Copy

Register for a FREE energy audit...

View this email in your browser

 

Register for a FREE ' Turn It Down' Energy Saving Audit - Council Program

A qualified energy auditor from Positive Charge will come to your home and provide advice on how to reduce your electricity and gas bills. The audit includes:

  • Assessment and advice on billing and tariffs
  • Cost and explanation of lighting upgrades
  • Hot water system temperatures and options
  • Discussion around the temperature of heating, cooling and appliances
  • Weatherproofing opportunities
  • Solar PV potential
  • Discussion of building fabric and insulation

A limited number of audits will be available from February – May 2016.
 
To register for an audit call 9385 8555 or email: hello@positivecharge.com.au

Draft Maribyrnong Carshare Policy - Have Your Say!

Carshare is an innovative form of transport that allows people to hire vehicles for short periods of time. Carshare vehicles are parked in dedicated bays and are accessible to members at any time of the day or night.

In line with the Council’s commitment to “provide accessible, affordable and safe transport options for all community members that encourage sustainable and active transport around the municipality,” the aim of Carshare is to reduce parking demand and traffic congestion by reducing car ownership rates and vehicle kilometres travelled.

Research suggests each Carshare vehicle can take up to 10 privately owned vehicles off the road.

Council has developed a draft Carshare Policy and is inviting community feedback on it. Please read the draft policy and provide your comments here. Your input will be considered when Council is finalising the policy.

Free Maribyrnong Workshops

Wicking Bed Workshop   

Sunday 7 February, 10am - 1pm
Yarraville Community Garden, McNish Reserve
Opposite 30 Claire Court Children's Centre, Yarraville


Get ready for another hot, dry summer! Wicking beds can use up to 50% less water than normal gardens by holding a reservoir of water in the base of the bed that ‘wicks’ up through the soil to keep your vegie roots moist while reducing evaporation. Come along and discover how wicking beds work at the Yarraville Community Garden. 

This event is sponsored by City West Water.

Free Event. Bookings essential here.
 

To Compost or Bokashi? -  Food Know How

Saturday 27 February 2016, 10am - 12noon
Maidstone Child & Family Centre, 23-25 Burns Street, Maidstone
 
Not sure of the difference between a compost bin, worm farm and bokashi bin? Join us to discover how to turn your kitchen and garden waste into a great resource.  Find out which composting system will work best for you.  All participants will be eligible to receive a subsidised compost bin or worm farm.

Free Event.  Bookings essential here.
 

Food Forests 

Saturday 12 March 2016, 10am - 12noon
Braybrook Commons Community Garden, adjacent to Skinner Reserve and Community Centre, Churchill Avenue, Braybrook 


Growing fruit on your own fruit trees is a great way to be able to indulge yourself with delicious, chemical-free fruit at its very best, but did you know that it is possible to grow a whole lot more in this same space?:  Find out how to turn your single-level home orchard into a self-sustaining seven-level food forest that provides you with fruit, herbs, vegetables, flowers, plants to improve the soil, to attract good bugs, to confuse or repel bad bugs and to stop the weeds.  Create your own little ecosystem in the backyard.

Free Event.  Bookings essential here.
 

Pruning in Autumn, Prep for Winter 

Saturday 2 April 2016, 10am - 12noon
Maribyrnong Community Garden, Hortense Street, Maribyrnong  

Remember being told to 'Prune in June', well it's wrong and just a habit from the Northern Hemisphere's much colder winters that doesn't apply here in Melbourne, where fruit trees rarely go completely dormant. In his workshop, Scott Hitchins from Werribee Park Heritage Orchard will take you through how and when to prune to establish a new tree and then how to prune to maximise fruit and limit tree size. Categories covered will include: apples & pears, peaches & nectarines,  citrus, apricots, plums and more.

Free Event.  Bookings essential here.

 

Growing Berries

Saturday 9 April 2016, 10am - 12noon
Maidstone Child & Family Centre, 23-25 Burns Street, Maidstone

An important part of the home grown fruit-garden that many people forget are the ‘Inbetweeners’:  Those little fruiting plants that fit in between our larger fruit trees and garden beds, in pots and hanging here, there and everywhere.   In this workshop, you’ll learn the tips and tricks to growing such luscious berries as strawberries, blueberries, cherry and pineapple guavas, goji berries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, cape gooseberries and more.  As our presenter brambles on, you’re bound to have a berry good time!

Free Event.  Bookings essential here.
 

The Low Carbon Cook

Saturday 16 April 2016, 10am - 12noon
Yarraville Community Centre, 59 Francis Street, Yarraville

 
There is a lot more embodied carbon in your food than just the burnt bits you scrape off your toast.  Learn to select and cook foods lower down the food chain and with less embodied carbon, use less fossil fuels in your cooking with a ‘Haybox Slow cooker’ and cook outdoors with an old television!

Free Event.  Bookings essential here.
 

Council Programs For You!

Food Know How - A Recipe for Taste, Not Waste

Did you know that food waste makes up over 50% of the domestic waste collected by Maribyrnong Council?  This means Maribyrnong residents are throwing away over $2,000 in food each year.
 
But it's easy to save money, save time and reduce food waste - join the Food Know How Program at www.foodknowhow.org.au.
 
The Food Know How Program is calling for Program Members who want to learn smarter ways to shop, cook and live life better. The Program will provide you with videos, tools, tips and loads of incentives to help you reduce the amount of food you waste….leaving you with more money to spend on….you!
 

Green Army to March into Maribyrnong

Maribyrnong City Council has successfully secured Green Army Teams to work with our Parks & Gardens Team towards protecting and enhancing our natural areas throughout the municipality.
 
The Green Army is a hands-on, practical environmental action program that supports local environment and heritage conservation projects across Australia. It is a voluntary program available to a broad range of young people aged 17 to 24, including Indigenous Australians, school leavers, gap year students, graduates, and job seekers. It provides young people with opportunities to develop skills, undertake training and gain experience in the delivery of conservation projects and, importantly, enhance opportunities for careers and further training in conservation.
 
Two Green Army Teams will work with Council staff, community and contractors to undertake valuable work throughout Maribyrnong’s natural areas, such as Stony Creek, Newells Paddock, Pipemakers Park and Frog Hollow and will help to roll out our 1 Million Trees planting project. A Green Army Team would work with Council for 4 days a week and consists of 9 team members, a dedicated team supervisor, a van for transportation and all basic tools and equipment. The program also provides funding for extra equipment such as brush cutters, spray units trailers and other equipment.
 
For more information:
Maribyrnong City Council’s Park Ranger: Park.ranger@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au
Links: http://greeningthewest.org.au/   www.environment.gov.au/land/green-army

Want to keep in touch with sustainability in Maribyrnong?
Like the Maribyrnong Sustainable Living facebook page.

If you would like to submit an item for our Sustainable Living eNewsletter, please send your 50 word article or event to environment@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au.

 
Copyright © 2016 Maribyrnong City Council, All rights reserved.


unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences 

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp