Archive for August, 2007
Resource - Ms Monique Conheady & Flexicar at the Sustainble Cities Round Table 1 August
Posted in Events, Models, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on August 8th, 2007
Ms Monique Conheady, co-founder & CEO, Flexicar, spoke about her car-sharing business, Flexicar, with her talk titled, “If you live in a city, you don’t need to own a car“, at the Sustainable Cities Round Table.
Prior to establishing Flexicar, Monique was an Assistant Director with the Federal Government’s Department of Health and Ageing. Graduating with honours from the University of Melbourne in Engineering and Arts, she has also worked as a project manager for the global engineering consulting film Ove Arup & Partners in Melbourne, London, New York and Cairo, and was involved in the development of an ebusiness venture for UK retailer, Sainsbury’s. In 1998 Monique was awarded the National Association of Women in Construction Young Achiever Award. Monique is passionate about new ways of doing business that are financially, socially and environmentally sustainable.
Click here for Monique’s slides. sustainable-cities.ppt
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Research - Presentation by Mr Alan Pears, Sustainable Cities Round Table 1 August
Posted in Events, Research, Sustainable Cities Round Tables by Ferne Edwards on August 8th, 2007
Mr Alan Pears, Adjunct Professor, RMIT University & Director, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd, spoke about “the carbon neutral revolution - transforming cities” in his presentation at the Sustainable Cities Round Table. Alan has worked in the sustainable energy and environment fields since the late 1970s for community groups, government and the private sector. While working for the Victorian government in the 1980s, he helped develop and implement programs such as the Home Energy Advisory Service, public information and education, appliance energy labeling and mandatory building insulation regulations.
Since 1991, Alan has been co-director of Sustainable Solutions, an environmental consultancy, and has been involved in building energy and environmental rating and regulation, green building projects, educational software, green appliance development, industrial and business energy and environmental management, and policy analysis.
Click here for Alan’s pears-slides-aug-07-roundtable.ppt.
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Local action & Networks - The Sustainable Cities Round Table, 1 August 2007
Posted in Events, Sustainable Cities Round Tables, Visions by Ferne Edwards on August 8th, 2007
What a wonderful evening! A fantastic turnout and inspiring presentations occurred again at our second Sustainable Cities Round Table. Following on from the structure of the last Round Table, we had seven of Melbourne’s sustainable cities experts deliver their environmental initiatives within a brief three minutes, followed by an enthusiastic brainstorm/ discussion about our sponsor’s, VicUrban, “Officer” project. The event closed with the opportunity for networking and future collaborations with drinks and canapes.
The entire event was filmed - thank you to Mr Ryan Spanger from Dream Engine films - and is now available on this site. Simply place the names of the presenters (listed below) in our Search Category to visit a post about their talk and see the video presentation or simply click on the link below.
Presenters included:
• Introduction by Prof Chris Ryan & Ferne Edwards, Australian Centre for Science, Innovation and Society (ACSIS), University of Melbourne - see video below
• Mr Alan Pears, Adjunct Professor, RMIT University & Director, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd, “The carbon neutral revolution - transforming cities”
• Ms Monique Conheady, Co-founder & CEO, Flexicar, “If you live in a city, you don’t need to own a car”
• Mr David Teller, UNGC-Cities Programme Director & Committee for Melbourne Acting CEO, “The United Nations Global Compact - Cities Programme: Melbourne-based urban governance and innovation”
• Mr David Craven, Executive Director, Green Building Council of Australia, “Sustainable cities: The role of the Green Building Council”
• Mr Mick Pearce, Design Inc., “The City and Nature”
• Ms Robyn Evans, Sustainable Transport Officer, Environment Victoria, “Environment Victoria’s Sustainable Transport campaign: Linking environment with transport”
• Mr Martin Williams, Sustainability Manager, VicUrban, “VicUrban Sustainability Charter”
• Brainstorming/ discussion: ‘Creating a carbon neutral community with the lights on’, presented by
Derek Klau, VicUrban and facilitated by Chris Ryan, ACSIS
The film of the introduction by Prof Chris Ryan & Ferne Edwards, Australian Centre for Science, Innovation and Society (ACSIS), University of Melbourne
The next Sustainable Cities Round Table will be held on September 12. If you would like an invitation to attend this popular event, please email me, Ferne Edwards, at fedwards @unimelb.edu.au.
Event - Greening the university workshop! August 14
Posted in Events, Models, Research, Visions by Ferne Edwards on August 7th, 2007
On Tuesday 14 August, the Postgraduate Environment Network at the University of Melbourne will be hosting its first ‘Greening the University’ workshop. This is your chance to become involved in making Melbourne University a more environmentally friendly place.
Hear from experts in the field what Melbourne University and other institutions are doing, bring your own ideas to the discussion and get involved with greening the University. The speakers include:
Dr. Sarah Bekessey from RMIT School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning;
Stefan Delaney, General Manager for Environment Health and Safety at Melbourne University;
and a corporate sustainability speaker.
The facilitator is Tony Overman from Sinclair Knight Merz environmental consultants.
This event is a great chance to learn and contribute in practical ways to the environmental sustainability of Melbourne University. The speakers will only talk for a short time and most of the time will be dedicated to workshopping efficient and practical ways for us to move sustainably forward!
When: 6-8 pm, Tuesday 14 August
Where: Gryphon Gallery, Graduate Centre, Building 1888, Near the Cnr of Gratton and Swanston Street, Parkville Campus, University of Melbourne
Cost: Free- Food and Drinks will be supplied!
Event - Prahran goes greener with Flexicar and Conservo launch
Posted in Events by Flexicar on August 7th, 2007
Melbourne largest car-sharing company, Flexicar, has added Prahran to its list of inner-suburban locations. Flexicar’s launch event will be from 8am-1pm on Wednesday 8 August at Conservo Service Station, the new home of the cars.
The joint launch, also celebrating the arrival of bio-fuel service station, Conservo, is to introduce the two new green businesses to Prahran locals and environmental conscious residents in neighbouring suburbs.
Conservo and Flexciar welcome all to come along to learn more about both service - and get your free organic breakfast bonanza: organic coffee, organic sausages, organic bread and organic eggs.
Flexicar are offering members that sign up on the day two free hours and Conservo are offering shoppers 10% off.
Launch Location: Conservo, 118 High St, Prahran.
Launch time: 8am – 1pm
All Welcome
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Local Action - Join a Carbon Rationing Action Group to reduce your carbon footprint
Posted in Models, Movements, Seeking by Ferne Edwards on August 7th, 2007
Carbon rationing has been proposed as a way to achieve the deep and rapid cuts in greenhouse gas emissions that we need to make if we are to prevent runaway climate change. On a national scale, carbon rationing would involve determining the overall quota of emissions that Australia should
keep within for a particular year, and then distributing rights to emit in equitable ways among households, businesses and governments.
Carbon Rationing Action Groups (CRAGs) have sprung up in the UK as a way of experimenting with carbon rationing on a more local level. “A CRAG is a group of people who have decided to act together to reduce their individual and collective carbon footprints. They first set themselves an annual emissions target or “carbon ration”. Then they keep track of their emissions over the year by keeping a record of their household energy use and private car and plane travel. Finally, at the end of the year, they take responsibility for any “carbon debt” (i.e. emissions over and above
their ration) that they have built up. All carbon debts are paid into the group’s “carbon fund” at an agreed rate. The fund is then distributed as agreed by the members of the group.” (see www.carbonequity.info/crags for further information)
Friends of the Earth Melbourne is calling for people interested to help set up a CRAG located in Fitzroy, Collingwood or Northcote. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact either Rodney Vlais at
rodney (at)foe.org.au, or Cam Walker on 9419 8700.
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Event - Future Melbourne’s Global Forum - Our Place in the World: Melbourne Going Global, 21 August
Posted in Events, Policies, Research, Visions by Ferne Edwards on August 7th, 2007
This forum will explore Melbourne’s global positioning and role as a city internationally.
It will ask the questions:
* How does Melbourne rate as global city and where does Melbourne fit in Australia’s global identity?
What are Melbourne’s global strengths, future commercial and cultural touch points of success?
How do we make the most of Melbourne’s ‘second tier’ global city advantages?
* Where does Melbourne’s economic future lie in the light of increasing levels of global engagement
in the economy? How can Melbourne best position itself to take advantage of growth of China, India
and other expanding economies? How can skills needed for the global economy be captured? Our
diaspora – brain drain or asset?
* How do we balance the global versus the local?
Date: 6:00pm - 7:30pm, Tuesday 21st Aug 2007
Venue: BMW Edge, Federation Square
Read the rest of this entry »
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Event - Dispelling the myths about climate change science, 17 August
Posted in Events, Policies, Research by Ferne Edwards on August 6th, 2007
Dispelling the myths about climate change science
A free public lecture presented by the Climate Adaptation Science and Policy Initiative (CASPI), featuring the university’s leading climate scientists examining the reality of climate change.
Friday 17 August
12:30 - 2:00pm
Harold White Theatre, Arts Centre Building
Parkville Campus, the University of Melbourne
Lies, damn lies and statistics - Prof David Karoly on what is really causing climate change
Emissions reduction targets - Prof Ian Enting on where they come from
Tropical cyclones and other extreme weather events - Assoc Prof Kevin Walsh on whether they are becoming more intense
For more information see www.caspi.unimelb.edu.au or call 8344 4708. Bookings not required. The Arts Centre Building is on the corner of Swanston and Grattan Streets (enter from Swanston Street). The Harold White Theatre is wheelchair accessible.
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Local Action - Train the Mentor course, Sustainability Street
Posted in Events, Models by Ferne Edwards on August 6th, 2007
Another SSA Village Opportunity - The Sustainability Street Approach – Train the Mentor Course
Train the Mentor…
So many people wish to take that next step on their journey and become a mentor to others and their community, but feel they do not have the skills required. These skills can be learnt and taught. Learning these skills will benefit, other people, the environment, the community and your personal confidence and growth.
The Train the Mentor (TTM) course is all about enhancing peoples skills so they can continue to spread the idea of Sustainability Street and all it encompasses. It addresses; public speaking, technical knowledge, community engagement, making it fun, presentation skills, dynamic capacity building, meeting structure, deep sustainability and community empowerment among a myriad of other focuses. Participants will receive a TTM graduation certificate signed by Sustainability Street patrons, Rob Gell and Geraldine Doogue.
The attached document gives a brief outline of what the course involves and the individual actions required. The initial section of the course will be presented on:
Saturday September 8th
9.45am – 3.00pm
CERES Education Centre
Lunch Provided (RSVP Essential)
Please RSVP to jason @mefl.com.au
You don’t have to be an, “environmental expert”, or even have been to SSA sessions, to attend the Train the Mentor course! If you have been inspired in some way by the SSA and are committed to working with your local community towards an ecologically sustainable future, then you will make a fantastic mentor and we urge you to attend and invite others if you wish.
This a great chance to continue your involvement with Sustainability Street, to work with your own community as well as new emerging communities.
For more information download the program here naga-ttm.pdf.
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Event - Dispelling the myths about climate change science
Posted in Events, Research by Ferne Edwards on August 6th, 2007
The Climate Adaptation Science and Policy Initiative (CASPI, a major project of the Australian Centre for Science Innovation and Society), would like to invite you to the following event:
Dispelling the myths about climate change science
A free public lecture presented by the Climate Adaptation Science and Policy Initiative (CASPI), featuring the University of Melbourne’s leading climate scientists examining the reality of climate change.
12:30 - 2:00pm, Friday 17 August
Harold White Theatre, Arts Centre Building, Parkville Campus, University of Melbourne
Lies, damn lies and statistics - Prof David Karoly on what is really causing climate change
Emissions reduction targets - Prof Ian Enting on where they come from
Tropical cyclones and other extreme weather events - Assoc Prof Kevin Walsh on whether they are becoming more intense
For more information see www.caspi.unimelb.edu.au or call 8344 4708. Bookings not required. The Arts Centre Building is on the corner of Swanston and Grattan Streets. The Harold White Theatre is wheelchair accessible.
Climate change and rural health reminder
CASPI is also organising a one day seminar on climate change and rural health, on August 22. For more information or to register, go to www.caspi.unimelb.edu.au .
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