“It is proposed that, once the solar panels are installed on the Scout facilities, a new website will be set up to monitor these facilities exclusively. This website will allow Scouts Australia youth, leaders and families to access raw and processed data relating to the solar panel on not only their hall, but every Scout facility in Australia.

“An education pack, integrated with the Award Scheme at all levels, will be distributed to all Scout facilities that receive solar panels. This education pack will enable Leaders to undertake a climate change education program as part of their weekly program meetings, for all Sections. The education pack will also link in with the monitoring website.

“The installation of 1.5 kW solar panels on 1100 Scout facilities around Australia is estimated to reduce power consumption by 2,240 mW/h and subsequently carbon emissions by 1,990 tonnesCO2-e.* The solar panels will feed into the power grid system when not in use. In some cases, depending on circumstances, Scout Groups will be paid for their generated power; at a minimum Scout Groups will receive a reduction in their power bill.”

Read more…

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Saturday 5 June 2010
Departs Centro at 6am return 7pm
$50 per person

Bookings with payment are essential — these can be made at the Cottage garden on Transition Town Gardeners activity days. See our May Newsletter for more information.

Please attend to discuss the future of TTHB, general business, the financial statement, and vote on a new committee. Contact Maggie on 0434 144 394 for more details.

Walk Against Warming is a national climate change awareness event happening simultaneously across Australia on Sunday 15 August. The walk will begin at Apex Park, Scarness at 11:00am and proceed to Scarness Jetty and back. Stay for a free sausage sizzle and refreshments.

For more information about Walk Against Warming visit: http://www.walkagainstwarming.org/

GREEN, clean industries are the way of the future but Fraser Coast people must act now if the region’s idyllic lifestyle is to be maintained, says Maggie John of Transition Towns.

“Oil has fuelled much of the massive population growth and the extraordinary achievements of the last 150 years. It is the lifeblood of industrial society,” Ms John said.

“According to a growing number of experts, soon the world will reach the ultimate peak in global oil production. After this point, production will begin its slow but terminal decline.

“Peak Oil represents an historical turning point, from an era of growth to an era of contraction. Peak Gas won’t be far behind.”

Ms John said alternative energy sources could not fill the entire gap that oil and gas left behind and as a result, massive social changes were certain.

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AN AMBITIOUS plan for a Sustainable Technology Park that will ‘future-proof’ the Fraser Coast was proposed at a meeting in Hervey Bay yesterday.

Maggie John, from Transition Towns Fraser Coast, told guests that Australia was experiencing a major turning point in history and opportunities existed for those willing to embrace the change.

Her presentation – Entering the Green Gold Rush, unlocking the potential of our region – outlined challenges the world faced such as skyrocking oil prices.

“Rough times are coming,” she said. “There’s not one of us who won’t be touched by this in the next 10 years but there are things we can do to help ourselves.”

Ms John said oil was predicted to cost $8 per litre by 2018, causing a flow-on effect for transport, food, services, business and everyday lifestyle. Tourism would suffer, supermarket food prices would skyrocket, vehicles would be used less, and there would be less job security and a reduction in essential services.

One answer, she said, was to build a Sustainable Technology Park focusing on food, fuel and energy sources.

Read more…

Did you go to this event? What did you think?

Volunteers: Ann

Ann retired to Hervey Bay nearly 10 years ago and lives at Burrum Heads.

It has always been my intent to ‘tread lightly on the earth’ and try to live sustainably. With more time in retirement, I am able to fulfill my dream.

Ann generates more electric power than she uses through photo voltaic cells on her roof to get a rebate of about $125 on each quarterly power bill, and has a solar powered water heater. She harvests rain water and has a 54,000 litre in-ground storage tank. When the house was built, a waste water treatment plant was also installed to treat grey and black waste water, recycling the clean water back onto the garden, which is supplemented by a dam on the property. Ann grows her own fruit & veggies and makes her own compost.

By living sustainably myself, I hope to provide an example and thus encourage and increase the number of people who live more sustainably. My daughter runs our chooks nearby and I have always cycled until prohibited by a slight stroke 7 years ago.

In September 2009 Ann organised the Sustainable House Day in conjunction with Transition Towns Hervey Bay, with her house being one of the three open to the public.

Volunteers: Bev

Bev has been a registered Homoeopath for 30 years and runs a successful clinic in Torquay. Prior to that Bev lived in Sydney doing the same thing, only more so.

Bev is motivated to participate in Transition Town Hervey Bay through environmental concerns, ETS, carbon reduction, sustainability, connecting with like minded people and wanting to make a difference.

Read a feature article about Bev’s sustainable house here.

Volunteers: Cecile

Cecile is a translator and French language trainer based in Maryborough, where she is the owner of Eco Queenslander, an historic and sustainable holiday house and bed & breakfast. Guests are encouraged to be conscious of the environment. Click here for more information about Eco Queenslander.

Motivated to join Transition Town Hervey Bay because she is passionate about sustainable living, Cecile is willing to learn more and to help encourage the public to become responsible citizens of the planet.