This newsletter is posted with permission from Georgie Coram, Environment Victoria. It is an excellent summation of what they have achieved over the last year in terms of local action to achieve zero waste.

E-Bulletin 5: Festive Season Guide and Gifts That Give Back this Christmas

With 2007 drawing to an end, I would take this opportunity to reflect on the activities and the achievements of the Zero Waste Campaign over the past year. It’s been a very busy year for both Mark and I. Since taking up our respective roles as Campaign Director and Community Campaigner, we have worked hard to raise awareness in the community about the impacts of consumption and waste on the environment. In addition to working with the community, the Zero Waste team has continued to place pressure on key decision makers to bring about legislative change.

Specific highlights of our community engagement activities include:
Þ The development of a range of Zero Waste communications materials: information brochures, Green-Action booklets and updated website information and resources
Þ Development of a state-wide network of Zero Waste representatives
Þ Development and implementation of the 2–week Zero Waste Challenge, which has attracted widespread community participation
Þ And most recently, the online sustainable Festive Season Guide

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Please find below a message about the EcoShout website from Sarah Day.

I want to let everyone know about eco-shout, a web portal to all that is green in Eastern Australia and a promotions tool for small environment groups. Eco-shout was designed by long term environmental activists as a catalyst to action for groups and individuals working towards environmental and Indigenous justice in Victoria, Tassie and New South Wales.

The eco-shout website is a networking tool that involves 4000 regular users and provides up to date info on the groups and opportunities out there, enabling anyone to get active in the environment at any level of involvement.
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The eVillage Melbourne website has been busy lately with its online drop-in lounge attended by Kate Redwood and Arron Wood. The Lounge is where the eVillage Melbourne website invites prominent members of the community to share with the eVillage community their thoughts and opinions about a Talking Point they feel passionately about. The guest will host a discussion on topics of interest over a two week period to give as many members a chance to join in the converstion and contribute and exchange their views both with the guests and other interested members.

This has certainly been happening with Kate Redwood who is known for her position as a former Councillor at the City of Melbourne, where she chaired two major standing committees: the Environment Community and Cultural Development Committee, as well as the Commonwealth Games and Major Projects Committee. She has also been representative on a number of other City of Melbourne Committees and has experience in a variety of senior management positions.

Aaron Wood is engaged in the topic of Melbourne being one of the most liveable cities in the world…and making sure that it remains that way for future generations to come. The conversation has been about population growth impacts, water, financial incentives and greenhouse emissions.

To visit the Lounge on the eVillage Melbourne website go to http://evillagemelbourne.com.au/.

Take 5 Minutes Campaign! Support a “Sustainable Living Centre” for Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs and Save some of Victoria’s rarest bushland !!

A graphic example of our planet’s environmental crisis is happening right here in the heart of Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs…..YOU can help stop it now! Take 5 minutes to prevent this environmental crisis happening ……….The Government must now commit to the public acquisition of one of Melbourne’s most important areas of natural bushland…..Contact the responsible Government representatives below and send a letter to the papers….

More Info ……..WWW.BLEEP.ORG.AU

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I received an email today about a local brand called Etiko, www.etiko.com.au, who are doing their bit to help make Melbourne more sustainable. Associated with issues of environmental education, Etiko Sports are a prize partner associated with the Sustainable Living Challenge, www.sustainableliving.com.au. The Sustainable Living Challenge is a leading national secondary schools program that encourages students and their teachers to explore sustainability issues as a part of the school experience.

For more information about their involvement in environmental education read the pdf below or visit their websites:
www.etiko.com.au
www.sustainableliving.com.au

sustainabilitylivingchallengeletterr.pdf

Public transport advocacy position with Metropolitan Transport Forum

The Metropolitan Transport Forum is seeking an enthusiastic, politically savvy, clear thinking project co-ordinator to help it implement its innovative and dynamic ‘Public Transport for a Change - PT4Me2’ project.

The main role of the position is to encourage and support MTF member Councils, in particular Mayors and CEOs, to actively participate in strong advocacy for public transport. The MTF is made up of 18 Melbourne municipalities, and is chaired by Cr Janet Rice from City of Maribyrnong.

The position is a 3 day a week contract position initially for a period of six months. For a copy of the job description go to http://www.pt4me2.org.au/job.html.

For further information contact Susie Strain MTF executive officer on mtf @mtf.org.au 0414 893 926 or Cr Janet Rice, Chair MTF cr.rice @maribyrnong.vic.gov.au 0439 363 846.

Applications close Friday 4 January 2008.

The Australian Conservation Foundation has joined Environment Victoria in providing a guide about how to green your Christmas! Some festive environmentally-friendly hints include:

1. Buy a service, not a product - to reduce embodied greenhouse emissions and water. Buy someone a voucher for a massage for example, rather than a massaging appliance. Tips: vouchers for services, film tickets, theatre tickets.

2. Buy gifts that give twice. Give your friends and family membership to charities, overseas aid groups or environment groups. Tips: membership to ACF, Oxfam, Unwrapped Christmas gifts.

3. Buy carbon offsetting - you can choose the amount you want to spend, and offset someone’s car travel, household energy use or airline travel, one-off or for a year. Make sure you encourage the recipient to reduce their energy use too! Read tips and advice about carbon offsetting schemes.

For the full story visit http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=1553&eid=7505.

I recently received this email below from Environment Victoria about the ever-important issue of consumption at Christmas time. Please read on to find out more about the resources that they’ve put together.

Environment Victoria would like to call on all Victorians to reconsider the way they consume at this time of year. To assist folks in the community on their journey to sustainability, Environment Victoria has developed an online Sustainable Festive Season Guide. This guide provides information and solutions to the problems of unsustainable consumption and waste that typically occurs over the festive season. To download a copy of the guide go to http://www.envict.org.au/file/EV008_FestiveGuide_Final.pdf.

Another great way you can reduce consumption is by giving a virtual green gift. Environment Victoria has developed a great range of GIFTS THAT GIVES BACK. A gift purchased through the GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK range is a tax-deductible donation. To order gifts for your friends and family today go to http://www.envict.org.au/inform.php?menu=3&submenu=1699&item=1701.

This week concluded one of the many Going Further programs - an initiative I was fortunate enough to participate in. The Going Further Initiative, convened by Dr Helen Sykes, is about sustainability and leadership. Each program runs for 6 months in the form of monthly lunches and is designed to stimulate debate about the relationship between economic, environmental and social/cultural issues. At each event, key speakers from across the sectors speak about the ways to develop a sustainable, forward looking and cohesive society.

In the most recent program topics and speakers included:
‘Climate Change and Sustainability‘
Dr Peter Christoff, Vice President, ACF
Ms Angela Rutter, The Climate Project Manager , ACF
Mr Chuck Berger, Acting Director of Sustainability Strategies, ACF

‘Sustainability and Business’
Ms Julie Bisinella, Head of Corporate Responsibility, ANZ Bank
Ms Joanne Martin, Head of Strategy and Projects for Breakout, ANZ Bank
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Please find below the latest newsletter from Ben Nicholson, Victoria-Tasmania Coordinator, Green Roofs Australia, www.greenroofs.wordpress.com.

Greetings one and all to you ‘green collar’ workers and prospective Green Roofs Australia members, This email is to provide you with an update on the recent work of the Green Roofs Australia Executive Committee with respect to:

* Signing up for Green Roofs Australia membership. You can now access and print off the membership application form by accessing the following weblink:
http://greenroofs.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/gramemberapp.pdf

You and/or your organisation will be notified of your membership details following each monthly meeting of the GRA Executive Committee, in accordance with the GRA Constitution;

* GRA is hosting a series of Australia-wide seminars including one in March in Melbourne by Professor Manfred Kohler, Head of the World Green Roof Infrastructure Network. Attendance at the seminar will be free of charge for GRA members who join before 1 February 2008. For more on Prof Kohler’s visit, go to the GRA website: www.greenroofs.wordpress.com;

* A Victorian green roofer’s get together will be held in early 2008 for members and invited guests, to coincide with Prof Kohler’s visit. The GRA website will have more information on this in January. You can apply via the GRA website for updates and new stories on green roofs from around the world – see above for the link;
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