Samford Green Street Cafe overflows

A Samford first event, the Samford Green Street Cafe, overflowed with a hundred patrons and plenty of ideas at the function held at the Java Cafe on 23rd October.

Organised by the Pine Rivers Climate Action Network as part of Samford Green Street, the Cafe was a very pleasant social evening where people also responded to some 'conversation starters' around what Samford is already doing to be sustainable and what else it might do in the future to be more sustainable.

What Samford is already doing to be Livable and Sustainable:

• Trying to stop unethical and unsustain­able development

• New tennis/netball facility being built on sustainability lines

• Easily walk Village Business District

• Bus to railway

• Promoting Green Street in the Valley

• Organic Garden Groups

• Solar panels on a lot of houses

• Recycling and trash & treasure market

• Having 21 businesses as part of the Samford Sustainable Business Cluster

• Having an active Climate Action Network

• Building a Samford Local Growers group

• Community Forums on peak oil, water, climate change and other issues

• Promoting growing of vegetables (City Fruit Growers)

• Organic farm near Showgrounds

• Encouraging citizens to be fit and healthy

• SEQ Regional Plan Submissions by community groups

• Schools doing work on the environment

• Bushcare groups

Residents may have more to add to the list so please send your ideas to info@greenstreet.net.au. Do the same if you have something to say about what else Samford might do to be more sustainable and we'll add that to the list.

For more information, call 0407190162 or contact info@greenstreet.net.au

Rally declares climate emergency

On Saturday June 13, 2009 thousands of people around Australia rallied for action on Climate Change, calling for 100% renewable energy by 2020 and demanding that Australia must make the shift from fossil fuels to wind, solar and other available renewable technologies. Rallies were held in capital cities around Australia, with people sitting down outside Kevin Rudd's city office in Sydney and a sit down protest in front of the Melbourne Town Hall where the Victorian State ALP conference was occurring.

The rallies attracted about 6000 people nationwide, and included environmental groups such as Greenpeace and the Wilderness Society which want an emissions scheme ditched in favour of an alternative (dubbed "Plan B") which includes the phasing out of coal-fired power stations.

A leaked United Nation analysis, dated June 6, says that on conservative estimates, rich countries need to embrace 25 to 40 per cent cuts in emissions by 2020, below 1990 levels, to give the world a chance of avoiding a two-degree temperate rise. Labor has committed to carbon cuts of just 5% by 2020, or 25% if a global climate change agreement is reached at the UN climate change talks at Copenhagen in December.

A spirited crowd of 600 gathered in Brisbane's Queens Park as part of the Queensland leg of the National Climate Emergency Rally. The group began marching through Elizabeth and Charlotte streets, demanding a transition to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2010 and hoping to stop the Government's emissions trading scheme. The rally was addressed by members of the Pine Rivers Climate Action Network, the Greens, the St Johns Wood Sustainability Group and the Queensland secretary of the Electrical Trade Union, Peter Simpson.

Mr Simpson acknowledged the potential for job losses due to the long-term unsustainability of the power industry and the need for the Government to move towards renewable energies. David White of Climate Action Brisbane said the crowd were urged to wear red to symbolise the urgent emergency action needed to combat climate change. After the march, informal workshops were held in Queens Park on transferring to a greener economy and transport, as well as on how to form a local environmental group.

Rally co-chair Ewan Saunders said: "We demand that governments make the changes this planet needs immediately or we will take you out of your position because you have not acted responsibly." To cheers, he also called for tens of thousands of green collar jobs.

Sources: Sydney Morning Herald and Green Left Weekly

To read more about the National Climate Emergency Rally in cities throughout Australia, go to http://www.greenlivingpedia.org/Naional_Climate_Emergency_Rally_Melbourne_June_2009

 

Film triggers climate action in Samford

Over fifty people attended a special Samford screening of "Australia Pumping Empty: The Looming Peak Oil Crisis" in early September. Special guest speakers were the minister for Energy Geoff Wilson and Stuart McCarthy from the Australian Peak Oil Association, with local sustainability advocate Howard Nielsen hosting the show.

The film makers, Aquila Productions, stimulated plenty of thought and this was reflected in the insightful discussions following the film. It was inspiring to hear Geoff and Stuart speak about taking action and working on a community consensus for change.

The challenge was taken up by a number of people who have put their hands up to get started on a local food co-operative/farmers' market concept for Samford. Reducing our food miles and reliance on commercially produced fresh fruit and vegetables is a fantastic way to curb our reliance on fossil fuels and also to "bring CO2 down to earth".

The first meeting of the emerging food co-operative was held on 25 September and the next gathering of interested people will be on Sunday 26 October from 9-11.30am at 203 Wights Mountain Road, Wights Mountain.

Samford residents who would like to find out more about the project should contact Kirsten Kennedy from Pine Rivers CAN on 3889 1634 or 0418 870 060 or email to pineriversCAN@gmail.com.

Thanks go to our host for the night Howard Nielsen and Peter Kearney (founder of Cityfood Growers) for getting the ball rolling with this great initiative.

"Australia Pumping Empty" is produced by Aquila Productions and DVD copies of the film can be purchased through their website. See www.aquilaproductions.com.au for more details.

 

Rally for the Valley

The Samford Valley Steiner School played host to this year's Rally for the Valley Great Adventure Walk on Sunday 2nd March. The event raised money for the Steiner School, the Pine Rivers SES and the Samford Rural Fire Brigade. Mother Nature provided perfect conditions for a great day outdoors and volunteers at the Pine Rivers CAN information stall were happy to chat to visitors about ways to reduce our impact on the planet by simple and effective changes in our daily lives.

 

Solar Neighbourhoods - What a turnout!  

On Wednesday 13th February around 250 people crammed into the CWA Hall in Samford  to hear Howard Nielsen outline Pine Rivers CAN's Solar Neighbourhood initiative. Despite the heat and the many questions Howard did a great job of explaining how the plan will work. Beyond Building Energy will be providing the panels, inverters and organising the installation.

Pine Rivers CAN will not only be administering the scheme but also organising a group finance scheme. The $8000 government rebate is not paid until after the solar power system is operational. People unable to pay the $8000 up front will be able to apply to Pine Rivers CAN for a temporary loan and be responsible only for interest charges.  

At least 100 households signed up on the night and many more are expected shortly. Rather than the planned single Solar Neighbourhood based round Samford, there will now be several. Howard and Rebecca will be working hard in the weeks ahead to try to arrange the groupings so that as many people as possible will be included. 

Read the news articles from the Westerner: Solar shines the way for Samford and the Samford Village Pump: Solar panels through the roof

Walk against Warming

PineRiversCAN! members joined the Walk Against Warming in Brisbane city on Sunday November 11th. Rain kept the numbers down in Brisbane but there were walks at 57 towns and cities all over Australia with huge numbers gathering to show the next Australian Government that they support urgent action on climate change.

Thanks to John Bowden for providing us with 3 signed copies of his award winning book "Living with the Environment in Pine Rivers Shire", to Kim Pantano for presenting us with a cheque for $100 and to Rebecca and Kirsten for organising the event.

Our Candidates on Climate Change

Members of Pine Rivers CAN! hosted a forum on Saturday 13th October 2007 in Samford Farmers Hall to give local people a chance to ask the politicians what they would do about climate change if elected.

Dickson candidates Peter Dutton (Liberals), Howard Nielsen (Greens), Fiona McNamara (Labor) and Sharon Neill (Democrats), with Pine Rivers CAN's Rebecca Stowe, had their environmental policies put under the microscope at a recent public forum in Samford. Read the full article 

Below - photos of Don Henry, ACF and the audience. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

 

Check out the ballot scores.

Read Rebecca's inspiring speech