News & eventsNews & events
Thousands say "no" to new coal power station
Kelvin Thompson MPFederal MP Kelvin Thompson has presented a petition to Parliament opposing a proposed new coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley. The petition, signed by 11,916 people, called on the Federal Government to withdraw funding from the HRL power station and invest in renewable energy instead.
In delivering the petition, Mr Thompson pointed out that building a new coal-fired power station works directly against the Government's own CO2 reduction targets.
More information on Kelvin Thompson's blog
Read a transcript of Mr Thompson's speech (PDF download)
Related: PM (ABC Radio) report: "Federal Govt accused of hypocrisy over power stations"
SDAPP at PIA Congress
Gavin AshleyGavin Ashley, co-ordinator of the the SDAPP project, will be speaking at the Planning Institute of Australia Congress in April. Gavin's presentation will be on "Building climate resilience through sustainable design assessment in the planning process"
Here is a brief summary of Gavin's topic:
In the context of Australian state and territories moving to 6-star for residential dwellings through the recent Building Code of Australia changes, there is a tendency to rely too heavily on these minimum standards for addressing overall built form sustainability, especially when time is short in the context of rapid recovery from natural disasters. So how can planning work to increase the environmental performance of built form? How can the planning system capitalise on its role earlier in the design process to push the boundaries and drive innovation to ensure that what gets built, will offer long-term climate resilience; both in durability and lower operational costs in a warmer climate.
Local councils across Victoria are leading the way in improving the environmental performance of buildings through a broad framework called Sustainable Design Assessment in the Planning Process (SDAPP). Councils have recognised that a broader, more detailed framework is necessary to implement more quantifiable aspects of sustainability in relation to matters such as water conservation, energy conservation, sustainable building principles and the use of assessment tools.
For more information see the SDAPP section of this website.
Seeking volunteers for the Residential Energy Monitoring Project
Would you like to play a part in an exciting new research project on electricity use in Victorian homes and go into the draw to win an iPad 2?
Sustainability Victoria and MEFL are undertaking the Victorian Residential Energy Metering Project (Vic REMP) to gather detailed information about how electricity is used in Victorian homes, looking at the whole house, lighting and major appliances. The project involves the installation of metering equipment in the electrical switchboard and inside the home for a period of 6 to 8 weeks. The equipment will measure and record:
- Electricity use at the switchboard
- Electricity use for major appliances
- Internal temperature
- The operating time of the main lights.
Greening Moreland forum
Acting together for a more sustainable neighbourhood
Moreland is lucky to have broad range of residents and community groups actively working to make our neighbourhood more sustainable and a better place to live. In fact, there's so much going on sometimes it's hard to keep up and make sure we're working effectively together. Greening Moreland hopes to change that...
Zero Carbon Moreland presents a free event for Moreland residents, community groups, organisations and local businesses interested in sustainability, the environment and living well. We invite you to come together, tell us what you’re working on, explore what else is happening locally, discuss what we still need to do and how we can do it together.
You will also get an opportunity to calculate your carbon footprint, test ride electric bikes, and get sustainability advice from the Moreland Energy Foundation team. Then wind down with a free BBQ lunch!
Giveaways of Standby Power Controllers
The Emberplug is one
example of an SPC
Some Moreland residents are being offered free energy-saving devices by door-to-door representatives. These devices are standby power controllers (SPCs). They save energy by automatically switching off your appliances at the power point, when they’re not being used.
The SPCs are being offered free by private companies, not by government or local council.
SPCs are a good thing! They can save you electricity and money. If you get offered one, don’t be afraid to take it.
However they need to be actually installed by the person offering it to you, not just handed over to you at the door.
Make sure you take the name of the business offering you the product. VEET has published a list of participating businesses.
Don't stress about heat
Heat stress is a growing health risk.
Our housing tends to perform poorly in hot and cold weather. And, in Moreland, there is a high proportion of babies, elderly and other vulnerable people. But staying cool in summer doesn’t have to cost the earth.
MEFL Year in Review
MEFL's annual report on the 2010-2011 financial year is now available.
Read about our activities and achievements over the last year:
- Community engagement
- Energy efficiency
- Sustainable energy supply
- Urban development
- Climate policy
- A sustainable MEFL
- Governance
- GRI index
Download (PDF, 3.8MB)
ZCM pub nights
These informal gatherings are a great way to have your sustainability questions answered while having a drink at the same time! All Moreland residents are welcome. Friendly atmosphere, no knowledge required, and free food available. What more could you want?
Business breakfast a great success
The Moreland Energy Foundation (MEFL) held a breakfast event for local businesses on 22 September 2011. The event was opened by the Mayor of Moreland Cr Oscar Yildiz and attended by over sixty local business owners, industry associations, energy service providers and others.
Businesses heard from MEFL Chair Monique Conheady, VECCI’s Bob Fynan and local business leader Tony Parker about how to save energy and reduce their environmental footprint, including some practical examples of businesses that have already taken steps. See what Tony Parker did at his business Impact Digital in this short video.
If you would like to have a similar event held in your area, contact MEFL on 9385 8585.
Photos from the event are below. Click thumbnails to view larger images.
ZCM Social now online
Your new, local social networking website, ZCM Social is now online. (Link opens in new window).
You can "click and pledge" easy carbon-reduction actions, get local advice, chat to other members, find local ZCM businesses, create events, and more... There's already conversations happening about the cost effectiveness of solar hot water, exterior blinds improving comfort, and calculating flight emissions. Coburg and Brunswick are way ahead on the Moreland action tally so if you live in Fawkner, Glenrory, Oak Park, Gowanbrae, Pascoe Vale or Hadfield join now and get pledging!
What's new? Q & A forum
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