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WO R K I N G T O G E T H E R P R O T E C T I N G V I C T O R I A ’ S E N V I R O N M E N T
New Road Ahead Solutions the focus as new CEO takes helm
The Zero Waste Economy Adopting a new world view
Fresh from the Ovens Stories from Victoria’s North East
ISSUE 1 Z SPRING 2007
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THIS ISSUE New water world demands new approach
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River champions connect over sustainable water management
Green Action News Issue 1, Spring 2007 Design 2Fish Productions Print PrintBound CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr Paul Sinclair, Georgie Coram, Dawn G Lee, Juliet Le Feuvre, Louise Morris, Daniel Clarke, Vicki Kyriakakis Editor Vicki Kyriakakis (03) 9341 8215 editor@envict.org.au Advertising sales enquiries (03) 9341 8215 vicki.kyriakakis@envict.org.au Membership enquiries (03) 9341 8124 candice.feuerring@envict.org.au Green Action News is an Environment Victoria publication. For more information, visit www.environmentvictoria.org.au Environment Victoria would like to thank PrintBound for its in-kind support.
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Fresh from the Ovens: Stories from Victoria’s North East
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Coni Forcey: Bayside’s climate action mum
Politicians fall behind as The Big Switch picks up speed
Victorians ready to Walk Against Warming
Hattah who?
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Cutting the cost of environmental damage
Solutions the focus as new CEO takes the helm
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Zero Waste: A new world idea
Students get behind MYRiveR Yarra
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Victorian ‘Big Switchers’ call for more action
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My Heart is in the land
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Notice this
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Clean green print for Green Action News > Vicki Kyriakakis, Communications Officer
EV NEWS HAS GOT TEN A MAKEOVER AND A NEW NAME. BUT ONE THING HASN’T CHANGED: Green Action News IS STILL AS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AS EVER. WHEN CO-OWNERS MARK Tomasini and Mauro Mattarucco first started Print Bound over 16 years ago, the environment was still considered a fringe issue. Now, almost two decades later, they are leading the way in clean green practices in the printing industry, with the launch of their new Clean Green Print website. As Mark Tomasini explains, Clean Green Print is about raising awareness and ‘providing direction in the print industry on how to support a
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sustainable environment.” The website is intended as a forum for new ideas and initiatives and is helping to educate other printing businesses in Victoria on the environmental impact of printing. Winners of the 2005 Premier’s Award for Business Sustainability, Print Bound have incorporated greenfriendly measures at every step of their printing process. From the world’s greenest press to vegetable based inks, recycled cartons and a complete waste management system, Print Bound has made concern for the environment the centrepiece of their business.
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“We take complete ownership of the print process,” Mr Tomasini said. “That way we can ensure minimal impact on the environment.” Print Bound has a zero landfill policy, providing quotes on environmentally friendly paper, using computer to plate technology and making the most of energy solutions such as infrared sensors, motions sensors, reflectors and low emission fluorescent lights to reduce greenhouse pollution. They are already ISO 14001, Waste Wise and FSC certified. They are now focusing on reducing their carbon footprint and have been accredited by the Australian Government Office as a climate plus member. EV’s new Green Action News is printed on 100 per cent recyclable paper using vegetable inks.
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healthy rivers
New water world demands new approach > Dr Paul Sinclair, Director, Healthy Rivers Campaign
WE LIVE IN A NEW WATER WORLD. THE BIG DRY AND ITS IMPACTS ON PEOPLE AND THE PLACES AND SPECIES WE CARE FOR ARE UNPRECEDENTED. THERE IS LITTLE doubt that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is right to conclude that a consequence of greenhouse gas pollution is that regional climates have already become drier. We know that our community has the capacity to adapt to climate change. We can develop smarter technology, and change our behaviour towards water and energy use to increase our chances of successful adaptation to climate change. River systems can’t do that. Rivers and the life that depends on them need to be given the chance to adapt to climate change. We need to support the recent Victorian Environmental Assessment Council recommendations to create new red gum national parks to create corridors so our native animals can move along rivers to find refuges. Murray wetlands like Gunbower and Hattah – Kakadu’s without the crocs – are becoming even more vital sanctuaries for threatened plants and animals as the climate dries. Governments must get serious about
creating genuinely sustainable irrigation systems that produce good food, and return water to the rivers to make them healthy. Rules on how existing dams operate will be a vital tool in sustaining river gum forests and floodplain biodiversity. The river needs to be able to store up in existing dams over years so it can be released to mimic the natural floods that feed the river, floodplains and native plants and animals. Rivers without dams need to stay that way. The days on concreting in the mistakes of the past have to end. In dry years our rivers get hit hardest. In effect they wear the greatest risk from the climate change caused by our pollution. In the Goulburn River, 60 per cent of the flow is taken in an ‘average’ year and 81 per cent in a dry year. Government needs to allocate a proportional share of a river’s water that sustains its health – even in dry years. We know that a drier climate will increase the likelihood of more toxic blue green algal blooms in rivers like the Goulburn and Yarra. But that hasn’t stopped the Victorian government taking water specifically set aside to reduce the risk of blue green algal blooms in the Goulburn River and handing it over to Melbourne and Bendigo. That’s an example of passing the risk of climate change onto the
We need to secure water for our rivers if they are to have a fighting chance against climate change.
environment and other communities. One consequence of the big dry is that the Goulburn River is being hung, drawn and quartered. Water from the Goulburn River will be pumped to supply Ballarat and Bendigo. Goulburn water has been sent 600 kilometres west in the Waranga Western Channel for years. The Victorian government is scheming to build an open channel connecting the Murray and Goulburn River’s and get around the pesky Barmah Choke that created the greatest river red gum forest on earth so it can sell more water. And now 75 000 megalitres of Goulburn River water will be piped to Melbourne. That’s not a lot compared to the 1 768 000 megalitres taken by irrigation industries. But it still matters. If Melbourne is going to take water from the Goulburn it needs to meet its obligations to the Goulburn-Murray River system. The government has said it won’t buy water from irrigators. But Melbourne could buy water for rivers. Water still needs to be found to meet promises to made to the Snowy River in 2000. And there is no long-term plan to give the Goulburn and Murray River systems enough water to maintain their river red gum forests. Melbourne could lead the way.
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sustainability
Cutting the cost of environmental damage > Vicki Kyriakakis, Communications Officer
VICTORIANS HAVE SAVED THOUSANDS OF KILOGRAMS OF CO2 AND MILLIONS OF LITRES OF WATER PER ANNUM DURING THE PILOT OF EV’S REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE LIVING PROGRAM.
Graduates of the Youth Eco-Challenge will be meeting Al Gore in late September after helping their communities reduce their environmental footprints. WITH A FOCUS on hard-to-reach communities in the Westernport region, the Regional Sustainable Living program has been helping residents from these communities reduce their environmental footprint and save money. The four year program has been funded by the Sustainability Fund. In its first year, it was delivered in three parts: the Eco-Wise Action program for seniors clubs on the Mornington Peninsula, the Families Go Green program for lowincome families in Frankston, and the Eco Challenge for youth from the City of Casey.
EV joined forces with local government, seniors clubs, and the YMCA to deliver the projects, which worked to build capacity in community leaders to reduce their own environmental footprint and spread their knowledge to others in their communities. The projects have been a resounding success, saving Victorians thousands of kilograms of CO2 equivalent and millions of litres of water in the last financial year. Over 730 showerheads were exchanged during a Families Go Green community event and 1000 indigenous trees were given away to help develop a carbon sink
River champions connect over sustainable water management > Juliet Le Feuvre, Healthy Rivers Community Campaigner
IT WAS A COLD AUGUST AFTERNOON ON THE BANKS OF THE COLIBAN RIVER AS EV’S HEALTHY RIVERS REPRESENTATIVES FISHED FOR BUGS IN TRAYS OF RIVER WATER WITH TEASPOONS. THEIR EXCITED SEARCH TOOK THEM THROUGH BEETLES, BUGS, SKATERS AND WORMS IN SEARCH OF THE ELUSIVE STONEFLY LARVAE. THE FIELD TRIP was part of the Sustainable Water Management short course, conducted by the Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE (BRIT). The
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brainchild of the EV’s Healthy Rivers campaign team, the course was designed in partnership with BRIT in response to rising demand for training to help EV’s representatives become better advocates for Victoria’s rivers. Participants came from a wide variety of backgrounds, from EV representatives to Landcare groups, landholders and waterkeepers. John Poppins, an EV representative on a number of committees, said the diverse mix of people allowed for a dynamic discussion on river issues that was both stimulating and inspiring. “Meeting the other attendees and having the opportunity to network with them and learn from them was perhaps the best benefit of all,” John said.
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for CO2. The Eco-Wise Action program took more than over 200 seniors through an environmental audit of their own homes and taught them how to reduce their water and energy use. And young people from the City of Casey held sustainability workshops for over 690 people, giving away 510 four-minute shower timers and exchanging 70 showerheads on World Environment Day. The results have drawn wide-spread attention, with Premier John Brumby inviting the Eco-Challenge graduates to sit on his table for Al Gore’s presentation to business leaders in Melbourne at the end of September. The Casey youth will have the opportunity to meet the man himself on the night, with the help of Sustainability Victoria who funded the cost of the tickets. Jane Sayers, Director of Sustainable Living Campaign said the program’s success was evidence that Victorians from all walks of life were ready to make the changes necessary to reduce their impact on the environment. The next stage of the program will work with community groups in Central Victoria. For more information about the program, contact Annette Salkeld on 9341 8100 or annette.salkeld@envict.org.au.
The sentiment was echoed by Cameron Steele, EV’s man on the Moorabool, who agreed that it was both the range of topics and people involved that made the weekend course so valuable. “The course was extremely helpful in solidifying the issues,” he said. A vast array of expert presenters were drawn from across Victoria for the intensive weekend course, from the Catchment Management Authority, to the Department of Sustainability and Environment and beyond. They took participants through topics such as river health, hydrology, water allocation, community engagement and farm management. EV was able to support Healthy Rivers representatives who attended the course with the help of a grant from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.
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profile
“EV HAS DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB OF RAISING AWARENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
Solutions the focus as the new CEO takes helm > Dawn G Lee, Media & Communications Volunteer
VICTORIA’S LEADING ENVIRONMENT ORGANISATION MUST MOVE BEYOND RAISING AWARENESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO PROVIDING SOLUTIONS TO CURRENT PROBLEMS AND ADVOCATING THEIR ADOPTION, SAYS ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA’S NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. MS KELLY O’SHANASSY, who took the helm at EV in June this year, believes that the future demands a more refined approach which broadens EV’s role and builds on its strengths. “EV has done an extraordinary job of raising awareness of environmental issues. While education and raising awareness will be an ongoing priority, it’s time to shift into a different gear,” she said. This new phase would involve leading, supporting and motivating all Victorians to meet the challenges of climate change, declining river health and growing stockpiles of waste –
mainstreaming sustainability and adopting solutions that lead to lasting environmental improvement. “There is already a high level of awareness of many environmental issues and even a sense of urgency out there– there is now a need to help the public, government and business develop the solutions for the benefit of all Victorians,” she said. “There are many environmental issues that still need attention,” Kelly said. “Climate change and water shortages are household names, but we still need to work hard on the raising awareness on other issues and promoting
practical solutions.” The community is seeking these solutions. “Looking at things in terms of ‘sustainability’ enables us to focus on multidisciplinary solutions that are beneficial for all three pillars of sustainability– environment, economy, and people,” she said. How EV would do this was an issue the organisation would tackle in a farreaching strategic review that would set the organisation’s direction for the next step of its evolution. Kelly said the information gleaned from the recent surveys sent to members and donors would form part of the foundation for the review. She brings to the table an extensive background in environmental sustainability and water issues and knowledge of the environment, corporate and government sectors. She was instrumental to the development of Victoria’s Environmental Sustainability Framework and has held leadership roles within EPA Victoria and the Melbourne water industry. She is familiar with practical solutions– before joining government, Ms O’Shanassy advised businesses and communities on how they could reduce their environmental impact. EV President Russell Fisher believes her passion and her background in leading reforms for sustainable outcomes across Victoria is a dynamic combination. “Kelly outlined a strong vision for Victoria’s evolution into a sustainable state, which she is in an ideal position to lead,” he said. “I’ve always had a strong connection to the environment,” Kelly said. “I grew up on the land and spend most of my spare time kayaking along Victoria’s rivers. I’m passionate about protecting the planet both for its intrinsic beauty and the value it provides to our lives.” “I believe very strong that EV is a critically important organisation and I plan to work hard to achieve outcomes for all Victorians.”
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v i c t o r i a’s r i v e r s
Fresh from the Ovens: Stories from Victoria’s North East > Dawn G Lee, Media & Communications Volunteer
ON THE SURFACE, THE STORY OF ONE OF VICTORIA’S GREATEST RIVERS IS ALMOST TEDIOUSLY FAMILIAR. ITS FUTURE IS IN DOUBT, BUT THE STAKES INVOLVED IN ITS DECLINE REACH FAR BEYOND ITS BANKS. AS EXPECTED OF many of Australia’s catchments, the Ovens River teems with life. It nourishes an increasingly rare native wetland ecosystem – vegetation such as vibrant red gum forests, threatened and endangered fish and other aquatic species, and other creatures including 190 native birds and water-birds, many of notable conservation significance. Just as predictably, this haven is under stress – a consequence of a litany of historical and management misjudgment. Much of the catchment has been degraded by unsustainable agricultural practices, gold dredging and the invasion of pest plants and animals, including admittedly misguidedly introduced species. Exacerbating the problem is the harvesting of water in warmer months, which puts the river’s flow regime out of sync with natural processes and disrupts the breeding patterns of native fish. What makes the Ovens unique, however, is its distinctiveness in being the last remaining free-flowing Victorian river feeding into the Murray, absent of any major dams or weirs. Its contribution is substantial and startlingly disproportionate– it provides 14 per cent of flow into the entire Murray-Darling Basin, despite making up just 0.75 per cent of the total Basin area. The importance of maintaining the Ovens’ stream flow and water quality becomes even starker when one considers what this relatively intact river and its tributaries protect – the Murray Hardyhead, which faces statewide extinction; the iconic Murray Cod, Trout Cod, Macquarie Perch– all endangered or threatened. For perspective, only 10 per cent of the Murray-Darling Basin’s native fish population is estimated to remain. The
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Ovens River is one of the few remaining havens that shelter some of the last creatures of their kind in the world. These unique qualities and rich ecology draw many researchers to its banks. Fish ecologist Bill O’Connor was part of a research team studying the secret life of the Murray Cod in the early 1990s, Australia’s biggest freshwater fish, with a specific focus on the Ovens. While he has worked on rivers all over Victoria, Bill still describes seeing the Ovens in flood as a personal highlight of the two years he spent on the project. “It was inspiring. All the billabongs came to life and it made me think, ‘wow, this is the way it once would have been in other rivers as well’.” Witnesses to the warning signs of the river’s declining health are Ovens farmer Carmelo Leggio and his son, Joe. Carmelo has spent his life growing tobacco on the river flats and his passion is fishing in the Ovens River. The pair mourns the loss of deep water holes and tree roots, which provided good river habitat and cover for fish. Joe observes, “those deep holes have all disappeared now. The river has become really wide and shallow.”
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above: Illustrated by Ailey Ball for EV’s Your River project. The Murray’s last free-flowing river is home to some of the state’s most endangered species. topleft: The Ovens River was a personal muse for Wangaratta artist, Trish Gallagher, in the Goulburn and North East Art’s Alliance’s first ever exhibition. right: Boorhaman Primary School students created a tribute to the river in the form of a paved mural on the path into their school.
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Fixing the Ovens: A shared responsibility BANKING ON THE OVENS Apart from supporting abundant life, there are those for whom the river is lifeblood. Wangaratta, the largest urban centre in the Ovens catchment with a population of 18,000, for instance, draws its water supplies from the Upper Ovens catchment. This represents 17 per cent of water consumed across the catchment. The Ovens also provides enjoyment and prosperity to the people who live, work and play along its banks. Their stories, deeply interlinked with the life of their beloved river, are diverse, but they share a common bittersweet quality shaped by having been forced to watch its gradual decline. The students of Boorhaman Primary School, for one, have an appreciation for the local knowledge the river provides and how it is intricately linked to their lives. They know, for instance, that farmers can gauge how much spring rain to expect if they observe the river’s resident black swans. “If it’s going to flood, the black swans will build their nests high,” explains Marley Stevenson, one of the school’s students, “and if there’s only going to be a little bit of water, they’ll build nests down low.” The river is also a playground. Bright chef Patrizia Simone recalls her son, Anthony, spending idyllic days by the river with his friends, swimming, fishing or tumbling over rapids atop lilos. Her livelihood is directly connected to the river. Patrizia runs the popular Simone’s of Bright, and believes that people are drawn to Bright because of the stunning natural setting of the snow-capped mountains and babbling Ovens River. She admits, “I don’t know what Bright would be without the river.” The alpine climate and fertile valleys of Victoria’s Northeast make it one of the state’s leading gourmet food and wine areas. It produces chestnuts, walnuts, wines, beers, cheese, mustards, berries and olives. A healthy Ovens River underpins production of this good food and is a major drawcard for tourism and recreation in the Upper Ovens. Clearly, the region’s continued prosperity relies on finding balance between water for agriculture and water for the environment– as does the fate of the thousands of species whose survival depends on the value we place on keeping the Ovens alive and well.
Recognition of the importance of sound river management in preserving the Ovens’ health and preventing further damage is growing. In the forty years that Leigh Ferguson has spent working on the ground along the Ovens River, he has seen many changes in approaches to river management. Many of these approaches now involve increased consideration for the delicacy required in handling natural systems. Willows planted along riverbanks in the 1970s, for example, are now recognized as having an adverse impact on stream health and water quality. “Black willows were a big mistake– they became an invasive weed,” he explains. Recently, his work has focused on restoring native vegetation in an effort to improve stream flow, water quality and biodiversity. The Victorian government has committed to writing a Stream Flow Management Plan for the Ovens River and a Sustainable Water Strategy for Victoria’s northern region. This has created a window of opportunity for community action, allowing it a chance to raise the importance of river health and ask the government to set targets and timelines for providing water for rivers and securing town water supplies. For the more stories on the Ovens River and the Your River project, visit www.environmentvictoria.org.au.
TAKE ACTION Individual Victorians are a crucial part of protecting our rivers. Conserving water, getting active in a Waterwatch, Landcare or Waterkeeper group (or setting one up!), and giving the issue a voice through sharing stories, passion and enthusiasm all combine to make an impact. For more information on how you can help save Victoria’s rivers, contact Leonie Duncan on (03) 9341 8120.
Tuesday 16th October, 7.30pm John Hopkins Room, VCA Music 234 St Kilda Rd, Southbank Tickets $20 Bookings (03) 9341-8120 All proceeds to Healthy Rivers Campaign
Artistic Director: Kim Chalmers Musical Director: Peter Neville
The VCA Percussion Ensemble will present a contemporary, water themed program including works by Peter Sculthorpe, Toru Takemitsu, Jacob Druckman and Kim Chalmers
VCA Music - Percussion presents
RIVERS
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zero waste
VICTORIANS ARE RECYCLING more than ever before, but current practices in resource-extraction are bleeding many of the earth’s most precious resources. As we head further into the 21st century, supply of rare elements such as platinum are not expected to meet demand. A vital component found in both catalytic converters in cars and fuel cells, platinum is in extremely short supply. And, unlike oil or diamonds, it has no synthetic alternative. Other rare metals are also being consumed at alarming rates. Indium, (used in the LCD’s of flat-screen TVs) and Tantalum (found in chips of mobile phones) are both in increasing demand and rapidly diminishing supply. Global supplies of uranium are debatably not sustainable past fifty years and even commonplace elements like zinc, copper, nickel and phosphorus have their end in sight. While studies are underway to determine when these supplies will
ZERO W Adopting a new
> Georgie Coram, Zero Waste C
Supplies of elements like Indium, used in the LCDs of flat-screen TVs, are rapidly running out.
OVER THE YEARS, VICTORIANS HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE GOOD RECYC TONNES OF SOLID WASTE GENERATED IN VICTORIA IN 2005 WAS DIVERTED FR SWIFTLY DWINDLING, IS THIS ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT LIFESTYLES OF ZERO WASTE AND DISCUSSES WHY THIS SYSTEM-WIDE CHANGE IS NECESS
run out, these are few and far between — a fact that is alarming given our dependency on these elements and the lack of developed alternatives. Professor Armin Reller, from the University of Augsburg in Germany, heads up a team that is exploring the earth’s diminishing materials. His predictions are dire: “Reserves of indium will last ten years, at best,” according to Professor Reller. His work speculates on a range of critical elements, advising that we need to “minimise waste, find substitutes where possible and recycle the rest.” Professor Reller’s advice translates to every material currently consumed in the economy. It would force us to take a very careful look at what materials
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Recycling is on the increase in Victoria, but we still have a long way to go to realise a Zero Waste economy
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WASTE ew world view
An example of Zero Waste in action, Dung Beetles feed on the waste of other animals.
evolved with support from laws and practices over more than 150 years that encouraged the rapid conversion of natural resources into finished products. Today everyone knows this was an illusion.” It is an illusion that has promoted ‘business-as-usual’ approaches to industrial development and technological achievement that cannot sustain a healthy, vibrant lifestyle for the world’s vastly expanded population. Only by immediately adopting Zero Waste as our goal, can we shift the economy to handle the flow of resources in a way that does not create waste. Thus, we will begin to recognise the interconnectedness of our decisions with the impact they have on our planet.
Waste Community Campaigner
D RECYCLERS. FIGURES SHOW THAT ALMOST 55 PER CENT OF THE 9.88 MILLION TED FROM LANDFILL INTO RECYCLING. BUT, WITH THE PLANET’S RESOURCES STYLES? ZERO WASTE CAMPAIGNER, GEORGIE CORAM, EXPLORES THE CONCEPT ECESSARY TO ACHIEVE REAL SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR ECONOMY. we allow into the economy, how products are manufactured and just what happens to them at the end of their functional life.
AN URGENT ISSUE Almost all the materials we currently use to manufacture products begin as natural resources. While we continue to dump waste into landfill, we simultaneously continue to extract virgin materials from the earth. Current production systems operate unsustainably. Practices in mining, forestry and agriculture, for example, not only create massive ecological damage, but also use too much energy and often require transportation over large distances. They use resources
stripped directly from the earth and involve the disposal of materials before the end of the full life-cycle. The end result is a vast majority of products flowing through the economy and ending up discarded as waste. Part of this old world view in Australia has evolved from the belief in the country as a vast land, abundant in resources. For early immigrants to Australia, this may very well have been the case. But, as Susan Kinsella and Daniel Knapp from the Grass Roots Recycling Network assert, today’s resourcescarcity and environmental degradation tells a very different story. “Our worldwide manufacturing, distribution and disposal systems have
Third year graphic design student, Ryan Eyre from the Australian Academy of Design in Melbourne, designed the Zero Waste logo, helping solidify the Zero Waste message.
THE ZERO WASTE CONCEPT Zero Waste is a vision and principle to live by. It enables us to profoundly change the way we approach resources and production so that we not only recycle and reuse materials in a better way, but we don’t create waste in the first place. It extends our current thinking so that newly designed, resource-efficient materials can be recycled back into the economy. This can be achieved by redesigning the economy. In contrast to the current outdated linear modeling of the economy, Zero Waste is grounded in the theory of a ‘closed-loop cycle’. Based on the natural cycles that occur in nature, a closed-loop cycle enables the routine >>>>>
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zero waste
THE ZERO WASTE CAMPAIGN IS ASKING FOR: The redesign of products and packages for durability, reuse and recyclability Products should be designed using fewer material types, which can be easily reused or repaired at the end of their lifecycle. THE CREATION OF JOBS FROM DISCARDS Wasted materials equals wasted jobs – jobs that can be created when the resources that are preserved are used in materialsassorting facilities. Currently the materials recovery industry is predominantly a small business phenomenon. We need to work together to grow an industry that combines technology, human resources and creativity into converting everything we currently waste into products valuable enough to be traded. GREATER PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY Zero Waste puts the responsibility for waste management on the shoulders of the manufacturer, rather than the consumer or a local council. In this scenario, the manufacturer is responsible for a product at the end of its lifecycle, giving them the incentive to design and produce a product that is free from toxins, and that can be easily recycled, reused or recovered.
‘TRUE COST’ ACCOUNTING This involves calculating the total cost of a product. Products do not currently reflect the full cost of the environmental degradation, public health impacts, species loss, and social fragmentation associated with the extraction, production, distribution and disposal of that product. When the market reflects the true cost for products, we will see a shift towards environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible products that are also less expensive. INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT LANDFILLS Rather than put money into landfills, governments should invest in infrastructure that makes use of waste. International communities have developed ‘waste warehouses’ or ‘waste malls’ that operate in an integrated way with businesses. Other facilities include waste-to-energy facilities such as energy produced from organic waste. The development of this infrastructure is vital in realistically moving towards zero waste. AN END TO TAX PAYER SUBSIDIES FOR WASTEFUL AND POLLUTING INDUSTRIES In Australia, many of the industries that make products from virgin materials are subsidised, such as forestry and mining. A large percentage of our pollution, energy consumption and environmental destruction occurs during the manufacture of such products. Without tax payer subsidies, the market can fairly determine which products are truly less expensive. This creates a more even playing field for eco-friendly products.
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TAKE ACTION
>>>>> use and reuse of resources as they cycle through the economy. In nature, waste forms a very important part of the complete cycling of materials: the byproduct or excrement of one species forms a food source or nutrient supply to another. These cyclic interactions form the underlying principles of the Zero Waste philosophy. Waste from one manufacturer becomes a valuable commodity for another. Philip Sutton, Convenor of the Greenleap Strategic Institute says the principles behind the closed-loop cycle include the natural cascade downcycling in the quality of a product. “In usual practice, some of the inherent quality of the product’s material is lost during recycling and reproduction. Zero Waste aims to keep the product high in the hierarchy and minimise losses in quality.” As good recyclers, most Victorians are
familiar with the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra of the waste hierarchy. The Zero Waste concept expands this idea, integrating other factors into the system that eliminate the need for disposal and replace it with upcycling. Upcycling resynthesises a product at the end of its lifecycle into something that is clean and useable.
VICTORIA: TOWARDS ZERO WASTE In 2005, the Victorian government launched the Towards Zero Waste Strategy. It called for all Victorians to minimise waste generation and maximise opportunities in materials recovery. The strategy sets four statewide targets for waste reduction, resource recovery and littering. It also sets specific targets and actions for Victoria’s municipal and business sectors to deliver more sustainable use of resources by 2014. EV’s Zero Waste campaign supports this vision of moving towards the goal of zero waste and argues for measures to be taken to support it. Victoria is now annually improving the amount of waste it recycles and is actually holding its landfill steady. Yet these are just the first steps to sustainable consumption. Victoria needs to move beyond recycling waste to reducing the amount of waste produced in the first place. Only this way will we truly and drastically reduce our impact on the planet.
YOU CAN BE AN ETHICAL CONSUMER. ASK YOURSELF:
>> Do I really need this? >> Can I borrow it or buy it second hand? >> Where is it produced? Can I buy the same product locally? >> What is the overall environmental impact of the product? Consider production, energy and materials usage, transport, packaging and disposal. What is the full lifecycle of the product? Does the producer guarantee to take the product back and recycle it at the end of its lifecycle? Is the product the most energy efficient on the market? Green Actions lead to Green Solutions. Sign-up to our Zero Waste bulletin at www.environmentvictoria.org.au. For more information on how you can take part in EV’s Zero Waste campaign, contact Georgie Coram at
>> >> >>
georgie.coram@envict.org.au or on 9341 8164.
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in the city
Local students get behind MYRiveR Yarra > Daniel Clarke, Media Officer
STUDENTS FROM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE YARRA CATCHMENT BECAME WATER ‘CHAMPIONS’ LAST MONTH WHEN THEY CARRIED OUT A SERIES OF TESTS TO GAUGE THE HEALTH OF MELBOURNE’S MOST IMPORTANT RIVER. Students were concerned by the high levels of contamination in Melbourne’s best-known river.
things to be in the future, and decided what individual actions they would take. They presented their views at two youth-led community forums in Yarra Glen and Abbotsford on August 24 and 31. Alphington Grammar Year 8 student Ben McWiggan said his interest in environmental issues had grown because of the program. “The Yarra was sicker than I thought it would be,’’ Ben said.
THE WATER AND habitat tests of the Yarra River and its tributaries were part of the Eureka Award winning MYRiveR Yarra program, and marked the first time that tests for E. Coli were carried out by members of the public. Results from the tests shocked students, with the detection of dangerous levels of E. Coli contamination and widespread habitat degradation. E. Coli was found at 25 of the 27 lower catchment sites tested. E. Coli are a bacteria found in the intestines of all warm blooded animals and are an indicator of faecal contamination if found in water. Habitat was degraded at more than half of the sites tested in the upper Yarra catchment and over three
MYRiveR Yarra is a bold concept that sets the goal of engaging young people and their communities throughout the Yarra River basin in informed, active and empowered volunteer participation. The program is a collaboration between OzGREEN, Environment Victoria, and the Yarra Riverkeeper Association. MYRiveR Yarra is supported by the Department for Victorian Communities Volunteer Support Grants and is based on OzGREEN’s Eureka Award winning program that has been running in the Murray-Darling basin since 2002. For more information, contact Wendy Hopkins on whopkins@ozgreen.org.au or (03) 9341 8104.
quarters in the lower part. The riparian zone (vegetation alongside the stream) was slightly to extremely degraded at all but two of the 50 sites tested. After studying the results, the students determined the issues facing the Yarra catchment that were of most concern to them, envisioned how they’d like
“ RESULTS FROM THE TESTS SHOCKED STUDENTS, WITH THE DETECTION OF DANGEROUS LEVELS OF E. COLI…” “The phosphate levels were 70 times higher than they should be. Lots of people use the Yarra for recreation so I think politicians should be more aware of it so we can work together to fix the problems. It would be great if people could swim in it again.’’ Ben said the students now planned to carry out regular water tests of Darebin Creek to monitor its health. OzGREEN project coordinator Wendy Hopkins said it was encouraging to see young people determined to become “champions of the river’’. “It’s about developing their own forms of action as to what they, as young people, are prepared to do to make a contribution to caring for the river,’’ Ms Hopkins said. It was great for students to get first-hand experience of just how much stress the river is under and the importance of protecting our natural environment.’’
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environmental champions
CONI FORCEY: Bayside’s climate action mum CO-FOUNDER OF THE BAYSIDE CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION GROUP (BCCAG), CONI FORCEY SAYS FINDING OUT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE WAS A LITTLE LIKE LEARNING THERE WAS NO SANTA CLAUS. “ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU CAN’T EVER GO BACK.” SHE BELIEVES, HOWEVER, THAT MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS SOMETHING THE WORLD CAN ACHIEVE AND LEARN FROM. A GREEN ACTION NEWS ‘ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION’, CONI SPOKE WITH EV ABOUT HER HOPES FOR THE FUTURE AND WHY SHE BELIEVES ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
GAN: When did you first become interested in climate change? Coni Forcey: My interest in the environment is long-standing. I was raised in a small country town and had the great fortune to have a fantastic science teacher in 7th and 8th grade. He was the first environmentalist I’d ever met, and his passion for nature was infectious as he was a real character! He was instrumental in teaching me to love and respect the environment. Like most people who enjoy nature, you become passionate about protecting it for future generations. I first became interested in climate change about a year ago. I must admit I do separate my life a bit into bcc (before climate change) awareness and acc (after climate change), because since I’ve become aware of it, my life and lifestyle has certainly changed.
GAN: As a co-founder of BCCAG, what were the biggest challenges you faced? CF: I suppose the only challenge was getting over my own fears of being ostracised within my own community for trying to alert people and move them into action - No one wants to be labelled as “chicken little”. I initially organised the BCCAG because I was armed with the belief that there were other people who were concerned, so I sought them out and with their help, formed the BCCAG into a non-political,
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not-for-profit organisation which would provide a collective voice for Bayside residents.
GAN: Your first event, the human sign at Sandringham Beach, was a huge success and drew more than 4000 people and mainstream media attention. Were you surprised by the response? CF: Not surprised, but thrilled. I’ve lived in Bayside for over 20 years. I know my community and I know that they are the type of people who will rise up to a challenge and support their neighbours when needed. I know that people in my community are very aware of the risks we face as a result of climate change and are keen to express their concerns by standing on the beach with their friends, family and neighbours to make a statement. Once we spoke to the local schools and got their support, I knew that the response would be huge, because parents are concerned about the future that their children will be facing as a result of global warming. The mainstream media attention was fantastic, and I’m thrilled at the continued interest from all over the world that it has generated.
GAN: What message do you think our political leaders should take from this? CF: The political leaders should not misunderstand who put them there in the first place! Demands for change are the inherent right and
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responsibility of citizens in a democracy. Politicians are the servants of the people - if we are not getting adequate leadership in making the right decisions on climate change, then we have to let them know what we want and get them to act upon it.
GAN: Many people can feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the issue facing us as a society. How do you deal with it? CF: I guess I look at it this way. Every generation has had its challenges. Whether it was smallpox, World War I or II, Polio, the Great Depression, or the threat of nuclear war. Each and every one of these challenges has been met and mankind as a whole has grown, learned from it, and moved forward. If we are to face the issue of global warming, we will need to do so as a global community. We can work together to face this, and what we’ll learn from that we’ll be able to use in ending poverty, HIV, and any number of other challenges that the human race faces. As a result, I believe we will become better stewards or caretakers of the planet.
GAN: Tell us about your group’s involvement in The Big Switch... CF: BCCAG was happy to be involved and put their name onto the website. We’ve been meeting with our MP’s and are keen to share the information with people both within our electorate and beyond. We really are wanting to highlight to the government the concerns we have and our desire for strong legislation to enable real changes in CO2 reduction.
GAN: What advice do you have for people who would like to do something but don’t know where to start? CF: One person making changes such as changing their light globes, reducing water consumption, and using public transport doesn’t seem like a big difference. However, if you can unite a community to tackle climate change by initiating societal change, then the prospect doesn’t seem quite so daunting. Our vision is, if you can shift one community, it will have a ripple effect into others. So my advice is to get started right away. Your efforts do make a difference.
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climate change
Politicians fall behind as The Big Switch picks up speed > Vicki Kyriakakis, Communications Officer
AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST EVER CLIMATE CHANGE CAMPAIGN HAS KICKED OFF, WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE BIG SWITCH WEBSITE LAST MONTH. BUT, AS PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY GET SERIOUS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, THE MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES CONTINUE TO FALL BEHIND.
FROM CLIMATE CONSCIOUS Peter Andren, member for Calare in NSW, to Dr Dennis Jenson, Member for Tangney in Western Australia, who suggested erecting ‘a giant shadecloth between orbiting satellites’ to combat global warming, The Big Switch is taking the climate change campaign to the people and empowering Australians to make informed decisions at the coming federal election. All 150 federal politicians were asked to complete The Big Switch survey in the lead-up to the election and come clean about their climate change policies. So far, only a small percentage has responded, a result that Big Switch national director Tricia Phelan says is surprising given how concerned Australians are about the issue. “The major political parties are completely out of step with the Australian electorate,” Ms Phelan said. “Australians are coming to grips with the enormity of the issue and yet our government is still refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol or set the necessary greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.” So far, over 4200 people have signed up to The Big Switch and pledged to take action, putting pressure on political leaders to set real targets on climate change. They are joining Environment Victoria, the other conservation councils in Australia, Greenpeace and Getup to call on political parties to adopt policies on climate change that will reduce greenhouse pollution by least 30 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050. This needs to be supported by a federal renewable energy target of 25 per cent by 2020 to get Victoria, and the country, off its reliance on fossil fuel energy sources.
“ AUSTRALIANS ARE COMING TO GRIPS WITH THE ENORMITY OF THE ISSUE AND YET OUR GOVERNMENT IS STILL REFUSING TO SIGN THE KYOTO PROTOCOL…” This ground-swell of community support is reflected in EV’s work on the ground. Workshops are being run with community groups from Healesville to Sandringham and Geelong on the impacts of climate change and what people can do to avoid dangerous climate change in their personal lives, communities and on the political level. And Climate Action Groups are springing up around the state. Ms Phelan said the coming federal election was an opportune time to put pressure on political representatives, and to urge them to complete The Big Switch survey and get real about climate change. “Elections are when local MPs really have their ears open,” she said. “Now is the perfect time to contact your MP about climate change. Visit The Big Switch site, sign up and get involved. It’s really easy. We need your support to ensure every MP takes our message on board.” “Australians want real and binding climate action from their leaders.”
The Big Switch is calling for the major political parties to commit to growing Australia’s renewable energy industry with a federal target of at least 25 per cent by 2020.
For more information, contact Tricia Phelan at tricia.phelan@envict.org.au or on (03) 9341 8112.
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action
‘Big Switchers’ call for more action VICTORIANS OF ALL AGES ARE MAKING THE BIG SWITCH TO A GREENER WAY OF LIFE. THREE VICTORIAN ‘BIG SWITCHERS’ SHARE THEIR STORIES AND TALK ABOUT HOW THEY ARE LEADING THE PUSH FOR REAL ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
MOIRA AND BILL JEFFREYS, RETIREES Moira and Bill Jeffreys, from the McEwen electorate, believe that the major political parties should work together to help meet the challenges of climate change. To do their part to reduce green house emissions, Moira and Bill are buying ‘green energy’, making sure that electrical equipment is turned off at the plug when not in use, using cold water in the washing machine, and trying not to use the dishwasher until it is full. But their main worry is one common to many ‘Big Switchers’: a concern for future generations. “We are concerned about our children’s and grandchildren’s futures and the lack of meaningful action by our government. We would like to see them working in a bipartisan way to get the best results in reducing our emissions.”
GEORGIA BLOMBERG, SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR Georgia Blomberg knows a thing or two about business and she knows the importance of setting targets. Although Georgia has never been an activist on environmental issues before, she believes that people must work together to fight climate change. And she is making some changes herself, to ensure that she reduces her own greenhouse pollution. But Georgia thinks that politicians need to set real targets to combat greenhouse pollution.
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Children from the Higgins electorate asked Peter Costello to come clean about his climate change policies.
“Without short and medium term milestones, you can never achieve the longer term ones. The economies that are changing and restructuring for climate change now, will be the new power economies.”
DIMITY WILLIAMS, DOCTOR Dimity Williams lives in Ashburton, Victoria. Her electorate is Higgins and her local MP is just about as high profile as they come – he’s the federal treasurer. Having Peter Costello as her local representative didn’t stop this 39year-old mother and doctor from meeting with him to talk about climate change. “I wanted to ask him about his party’s position on climate change and to specifically ask him to take on The Big Switch requests. I met with Peter Costello along with three other members of the Families Facing
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TAKE ACTION Join Moira, Bill, Georgia, Dimity and other ‘Big Switchers’ like them to demand that our political leaders set real targets to deal with climate change. Sign up to The Big Switch (www.thebigswitch.com) and turn your thoughts into action. Climate Change action group and our children. We presented him with a canvas that 140 children of his electorate had created for him using their footprints and written messages stating what they were doing to reduce their carbon footprint. The canvas asked him what kind of footprint we, as a country, were leaving.”
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Victorians ready to walk against warming > Vicki Kyriakakis, Communications Officer popping up all over the state, showing just how concerned people are about this issue.” Louise said. “It’ll be a great event. We’ve got great speakers and bands for the day. It’s going to be really engaging and family friendly.” Special edition Walk Against Warming t-shirts are available for the event. For more information on how to get involved, visit the national Walk Against Warming webpage at www.walkagainstwarming.org.au. Register to Walk Against Warming and get a buy-one-get-one free pass to The White Planet, which opened earlier this month.
IN NOVEMBER 2006, 40,000 VICTORIANS POURED ONTO THE STREETS OF MELBOURNE TO DEMAND ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS YEAR, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE A HOT POLITICAL ISSUE, WALK AGAINST WARMING PROMISES TO BE ONE OF THE MOST PIVOTAL EVENTS ON THE CALENDAR AS THE FEDERAL election looms, Victorians are once again preparing to put their feet where their mouth is and join Australians nationwide to Walk Against Warming. The event will be held on Sunday, two weeks before the federal election and organiser, Louise Morris, says preparations are already well and truly underway. “We’re keeping our eyes and ears peeled
for a potential date for the election,” Louise said. “In the meantime, the Walk Against Warming team here at EV and nationally has been hard at work.” Louise said people across the state had been thinking and talking about climate change all year and were now at the point where they simply wanted to know what to do about it. “Climate change action groups have been
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WIN DOUBLE PASSES TO THE WHITE PLANET Green Action News has three double passes to give away to the new film by Thierry Ragobert and Thierry Piantanida, ‘The White Planet’. To win, be one of the first three people to answer this question: In a Zero Waste economy, what would upcycling involve? Send your answer, along with your name and address, to editor@envict.org.au for your chance to win.
My Heart is in the Land — By Greta Wingrove
I see whales sleeping on beds of coral, Under the deep blue sea. Where the fishes swim through seaweed, That’s where you will find me. I see ships sailing, north, east, west, south, Over the deep blue sea. Where the sun glitters on the waves, That’s where you will find me. I see serpents terrorizing towns. Across the deep blue sea. Where the monsters lurk in the shadows, That’s where you will find me. I see children playing, In the golden sand. For although you’ll find me in the sea, My heart is in the Land © Greta Wingrove; 2007
Greta Wingrove, the latest and youngest addition to EV’s Zero Waste network, has always felt a “pull for the land”. And, as this budding eleven year old poet from Middle Park Primary School will tell you, once that happens that is where “your heart always remains”. A whale-lover, Greta eventually plans to go overseas and study myth and legends. She also wants to be a photographer and try to make a difference in the world. “If there’s anything you can do, even if it’s really small, it will make a difference,” Greta says. “Everyone can make a difference.”
WHAT DOES HATTAH MEAN TO YOU? ‘Hattah Storylines’ is the latest project for Environment Victoria’s Healthy Rivers Campaign. We want to know what the Murray River’s Hattah Lakes means to some of the tens of thousands of Victorians who visit each year to camp, fish, canoe, watch birds, bushwalk and enjoy the tranquility of nature. Ten Victorian’s from across generations, cultural backgrounds and geographic origins will be invited to record their connection to Hattah in a digital story-telling workshop in March 2008. To find out more contact Leonie Duncan, Healthy River Community Campaign Coordinator, on (03) 9341 8120 or at leonie.duncan@envict.org.au.
WHO’S WHO AT ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA Chief Executive Officer Kelly O’Shanassy OPERATIONS Organisational Services Manager Ivan Kolker Administration Helen Vine Supporter Liaison Officer Candice Feuerring Communications Officer Vicki Kyriakakis Media Officer
Daniel Clarke Finance Officer Despina Giannakis CLIMATE CHANGE CAMPAIGN Director Trisha Phelan Community Campaigner Louise Morris Sustainable Transport Campaigner Robyn Evans HEALTHY RIVERS CAMPAIGN Director Paul Sinclair Community Campaign
Coordinator Leonie Duncan Community Campaigner Juliet Le Feuvre SUSTAINABLE LIVING PROGRAM Director Annette Salkeld Program Manager (Green Business Program; Eco-Wise Action) Michelle Burton Project Officer, Families Go Green Murray Irwin
Multicultural Leaders Program Manager Charlie Davie Project Officer, Regional Sustainability Rob Ball ZERO WASTE CAMPAIGN Director Mark Doggett Community Campaigner Georgie Coram Contact Us (03) 9341 8100 or admin@envict.org.au.