By Bev Smiles*
Bathurstians have a valuable opportunity to learn more about key local land, water and environment issues and projects by taking part in a regional environmental conference being held in Bathurst on the weekend of May 4-5.
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) is holding its annual regional conference in conjunction with the Central West Environment Council and local groups at Rahamim Ecological Learning Community at St Joseph’s Mount.
Key issues to be discussed include mining & gas impacts, renewable energy solutions, the remaking of NSW planning law, the future of Crown Land and water management challenges in the region. The Orange pipeline and future water supply for the Central West are current issues.
This year’s conference is focusing on the important role of the community in achieving positive environmental outcomes with particular emphasis on celebrating inspiring stories of community action.
Keynote speaker is Dr Bill Phillips, CEO of RiverSmart, on ‘Stakeholder empowerment – Macquarie RiverSmart case study’.
A discussion panel will consider landscape scale resilience and catchment issues including the newly proposed Local Land Services. Presenters include Dr Anne Kerle, ecologist and board member of the Central West Catchment Management Authority. Updates on mining and gas campaigns, native vegetation issues and the newly released White Paper on planning legislation reform in NSW are key topics.
Workshops include renewable energy opportunities led by Buzz Sanderson from the Central West Renewable Energy Group, the Crown Lands Review and skills building around community capacity building and campaigning.
On Sunday a half day field trip will be conducted following historic roads of the Bathurst region. This will give visitors and locals a view of past and present landscapes from Mt Panorama to Chifley Dam guided by ecologists and local experts.
The NCC regional conference aims to provide an opportunity for information sharing, skills development and collaborative planning on key policy and campaign issues.
The conference also provides an opportunity for networking with people from across the state.NCC member groups and local organisations are invited to share their inspiring stories of community activity.
NCC is a non-profit, non-government umbrella organisation representing more than 100 community environment groups across NSW.
NCC has worked to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature for more than 55 years by responding to the critical threats to our environment through a statewide network of members, staff and volunteers.
For more information about the conference program and registration go to the NCC website athttp://nccnsw.org.au/regionalconference.
 
*Bev Smiles is the Secretary of the Central West Environment Council

Local businesses are following international trends to shift to cleaner technologies and improve efficiencies to reduce their water and electricity usage. The Central West Catchment Management Authority recently ran a program for local businesses which turned up some signigicant savings in energy, water and resource usage and a boost to sustainable business practice in our region. The CMA launched it’s Resource Efficiency toolket for medium to small business at the Bathurst Sustainability Expo last Saturday.

The move to clean technology is an international trend and ‘clean tech’ as it is known is fast becoming the big growth industry for this century. The Australian clean technology industry now generates revenue of nearly $30 billion a year and employs well over 50,000 people. The biggest growth sectors in the cleantech industry were found to be solar power, water (management), energy efficiency, and green building.

This substantial revenue base makes clean tech one quarter the size of Australia’s whole manufacturing sector, and bigger than the nation’s auto manufacturing sector. According to a new study by advisory firm Australian Cleantech, the cleantech sector employs five times as many people per dollar of revenue than general manufacturing does.

In case you were wondering, the cleantech sector is defined as products and services that have both economic and ecological benefits. Some of these products and services include renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste and recycling, water management, and carbon trading

Not surprisingly, the states of NSW and Victoria were found to be the most active states in cleantech, with solar, water, wind, and environmental services all creating more than a billion dollars in revenue last year. Overall, the cleantech industry generated 2.0% of Australia’s GDP in 2012, which was up from 1.8% the year before.

In coming Sustainable Bathurst Columns we will share with you some of the steps towards sustainability taken by a number of successful local businesses who are embracing clean technologies.
Tracey Carpenter is President of Bathurst Community Climate Action Network
 

Local businesses are following international trends to shift to cleaner technologies and improve efficiencies to reduce their water and electricity usage. The Central West Catchment Management Authority recently ran a program for local businesses which turned up some signigicant savings in energy, water and resource usage and a boost to sustainable business practice in our region. The CMA launched it’s Resource Efficiency toolket for medium to small business at the Bathurst Sustainability Expo last Saturday.

The move to clean technology is an international trend and ‘clean tech’ as it is known is fast becoming the big growth industry for this century. The Australian clean technology industry now generates revenue of nearly $30 billion a year and employs well over 50,000 people. The biggest growth sectors in the cleantech industry were found to be solar power, water (management), energy efficiency, and green building.

This substantial revenue base makes clean tech one quarter the size of Australia’s whole manufacturing sector, and bigger than the nation’s auto manufacturing sector. According to a new study by advisory firm Australian Cleantech, the cleantech sector employs five times as many people per dollar of revenue than general manufacturing does.

In case you were wondering, the cleantech sector is defined as products and services that have both economic and ecological benefits. Some of these products and services include renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste and recycling, water management, and carbon trading

Not surprisingly, the states of NSW and Victoria were found to be the most active states in cleantech, with solar, water, wind, and environmental services all creating more than a billion dollars in revenue last year. Overall, the cleantech industry generated 2.0% of Australia’s GDP in 2012, which was up from 1.8% the year before.

In coming Sustainable Bathurst Columns we will share with you some of the steps towards sustainability taken by a number of successful local businesses who are embracing clean technologies.
Tracey Carpenter is President of Bathurst Community Climate Action Network
 

Christopher Monckton’s denial that climate change is human induced is like a snake oil salesman telling you what is easier to hear. Only that this salesman is paid for by those who have a vested interest in people not facing reality says Tracey Carpenter President of Bathurst Community Climate Action Network.

She says the antics of the British classics scholar and hereditary peer would be amusing if his views were not so dangerous.

Lord Monckton acknowledges climate change and that it is serious; but the line he is selling is that our industrial pollution and carbon emissions play no role. The reality is that there are 7 billion people on the planet and growing, and the staggering increases in carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane we have generated as by-products of the industrial revolution can be well illustrated from 1850 onwards. These gases are proven to create the greenhouse effect on our climate. Telling people carbon pollution is no problem is like selling snake oil but unfortunately there is no placebo effect in buying his argument. He is merely delaying people from acting to ensure a better future for their children, says Tracey Carpenter.

His strategy is not unlike the old tobacco lobby’s – which in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence continued to sow seeds of doubt in the public mind. “They couldn’t refute the evidence, but they could create the illusion of scientific controversy. That’s exactly what Monckton is doing for the fossil fuel industry.”

Monckton’s activities are funded by organisations with direct links to the fossil fuel industry, said Ms Carpenter. “By deliberately obscuring the science in the public mind and denying the impact of carbon pollution they further endanger our planet to protect their own investment and profits,” Ms Carpenter said.

Instead of paying to listen to Lord Monckton this Friday night, Ms Carpenter said people would get more out of attending Green Drinks at Rahamim (5.30pm at 34 Busby Street). Three qualified local speakers will present the latest information on practical steps to slow the rate of climate change and adapt to it by adopting renewable energy in the Bathurst region.

“BCCAN is also holding a solar barbecue lunch at the Flannery Centre on Sunday (12.30-2.30pm) to celebrate the 1.5 million Australian homes that now have solar power. Everyone is welcome,” said Ms Carpenter. “Whilst Monckton is politicising the science, many of us are simply getting on with making the changes needed.”

You can download the February 2013 BCCAN Bulletin here.

Convenor John Kellett. To be held at the Bathurst Regional Council commitee room starting at 5 pm. All welcome.

At the Flannery Centre, 341 Havannah St.
Ray Mjadwesch will speak about the environmental effects of long wall coal mining on the Newnes plateau .
Convenors: Bob Hill, Iain Townsend

Staff room in Allen House, CSU
Convenors: Bob Hill (Energy) and Iain Townsend (Buildings)

Convenor John Kellett. To be held at the Bathurst Regional Council commitee room starting at 5 pm. All welcome.