Beyond Coal - 100% Renewables for the Hunter?

 

Walk Against Warming 2010

 

Sunday Augsust 15th, 12pm at Wheeler Place.

Rally and speeches, then we will march to the foreshore park.

Join us to walk against warming just days before the federal election.  Let's make sure our politicians get the message loud and clear - we want climate action, not denial or delay!

 

CAN Membership Renewals

For those wishing to become a member of CAN or renew membership, it is now due.
CAN membership is $20 per annum, $10 concession.
CAN membership or renewal can be done online here - http://www.climateaction.org.au/membership-form

 

CAN Meets with Jodi McKay MP

CAN recently had a meeting with local MP Jodi McKay and explained to her why we need to stop building new coal-fired power stations and explained the alternatives that are available.
Ms Mckay has written to Frank Sartor (Minister for Climate Change and the Environment) to bring our concerns to his attention and request that he meet with us to discuss our concerns further. 

The Work That Reconnects

Transition Towns Newcastle has organised a day long workshop, titled "The Work That Reconnects" The workshop based on experiential processes developed by Joanna Macy. By participating together in meditation, rituals, and creative processes we have the opportunity to honour our pain for the world and be enlivened and empowered to contribute to creating a sustainable future. For further details go to http://www.transitionnewcastle.org.au/event/first-heart-and-soul-event-work-reconnects

 

Put Solar On It ??

This is a fun campaign to get Julia Gillard to put solar panels on the roof of the Lodge by 10/10/2010. It calls for the Government to introduce policies to enable everyone access to Clean Energy. It also targets other World Leaders . To take part go to http://putsolaron.it/ 

 

Proposal for Copenhagen style Bicycle Lanes in Newcastle

The Newcastle Cycleways Movement (NCM) has put together a proposal for on road bicycle lanes which have a physical separation from the traffic and parked cars, known as "Copenhagen lanes". The proposal is to link the current East-West cycleway at Hamilton with the lanes to Pacific Park in Newcastle East. For the full proposal click here 

Newcastle City Council is holding seven workshops as part of its 2030 Strategic Planning process. A workshop entitled "A connected city - public transport, cycling and pedestrian" will be held on  Tuesday 29 June, 6pm to 8.30pm, City Hall.  

This would present a good opportunity to show your support of the NCM proposal. Bring your friends along & let Council know that a cycleway is better use of this area than a row of parking spaces. 

To register for this workshop, email Newcastle2030@ncc.nsw.gov.au, or call 4974 2787. 

The  workshops and their times are:

• Liveable and distinctive built environment, Wednesday 23 June, 2pm to 4.30pm, Fort Scratchley Multipurpose Centre
• Vibrant and activated public places, Monday  28 June, 6pm to 8.30pm, City Hall
• Open and collaborative leadership, Tuesday 29 June, 2pm to 4.30pm, City Hall
• A connected city - public transport, cycling and pedestrian,Tuesday 29 June, 6pm to 8.30pm, City Hall
• Caring and inclusive community, Wednesday 30 June,10am to 12.30pm, City Hall
• Protected and enhanced environment,Wednesday 30 June,6pm to 8.30pm,City Hall
• Smart and innovative city, Thursday  1 July, 7.00am to 9.00am, City Hall

 Further information on workshops  click here 

Forum - The Future of the Hunter Valley in a Carbon Constrained World 

The Nature Conservation Council is holding a deliberative democracy forum on the future of the Hunter Valley in a carbon constrained world.
The forum will take place in Newcastle on Friday, 18 June 2010.
Ordinary residents living in the Hunter Valley will be invited to hear from experts and deliberate on the question: 
"What should government, business and community do to ensure a good future for the Hunter Valley in a carbon constrained world."
The recommendations from this forum will be delivered to the NSW Premier's Department as part of the Low Carbon Future for the Hunter Valley Taskforce Report.

For further details and to express your interest in attending - click here

 

Newcastle wins Smart Grid Smart City bid

"NEWCASTLE has been chosen to be Australia's first ‘‘smart city''.
Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Senator Penny Wong announced in Newcastle today that a consortium led by EnergyAustralia had won the Federal Government's $100-million Smart Grid Smart City bid.
Senator Wong said the project, which involves the country's first commercial-scale smart grid, would help Australians to save energy, connect renewable energy to the grid and to tackle climate change.
‘‘Smart Grids give households the ability to manage their own energy use, as they give consumers information about how much energy they are using and the costs at any time.''
She said consumers could also use Smart Grids with energy efficient ‘‘smart appliances'' that can be set to run on off-peak power." Full story - click here

Further information on the Government website:click here 

Further information from Energy Australia- click here 

If you want to express your interest in being part of the Smart Grid trial, you can leave your details here:

Schools should be careful how much solar power they make

"MORE than half of NSW public schools are being excluded from the government's solar power rebate because they generate too much renewable energy.
Schools that have funded the installation of solar panels through cake stalls and community donations are, in many cases, earning about 10 per cent what private households can earn through the scheme.
Of the 262 schools that produce solar energy in the state, 165 are not eligible for the solar bonus, mostly because their systems are bigger than the 10-kilowatt maximum size allowed under the rebate scheme." Full story here -

 

 

 

 

Hi CAN supporters,

IN THIS ISSUE :

The fate of the CPRS
Gross solar meter installation
Home Sustainability Assessements

 

The Fate Of The CPRS

The last few weeks have been eventful for those of us who are concerned about climate change, and want to see action to preserve a safe climate for the planet. Here is a quick update on what's been happening, and what you can do about it.

At the beginning on the month, Kevin Rudd announced that the CPRS (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) would be delayed until 2013. Whilst most of us are aware that this scheme would not have been an effective or fair way to reduce emissions Government's, we certainly don't want action on climate change delayed for another three years! The Australian Chief Scientist Penny Sackett has publically criticised the delay, saying "We are not acting with sufficient speed to reduce the large degree of risk that climate change poses to our health, our environment and our livelihoods." Labor MPs around Australia have been inundated with phone calls and letters criticising the failure to take quick action. Five MPs have come forward to warn that the government's current position on climate change cannot be sold to the electorate, and that a carbon tax is needed.

You can add your voice to this issue by making a phone call or sending an email or letter (a template letter is attached) to your local federal MP, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong and/or Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. If you've never done it before, now is the time to give it a go! Leaving a phone message takes only a few minutes, and is a very easy way to register your opinion.

The budget, released yesterday, includes $652 million for a Renewable Energy Future Fund over the next four years, using money saved by scrapping the CPRS. This is a step in the right direction, but unfortunately we are in a climate emergency, with only 10 years to make cuts of 25-40%. A few renewable energy flagships are no substitute for the widespread roll-out of renewable, especially when new coal-fired power stations are still being built, including two in NSW alone that will increase the state's emissions by 15%!

In the last few weeks we have also seen the credibility of climate deniers seriously undermined. Last week, 255 scientists, including 11 Nobel laureates, signed an open letter in the prestigious journal Science, defending climate science and attacking the ‘dogma' of climate sceptics. The letter challenges those who deny human-caused climate change to come up with an ''honest effort to provide an alternative theory that credibly satisfies the evidence''.
Meanwhile the latest scientific studies from the University of NSW have found that without efforts to cut emissions, in 300 years time the Earth could be 10 - 12°C hotter, with half the Earth too hot for humans to live there at all.

So what can we do about all of this locally? CAN is currently planning a town meeting to take place in late July, which will provide an opportunity for people around the Hunter to come together and discuss the need for a transition away from coal, and the opportunities that renewables could represent for the region. We are hoping that from this meeting, we can form a working group on community-owned renewable energy, after being very inspired by the Hepburn Wind Farm. It's clear that a similar project in the Hunter would be a positive way to tackle climate change whilst benefiting the local community.

CAN welcomes all our supporters to come along to our meetings, held on the first Wednesday of each month, at Hamilton Public School. At meetings we usually discuss what is happening on the climate change front, as well as planning for upcoming events and activities. You can participate as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Feel free to call us or email us with any questions or suggestions.

 

Gross Solar Meters for Existing PV Systems
It's time to make arrangements to get your home's solar PV system ready for the gross feed in tariff.Under the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme, only customers with gross metering arrangements are eligible for the 60 cent/kwH (noting that some energy retailers are offering 66c / kwH) gross feed-in tariff after the transition period expires on the 1st of July.
We suggest householders with existing solar PV systems and net meters organise this gross meter for their home in coming weeks, as there is likely to be further delays in the installation of these meters, and you never know when the scheme will reach its limit of 'subscribers'.The meter is free, but residents must arrange and pay for the electrician to install the meter. 
The first step is to get a qualified electrician on board who will inspect your meter box, put a purchase order in for the right meter with Energy Australia, and do the installation. They should also look after all the required paperwork. So check they will do all of this when you're seeking quotes for your home. 
Gross meters must be installed by an accredited level 2 service provider (electrician).  The Department of Fair Trading (DFT) provides this list of level 2, category 4 accredited service providers(electricians). http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/pdfs/Consumers/ASP_list_level2.pdf

You can also call the DFT on 02 9895 0008 (if you don"t want to trawl through the 55 pages of electricians listed by suburb).

A range of websites suggest that the installation should cost somewhere in the range of $200 - $400 (incl gst) if the meter box is close to the solar power inverter. (Although no CAN people have heard of anyone securing a $200 quote to date!). Additional costs may arise if the meter box is located further away. 
For more information:http://www.energyaustralia.com.au/State/NSW/Residential/Products-and-services/Solar-power/NSW-Solar-Bonus-Scheme-Questions-and-Answers.aspx#Q11

Home Sustainability Assessments
There has been a lot of change recently in Government environmental programs. The program formerly known as Green Loans is now being rebranded as Home Sustainability Assessments and is still available and free of charge.
The programs objective is to assist households to install improvements that will result in more efficient use of energy and water.
If you want further details go to: http://climateaction.org.au/home-sustainability-assessments

 

Dear friends 

 

Convenor - Transition Newcastle

Two of the local environmental groups, Transition Towns and Rising Tide have exciting events this weekend, details below.

 

Be a light in the darkness this Earth Hour, Saturday 27th March

Earth Hour 2010 Bring a picnic, family and friends and join us to celebrate Earth Hour on top of Braye Park, Waratah and watch to see if the people of Newcastle switch off their lights. The BYO picnic is planned from 5.30pm in the playground area, where all manner of activities for kids and big kids will take place: facepainting, puppet making and flag making, and lots of music. Of particular interest to all the permies, tinnies, HOG, CANners and general greenies out there will be the speakers corner kicking off at about 6.30pm, when we’ll hear inspiring stories from our own local eco heroes: Kate Beveridge will describe a day in the life of Purple Pear Biodynamic Farm including the Community Supported Agriculture box scheme, and how the simple life can be something to celebrate; Climate Action Newcastle’s bulk solar king, Ian Wilcox, will show us what a difference a small group of people can have when they commit to change more than their own behaviour Craig Manhood, the man behind the fabulous Fig Tree Community Garden will tell us their wonderful story. We are also hoping that Brett Cooper will be there to recount his amazing journey in urban food growing. Also that someone from Newcastle Astonomical Society will be there to inform us of the wonders of the clear night sky! Just before Earth Hour a Pied Piper will lead the procession to the top of the hill where we can fly our flags of resolution and sing our hearts out as the lights around Newcastle are switched off. And remember, if you'd like to be a wandering minstrel or perform on the night, we'd love to hear from you. Bring along lanterns, candles or solar powered lights as well as any interesting recycled bits and pieces for the puppet-making. Oh and the Aeroguard of course. The top road will be closed to traffic. Parking is available in the streets around the park and the bottom carpark at the top of Platt Street, near the mater Hospital. For more information visit www.transitionnewcastle.org.au or email transitionnc@optusnet.com.au In the event of bad weather please check out website for announcement.       People's Blockade of the World's Biggest Coal Port   What's happening? Hundreds of people will peacefully occupy Newcastle Harbour, and prevent the passage of coal ships. This will be the fifth action of its kind in Newcastle. No one has ever been arrested. At the last, in March 2009, we successfully stopped all ship movements in the harbour for the day.    The blockade will begin at 10 and go for the rest of the day. If you can't make it for the whole event, come down for as long as can manage.  As well as the action on the water, there'll be plenty happening on the shore. Good food will be available by donation. There will be music, and a small number of speakers including Richard Denniss from the Australia Institute, and Greens parliamentarian Lee Rhiannon. There'll also be a ceremony of home made rafts! Check out the funky floating masterpieces, and enter your own creation. What about boats? Bring your canoe, kayak, tinnie, surfboard, whatever pleasure craft you like. Don't have your own boat, and don't fancy yourself a raft-maker? That's fine. Rising Tide is organising as many kayaks as we can, and making them available for general use. If you have access to a multitude of kayaks, please get in touch! Among the participants in this year's blockade will be a 71 foot yacht. What about safety? There will be fast rescue boats, generously provided and operated by Greenpeace. If you get into trouble, someone will save you. We will also have a first aid tent on shore. So, where is it, exactly? Horseshoe Beach is behind Nobbys Beach, facing into the harbour. When travelling east along Scott Street, turn left at Newcastle Station, into Watt Street. Then right at the roundabout, onto Wharf Road. Travel along there for about half a kilometre before turning left onto Horseshoe Beach Road, also known as Pasha Way. Then a quick left again, follow that road to the end and then you are there. Here it is on google maps. Why should we blockade the coal port? Now, more than ever, we need to be turning up the heat on the coal industry, and their friends in government. The export coal industry is Australia's single biggest, and fastest growing contribution to the global climate crisis.  Newcastle, already the world's biggest coal port, is opening a major new coal export terminal over the course of this year, bringing the export capacity of the Hunter Valley coal chain to an incredible 178 million tonnes of coal per annum. That's the climate change equivalent of 30 Bayswater Power Stations.  Within ten years, the coal corporations plan on exporting more than 300 million tonnes of coal per annum - a tripling of current export capacity. Tripling coal exports means tripling coal mining. As Newcastle coal exports boom, more precious bushland will be razed, more waterways polluted, more communities ripped apart as the transnational coal companies carve their way westwards into the Liverpool Plains. The profits will be exported, but the devastation will stay here in the Hunter. The catastrophic effects of climate change will hurt all around the world. This madness has to stop. The climate crisis is deepening, and time is fast running out. Politicians are failing to take action against the rampant coal companies, so we have to do it ourselves.  Hundreds of people will be doing just that in Newcastle on 28th March, and we'd love you to join us. We'll be taking to the harbour in a big way, occupying the world's biggest coal port with a mass of people, and demanding: an immediate ban on the expansion of the coal industry in Australia, a swift phase out of coal, replacing all coal industry jobs with jobs in renewable energy and other sustainable industries. For further information see Risingtide.org.au

Clive Hamilton: Why are we ignoring climate change?  

Dear Friends and Supporters,   Climate Action Newcastle invites you to attend our 2010 Annual Lecture.   Australian author and public intellectual Clive Hamilton is coming to town to speak! The lecture will be at 7pm on Tuesday 23rd March at Newcastle City Hall, King Street Newcastle. Clive is a renowned public intellectual and academic who founded and directed the progressive think tank The Australia Institute from 1994 to 2008. He is the author of many excellent books including 'Affluenza', 'Scorcher: The Dirty Politics of Climate Change' and his latest book 'Requiem for A Species: Why we resist the truth about climate change'. The last year has seen a surge in climate scepticism and apathy. Clive will discuss what is behind this phenomenon, and why we don't actually have to take climate change lying down!   Entry by gold coin donation. No bookings required.     <<<<<<<<Please circulate to your friends and email lists>>>>>>>

Be a light in the darkness this Earth Hour - Saturday 27th March 2010

 

Bring a picnic, family and friends and join us to celebrate Earth Hour on top of Braye Park, Waratah and watch to see if the people of Newcastle switch off their lights.

 

Come along and …

Check out the Wheel of Change

Decide what you’ll commit to in 2010

Create a Flag of Resolution

Be enchanted by our wind puppets

Create your own wind puppet from recycled materials

Become an Eco-Earthling and have your face painted

Be inspired at our Speaker’s Corner

Join …the Pied Piper on a candlelight procession

Watch …the lights go out across the city

Enjoy …our wandering minstrels and community singing

 

The BYO picnic is planned from 5.30pm in the playground area with the candlelight procession taking place at around 8pm. Bring along lanterns, candles or solar powered lights as well as any interesting recycled bits and pieces for the puppet-making. Just before Earth Hour a Pied Piper will lead the procession to the top of the hill where we can fly our flags of resolution and sing our hearts out as the lights around Newcastle are switched off. And remember, if you'd like to be a wandering minstrel or perform on the night, we'd love to hear from you.

 

For more information visit www.transitionnewcastle.org.au

or email transitionnc@optusnet.com.au

In the event of bad weather please check out website for announcement.

 

Please use the attached flyers to publicise the event far and wide!

Be a light in the darkness this Earth Hour - Saturday 27th March 2010

 

Bring a picnic, family and friends and join us to celebrate Earth Hour on top of Braye Park, Waratah and watch to see if the people of Newcastle switch off their lights.

 

Come along and …

Check out the Wheel of Change

Decide what you’ll commit to in 2010

Create a Flag of Resolution

Be enchanted by our wind puppets

Create your own wind puppet from recycled materials

Become an Eco-Earthling and have your face painted

Be inspired at our Speaker’s Corner

Join …the Pied Piper on a candlelight procession

Watch …the lights go out across the city

Enjoy …our wandering minstrels and community singing

 

The BYO picnic is planned from 5.30pm in the playground area with the candlelight procession taking place at around 8pm. Bring along lanterns, candles or solar powered lights as well as any interesting recycled bits and pieces for the puppet-making. Just before Earth Hour a Pied Piper will lead the procession to the top of the hill where we can fly our flags of resolution and sing our hearts out as the lights around Newcastle are switched off. And remember, if you'd like to be a wandering minstrel or perform on the night, we'd love to hear from you.

 

For more information visit www.transitionnewcastle.org.au

or email transitionnc@optusnet.com.au

In the event of bad weather please check out website for announcement.

Please use the attached flyers to publicise this far and wide!

Climate Action Newcastle meetings

CAN meets every 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month from 6:30pm at Hamilton PublicSchool (ground floor, eastern building), corner Steel & Tudor Streets,Hamilton.

CAN has recently made some changes to our meeting schedule. Meetings on the first Wednesday of the month will continue as usual as whole group meetings. Meetings on the third Wednesday, we will still meet at the same time and place but will break up into working groups based on particular campaigns and projects. This is an opportunity for members to get directly involved in CAN’s work. Working groups will include media liaison, community wind farm project and more to be decided you!

Everyone is invited to attend meetings, bring ideas along and get involved. For moreinformation visit www.climateaction.org.au

Climate Action Newcastle event

When will we stop pretending Global Warming is not going to happen?

A talk by Clive Hamilton

7pm Tuesday 23rd March

City Hall, Newcastle

Entry by gold coindonation

Clive Hamilton is an author and publicintellectual and has written extensively about climate change. His booksinclude Growth Fetish (2003), Scorcher: The dirty politics of climatechange (2007) and Requiem for a Species (2010).

Can you help promote this event?

Your assistance in spreading the news willmake a big difference to the success of this major CAN annual event.
We ask you to do one (or all) of the following:
- Print out the black and white poster/ flyer attached and take it along toyour workplace, sports club, fitness centre, favourite cafe, communitygroup and local shop to put on their noticeboard

- Ask your local school to put up aflyer and put a note in the newsletter

- Send an email to out to friends andyour email lists

Other events

13^th-15^thMarch – Climate Action Summit

Australian National University, Canberra

Our governments are not providing realclimate solutions. Whether it is Rudd or Abbott's plan or Copenhagen we deservebetter. This three-day conference will look at strategy, policy and actions forthe grassroots climate movement.

www.climatesummit.org.au

 

The Last Coal Train fundraiser

7pm Wednesday 17th March

Lock Up Exercise Yard, 90 Hunter Street, Newcastle

In December, in the wake of the failure of the Copenhagen summit, 23 people stopped a coal train in Newcastle. For theireffort, they got over 8 hours in the cell and over $10,000 worth of fines.
On the 17th March we're going to reclaim the jailhouse and sing the blues. CashSavage and Steve Smyth will tear your hearts out with blues tunes.

For more information and ticket pre-saletickets contact Greer 0439 475 695.

 

 

People’s Blockade of the World’s Biggest Coal Port

10am onwards Sunday 28th March

Horseshoe Beach Newcastle

Join hundreds of other people in a fun,peaceful, and effective action against Australia's single biggest contributionto climate change.

www.risingtide.org.au

 

More information and events at www.climateaction.org.au