our GreenTown project was one of them. It was the largest amount of funding given to any community group, enabling us to work with two new communities – the Burmese community in Ringwood, and the community in the Collingwood flats. “Heaps of Burmese refugees have settled in Ringwood in the last few years,” says project manager Michele Burton, “and they’ve often been living in refugee camps for a long time so they don’t have the kind of employment experience you need to get a job here.” GreenTown trains a small group of people to do sustainability audits of households in their own community. “It’s great because it gives them skills in the sustainability field, which is a growing area so it should

help them get jobs down the track,” Michele explains. “The audits also help people save water and energy, and to save money. When you get here and water just comes flowing out of the tap and electricity out of the power point, it’s easy to believe you can just use as much as we like, there’s an endless supply. We’ve done a lot of work with migrant and refugee communities before, and when you start talking to them about the environment and they start to understand the issues, they’re often really keen to make a difference.” In Collingwood, GreenTown will be working with a whole range of nationalities, and even though the newly funded GreenTown work isn’t supposed to start till later in the year, things are already getting busy. “We’re going to be working with the Neighbourhood Renewal project there, and we’ve already had a couple of meetings with them.

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

Then we’re going to do an art project with the neighbourhood house, and Cultivating Communities – they run a couple of community gardens at the site – they want to work with us on getting people in the flats composting. So we’re down at the flats all the time, even though it’s really early days for the project” The original GreenTown project is scheduled to finish working with the last of four communities, the Indigenous community in Darebin, later in the year. Like the original project, the new project will also involve presentations, talks and workshops, and lots of partner organisations: the Migrant Information Centre – Eastern Region, the Zomi Association, the Office of Housing and the Neighbourhood Advisory Team in Collingwood are just some of the organisations on board. It’s shaping up to be a big project. “Yep,” says Michele, “we’re pretty excited.”

BIG WINS!

The new landfill levies will be a shot in the arm for recycling businesses.

New landfill levy a big win for recycling > Sarah Dobney, Communications Officer

Environment Victoria has congratulated the Brumby Government and Opposition parties for passing new landfill levies in late May that will increase recycling. THE PROPOSED CHANGES to the levy were passed by the Legislative Council in late May. The levy for dumping a tonne of waste at a metropolitan waste facility will rise from current rates of $9 per tonne to $30 a tonne next financial year, with further increases in following years. This will bring Victoria closer to the

landfill levy in other states such as New South Wales, and will make recycling more economic. This is an outcome that Environment Victoria has been campaigning for over the past two years. Environment Victoria CEO, Kelly O’Shanassy said it was fantastic to see cooperation in the Parliament to support

strong new laws. “The laws will drive recycling and reuse, and create thousands of green jobs. We congratulate Minister Jennings and the Brumby Government, as well as the Coalition and Greens for making these laws a reality. Its been rare that we get cross-Parliamentary support for major environmental reforms. We hope to see the cooperation on this issue applied to other environmental issues in the months ahead.” “The increased landfill levy will help Victorians achieve higher rates of recycling, and keep valuable materials out of landfill. This in turn reduces greenhouse emissions and creates jobs in resource recovery and recycling.” Kelly said that for too long the cost of dumping waste in Victoria had not reflected the costs for the environment and the community. “The new levies address this and provide a welcome shot in the arm for recycling businesses that have been struggling as a result of the low landfill levy and weak commodity prices.” “Increasing the landfill levy is the most significant policy plank introduced to increase recycling rates and reduce volumes going to landfill. Importantly, all revenue raised will go to support waste reduction and sustainability programs.” “It’s a big win for the environment.”

MAKE YOUR WINTER SUSTAINABLY TOASTY It’s that time of the year again, and all around Victoria people are getting ready to crank up their heaters. If only the bills wouldn’t crank up too! More than half the energy we use in our homes goes to our heating. And it’s not so good for the environment either, with heating being a major source of household greenhouse gas emissions. Thankfully you can be warm without chewing through the greenhouse pollution, just by using these smart tips to heat your home. • There’s no point heating an empty room. Close your doors and heat only the rooms you’re in.

• Make sure your heating’s not too high. Turning down your heating by two degrees in the winter will save you a whopping 890 kg of greenhouse gas each year. • Having an efficient heating system isn’t much use if all the heat disappears out the window. If you’re in the market for a new system invest in an efficient one. We’ve done the maths for you. www.environment victoria.org.au/sites/default/files/ Heating%20systems%203.pdf For more sustainability tips: www.environmentvictoria. org.au/act

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

C L I M AT E A C T I O N

Emissions trading on the backburner > Mark Wakeham, Campaigns Director

Following a leak in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Rudd Government was forced to admit it was shelving its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) in April until late 2012.

HERE AT ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA we had mixed feelings about the announcement. On the one hand, the CPRS was riddled with problems and unlikely to drive the changes required across our economy. The decision to hand out billions of dollars worth of pollution permits to coal-fired generators prompted even Professor Garnaut to remark that the process used to develop the legislation was “one of the worst examples of policy making we have seen on major issues in Australia”. The Government’s insistence on negotiating with the Coalition ahead of the Greens saw the legislation go from bad to worse in Parliament. On the other hand, delaying the CPRS has sent a very worrying signal. Until April 2010, the Rudd Government talked repeatedly about the need to lead on climate change. The Prime Minister famously described climate change as the “great moral challenge of our time”. The shelving of the CPRS saw a significant change of tune. Now, according to the Prime Minister, Australia should wait and see what others do

‘DELAYING THE CPRS HAS SENT A VERY WORRYING SIGNAL.’

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Kevin Rudd in November 2009 on delaying action on climate change: “What absolute political cowardice. What absolute failure of leadership. What absolute failure of logic. The inescapable logic of this approach is that if every nation makes the decision not to act until others have done so, then no nation will ever act.”

before addressing climate change. The back-flip has hurt the Rudd Government’s climate credentials and their popularity in the polls. Perhaps more importantly, it’s left a policy vacuum on climate change. If the ALP Government is to retain the support of the hundreds of thousands of Australians who voted on climate change in the 2007 election, it will need a coherent replacement for the CPRS.

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

Kevin Rudd in April 2010: “The implementation of a carbon pollution reduction scheme in Australia will… be extended until after the conclusion of the current Kyoto commitment period… that will provide… the Australian Government at that time.. with a better position to assess the level of global action on climate change prior to the implementation of a CPRS in Australia.”

And while we still need a price on carbon, our present Parliament is clearly not up to the task of introducing an efficient emissions trading scheme. In the meantime, Replacing Hazelwood and getting serious about energy efficiency in our homes and across the economy will help fill that policy vacuum.

You can read more about our Safe Climate campaigns on pages 3 and 5.

E N V I R O N M E N TA L C H A M P I O N S

ABDUL WEDAI Greening up the East-African Community Abdul Wedai’s family will be the first East African family in his area to get solar panels, and he’s proud. But if he has anything to do with it, they won’t be the last. ABDUL IS OROMO, from Oromiya, a regional state in Ethiopia. He’s been encouraging his community to live sustainably, as East African community liaison consultant to Environment Victoria’s GreenTown program, and through everyday conversations with Oromo friends. Abdul’s role in GreenTown is to help Environment Victoria translate sustainable living messages to Flemington’s East African community, made up of people from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia. He also organises GreenTown environmental education activities for the community, including field trips and community workshops and promotes GreenTown (and sustainable living tips) via 3ZZZ ethnic community radio. When he gets home he puts lots of these green living ideas into practice, taking a walk around his garden each night to see how things are growing, before he takes off his shoes to head inside. Abdul’s veggie garden bursts with salad lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and more for his family. He can keep it happy thanks to two rainwater tanks he had installed, with a third on the way. Water saving is just normal for Abdul’s family – his wife uses a bucket in the sink when she washes salad vegetables, and his son Birra uses a small bucket of water to wash his hands. Abdul attached his air conditioner’s water pipe to the rainwater tank, so he doesn’t waste the discharge water – “nothing is wasted” he says. Some of his passion for the environment goes back to growing up in Oromiya. He

Abdul (left) with fellow participant Khalid at the GreenTown training.

says he remembers Lake Haramaya (also known as Alemaya): “I used to cross this lake by boat to get to school. Now it is dry. There is a change coming.” According to Abdul, many migrants who come to Victoria experience the newness of life in a wealthy consumer culture and “want to buy everything when they come here! They’re not thinking about things like energy efficiency, energy saving – they want to buy cheap things, but don’t think about the cost of running the appliance”. He encourages them to think about the cost over the appliance’s lifetime – sometimes the best environmental choice is to buy something more expensive that is better quality and will last a long time, or is more energy or water efficient and so will help the environment. Abdul has also been encouraging his

friends to buy solar panels, to help reduce greenhouse gases and also to eventually save money on home power bills. But while lots of East Africans have invested in rainwater tanks, solar panels are more of a challenge, even when he explains the government incentives that are available. He knows that nonEnglish-speaking communities find it hard to access government messages, or programs like solar power or water rebates, so is constantly explaining these to his community. But soon he’ll be happy to be able to also show them an example – the first solar panels that he knows of on an East African home in Werribee.

For more information on our GreenTown program, visit www.environment victoria.org.au/green-town.

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

A F F I L I AT E

MEMBER

F E AT U R E

Ballarat Renewable Energy And Zero Emissions Lovingly known as BREAZE, the Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions group is based in Ballarat, Victoria and is the newest affiliate member of Environment Victoria. A LOCALLY FORMED, grassroots environmental organisation, BREAZE formed in 2006 out of a need to demonstrate that community-based actions can make a difference in our response to climate change. They’re small in size, but huge in support and this energetic group believe there are many sustainable ways of living. And they actively engage and support the Ballarat community in doing just that. They run sustainability workshops, hold bi-monthly community forums and promote the use of solar hot water and electricity in the community. They’ve even managed to facilitate the installation of solar panels and solar hot water systems in hundreds of homes and 20 odd schools in the Ballarat district. One huge feat for a small army of part-time staff. BREAZE also advocate government policies that address climate change and partner with other organisations to deliver programs and events. Most recently, they joined the 100% Renewable Energy alliance, with over 65 climate action groups around the country calling for an urgent transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy. Quite fittingly, they’re also a big supporter of Environment Victoria’s Replace Hazelwood Campaign. But that’s not where our partnership with our newest affiliate group ends. Very recently we partnered with BREAZE to develop a nifty tool-kit for up and coming climate action groups to help get them on their feet and keep them going. You can find this on our website at www.environmentvictoria.org.au/act. For more information on setting up your own Climate Action Group and some friendly support feel free to give us a shout on (03) 9341 8100.

Meantime, you can get the latest and greatest BREAZE and climate action in Ballarat, at www.breaze.org.au.

Environment Victoria and BREAZE have joined forces to produce a tool-kit for new climate action groups – expanding the grassroots movement to secure a safe climate for our future.

New funding opportunity for community groups Attention all community groups! The Victorian Government has recently announced a new grant that provides local groups across Victoria with funding to take practical action on climate change in their own communities. Grants of up to $50,000 are available. THE CLIMATE COMMUNITIES GRANT will help community projects that aim to reduce emissions, build community resilience to adapt to climate change or trial and promote new ideas to help tackle climate change. It covers a lot of bases. So, if you’re committed to retrofitting your community hall to reduce energy use or want to introduce an energy co-op that trials new clean technology, this grant is for you. Funding is open to community groups, schools, local councils and individuals committed to tackling climate change in their communities. The program also encourages and supports the establishment of new groups who wish to take environmental action. If your group has a great idea that could do with some funding, head to www.climatecommunities.vic.gov.au/grants/ and apply today. For more info, call the Climate Communities team on 1300 363 744. Best of luck!

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

HELP US

replace Australia’s dirtiest power station and change the game on climate action! Leading US environmentalist, Bill McKibben has called it an ‘important step in the global climate movement’. Sunday Age, chief political correspondent, Melissa Fyfe has written that replacing Hazelwood would be a ‘powerfully symbolic move that would dramatically reduce the state’s carbon footprint’. The Victorian

climate action community has rallied to the call to Replace Hazelwood in their thousands. Now is the time for us to finally replace this ageing dinosaur. Your generous donation now is one of the biggest actions you can take this year on climate change. Help us change the game on climate action in this country!

YES! I’m changing the game on climate action! I would like to donate:

n $50 n $100 n $150 n $250 n $500 n My own amount $ ___________ Please find enclosed a: n Cheque or n Money Order (payable to Environment Victoria INC.) or please debit my card: n Amex n Mastercard n Visa Cardholder’s name: ________________________________________Expiry date: __ __ / __ __ Signature: ___________________________ Card number: | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | – | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | – | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | – | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ |

PERSONAL DETAILS Title:

First Name:

Family Name:

Address: Suburb:

State:

Postcode:

Email: Tel: (BH)

(AH)

n Please send all future correspondence by email Help us to help you by telling us a little bit more about yourself. (All information will be kept strictly confidential). Date of Birth: D_______/ M_______/ Y_______ Occupation: _____________________________________________________ ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES YOU CARE MOST ABOUT

n All

n Biodiversity

n Healthy Rivers

n Safe Climate n Sustainable Lifestyles n Smart Stuff (Less Waste)

Please complete this form, tear off this page and return it to Reply Paid 12575, A’Beckett Street, Melbourne, VIC 8006 or visit www.environmentvictoria.org.au/give and make your donation online. G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 1 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i r o n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u

NOTICE THIS!

Go into the running to win a signed copy of US activist Bill McKibben’s new book eaarth!

im Flannery has called him ‘the most effective environmental activist of our age’. NASA scientist James Hansen

says that he ‘blazes a path to help preserve nature’s greatest treasures’. This is your chance to win a very special edition of 350.org founder, Bill McKibben’s newest book – specially signed for our supporters here at Environment Victoria. In his newest book, Bill argues that our survival depends on scaling back, concentrating on essentials and creating the kinds of communities that will allow us to weather the coming storm. For your chance to go into the running, simply email your name, address and phone number to us here at Environment Victoria at editor@environmentvictoria.org.au with ‘EAARTH’ as the subject. Winners will be chosen by blind raffle.

WHO’S WHO AT ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA Chief Executive Officer Kelly O’Shanassy Campaigns Director Mark Wakeham Sustainable Living Director Murray Irwin OPERATIONS Organisational Services Manager Ivan Kolker Administration Coordinator Helen Vine Communications Manager Vicki Kyriakakis Communications Officer Sarah Dobney

Finance Officer Despina Giannakis Fundraising Director Ian Coleman Senior Fundraiser Amber Sprunt Fundraising Officer Lily Weinberg WATER & HEALTHY RIVERS Healthy Rivers Campaign CoManager Amelia Young Healthy Rivers Campaign CoManager Juliet Le Feuvre

SAFE CLIMATE Safe Climate and Sustainable Transport Campaigner Victoria McKenzie-McHarg Safe Climate Campaigner Josie Lee SUSTAINABLE LIVING PROGRAM Project Manager Michele Burton Project Manager Nina Bailey Program Manager Charlie Davie Project Officer Domenica Settle

BOARD President Russell Fisher Vice-President Sue Noy Doug Gimesy David Osborn Elizabeth McKinnon Amanda Nuttall Jeana Vithoulkas James Meldrum

REGULAR VOLUNTEERS Andrew Booth Peter Flanagan Janet Gellie Colleen Guggisberg Ian Hazewinkel Catherine Ryan Marion Silver Les Smith

www.environmentvictoria.org.au

TALK TO US: Phone: (03) 9341 8100 admin@ environmentvictoria.org.au Fax: (03) 9341 8199 PO Box 12575 A’Beckett Street, Victoria, 8006