MASG July Enews:
Give Big to help MASG take Wash Against Waste to 'The Next Generation.'
Waste warriors: MASG’s Waste Less Project Officer Jay Smith with Community Leaders from Winters Flat Primary School in Castlemaine.
MASG has launched a Big Give crowdfunding campaign with the support of the Community Foundation for Central Victoria. From 1 August to 1 September, MASG will be seeking to raise $30,000 to take our Wash Against Waste Trailer Service to ‘The Next Generation’.
The trailer is the flagship of MASG’s Zero Net Emissions Target. The first of its kind, it was built in 2010 to provide a self-contained and mobile unit to service public events. Over the last 6 years the trailer has created a legacy as a practical tool to significantly reduce waste at community events.
The trailer is solar powered with built in hot water heating and grey water outlets, and food waste is collected for compost. The trailer kit provides reusable crockery and cutlery items which are washed and sanitised on site. It is estimated that the trailer currently saves enough CO2 emissions per day to equal travelling from Canberra to Brisbane in an average car.
“We are asking the Central Victorian community to give big this August so that we can make the Wash Against Waste Trailer Service a sustainable social enterprise”, says MASG Chair Mick Lewin.
Funds raised will be used to engage a coordinator part-time, who, along with a training and coordinating role, will create an education kit in consultation with local primary schools.
Using the trailer as one example, the kit will include information for both schools and community groups on water use, waste reduction, compost and grey water processes, as well as providing an introduction to solar and renewable energy. The kit will be developed in such a way as to act as a blueprint for local governments to access and replicate.
MASG also intends to develop a handbook, discussing trailer set-up/pack-up and volunteer engagement. We also intend to work with regional Councils to provide broader licensed operator training, in turn creating paid work on the trailer.
‘The trailer has a track record of massively reducing waste at events, and we would love to see the service grow and be replicated to support events across the region to achieve zero waste targets.’ says Mick Lewin.
For further information and to donate, visit www.chuffed.org/projects/washagainstwaste.
Solar Towns Grant Success!
Free mini solar power stations for community groups.
Solar Town Grant Recipients: Solway Nutting (Harcourt Uniting Church), Lisa Mitchell, Jorga and Abraham (Harcourt Pre School), Rod Fletcher, (Castlemaine Bowling Club), Chris O’Connor (Windarring), Sally Kaptein (Castlemaine Tennis Club), Gerry Egan (MASG), Brian Cornish (Mount Alexander Golf Club), George Milford (Castlemaine Art Gallery, Buda Historic House and Garden.)
Congratulations to the 18 community groups in Mount Alexander Shire who will receive free solar power systems – some up to 20kW in size. The installation of solar photovoltaic panels to all the recipients, is supported through funding from the Australian Government 's Solar Town's Program.
The community groups have been granted a total of $253,000 to pay for solar panels on the roofs of community buildings. Representatives of some of these organisations gathered at Harcourt recently to mark the occasion.
The Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (MASG) and The Hub Foundation worked to support a number of local organisations in their applications, as the application process was quite involved.
‘It is encouraging to see the federal government supporting not for profit organisations to go solar, and it’s great that so many local groups have taken up this opportunity. MASG and the Hub Foundation wanted to assist to ensure that as many local groups as possible benefitted from the program,’ says Gerry Egan from MASG.
Community Group representatives like George Milford were instrumental in getting the grant applications across the line. George was involved in the successful applications which will see solar panels installed at the Harcourt Preschool, Buda Historic House and Garden and also the Castlemaine Art Gallery.
‘It is pleasing to see the utilization of the roof space of public buildings for the generation of solar power. This will have lasting benefits to the environment. Our success has repaid the administrative effort in making the grant applications. This task was only achieved with helpful and constructive assistance from MASG and the Hub Foundation.’ Says George Milford.
‘This will see a huge injection into the solar and renewable energy economy across the region, boosting the activity of local providers, as well as supporting groups to move towards a carbon neutral future.’ says Neil Barrett from The Hub Foundation.
New round of solar bulk-buy launches in Castlemaine
The Hub Foundation launched the next round of their highly successful solar bulk-buy project in Castlemaine on Friday 29 July. Their campaign for More Australian Solar Homes (MASH) aims to more than double results to date, cutting CO2 emissions by an additional 3,500 tonnes per year and bringing total emissions cut to 6,500 tonnes per year.
MASH is offering high quality solar and battery storage systems at up to 15% less than the retail price. Solar grid connect systems can be installed from $3,490 and battery storage systems from $4,490.
Information sessions will be held from August to October, with the first session in the Mount Alexander Shire to be held on September 1.
As an added bonus, a free community system will be donated to Castlemaine North Primary School when 100 further solar systems are installed in the Mount Alexander Shire.
Project partners include the Mount Alexander Shire Council, Mount Alexander Sustainability Group, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, City of Greater Bendigo, and Bendigo Sustainability Group.
To find out more, visit
www.mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274.
Farm Field Day, 19 August
Presented by The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and Connecting Country
Making a dream of a sustainable and biodiverse farm a reality is hard work, but some of the region’s most successful producers are here to help.
The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the Castlemaine-based community group Connecting Country is bringing successful farmers together for a Farm Field Day on 19 August.
The event will also feature the launch of the North Central CMA’s first Soil Health Guide.
North Central CMA regional Landcare Facilitator Mandy Coulson said the field day is about learning from others and fully understanding the journey from idea to marketplace.
“It will be an opportunity to learn about local produce and the various journeys people are experiencing as they work towards achieving integrated sustainable land systems in the southern part of the region,” she said.
Carla Meurs and Anna-Marie Monda (Holy Goat Cheese), Katie Finlay (Mount Alexander Fruit Gardens), Mandy Jean (Guildford Winery), John Cable (JCBee Honey), Ben Boxshall (Farm Forest Growers of Victoria), Sam White (Sidonia Road Organics), and Clare de Kok (Pig in a Box) will tell their stories of innovation, diversification and value adding.
“Over 200 landholders in the Mount Alexander Region have worked with Connecting Country to improve the sustainability and biodiversity of their properties,” Connecting Country’s Krista Patterson-Majoor said.
The field day will be held at the Sutton Grange Community Hall and nearby Sutton Grange Organic Farm, the home of Holy Goat Cheese. The event is free and supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme and by Connecting Country, through funding from the Australian Government.
RSVP is essential by 8 August on
info@nccma.vic.gov.au or 03 5448 7124.
For further information please contact
Anthony Radford, Communications Coordinator
North Central Catchment Management Authority
t: 03 5440 1884 m: 0409 720 610
e:
anthony.radford@nccma.vic.gov.au
'The Verge', Growing Abundance Fun(d)raiser, Sat 3 September
Exciting news! Growing Abundance...blossoming into Spring...The Verge will be a 'Fun(d)Raiser', and celebration of the space we occupy...that transitional space between what is...and what we could become, a sustainable and (re)-localised community.
Join us and world renowned Formidable Vegetable Sound System to dance in the Spring and be inspired on the dance floor...into a brighter future...
The Verge will be a solar and fish n chip powered event!!...that's right...the future is now, the band will travel in a vehicle powered by used fish n chip oil, and The Germinate Project will power the event in an exciting collaboration of alternative technologies.
The Verge is for everyone...we know that The Growing Abundance Project includes the whole spectrum of community...families, older folk, and everyone in between so we've designed this gig for you! Come early and grab a meal, some freshly squeezed juice...closely followed by dancing...and more dancing....and more...
When: Saturday 3rd September 6pm to 11pm
Where: Theatre Royal - Castlemaine
Tickets: Starting at $10 - a range of prices to suit everyone...
Booking: Tickets on sale soon! Book early to avoid disappointment...
For more info contact:
hello@growingabundance.org.au
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