Green Action News: Issue 10, Autumn 2010

Green Action NewsM O B I L I S I N G P E O P L E T O S A F E G U A R D O U R E N V I R O N M E N T I S S U E 1 0 • AU T U M N 2 0 1 0

PLUSHelp us replaceHazelwood Power Station.On-the-ground report fromCopenhagen.

Two elections.One bigopportunity.

BIGYEAR.BIGWINS.

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 0 | A U T U M N 2 0 1 0 | w w w. e n v i ro n m e n t v i c t o r i a . o r g . a u2

3It’s time for leadership.

4One action. One big result.

5Victorians score a big win against coal.

640,000 Walk Against Warming.

7Civil society resolvestronger than ever. 8Two elections.

One big opportunity.

10The people’s parliament rocksFederation Square.

12East-African businesses happy to go green.

13 14

T H I S I S S U E

Tales from the Loddon River.

Green Action NewsIssue 10, Autumn 2010Design 2Fish ProductionsPrint Print BoundContributing writersMichele Burton, Murray Irwin, Vicki Kyriakakis, Juliet Le Feuvre, Victoria McKenzie-McHarg, Kelly O’Shanassy, Piers Verstegen,Mark Wakeham.EditorVicki Kyriakakis (03) 9341 [email protected] Advertising sales enquiriesVicki Kyriakakis (03) 9341 [email protected] Membership enquiries (03) 9341 [email protected] Media enquiriesMark Wakeham (03) 9341 [email protected] Green Action News is anEnvironment Victoria publication.For more information, visitwww.environmentvictoria.org.au

1. 460 billion litres of water can now be returned to the Murray.We worked closely with farmers, water authorities and local government topressure the state government to remove barriers to water trading in northernVictoria. 460 billion litres of water are now available for the federal government toreturn the Murray River over the next 5 years.

2. The solar feed-in tariff now applies to businesses and communities.Together with our partner organisations, we convinced the state government toimprove the Solar Feed-In Tariff legislation so that businesses and communitiescan now receive support for solar energy. We also increased the size of theinstallations eligible for support.

3. Television and computer manufacturers will now have to recycletheir goods.We ran a national electronic waste campaign in partnership with the televisionindustry and the Total Environment Centre. Together we convinced the federalgovernment to introduce a national scheme requiring manufacturers oftelevisions and computers to take back their own products at the end of theirlives, drastically reducing the 14 million televisions and computers currentlydumped in landfill each year.

4. We forced the state government to back-down on plans to exportbrown coal.When state government was considering a proposal to allocate billions of tonnesof brown coal, we ran a short, sharp community campaign to force them to back

It’s never easy securing environmental victories, but we

reckon we’ve had a pretty good year on the campaign trail.

Here are just a handful of our big wins for 2009.

Continued page 14

Blackburn and District Tree Preservation Societyturns 50.

After a year of many successes,

2009 certainly ended with a

resounding thud!

THE DISAPPOINTING OUTCOMES(or lack of them) from the CopenhagenClimate Summit, and the continuedstalling of an effective price on carbon,got even the most enthusiastic peopledown in the dumps. But I have to say, forme and the team at EnvironmentVictoria, it’s done just the opposite. In fact, you might say it’s fired us up. BIG time!Right now, confusion reigns. Peopledon’t know what to think. Is climatechange real? Is it really caused byhumans? Is it the reason why we’re indrought and our rivers are dying? And,most importantly – if the answer to allthose questions is yes (which it is) – whyaren’t our politicians takingaction? (Good question)Poll after poll, however, tells us thatwhile people may be confused by theseissues, between 80 to 90 percent ofthem think that pollution is bad and thatdirty coal is a problem. Most people stillwant action to safeguard ourenvironment. And they want it now.So this year is ACTION year. More thanever before, this year is when we mustcut through the confusion with actionsthat are so big and powerful, that theyreally start to swing things in theenvironment’s favour. That’s why we’rerunning three HUGE campaigns this year.We’ll be lobbying for actions that mostVictorians support because they acceptthe basic truth that harming ourenvironment is bad. The first will be to replace Hazelwood,one of the developed world’s dirtiestpower plants, with energy efficiency,renewables and gas (as a transition fuel)in the next term of government. Thesecond is to save our rivers and wetlandswith a river rescue package that couldresuscitate every river in the state. Andthe third is to give every home in Victoriaa green makeover by 2020. We know it’s a big ask. But we also know

that it makes a lot of sense –environmentally, economically andsocially.So we’re not letting ourselves getmesmerised by political inaction or theclimate denialists. And we think youshouldn’t either. We’ve decided to getfired up instead and get Victorians

supporting BIG actions.Right now – this year, this month, thissecond – we’re working to turn thingsaround. And we need your help. In thiselection year, you are in the powerposition. More than any other year, yourvoice matters. Please stand with us andsupport our campaigns to safeguard ourenvironment.

G R E E N A C T I O N N E W S | I S S U E 1 0 | A U T U M N 2 0 1 0 | www.env i ronmentv i c to r i a .o rg . au 3

> Kelly O’Shanassy, Chief Executive Officer

2 0 1 0 E L E C T I O N

‘SO THISYEAR ISACTIONYEAR.’

ARE YOU IN?Read more about our election campaign plans on pages 8 and 9. Or visit us online atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au/2010-election

When confusion reigns,it’s time for leadership.

IF YOU’RE READING this newsletter,chances are you are already doing yourpart for our environment. And big orsmall, every little bit helps. It’s the support of people like you thatmakes the many things we’ve achievedover the years possible. Things like ourPeople’s Action Plan on climate change;getting the government to back downon its plans to export brown coal;returning billions of litres of water to ourrivers; and getting 40,000 people outonto the streets of Melbourne for theWalk Against Warming. Those areaccomplishments we can all be proud of.This year, we’re targeting the mostpolluting power station in the developedworld – Hazelwood Power Station. (Notso proud of that).There’s good news though. This year isan election year, which places theaverage Victorian voter in what youmight call a power position. So, if therewas ever a time to shut Hazelwood it’snow. The community concern aboutclimate change and the need to reduceour pollution has never been higher. Andthe inevitable price on carbon will makeHazelwood increasingly unviable.If we join forces to put the pressure onour elected officials and industry leadersright now, we can get them to replaceVictoria’s dirty little secret with a moderncombination of efficiency initiatives,renewable energy sources, and newefficient gas (as a transition fuel).

We’ve crunched the numbers and comeup with a plan to slash Victoria’sgreenhouse emissions by half, and savebillions of litres of water in the process.Replacing Hazelwood is the first (andmost significant) piece of that plan.It’s one action that can have a very BIG result.Our campaign is ready to go; we justneed your help to put into action.Environment Victoria will bespearheading a highly focusedcommunity campaign to get our stateand federal politicians to commit toreplacing Hazelwood with cleanerenergy solutions by 2012. We’ll be mobilising people across thestate; running letterbox drops andactively building support in keyelectorates. We’ll publish research thatwill show how we can replaceHazelwood. And we’ll run a highly visualpublic awareness campaign to get thecommunity on board. We’ll also belobbying all the relevant players on yourbehalf, to make sure they know that youexpect them to replace our dirtiestpolluter and start the transition to aclean energy future.

It’s as simple as switching OFF…• Dirtiest power station in the

developed world• 15 percent of Victoria’s annual

greenhouse gas emissions • 27 billion litres of water usage per year• Australia’s #1 emitter of highly

dangerous dioxins• Dirty jobs, embarrassing statistics

And switching ON…• Energy efficiency, renewable energy,

efficient gas (as a transition fuel)• Reduced water usage and healthier

rivers• Increased quality of life for thousands

of people• Hundreds of secure green jobs• A new reason for Victorians to be

proud

We’d really love you to be a part of this.Frankly, we really need you. There willnever be a better time to pressure ourelected officials and industry leaders toreplace Hazelwood.

So what do you say? Are you in?


One action. Donate $25. One big result. ReplaceHazelwood Power Station.

A P P E A L

HELP US FLIP THE SWITCH. Just send in the donation form at the back of this newsletter or go towww.environmentvictoria.org.au/hazelwood to make your donation.


G O O D N E W S

IN OCTOBER 2009, The Age ran areport on leaked cabinet documentsthat showed the Brumby Governmentwas considering offering 13 billiontonnes of brown coal for tender in 2010.The report further claimed that, prior totenders, Exergen could get the go-aheadfor a priority coal allocation of 12 milliontonnes of coal every year for 40 years toexport to India.The Exergen proposal alone threatenedto increase the state’s emissions by awhopping 10 percent. And, if the full 13billion tonnes of coal was allowed to goto tender, it could result in theequivalent of 20 years worth ofAustralia’s total emissions.That’s when Environment Victoriastepped in.With the support of the community,Environment Victoria ran an ambitiouscommunity campaign to keep the coalin the ground. We wrote to the Premieroutlining both our concerns andalternatives for a better, moresustainable future for the Latrobe Valley.And we met with key MPs, making surethat they knew about the community’sconcerns.People across the state wrote hundredsof letters, made phone calls to the officesof MPs, met with them face-to-face, andwrote many letters to the editor. Working in partnership with localcommunity groups, we called a rally onthe steps of Parliament House. Despitethe short notice, over 300 people turnedout to tell the government that ‘TheWorld Doesn’t Need Our Dirty Coal’. We also forced the release of agovernment commissioned report underthe Freedom of Information Act thatrecommended that the VictorianGovernment not allow any furtherallocation of coal.And – for now, at least – sanity hasprevailed. The government announcedin December that no tender processwould take place in 2010, and that

Exergen would not be getting anypriority allocation of coal. Wecongratulate the government on thisdecision and particularly those withinthe Labor Party who advocated stronglyagainst the proposal. While there is a chance that a tendercould be opened following the stateelection in November, for now thegovernment knows that the Victoriancommunity doesn’t see a future inbrown coal.It’s a fantastic outcome, and one thatshows what we can achieve as amovement when we work together. We’dlike to sincerely thank our supporters,member groups and the communitygroups who helped us mobilise thecommunity on this issue.

GET INVOLVEDin our election yearcampaign and help us keep the coalin the ground.In 2010, both the state and federalgovernments will be going to thepolls. That puts the average Victorianvoter in something of a powerposition. We’re going to be running acomprehensive campaign to makesure that both elections deliver bigtime for our environment.And we’d love you to get involved. Infact, we really need you to. Readmore about our plans on page 8.Then visit us online atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au/2010-election.

> Victoria McKenzie McHarg, Safe Climate and Smart Transport Campaigner

On 10 December last year, Environment Victoria and the Victorian

climate community scored a BIG win against a proposal to develop

a new export coal industry in the state.

Victorians score a big win against big coal

UP TO 90,000 PEOPLE joined walksacross Australia, to coincide with thecritical final week of the Copenhagennegotiations. They travelled from all overthe state – from Gippsland and theNorth East, to Ballarat and CentralVictoria, even as far away as Portland –to stand side-by-side with us and call fora Safe Climate.40,000 people walked down SwanstonStreet in the city and formed a gianthuman sign spelling out the message:SAFE CLIMATE. DO IT! It was a messagethat was spread around the countrythrough all the major television stations

and papers. And it seems that messagegot through, at least in part.The turn-out convinced Prime MinisterKevin Rudd that we were worth listeningto. On the back of our success, PiersVerstegen – head of the ConservationCouncil of WA – was granted a meetingto present the Prime Minister with theattendance and petition figures onbehalf of Walks all across Australia. Piersmade sure our Prime Minister got thecommunity’s message loud and clear.(You can read his on-the-groundcommentary from Copenhagen, on thenext page).

While Copenhagen didn’t deliver all thatwe hoped it might, our efforts here inVictoria achieved two importantoutcomes. The Australian Government isnow in no doubt that the communitywants real and immediate action. Themovement has also clearly continued togrow. We can look to the 12 monthsahead with optimism, knowing thatthere is a strong and engagedcommunity force on our side.Thank you to all of you who helpedmake the 2009 Melbourne Walk AgainstWarming such a huge success. Whetheryou helped us promote the event,passed on an email, put posters up,made a donation to our appeal, orsimply came on the day with your familyand friends – your efforts have made allthe difference. You’ve given us 40,000 more reasons tobelieve in a Safe Climate future.

S A F E C L I M A T E

40,000 Walk Against Warming> Victoria McKenzie-McHarg, Safe Climate and Smart Transport Campaigner

While Kevin Rudd and other world leaders were continuing to talk

the talk on climate action in Copenhagen last year, here in Melbourne

over 40,000 Victorians were walking the walk.


R E P O R T F R O M C O P E N H A G E N

> Piers Verstegen, Director, Conservation Council of WA

Piers Verstegen, Director of the

Conservation Council of WA,

shares his up-close-and-personal

view of the Copenhagen Climate

Summit with Green Action News

and talks about what’s next for the

climate movement in Australia.

Climate negotiations failbut civil society resolve is stronger than ever

THE COPENHAGEN CLIMATEnegotiations have been the single largestgathering of world leaders in history. Yetthey’ve failed to reach an agreementcapable of ensuring survival of planetEarth and its inhabitants.Despite the rhetoric, simple brinkmanshipbetween nations and economic vestedinterests of nations and corporations hasagain derailed a global response to thegreatest ecological, security andhumanitarian crisis of our times.During the last week of the summit, in allcorners of the globe, we witnessed thegreatest coordinated politicaldemonstrations in history. Millions uponmillions of people in rich and poornations took part in hundreds ofthousands of actions – all calling for abinding climate treaty to secure a safeclimate future and the survival ofvulnerable peoples all over the world.By the time the Heads of State arrived atthe Summit in the middle of the secondweek, however, alarm bells were alreadystarting to ring in the NGO community.Negotiations had been bogged down inpositional politics, and to make mattersworse, most NGO’s were being bannedfrom the Bella Centre where theconference was being held. In theclosing days of the conference, out ofthe 25,000 registered civil societyobservers, just 500 representatives wereallowed access. Half of those werebusiness and industry organisations whodo not represent ‘civil society’ at all. Ifthere has ever been a numericaldefinition of tokenism, that was it.The result is a hollow text with hollowcommitments.

Despite this profound failure, however,there has been some progress. We nowhave over 160 countries committed toan outcome that prevents over 1.5degrees global warming and 350ppmCO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.Developing countries such as China and

India have moved a huge amount in thelast six months, placing commitments onthe table that would not have beenthought of just 12 months ago.There is also a renewed commitmentfrom civil society all over the world to acttogether in partnership to solve theclimate crisis even when our politicalleaders have so far failed to do so.At a parallel ‘people’s climate forum’ thatwas held in Copenhagen, an astonishingnumber of individuals and organisationscame together from all over the world tocreate and agree on a declarationserving as a blueprint for action. This canonly gather momentum now. There isnow a common understanding andunbreakable bond between civil societyorganisations all over the world that wecan solve the climate crisis despite theincapacity of our political leaders andthe inequity of our economic systems.

“WE CANSOLVE THISCLIMATECRISISDESPITE THEINCAPACITYOF OURPOLITICALLEADERS…”

Thousands marched towards the BellaCentre in Copenhagen during the ClimateSummit on the Global Day of Action. PHOTO: CNPHCH (FLICKR)


Two elections. One big opportunity.In 2010, both the state and federal governments

will be going to the polls. And we’re going to be

working hard to make sure both elections deliver

big time for our environment. Environment

Victoria’s Campaign Director, Mark Wakeham,

outlines our approach in a dual election year.

> Mark Wakeham, Campaigns Director ELECTIONS ARE A CRITICAL time for environment campaigns. Thevast majority of policy commitments in Australian politics are madeduring election campaigns. Political parties spend the three monthsahead of each election making promises, and then spend the nextthree or four years delivering – or sometimes, failing to deliver – onthose promises.While we know the state election date – 27 November 2010 – thefederal election could be held at any time. That makes planning ourelection work tricky. One way of dealing with the uncertainty is to begin early. So that’sexactly what we’ve done. Last November, we joined forces with The Wilderness Society, Friendsof the Earth and the Victorian National Parks Association to outlineseven key areas that we think require urgent action by the winningparty in this year’s state election. We’ve called it Turning it Around. Itcontains a clear agenda that you can use as a yardstick by which to

measure the policy of all political partiesup for election. From mid-year onwards we’ll also bereleasing monthly report cards that willhelp you compare the environmentalplatforms of each of the parties against ahandful of the most important issues in‘Turning it Around’.In particular, we’ll be focusing on threebig campaigns this year:1. We’ll be running a ‘Rescue our Rivers’campaign, calling for the introduction ofa rivers rescue package;2. We’ll be asking parties to commit toreplacing Hazelwood Power Station withenergy saving measures and clean andrenewable energy power stations; and3. We’ll be seeking an overhaul ofVictoria’s entire building stock,beginning with a program to retrofit onemillion Victorian homes for energy andwater efficiency.So far the state election is an open racein terms of environment policy. Withthe exception of a couple of notablehighlights – such as the declaration ofRed Gum Parks and the introduction of

the energy efficiency target – the LaborGovernment has moved very slowly onenvironmental issues. The strength of their upcoming climatechange White Paper and Green Jobs planwill also play a large part in determiningthe environmental legacy the BrumbyGovernment takes into the election. On the other side of Parliament, thoughthe Coalition is yet to release theirelection environmental policies, theyhave – at best – been inconsistent onenvironmental issues. And while theGreens have been strongenvironmental advocates in Parliament,the question remains on how they willuse their growing support in inner cityseats to exert an influence on the nextgovernment’s environmental agenda. While there are always open-endedquestions when it comes to elections,one thing is clear – EnvironmentVictoria is well positioned to influencethe agenda in a big way.So, in the coming months, we’ll becranking up the pressure. In particular, we’ll be:• lobbying all relevant players• setting up listening booths to record

your ‘visions for Victoria’• launching our three big campaigns• preparing a series of You Tube video

clips for each of our campaigns• releasing our ‘river health indicator’

which we’ll update every month toraise awareness about the plight ofthe state’s rivers

• undertaking a regional roadshow tohighlight our election priorities

• running election billboards, tram adsand leafleting key electorates

• developing report cards on theenvironment platforms of each partybeginning mid-year

And while Environment Victoria doesn’tendorse any political party orcandidate, we will be providing publiccommentary on the environmentplatforms being presented. As always, though, we’ll leave it up toyou to decide who you want to vote for. Our job will be to make it clear to allpolitical aspirants throughout the yearthat the environment needs to be frontand centre of their election campaigns.


‘IN THE COMINGMONTHS, WE’LLBE CRANKINGUP THEPRESSURE.’

GET ELECTION

READYREAD OUR TURNING ITAROUND REPORTGet informed and ready toexercise your vote for ourenvironment. We’ve gottentogether with The WildernessSociety, the Victorian NationalParks Association and Friends ofthe Earth to develop our agendafor this election. You’ll find it all in our Turning itAround report online atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au/2010-election

FOLLOW OUR 2010ELECTION BLOGKeep up to date with all thelatest news and activities in thelead-up to the 2010 electionswith our special election yearblog at www.environmentvictoria.org.au/blog

MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLEDONATION TO SUPPORTOUR CAMPAIGNWe’ve achieved a lot for ourenvironment over the last fortyyears. And we’ll be running astrong campaign to put pressureon our politicians in the lead-upto the state and federalelections. Help us make yourvote count. Visit us at www.environmentvictoria.org.au/give to makeyour donation today.

TALK TO YOURCOMMUNITYWhy wait for the state electionwhen you can make your voiceheard right now. Talk to yourfriends and family about yourhopes for our environment. Letthem know that the stateelection this year could be aturning point.

“I’ve always been aware and wanted to beinvolved in environmental issues, from an earlyage,” Janice says. “It’s something my father wasalso interested in, and he tried to instill in usbeing aware of looking after Mother Earth.Because you can be connected to the land,but there’s a responsibility that goes with that.”She says it’s this connection to country whichmakes GreenTown so relevant to Aboriginalpeople. “In the public arena it seems that we’renot that interested [in sustainability]. But if youtalk to every Aboriginal resident in Darebin,they’ll talk to you about the importance oflooking after country. If you talk to individualresidents, they’ve got their own unique way ofgreening not only Darebin, but Australia.Because we don’t all come from Melbourne. We all go back home, which for me is along the river.”

The key, she says, is getting the rightinformation to people. And she saysGreenTown will be an avenue to thatinformation. “The knowledge of green and theenvironment is there, but it’s having accessto… what’s available and what resources… Ican tap into.”The program will be conducted starting April,with new community consultant Tracey Onusworking with the community on the program.Tracey will be supported by our friends at TheAborigines Advancement League, and will beworking out of their offices in Thornbury.Training of local Indigenous people inhousehold and business assessments will bestarting in April.For more information contact Michele Burton, on (03) 9341 8105 [email protected].


S U S T A I N A B L E L I F E S T Y L E S

The project was a joint initiative between EnvironmentVictoria and The Sustainable Living Festival. We askedpeople to let us know what they wanted our politicalleaders to do for our environment. We also asked themwhat actions they were taking in their own lives tosafeguard our environment. And we’ve captured it all oncamera. We’ll now be sending them straight to our politicalleaders to show them real, visible evidence that Victorianscare for their environment and expect real leadership thiscoming election.

We’ll also be adding them to our website, so stay tuned. We’lllet you know when you can get online to watch what they

had to say.

The People’s Parliamentrocks Federation Square

Did you miss us as this year’s Sustainable Living Festival?Never fear. It’s not too late to add your voice to ours. Simply visit us online atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au/2010-election and get involved in ourelection campaign. Or you can have your say atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au/blog/posts/what’s-your-vision-victoria

With thanks to MECU for their kind sponsorship of The People’s Parliament.

Love for countrycolours Darebin green> Michele Burton, Project Manager, GreenTown

Environment Victoria’s

GreenTown program has

mobilised people from a

diverse range of

communities to safeguard

our environment. Now, it’s

the Darebin Indigenous

community’s turn. Green

Action News caught up

with Aboriginal Elder

Janice Muir, to talk about

why she thinks the

program is so important

for her community.

Over 130 Victorians got in front of our cameras at this year’s Sustainable Living Festival in

Federation Square. Their purpose? To share their vision for Victoria’s environment.

KHALID IS ONE OF 10 people from theEast African communities of Sudan,Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea who havebeen trained in household and businessassessments as part of EnvironmentVictoria’s GreenTown program. And thenew assessors have hit the groundrunning.They’ve now delivered almost 70household assessments to East Africanhouseholds in the Flemington area in

Melbourne’s inner north-west, andthey’re gearing up to deliver 15 businessassessments over the next few months.They’ll be assessing businesses acrossthe community – from restaurants, tocafés and more – and giving advice onhow business owners can reduce theirenvironmental impact. Khalid says theassessors are trying to “pass [on] themessage that it’s helping theenvironment… and it’s going to help

your business to save some money.”Nina Bailey, who is project managing theEast African part of GreenTown atEnvironment Victoria, says that engagingthe East African community onenvironmental issues hasn’t been hard:“Even though some of the language andconcepts are new, there’s a lot of priorcare for the environment and experienceof the environment back home, that [theassessors] use for communicating theissue here.” Khalid says engaging businesses in thearea has almost been too easy. “I’ve beenliving in this area for over 10 years,” heexplains, “so I know most of the peoplewhen they start the businesses.” Hisconnections with local businesses meantthat he’s already found more interestedbusinesses than he will have time toassess. He’d started informally advising localbusinesses before the assessments hadeven formally started. He’s also beentalking to them about saving waterbecause “they use a lot of water, to cleanthe place”. He’s been talking to themabout grey water friendly cleaningproducts they could use, and about howmaking changes could save themmoney. “They are really happy. For someof them, this is the first time they’veheard this stuff.”Project Manager, Nina Bailey, says the 10East African assessors also seem prettyhappy. “Household sustainabilityassessment is a booming industry andjust one of the new ‘green jobs’ that wewant to see more of,” says Nina, “and Ithink people are excited to be a part ofthat.” Khalid sees it as an opportunity that hehopes will help shape his future and thatof his community. “I’ve been working asa volunteer for different things in thecommunity. But to be with the green[sector] and especially with this kind ofproject, this is what I want to do in thefuture. To get a job to help theenvironment, to help people, to passmessages, to let them know what theyneed to protect the environment and tolive a better life. Not for yourself but foreveryone together. Because we’re livingin one world, one place, one suburb.”For more information, visit GreenTownonline at www.environmentvictoria.org.au/learn/category/campaign-focus/sustainable-lifestyles/green-town


S U S T A I N A B L E L I F E S T Y L E S

East-Africanbusinesses happyto go green

Participants from our East-AfricanGreenTown program at the EidFestival last year.

> Murray Irwin, Acting Director, Sustainable Living Program

“They’re really happy.” That’s Khalid Mohamed-Mussa’s take

on the East African businesses responding to our offers

of free sustainability assessments.

THOUGH THE LODDON RIVERis much depleted, it has many friends.From olive growers and winemakers, tofarmers and conservationists – their livesand businesses are intricately linked tothe Loddon River. So they got togetherwith us and shared their stories and theirpassionate concern about their river’sfuture.The event was the launch of our finalYour River project – Your River: LoddonRiver. Over the last four years, we’veprofiled 12 rivers across Victoria. We’vecollected stories from rivers as far apartas the Woori Yallock in Melbourne’sbackyard, to the mighty Goulburn in ourstate’s north. We’ve witnessed the fastflowing Ovens rushing down from theAlps and sat by the winding Wimmera,making its way across the flat landscapeof western Victoria.And everywhere we went, we foundVictorians with a strong sense ofconnection to their river systems, and apressing desire to share their stories.We’ve collected over 70 of these storiesnow – telling the tale of a state and apeople who are passionate about theirrivers, and concerned by theircontinuing decline.The Loddon River was no different. OurLoddon River stories demonstrate thegreat diversity of people who care fortheir river system. Like other Victorians,Peter and Marlies Eicher, who own anorganic olive grove near Boort, aredeeply committed to their river. Withtheir sustainable production processes,they make a little water go a long way.So too Ron Snep, who has managed tokeep his vines fruitful without anyirrigation water.John Baluch and Elaine Jones are bothfarmers from the lower reaches of theLoddon. They have tales to tell of floods,

droughts and taking care of a river thatis the lifeblood of their businesses. CathyMcCallum from Baringhup believes inthe power of educating the young. WhilePaul Haw passes on his vast store ofknowledge of ecology, culture andhistory to older students.Running through all their stories is thethread of doing more with less water,changing community attitudes, and astrong concern for protecting andreviving the river system.All in all, Environment Victoria’s YourRiver project has been an enormoussuccess. It has increased awareness andunderstanding of local river healthissues, and engaged people in localinitiatives to improve their waterways.

It’s also provided a great opportunity forpeople to get together and talk abouttheir river. What they’ve discovered, timeand time again, is that they are not alonein their concern for our future.

Where to now?Never ones to rest on our laurels, we’repushing our storytelling tradition in newdirections. Environment Victoria islooking for new stories of change andrenewal, as part of our River Rescue andRegional Renewal action plan forNorthern Victoria. In particular, we’retalking to people who have had to faceup to a future drastically altered byclimate change. And we’re seeking outthose people leading the charge inalternative business practices. Some, likethe Eichers, have learnt how to vastlyincrease the value of what they producewith the water available to them. Others,like Jo and Greg Bear, have moved intoother forms of production.Whatever their story, however, we’reworking to make sure that the changesthey make result in more water for ourrivers, and in prosperous and sustainablecommunities.


S M A R T S T U F F [ L E S S W A S T E ]

Tales from the

YOU CAN GET INVOLVED NOW!Right now, you can start being a part of Victoria’s healthy rivers story. Start by reading all about our River Rescue and Regional Renewal action plan forNorthern Victoria. http://www.environmentvictoria.org.au/river-rescue-and-regional-renewal HAVE A RIVER STORY OF YOUR OWN TO SHARE?We’d love to hear it. Share your passion for our rivers online at: www.environmentvictoria.org.au/share Read all the stories from Your River: Loddon River online:http://www.environmentvictoria.org.au/content/loddon-river

Late last year, around 40 people gathered on a hot night at the Boort

Tennis Club to celebrate their connection to the Loddon River. For them it

was an opportunity to connect with other people who care about their

river. For Environment Victoria, it was an opportunity to celebrate the last

“Your River” and say goodbye to a watershed program.

Healthy Rivers Campaigner, Juliet Le Feuvre reports.

CathyMcCallum:

Helpingyoungstersappreciate the LoddonFor Cathy McCallum – or “Mrs Mac” asthe Baringhup Primary School kids callher – it’s all about makingenvironmental education interesting.“It’s got to be fun,” says Cathy, “in mythinking, kids don’t really work andenjoy learning unless it’s fun.”Cathy and her husband Bill moved toBaringhup (about ten minutes drivewest of Maldon) a decade ago andreside in a charming little bush hamletof 50 homes, a short walk from theLoddon River. “About six years ago, wewere reading a lot about climate changeand thought we had to do something tocontribute to people’s understanding ofthe issues,” Cathy says. “Ninety percentof what we teach and the activities wedo, are connected to the Loddon Riverand its sustainability. Our aim is toenhance the kids’ appreciation of theirriver and help them understand waterand water issues.”

ElaineJones:

40 years of preciousmemoriesThirty-six years ago, in the black ofnight, the heavens opened and therains came down, breaking the banksof the Loddon River. It also happenedto be the night Elaine Jones and herfamily of five moved into their farm onthe outskirts of Kerang, just near theriver. It’s a welcome they’ll neverforget. It’s a scene that’s hard toimagine now in the parched paddocksof Elaine’s property. Her late husband, Gyn, was somewhatof a pioneer with the work he did onmanaging salinity for the Departmentof Agriculture over 30 years. Their farmgave them an opportunity to put intopractice the farm management toolsGyn was promoting through theDepartment.“Gyn used to say, we are here asstewards of the land, of the earthwhere you stand. And that’s mymotivation,” says Elaine. “It’s ourresponsibility to leave the land asgood as or better than we found it.”

Roy Snep:

Mixing delicious dropsMicrobiology, psychiatric nursing andbus driving are all jobs Ron Snep hasturned his hand to. That is until 25 yearsago when this urban refugee and loverof wine established Welshmans ReefVineyard – just a stone’s throw from LakeCairn Curran. “My wife, Julia, and I grewup in Melbourne and had the dream thata lot of people in the city have, which isto go to the country and make a livingfrom the land.” Ron reminisces aboutsailing his little 12 foot boat across thewaters of Lake Cairn Curran andremembers a time when it was filledevery year without fail. “You’d alwaysknow that you were going to have agreat summer down there, with wateravailable to muck around in,” Ron sayswistfully. But after years of little rain,Ron’s boat now lies in the shedgathering dust, waiting for the water toreturn. “One of the things you realise,living on the land and in the country, isthat you are custodians of the ground.You don’t really own it; you just manageit for the future.”


H E A L T H Y R I V E R S

Loddon River

When the Blackburn Tree Preservation

Society was first formed in November

1959, it worked hard to preserve the

local natural environment and protect

areas of remnant bush.

OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS, the group hasgrown and prospered and they now workacross the whole Nunawading municipality,and indeed the state.The Society was actively involved in the LittleDesert campaign in 1969, that led to the birthof Environment Victoria, and has been anaffiliate member since our inception.Since then, they’ve gone from strength tostrength, forming the Urimbirra CooperativeSociety and buying a bush block adjacent toCrown Land in the Little Desert. They’ve alsopurchased a 600 ha block and both haveConservation Covenants administered throughthe Trust for Nature, providing permanentprotection to the land.They’ve produced several publications,including ‘100 Native Plants to Grow inBlackburn Gardens’. They’ve campaigned forplanning controls in the treed area ofBlackburn, and were successful in setting up aSpecial Residential Zone, covering 49 streets.

For more information, contact Les Smith on(03) 9874 2641 or [email protected].


A F F I L I A T E G R O U P S

Environment Victoria volunteer, Les Smith, has been involved with the Blackburn andDistrict Tree Preservation Society for many years.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR AFFILIATE GROUPS?Our affiliate groups are out there at the grassroots, safeguarding our environment. And we couldn’t have achieved all we have without them. Visit our Affiliate Directory onlinefor more information: www.environmentvictoria.org.au/?q=content/our-story/our-affiliates.

Blackburn and District TreePreservation Society turns 50!

down. That’s 13 billion tonnes of coal will stay in the groundfor now, and we plan to keep it that way.

5. Assisted in the creation of new Red Gum ParksWhile our colleagues at VNPA, The Wilderness Society andFriends of the Earth did most of the legwork, EnvironmentVictoria played a supporting role in the campaign toestablish new Red Gum Parks along the Murray River. TheNational Parks, jointly managed with traditional owners,were proclaimed in November, adding nearly 100,000hectares to the Parks estate. Now we just need some waterfor them.

6. Reached thousands of people through ourSustainable Living programsThousands of Victorians are living more sustainably thanksto our Sustainable Living programs. Our Green RentersGuide was downloaded 22,500 times online, and 1400people accessed it via hard copy. We also trained 432 Homeand Community Care workers to deliver sustainabilityaudits to nearly 5,200 clients.

We couldn’t have done it without your support, though. With your help, we can make 2010 even bigger and better.

BIG YEAR. BIG WINS... from page 2


N O T I C E T H I S !

YES! I want to flip the switch on Hazelwood! I would like to donate:

nn $25 nn $50 nn $100 nn $250 nn $500 nn My own amount $ ___________ Please find enclosed a:

nn Cheque or nn Money Order (payable to Environment Victoria INC.) or please debit my card: nn Amex nn Mastercard nn Visa

Cardholder’s name: ________________________________________Expiry date: __ __ / __ __ Signature: ___________________________

Card number: | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | – | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | – | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | – | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ | _ _ |

PERSONAL DETAILS

Title: First Name: Family Name:

Address:

Suburb: State: Postcode:

Email:

Tel: (BH) (AH)

nn Please send all future correspondence by email

Help us to help you by telling us a little bit more about yourself. (All information will be kept strictly confidential).

Date of Birth: D_______/ M_______/ Y_______ Occupation: _____________________________________________________

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES YOU CARE MOST ABOUT

nn All nn Biodiversity nn Healthy Rivers nn Safe Climate nn Sustainable Lifestyles nn Smart Stuff (Less Waste)

Please complete this form, tear off this page and return it to Reply Paid 12575, A’Beckett Street, Melbourne, VIC 8006 orvisit www.environmentvictoria.org.au/give and make your donation online.

One Action. Donate $25.One Big Result. ReplaceHazelwood Power Station.

Hazelwood Power Station is the dirtiest powerstation in the developed world. That’s the badnews. This year, however, is an election year.That’s the good news! That puts the averageVictorian voter in what you might call a power position.Help us put pressure on our elected officials

and industry leaders to replace Hazelwoodwith a modern combination of efficiencyinitiatives, renewable energy resources, andnew efficient gas (as a transition fuel). Make your contribution of $25 or more below.Let’s convince our leaders to replaceHazelwood with smarter energy alternatives.

Chief Executive Officer Kelly O’Shanassy Campaigns Director Mark WakehamA/Director Sustainable LivingMurray IrwinOPERATIONSOrganisational ServicesManager Ivan KolkerAdministration CoordinatorHelen Vine Administration Assistant Trier MurphyCommunications ManagerVicki Kyriakakis

Communications OfficerSarah DobneyFinance Officer Despina GiannakisWATER & HEALTHYRIVERSHealthy Rivers CampaignerAmelia YoungHealthy Rivers CampaignManager Juliet Le FeuvreSAFE CLIMATESafe Climate and SmartTransport CampaignerVictoria McKenzie-McHarg

SUSTAINABLE LIVINGPROGRAMProject Manager Michele BurtonProject Manager Katelyn FryerProject Manager Nina BaileyProgram Manager Charlie DavieProject Officer Domenica SettleProject Officer Kate Senko

Communications OfficerJo ArgentGreen Town CommunityCoordinator Natalia ValenzuelaBOARDPresident Russell FisherVice-President Sue NoyDoug GimesyDavid OsbornElizabeth McKinnonAmanda NuttallJeana VithoulkasJames Meldrum

REGULAR VOLUNTEERSAndrew BoothPeter FlanaganJanet GellieColleen GuggisbergIan HazewinkelPauline NgKeshni PrasadMarion SilverLes SmithThi Truong

CONTACT US:Phone: (03) 9341 8100 [email protected]: (03) 9341 8199

PO Box 12575A’Beckett Street, Victoria, 8006

WHO’S WHO AT ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA

www.environmentvictoria.org.au

EnvironmentVictoriainvites you toRescue Our Rivers

Join us at theRescue Our Rivers campaign briefing and supporter evening

2010 is an election year and what better time to

ensure that both elections deliver big time for our

environment. But we can’t do it without your help

Jump on board and paddle upstream to find

out about Environment Victoria’s campaign

priorities at Rescue Our Rivers. Here, our River

Champions will be granted a sneak peek of

our plans and the opportunity to be involved

in helping us deliver campaign success.

WHAT? Hear from Environment Victoria campaigners aboutthe strength and history of our rivers work. Learn about ourplans for the year and register your interest to join us inensuring our rivers get a drink too. Refreshments will beprovided on the evening so together we can campaign torefresh our rivers!

WHEN? Thursday, 25 March, 5:45pm for 6.00pm - 7:30pm

WHERE? Meeting Room, Green Building, 60 Leicester Street,Carlton

COST? Admission free

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU’RE COMING

RSVP to Healthy Rivers Campaigner Amelia Young on (03) 9341 8120 or email her at [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPH: IAN PENROSE PHOTOGRAPH: KEITH WARD

Green Action NewsM O B I L I S I N G P E O P L E T O S A F E G U A R D O U R E N V I R O N M E N T I S S U E 1 0 • AU T U M N 2 0 1 0

PLUSHelp us replaceHazelwood Power Station.On-the-ground report fromCopenhagen.

2010. Our greatest opportunity for change.

Green Action News: Issue 10, Autumn 2010

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