VOL 13 NO 2 APRIL/MAY 2022 www.brightoncommunitynews.com.au
10-YEAR-OLD QUIETLY CHANGING THE WORLD Olivia Earl, better known as Livvy, is an ambitious ten-yearold helping the community with her self-made enterprise ‘Luv Livvy’. Earlier this year when COVID began to spread in Tasmania and wearing face masks became mandatory, Old Beach resident Livvy was scared when she realised how many single use masks were going into landfill every day. She told her mum she had to do something about it and that she was going to “change the world”. Livvy dug out an old sewing machine from her mum’s garage, and with the help of Google and YouTube videos, she taught herself to sew. After much practice, Livvy began to produce beautifully-made reversible and reusable face masks. Her mum started advertising them on a local Facebook page, and orders for the masks began to roll in. With the help of her mum, Livvy then created her own Facebook page @LuvLivvyMasks, where she regularly shares
updates on new products to her nearly 200 followers. She has since received orders from the mainland as well, and even all the way from Canada! Customers can choose the type of fabric, pattern and colour they prefer, and the masks come in four different sizes. Livvy also sews fabric keyrings, drawstring pouches, wire headbands, and knotted headbands.
Livvy is currently raising funds to buy socks for Hobart City Mission’s Safe Space program, a 24-hour service for people who are experiencing homelessness. During the period of Lent leading up to Easter, Libby will be donating 100% of her profits to purchasing socks for the program. Her Easter products include drawstring bunny pouches, bunny scrunchies, and elastic bookmarks.
But what Livvy does with the proceeds, is where her community spirit really starts to shine through. She splits the proceeds of each sale into three parts. One third is used to buy materials to create more masks, another third goes into her savings, and the rest is donated to local charities. Always thinking of others, Livvy also recently purchased personal care items such as shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and sanitary items, totalling nearly $200, and donated them to the Salvation Army to be distributed.
Climate champion at Brighton Council nominated for national award
A staff member from Brighton Council was recently announced as a finalist in the Climate Council’s Community Choice Award for an innovative switch to electric outdoor maintenance equipment such as blowers and hedge trimmers.
The all-electric equipment is used out in the field to maintain street trees, parks, tracks and trails, heritage gardens and for general cleanliness. By charging the equipment from the Brighton Council Depot, which is powered by a 30kW rooftop solar photovoltaic system, and from Tasmania’s low emissions factor grid electricity. This produces 150gm of carbon dioxide for every unit of electricity, compared to 980g carbon dioxide or kWh in Victoria. The emissions are lower than burning diesel and petrol fuel mixes through traditional combustion powered handheld equipment.
We’re proud of the innovation Tim Pursell has shown to improve the health and wellbeing of fellow co-workers and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This small switch is not only reducing emissions, but is also improving the health and wellbeing of workers from a reduced exposure to polluting fumes. If councils across Aus-
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tralia were to do the same switch to all electric hand outdoor maintenance equipment, the savings would be significant.
This project involved a great team of people at Brighton Council led by Tim with support from Scott Percey from the outdoor staff through to senior management and the General Manager. Brighton Council was the only project from Tasmania represented nationally via the Climate Council Awards and was one of eight projects nominated for the Community Choice Award, out of 145 local government areas and 500 cities and towns. For results on all the climate change action award winners visit www.citiespowerpartnership.org. au/2021.
Come and have your say! We need your input to help build better infrastructure for a brighter future. What: Brighton Community Infrastructure Plan Community Consultation. Where: Brighton Civic Centre, 25 Green Point Rd, Bridgewater. When: 31 March, 2022 Drop-in sessions between 2pm-4pm and 5pm-7pm. 1 April, 2022 Workshop for peak sporting bodies, recreational ventures and educational bodies 11am-1pm. Brighton Council is partnering with Ethos Urban, the Community Collaborative, IreneInc Planning and Urban Design.
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