Posts related to 'workshop'

Maroondah Sustainability Strategy Workshop

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 11th of November, 2008

This evening I attended a workshop to discuss Maroondah’s Sustainability Strategy which is currently available for public comment.

The Strategy serves to provide a policy framework to improve water and energy conservation, as well as reduce resource usage and to educate both council and the community on the importance of sustainability.

The Strategy will be accompanied by an annual action plan, which will include specific council activities to implement the goals within the plan. The Strategy is expected to be considered by the new council in early 2009 once community feedback has been considered.

It is critical that Maroondah becomes an environmental leader to address climate change. To provide your comments on the document please visit www.maroondah.vic.gov.au.

Writers and Readers Festival - Robin Bowles

Published by Alex Makin on Saturday 4th of October, 2008

Saturday included a series of workshops and sessions at Tintern College as part of the Maroondah Writers and Readers Festival. The first session for this morning included writer and investigator Robin Bowles.

Robin is at the forefront of crime writing and has written extensively about the Jaidyn Leskie case and the disappearance of Peter Falconio. Robin is also heavily involved in Sisters in Crime Australia, a group that promotes women crime writers.

Robin was thoroughly engaging as a speaker and discussed her background in marketing and her decision to begin writing as a professional author. Robin spoke extensively about the challenges she has experienced and provided advice for people considering a writing career.

The Maroondah Writer and Readers Festival continues with events on Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th of October.

Ecosmart Solarsmart Workshop

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 30th of September, 2008

This evening I attended Ecosmart’s Solarmart Workshop, an information session organised through Maroondah Council to discuss solar technology and reducing greenhouse emissions.

The workshop provided an overview of solar technology and the need for alternatives to coal electricity generation, which is a major contributor to greenhouse emissions. Standard coal-fired plants emit 915 g/kWh over their lifecycle and should carbon capture and storage ever become viable this will still produce 200 g/kWh in emissions.

While rebates are available for the purchase of solar panels, it is clear that this program needs to be extended so that it can be applied to more than just 1kW of renewable energy. Improvements to the rebate scheme would encourage households to purchase enough solar panels to cover their electricity needs, reducing dependence on coal and improving sustainability.

Council is currently committed to a 20% reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2010. I will be seeking further reductions so that council can demonstrate leadership in environmental sustainability and reduce its environmental impact.

Solar Smart Information Workshop

Published by Alex Makin on Monday 22nd of September, 2008

Tuesday, 30 September 2008
7:00 pm	to	9:00 pm

Maroondah Council and EcoSmart Programs will be holding a free Solar Smart Information Workshop from 7pm on Tuesday the 30th of September at Maroondah Federation Estate.

The workshop will explain how photo voltaic solar panels work, how much power they feed into the grid and the many benefits to households and the environment. EcoSmart will also assist in the process of applying for solar rebates.
 
If you are interested in becoming part of the solution to Climate Change, come along to find out more, and slash the cost of your power bills while helping the planet. EcoSmart can also provide a free Home Energy and Water Assessment to assist households in becoming more efficient with water and electricity consumption.

For further details contact Rebecca Lee on 9725 5010 or email rebecca.lee@ecosmart.net.au.

Delegates’ Report: strengthening transport advocacy, the Ringwood Spiders, showcasing youth creativity and supporting our community

Published by Alex Makin on Monday 15th of September, 2008

The first item is the Eastern Transport Coalition meeting, which held its meeting on the 21st of August. The Eastern Transport Coalition, is the council grouping which involves the seven eastern councils and represents approximately 1 million residents.

The August meeting continued to focus on the strategic objectives of the coalition and revised the group’s mission statement to reflect the importance of accessibility and the need for an integrated public transport system.

The mission statement now reads as follows:

The Eastern Transport Coalition will advocate for integrated and accessible sustainable transport in the Eastern region of Melbourne to improve liveability and reduce car dependency.

The revised mission statement reinforces the focus of the Eastern Transport Coalition, to ensure that it remains a strong advocate for public transport improvements in the region.

The meeting also included a presentation from the Bus Association of Victoria, which provided the group with some advice regarding the future bus service reviews. The State Government has been undertaking municipal level reviews of bus services and Maroondah will shortly be undergoing this process.

It is unsurprising that bus routes that have received service improvements have in turn seen patronage increases. This is clearly apparent with the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus, which has seen a 50% patronage increase due to the fact that the service now runs seven days a week and on public holidays. There is a clear correlation between service improvements and patronage and the impending bus service reviews will allow this council and our community to stress the need for bus improvements.

On the 22nd of August I attended the Ringwood Spiders Presentation Night. The Ringwood Spiders, is a football team for people with disabilities, and it was great to see the club celebrate a successful season. The Spiders have had tremendous on-field success, making it to the semi-finals, as well as off-field achievements, through becoming an incorporated association and collaborating with the umpires association and other bodies. The club is now looking at off-season activities for its members and further opportunities to involve people with disabilities.

The Maroondah Snippets Short Film Festival returned for its second year and on the 3rd of September I attended the awards presentation night. It was great to see the depth of creative and film skills that exists within younger people in our community and that opportunities like the festival exist exist to showcase this talent. All entrants should be commended for partaking in the festival and I would like to extend a congratulatory note to Youth Services for organising such a wonderful event for its second year.

Maroondah Hospital held its Charity Golf Day Thank You on the 10th September. The hospital began as a community facility and still maintains strong links with the surrounding area. The afternoon provided a way of thanking the many sponsors involved in the golf day and I am pleased to present Council with a Certificate of Appreciation for Council’s contribution as a Silver Sponsor. The Hospital raised over $56,000 used to purchase much needed new hospital equipment.

The final planning is underway for the Maroondah Writers and Readers Festival and I have been involved in the steering group which met several times last month. The festival begins on Friday the 3rd of October, with workshops, forums and events held over the weekend. The theme of the festival is crime writing and I encourage people to attend the events over the weekend.

Maroondah Youth Voice, a publication by the youth of Maroondah through a number of Secondary Schools, launched its first edition on the 12th of September. The publication provides a voice for our youth and covers a range of topics including creative writing, culture sport, fashion and health. Once again it was great to see our Youth Services Team supporting the project and I look forward to the next edition which is due in late November.

Lastly was the Good Life After Stroke Expo and Information Day held earlier today at Karralyka. The event, which was organised between the Croydon Stroke Support Group and Maroondah Council, provided information on stroke, the support services available and living life to the fullest after experiencing stroke. The speakers were truly inspirational as were the artworks, including paintings, mosaics and silk scarves developed by members of the Croydon Stroke Support Group. The Croydon Stroke Support Group, Maroondah’s MetroAccess Worker and the staff of Karralyka must be commended for the tremendous work they provided for the event.